Two new shelves on the first floor of Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences — one by the University Boulevard entrance, and one at the entrance from the courtyard between Volker Hall and the library — are home to the Relax and Read Collection, curated by Christy Hogan, collection development librarian for the health sciences. The recreational reading collection aims to provide patrons easy access to in-demand, noteworthy and new items available through UAB Libraries.

“From nonfiction books on topics like diversity in medicine, medical biographies, and graphic medicine to novels that can help you take a break from studying for a bit, the Relax and Read Collection has something for everyone,” Hogan said.

Relax and Read Collection books rotate every four weeks and have a loan period of 28 days with the option for one renewal; they are not a part of UAB Libraries’ permanent collection.

Relax and Read joins three additional specialized book collections, each housed on the first floor of Sterne Library: The Café Collection showcases popular literature from well-known authors, while the Stem Café Collection houses books about coding, data analysis, ecology and more. The New Releases collection showcases new acquisitions to UAB Libraries’ permanent collections.

Not affiliated with UAB professionally or academically? No problem! With an Alabama driver’s license or other proof of residency, anyone can now receive a courtesy card to check out printed materials from UAB Libraries. Learn more. 

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Category: Announcements

Learn to craft systematic reviews during a four-part training series in October from UAB Libraries’ Clinical, Academic and Research Engagement team; each session is available at no cost to faculty, staff and student researchers.

Systematic reviews are a type of literature review that involve a detailed and comprehensive plan and search strategy with the goal of reducing bias by identifying, appraising and synthesizing all relevant studies on a particular topic.

In addition to the October workshop series, UAB Libraries offers comprehensive systematic review services to faculty, residents, fellows, staff and graduate students. Both “Consultation” and “Collaboration” service levels are provided; read more online.

All workshops are virtual and take place noon-1 p.m.

Oct. 9 — Navigating Review Types: A Beginner's Guide for Graduate Students & New Faculty
Tailored for graduate students and new faculty, this workshop will help attendees learn the eight major types of reviews and their distinct purposes. Register online.

Oct. 16 — Getting Started with Covidence: A Beginner’s Guide to Streamlining Your Review
Participants can learn to use the world’s leading software for managing and streamlining systematic reviews and explore how it can simplify reviews and assignments. Register online.

Oct. 23 — Risk of Bias vs. Quality Assessment: Selecting the Right Tools for Systematic Reviews
Learn the differences between risk of bias and quality assessment in systematic reviews and discover the tools that can help streamline these processes. Register online.

Oct. 30 — Don't Be Spooked! Librarians to the Rescue: Preparing for Scoping & Systematic Reviews
Learn to demystify scoping and systematic reviews in biomedical research during this workshop; expert librarians will share tips on streamlining the review process and avoiding common pitfalls. Register online.

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Category: Announcements

Join librarians from UAB Libraries’ Clinical, Academic and Research Engagement team to learn how to use four key tools available at no cost to faculty, staff and student researchers.

Curious what else is available to bolster your research skills? Researchers also can access nearly 650 more research tools and information databases online at no cost through UAB Libraries.

SimplyAnalytics

Explore demographic, business and geographic data with SimplyAnalytics. Though marketed as a business research tool, this platform can be used for research in any discipline that examines population data, including the social sciences and public health.

By the end of a workshop, you’ll be able to:

• Create a Simply Analytics project
• Identify information sources that meet your needs
• Create interactive maps and data comparison tables

Open workshops (all online):

• Sept. 18, noon-1 p.m. — Introduction to Simply Analytics

EndNote

EndNote is a bibliographic management platform designed to help users collect citations in one place and update them easily and quickly from one style to another.

By the end of a workshop, you’ll be able to:

• Create and organize a library of citations
• Send citations from various databases to EndNote
• Use EndNote to find PDFs of your citations
• Insert and edit EndNote citations in a Word document

Open workshops (all online):

• Sept. 24, noon-1 p.m. — Introduction to EndNote
• Oct. 17, noon-1 p.m. — Introduction to EndNote
• Nov. 13, noon-1 p.m. — Introduction to EndNote
• Dec. 5, noon-1 p.m. — Introduction to EndNote

PubMed

PubMed is one of the most robust medical literature databases, comprising more than 37 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals and online books.

