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Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database – Try it out until Sept. 14!

  • Posted by: Barbara Quintiliano
  • Posted Date: August 29, 2012
  • Filed Under: Library News

A warm welcome back to everyone at the College of Nursing!

We’re starting off the semester with trial access to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, and we’d love to have your feedback. This Database is the most comprehensive resource available for evidence-based, reliable information on natural ingredients, commercial products, and alternative therapies. Please take a few moments to review the Database by going directly to the website (http://www.naturaldatabase.com) from any Villanova University computer. You will be automatically logged in. From off-campus use

http://ezproxy.villanova.edu/login?url=http://www.naturaldatabase.com

Major features of Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database:

  • Up-to-date information on over 85,000 natural medicines (safety, effectiveness, adverse reactions, etc)
  • Access to feature articles on over 1,200 ingredients
  • Printable patient handouts (available in English, Spanish, & French)
  • Natural Medicines Brand Evidence-based Ratings (NMBERTM). Each brand name product on their website has been assigned an evidence-based overall product rating (on a scale of 1 to 10). This rating is based on a rigorous, systematic process that synthesizes data on safety, effectiveness, and product quality.
    • The “Natural Product / Drug Interaction Checker” tool to test for dangerous interactions
    • “Natural Medicines Effectiveness Checker” tool to find out what is recommended for certain conditions
    • “Nutrient Depletion Checker” to identify potential nutrient depletion issues caused by medications (includes a rating of the clinical significance)

The Database editors use the same evidence-based standards to evaluate alternative therapies that they use to evaluate conventional drug therapies.
Put the Database through its paces until Sept. 14.  Comments to barbara.quintiliano@villanova.edu


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International Students Welcomed at the Library

Villanova students from around the world gathered in the Speakers' Corner last week for a library orientation with Librarians Jutta Seibert and Judy Olsen and International Student Services Director Steve McWilliams, and Advisor Debra Kwiterovich-Hoover. Welcome, all!


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Falvey Print Center Closed

The Falvey Print Center ceased operations over the summer months and will not reopen for the 2012-13 academic year.

We recognize that this closure will result in the loss of a number of valuable services in Falvey, notably higher end document production and a reliable alternative means of printing materials when the GoPrint printers are unavailable. We apologize for this inconvenience.

This is strictly a budgetary decision, as it has become increasingly difficult to support the cost of running two separate print services in the Library. Over the past two years, the GoPrint service has achieved a very high level of availability, and we are confident that it will be able to meet most in-house printing needs during the coming year.

Complete high-end printing and document services will continue to be available via the Bartley Print Center. Those services are accessible online 24/7 through iprint.villanova.edu

Thank you for your acceptance and understanding of this necessary change.

Joe Lucia, University librarian & director, Falvey Memorial Library
Michael George, director, Graphic Services


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The Library’s Business Research Team Relocates, Strengthens its Virtual Presence

Falvey Memorial Library has long maintained a strong service commitment to VSB, and for a number of years that commitment has entailed a physical presence in Bartley Hall. The precise form of  this presence has changed over time from a study room that housed print materials without a librarian, to an open study space staffed by a professional librarian to an office staffed by the Business Research Team on a part time basis.   Now again we are embarking on a new phase; we’ve  gone virtual.  Yet our service commitment to VSB faculty and students will remain constant.

The Bartley Business Information Office has closed, freeing up much needed space for faculty offices.  The Business Research Team has moved into Falvey Memorial Library’s new Learning Commons on a full time basis.  We expect this change to be a winning solution for all constituents.  Our digital native students visited the Office infrequently, because they preferred online chat and email for immediate assistance.  They also tend to  schedule face to face consultations with librarians in large groups not easily accommodated in a  small office.  The Learning Commons offers several inviting group meeting spaces.  The Business Research Team will continue to provide research workshops and presentations at Bartley. (My calendar is filling up, remember to contact me soon to schedule a research instruction session!)  Serendipitous opportunities to connect with the business librarians won’t fade away though.  With the time saved in scheduling and “commuting” we hope to  have  more time to attend VSB events.  See you there!


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Welcome Back, Faculty!

Welcome back to campus! Falvey Memorial Library is ready to help you and your students meet all of your research goals this semester.

Don’t forget to take advantages of Falvey’s services:

If you are requiring your students to complete a research project, please consider scheduling a library workshop, or requesting a tailored course guide. Workshops can be conducted in one of the library’s classrooms, or a librarian would be happy to come to you. Act now: calendars fill quickly!

Librarians for Sociology, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Education, and Communication:

Kristyna Carroll
610-519-5391
kristyna.carroll@villanova.edu
Room 223

Kimberley Bugg
610-519-3073
kimberley.bugg@villanova.edu
Room 227


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How to Fence available for proofreading

In case your curiosity was piqued by last month’s post about the extensively (but not quite comprehensively) titled How to Fence: containing full instruction for fencing and the use of the broadsword also instruction in archery, described with twenty-one practical illustrations. A complete book., now is your chance to examine it more closely. The book is available for proofreading here. If you are not already familiar with the digital library’s proofreading efforts, see Proofreading the Digital Library.

