Librarycasting SE

RefShare is a new feature that has recently been added to the VCU RefWorks subscription. It allows you to easily share citations and references online, that you have already imported into RefWorks, with other students and colleagues. Sharing any RefWorks folder containing the references you wish to share is as easy as clicking on the "Share Folder" button for that folder. This creates a unique hyperlink that can be pasted into a web page, Blackboard class page, etc.

A few possible applications for this feature include:
- Shared reference lists for collaborative projects such as research proposals, student group projects, etc.
- Required reading lists for students to view
- Lists of publications for researchers, faculty

Because RefShare is fully integrated with RefWorks, it takes advantage of already-existing capabilities for easy retrieval and organization of literature citations from almost any database at VCU Libraries, and the automatic creation of in-line citations and references in your final Word document. Additionally, RefWorks/RefShare is RSS-capable, and can be used to search and import citations from the VCU Libraries Catalog.

If you would like to know more about RefShare and RefWorks, take a look at some of the video tutorials listed below. In addition, VCU Libraries provides several training workshops throughout the academic year.

(RefShare video tutorials)

(RefWorks video tutorials)

Posted by at 5:32 PM | Permalink

RefWorks is a web-based tool for importing, organizing and managing your literature citations. It is available to all VCU-affiliated users. You can also use RefWorks to automatically generate bibliographies in numerous formats (ACS, AIP, CBE, APA, MLA, Chicago) in Microsoft Word. Several screencast tutorials are available that demonstrate how to use the various features in RefWorks, such as importing references directly from databases, Write-N-Cite, One Line/Cite View, etc. These videos range from 45 seconds to 7 minutes 37 seconds in length. If you haven't used RefWorks before, there's also a brief screencast describing the registration process.

Posted by at 5:51 PM | Permalink

Librarycasting SE is beginning to also provide some iPod-ready video tutorials. These have been specially adapted to fit the small video iPod screen. The first one is entitled "Finding New / Recently Purchased Books."

Download Links (right-click on link for pc, shift-click for mac):

(2.7 MB, 1 minute 1 second).

(1.7 MB, 1 minute).

Posted by at 7:09 PM | Permalink

This screencast (video tutorial, 1 minute 47 seconds, with audio) describes how to locate many other tutorials available through VCU Libraries. The available tutorials cover both general library services and subjec-specific resources relevant to the sciences and engineering.

Posted by at 7:37 PM | Permalink

VCU Libraries has recently added a search feature for recently purchased items, called "New Titles," to its online catalog. New titles are currently defined as those acquired within the last three months. This feature can be accessed by clicking on the yellow "New Titles" tab at near the top of the library catalog search page. A screencast tutorial (47 seconds) demonstrating this new feature is now available. There is also an iPod-readyvideo tutorial available for downloading (2.7MB).

Posted by at 6:57 PM | Permalink

RSS is an easy, automated way to stay current with research news, recent journal articles, the latest search results from a few databases (eg., PubMed, Compendex / Engineering Village), and even new tutorials from VCU Libraries. There is a screencast tutorial (3minutes, 19 seconds) that describes how to do this. In addition, workshops (see the library schedule) are taught each semester that describe the use of RSS in more detail than the tutorial.

Posted by at 6:45 PM | Permalink

This tutorial (29 seconds) shows how to quickly identify all the full-text databases in a particular subject area when you're using the "databases by subject area" tool accessible from the library home page.

Posted by at 1:04 PM | Permalink

This can be an effective technique when exploring an unfamiliar subject area, carrying out an extensive literature review, or searching a cross-disciplinary / interdisciplinary topic (1 minute 35 seconds).

Posted by at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cabell Library is located on the Academic Campus at VCU. Details regarding finding e-journals, online full-text articles, and locating print copies (current or archive), are explained (2 minutes 3 seconds).

Posted by at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This video tutorial (3 minutes 19 seconds) describes how to use RSS technology, to automatically stay current with a variety of information sources. This technology can be easily used with the free Firefox browser (as described in the tutorial), or with a number of free RSS aggregator tools (available for use either online or on your desktop).

Posted by at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New RSS feeds for tutorials (covering library tools and services, life sciences, and physical sciences) have just been added to the site. These feeds are active, and link to tutorials created here at VCU Libraries, and elsewhere. They will be periodically updated. A feed for engineering tutorials will also be activated soon.

Posted by at 8:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Librarycasting SE is a compilation of selected educational and information resources for the sciences and engineering, with a strong emphasis on new media and communication formats such as screencasts (pc screen video), video, and podcasts (audio). Resources covered include those produced at Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries, the VCU campus community, and the extended sciences and engineering world community beyond.

A major goal of Librarycasting SE is to make available a range of brief screencast and podcast tutorials answering specific questions, and demonstrating specific techniques, relevant to the sciences and engineering. Conveniently access these resources at any time from your Firefox browser bookmarks or RSS aggregator, through the subject-specific automatically updated RSS feeds provided at this site. These tutorials are in constant production at VCU Libraries, and your suggestions for new tutorials in this format are always welcomed!

Pete Kirlew, Ph.D., MLIS
Reference Librarian for the Sciences and Engineering
VCU Libraries

Posted by at 5:52 PM | Permalink