Articles posted by Bruce Gilbert

Open Access, Hallowe’en, and Sustainability

October 10, 2022

Open Access Week is upon us! This year it runs from October 24th to 30th. And the theme from SPARC is “Open for Climate Justice,” seeking to “encourage connection and collaboration among the climate movement and the international open community.”

Of course, that timeframe also overlaps with the run-up to Hallowe’en! What possible connection(s) could there be between Hallowe’en, Open Access, and international climate concerns? Glad you asked!

First let’s take a brief look at each of these three worthy topics. Keep in mind that these are all introductory discussions; if you have more interest in any of these areas, follow some of the links provided.

Open Access

The Open Access movement or initiative, as a statement of common interest in sharing information by scholars and researchers, has roots that go back to at least 2002. From the outset, the initial signatories endorsed, “Removing access barriers to this literature.. [to] enrich education, share the learning of the rich with the poor and the poor with the rich.”

Practically speaking, the Open Access Initiative is represented by various repositories sponsored by research institutions from around the globe. Drake University, like many other colleges and universities, has an Institutional Repository (inclusive of materials from across the institution) called eScholarShare. (Contact bart.schmidt@drake.edu if you would like to have your Drake publications included). Elsewhere there are repositories representing various academic disciplines (e.g., arXiv hosts over 2 million articles on physics, math, and computer science). Other repositories, such as OAIster, harvest and make accessible the works of most know repositories, both US and international. Also note that, if you are new to Open Access, you are not signing your copyright away when you place your articles in an open repository.

Open Access is a growing movement, and it overlaps other “open” movements in academia and education, such as Open Education Resources, whose goal is to increase innovation so as to reduce cost and increase access for texts and learning materials. If you would like to discuss any of these topics, please feel free to contact bruce.gilbert@drake.edu

Open Access is a boon for those doing research, especially those researchers who aren’t directly involved with a scholarly institution; it breaks down barriers between researchers and knowledge. Below, as a brief demonstration, we will explore our other two topics to demonstrate the power and value of Open Access.

Global Climate Justice

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

This is obviously a huge topic, so let’s stick with one area that segues into the next. “Fast fashion” refers to the ability of certain clothes manufacturers to crank out inexpensive knock-offs of whatever is popular at the moment on runways or award shows. Unfortunately, this “throw-away” mentality comes with a steep environmental and social price: Dana Thomas’s book Fashionopolis is an exploration of the underlying realities behind the fashion industry.

If you are interested in how fast fashion affects the environment and sustainability efforts, you can certainly search Google, OR you can search OAIster for “fast fashion and sustainability” and find openly-accessible research articles on this topic, such as this article that discusses the issue on an international level.

Here comes Hallowe’en!

The history of Hallowe’en is as fascinating as it is controversial. The Internet is rife with origin stories that generally fall into two camps: First, that Hallowe’en has directly evolved from Samhain (pronounced “SOW-in”), an ancient Celtic celebration that occurred in the Fall. Second (and less common, although all admit that the Church’s creation of All Saint’s Day was important to the evolution of what eventually became Hallowe’en), others believe that the first Hallowe’en celebrations were firmly rooted in the practices of the early Catholic church.

There is no clear “right” or “wrong” to such disputes, but all agree that Hallowe’en has evolved over time and borrowed traditions from many cultures. There are fascinating tidbits everywhere about traditions that we take for granted; did you know that the very first jack o’ lanterns were turnips, for example?

Can I find Open Access materials about Hallowe’en? Certainly! In addition to using the OA search tools above, you can use Drake’s own SuperSearch to explore a topic, and then click on “Open Access” to limit your search. I did just that for the topic of “Halloween History” and you can see the results here.

Hallowe’en and Fast Fashion

Where is the “overlap” between Hallowe’en (and its related holidays) and Climate Justice? Well, for one thing, many Hallowe’en costumes are the very definition of “fast fashion”: They are cheaply made and designed for only one or two uses before they are (all too often) thrown out. Yet US consumers spend over 3 billion USD a year on costumes (out of a total of $10 billion spent on the holiday overall)

From: https://scotscoop.com/

There has been some research done (unfortunately, not all is in the public domain) on the impact of fast fashion and Hallowe’en on the environment. But thorough researchers can find nuggets that are publicly available, such as this one, as well as this more detailed article (which focuses on Hallowe’en waste in the UK).

Random Hallowe’en

Since it IS the season, after all, here are a few more Hallowe’en links:

The folks at Drake University Archives and Special Collections have gotten into the seasonal spirit:

On the main floor of the Library, Cowles has a display of spooky reading for your perusal.

There is a lot of thought-provoking stuff out there about Hallowe’en; here are some other links that might be of interest:

New Academic Publishing Guide

April 29, 2021

Are you a Drake faculty member or other researcher who needs some help with any part of the publishing process? Cowles Library is here to help!