By the end of a workshop, you’ll be able to:

• Build a basic search by developing search concepts
• Use Boolean Operators to connect search concepts

Open workshops (all online):

• Sept. 26, noon-1 p.m. — Introduction to PubMed
• Dec. 3, noon-1 p.m. — Introduction to PubMed

Completed the introductory workshop and want more training? Sign up for the advanced training to learn about automatic term mapping, medical subject headings and how to use field codes.

• Nov. 19, noon-1 p.m. — Advanced Searching in PubMed

CINAHL

CINAHL is an index of English-language and selected other-language journal articles about nursing, allied health, biomedicine and health care.

By the end of a workshop, you’ll be able to:

• Build a basic search by developing search concepts
• Use Boolean Operators to connect search concepts

Open workshops (all online):

• Oct. 22, noon-1 p.m. — Introduction to CINAHL

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Category: Announcements

Employees and students interested in learning how to use UAB’s 3D printers can sign up for one of 10 upcoming training sessions offered by UAB Libraries this fall.

Employees and students interested in learning how to use UAB’s 3D printers can sign up for one of 10 upcoming training sessions offered by UAB Libraries this fall. Completing a training session is required before users can begin printing their own projects — but at just 1.5 hours long and offered both online and in-person, the rewards far outweigh the relatively small time investment, said Technology Labs Manager Patrick Boggs, who leads the training session.

“3D printing lets users be creative in so many ways,” Boggs said. “Lots of people print for fun — they make game figurines or intricate pots for plants, things like that — but what’s special about printing at UAB is that we’re uniquely placed to help with research and other campus initiatives.

“Folks at UAB have discovered really unique ways to incorporate 3D-printed items into their projects, like making molds for silicone tools used in heart research, or cases for GPS units the football team uses. The options really are endless.”

Get started with 3 easy projects

Want to start 3D printing but not sure what to do first? These projects can help capture your Blazer spirit while giving you practice using the printers.

Bookmark

These small bookmarks are perfect for marking your place in a textbook, magazine or novel.

→ Get the pattern

Keychain & smartphone holder

This keychain does two jobs: Shows off your Blazer spirit while also serving as a phone holder.

→ Get the pattern

Dragon figurine

This dragon figurine makes the perfect desk or shelf décor.

→ Get the pattern

Sign up for a training that works for you

During the training, Blazers are given access to printer queues for both Sterne Library and Lister Hill Library 3D printing via 3DPrinterOS. 3DPrinterOS is a cloud-based system that lets users monitor the ongoing print queue to see when printers are available and check the progress of their jobs; several of the 3D printers managed in 3DPrinterOS have cameras attached so users can watch how their prints are coming along. Users also automatically receive a time-lapse video of their items being printed via email once the objects are complete.

Sessions continue through Nov. 21. Check the Campus Calendar for the rest.

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Category: Announcements

Academic integrity is a fundamental principle that ensures the credibility and value of educational institutions such as UAB — and the degrees they award. Maintaining academic integrity helps build trust between students, instructors and the larger UAB community, all while ensuring a level playing field for all students.

UAB Libraries’ Academic Integrity research guide, created by Kara Van Abel, academic integrity coordinator, reference librarian and liaison to the Collat School of Business, is a one-stop-shop for all things academic integrity at UAB — including a new Canvas assignment on the subject, available now for embedding into any Canvas shell.

“At its core, academic integrity encourages authentic learning,” Van Abel explained. “True engagement with coursework encourages development of critical-thinking skills and a sense of responsibility, accountability and respect for others’ work — all of which are useful beyond their time at UAB.”

Here are 5 academic integrity resources available through UAB Libraries — you can find each of them in the research guide.

1. Supplemental Academic Integrity Review Assignment, available through Canvas
Accessible in the UAB Canvas Commons, this interactive assignment is available for embedding in any Canvas shell. The assignment guides students in answering questions like, “What is academic integrity, why is it important, and how does academic misconduct affect me?” It also includes interactive scenarios and a quick check for understanding and is intended for instructors looking for more student practice in this area.

