Everyone comes to the library first!

The screenshot above is from a February 1939 edition of the JTAC. As you can see from the message, "everyone that visited Tarleton came to the library first!" The Senior Class of '39 did in fact donate a beautiful charge desk to the library.

The Dick Smith Library is swarming with students studying for finals, preparing for presentations, and finishing last minute projects. We are the central hub of the campus. The "IT" place. Always have been and always will be (in my opinion).

Senior classes don't typically give gifts these days. However, I'm sure they're thankful for the wonderful time they've had not only at Tarleton, but also in the library. Good luck to you all on your finals and especially to those graduating Seniors.

QUIET!! Thinking Fast and Slow

Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com Copyright � 1998 Mark A. Hicks. Originally published by Mark A. Hicks. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/copyright.html

Texan Hall Library in Fort Worth seems to be considerably quieter during finals week?  Why?

I think it might relate to this funny post going around on Facebook about turning down the radio when you are driving down the road looking for an address.  

taken from Jodideo. com

Yes, some people admit to doing this as some sort of fault or an ironic action that they have taken, but the truth is that the active thinking required to find an unfamiliar address has invoked the unconscious action of turning down the radio.  The result is that the auditory senses have given way to the visual senses to use more brainpower. 

Professor Steven Yantis of John Hopkins University uses this principle as it pertains to cell phone use and driving.  Yantis (2005) states, "Directing attention to listening effectively 'turns down the volume' on input to the visual parts of the brain. The evidence we have right now strongly suggests that attention is strictly limited -- a zero-sum game.”  

Image found at: <img src="http://images.macmillan.com
/folio-assets/macmillan_us_frontbookcovers_186W/
9780374533557.jpg" alt="Thinking, Fast and Slow">

 The book, Thinking Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman, Eugene Higgins Professor of Psychology Emeritus at Princeton University, is available at the Dick Smith Library at BF441 .K238 2011. 

The book deals with the function of fast thinking and slow thinking.  Fast thinking is the thinking that allows us to accomplish daily tasks. Slow thinking is the deliberative thinking that it takes to concentrate, the type of thinking required to study for finals!  Check out this book to find out more about these thinking processes and how Kahneman applies these to the world of business executives.

                 


References:

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking Fast and Slow, New York, NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.Yantis, S. (2005). Multitasking: You can't pay full attention to both sights and sounds:

Lab findings suggest reason cell phones and driving don't mix, EurekaAlert!: The Global Source for Science News. Retrieved from http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-06/jhu-myc062105.php

Anthology: Digitized & New Volume Published

Volume 20, 2014
cover

Volume 20 of Anthology Published
In case you missed the announcement last week, you should know that the Volume 20 of Anthology has been published and it showcases Tarleton students' exceptional creative talents.

A forum for student prose, poetry, and visual arts, Anthology began to take shape in 1994 through the efforts of two undergraduate students, Cris Edwards and Jimmy Hood, and two English and Languages Department faculty members, Benedda Konvicka and Marilyn Robitaille.

This dedicated team championed their vision, secured university funding and support, solicited and judged submissions, recruited help, designed the journal, and began ensuring their dream would withstand the test of time -- which it definitely has.


Volume1, 1995
cover

Anthology's first volume was published in 1995; a new volume has been published each April since. Each volume offers carefully selected works and is celebrated with Creative Arts Day festivities that include an editors' luncheon, readings by a renowned author, a contributors' reception, and Editors' Choice Awards. The 2014 Creative Arts Day featured Oklahoma Poet Laureate Nathan Brown as guest speaker.

While Anthology has been available in print and online for quite some time, its distribution range has been fairly limited -- until now. 

A recent Dick Smith Library digitization project has broadened access to this publication and created a searchable version of Anthology through The Portal to Texas History, which is created and maintained by the University of North Texas Libraries' Digital Projects Unit.

How to Access & Search Anthology
-- Click "Services and Resources" on the Dick Smith Library homepage.
-- Choose "Anthology Creative Arts Journal Archive."
   ---- Browse issues by year.
   ---- Search for items by title, creator, or keyword.

Let us know if you have questions: reference@tarleton.edu | 254-968-9249

Final Exam & End-of Semester Tips
Looking for inspiration? Need to get your creative juices energized? Need a mental break? No worries. Help is at hand:
-- Check out the Finals Frenzy resources and follow @TarletonExams on Facebook.
-- Peruse others' tips and share your own with the #TSUFinalsFrenzy hashtag on Twitter.
-- Enjoy a cup of coffee at the library and other hydration stations.
-- Take advantage of the library's extended hours.
-- Contact library staff if you have questions: "Ask a Librarian" | reference@tarleton.edu | 254-968-9249

Beat Final Exam Stress

As many of you are aware, final exams start tomorrow! Are you feeling the pressure? Are your nerves getting the best of you? The following is a link to 6 tips on beating final exam stress:

Six Tips to Beat Final Exam Stress


Also, if you're worried about forgetting your final exam schedule, here is a reminder link:

Spring 2011 Final Schedule

Good luck and remember to relax!

