Coming in September 2024, view Edgar Allan Poe’s works of early science fiction juxtaposed with uncanny creatures on loan from the Natural History Museum. Engage in word search puzzles, mad libs, and other activities based on Poe’s most famous works. This event is free and open to all.
Where: First floor of the Sciences Library, 120 Iowa Ave.
Experience science with demonstrations from Hawk-Eyes on Science, University of Iowa Chemists, the Iowa City Science Booster Club, and more. Attendees are welcome to drop in at any time between 3:30 and 5 p.m. This event is free and open to all.
When: Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Where: Third floor of the Sciences Library, 120 Iowa Ave.
It was a thrilling experience to witness the partial solar eclipse that took place in the skies above Iowa City on Monday, April 8! The eclipse-viewing event, hosted jointly by the Sciences Library and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, was a huge success, with thousands of people gathering in the Sciences Library courtyard and on the Pentacrest lawn to collect free eclipse glasses, view the sun and moon’s alignment through solar telescopes, make pinhole cameras, and have their faces painted with eclipse-themed motifs. About 2,300 glasses were handed out before the peak obscuration (89%!) of the sun by the moon, which occurred at 2:01 p.m.
Sunspots were visible on the sun’s reflected image as shown through the wooden Sunspotter solar telescope. Later, clouds passing across the sun could be seen in the Sunspotter’s projection.
Features were clearly visible on the sun’s surface through the solar telescopes, including sunspots and prominences dancing on the sun’s edge.
Tiny eclipses could also be seen through the holes of a colander.
Sciences Library volunteers answered many thought-provoking questions from curious attendees.
It was moving to see the generosity of people who shared their eclipse glasses so that everybody had the chance to safely view the eclipse with the naked eye (in addition to seeing it through telescopes and pinhole cameras).
The Iowa City Press-Citizen covered the event before it happened, and KWWL after (below)! In this segment, you can spot Conrad Bendixen, sciences reference and digital services librarian, adjusting a telescope to keep the sun in view as it moves across the sky (see Conrad at 1:39).
The Sciences Library would like to take this time to thank all the volunteers from the UI Libraries and the Department of Physics and Astronomy. And thank you to everyone who turned out to experience this rare occurrence with us!
The Sciences Library is offering new spring workshops. Attend to learn how to compare gene sequences, use Sciwheel or EndNote reference management software, navigate scientific papers more effectively, find math literature, set up an ORCiD identifier, or explore ornithological treasures in the library’s collection.
All workshops can be attended in person or virtually.
Endnote Desktop for Scientists
Thursday, Feb. 22, 11–11:50 a.m.
Sciences Library Room 102 or Zoom
Set up an EndNote Desktop account and get started using it. For staff, professionals, and graduate students. Come to the Sciences Library or register for Zoom.
Endnote Basic for Scientists
Thursday, Feb. 29, 11–11:50 a.m.
Sciences Library Room 102 or Zoom
Set up an EndNote Basic account and get started using it, including exporting references to BibTeX. Come to the Sciences Library or register for Zoom.
Strategies to Read a Scientific Article
Thursday, March 7, 1–1:50 p.m.
Sciences Library Room 102 or Zoom
Learn strategies to navigate and better understand scientific articles in this workshop. Come to the Sciences Library or register for Zoom.
BLAST: Comparing Gene Sequences
Thursday, March 21, 1–1:50 p.m.
Sciences Library Room 102 or Zoom
Arrange gene sequences in pairwise alignment and determine how they compare to one another. Come to the Sciences Library or register for Zoom.
ORCiD: Open Researcher and Contributer ID
Thursday, March 28, 11–11:50 a.m.
Sciences Library Room 102 or Zoom
What is ORCiD? In this workshop, learn the benefits of setting one up, and how to do it. Come to the Sciences Library or register for register for Zoom.
MathSciNet
Thursday, April 4, 11–11:50 a.m.
Sciences Library Room 102 or Zoom
Delve into MathSciNet, the database for mathematics literature. Come to the Sciences Library or register for Zoom.
Sciwheel: Peruse Article Recommendations
Thursday, April 18, 1–1:50 p.m.
Sciences Library Room 102 or Zoom
Use Sciwheel to organize your references, receive article suggestions, and more. Come to the Sciences Library or register for Zoom.
Kent Ornithology Collection: Learning All About Birds
Thursday, April 25, 1–1:50 p.m.
Sciences Library Room 102 or Zoom
Discover delight from this collection of over 250 books about birds at the Sciences Library. Come to the Sciences Library or register for Zoom.
The workshops can also be found on the new Sciences Library workshops guide.
Figuring out where to publish research can be daunting, particularly because new journals and publishers are emerging all the time and some are not reputable. But there’s a resource to help build knowledge and skills to become a savvy author who is aware of, and demands, good practice in scholarly publication.
Think. Check. Submit. “aims to educate researchers, promote integrity, and build trust in credible research and publications.” Its valuable resources prompt researchers getting ready to publish to:
Think: Consider the suitability of the journal or publisher as the platform for your work. Is it right for your work in terms of scope and content? Is the journal or publisher trustworthy and will you want to be affiliated with them?
Check: Use the journals or the books and chapters checklist to guide you through a systematic assessment of a journal or publisher. The lists include items about the publisher’s transparency around:
They also remind you to check things like where a journal is indexed; if it has a clear archiving and preservation policy; and, if the publisher is a current member of recognized industry initiatives like the Directory of Open Access Journals or the Open Access Scholarly Publishers’ Association.
