News @ Your Library – Page 3 – Mary and Jeff Bell Library Blog

A Better You, One Video Game at a Time!

Post author:Trisha Hernandez
Post published:November 5, 2019
Post category:Library Randomness News @ Your Library Things to Do

"Thank you Mario! But our princess is in another castle!" - Super Mario Bros. Ohhhh Toadstool, you innocent yet still somewhat annoying bit of fungus you. While your pile up acrobatics were impressive, your "princess is in another castle" comments were frustrating. If you haven't figured it out yet, we're talking video games this post. While I would never claim to be the best, I have been a fan of video games since I could hold that rectangular Nintendo controller…

Open Access Week is October 21-27!

Post author:Alexa Hight
Post published:October 22, 2019
Post category:News @ Your Library Things to Do Today's Special

What is Open Access? Open access (OA) refers to information that is digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. This can include journals, books, databases, and more. Why did the open access movement begin? There are several reasons, like most things, one is due to cost. Between 1986 and 2011, serial expenditures rose 402% (see graph). For four decades, subscription prices have risen significantly faster than inflation and library budgets. Another reason for the open access movement…

Join the Library Islander Board!

Post author:Jennifer Anderson
Post published:October 1, 2019
Post category:News @ Your Library Things to Do We Made This

Did you know that the library has opened a call for applications for the new LIB: Library Islander Board? The Board will be our first student advisory group that will help us create spaces, resources, and services with student input and direction. Members will represent a variety of student populations and engage with the library in some pretty cool projects! They will help promote library resources, services, and events and participate in user experience research. All current students are eligible…

New Library Website!

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:September 13, 2019
Post category:News @ Your Library Service for You We Made This

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new and refreshed website. Just a few days before the beginning of the Fall semester, Bell Library launched an improved website with all new content and organization. If you’ve visited the library home page recently, you might not have noticed much change. We kept the same look and feel for the home page that was launched in January 2018. You’ll find most of the major changes by poking around in the menu…

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Librarian Selected as SPARC Open Education Leadership Fellow

Post author:Jennifer Anderson
Post published:September 3, 2019
Post category:News @ Your Library Today's Special

Ms. Lisa Louis from the Mary and Jeff Bell Library has been selected as a fellow in the SPARC Open Education Leadership Program, an intensive professional development program to empower library professionals with the knowledge, skills, and community connections to lead successful open education initiatives that benefit students. The two-semester program blends online, peer-to-peer, and project-based learning to build a comprehensive understanding of the open education space coupled with practical know-how to take action on campus and beyond. Lisa is one…

Why We Cancelled Lexis-Nexis (and How We Made the Decision)

Post author:Lisa Louis
Post published:August 6, 2019
Post category:Behind the Scenes News @ Your Library

This summer, Bell Library was faced with a choice. The database Lexis-Nexis, long a mainstay among library online resources, was coming up for renewal. We could have just renewed it automatically. Lexis Nexis seems foundational. Essential, even. But some concerns brought us up short. Usage was way down over previous years. The price has gone up over the same time span. And there were some problems with the contract that the company wanted us to sign. The TAMU system has…

History Harvest: A Connection to the Community

Post author:Amanda Kowalski
Post published:March 22, 2019
Post category:News @ Your Library Service for You Things to Do

Remember when? Remember when the Harbor Bridge was built? Hurricane Celia? The Buccaneer Days Parade? High school rivalries? Selena on the Domingo Show? Concerts at the Memorial Coliseum? The civil rights marches that changed our city? South Texas has a rich history and your memories can help us understand the important events and experiences that have shaped the region. Every family has a story and individually these memories make our community what it is, and some of those important memories…

Dr. Hector P. Garcia Fellowship

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:February 22, 2019
Post category:News @ Your Library

As a newcomer to Corpus Christi, one of the first local history figures I learned about was Dr. Hector P. Garcia. And for good reason: Dr. Hector, who settled in Corpus with his family in 1945, was an enormously influential individual who made an impact not just locally but globally. He treated indigent patients in his medical practice. He founded the American G.I. Forum, which allowed Mexican-American veterans to organize and advocate for their rights. He stood up for migrant…

Behind the Scenes

Post author:Derrik Hiatt
Post published:February 5, 2019
Post category:Behind the Scenes News @ Your Library Service for You Tech in the Library

The construction area next to the Ask Us Desk isn't the only big change happening at the library right now. Library staff are gearing up for a “behind the scenes” change that you probably won't notice, but that we hope will help us deliver even better service to all of you. The software we use to manage library operations—checking books in and out, the library catalog, journal holdings, tracking orders for new books and other materials, etc.—was designed with print…

Why Makerspaces are a Good Fit for Libraries

Post author:Bell Library
Post published:January 18, 2019
Post category:News @ Your Library Tech in the Library We Made This

We’ve been asked many questions since word started spreading about our intention to create a makerspace in the library. What kind of equipment will you have? Will it be open to the public? Will you charge a fee? How much will you charge? These are all very valid questions, but the one that struck me most was the question why would the library open a makerspace? I usually struggle with putting my thoughts into words. Luckily, I recently read a…