Tips for Final Exams

Common Mistake 1: Cramming (all nighters or studying one subject too long)

Why it doesn’t work: Mental exhaustion - Cramming for hours and hours makes you tired and you won’t be able to remember or retain the information long-term.

Better Approach:
• Break your study times up into small chunks of time of an hour with breaks in between.
• Avoid burn-out by mixing it up. – Review one subject, then after breaks switch to another subject for the next hour.
• Boost energy and concentration by varying your methods of studying. Mix in reading, reviewing notes, studying with a partner, using notecards, and making new notes. Don’t overdo it by forgetting to take breaks and rest in between study sessions.

Common Mistake 2: Assuming that you know the material very well when you only have a basic understanding of it.

Why it doesn’t work:
Skimming the textbook or just relying on notes may not prepare you enough to fully understand the information and you may find yourself in trouble come test time.

Better Approach:
• Do a self-test of the material. Make-up your own questions or have a classmate quiz you on potential test questions.
• Say it in your own words. If you can't write a definition, a theory, etc... in your own words, you probably need more review of the material before taking the test.

Common Mistake 3: Trying to be make-up a whole semester worth of information in one week.

Why it doesn’t work:
Skipping out during the semester on classes or reading assignments can come back to bite you at finals. You can end-up digging yourself into a hole making it impossible to study productively because there is just too much information and too little time.

Better Approach:
• Attend class regularly and take just 15 minutes a week during the semester to review materials you covered in class. This will help you understand the concepts better and give you a leg-up when reviewing for your finals.
• Put yourself in a position where you are reviewing - not learning for the first time.

Common Mistake 4: Wasting valuable time by studying unproductively.

Why it doesn’t work:
Its human nature to avoid doing things we don’t like, for instance studying for exams. So sometimes we may waste time by discussing last night’s TV with our well intended study group or reading but not really comprehending the material. We don't realize how much time is wasted by not paying attention to whether or not we are actually getting anything out of study time.

Better Approach:
• Check yourself every half hour to make sure that your staying on track and comprehending the material. If you find yourself off-track, change your strategy like finding a study partner from class and talking through the material or talking to your instructor about any questions you have.
• When you feel that your mind is starting to wander or that you are too tired, don't push yourself into continuing to study. Take a break and pick it back up when you are able to be productive again. Long stretches of constant studying after your brain has stopped absorbing material is a waste of time.

Common Mistake 5: Ignoring your health for the sake of study time.

Why it doesn’t work:
Not getting enough sleep or eating properly in order to spend every available minute cramming for a test can wreak havoc on your health. Taking good care of yourself will allow for better concentration and retention of the material.

Better Approach:
• Get some sleep the night before the exam. Your brain needs a chance to rest and re-energize itself.
• Eat a healthy snack or meal before your exam. It will help you function better and avoid your blood sugar from dropping.

GOOD LUCK!!

Video Lectures from Top Colleges

As final exams hurry toward us, everyone is going to be busy reviewing the semester's work, looking over their class notes, locating study partners, participating in help/review sessions, and trying to remember it all. To help prepare for finals, you can also listen to lecture notes from other universities.

Guy McDowell at MakeUseOf lists 5 Great Sites with Free Video Lectures from Top Colleges where learners can listen to lectures from universities such as MIT, McGill, Oxford, and more.

National Stress Out Day

What do you get when you mix a national financial crisis, winter holidays and final exams? A heaping portion of S-T-R-E-S-S.

Active Minds, a national mental health organization on college campuses, created National Stress Out Day (Week of April 20-24, 2009). It "provides a pre-finals stress reliever and...[educates] students with information about stress management, anxiety and related disorders." Activities include a national Screamfest, recess for adults and other stress-relieving activities.

Can't wait till April? Find stress relief now...at the library.

1. Music: Listen to one of our several hundred CDs and cassettes ranging from classical music to rock (lower floor) .

2. Movies: After your last exam, get a movie or catch up on your favorite TV shows (lower floor).

3. Get organized: Fight procrastination with time management books, available online or on the shelves (upper floor).

4. Reduce road rage: Stuck in traffic? Try an audio book (lower floor).

5. Brush up on your favorite hobby, from karate to photography to holiday baking (upper floor).

6. Free your Mind: Read something frivolous and stress-free. Grab a mystery novel from the student lounge (main floor) or general collection (upper floor: PS 3500). Browse through popular magazines like Sports Illustrated or Vogue on the main floor or online. Too tired to move?Try our e-books.

Don't forget that we have extended hours during Finals week.

Photo by BrittneyBush; licensed by Creative Commons.