Submit: Submit your manuscript only when and if you can answer yes to the checklist questions.
For more information or help with finding the best place to publish your research, reach out to your librarian.
We’ve made it easy with our new map! Find the location of the Math Collection on floor 2, or the latest issues of our print math journals (the current math periodicals) on floor 3.
Math books can also be found other UI libraries. The library and shelf location of every print book is listed in its record in InfoHawk+. Places you’ll see associated with math books in InfoHawk+ include:
Main Library Math*
Main Library Stacks*
*If you see the word FOLIO after either of these locations, that tells you that the book is big, and for space efficiency’s sake it will be in a slightly different part of the library than the books without FOLIO. See the map for the exact locations.
Engineering Library Stacks
Sciences Library Stacks
Hardin Library for the Health Sciences Stacks
Library Annex
Most books in InfoHawk+ can be delivered to a different library or location for pickup. Options are a library, an office mailbox, or a remote address. To request delivery, sign into your account, then indicate your preferred pickup location.
Of course, we have many math books that are available online, too. You can browse through what we have in InfoHawk+ by typing in keywords related to the topics you’re interested in, then filtering (on the left side of the screen) to “Full Text Online” under Availability, and “Books” under Resource Type. To access the books you find, log in and follow the appropriate links through InfoHawk+.
We also have a terrific tool that lets you browse all the latest issues of the math journals we subscribe to electronically instead of (or in addition to) print. The tool is called BrowZine. BrowZine lets you look at the tables of contents of recent journal issues, and open any interesting articles, or save them for later. You can even set up a virtual bookshelf with your favorite journals and get notifications when new issues are published.
Log in and set up an account here: https://login.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/login?url=https://browzine.com
BrowZine is also available as an app for phone or tablet: https://thirdiron.com/download-browzine/
If you like both versions, you can sync your account between the two.
Join us outside (weather permitting) in front of the Sciences Library along Iowa Ave on Tuesday, December 12 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm of Final Exams Week for scientific-themed songs, treats, and beverages. All are welcome!
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the Sciences Library at 319-335-3083 or lib-sciences@uiowa.edu.
The UI Pre-PA club is partnering with CommUnity Crisis Services and the food bank to do a food drive through the month of October. Bins are open for food donations at the Sciences Library. Non-perishable donations such as rice and pasta, canned meat, and baby formula are encouraged.
Here is a full list of the donation items needed:
The Sciences Library is excited to let you know about our fall tree events! On October 17, University of Iowa Arborist, Andy Dahl, will be giving a campus tree talk and tour. To complement this, the library’s current exhibit showcases the Historic Trees of the University of Iowa Campus. Visit the exhibit to enter our Tree Trivia Competition!
Join Arborist Andy Dahl for a talk the about trees growing on the University of Iowa campus, followed by a walking tour of campus trees.
Visit the Historic Trees of the University of Iowa Campus Exhibit and enter our Tree Trivia Competition. Winners will be given a small prize and entered into the grand prize, a copy of the book That Tree by Mark Hirsch.
These events are free and open to the public.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the program, please contact Laurie Neuerburg at 319-467-0216 or laurie-neuerburg@uiowa.edu.
Search like a Hawk: Discover Science Literature
Wednesday, September 6, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
There are millions of books and thousands of journal articles available through our science databases. How can you find what you’re looking for and stay-up-to-date in your subject? Learn how to search like an expert in this workshop.
Introduction to EndNote Desktop for Scientists
*for graduate student, faculty or staff
Wednesday, September 13, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
EndNote is reference management software that helps you to easily gather your references in one place, organize them, and share them with other researchers. This session will walk you through the basics of using EndNote to collect and format your citations. The class will be hands-on and there will be time for questions at the end.
Biology Databases 101
Wednesday, September 20, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
What are the most useful databases for finding biology literature? Are you interested in finding information on gene sequences, genomes, and proteins? Attend this workshop to learn about biology resources available to you through the UI Libraries.
Databases for Mathematics and Statistics
Wednesday, September 27, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
Learn about the Math and Statistics resources available to you through the UI Libraries.
Bring Your Research Problems to a Sciences Librarian
Friday, September 29, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
This open-door session is an opportunity for you to bring any research questions or challenges to a sciences librarian. Drop in at any time throughout the hour.
Think, Check, Submit: Find the Right Place to Publish Your Research
Wednesday, October 4, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
Are you an early career researcher ready to publish, but not sure how to find the best journal for your research? Think, Check, Submit provides tools and practical resources for finding a credible publisher for your work.
Yoga Stretch and Breathe
Wednesday, October 18, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
Take time mid-semester to breathe and explore gentle stretches through yoga for stress relief. Bring your own mat.
Strategies for Reading a Scientific Article
Wednesday, November 1, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
Learn strategies to navigate and better understand scientific articles in this workshop.
Bring Your Research Problems to a Sciences Librarian
Wednesday, November 8, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
This open-door session is an opportunity for you to bring any research questions or challenges to a sciences librarian. Drop in at any time throughout the hour.
Introduction to Sciwheel
Wednesday, November 15, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
Sciwheel is a cloud-based reference management system and sharing tool. In this workshop, you will learn how to use Sciwheel to organize your references, receive article suggestions, and format your citations in Word or Google Docs.
Introduction to Systematic Reviews
Wednesday, November.29 , 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Sciences Library room 102
Learn what a systematic review is, what resources it would take to conduct one, and how you can explore whether it might be an appropriate research project for you.
