Where Did I Put that Article?

Logo for The Browser

You can find everything online. While this isn't actually true, it sure sometimes feels like it is. Even if you have to pay, which, I mean, come on, who actually pays for stuff online? (We don't need to go into that.) But, even though it feels like there is an article for every interest, a picture for every occasion/mood/event/place, a video for every idle second, a gif of literally every single cat and puppy walking the earth, there isn't always a good way to distinguish the good from bad without wasting a lot of time doing so. Reddit is a "good" (that term is very subjective and open to all kinds of debates) source of gifs, videos, funny pictures, etc. that have been vetted to a certain degree by a very large online community. Essentially, it's a good way to waste the better part of a day not really doing anything.

But articles and interesting content to read can be a bit trickier to find. Wasting your time looking at pictures or gifs online doesn't normally seem all that wasteful (though it defiantly can be) because it takes almost no thought or concentration, and to comprehend any given image takes only a second or two. Unlike articles or stories which take way longer (in most cases) to read, and require much more concentration. Fortunately there are a few places that will read and sort out all the junk for you, giving you a list of what a few editors believe to be the best content on the web for that day or week:

The Browser: This one is my favorite.They scavenge the internet's vast, information clogged [insert space/byway metaphor here]* so you don't have to. Almost everything I've read from this site has been worth my time. And they have a good variety of of topics; everything from politics to science to big Scottish guys throwing really heavy things in the air to show how big and Scottish they really are.

Longreads: Very similar to The Browser, but with more search refinement tools so you can zero in on exactly what you're in the mood to read.

McSweeney's Internet Tendency: This site is not like the others. It does not scour the internet for content, but instead posts short, mostly funny little tidbits that are a great way to blow off a little steam at the end (or in the middle of) a rough day.

*'Highway' is typically used, as in 'the information super highway,' which in 2013 seems a little dated and wrong. In my more pessimistic moods 'sewer' seems more apt, if slightly Luddite-ish and cranky. In an effort to find some common ground between the two, maybe a better metaphor would be 'the information super dollar store.'

Fewer clicks, no extra passwords

Langsdale Library is always looking for ways to make things easier and faster for faculty and students. Well, we have successfully made retrieving E-reserves as simple as 1 click.  Watch the before and after demonstration. Then try it out for yourself.

End of semester coffee!

Monday, May 2 through Thursday, May 5 we're offering free coffee and lemonade from 8am-6pm to help get UB students through the end of the semester. We've also added more tables one the first and second floor of the library for studying, and if you need to borrow a laptop while you're at the library, stop by the circulation desk on the first floor.

Not in the library? Librarians can help you with research questions using our Ask a Librarian chat service. We also have subject guides if you need help with any stage of the research process, from finding articles or statistics to creating citations.

Good luck with finals!
How has the library supported you this semester?

Don't forget to use Interlibrary Loan

Hi - this is your student liaison, Dawn, again. While researching, are you finding everything you need? Don't forget to use Langsdale’s interlibrary loan service. Interlibrary loan can allow you to retrieve documents, articles, or books that are not available at Langsdale. These requests can arrive as early as two days to a week; it all depends on where the request is coming from. Articles come more quickly as we rely on the mail for books.

When your item is not available in Langsdale library or online, just press the find it button on the document. Fill in your account #, which is your barcode (found on the back of your student id.) Soon thereafter, you will receive an email providing a link back to the ILL system, where you can download, print or read the article you requested. Please note that books will need to be picked up.

When I use the Interlibrary loan service, I receive documents as early as two days. It is an excellent service that can bring quick turnarounds. Just remember to allow yourself enough time. Let me know what you think about the Interlibrary Loan. How has your experience been? AND how often do you use it?