Monday, December 29, 2008

Find Patents With Google!

Do you need to find patent information? Google comes to the rescue by providing a way to search by keywords, patent name, or author with their (beta) Patent Search Engine.

Find it at: http://www.google.com/patents

Tips: Click the Advanced Patent Search link to search specific patent criteria. You can also subscribe to RSS feeds for search results that will let you keep an eye on any new developments. For more information on using Google Patent Search, please refer to the Google Patents help page.

Also, be sure to visit the official US Patent & Trademark Office web site for other patent resources.

Dec 28th, 2008 - The euro celebrates its 10th anniversary on Jan. 1.

Here are key dates:

-- 1970: The Werner Report, named for Luxembourg's joint prime minister and finance minister at the time, outlines a plan for a European monetary union.

-- 1978: The European Monetary System -- with an exchange rate mechanism and European Currency Unit -- is launched.

-- 1992: Maastricht Treaty lays out timetable and criteria for joining the euro. EU members Denmark and Britain given permission to opt out.

-- 1994: The European Monetary Institute, forerunner of the European Central Bank, launched.

-- 1997: The Stability and Growth Pact agreed on to ensure countries using the euro will support it with budgetary discipline.

-- June 1, 1998: The ECB begins operations.

-- Dec. 31, 1998: Exchange rates between the euro and the currencies of first 11 countries are fixed.

-- Jan. 1, 1999: The euro is officially launched on financial markets; national notes and coins continue to circulate.

-- Jan. 1, 2001: Greece joins the euro zone.

-- Jan. 1, 2002: Euro bank notes and coins are rolled out.

-- September 2003: Swedes vote against adopting the euro.

-- Jan. 1, 2007: Slovenia becomes the 13 country to join.

-- Jan. 1, 2008: Cyprus and Malta join.

-- Jan. 1, 2009: Slovakia joins.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Research Study Finds Happiness Is Contagious

For a gift that truly keeps on giving, here is a superb resolution for the New Year: Be Happy!

A "study of more than 4,700 people who were followed over 20 years
found that people who are happy or become happy boost the chances that
someone they know will be happy. The power of happiness, moreover, can
span another degree of separation, elevating the mood of that person's
husband, wife, brother, sister, friend or next-door neighbor."
The quote above is from a Washington Post article

"Happiness Can Spread Among People Like a Contagion, Study Indicates"
By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer,
Friday, December 5, 2008; Page A08

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/04/AR2008120403537.html

The study, conducted by James H. Fowler, associate professor, Department of Political Science, University of California, San Diego, and Nicholas A Christakis, professor, Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Sociology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, has been published online by BMJ, the British Medical Journal. See http://www.bmj.com/cgi/search?fulltext=happiness&x=0&y=0
for a link to the study:

"Dynamic spread of happiness in a large social network: longitudinal analysis over 20 years in the Framingham Heart Study"
BMJ 2008;337:a2338, doi: 10.1136/bmj.a2338 (Published 4 December 2008)

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The 27 Strangest Help Desk Requests Ever

For a fun read during the holiday season, check out

The 27 Strangest Help Desk Requests Ever
, from a survey by Robert Half Technology of 1,400 CIOS throughout the U.S.

See slide show available via CIOZone

http://www.ciozone.com/index.php/IT-Help-Desk.html

Thursday, December 11, 2008

"Generation Y" Entrepreneurs

There's an interesting article about Generation-Y with regards to startups over at the Inc.com blog:
I’ve been interviewing young entrepreneurs for almost two years now and one of the re-emerging themes in the businesses they start is dissatisfaction with the status quo. Sure, that’s pretty much true for all entrepreneurs, but this generation of upstarts has its own way of looking at existing products and services and judging them not quite up to snuff for their own needs. Their response: I can do better. The result: businesses like Mint.com, Unigo, and Ignighter.
Take a moment to check it out!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Google Trends

