New "Look" for Gale Virtual Reference Library

Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) has a new, improved look, making it easier to search and find information. GVRL is an online collection of e-reference books, including encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and other sources of quick-find facts. Take a look (Palomar College e-services login required off-campus).

Find GVRL and other digital reference books on our Online Research Databases webpage (click the "Reference" tab). Need help with this or other Library resources? Call (760) 744-1150 x2616 or "Ask a Librarian" through our 24/7 live chat service (look for the chat box on the library home page).

Interactive Transcripts in Films on Demand

One of Palomar College's media databases, Films on Demand, recently launched a useful new feature. Interactive transcripts allow you to view the full text of the video as it plays, search for keywords and jump to that spot in the video and print the text of videos.

As seen in this image, if there is a tab on the video that says "Transcript," this feature is available and easy to use. Also, Films on Demand is adding transcripts to videos every month.

If you have any questions about this feature, you can see the "Help" screen in the database, or contact a Palomar College Librarian.

Palomar Library's best kept secret?

Did you know that the library buys popular fiction along with books and periodicals meant to support your academic research? That we buy the kind of books that you might read for fun between research papers? Or kind of books that have long waiting lists at the public library?

It's true! And these popular novels can often be found sitting on the New Book shelf as you walk in the library, waiting for someone to take them home.

1Q84 is an example of a popular book on the New Book shelf. An instant best seller in Haruki Murakami's native Japan, it is also extremely popular in the States in translation. The book flap quotes The New York Book Review, "Murakami is like a magician who explains what he's doing as he performs the trick and still makes  you believe he has supernatural powers... But while anyone can tell a story that resembles a dream, it's the rare artist, like this one, who can make us feel that we are dreaming it ourselves."

Intrigued? Today, 1Q84 was sitting on the shelf here at Palomar. When I ran a search in the San Diego County Library catalog there were no copies available and 107 people on the waiting list! The San Diego Public Library also had a waiting list of 21 people. Picking it up here could save you weeks on the hold list!

Another popular novel that was sitting on the New Book shelf was Jeffrey Eugenides much anticipated third novel, The Marriage Plot.  The summary from the catalog reads, Madeleine Hanna breaks out of her straight-and-narrow mold when she falls in love with charismatic loner Leonard Bankhead, while at the same time an old friend of hers resurfaces, obsessed with the idea that Madeleine is his destiny.

The wait list at SDPL was 23 people long and at the County Library there were 194 people waiting for it!

It shouldn't be a secret, if there is a novel that you are interested in reading for fun, or maybe as part of a book club, search the Palomar College Library's Catalog. You might luck out and find we have it on the shelf! If you can't find it, ask a librarian for help- we can order from another library for you. Happy reading!

How can the library help you? Take our student survey and let us know!

April 9-14 is National Library Week!  In honor of the occasion, Palomar College Library (San Marcos and Escondido) is conducting a survey.  We want to know how we can improve our services to students.  This is a great opportunity to tell us your thoughts regarding how you think the library can better serve you! To participate, fill out a survey, located at the circulation desk at the San Marcos Library and Escondido Center Library.  Submit your answers to the collection box and receive a small gift from us.
Thank you for your help!

Question for Faculty: Do you use videos when you teach?

Faculty, do you use videos in your instruction? Did you know the library has databases of videos you can use to complement your lectures?

Intelecom is one of the video clip databases that the library provides. It offers videos on subjects ranging from Allied Health to Urban Studies. Palomar College library users can browse the site by subject or search by key word for relevant clips to use in class or post to Blackboard.  

Intelecom allows users to create a list of clips and then export the metadata (clip titles and numbers) to an Excel file for easy storage. See this video for more information:

 Students, you can also use Intelecom videos to brush up on concepts that you need a little more help with.

This database is restricted to Palomar College students, staff and faculty. If you are accessing from off-campus, you will need to log in with your e-services user name and password. If you have any questions, ask a librarian!

Youth! Beauty! Fashion!

Fashion Snoops is a database for the fashion industry showcasing trends, forecasting styles and compiling retail reports. Fashion Snoops already includes sections for Ladies, Men, Girls, Boys, Home and Accessories and it has recently added two new sections: Youth and Beauty.

The Youth tab "captures the lifestyle, trends and movements that affect the fashion choices of this generation." A blend of street art, street style, runway fashion, and profiles of "influencers," the Youth sections is buzzing with energy.

The new Beauty tab showcases trends in runway and street make up. There are tabs for trend forecasts, recaps of the fashion season and featured style inspiration- such as make up inspired by The Hunger Games.

Dive into the new Fashion Snoops sections and be inspired! They can be accessed by Palomar College students, faculty and staff from the Library's article pages: http://www.palomar.edu/library/OnlineDatabases/arts-and-humanities.htm

If you have any questions about Fashion Snoops, or any other library resource, stop by the Reference Desk and a librarian will be happy to assist you.

Architecture Display in the Library

Are you an architecture fan? There is currently is display on the 2^nd floor of the library showcasing work by Palomar Interior Design and Architecture students and from members of the Palomar College Architecture Club. The display will be up until March 27^th. Stop by the library and check it out!

If you have any questions about the display, contact Roy McFarland, an adjunct instructor in Architecture. If you are interested in the Architecture Program at Palomar, check out this link http://www2.palomar.edu/architecture/