UHD Library Blog

Back to Normal, well almost

The library's catalog is back up and running, if you experience problems, please let us know by calling the reference desk at 713-221-818.

Our new doors have been installed on the 5th floor as well, they are much more attractive than the temporary sheetrock doors were.  Come by and take a look.

Meanwhile the renovation of the 5th floor continues and is making progress.  We are looking forward to seeing the end results of this project and thank everyone for their patience. 

5th Floor Library Detour

Tomorrow (Friday, May 18,2012) the 5^th floor front entry way will be under construction (New front doors!) and no one will be able to enter this way for the entire day.  All staff and patrons wanting to get to the 5th floor of the library should use the stairway through the 4^th floor Lab. 

 

Catalog unavailable notice

The UH-System Library Catalog will be unavailable on Thursday, May 17, 2012 between 7:00pm and 10:00pm due to scheduled maintenance.  Please plan accordingly.   

May Term Has Come

Will the library be open during the May Term?

The library will have shortened operating hours May 13 - June 3.  The library will be closed on Monday, May 28.  May/Intersession hours are as follows:

Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday & Sunday - Closed

The Library will monitor the email Ask a Librarian service after hours for the evenings of Monday - Thursday, as well as the afternoon and evening on Saturday and Sunday.

Email reference questions can be submitted by filling out this form:
http://www.uhd.edu/library/ask.html

 
Your class may have online resources with the library specifically for your class and/or assignments.

You can check to see if your class has materials on Course Reserves here:
http://uhd.docutek.com/eres/

You can also take a look at our research guides for further help in your area.
http://library.uhd.edu/

 
Please contact the library with any questions you may have about library service during the May Term.

Have a great May Term!

Experts To Go - apps for smartphones or tablets

Wiley publishers now has a line of apps you can use.  They have a wide range of topics, including:

Test preparation, News, vocabulary, learning languages, health and medicine, stack trading, Science, Cooking, Business, Sports and more.

If you want to learn more or browse through the apps that are offered take a look at Wiley's Webpage.  

(Note, not all apps are available on all platforms and some may have a cost of purchase.)

How to stay stress free!

The Library has teamed up with the UHD Sports and Fitness Center to do a presentation on how to stay stress free. With finals around the corner, I’m sure some students may be feeling a little stressed.  You may be one of them.  If so, feel free to join us in Library Event Room (N420) from 9:00-10:00 or from 3:00-4:00, while Rhonda Scherer Director of UHD Sports and Fitness Center shares some insightful tips for a stress free life.

Stress has been associated with 99% of all illnesses.  This workshop will focus on dealing with stressful situations, how stress affects energy levels, stress-relief techniques, and the role a regular fitness regimen plays in managing stress and maintaining a healthy body.  Participants will walk away with an understanding of how to identify stressors in their life and how to manage stress using various stress-relief techniques.

ANNUAL STUDENT SURVEY

Please take a moment to take the student survey anytime between April 20 and April 30 using this link:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YNJ7PFD

Your input will be used to improve library collections, facilities, and services.  This survey is anonymous and confidential.

Students who complete this survey and provide valid contact information will be eligible to win one of four $50 Barnes and Noble gift cards!

Plagiarism - Avoid it.

When writing a research paper, you will need to incorporate other people’s statements and ideas into your writing, in order to provide expert support for your ideas.  When you do this, you will need to make it clear to a reader where you found these statements and ideas, whether in a book, an article, on the internet, in a film, by talking to someone personally, or through any other means.  This shows a reader that you did your research, and also allows her to find that same information if it interests her.

Plagiarism is when you use the work or ideas of someone else in your own work without giving credit to the original source. Sometimes people intentionally cheat by trying to pass a paper as their own work, but, very often, plagiarism happens by accident.

Regardless of the intention, plagiarism can have serious consequences. The UHD Student Handbook includes an Academic Honesty Policy (PS 03.A.19) with a definition of plagiarism and procedures for faculty to follow when they suspect a student may have plagiarized or cheated on a paper. Penalties for plagiarism can include a failing grade (F) for a course.

The UHD library has a research guide all about plagiarism, understanding it and avoiding it.  Take a look at it for more information or help.  You can also take a look at the Academic Honesty web page. 

 

Research from home or anywhere

The UHD library has lots of great databases and resources online.  But, did you know that you can use them from home, or off campus in general?  All you need to know is your UHD network
account and you have access to it all anywhere you can get to the internet. 

You can browse through an A-Z listing of databases or if you are interested in subject related sources check out the Research Guides by subject. 

• Current students use your username and password. See MyUHD if you don't know your username or forgot your password. You can also use your 900# and password.

  NOTE: You must be registered during a semester to be considered a current student.

•  Current faculty and staff use your campus computer account (UHD e-mail username and password).

If you run into technical issues you might want to look at our connecting to databases webpage for some common trouble shooting.  For other issues report the problem by using Ask a Librarian or call the Information Desk at 713-221-8187. If you see an error message when you try to connect, please tell us what the message says. 

 

What is Interlibrary Loan?

Ever try to find a book or article or other materials that the university just doesn't seem to have?  Well, Interlibrary Loan is a free service that will help you track down those items.  Library staff will search through libraries across the country to see if they can borrow a copy for you. 

University of Houston-Downtown students, faculty, and staff are eligible to use Interlibrary Loan.  To request items online through this service you can login to your interlibrary loan account by going to the ILL login page.  First-time users will need to create an account for interlibrary loan.

Please keep in mind that since the item could be coming from anywhere in the country, the time it takes to get it could be a week or two.  Also, the amount of time you get to keep the item is not determined by UHD library staff and is set by the other institution that sends it, so due dates could vary. 

If you would like to know more about Interlibrary Loan or have questions you can check out the Interlibrary loan page or contact library staff by email LibraryLoan@uhd.edu or phone: 713-221-8187.

NO TEXTBOOKS!  Students please note that you CANNOT request your textbooks via Interlibrary Loan.  No exceptions.  Sorry!