There's a great new service, courtesy of Google, that lets you search trends:
With Google Trends, you can compare the world’s interest in your favorite topics. Enter up to five topics and see how often they’ve been searched on Google over time. Google Trends also shows how frequently your topics have appeared in Google News stories, and in which geographic regions people have searched for them most.
To access the service, go to:
http://www.google.com/trends

To read more about Google Trends, go to:
http://www.google.com/intl/en/trends/about.html

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Lists of Best Books, via flashlightworthybooks.com

Looking for something to read during the rainy days of winter? Or seeking books to give as gifts? Check out the many lists of "best" at
http://www.flashlightworthybooks.com/category/2008_Lists/16

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

"How to Stay Successful and Sane in Today's Uncertain Economy," article by David Gewirtz, in eWeek.com

Check out a short but wise article from eWeek.com --relevant for all of us, not just info tech folk:

How to Stay Successful and Sane in Today's Uncertain Economy By David Gewirtz
2008-11-20

Gewirtz recommends staying calm then thinking, spending wisely, continuing to market yourself and being kind.

Treat yourself to a short, quick read with wisdom beyond its length.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Commercial databases unavailable Nov 17, 9 pm to Nov 18, 5 am

We regret that due to needed system maintenance all GGU University Library commercial electronic library resources will be unavailable from Monday, November 17,9:00PM (PST) until Tuesday, November 18, 5:00 AM

Monday, November 10, 2008

Google Scholar @ GGU!

The University Library is pleased to announce that Google Scholar now has the ability to link directly to many of the articles that are available in the University Library's online databases.

When you find a citation in Google Scholar for an article that is available in a University Library database, simply click the link labeled "Read Full-Text @ GGU" (see sample below) next to the citation title. If you are using a computer on the main campus, you will be sent directly to the article. If you are using an off-campus computer, you must first configure Google Scholar to recognize you as a member of GGU:
  1. Go to http://scholar.google.com
  2. Click the "Scholar Preferences" link
  3. Type Golden Gate University in the "Library Links" box and click the Find Library button.
  4. Select the item labeled "Golden Gate University Library - Read Full-Text @ GGU".
  5. Click the Save Preferences button at the bottom of the screen.
Once you have configured your off-campus computer so that Google Scholar recognizes you as a member of GGU, you only need enter your GGU ID number and last name when accessing articles via Google Scholar.

If you have any questions or would like a demonstration of how Google Scholar can help you locate articles online at GGU, please contact the University Library and make an appointment with a reference librarian.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Effects of Social Networking Sites on Voting Behavior

And the debate and research continue ...

Excerpt below from The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Wired Campus http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/?id=3437&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
retrieved Nov 4, 2008

November 3, 2008
Study to Explore How Social-Networking Sites Influence Voting Behavior

(Crossposted from Campaign U. blog)

"Much has been written this election season about how the Internet, especially social-networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube, has changed the way people access and share political information. But to what extent are these sites engaging potential voters? And how much information is just being scanned over or ignored?

These questions are the focus of a survey-based study by Gary Hanson and Paul Haridakis, communications professors at Kent State University. They plan to finish collecting data in the coming weeks and publish their findings by the beginning of next year.

Online social networking is playing a major role in a presidential election for the first time this campaign, Mr. Haridakis said in an interview, and without any quantitative research so far it’s possible that the effect of social networking on voter activism may be overstated. Although many Web users may have read a news article posted by a friend, for example, fewer may have gone so far as to post their own content. “It might mean they’re just getting more information, not more empowerment,” he said."

Web 2.0 and the election of the U.S. President.

See Electing the President of a Web 2.0 Country
Written by Mel Duvall via CIO Zone

http://www.ciozone.com/index.php/Blogs/view/2070/.html

"As Benjamin Okande, Dean of the Webster University School of Business and Technology commented, the winner of this election will in all likelihood be determined by the I.P.O.D. generation – Internet savvy, Phone addicted, Opportunistic, and Digitally conscious.
'The future of American politics will never be the same,' said Okande. “The I.P.O.D.ers are poised to become the conscience of this nation.” Some 44-million strong, this digital generation represents a voting bloc not tied to the one-party mindset of their parents. 'If they don’t see results and movement away from the status quo, they will influence others with their phones and use the power of the Internet to ensure that other I.P.O.D.ers are keenly aware of their views.'

