This past week, many news sources are reporting that scientists around the world have begun a protest against the world’s largest science journal publisher, Elsevier. In the past 10 days, more than 3,000 scientists have signed an online pledge not to publish or do editorial work for the company’s journals. They argue that Elsevier and similar publishers have created an oligopoly that threatens access to information and the future of university libraries. For the full story, see articles published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science , The Chronicle of Higher Ed , and The Guardian.
Thousands of scientists vow to boycott world’s largest science journal publisher
One Book per Semester Spring 2012
The Library is supporting the College of Business and Management’s One Book per Semester (OBPS) during the spring 2012 semester. The Library has purchased a copy of Thomas Huynh’s translation of The Art of War—Spirituality for Conflict, Sun Tzu’s classic treatise on military strategy, and placed the copy on two-hour reserve at the Library’s Circulation Desk that is located on the first floor. The copy is listed under the course MNGT OBPS.

Book Club selections available for checkout
In conjunction with the Golden Eagles Book Club, The Library has placed this semester’s readings on special reserve. In the month leading up to each author event, the book being discussed will be available for 2 day loans. The other two will be available for 1 week loans throughout the semester. Books on reserve are available at the 1st floor circulation desk.
This years selections are:
A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True by Brigid Pasulk

The Accidental Activist by Candace Gingrich

and…
The Heart of Higher Education: A Call to Renewal by Parker J Palmer

For a schedule of author event’s please see visit the Book Club’s website or join their Facebook Group.
Mobile optimized Library website now available
We are pleased to announce that our website is now available in a mobile optimized version for smartphone users. Simply visit The Library’s homepage from a smartphone and you will be automatically re-directed to http://library.neiu.edu/m/.
The “Find Books & More” tab provides to a portable version of the catalog that you can while browsing the stacks. During regular library hours, the “Ask a Librarian” tool is also available for instant-messaging with a reference librarian directly from your smartphone.
Don’t forget we also have a Mobile Library Databases research guide highlighting other library resources with mobile interfaces.
Welcome back students and faculty
Here are a few tips and reminders to help get the most out of Library resources as we begin the new semester:
Subject Librarians are available for all the departments at NEIU. A list of them sorted by subject area can be on this page. Click on a name to bring up their librarian profile. From here you can schedule an appointment and find links to their research guides.
Software Available in the Library
MS Word is available on the 2nd floor computers as well as in the 3rd floor MLRC. Adobe Creative Suite is also available in the MLRC.
Color printing is available on the 2nd floor. For more information please see this previous post.
Library Accounts
- If you registered before December 14, 2011 for the spring semester your Library account is current.
- If you registered after December 14 and need to borrow or request library materials this week we will gladly update your account for the semester by bringing a proof of registration to the 1st floor Circulation Desk. After this week, all late registrations will be automatically updated by Monday, January 16.
- ILLiad accounts and off-campus access to the library’s databases are authenticated by using your NetID and Password and do not need to be updated.
Textbooks and the Library
With the beginning of the semester we have many students coming to the Library searching for textbooks and other curriculum materials. Here area few things for students and faculty to keep in mind about what the Library can and cannot offer:
- The Library does not purchase and circulate textbooks in conjunction with course offerings. Certain textbooks may incidentally be in our collection, but this is fairly uncommon. If we do happen to have a textbook being used in a current class, there will most likely be only one circulating copy.
- Textbooks can also occasionally be found in other library collections via the I-Share catalog, in which case students can request them for inter-library loan just like any other I-Share materials. However, please keep in mind that many schools have restrictions on lending out textbooks so requests for them can be slow to fulfill or even denied. Also, there’s a decent chance that several other students will request the same item, in which case only the first request will be fulfilled. As with any materials requested in I-Share, it’s always a good idea to follow the request’s progress by logging into your account.
- If your teacher has informed you that curriculum materials are on course reserve, those items will be available for pickup from the circulation desk. More information on course reserve can be found here.
- Teaching faculty interested in submitting materials for course reserve should visit Special Services for Faculty & Staff.
If you have any questions, please stop by the reference desk on the 1st floor or call us at 773-442-4410.

Congratulations graduating students
The Library staff would like to congratulate all NEIU students graduating this semester. Information on alumni Library privileges and membership benefits can be found here.
To faculty and returning students, we hope you enjoy your semester break and look forward to seeing you next year.
End of semester announcements
Important Library Dates:
The Library will be closed from Friday, December 23, 2011 through Monday, January 2, 2012. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. This also includes the CCICS Library and the Library Resource Center at El Centro.
Students: All library materials are due back by Monday, December 19. Please contact the Circulation Desk at 773-442-4400 if you have any questions regarding your library account or any items you have borrowed. Please clear any library fines and/or fees before the semester ends to prevent any holds on your account which can potentially cause issues with Spring 2012 enrollment, transcripts, etc.
The last day to submit requests for delivery to CCICS and El Centro from the Main Library is Wednesday, December 21. All requests must be picked up at CCICS or El Centro by the end of Thursday, December 22.
The last day to request materials from the CCICS Library is Tuesday, December 20. All material requested from CCICS Library must be picked up at Main Library or El Centro by the end of Thursday, December 22.
All I-Share and ILLiad requests submitted during the holiday break will be processed when the Library reopens on Tuesday, January 3, 2012.
Other important reminders:
As a result of consortial changes affecting all 76 I-Share libraries, new Universal Borrowing policies will be implemented beginning January 2012. With these policies in place certain thresholds related to overdue items and outstanding fines and fees will be set to block a library account from requesting and borrowing through I-Share, as well as from the NEIU library collection. Library blocks that are due to items owned by NEIU may be cleared up at the Circulation Desk of the Main Library or CCICS. Library blocks placed by other I-Share libraries that are the result of overdue items or fines and fees must be cleared by contacting the lending library.
If you are issued a new University ID please stop by the Circulation Desk in the Main Library or CCICS so that we can update your library account.
Please contact the Circulation Desk at circill@neiu.edu or at 773-442-4400 if you have any questions about your library account or the information above.
Thanks to all, enjoy the semester break and congratulations to our new graduates!
Extended hours + free coffee and snacks during finals
Fuel Your Brain and take advantage of the Library’s extended hours to prepare for finals. If our comfortable atmosphere, helpful staff, and on-site resources aren’t enough to entice you, come to the Reference Desk for free coffee, soda, and cookies.
Free beverages and snacks:
December 5 — December 11, starting at 8 PM

Extended hours:
November 28– December 15, 2011
Monday–Thursday, 7 AM to 11 PM
Friday, 7 AM to 6 PM
Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM
Sunday, 9 AM to 10 PM
The Fall 2011 Student Art Exhibition
“The Silence of the Hummingbird”
from “The Great Migration Series”
by Artiss
through 12/16/11
closing reception Friday, 12/16/11 at 6 PM in FA 252A
