Americans Who Tell the Truth Exhibit - now running in Library!

Stop by the library and explore the powerful and thought-provoking exhibit, “Americans Who Tell the Truth”.  This exhibit, brought to you by the RVCC Robeson Institute, features dramatic portraits and inspiring words from courageous Americans.  Prints are on display throughout both floors of the library, including the Robeson Room on the Main level and the Hirsch Library on the Upper level.  The exhibit runs until Dec 12th.

Coming in December - Therapy Dogs visit the library!

Mark your calendars for Tuesday December 9th from 1-2pm, when our partners at Creature Comforts Pet Therapy will be bringing their cute and friendly therapy dogs to visit students in the library.  So come spend some quality time with the dogs in the library - it's a great way to de-stress as you are preparing for final exams!  Dogs will be in our “Leisure reading” area, right near the library's main entrance.

Congratulations to our Halloween candy contest winner!

Congratulations to Maria Kish, who had the closest guess in our annual Halloween candy jar contest, and as a prize got to take home the jar of candy!  Thanks to all who entered!

Whiteboard Question of the Month ("hungry yet?" edition)

Congratulations to our Scavenger Hunt Winners!

Congratulations to Micah Nelson and Jude Gepp, winners of our Fall 2025 Library Scavenger Hunt drawing!  They each won a Starbucks gift card.  Thanks to all students who participated!

The Tiny Traveling Library - coming soon to a campus location near you!

Be on the lookout for our Tiny Traveling Library - where the library comes to you!  Our librarians will be bringing a portable collection of awesome, fun, and engaging books to different buildings all around campus throughout the semester. So stop by, say hello to your friendly librarian - and pick out a great book to read!

Library Community Open House - October 18th from 12-3pm

Did you know that the RVCC Library is open to all residents of Somerset and Hunterdon counties?  We invite all local residents to stop by our library on Saturday, 10/18 from 12-3pm, to explore our library, sign up for a library card, and enjoy free programs and refreshments!

Research tip of the month: Setting up a project folder in RVOneSearch

If you've visited our library website, you've probably seen RVOneSearch. Students rely on OneSearch to easily search through most of the library's content - books, ebooks, scholarly articles, and more - to find sources.  

What many students don't realize, is that you can also use RVOneSearch to save your research sources online, in your own personal project folder.  This allows you to easily locate and organize your sources - and to pick up your research where you left off days, weeks, or months later.  Your personal folder also saves links to all of your sources, so you can easily access the full text at any time you need it.  

Here's how you do it!

1. Start by entering a search using RVOneSearch, from our library home page, then click “Search”.

2. Click on “MyEbsco” at top right of page, and then click “sign in to MyEBSCO” to login or create your account.

3.  Once you're signed in, you can use the 3-dots icon next to each of your search results and choose “Add to Project” to save the article.  You can add to an existing project folder, or create a new one.  You can give your project folder a name and description, and you can create as many different project folders as you like.

4. To access your saved items at any time, just connect to OneSearch from our library website, login to your MyEBSCO account, and click on “Projects” from the left-hand menu.  Then choose the project folder you'd like to see.

So give MyEBSCO a try next time you use RVOneSearch.  It can be a time-saver, and a great way to keep your research organized and at your fingertips when you need it!

Whiteboard Question of the Month (Prized possessions edition)

The Library Scavenger Hunt is on!

Stop by the library and try your hand at the RVCC Library Scavenger Hunt. It's a great way to learn your way around the library, have some fun, and maybe even win a prize - all completed student entries will be entered into a drawing for one of 2 Starbucks gift cards! The hunt runs through Fri, Sept 19.

Welcome New and Returning Students!

September is always a favorite time of year at the Evelyn S. Field Library!  The weather is getting cooler, football is back, and the campus once again is bustling with activity.  And the best part - we get to welcome new RVCC students to our library, and get the chance to reconnect with our returning students.

If you're new to campus, stop by our library and say hello!  We've got all sorts of resources in the library to help you succeed.  For example, if you're just looking for a quiet place to study, we have the silent study floor on our upper level:

 

If you are working with classmates on a group project or presentation, you can reserve one of our newly renovated Group Study Rooms:

The library is also a main computing hub on campus - we've got black and white and color printers, a touchscreen digital scanner, a charging station, and plenty of PC workstations. Need to borrow a laptop? Headphones? A calculator?  A charging cable?  The library's got you covered.

And of course - we've also got thousands of books, ebooks, magazines, and videos - as well as dozens of online research databases that you can use to find scholarly sources.