Quote from http://www.ciozone.com/index.php/Blogs/view/2070/.html
retrieved November 4, 2008

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Atlas of the Human Journey via Genographic Project

Check out Atlas of the Human Journey, from 200,000 BC, via the Genographic Project


https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/atlas.html

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Open Technology, Content and Knowledge --Implications for Higher Education

A kind e-mailer, Arun, alerted me through an e mail to World Association of Online Education, that there is freely available access on the Web for

The Collective Advancement of Education through Open Technology, Open Content, and Open Knowledge
Edited by Toru Iiyoshi and M. S. Vijay Kumar
Published by the MIT Press, September 2008

The website introduction to the book includes the following:
"These essays by leaders in open education describe successes, challenges, and opportunities they have found in a range of open education initiatives. They approach—from both macro and micro perspectives—the central question of how open education tools, resources, and knowledge can improve the quality of education."
Quote from http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=11309, retrieved October 25, 2008.

Electronic versions of the book are made available under a Creative Commons license, thanks to support of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of
Teaching.

Here is a link to the concluding chapter: "New Pathways for Shaping the Collective Agenda to Open Up Education," in which Toru Iiyoshi and M.S. Vijay Kumar recommend the following

"As the idea and practice of open education expand, it becomes increasingly critical to undertake systematic and systemic studies to better understand and clarify the transitions from traditional roles of educators and institutions to those needed to be effective in this ecology of technology-facilitied open education. ....One of the most significant aspects of the changes in front of us is the promise of blended learning environments that involve optimal combinations of the physical and virtual, and integrate conventional pedagogical methods with innovative network-based learning to deliver quality educational opportunities."

Other recommendations include:

"Change Education's Culture and Policy ...Recontextualize Roles and Values,"
"Make Open Education Solutions Sustainable,"
"Make Practice and Knowledge Visible and Sharable,"
"Build the Commons through the Collectivity Culture"

The authors go on to write:
"We encourage all involved in any aspect of developing and delivering education to heed this palpable "open" movement that is afoot, presenting the opportunity to redefine, rethink and rearticulate educational practice at several micro and macro levels--courses, programs, institutions or even nations."
Quotes are from http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/chapters/0262033712chap28.pdf, retrieved October 25, 2008
In 3 Ways Web-Based Computing Will Change Colleges, Jeffrey R. Young predicts that "In the next five years, Web-based computing will likely bring important changes in how students study, how scholars do research, and how college information-technology departments operate." His article appeared in Academe Today, the Chronicle of Higher Education's Daily report, Oct 23, 2008. Jeffrey R. Young alerts us to other resources on the same topic, from Daniel J. Solove and Educause.

Major concerns include privacy, as discussed by Daniel J. Solove, a law professor at George Washington University, in his book The Digital Person: Technology and Privacy in the Information Age.

Another work, which also discusses the confusions and promises of cloud computing in higher education, is The Tower and the Cloud scheduled to be released next week by Educause and freely available on its website.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Using Google Scholar at GGU

The University Library is currently testing out a way to access articles online via Google Scholar. If you would like to participate, here's how:
  1. Go to http://scholar.google.com
  2. Click the "Scholar Preferences" link to the right of the search field
  3. In the Library Links field, type: Golden Gate University
  4. Click the Find Library button
  5. Place a checkmark next to "Golden Gate University Library - Full-Text @ My Library"
  6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "Save Preferences" button
Whenever an article found in Google Scholar is available in one of the University Library's full-text databases, you can click the "Full-Text @ My Library" link to access it.

