Databases – Sciences Library News

Feb 28 2022

Spring 2022 Sciences Library Workshops

Posted on February 28, 2022March 30, 2022 by Laurie Neuerburg

Search like a Hawk: Become an expert at InfoHawk+

Tuesday, March 8, 2:00–2:50 PM

Sciences Library, Room 102

There are more than a million ebooks, over 3 million print books, and thousands of journal articles available through InfoHawk+. How can you find what you’re looking for? Learn how to search like an expert in this workshop.

Intro to Biology Databases

Thursday, March 24, 3:30–4:20 PM

Sciences Library, Room 102

Are you interested in finding information on gene sequences, proteins, and metabolic pathways? Do you know the most useful databases for finding biology literature? Attend this workshop to learn about biology resources available to you through the UI Libraries.

Getting Started With Physics and Astronomy Literature Research

Wednesday, April 6, 2:30–3:20 PM

Sciences Library, Room 102

In this workshop, you will learn how to use:

arXiv
Astrophysics Data System
IOPscience
SPIE Digital Library

Citing Science: What to Know About Sciwheel

Tuesday, April 19, 12:30–1:20 PM

Sciences Library, Room 102

Did you know that Sciwheel can help you keep track of the website and article references that you find? Did you know that it can give you article suggestions and help you format your citations in Word or Google Docs? Attend this workshop to find out how to use Sciwheel, a cloud-based reference management system and sharing tool.

Jan 18 2022

Welcome back, Hawkeyes!

Posted on January 18, 2022January 18, 2022 by Laurie Neuerburg

Welcome back, Hawkeyes! We hope that you had a nice break, and we’re glad that you are back! Keep our Hawkeye community safe by getting your free COVID-19 vaccinations and booster if you have not done so yet.

Books, Articles, Laptops, and More

You can search InfoHawk+ to find books, articles, and other resources at the UI Libraries, and you can contact a sciences librarian to get expert help to use our resources.

We now have laptops that you can check out! Visit the Sciences Library Service Desk to check out a laptop. Laptops circulate for 3 days or for 3 weeks, depending on how long you need to use them.

Study Spaces

The Sciences Library offers a variety of study spaces that are available to you! If you are looking for a good place to study, we have study spots that include computer stations, study carrels, study booths, and large tables for group work. The Sciences Library is located at 120 Iowa Ave.

Sciences Library Spring 2022 Hours

The Sciences Library is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM, Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM for the spring semester. The Sciences Library is closed on Saturdays.

Study Help for BIOL 1411: Foundations of Biology

If you are taking BIOL:1411 Foundations of Biology, then you can take advantage of free study help with our Sciences Library Student Mentors!

Drop-in Tutoring for Foundations of Biology

Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays, & Thursday 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Ask to meet with the student mentor at the Sciences Library Service Desk.

Group Study Sessions for Foundations of Biology

Sundays, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM. The student mentor will lead a session to review material from the week’s lectures. This is located in room 102 at the Sciences Library.
Sundays, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM. The student mentor will provide help with lab content. This session will be held in room 102 at the Sciences Library.

Jan 25 2021

Welcome Back, Hawkeyes!

Posted on January 25, 2021August 10, 2021 by Laurie Neuerburg

You are invited to the Sciences Library for a comfortable, quiet place to study! There are computer stations, study carrels, and booths with USB and outlets for phones and computers. If you have group work to do, there are tables and large mobile monitors to use for sharing your computer screen. The Sciences Library is located between Phillips Hall and the Biology Building on Iowa Ave. The building is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM for the Spring 2021 semester. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have hygiene stations available with disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer. A face covering is required, and yellow stickers mark off seats that are to remain unoccupied. The book stacks are open so feel free to peruse the shelves!

If you need help with your research, then you can meet with a librarian in a one-on-one research consultation to help you find books and articles that you need for a paper or project. You can search InfoHawk+ to find out what the UI Libraries has that you can use online or check out & take home, which includes print books, ebooks, newspapers, journals, and magazines (both print and online), DVDs and streaming videos. You can request that the library purchase something that we don’t have, or request to borrow something that we don’t have through Interlibrary Loan. You can access all of our ebooks, electronic journal articles, streaming videos, and online resources from off-campus by logging in with your HawkID.

