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Dig Deeper: what you should know about the Alibaba mega-IPO

Everything about Alibaba’s recent announcement to make an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States is outsized. Estimates of the initial valuation are huge (in the 120-250 billion dollar range). Alibaba is the largest, most diverse company, in the fastest growing industry (e-commerce) with the most populous country (China) on the planet.

 

The risks to investors are monumental, too. Due to Chinese laws prohibiting foreign ownership of internet businesses, the offering is structured via a “variable interest entity” (VIE). By this structure, investors purchase shares of a holding company set up in the Cayman Islands with interests in the Chinese Alibaba. Law on the validity of such an arrangement is unsettled, and Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, has a history of using the law and structure to justify a bait and switch maneuver with  investors. Finally corporate governance is an issue as founder Jack Ma and other senior executives will have the power to name a majority of the board.

To learn more about this “Sale of the Century” and other IPOs, check out these resources.

Dig Deeper:

For nice overviews from different perspectives of the initial-public-offering process, see EY’s Guide to Going Public or The IPO Decision:  Why and How Companies Go Public or Examining the IPO Process:  Is it Working for Ordinary Investors.

EDGAR Company Filings To get registration statements, often called the prospectus (S-1 for domestic or F-1 for foreign) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, search by company name.

Hoover’s IPO Central , Yahoo’s Recent IPO News , Renaissance Capital IPO Center, PWC Capital Markets Weekly and Investor Business Daily IPO Analysis are great for keeping abreast of IPO announcements.

 

For a more academic take on going public, search journals such as Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Finance and Journal of Corporate Finance, Journal of Banking Finance, and Applied Financial Economics as these frequently publish studies on initial public offerings.

SDC, Bloomberg terminals and Morningstar Direct—available in the Applied Finance Lab—provide structured data relevant to the study of IPOs.

The best databases for searching finance literature are EconLit, Scopus, Social Science Citation Index, Social Science Research Network and Business Source Premier.


imagesArticle by Linda Hauck, MS, MBA, (pictured) business librarian and team coordinator for the Business Research team.

 

Our Dig Deeper series features curated links to Falvey Memorial Library resources that allow you to enhance your knowledge of what’s in the headlines, seasonal occasions and events held here at the Library. Don’t hesitate to ‘ask us!’ if you’d like to take the excavation even further. And visit our Events listings for more exciting upcoming speakers, lectures and workshops!


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Ramp Up Your Research: How to Tag Items in the Library’s Catalog

Do you ever think an item should have a search term or category associated with it, but it doesn’t? This video shows how to make items easy to find by adding a tag. (Enable Closed Captioning for silent viewing.)

For additional “How to” videos, click the “Help” button on Falvey’s homepage.


Gerald info deskVideo tutorial produced by Gerald Dierkes, information services specialist for the Information and Research Assistance team, senior copy-editor for the Communication and Service Promotion team and a liaison to the Department of Theater.


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Foto Friday: Falvey Scholars

2014-04-25 09.09.22

Each year, the Falvey Scholar presentations showcase the talents of Villanova’s most promising undergraduates and highlight the resources and opportunities afforded to them by their mentors and the library. This year, six students will present their research.

The Falvey Scholars Award is an annual program established by Falvey Memorial Library to recognize outstanding undergraduate research. It is a collaborative initiative of the Library, the Honors Program, and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.

The recipients of this award are selected from a pool of candidates that is generated by applications submitted by nominated Villanova University students or a group of nominated students working on a senior project together. Senior students must be nominated by their faculty advisor and submit a completed application to be considered for the Falvey Scholars Award. Read more about this year’s successful applicants here.


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13th Annual Falvey Scholars Awards: Recognizing Exceptional Undergraduate Achievement at Villanova

SCHOLAR-LOGO

The annual Falvey Scholars Award—established by Falvey Memorial Library in conjunction with the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships and the Honors Program—recognizes and celebrates the academic excellence of some of Villanova’s finest undergraduate scholars. This year, six Falvey Scholars have been selected under each of the following categories: business, engineering, liberal arts, science, nursing and our new category, social science, which was added given the overwhelming response and volume of excellent candidates in the liberal arts.

The Falvey Scholars will be recognized at our awards presentation and reception ceremony on Friday, April 25 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. in room 205 of Falvey Memorial Library. At the event, which is free and open to the public, each of the Falvey Scholars will present a 30-minute summary of their winning project and will then be officially presented with the Falvey Scholars Award by our Interim Library Director, Darren Poley.

Falvey is delighted to announce the following undergraduates as the 2014 Falvey Scholars:

Aurora Vandewark (nursing); mentor: Michelle M. Kelly, PhD, CRNP; Project: “Evidence-Based Practices to Reduce Psychosocial Distress Among Parents of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Patients.”