Note: GGU patrons accessing Google Scholar from a a computer on the main SF campus do not need to configure anything, as it is automatically setup for you.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

4.2 million green jobs by 2038--report by Global Insight for the U.S. Conference of Mayors

There are currently 750,000 green jobs in the U.S. economy, and by 2038 there will be 4.2 million green jobs, according to an October 2008 report prepared by Global Insight for the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Mayors Climate Protection Center. See US Metro Economies: Current and Potential Green Jobs in the U.S. Economy, http://www.usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/GreenJobsReport.pdf

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

California Statistical Abstract

Are you having a difficult time locating statistical information about our fine state? If so, consider taking a look at the California Statistical Abstract. Compiled and published by the California Department of Finance, the report is:
...a compilation of data on social, economic, and physical aspects of the State. The volume is a cooperative effort of various government agencies, coordinated and issued annually by the California Department of Finance, Economic Research Unit.

You can find the abstract online, in PDF format, at: http://www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/FS_DATA/STAT-ABS/Statistical_Abstract.php

You can also download all of the table data included in the report to Microsoft Excel format for your own statistical needs.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Current Cites, in its June 2008 issue, highlighted this article regarding generational differences in the workplace:
The problems of the "generations at work" (Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y) have been bemoaned in many contexts. In this piece, the author details many of the same issues related to the generations [in the workplace.] What is different is that in this article, the context of all of these problems is corporate information technology organizations. While providing some small comfort that the "generation problem" is not something specific [to a given field], the real value of this short piece is its links to companion pieces, "Management Techniques for Bringing Out the Best in Generation Y" (http://www.cio.com/article/149053) and "Generation X: Stepping Up to the Leadership Plate" (http://www.cio.com/article/28475). What is most fascinating about this article is that in the intervening months since it was first published, a number of readers have commented on the article. These comments add a fascinating and somewhat vividly disturbing demonstration of the issues discussed in the article. In the comments you will find Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y going at each other in exactly the ways the author described. Perhaps if they had read the companion pieces, they would be better able to get along.

Read the full article at the CIO.COM website.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

FASB's new Convergence Central re International Convergence of Accounting Standards

Check out FASB's new CONVERGENCE
CENTRAL which boasts:
"Up to the minute information about the international convergence of accounting standards." And includes sections on
"Why Convergence?: An Overview"
and
"What Work Is Underway?"

Quotes from FASB http://www.fasb.org/
retrieved July 17, 2008.

Superb opportunity to check out other helpful resources available on the FASB site, including Emerging Issues Task Force Publications, Pronouncements and EITF Abstracts, and FASB webcasts.

We were alerted to Convergence Central via CCH's ACCOUNTING RESEARCH MANAGER (ARM) DAILY NEWS. GGU students and faculty have access to ARM through GGU University Library databases, and can sign up for the daily news. For more information, log in to the database or contact your friendly librarians at the GGU University Library. You are welcome to stop by the reference desk, call 415 442-7244, or e mail askalibrarian@ggu.edu
We are here for you!

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Feds proposing to allow use of foreign accounting rules in US

Have you seen the article in today's New York Times:

"Accounting Plan Would Allow Use of Foreign Rules"

By STEPHEN LABATON
Published: July 5, 2008

Here are the first two paragraphs:
"WASHINGTON — Federal officials say they are preparing to propose a series of regulatory changes to enhance American competitiveness overseas, attract foreign investment and give American investors a broader selection of foreign stocks.

The regulatory changes are on the agenda of Christopher Cox, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
But critics say the changes appear to be a last-ditch push by appointees of President Bush to dilute securities rules passed after the collapse of Enron and other large companies — measures that were meant to forestall accounting gimmicks and corrupt practices that led to those corporate failures"

For more information see the article in the NYTimes http://www.nytimes.com/pages/business/index.html
retrieved July 5, 2008

See also resources available on the SEC website http://www.sec.gov, especially
http://www.sec.gov/spotlight/ifrsroadmap.htm

and/or consult your friendly librarian for more info

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Scholarly vs. Popular Periodicals

This video, from another library, details the difference between Scholarly and Popular periodicals (i.e., journals and magazines) and can help you determine how to spot each type "in the wild." If you need help determining if your source is scholarly or popular, be sure to consult with a librarian!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

