What’s New

Calling All OhioLINK Fans: OhioLINK Video Contest Deadline Extended to February 11!

Are you the biggest OhioLINK fan? Show us what OhioLINK means to you, how it has helped you, or how you'd explain OhioLINK to your peers in a short (five minutes or less) video and you could win a new digital video camera or 160 GB iPod classic. Your video can be serious or silly, but you need to hurry, entries to the This Is MY OhioLINK Video Contest must be submitted by February 11, 2008.

Current students, faculty and staff members at all 87 OhioLINK member institutions are welcome to submit one or more videos. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on February 11, 2008. Your votes will determine the grand prize winner and runner up. The grand prize winner will receive his/her choice of a digital video camera or a new 160 GB iPod classic and the runner up will receive the remaining prize.

View the current entries on YouTube and visit the contest Web site for complete details.

10 Great Reasons to Attend ODCE 2008

Still deciding whether to attend the Ohio Digital Commons for Education 2008 Conference -- The Convergence of Learning, Libraries and Technology? Here are 10 great reasons to register today.

1. Meet, connect and share success stories with colleagues from across Ohio. ODCE 2008 will provide endless opportunities to talk with 300+ faculty, librarians, administrators, IT gurus and others facing the exact same challenges you do.


2. Get ideas, practical knowledge and tools you can use on your campus right away. With its focus on teaching and learning, student success, moving Ohio forward, and transforming technologies, you'll leave ODCE 2008 with many new ideas and best practices to try.


3. Find out about the future of Ohio higher education. Learn more about The University System of Ohio and its master plan from Chancellor Eric Fingerhut on Monday, March 3. Go to the Ohio Education Panel on Tuesday and hear a range of Ohio voices discuss key issues facing Ohio higher education.


4. Get affordable, hands-on training via a pre-conference workshop. Choose from: Creating Accessible MS Word, MS PowerPoint and PDF Documents; Second Life Bootcamp; Introduction to Multimedia Production for Classroom, Web-Based and Distance Instruction; Redesigning Courses Using the NCAT Approach, Integrating Quality Matters in the Course Development Process, and Social Networking for Dummies!


5. View the innovative ways Ohio institutions are using technology for teaching and learning with exhibits on virtual worlds, podcasts, learning objects, lab experience at a distance, developing digital content and more at Innovation Island. (Monday, 4:30-5:30 p.m.)


6. Learn more about Second Life, online professional development, the latest digital learning tools and other hot topics featured in 45 engaging sessions.


7. Get great ideas from high school teachers on how to engage more students in STEM disciplines at the Preparing Students to Succeed in STEM Disciplines poster sessions (Monday). Both high school teachers looking for ideas, as well as college and university administrators wanting tips on recruiting more STEM students, should attend. (special rate available for high school teachers and students)


8. Engage with leading vendors. Speak frankly with leading higher education vendors and partners at the exhibits, vendor presentations and vendor reception.


9. Unwind after a hard day of learning at our vendor reception from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Monday. Then, enjoy the delights of Easton Town Center including great restaurants, a variety of shopping and entertainment.


10. The learning doesn't end March 4! Begin discussing, sharing and learning now and continue long after the conference ends with the ODCE Conference blog and wiki.

ODCE 2008 will be held March 2-4, 2008 in Columbus. View the preliminary program and register for ODCE 2008 online. Register by February 7 to receive $50 off regular conference rates.

Only 8 Days Left to Enter OhioLINK Video Contest!

There are only eight days left to show us, in five minutes or less, your OhioLINK story or commercial in a creative video! Show us what OhioLINK means to you, how it has helped you, or how you'd explain OhioLINK to your peers and you could win a new digital video camera or a 160 GB iPod classic. But you need to hurry, entries must be submitted by January 18. Current students, faculty and staff members at all 87 OhioLINK member institutions are welcome to submit one or more videos. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 18, 2008. A panel of judges will narrow the entries to three finalists, then your votes will determine the grand prize winner and runner up. The grand prize winner will receive his/her choice of a digital video camera or a new 160 GB iPod classic and the runner up will receive the remaining prize. Visit the contest Web site for complete details.