We have a new resource available for those looking for help finding a journal that will publish your research (and what their expectations are), tools for citing information in your paper, Journal Impact Factor, and beyond. We also have a link to Cabells Journalytics, a tool that provides provides complete contact and publication information and quality metrics for over 11,000 journals.

So please take a look! If you have any questions or comments, as always, contact us at: reference@drake.edu

How to find newspapers (and link to searches) on Nexis Uni (formerly Lexis-Nexis)

April 14, 2020

Newspapers from your hometown or specific regions can be hard to find. Cowles Library provides “Nexis Uni” which has thousands of newspapers from around the county and the world. It isn’t always easy to “drill down” to one particular title, so we’ve provided the following short video.

Also note that it’s easy to link to an article or a search (once you know how!) On any page, click on “Actions” (it will be near the top) and then “Link to this page” (as in the example below).

Wall Street Journal – Now Available at Drake

July 9, 2019

The Wall Street Journal is now available to all students, staff, and faculty at Drake University! Once you’ve signed up, you can access it directly from their web page, and once you’ve logged in, you can access it from anywhere.

Signing up is easy! First, make sure you’re logged in to Drake web email or to my.drake.edu. Then use this link: https://library.drake.edu/find/article-databases/goto/wall-street-journal/ , using your Drake email as username and set up your password. That’s it! Once you have your account set up, you can also download and configure their app (see below).

Have an existing WSJ account? Look for a pop up directly under the email address box that says, “Already have an account? Sign in here.” That will enable you to reactivate your account under the Drake-sponsored membership.

This subscription gives you access to the last four years of WSJ content; if you want to access backfiles, you can search issues back to 1984 using this interface.

App authentication: Go to Profile > Log in, and enter your Drake credentials (email and password). After logging in, you have the choice to verify email or continue to WSJ (see below). It’s best to click “Send Verification” otherwise it will pester you each time you log in.

Having other issues? Call us at 271-2111 OR email: reference@drake.edu

Library Liaison meeting – Apr 2019

April 12, 2019

Below are some of the links (plus agenda and slides) from the April 11th, 2019 Library Liaison meeting.

Main takeaways

1) Please contact bruce.gilbert@drake.edu or teri.koch@drake.edu  if you’re interested in exploring “textbook alternatives” for one or more of your classes. See below for more details.

2) Journal Watchlist: The journals that are not highlighted will be canceled unless usage improves. (See link, below)

3) We discussed the University of California’s decision to drop their “Big Deal” package with Elsevier and push for Open Access (OA) alternatives with the support of their faculty. We need to continue to be aware of and push back against publishers who employ “super-inflationary” price increases each year, and the effect it has on our declining budget. Publishers such as Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science)  and McGraw Hill (Access Pharmacy) are two examples. Cowles Library is currently in a “Big Deal” with Elsevier, and we have negotiated favorable terms in that contract. http://bit.ly/2UPPYWN

Ithaka Survey:
Excellent response rate (49% of full-time faculty completed the survey), and we’re very thankful to those who took the time to complete it!

The library is analyzing the data to find opportunities to improve existing services and develop strategies and partnerships for new services.

The library will reach out to liaisons in the coming months as we develop more detailed proposals for these opportunities.


Links of general interest:

“Watchlist” of lesser-used journals and databases: http://researchguides.drake.edu/lreg

Cowles Library’s “Textbook alternative” website:
http://researchguides.drake.edu/textbooks

Where to find an “Open textbook”:
https://open.bccampus.ca/open-textbook-101/where-to-find-open-textbooks/

Open “learning object” repository (texts, syllabi, games, simulations, etc.): Merlot.org

Detailed meeting materials:

Expanded Elsevier content available!

September 14, 2018

Drake University’s Cowles Library is pleased to announce that we now provide access to the
majority of content on Elsesvier’s ScienceDirect platform. This includes journals, as well as
books. Elsevier offers high-quality, peer-reviewed and highly-cited content in the life sciences,
physical sciences, health sciences, and social sciences.

Access here: https://library.drake.edu/find/article-databases/goto/sciencedirect/

To make sure you see content to which we subscribe, click on the “Access type: Subscribed and
complimentary.” You can also limit your search to journals, books, handbooks, reference
works, and/or book series.

Drake University now has access from 1995-present for a majority of the journal titles hosted
on Elsevier’s ScienceDirect platform (called: Freedom Collection 2018).  The only titles that are
excluded from our agreement are the third-party titles they are not allowed to license (Lancet,
Neuron, American Journal of Medicine, etc.).  Many of the third-party titles will still be available
to patrons via Get-It-Now (Document Delivery).

In addition, we now have access to all book content on Elsevier’s ScienceDirect platform, called the “All-Access” collection.  This collection includes books, book series, encyclopedias, handbooks, and major reference works. See below.