First look at Firefox 3.0 from eWeek

Today from eWEEK's Emerging Technologies e-mail I linked to a slideshow of features for Firefox 3.0. Check it out via http://etech.eweek.com/slideshow/index.php?directory=firefox30&kc=EWKNLEDP061808A

For your convenience you can also use tiny url http://tinyurl.com/3l7bs6

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

IBM internships indiciative of IT needs? Green IT, Web 2.0 and virtual world

Came across the following in e-mail from eweek.com Careers today:

"IBM Internships Map Out IT Priorities"
By Deb Perelman
2008-06-11

"If its internship programs are any indication, IBM already knows what it wants to see in an IT department in the next five years: pros savvy in green IT, Web 2.0 and virtual-world technologies."
...
Within the article is a quote from Ryan Holt, a computer science student working as an intern: "A lot of what they teach you in school is technical skills, such as using certain methods to solve problems. But I'm learning a lot of people skills here."

Full article by Deb Perelman is available via

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Careers/IBM-Internships-Map-Out-IT-Priorities/?kc=EWKNLCSM061708STR1

The quotes above were taken from that site.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Social Science Research Network --The Secret Is Out

Greetings, one of our favorite resources is getting attention from the New York Times. The Social Science Research Network, which GGUers can access from the GGU University Library database pages, provides working papers and other research reports. See the New York Times article at
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/09/business/media/09link.html

The article indicates that the Social Science Research Network now offers "nearly 150,000 full-text documents for downloading." Most of the documents are in the fields of economics and law.

As with any resource available on the Internet, it is important to evaluate sources carefully. We have found SSRN to be quite helpful, and you may find the same. Why not explore it for topics you are researching? http://www.ssrn.com

How IT Can Better Understand Finance

In CIOzone email today, I came across an article by Ellen Pearlman, on "How IT Can Better Understand Finance"

Ellen Pearlman writes:

"Karen Berman and Joe Knight, co-owners of the Business Literacy Institute, have set about explaining the ins and outs of finance expressly for IT professionals. Having financial intelligence, they say, boils down to four skill sets:

Understanding the basics of financial measurement.
Understanding the art of finance and accounting when rules, estimates and assumptions need to be applied to numbers.
Understanding analysis.
Understanding the big picture so numbers are viewed in context."

The article in CIOzone includes information from Berman and Knight's new book,
Financial Intelligence for IT Professionals: What You Really Need to Know About the Numbers, published by Harvard Business Press, May 2008. The University Library ordered the book in early May. GGU University Library patrons who would like to see the book when it becomes available are welcome to stop by the Circulation Desk, call 415 442-7242 or send an e-mail to Gilles Poitras (gpoitras@ggu.edu) to put a hold on the book.

For help with research, GGU University Library patrons are invited to stop by the Reference Desk, call 415 442-7244, or e-mail askalibrarian@ggu.edu You are also most welcome to attend super user-friendly University Library workshops and events.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Funding and Supporting Environmental Causes --Foundation Center Resource

Found the following today in my e mail alert from the Foundation Center, and thought WOW! Great list of Web resources as well as books and articles on Funding and Supporting Environmental Causes. Following is a quote from the Foundation Center website

"What roles can foundations, nonprofit organizations, and individuals play in addressing environmental issues and promoting sustainable practices? Find out by exploring the books and articles cited in our new topical resource list, Funding and Supporting Environmental Causes."

Quote from

http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/topical/environment.html, retrieved June 7, 2008.

If you have not yet discovered Foundation Center resources, you are in for a treat!
Please note, too, that you can access the Foundation Center's Catalog of Nonprofit Literature http://www.cnl.foundationcenter.org directly from the GGU University Library database pages

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Copyright & Public Domain

Copyright in the United States (and worldwide!) can be a confusing topic. Fortunately, Cornell University provides a copyright duration chart that spells out what exactly is considered "public domain" with regards to print, sound recordings and architectural works.

The site also includes a PDF version of the chart that you can download and print out.