2. Discussion guide and questionnaire
This downloadable PDF includes questions for students to discuss as a class or in smaller groups to explore situations and concepts related to academic integrity.

3. Discussion sessions facilitated by UAB Libraries’ academic integrity coordinator
Instructors can request Van Abel to facilitate a 60-minute discussion session with students for any course using this form.

4. AI and Ethics research guide
Supplement discussions of AI and academic integrity using this research guide created by Brooke Becker, media literacy librarian, reference librarian and liaison to the departments of Communication and Political Science and Public Administration.

5. Additional help available for students
UAB offers a variety of resources that can help students avoid academic misconduct, including a comprehensive research guide on citations from UAB Libraries and the University Writing Center, which is located in Sterne Library and is available to help students with any kind of writing at any stage of the writing process. FAQs on academic integrity also are available.

The Academic Integrity research guide also includes a link to the Alleged Academic Misconduct Referral form, available through UAB’s Office of Community Standards and Student Accountability. 

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Category: Announcements

Register for the fall 2024 Business Research Toolkit course to learn business research skills and discover no-cost online resources and subscription databases available through UAB Libraries. Available to all UAB students and employees, the asynchronous Canvas course is self-paced, enabling enrollees to fit it into any busy schedule, and those who complete it will earn a digital badge for use on resumes and LinkedIn. Registration is open now; the course runs Sept. 9-Oct. 27.

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Category: Announcements

Beginning Aug. 26, UAB Libraries users will be able to place up to 40 active Interlibrary Loan requests at one time, an increase from the previous limit of 25.

The Interlibrary Loan service (ILL) enables users to borrow materials not available in UAB Libraries’ collections from other libraries across the globe. Document Delivery, a related service, sends users electronic copies of articles from UAB Libraries’ print journal collection. Read more online.

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Category: Announcements

UAB Libraries’ Reynolds-Finley Historical Library is home to the African American Medical Collection, a physical compendium of historical objects that celebrates pioneering efforts by Black physicians, nurses and other health care professionals.

A selection of items currently is on display in the Reynolds-Finley reading room on the third floor of Lister Hill Library; email pbalch@uab.edu to make an appointment to view.

“Let there be life: the contemporary account of Edna L. Griffin, M. D.,” published in 1947 by Helen Kitchen Branson, is a biography of the first Black female physician of Pasadena, California.

“My world of reality: an autobiography of Hildrus A. Poindexter, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.P.H., Sc.D.,” is a 1973 autobiography penned by Poindexter, who was born in 1901 in western Tennessee and later became chief of Bacteriology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health at Howard University and chief of American Foreign Aid Health Missions to Liberia, Libya, Suriname, Iraq, Sierra Leone and Indochina.

The biography “Doctor Dan: Pioneer in American surgery” by Helen Buckler chronicles the life and experiences of Black surgeon Daniel Hale Williams, M.D., who performed one of the first successful heart surgeries in the United States when, in July 1893, he opened the thoracic cavity to repair a wound to the pericardium by suture before successfully closing the chest; the patient lived for 20 years following the operation. Nicknamed “Doctor Dan,” Williams also founded the first non-segregated hospital in the U.S., Chicago’s Provident Hospital, in 1891. Two articles about Williams also are on display.

Two ledger books kept by Black physician and activist William Worthy detail a busy urban obstetrics practice in early 20th-century Roxbury, a neighborhood of Boston. Worthy’s son, William Worthy Jr., became a well-known civil rights activist.

This copy of the 1874 annual report for Freedman’s Hospital, located near Talladega, Alabama, contains handwritten annotations.

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Category: Announcements

As part of ongoing facilities updates in or around Mervyn Sterne Library, some areas usually open to patron use may be affected temporarily. Updates include improvements for accessibility, closures for ongoing nearby campus construction, and preparation for planned upgrades to Sterne facilities.