New resource: Gale Academic OneFile

August 29, 2017

New to Drake University for the 2017/18 academic year, Gale Academic OneFile is a premier source for peer-reviewed, full-text articles from the world’s leading journals and reference sources. With extensive coverage of the physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, the arts, theology, literature and other subjects, Academic OneFile is both authoritative and comprehensive. Content includes millions of articles available in both PDF and HTML full-text with no restrictions from over 13,000 journals. Content is updated daily, so you won’t have to wait for the information you’re looking for.

Cool features include the topic finder, which generates a visual search result by topic and subtopic based on an analysis of frequently occurring and related terms in your results. It’s a great way to quickly assess your topic, find relevant articles, and discover new connections between your topic and others. You’ll find Topic Finder at the top of Academic OneFile’s home page.

Library Faculty on University Committees

July 26, 2017

Library Faculty participation on Faculty Senate Committees for 2017-2018

Every member of the Cowles Library Faculty is on one (or more) standing Drake Faculty Senate Committee(s), or other standing University-wide committee. Faculty committee participation is as follows (in random order):

Hope Bibens – Intercollegiate Athletics

Bruce Gilbert – University Benefits Committee

Teri Koch – University Budget Committee

Sam Becker – Admissions Committee

Bart Schmidt – Academic Freedom and Tenure

Dan Chibnall – Compensation

Carrie Dunham-LaGree – University Curriculum Committee (Chair)

Priya Shenoy – DCAC

Marcia Keyser – IRB

Mark Stumme – Academic Freedom and Tenure (alternate)

Andrew Welch – Senate IT Committee

Also, Carrie Dunham-LaGree and Teri Koch will serve as Faculty Senators for the coming year, with Teri serving as Cowles’s Senate Exec representative

Also, in terms of other standing University-wide groups, Cameron Tuai is a member of GEAC (Global Engagement Advisory Committee) and Marcia Keyser is a member of the Jterm Oversight Committee.

Sam Becker is also the newly-appointed Equity Partner from Cowles Library; she will be working with Erin Lain, Associate Provost, Campus Equity & Inclusion, in this role.

Help us improve the Cowles Library facility!

November 18, 2016

We want your input to make Cowles Library a better place!

Cowles Library adopted a new Strategic Plan a year ago that envisioned the Library as the University’s “hub for learning and scholarship.” Since that time, important steps have been taken in that direction, including using position openings to hire a new STEM Librarian, as well as a new Campus Engagement Librarian. To take our efforts to the next level, however, we need your help!
rainbow
Cowles Library is revising its Master Facility Plan to guide future functional arrangements and renovations in the facility. An architectural firm has been retained for the planning project and the development of a concept layout. This is where you, our users, come in:  We’d love to hear your thoughts on what features/services/resources/spaces you’d like to see in an updated library facility!

We have completed our first round of “formal” input sessions (including focus groups and an online survey).  However, we’d still love to get your input if you missed out on the earlier opportunities. Please fill out the VERY short form below, and thanks for the input!


CQ Press Voting and Elections

October 27, 2016

This is the twelfth in a series of “Resources and Services” posts from the Faculty of Cowles Library, intended to increase awareness of the quality resources and services (many of them new!) available to Drake students, faculty, and staff. Earlier posts are listed at the bottom of this page.



Cowles Library has a subscription to CQ Press Voting and Elections Collection.  This database integrates a wealth of data, analyses, and historical material to provide a powerful research and reference tool on voters, political parties, campaigns and elections, historical and modern races for Congress, the presidency, and governorships.  It also includes the ability to generate customized data about candidates, voter turnout, party control, and more!

This research and reference website is organized into six categories:

  • Presidential Elections includes explanations of the presidential electoral process, analyses and data for historical and modern presidential elections, modern voting behavior, key events and issues, and biographies.
  • Congressional Elections provides explanations of the congressional electoral process, including reapportionment and redistricting; data for historical and modern congressional elections; analyses of modern congressional elections; modern voting behavior; modern district profiles; key events and issues; and biographies.
  • Gubernatorial Elections presents explanations of the gubernatorial electoral process and data for historical and modern gubernatorial elections.
  • Campaigns and Elections explores the American system of voting and elections, electoral process and reform, media, interest groups, and the impact of money.
  • Political Parties covers the party system in America, including party strength and control, and profiles Democratic, Republican, and third parties.
  • Voters and Demographics covers expansion of voting rights, voter turnout, voting behavior, modern county census data, and modern district profiles.

Check out CQ Press Voting and Elections!


Previous Resources and Services announcements:

1) New York Times Digital Subscription
2) Chronicle of Higher Education
3) Oxford Very Short Introductions
4) Vogue and Women’s Wear Daily
5) Business Expert Press
6) Statista – Statistics for the Rest of Us
7) Bibliography of Native North Americans
8) JoVE Biology (and JoVE Neuroscience)
9) Filmakers’ Library Online
10) Springer Books and Journals
11) NEW version of RefWorks

Scroll to Top