In the age of MP3s and iPods you may be surprised to know that the library has a hidden treasure of music…in vinyl. That’s right, vinyl. As in, records. LP’s. Grooved discs. Licorice Pizza.

If you’ve never heard of any of these terms, you’ve likely grown up in the digital age without the experience of vinyl. Before MP3, before CDs, before audio cassettes, there were vinyl records– those spinning discs that produced fantastic sounds (crackles and ambiance included).

The library has amassed over 12,000 vinyl records in all genres: classical, pop & rock, folk, show tunes, and even spoken word (great speeches, like John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King).  They’re all located on the open shelves of the 4th floor North of the library. We also have 25 turntable stations where you can listen to them Check the Library Catalog and come experience a blast from the past: enjoy some vinyl!

ArchiveGrid lets history students and other researchers discover the location of documents, personal papers, photographs, and other archival materials hidden in collections all over the world.

For students who can’t jet around the world to do archival research, ArchiveGrid makes it easy to find materials in local Southern California collections within driving distance. A search for a name or topic turns up a list of possible collections and a “Locations” sidebar where the user can scan for local repositories. For instance, a search on the name, Cesar Chavez, reveals 43 relevant collections in five Southern California institutions. Also provided is contact information for the repository to make it easy for a user to follow up with more questions.  To get a sense of the range of subjects that can be accessed in the database, click on ArchiveGrid Topics at the bottom of the screen, and prepare to be amazed.

When did “Hispanic” become a demographic in the U.S. Census? Who decides what race you are according to the Census? This report on race classification is a lesson in American history, covering the origin of race terms beginning with the first census in 1790 through the introduction of “Hispanic” in the 1970’s and on through to the 2010 Census.  Racial Categorization in the 2010 Census

Government Views of D-Day 1944
“On 6 June 1944 the Western Allies landed in northern France, opening the long-awaited ‘Second Front’ against Adolf Hitler’s Germany. … Commanded by U.S. Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Normandy assault phase, code-named ‘Neptune’ (the entire operation was ‘Overlord’), was launched when weather reports predicted satisfactory conditions on 6 June. . . “. CCNY Libraries presents  links to research sites on the Normandy invasion.

Looking for historical documents, streaming video, audio files, digitized books, or scholarly articles?  This huge database provides access to almost 20 million records of freely available digital collections and resources from over 1,000 institutions. Most places want to show off the cool things they own – like unpublished letters by Edgar Allen Poe, a photo of William Faulkner, or an article about the antimicrobial properties of sea hares published in the Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research. Check out OAIster the next time you have a research project. You might be pleasantly surprised. It is available on our Databases A-Z list.

In considering alternative ways of reducing expenditures, the focus has been on how to make the best use of the Library’s resources and services.

The Library’s open hours remain unchanged.  (7:30-10:30, Monday-Thursday; 7:30-5:00 Friday; 10:00-5:00 Saturday; Noon-7:00 Sunday)

Circulation Desk will close at 9:00; self-checkout is possible thereafter, but there will be no counter assistance.

Reference and Research Services Desk in the ILC will open at 9:00 am and close at 7:00 pm, Monday-Thursday (Friday 9:00-5:00).  24/7 online virtual reference will continue to be available.

Direction Desk in the Atrium will be closed from February 9th.

AV (Audio-Visual) Desk will be staffed only from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday-Thursday, and from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Friday (Saturday/Sunday hours unchanged).  The Circulation Desk will provide some A-V services when the 4th floor desk is closed.

Circulation and Interlibrary Loan policy changes

Recalling of checked-out materials will be resumed.  Use of interlibrary loan for books checked out of the Pollak Library will cease since the associated costs are no longer affordable.

Failure to return recalled materials will result in blocking of borrowing and interlibrary loan privileges.  The intent here is to ensure that scarcer resources are equitably shared by the CSUF community.  The Academic Senate Library Committee was unanimous in supporting this policy change.

Acquisition of New Materials

The Library’s materials budget has been trimmed, but there are no drastic cuts in either print or electronic resources.   A one-time grant from the Patrons of the Library (our community support group) will help sustain purchasing power for critical materials during the remainder of this fiscal year.

Streaming Video

Streaming video is no longer available.  However, the  Media Commons on the first floor opposite the Circulation Desk should make viewing AV materials relatively easy.

Questions are bound to arise as these changes are implemented with the beginning of the semester.  These can be directed to staff at our public service desks or via the “Problems & Suggestions” form.

Here at the Pollak Library we value the hard work you put into your research and we would love to reward you for your efforts. The Library will honor three individuals with awards of $1,000 (first place); $500 (second place); and $300 (third place). Winners will participate in an award ceremony and have an exhibit devoted to their work on display in the Library. The deadline is April 10th, but that will be here before you know it.  Visit our web site to get all of the details.

Second Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1865 (Library of Congress digital image)

With the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama taking place this month, persons interested in learning more about the festivities, history, and related information may wish to visit the web site of the Joint Ceremonial Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC). Some of the interesting links offered in the JCCIC web site include those to inaugural trivia as well as information on the inauguration of previous Presidents.The Library of Congress offers another source for learning more about previous inaugural ceremonies through its “I Do Solemnly Swear . . .”: Presidential Inaugurations collection, which offers an opportunity to view this solemn occasion from a variety of historical perspectives.

Classical Scores Library has just released 3,607 additional scores. Included in this release are works by 84 new composers, including Berlioz, Chopin, Cornelius, Glinka, Gretry, Loewe, Marenzio, de Lassus, Palestrina, Rameau, Rossini, Schein, Schubert, Schuetz, Sweelinck, Victoria, among others.  Classical Scores Library is a fully searchable database of online scores available to all CSUF people for download. This database is growing so keep checking for your favorite items. The collection includes works spanning time periods from the Renaissance to the 21st century. Coverage of score types is comprehensive, with full scores, study scores, piano and vocal scores, and piano reductions. For more information see http://shmu.alexanderstreet.com/help/view/about_classical_scores_library.