Friday, May 30, 2008

How to Find a Novel, Short Story, or Poem Without Knowing its Title or Author

Have you ever had a time when you couldn’t remember the title of something you once read? Well, be sure to check out the Lost Title Guide from the Library of Congress for tips on how to track it down!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

The Apple iPhone: Successes and Challenges for the Mobile Industry

Rubicon Consulting recently released a survey of iPhone users that may be of interest:
The Apple iPhone is easily the most publicized new mobile device in recent memory. But despite all the discussion about the product, there’s relatively little hard information available to the public on its impact. How is it being used? What effect is it having on customers and on the technology industry?

To help answer those questions, Rubicon Consulting conducted a detailed survey of 460 randomly-selected iPhone users in the US. This report summarizes the findings from the survey, and what they mean for users and other companies.

A copy of the report is available in PDF format on the Rubicon Consulting web site.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Hoover's Company Records

Selected Hoover's Company Reports are now available via the University Library's Lexis-Nexis online database. To view a company report, do the following:

  1. Access Lexis-Nexis Academic
  2. Click the Business tab underneath the Search tab at the upper-left corner of the screen
  3. Select Company Profiles from the navigation menu on the left side of the screen
  4. Enter the desired company name (i.e., Starbucks) or ticker symbol (i.e., sbux)
  5. In the Sources box:

    1. Uncheck U.S. Company Reports
    2. Select one (or all) of the Hoover's Company Records (Basic, In-Depth, or All Records)

  6. Click Search

If you would like to know more about using Lexis-Nexis, or about finding company information, please ask a librarian!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Idea Generating Session Navigational Aids

University Library staff would like to invite GGU students, faculty and staff to an idea generating session on navigational aids which will be held Wednesday, May 28, from 2-4 pm in room 6211 (formerly known as the faculty staff lounge), 536 Mission Street.

This is part of a summer long project to rethink signage for the University Library, and it may be interesting for Web and other environments as well.

We hope to have several students, faculty members, and staff members, as well as University Library staff, participating in the session.
We know this is a busy time, but we are hoping it will be a fun and rewarding experience for all who participate.

Please rsvp to jcarter@ggu.edu

Thanks,

Janice

Monday, May 19, 2008

"Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies"

Social Networks: What CIOs Need To Know
by Ellen Pearlman, found on CIOZone today,
http://www.ciozone.com/ alerted us to blog from Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff:

Groundswell: winning in a world transformed by social technologies http://blogs.forrester.com/charleneli/

The Groundswell blog also led us other neat blogs from Forrester (listed on right of blog screen)

We've been eagerly anticipating the book, Groundswell, which has been on order for the University Library for some time. It is being published this month by Harvard Business School Press. Keep your eyes open for it! We will list it in the University Library Update when it is available. You can check the Update on the University Library website or check the current Update to learn how to subscribe via e mail or RSS feed.

Friday, May 2, 2008

OneSource

The University Library is pleased to announce its newest database acquisition: OneSource. A ReferenceUSA product, OneSource is the best resource to find company financial data for over 3.7 million global companies, 45,000 of which are publicly traded. In addition to company data, OneSource and its easy-to-navigate search screen offer industry analysis and ratios, news and recent corporate developments, executive information, and analyst reports. All company data (annual reports, 10-Ks, etc.) can be easily exported to Excel for all of your analytical needs.

Librarian Gene Springs will be hosting a OneSource workshop on Monday, May 12, from 5:30-6:30 pm in Computer Lab 4214.

Gene invites you to come and learn about the library's newest company and industry financial database. "If you use ORBIS and CoreReference for your financial research, attend this workshop on OneSource to learn how to utilize this great resource! Company financials, industry ratios, and analyst reports are just the beginning of what this database has to offer your research needs."

Please contact the Reference Desk @ 415-442-7244, askalibrarian@ggu.edu or Gene Springs gsprings@ggu.edu if you would like to learn more about this fantastic new resource.