“We are of course working closely with UAB Facilities to minimize any potential impact to students, employees and visitors, and we are grateful for the patience of UAB Libraries’ patrons as we work through these projects,” said Patricia West, assistant dean for User Access in UAB Libraries.

Find more information below on upcoming or ongoing projects.

13th Street South between University Boulevard and Sterne Plaza: Ongoing

The northbound right lane of 13th Street South from University Boulevard to the traffic light adjacent to Sterne Plaza is currently closed for construction of the Science and Engineering Phase II Building. Work is underway to install additional stairs and an accessible ramp to the Sterne Plaza along 13th Street South. The stairs immediately adjacent to Sterne Library connecting 13th to Sterne Plaza will remain open.

13th Street South entrance: Late May/Early June

The Humanities Building and the pedestrian footbridge that connects the Humanities Building to the second floor of Sterne Library will be demolished this summer. Thirteenth Street South from 10th Avenue South to the traffic light adjacent to Sterne Plaza will be closed to through traffic during demolition of the bridge. The first-floor entrance of Sterne Library along 13th Street South also will be closed during demolition of the bridge. Visitors can enter through the building’s north entrance at Sterne Plaza via 14th Street South.

Nonfunctioning Sterne Elevator: Beginning early May

To prepare for installation of new elevators during late summer and early fall, UAB Facilities will remove the left-side elevator from the central elevator bank at Sterne Library, which currently is nonfunctioning. The right-side elevator will remain open for patron use, and the building’s service elevator, located behind the circulation desk on the first floor and the exhibit space on the third floor and reserved primarily for staff use, will remain on standby.

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Category: Announcements

The first floor of Sterne Library is home to the Café Collection, STEM Café Collection and New Releases collection — each curated by Jaycee Chapman, collection development librarian, to provide patrons easy access to in-demand, noteworthy and new items available through UAB Libraries.

“These collections are always being updated, so there’s always something new for library visitors to find,” said Jaycee Chapman, collection development librarian for UAB Libraries. “Academic libraries often are most known for the reference books used for research projects and class papers, so it’s fun to have these unique collections in a high-traffic area that feature popular topics and authors.”

Not affiliated with UAB professionally or academically? No problem! With an Alabama driver’s license or other proof of residency, anyone can now receive a courtesy card to check out printed materials from UAB Libraries. Learn more. 

Get a glimpse into each collection below.

Café Collection

The Café Collection showcases popular literature from well-known authors such as Stephen King, Singrid Nunez and John Grisham, among others. Wait times to check out novels included in the Café Collection can span months at public libraries, Chapman explains — so she recommends always checking the Café Collection to see their current lineup. Don’t have time to make it to Sterne? You can check the collection online.

Current highlights:

• “The Fraud” by Zadie Smith
• “Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror,” edited by Jordan Peele

Café Collection books rotate every six weeks and have a loan period of 28 days with the option for one renewal; they are not a part of UAB Libraries’ permanent collection.

STEM Café Collection

Whether library patrons are searching for books about coding, data analysis, women in science, or ecology and plant intelligence, the STEM Café Collection features nonfiction books across a broad range of academic and scientific topics, each intended for a more general audience.

Current highlights:

• “More than a Glitch: Confronting Race, Gender, and Ability Bias in Tech” by Meredith Broussard
• “Broken Code: Inside Facebook and the Fight to Expose its Harmful Secrets” by Jeff Horwitz

STEM Café Collection books rotate every six weeks and are not a part of UAB Libraries’ permanent collection. They also have a loan period of 28 days with the option for one renewal.

New Releases

This collection showcases new acquisitions to UAB Libraries’ permanent collections; unlike the Café or STEM Café collections, if you miss it during its inclusion in the New Releases section, you can find it later in the stacks.

Current highlights:

• “Gray Areas: How the Way We Work Perpetuates Racism and What We Can Do to Fix It” by Adia Harvey Wingfield
• “Sister Novelists: The Trailblazing Porter Sisters, Who Paved the Way for Austen and the Brontës” by Devoney Looser

New Releases books rotate periodically depending on new acquisitions to UAB Libraries Collections; loan periods and renewals are determined by patrons’ affiliation with the university.