Jerisa Upton (social science); mentor: Maghan Keita, PhD; Project: “Understanding Bureaucratic Politics and the Origins of the Great Leap Forward.”

Mark Bookman (liberal arts); mentors: Maghan Keita, PhD, and Edwin Goff, PhD; Project: “Re-imagining Discourse: Shingon Buddhism and Western Epistemologies.”

Noor F. Shaik (science); mentor: Dennis D. Wykoff, PhD; Project: “Using Fluorescent Markers in Cells and Flow Cytometry to Measure the Selective Pressures in Yeast.”

Olivia Ferguson (business); mentor: Peter Zaleski, PhD; Project: “Metropolitan Manufacturing Decline, 1980-2005, and Subsequent Effects on Residents.”

Robert McGrane (engineering); mentor: Noelle Comolli, PhD; Title: “Chitosan Thin-Films for Post-Surgical Drug Delivery.”

Please join us on April 25 to help us congratulate them and to recognize their great achievements!

Falvey Scholars is just one of the many events that comprise the Undergraduate Research Exposition, or EXPO 14: a week-long series of programs that recognize the research undergraduates accomplish throughout the year. Villanova is proud to highlight the contributions of its undergraduate student community!

Article by Regina Duffy, writer for the Communication and Service Promotion team and library events and program coordinator for the Scholarly Outreach team.


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Earth Day 2014: Focus on Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainability logoThe term “environmental sustainability” has been in the forefront of the news for several years. Climate scientists agree that the Earth is in a period of global warming, droughts and severe storms occur with increasing frequency and water resources continue to be compromised with pollutants.

Research is being conducted into living more sustainably; adopting energy-production methods that minimize greenhouse gas emissions; developing sustainable housing that utilizes renewable building materials; preserving water quality in oceans, lakes and streams; and growing sustainable agriculture that produces high quality food with minimal impact on the environment. Sustainable agriculture uses natural biological cycles and resources to produce food grown without synthetic fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, pesticides or herbicides.

Animals on sustainable farms are housed and treated humanely. Factory farm practices are not employed. Workers on sustainable farms are paid a living wage. Sustainable agriculture contrasts with large-scale industrial agriculture that routinely uses large quantities of synthetic chemicals in the mass production of food. Persistent heavy use of those chemicals creates runoff that pollutes nearby water resources, leaves toxic residues that are ingested when foods are consumed, and creates resistance to antibiotics that are used to prevent or treat diseases when animals are housed in cramped, overcrowded conditions.

wyebrookfarm_about_pics_internandchickenTo celebrate Earth Day 2014, Villanova’s Earth Day Committee has invited Dean Carlson, founder and owner of local Wyebrook Farm in Honeybrook, PA, to present the keynote address on sustainable agriculture. This event will take place in the Connelly Center Cinema at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22, 2014. Wyebrook Farm is managed according to sustainable agricultural practices, and it provides food to the local community.

The keynote address will cap off a day of sustainability-themed activities that will include an indoor sustainability fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the lower level of Connelly Center, along with a concurrent outdoor farmer’s market. The fair and market will feature information on alternative energy sources, a raffle, green tours of campus, T-shirt tie-dyeing, locally grown produce and breads, food samples, green jobs, student projects and environmentally friendly vendors.

center env transOn the following morning, Wednesday, April 23, 2014, Falvey Memorial Library will host a panel discussion on sustainable agriculture from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the Speakers’ Corner. Panelists will include Villanova and outside experts, including Jim Kolumban, associate director of Villanova’s Dining Services, Jonathan Hamm from Greener Partners in Malvern, PA, and Ari Rosenberg from the Center for Environmental Transformation in New Jersey, among others. Audience questions and debate will be welcome, and a continental breakfast will be provided.

For more information about sustainable agriculture and other environmental issues, please visit Falvey Memorial Library’s homepage and enter the phrase “sustainable agriculture” in the search box. Information is available in various formats, including books, videos and online resources. Accessing the Environmental Science or Geography and the Environment subject guide pages will provide contact information for subject librarians who can answer additional questions.

Villanova’s celebration of Earth Day will continue on Saturday, April 26, 2014, with an Earth Day of Service from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will have the opportunity to volunteer with either Philly Urban Creators or the SHARE Program in Philadelphia. For more information about either of these activities, please contact alandis2@villanova.edu. Following the Earth Day of Service, the Student subcommittee of the President’s Environmental Sustainability Committee will host a barbecue on the grass circle outside of Kennedy and Corr Halls from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Please come out and enjoy as many Earth Day activities as possible while acquiring a fresh perspective on value of sustainable agriculture.