You can ask librarians for help about research and using the library whenever you need it through chat, email, in-person, or by phone. Have a great semester! We’re glad to have you at the Sciences Library!

Jan 27 2020

SciFinder-n Training

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Laurie Neuerburg

SciFinder-n is the new interface for SciFinder, a searchable collection of chemical reactions, substances, and scientific literature used in chemistry, medicine, and related fields. SciFinder-n is mobile-friendly, offers more filter options compared to SciFinder, and includes an “All Search” function similar to Google. PatentPak, MethodsNow, and Retrosynthesis Plan are new tools that are available only through SciFinder-n.

The following SciFinder-n training sessions are open to all students, faculty, and staff. There is no need to register in advance. Drop-ins are welcome!

SciFinder-n Training – Monday, February 10, 1:30-2:30pm, Chemistry Building, room E215. Free snacks provided!
SciFinder-n Training – Tuesday, February 11, 9:30-10:30am, Chemistry Building, room E215. Free snacks provided!
SciFinder-n Training – Tuesday, February 11, 12:00-1:00pm, Seamans Center, 2001C Engineering Library. Free pizza provided!

SciFinder-n is available for free to all members of the University of Iowa community. Register for a SciFinder account on our SciFinder and SciFinder-n guide.

Aug 23 2019

Welcome to the Sciences Library!

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Laurie Neuerburg

Hello, new & returning Hawkeyes!

Visit the Sciences Library this week to find a comfortable study spot, enjoy free coffee, and meet our staff! Our new exhibit showcases our staff, what they can do for you, and what they would like you to know about them! Stop by to find out who likes Quantum Darwinism, who likes photographing birds, who likes running marathons, and more! We would love to meet you and help you use the many services that the UI Libraries has to offer.

Here are 6 tips to help you get started!

You can meet with a librarian in a one-on-one research consultation to help you find books and articles that you need for a paper or project
You can search InfoHawk+ to find out what the UI Libraries has that you can use online or check out & take home, which includes print books, ebooks, newspapers, journals, and magazines (both print and online), DVDs and streaming videos
You can request that the library purchase something that we don’t have, or request to borrow something that we don’t have through Interlibrary Loan. (It’s free!)
You can access all of our ebooks, electronic journal articles, streaming videos, and online resources from off-campus by logging in with your HawkID
You can ask librarians for help about research and using the library whenever you need it through chat, email, in-person, or by phone!
You can hang out with our mascot Chauncey the gorilla!

Best wishes for a great semester! Go Hawks!

Feb 11 2019

Spring 2019 Workshops at the Sciences Library

Posted on February 11, 2019February 11, 2019 by Laurie Neuerburg

The following workshops are open to all students, faculty, and staff. There is no need to register in advance.

EndNote Workshop – Thursday, March 7, 2-3 PM, BB B20

In this workshop you will learn how to use EndNote to:

Collect references for articles, books, websites, and other sources using Google Scholar, InfoHawk+, and popular databases like Web of Science and Scopus;
Organize your references into groups and share your reference library with collaborators;
Use the Cite While You Write plugin for Microsoft Word to insert citations into your papers and format them into thousands of different styles.

EndNote Web is available for free to all members of the University of Iowa community. EndNote Desktop is available for free to all UI graduate students, faculty, and staff.

EndNote Workshop – Wednesday, April 10, 3:30-4:30 PM, CB W238

In this workshop you will learn how to use EndNote to:

Collect references for articles, books, websites, and other sources using Google Scholar, InfoHawk+, and popular databases like Web of Science and Scopus;
Organize your references into groups and share your reference library with collaborators;
Use the Cite While You Write plugin for Microsoft Word to insert citations into your papers and format them into thousands of different styles.

EndNote Web is available for free to all members of the University of Iowa community. EndNote Desktop is available for free to all UI graduate students, faculty, and staff.

If you’re interested, but unable to attend these workshops, private appointments and webinars can be arranged. If you have any questions or if you’d like to request a workshop for your class or group, please contact Laurie Neuerburg (319-467-0216 or laurie-neuerburg@uiowa.edu) for more information.

Jan 15 2019

Welcome back, Hawkeyes!