And the best library resource of all… our team of friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable librarians.  We can help you find quality sources, show you how to effectively navigate our databases, help you locate that perfect book or article for your paper, and assist with citations.  Best of all, you can get help from our librarians in whatever way works best for you - in person, via email, by text, via live chat, or by zoom.  You can also make appointments for in depth one-on-one research consultations with a librarian.  Just click on the “Get Answers” link on our website to access all the methods for getting help:

Stop by the library, anytime you need help - no appointment needed.  Librarians are on duty any time the library is open.  You can find our current hours on our website.

On behalf of all of us in the library, we wish everyone a fantastic and successful semester.  We look forward to seeing you in the library!

Dennis Schaub, Library Director

RVCC Librarian wins NJAL's 2025 Distinguished Service award

Congratulations to RVCC's very own Electronic Resources & Web Services Librarian Alyssa Valenti, who has been awarded the 2025 Distinguished Service award from NJAL, the Academic Librarians section of the NJ Library Association. This award honors a librarian who, by their outstanding contributions, has directly enriched the profession of librarianship in New Jersey. Please join us in congratulating Alyssa on receiving this prestigious and well-deserved award!

You can read the full award announcement in the Spring 2025 NJAL Newsletter, available at: https://docs.google.com.mcas.ms/document/d/1WYqTapUaBKYpOh3B9EIKAHsSKz3oPVQD9hCw0wZBTfs/edit?tab=t.teqihnnu77xz#heading=h.8fimwp76t8e7

Therapy Dogs coming to Library for Finals - May 5th from 1:30-2:30pm!

What better way to de-stress during finals than to spend some time with a gentle and lovable therapy dog? Stop by the library next Monday 5/5, and visit with dogs Buddy and Maddie-Mae. Dogs will be in the leisure reading lounge, right near the main library entrance. 

New & Improved Group Study Rooms!

Over the past few weeks, we've been busy here in the library upgrading our group study rooms.  We've added new collaborative tables, new adjustable chairs, and LCD monitors for sharing computer screens with your group.  Here's a look at some of the progress, in pictures!
 

Library study rooms (pre-renovation):
 

Step 1: Old furniture removed:

New Chairs waiting to be installed:

New tables with integrated USB/AC power outlets:

Completed rooms - new furniture and monitors in place:

Whiteboard question of the week ("is it lunchtime yet?" edition)

Take a Study Break at the library!

As we approach the very busy end-of-semester rush, don't forget to take an occasional break to de-stress!  Stop by the library and try your hand at a jigsaw puzzle, some drawing, sodoku, chess, and more! Taking some time to relax will help recharge your batteries for your research papers and final exams!

The library also has a supply of free anti-stress toys available to all - stop by and pick one up next time you're in the library!

Library Database Spotlight: ProQuest Ebook Central

Looking for high-quality, authoritative books on your topic?  Don't forget about the RVCC library's extensive collection of Ebooks! For example, the ProQuest Ebook Central database contains tens of thousands of academic titles, covering most subjects. 

A complete table of contents is provided for each book, so you can easily jump to the chapter or section you are looking for.  Also available is a “Search within book” feature, to easily scan through the entire text of the book to find sections where specific words or phrases are discussed. Individual pages and chapters can be printed or downloaded as PDFs.  

 

The library's Ebooks are available 24/7 from anywhere, with your RVCC G# and password. So when searching for information on your topic, give ProQuest Ebook Central a try!  

Website spotlight: ZoteroBib

Have you ever needed to generate a quick citation or bibliography for a paper?  ZoteroBib can help!  ZoteroBib helps you build a bibliography instantly from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software. It’s brought to you by the team behind Zotero, a powerful open-source research tool recommended by thousands of universities worldwide.

ZoteroBib makes it easy to cite different types of sources.  If you are citing a book, you can simply enter the book's ISBN, and click the “Cite” button:

It will generate the citation and add it to your bibliography (be sure to select your desired citation style from the menu - in this example I am using MLA style, 9th edition):

You can add journal articles by entering the article's DOI (digital object identifier).  You can usually find the DOI on the front page of the article, or listed in the library database record where you found the article - if you need help finding the DOI for an article, ask a librarian.  A DOI looks something like this:

Click Cite and ZoteroBib will add the article to your bibliography:

You can also enter URL's to cite websites, or use the “Manual Entry” button to enter the information for your source manually. Once you are finished entering all of your sources, you will have a complete bibliography:

You can then just click the “Copy to Clipboard” button to copy your entire bibliography, and paste it into your document:

So if you're looking for a quick and easy way to generate a bibliography or reference list, give ZoteroBib a try, at https://zbib.org.  It's free and easy, and doesn't require any password, account, or downloads.