GreenFILE

The University Library has recently added the GreenFILE citation database to our list of online research services:
GreenFILE indexes scholarly and general interest titles, as well as government documents and reports. This resource offers a unique perspective on the positive and negative ways humans affect the environment. Drawing on the connection between the environment and disciplines such as agriculture, education, law, health and technology, GreenFILE serves as an informative resource for anyone concerned about the issues facing our planet. The database contains nearly 300,000 records, full text for selected titles and searchable cited references for more than 200 titles as well.

You can find GreenFILE on the EBSCOhost database selection page. For questions regarding this database, please contact a University Librarian!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

CIO Salaries Up for 6 years running

"Annual compensation for IT leaders has risen 27 percent in the past six years, according to CIO Insight’s annual surveys." Quote from http://www.cioinsight.com/c/a/Salaries/CIO-Salaries-Rise/?kc=CIOMINEPNL041608
retrieved April 16, 2008.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Green Consumer Marketplace, U.S. new Mintel Reports

Reports added recently to Mintel include

--Green Living - US - February 2008
---------------------------------

"The 'green' marketplace is one of the fastest growing, most dynamic
sectors of the US economy. In this report, Mintel examines the size,
scope, and growth of the green consumer marketplace, as well as driving
forces that will shape its future. The report keeps an eye toward
expected changes sector by sector, as well as short-term and long-term
outlooks for the market as a whole.

Mintel explores the current trends and future outlook for eight key
sectors of the green consumer marketplace, including personal care
products, home building and home improvement supplies, electronics and
appliances, automobiles, and travel." Quote from Mintel Reports Email Alert - New Reports in My Subscription, email to Janice Carter, received March 1, 2008

Other newly added reports to Mintel include:

Healthy Snacking, US
Fruit Juice and Juice Drinks, US
Pharmaceuticals Consumer, US
Salon Products and Purchasing Attitudes, US
Antipersperants and Deodorants, US
and
Pest Control, US

Plus More!!!! Consult your friendly GGU University Library Librarians for more information and guidance on how to find the information YOU need, using Mintel, other databases and other resources. We are YOUR guide to the world of information.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Meditation in the Marketplace

Greetings, Please join us for Meditation in the Marketplace, today
5 pm - 6:30 pm,, Rm 6209, Golden Gate University 536 Mission Street, San Francisco, sponsored by the University Library as part of the Lifelong Learning and Learning Organizations Symposium.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Check out SEC Financial Explorer for Visual Displays of Data

Greetings, Check out the Securities and Exchange Commission's New Financial Explorer
http://209.234.225.154/viewer/home/
powered by Interactive Data. "Interactive data pinpoints all of the facts and figures trapped inside dense financial documents. It allows you to immediately get the information you want, and instantly work with it. For example, you can compare this year's information to performance in past years (both through raw numbers and visual diagrams) or drill down into how a company arrived at a given number - however you wish to slice and dice the data." Quote from Financial Explorer website,
http://209.234.225.154/viewer/home/ retrieved February 23, 2008

Three dozen companies have "joined the SEC's test group and have agreed to voluntarily submit their annual, quarterly and other reports with interactive data for a period of one year. These companies are helping the markets and the SEC determine the best ways to make interactive data serve America's investors," according to SEC's Interactive Data Website, http://www.sec.gov/spotlight/xbrl/interactivedata.htm
Quote retrieved February 23, 2008.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Business Leaders Poll re How Colleges Should Assess and Improve Student Learning

Greetings, The Association of American Colleges and Universities website, www.aacu.org, describes a recent national survey which "shows that employers see a need for significant improvement in the skills and knowledge of recent college graduates. Employers especially seek improved skills in global knowledge, self-direction, writing, and critical thinking. Employers surveyed also find college transcripts unhelpful and reject multiple choice tests and institutional assessments in favor of qualitative evaluations of internships, senior projects, and the results of individual essay tests that measure students’ abilities to write, solve problems, and think analytically." Quote from www.aacu.org, retrieved January 26, 2008. The AACU website links to the study, How Should Colleges Assess and Improve Student Learning? Employers' Views of the Accountability Challenge, A Survey of Employers Conducted on Behalf of The Association of American Colleges and Universities by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc., Jan 9, 2008, embargoesd for release January 22, 2008