Posted on January 15, 2019January 15, 2019 by Laurie Neuerburg

Welcome to the Spring 2019 Semester, Hawkeyes! Here are three tips to help you start your semester:

Check to see if your textbooks are on course reserve at the library

Visit the Sciences Library to study in a comfy bean bag chair, carrel, or table; to use our free scanner; and to enjoy free coffee and tea!

Need help with scientific literature databases such as arXiv, GeoRef, PubMed, or SciFinder? Make an appointment for a research consultation, or email us: laurie-neuerburg@uiowa.edu or leo-clougherty@uiowa.edu

Aug 29 2018

Fall 2018 Workshops at the Sciences Library

Posted on August 29, 2018August 30, 2018 by Laurie Neuerburg

The following workshops are open to all students, faculty, and staff. There is no need to register in advance.

Staying Current Workshop – Thursday, September 20, 3:30-4:20 PM, SL 102

In this workshop you will learn how to:

Keep up with the news and research in your field
Use the library to find new sources of information
Learn how to set up email alerts and notifications

EndNote Workshop – Tuesday, September 25, 11-11:50 AM, SL 102

In this workshop you will learn how to use EndNote to:

Collect references for articles, books, websites, and other sources using Google Scholar, InfoHawk+, and popular databases like Web of Science and Scopus;
Organize your references into groups and share your reference library with collaborators;
Use the Cite While You Write plugin for Microsoft Word to insert citations into your papers and format them into thousands of different styles.

EndNote Web is available for free to all members of the University of Iowa community. EndNote Desktop is available for free to all UI graduate students, faculty, and staff.

EndNote Workshop – Wednesday, October 10, 1-1:50 PM, SL 102

In this workshop you will learn how to use EndNote to:

Collect references for articles, books, websites, and other sources using Google Scholar, InfoHawk+, and popular databases like Web of Science and Scopus;
Organize your references into groups and share your reference library with collaborators;
Use the Cite While You Write plugin for Microsoft Word to insert citations into your papers and format them into thousands of different styles.

EndNote Web is available for free to all members of the University of Iowa community. EndNote Desktop is available for free to all UI graduate students, faculty, and staff.

Scholarly Journals Workshop – Tuesday, October 23, 11-11:50 AM, SL 102

In this workshop you will learn how to:

Identify the most critical journals in your field
Learn about impact factors and other measures of quality
Recognize important characteristics of journals, such as whether they are open access, refereed, or predatory

Evaluating Science Workshop – Thursday, November 1, 3:30-4:20 PM, SL 102

In this workshop you will learn how to:

Assess science articles and news for credibility
Look for original sources of research
Investigate misinformation, bias, and retractions

Search Strategies Workshop – Wednesday, November 14, 12-12:50 PM, SL 102

In this workshop you will learn how to:

Choose which places to search
Improve the relevancy and precision of your search
Quickly evaluate search results

Aug 16 2018

Top 10 Things to Know About the Sciences Library

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Laurie Neuerburg

10. You can connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!

9. You can email, call, or schedule an appointment with one of our librarians (Laurie Neuerburg or Leo Clougherty) if you need help finding books, articles, or anything else for your research.

8. You can use our scanner on the 1st floor for free.

7. You can take a rest and study comfortably using our bean bag chairs, tables, armchairs, and carrels.

6. It’s easy to visit us from downtown–you will find us on Iowa Ave across from Joe’s Place.

5. Our mascot is a gorilla named Chauncey.

4. We can help you find datasets online and properly manage your own research data.

3. Our building was designed to be an anatomical theater for medical students and so the back of the building has a semicircular shape!

2. You can use our subject guides to find the best resources for your research in astronomy, biology, chemistry, environmental science, physics, and more.

1. We provide free coffee and tea!

Aug 10 2018

Natural Language Searching in NCBI Databases

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Laurie Neuerburg

NCBI has improved its search functionality in the “all databases” search to be compatible with natural language searching. In the past, natural language searching for sequence data brought up too many results or sometimes zero results. Now you can search NCBI more intuitively than before and receive good results for genes, nucleotides, and assemblies! How do you get started with NCBI’s new natural language searching?

Go to the homepage of NCBI. The default search shows “All Databases” in the drop-down box. Here you can try out some of the improved search queries:

Genes