Students have trouble judging the credibility of information online, researchers find

As a librarian, part of my job is to try and help students understand and navigate the vast amounts of information out there, relating to their studies. These skills for finding, understanding, evaluating and using information though are applicable to many other aspects of our lives. This short article, Students have trouble judging the credibility of information online, researchers find from ScienceDaily summarises the findings of a Stanford History Education Group report Evaluating information: the cornerstone of civic online reasoning.  While the students, in this instance, are studying history, a lot of the challenges they face while searching for information online can be applied to students studying other subjects, as well as the population more widely.

In the year when Oxford Dictionaries has named the Word of the Year as Post-Truth and fake news is on the rise, it's more important than ever that we can find, understand and evaluate information whether we are using it in an academic assignment, deciding where to go on holiday or who to vote for.

If you have any questions about finding, evaluating and using information then remember that you can contact me or make an appointment to discuss what you need.

There is also the Library and Information Skills Moodle Module which offers help and guidance around finding, evaluating, managing and using information.

What's hiding in the Halloween sweet treats?

This short news article from the NYC Food Policy Center at HUNTER College gives an insight into what ingredients go into making Halloween sweet treats in the USA. As well as the nutritional information they comment on each ingredient which might make you shudder somewhat!  

Read the news article: 

Halloween candy deconstructed: Ingredients of a few popular Halloween candies

How to read a book without opening it

Imagine, reading a book without opening it!

A team at MIT have developed a new method which used terahertz radiation — light with wavelengths that are between microwave and infrared waves — to view the text of a closed book.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/how-read-book-without-opening-it 

Library news: Browzine trial

Browzine trial

BrowZine is an interface which allows you to browse eJournals available in the Library's collection and open sources using an app for your tablet, iPhone, Android, or via a web version on your computer. 

BrowZine sorts these eJournals into broad subjects and then narrower disciplines. When you create your own user account, you activate features to save and organise your favourite eJournals on virtual book shelves for easy browsing and monitoring current content. 

You can also access it via a desktop website at http://browzine.com/libraries/1200 .

Please see the eLibrary News announcement for more detail on how to set up BrowZine and begin to use it
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/elib/elibrary-news/browzine-30-day-trial-17th-october-16th-november

Saturday workshops - autumn term

The Library is running the following workshops during the autumn term on Saturday 15th October and Saturday 19th November. The workshops will be held in the Library Seminar Room on Level 1 of the Library. All staff and students are welcome.

There are a maximum of 30 places on each workshop. They may not run if less than 5 people book - we will contact you if a workshop is cancelled.

If you have any queries please contact the Library

Date and Time	Workshop
15th October and 19th November 11.30am - 12.30pm	Getting Ready to Study Learn how to organise your work, and make yourself aware of academic learning support materials and what the Library has to offer.  Book Now

15th October and 19th November 12.45 - 1.30pm	Getting to Grips with your Reading List  Understand what you are being asked to read and how to follow up references, etc.  Book Now
15th October and 19th November 2.30 - 3.45pm	Finding Information for Essays or Assignments Find books, articles, etc on a particular topic. Learn to search the Library Catalogue and Discover service.  Book Now
15th October and 19th November 4.00 - 5.00pm	Google Scholar vs Birkbeck Discover Pick up tips on using Google Scholar and Birkbeck Discover. Essential functionality and features of both services. Book Now

Women in Science - Picks from Brain Pickings

Maria Popova curates Brain Pickings, which is where we found this: Your Body is a Space That Sees: Artist Lia Halloran's Stunning Cyanotype Tribute to Women in Astronomy. 

You may also like: Pioneering Astronomer Vera Rubin on Women in Science, Dark Matter, and Out Never-Ending Quest to Know the Universe.

Enjoy. 

Saturday workshops - summer term

The Library is running the following workshops during the Summer Term on Saturdays. The workshops will be held in the Library Seminar Room on Level 1 of the Library. All staff and students are welcome.

There are a maximum of 30 places on each workshop. They may not run if less than 5 people book - we will contact you if a workshop is cancelled.

If you have any queries please contact the Library

Date and Time	Workshop
28th May and 25th June 11.30am - 12.30pm	Finding and accessing theses How to identify and find copies of PhD theses.  Book Now
28th May and 25th June 1.30 - 3.00pm	Improving your search skills How to carry out a literature search and tips for better searching.  Book Now
28th May 3.30 - 5.00pm	Managing your references using Zotero An introduction to managing your references using the Zotero package.  Book Now
25th June 3.30 - 5.00pm	Managing your references using EndNote An introduction to EndNote, reference management software that helps you collect, store and manage your references and cite them correctly.  Book Now