Got Research Questions? Get Answers Online from a Librarian!

Sometimes you really need help from an expert. When you have research questions, turn to the research experts, OhioLINK librarians!

Save time and frustration, chat online with a librarian!
Try KnowItNow Academic to get online help with any and all research questions from a librarian at a participating OhioLINK library. KnowItNow Academic is available to students, staff and faculty members at OhioLINK member institutions Mondays through Thursdays from 1-9 p.m., and Fridays, from 1-6 p.m.

Outside of these hours, or if academic librarians are not available, you can get online help with your research questions from public librarians using the regular KnowItNow service.

If you've used OhioLINK's Chat with a Librarian service in the past, you'll notice a different look with KnowItNow Academic, but you'll receive the same great service you're used to from Ohio's academic librarians. KnowItNow Academic is a pilot project that will run through February and will then be evaluated.

When you use KnowItNow Academic you may be helped by an academic librarian from another OhioLINK library than your own. If you prefer to talk to a librarian at your library, please contact your library directly.

More About KnowItNow
KnowItNow is a live online information service provided free of charge for the citizens of Ohio by the State Library of Ohio and your local public library. Professional librarians are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer your reference questions and assist you in finding information. KnowItNow is made available free of charge to all residents of Ohio through a federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant awarded by the State Library of Ohio.

New E-Books Cover the American Revolution, Civil Wars, the Environment, Organized Crime and More

Need a quick fact, illustration or overview of a topic? Try a reference e-book. Twenty-four new electronic reference books, including encyclopedias, handbooks, biographical collections and guides, have recently been added to the OhioLINK Electronic Book Center.

The recently added reference e-books are:

• American Revolution: People and Perspectives by Andrew K. Frank and Peter C. Mancall
• Brazil: A Global Studies Handbook by Todd L. Edwards
• Civil Wars of the World: Major Conflicts Since World War II by Karl Derouen
• Cuba: A Global Studies Handbook by Ted A. Henken
• Encyclopedia of American Indian History by Barry M. Pritzker
• Encyclopedia of American Jewish History edited by Stephen H. Norwood
• The Encyclopedia of the Cold War: A Political, Social, and Military History edited by Spencer C. Tucker
• Encyclopedia of Women in the Renaissance: Italy, France, and England by Diana Robin
• Energy Use Worldwide: A Reference Handbook by Jaina L. Moan and Zachary A. Smith
• The Executive Branch of Federal Government: People, Process, and Politics by Brian R. Dirck
• Food Safety: A Reference Handbook, Second Edition by Nina E. Redman
• The Grasslands of the United States: An Environmental History by James E. Sherow
• Industrial Revolution in America: Communications, Agriculture And Meatpacking, Overview/Comparison edited by Kevin Hillstrom
• Intellectual Property: A Reference Handbook by Aaron Schwabach
• The Judicial Branch of Federal Government: People, Process, and Politics by Charles L. Zelden
• Mainline Christians and U.S. Public Policy: A Reference Handbook by Glenn H. Utter
• Making of the American West: People and Perspectives edited by Benjamin H. Johnson
• Material Culture In America: Understanding Everyday Life edited by Helen Sheumaker
• Organized Crime: From Trafficking to Terrorism edited by Frank G. Shanty
• Policing in America: A Reference Handbook by Leonard A. Steverson
• Pop Culture China!: Media, Arts, and Lifestyle by Kevin Latham
• Religion and the Law in America: An Encyclopedia of Personal Belief and Public Policy by Scott A. Merriman
• Slavery in the United States: A Social, Political, and Historical Encyclopedia by Junius P. Rodriguez
• United States West Coast: An Environmental History edited by Adam M. Sowards

Looking for more e-books? Try OhioLINK's other e-book collections: the History E-Book Project, netLibrary, and the Safari Tech Books Online Collection. Your library may provide additional e-books, so be sure to ask what is available.