Whiteboard Question of the Month: Favorite Movie edition

Our library group study rooms are currently being painted, and brand new tables, chairs, and tech equipment will be installed soon.  While this work is being done, the group study rooms will temporarily have reduced availability.  Rooms will be available (on a walk-in basis only) from 10am-9pm, Monday through Thursday only.  Rooms will be closed prior to 10am Mon-Thu, and all day on Fridays and Saturdays.  Advance online room reservations will be unavailable until work is completed, which should be within the next 2-3 weeks.

We apologize for any inconvenience as we make these necessary improvements to our group study rooms. Check back here and on our library Facebook page for the latest updates.

Upgrades coming to the Library's group study rooms!

We're excited to announce that some big changes are coming to the RVCC Library's group study rooms on the 2nd floor! New study tables will allow for groups to share work easily, and to collaborate on projects and assignments. Tabletops will have multiple built-in power and USB outlets, so you can keep all your laptops and devices powered up while working. Study rooms will also feature flat-screen LCD monitors, to allow you to easily connect your laptop and share your screen with the group while collaborating.  Lastly, we'll be upgrading the seating with modern, adjustable (and yes, comfortable!) task chairs.

We are hoping to complete these upgrades by the end of March. Please note that while the rooms are being upgraded and new furniture is being installed, some or all of our study rooms may be out of service temporarily.  We will try our best to minimize the amount of time any study rooms will be unavailable - we know they are very popular spots in our library!

Need help with research?  Let's chat! (Or zoom, or email, or text, or meet in person…)
 

Whether you are doing research from home, or from here on campus, help from a friendly librarian is as close as your keyboard.  Live chat reference help is available during any hours the library is open.  Librarians are on hand to help you navigate our databases, find quality resources, and answer your questions.  

You can access the library's chat service by clicking on the “Get Answers” icon on our library's home page.  This page also has instructions on how to reach a librarian via email and text.  See screenshot below:

And, should you need more in depth research help, you can also schedule a one-on-one research consultation with a librarian, either in-person or via Zoom.  The links to make an appointment are also on our “Get Answers” page.

And of course, in-person help is always available! Just stop by the library's Reference Desk, and speak with a librarian!  

So whether you prefer in-person, chat, zoom, or email - the library's got you covered, and we're here to help!

6 Things You Should Know about Proquest’s AI Research Assistant 

By Megan Dempsey with assistance from Claude AI*

Proquest has launched Research Assistant across its platform, an AI tool intended to support your research tasks while searching Proquest databases. Here are 6 things you should know about Research Assistant if you plan on using any of the AI features. 

            1. How to Level Up Your Search Terms with Assistance 🔍

Suggested search terms will appear below the search bar once you have results. These are based on your initial search and can help you discover related concepts you might not have thought of and identify more specific concepts related to your research topic, with each term easily added to your search as a keyword. 

           2. Why the Key Takeaways Are Helpful (But Don't Quote Them!) 📝

When you open an article, the Key Takeaways offer an AI-generated summary that may be more readable than the article’s abstract and can help you better understand the article’s main ideas. Just remember - while these takeaways are great for deciding if an article is worth your time, you shouldn't quote them in your paper since they're not actually from the original text.

           3. Using Subject Tags to Find the Good Stuff Fast 🎯

Below the key takeaways, you'll find indexing terms (aka subject headings) that are like hashtags for academic articles. Clicking these terms helps you run a narrower search with highly relevant results but remember - combining many terms will reduce the number of results since articles must contain all selected terms.

           4. The Brainstorm Button Is Mostly Recycled Info 💡

When you let the AI “Brainstorm related research topics,” each suggestion includes info about why it might be interesting to research that topic, but it doesn’t really add new ideas to what is already given in the key takeaways. But if you use it and find one of the suggested topics is valuable, you can click the magnifying glass icon to run a new search on that topic.

           5. Making Sense of What Terms Mean in the Article 🌟

The "Describe important concepts" feature ranks terms by importance and explains them using the document's own context. Think of it as getting a mini-glossary customized just for your article. 

           6. What to Skip: The Research Assistant Feature That's Not Worth Your Time ⚠️

While the "Find sources about these concepts" button sounds promising, it's actually a bit too enthusiastic - it'll flood you with millions of results by searching for any article that mentions any of the important concepts. Stick to using the more focused search options instead.