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Dig Deeper: Money Smart Week @ Falvey Memorial Library

money smart week

Falvey Memorial Library is proud to announce its participation in this year’s Money Smart Week! Money Smart Week (April 5-12), created by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is a public awareness campaign to promote financial literacy. In collaboration with the American Library Association, Money Smart Week @ your library brings financial programming to library communities. Read on for Money Smart Week @ Falvey Memorial Library event details and to find some great resources to help you be money smart!


KRISTYNA MSW

Dig Deeper

Moving to the City

A VU Seniors Alumni 101 Event

Monday, April 7, 6:30 p.m.

Bartley 1011

Learn what it takes to move to, live and survive in cities like Manhattan, Washington and Philadelphia after graduation. After a brief presentation about the ins and outs of real estate, Alumni Chapter volunteers from these cities will share their personal advice and answer questions about life in the city.

Additional Resources:

Apartment Hunting Tips from the NYC Affordable Housing Resource Center

Eating Well on a Budget

Co-sponsored by Villanova Dining Services and VU Seniors

Tuesday, April 8, 1:00 p.m.

Falvey Memorial Library 205

Villanova Dining Services’ Alicia Farrow and Gail Mitchell will offer tips on food budgeting, shopping, preparation and eating well on campus. They will focus on getting the greatest nutrition for your dollar by suggesting healthy, palate-satisfying choices as alternatives to cheap, packaged food. A light lunch will be served on a first-come basis.

Additional Resources:
Villanova Dining Services Nutritional Information

Find nutrition resources, recipes, vegetarian options and other thought-provoking information.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

Useful tips from ChooseMyPlate.gov.

Managing/Repaying Student Loans

Tuesday, April 8, 4:00 p.m.

Falvey Memorial Library Room 205

In this session, Melissa Hannum and Heather Rosenstein, representatives from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), will review various resources available to assist borrowers as they enter loan repayment.

Additional Resources:
YouCanDealWithIt.com

YouCanDealWithIt.com provides practical and easy-to-understand advice on how to deal with common financial situations facing today’s college students and recent graduates.

Money Matters When Looking for an Apartment and Signing a Lease Wednesday, April 9th, 4:30 p.m.
Falvey Memorial Library Room 204
Kathy Byrnes, Office of Student Life, will unpack the issues that come with off-campus living. She will discuss start-up expenses, financial elements of renting, household budgeting and protecting your security deposit.

Additional Resources:
Renting a Home or Apartment: Leases and Security Deposits from the Pennsylvania attorney general

Renting a Home or Apartment from USA.gov

Career Center Senior Hours: Market Yourself in the Career Center A VU Seniors Alumni 101 Week Event
Wednesday, April 9, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Career Center, Garey Hall
Visit the Career Center for the special senior hours to market yourself into that first job after graduation. Learn how to connect with key alumni, put the finishing touches on your resume and cover letter, and learn helpful tips on how to succeed in your upcoming job interviews. Don’t miss this opportunity to visit the Career Center for professional advice and some free refreshments and snacks provided by the VU Seniors Committee.

Additional Resources:

GoNova Jobs
Portal to job postings and on campus recruiting.

More resources for making money smart decisions:

Take your Wildcard and ask for a student discount at many cultural institutions.

Falvey Memorial Library’s books on personal finance.

MyMoney.gov
A product of the Congressionally chartered Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which is working to strengthen financial capability and increase access to financial services for all Americans.

See the Money Smart Week Resources page for even more great resources!


kristyna-carroll_edArticle and resources by Kristyna Carroll, research support librarian for Business and Social Sciences. Photo by Alice Bampton.

 

Our Dig Deeper series features links to Falvey Memorial Library resources curated and provided by a librarian specializing in the subject, to allow you to enhance your knowledge and enjoyment of seasonal occasions and events held here at the Library. Don’t hesitate to ‘ask us!’ if you’d like to take the excavation even further. And visit our Events listings for more exciting upcoming speakers, lectures and workshops! 


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Ramp Up Your Research: How to Save Your Search

Did you know Falvey’s catalog can help you save a whole search-results list? This video shows how to save a whole search-results list right from within the catalog. (Enable Closed Captioning for silent viewing.)

For additional “How to” videos, click the “Help” button on Falvey’s homepage.


Gerald info deskVideo tutorial produced by Gerald Dierkes, information services specialist for the Information and Research Assistance team, senior copy-editor for the Communication and Service Promotion team and a liaison to the Department of Theater.

 

 


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Window Shopping: Careers in International Development Day

internatl dev exhibitThis colorful blue and green window display with its large centrally located sign and eye-catching world map made of four layers of stacked cubes promotes Careers in International Development Day on Wednesday, March 26, 1:30 – 5:00 p.m. in the Connelly Center.