Illustration of "The Engage" (fencing position)

"The Engage" (fencing position).


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Villanova University Partners with Kuali Foundation to Develop Library Management System

The announcement of Villanova University’s partnership with the Kuali Foundation in the development of the Kuali Open Library Environment (OLE) was made in June at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference. University Librarian and Library Director Joe Lucia spearheaded the effort to join with Kuali in the development of their open source library management system.

Lucia summarized his commitment to the community source model for development of an enterprise-scale library system by saying, “We are excited to join the Kuali OLE initiative. It represents a major step in deepening library collaboration through the creation of tools and infrastructure designed from the ground up to deal with the challenges and mandates of the digital environment.”

This initiative reflects Falvey Memorial Library’s strategic plan, which calls for a “pragmatic commitment to open source technologies and open culture approaches to internal, inter-institutional, regional, and national collaboration and resource sharing.” (more…)


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Gail Betz interns in the Digital Library

Gail Betz, a graduate of Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., interned this summer in the Digital Library.  She is currently enrolled in a master’s program in library and information science at Drexel University’s iSchool.

Betz applied for the volunteer internship after working in public education for several years. After substituting in an elementary school library, she discovered that she liked working in a library but preferred to do so on a higher academic level. Betz is uncertain whether to specialize in library services or digital libraries. She says, “I wanted to explore working in a digital library, and I found I really like it.”

Her research interests are technology and instructional practices in an educational environment.

Her bachelor’s degree is in history and elementary education. She likes to read historical fiction and is currently reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.

A native of Haverford, Pa., Betz enjoys long distance running. In this summer weather she tries to get out before sunrise to run. She has participated in half-marathons and one full marathon.

Concerning the scope of the Digital Library internship, Michael Foight, Special Collections and Digital Library coordinator, says, “After a period of intensive training and practical experience consisting of a set of modules including management of digital libraries, selection for digitization, social media, online exhibits, copyright, metadata, cataloging, rare materials handling and scanner training, each intern selects, in conjunction with the needs and priorities of the digital library enterprise, a project that highlights one of these content area modules and produces a representative work project” about four weeks into his or her internship.

Gerald Dierkes also contributed to this article.


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“Joseph McGarrity: Man of Action, Man of Letters” is Online Exhibit

“Joseph McGarrity (1874-1940), at the age of 18, left his Irish hometown of Carrickmore, County Tyrone to immigrate to America. He arrived in Philadelphia with no luggage, very little money and a strong sense of Irish nationalism that would soon attract him to become an active member of the Clan-na-Gael, the leading Irish republican organization in the United States. He would, during his lifetime, rise to lead the Clan-na-Gael and become a significant figure in the struggle for Irish independence.” (Brian McDonald, Blue Electrode blog)

Brian McDonald, PhD, the spring semester Digital Library intern, created the Digital Library’s latest online exhibit, “Joseph McGarrity: Man of Action, Man of Letters.” Joanne Quinn designed the graphics.

“What stands out after completing work on the exhibition is not necessarily McGarrity’s poetry, though his verse does have its moments, but rather his prodigious energy and drive,” Dr. McDonald said. “I’m left with a strong sense that poetry was central to his sense of himself. I don’t think it is really possible to distinguish McGarrity the revolutionary Irish nationalist from McGarrity the Irish balladeer, McGarrity the man of action from McGarrity the man of letters. I think that is a large part of why he is such a fascinating figure.”

The online exhibit begins with the “Curator’s Welcome.” This is followed by “Moods and Memories,” “’Playboy’ Controversy,” “Fenian Days,” “Easter Rising,” “Library,” “Poetic Circle,” “Memoirs & Travel Writing” and “Bibliography.” Each section includes text, often including quotations from McGarrity’s works, illustrations and references.

Read more about Special Collections’ McGarrity Collection and the Digital Library’s Joseph McGarrity Collection.


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Summer Project: Bishops and Lepracauns

Posted for: Lisa Kruczek, Summer 2012 Digital Library Intern.

As the Summer 2012 Digital Library Intern, I have recently completed scanning a portion of the historic papers of Bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick, former Bishop of Philadelphia (1796-1863). Villanova is putting them online through a collaborative project with the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center, who owns the collection. Although the papers are largely in French and Latin, PAHRC has already created a finding aid for this collection, so the descriptions helped clarify the meaning of the documents. Some fascinating subjects are discussed in the correspondence of this collection, such as the Riots of 1844 and the beginning of the Civil War and how it was impacting the Catholic Church.

I was also given the opportunity to scan some books and manuscripts, most recently a book of poetry, handwritten by the author. I was able to enter all the metadata for these projects as well, which enabled me to gain more insight into this material. During my time here in the digital library, I have completed transcriptions of 19th century correspondence and created a Wikipedia article on “the Lepracaun Cartoon Monthly” from the Joseph McGarrity collection. I’ve received an education on topics such as Cataloging, Intellectual Property and Social Media, which has been an excellent supplement to my coursework. I’d like to thank Michael Foight and Laura Bang for taking the time to impart some of their vast knowledge so that I too may move on to become a professional and take part in the Digital Library Revolution!


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Last Modified: August 14, 2012

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