Database Spotlight: Testaments to the Holocaust: Documents and Rare Printed Materials from the Wiener Library, London

Testaments to the Holocaust is the online publication of the archives of the Wiener Library, London, the first archive to collect evidence of the Holocaust and the anti-semitic activities of the German Nazi Party. It contains documentary evidence collected in several different programmes: the eyewitness accounts which were collected before, during and after the Second World War, from people fleeing the Nazi oppression, a large collection of photographs of pre-war Jewish life, the activities of the Nazis, and the ghettoes and camps, a collection of postcards of synagogues in Germany and eastern Europe, most since destroyed, a unique collection of Nazi propaganda publications including a large collection of 'educational' children's' books, and the card index of biographical details of prominent figures in Nazi Germany, many with portrait photographs.

This collection makes it possible for students, researchers, and anyone interested in learning more about this dark period in history, to view these unique primary source photos and historical documents, many of which are unavailable elsewhere outside of the Wiener Library in London.  The collection presents an important record of the Holocaust, and is available to all students and faculty via the RVCC Library website.

To access the collection, go to https://library.raritanval.edu/testamentstotheholocaust.

This collection is made available through the Hirsch Library of the RVCC Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Whiteboard question of the month (what's on your lock screen?)

Library Scavenger Hunt - win a Starbucks gift card!
Feb 3 - Feb 14

Learn about the library, have some fun, and be entered for a chance to win a Starbucks gift card!  Stop by the library between Mon Feb 3 and Fri Feb 14 to complete the library scavenger hunt.  Two winners will be drawn from among the completed entries.  Open to new and returning students!

"Anne Frank in Translation" exhibit - now on display in The Morris and Dorothy Hirsch Research Library (2nd floor of RVCC library)

We are excited to announce a wonderful exhibit currently on display in the Hirsch Research Library, located on the 2nd floor of the RVCC Library.  The exhibit, titled “Anne Frank in Translation”, sheds light on Anne Frank's enduring legacy, and her role as a powerful symbol of the Holocaust.  The exhibit will run through May 15, and is open to the public.

As part of this ongoing exhibit, The Hirsch Library will also be hosting a special screening of the film “White Bird”, on Thursday January 30 from 1-3pm.  The screening is open to all, however registration is required.  Please scan the QR code on the flyer below to register, or visit the website of the RVCC Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies for more information and a link to register.

Located on the 2nd floor of the RVCC Library, the Morris and Dorothy Hirsch Research Library contains a curated collection of books and media related to the subjects and study of the Holocaust, genocide, and racism.  The Hirsch Library is open during library hours, and most books in the collection are available to be checked out.  If you need any help using the collection, do not hesitate to ask a librarian!

Database Spotlight: Nursing Education in Video

The Nursing Education in Video database (formerly Medcom) is an up-to-date collection of demonstration and training videos designed to help nursing students improve their clinical skills.  It contains a library of over 500 videos covering all aspects of clinical nursing and patient care.

Videos can be searched by title or keyword.  And if you sign up for a personal account, you can save videos to your own playlists, as well as create your own library of customized clips from different videos.  It's a great resource for any nursing student!

Whiteboard Question of the Month (gratitude is good for you!)

This week, we've transformed our library classroom into a "Relaxation Room". Stop by and de-stress during Finals  with crafts, puzzles, games, comfy chairs, and free tea and snacks!

Therapy Dogs in Library - Thursday Dec 5 from 1-2pm
 

The rush of the Holiday season, plus studying for Final Exams, can sometimes equal stress. Stop by the library on Thursday Dec 5th from 1-2pm and de-stress by visiting with a friendly therapy dog!  

Visit the library's new Leisure Reading area!

The library is pleased to announce our new “Leisure Reading” area, located right near the entrance to the library.  It's a great place to discover a new popular novel to read, challenge a friend to a game of chess, or just sit in a comfy chair and relax between classes.  

And, did you know that reading for pleasure is good for you?  It's true.  Studies have shown that leisure reading can enhance mental health and reduce stress among college students.  We've got novels by popular authors in all different genres, so there's something for everyone. And if you're looking for a specific book or author - just ask a librarian!

Database Spotlight: Opposing Viewpoints in Context

If you're looking for research and opinion on current hotly debated or controversial topics, Gale's Opposing Viewpoints database can be a great resource.  It includes articles and essays written by subject experts, which argue both sides of an issue to help students gain a broader understanding and learn from differing perspectives.

Topic pages give a general overview, and provide a list of in-depth pro/con viewpoints, as well as links to related articles from newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals.

A list of viewpoint articles which argue both sides of the topic are available.  These can be a great way to encourage critically thinking about all sides of a hotly-debated issue.

You can find Opposing Viewpoints on our library's Databases page.  And as always, if you need any help - just ask a librarian!

Whiteboard question of the month (from apples to… lizards? 😳)