Flanking the dominant central elements are two side panels: “World Options” and “Find Out How to Get There.” “World Options,” to the left, lists career choices, such as humanitarian engineering, advocacy, the United Nations and more. “Find Out How to Get There,” the right panel, provides information needed for attending the Careers in International Development Day event.

internatl dev exh pptPowerPoint presentations, prepared by Trudy Pacella, staff member of the Office for Mission and Ministry and administrative assistant of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) advisory board, show photographs from trips taken by nursing students and also from participants in the Careers in International Development Day programs.

A panel to the right of the map lists numerous sponsors, among them Catholic Relief Services Partnership with Villanova University and Falvey Memorial Library.

Publications related to international development and written by Villanova faculty, selected by Linda Hauck, business librarian, complete the bottom of the display.

Joanne Quinn, design specialist, created and mounted the exhibit. Suzanne Toton, EdD, associate professor, Dept. of Theology and Religious Studies, and coordinator of the CRS Partnership, and Trudy Pacella, senior administrative assistant, provided information and inspiration for the exhibit.

This Careers in International Development Day window will be on display until early April.

Article by Alice Bampton, digital image specialist and senior writer on the Communication and Service Promotion team.

Photos by Luisa Cywinski, editorial coordinator on the Communication and Service Promotion team and Access Services team leader.


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Smart Search Tips to Save You Time: Search, Capture … Done!

refworkssm

zotero

 

 

girl-writingAre you still typing bibliographies the old-fashioned way? Or are you typing references into online templates (such as Son of Citation Machine) to generate more-or-less correct citations? Here’s your chance to learn about two powerful software products, RefWorks and Zotero. With just  a couple of clicks, you can capture references from databases and search engines and then generate a bibliography in the style of your choice. Bring your laptop or Mac to try them out!  Attend any of the following sessions. Take note of the locations.

4-4:45pm, Falvey 207 – Tuesday, 3/18;  Wednesday , 3/19; Wednesday, 4/2
4-4:45pm, Driscoll 244 – Thursday, 4/10

For more information, contact barbara.quintiliano@villanova.edu.


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Collection-and-Services Data Tell a Story

Out of the 570,000 print titles in our collection, about 60,000 circulated to Villanova patrons last year. This doesn’t include the journals, group study rooms or laptops. Many print materials are also used in-house without being checked out to patrons.

It’s perhaps not surprising that the main stacks titles with the heaviest circulation in the Falvey collection are a mix of fiction and non-fiction, including business, history and literature titles that can be associated with actively taught courses. Looking at the top five titles below, I’m going to have to say that Catching Fire is probably evidence that patrons still want to read for enjoyment and not just for assignments.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. (10 loans)

AchebePragmatism as Transition: Historicity and Hope in James, Dewey, and Rorty by Colin Koopman. (10 loans)

Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success by Rodney Stark. (10 loans)

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. (9 loans)

Business of Sports: edited by Brad R. Humphreys and Dennis R. Howard.  (7 loans)

While the most popular books borrowed in 2013 weren’t necessarily predictable, they showed us what students and faculty were interested in last year. By comparing this internal data with the external data below, we also see where gaps may exist in our collections.

between menBehavioural ecology (7 requests), Programming the World Wide Web (5 requests) and Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening (4 requests) were the top three requested titles through Interlibrary Loan, spanning the humanities and sciences. The two books borrowed most through E-ZBorrow were Between Men: English Literature and Male Homosocial Desire (4 requests) and Introduction to Software Testing (4 requests), also representing the arts and sciences equally.

Moving on from monographs (print books), we have statistics showing the number of articles requested through Interlibrary Loan from other libraries’ journal holdings and through Document Delivery services from our own journal collection.

What is Document Delivery, you may ask? It’s a service rendered only to Villanova students, staff and faculty who need a scanned (digitized) copy of a print journal article from our collection.

It’s interesting to note the fifteen most requested journal titles through Interlibrary Loan are a mix of many disciplines, but most predominantly philosophy, theology, nursing and engineering, as evidenced by the top five titles from that list.

Critical care medicine (43)

Water Science and Technology (20)

Theology and Science (19)

The Leibniz review (17)

American family physician (17)

As you can see, journal data from the Document Delivery system shows that faculty and patrons are making good use of this service, although theology, nursing and engineering emerge as the frontrunners.

Journal of Ecumenical Studies (74 requests)

Tetrahedron Letters (35 requests)

JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association (22 requests)

National Catholic Register (20 requests)

Journal of Heat Transfer (19 requests)

Falvey librarians use all available data to make purchasing decisions in consultation with individual academic departments. We also strive to improve patron access to our immediate collection and to offer services that extend the collection beyond our walls.


Article by Luisa Cywinski, editorial blog coordinator, Communication & Service Promotion team; team leader, Access Services.

 

Critical care medicine

Water Science and Technology

Theology and Science

The Leibniz review

American family physician

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Last Modified: February 27, 2014

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