Bell Library – Page 9 – Mary and Jeff Bell Library Blog

Things I Looked Up Last Week

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:March 20, 2020
Post category:Library Hacks Library Randomness Things to Do

Research means a lot of things to a lot of people. If we’re talking primary research, we’re referring to someone who’s conducted a study, observed the results, and drawn a conclusion. If we’re talking about secondary research then we’re usually referring to when a researcher searched for a bunch of research and information sources and created something new with all of that information, like a literature review, systematic review, or a book. We do research all the time, even if…

Brace Yourself: Tax Season is Here

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:March 17, 2020
Post category:Service for You Things to Do Today's Special

It’s that time of year again – no, not just Spring -- tax season! While it may seem like a daunting, costly, and stressful process, you may be able to get help for free. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is an IRS-initiative that offers free basic tax help for those who qualify. VITA programs are led by VITA volunteers that are IRS-certified and are trained by IRS-certified instructors. VITA volunteers must also pass a certification exam before assisting taxpayers. Who…

Q&A with a Library Student Assistant & Graduate Assistant

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:March 6, 2020
Post category:Behind the Scenes Hello, from the Staff

As the Student Coordinator for Access Services, prospective employees often have questions about the Student/Graduate Assistant positions we offer. I figured I’d take the time to interview a current Student/Graduate Assistant so that they can provide some insight about their positions here with Access Services. For this interview, I interviewed Alexandra (Lexy) Tomes (Student Assistant) and Kevin Wong (Graduate Assistant). Can you describe your position and what it entails? AT: I am a student worker at the Circulation Desk in the…

Laser Cutting Love

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:February 28, 2020
Post category:Service for You Things to Do We Made This

Love is in the air! What kind of love am I talking about? Laser cutting love, of course! The laser engraver/ cutter is one of the many features in the I-Create Lab that can be used in a variety of creative ways. With the laser engraver/cutter, patrons and community users can cut natural wood, acrylic, glass, and even denim. The laser not only cuts but also engraves these materials. The photos below show examples of engravings and cuttings that took…

Texas Archival Resources Online

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:February 21, 2020
Post category:Library Hacks Service for You

When I moved from New York to Texas last year, I discovered that Texans are truly devoted to their state’s history. Perhaps then it’s no surprise that Texas repositories have banded together to offer a really cool way to research their state’s history: Texas Archival Resources Online. As we discussed in my last blog post, TARO is a website that gathers finding aids from institutions across Texas in one place. But why does it exist? How can you use it? And why…

And the Winner Is…: Service Excellence Awards in the Library

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:February 18, 2020
Post category:Behind the Scenes Library Randomness

Here at Bell Library we strive to offer excellent service and as part of that initiative we developed an award titled the Golden Pineapple Award. We came up with 12 themes to promote service excellence with-in the library and each month we take nominations of who best embodies that month’s ideal. We then put all the nominee’s names in a cup and draw a name. That person is awarded the “Golden Pineapple” that month. The golden pineapple is a 3-D…

Get on Your Bikes and Ride: Cycling and You

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:February 11, 2020
Post category:Library Randomness Things to Do

You’re stuck in traffic, people are cutting you off, and you’re not sure if you will make it to campus on time. Cruising down the bike lane, you see a cyclist. Unimpeded by traffic, they whiz past you with ease. You’re left wondering, “Should I get out of this cage and start biking to the university?” Yes, yes you should. But why? Well, for starters, Cycling is a great way to cut the cost of gas, so say hasta la…

Live in Texas? Read E-Books for Free

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:February 7, 2020
Post category:Library Hacks Service for You

Gifted a Kindle for Christmas? Don’t want to send Amazon all your money? You should join the Houston Public Library! Houston Public Library supplies library cards to all Texas residents free of charge. So, if you call Texas home you have access to all of Houston Public’s e-book collections. Moreover, by using the Libby app, you can send checked-out e-books directly to your Kindle. There’s an easy online application. And if that doesn’t work (sometimes the webpage has trouble verifying…

I-Create Lab Assists Islander in Sticker Business

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:January 24, 2020
Post category:Service for You Tech in the Library Things to Do We Made This

The I-Create Lab sees all types of people daily, from students looking for help on a project to community members curious to see what the lab has to offer. One of the I-Create Lab's regulars is Graphic Design Major Colton Warren. Colton not only utilizes the I-Create Lab for classwork, but he is also able to transform his digital art into something tangible to sell; stickers! Colton is a sticker fanatic, "I love stickers already, so I wanted to convert…

Lateral Reading: It’s What the Cool Kids are Doing

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:January 17, 2020
Post category:Library Hacks

Right now we (society) are in a little bit of trouble over the proliferation of information. Specifically, how easy it is to produce and share information. Widely shared information can be deeply influential, which is why some people choose to spread misinformation, which is information that’s either misleading or just incorrect. Sometimes we share misinformation on social media because it confirms our biases (yes, we all have biases even if we think we’re perfect, fact-based beings) or because it seems like…