MSL buzz: the Michael Schwartz Library blog - Research Guides at Cleveland State University

service disruption

Due to planned server maintenance, the library's off-campus proxy server is expected to be down for several hours on the morning of Monday, March 11. During this time, users will be unable to access most library research databases and other materials that use proxied links.

The library's main website, Scholar catalog, and My Account functions will continue to be accessible during this time. During the outage, please use the research databases provided by OhioLINK (the options under "Listing of OhioLINK Provided Research Databases") at https://databases.ohiolink.edu/ .

UPDATE, Mon. 3/11/24, 10:00 a.m. EDT:The server proxy maintenance is finished for this morning, and service should be back to normal.

Recent Posts

Día de los Muertos at the Library with Dr. Stephen Gingerich

Connect with CSU Faculty for Día de los Muertos at the Librarya Mexican holiday for celebrating and remembering loved ones who have diedall events will be on Friday, November 1st the 1st floor of the Michael Schwartz Library 11:00 am – noonCalavera Mask-MakingCreate and wear your own calavera mask. These masks serve multiple purposes, including honoring the dead and warding off evil spirits. Skulls are a symbol of mortality or death and have become linked with Día de los Muertos, a holiday for celebrating and remembering loved ones who have died.Noon – 1:00 pmDr. Stephen GingerichDr. Gingerich, Spanish Professor in the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Presenting “Day of the Dead in Mexico and Beyond” followed by a discussion. Part of the Friends of the Library's “Connect with CSU Faculty” series.1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.Spanish conversation & snacks with CSU Café HispanoAfter the presentation, relax in the Connection Lounge, converse in Spanish and enjoy refreshments with the Café Hispano group.Join us! ...

It's Media Literacy Week!

This week is Media Literacy Week, and 2024 is the 10th annual celebration of this important awareness-raising campaign! In celebration, we’ll be posting one Substack post each day this week with some tips and ideas for becoming more media literate. We hope you find them helpful!Before we get into today’s tips, we wanted to invite you all (and your students if you are a professor!) to attend a misinformation workshop that the library is offering on October 22nd at 11:30am. This virtual workshop will give you some hands-on practice with the concepts we cover in this short series. All are welcome! Media Literacy Week – Day FourMedia Literacy Week is nearly over, but there’s one more piece of the SIFT method to cover!Trace Claims to Their Original Context. Unfortunately, many of the sources that you encounter online are not original content -- they're stories that are being re-reported or commented on. This makes some of the other steps of SIFT more difficult because the context of the information (and, sometimes, the information itself) is altered when it is re-shared. To address this problem, you may need to trace claims to their original context.https://youtu.be/tRZ-N3OvvUs Find more information, suggested resources, and assignment ideas related to Trace Claims to Their Original Context on our Misinformation Research Guide. Media Literacy Week – Day ThreeLet’s continue our exploration of the SIFT method for Media Literacy Week! Depending on your information need, you may find that the first two steps in SIFT are sufficient to verify the source you want to share or use, and your work is done. However, if you're unsure about the trustworthiness of a source, the next step in the SIFT process is to evaluate the claim by Finding Trusted Sources. See the video below for some tips for doing that kind of fact-checking. https://youtu.be/wJG7kFmS0FE One common strategy for Finding Trusted Sources is called “lateral reading.” The idea is that instead of relying on the source itself to tell you how trustworthy it is, you open new tabs and investigate how others assess that source’s reliability. https://youtu.be/GZvsGKvqzDs Find more information, suggested resources, and assignment ideas related to Find Trusted Sources on our Misinformation Research Guide. Media Literacy Week – Day 2Welcome to Day Two of Media Literacy Week!Don’t forget that our Avoiding Misinformation Workshop is today at 11:30 – we would love to have you!Now that we know more about the first step of SIFT, Stop, let’s move to the next step. The second step of SIFT is to Investigate the Source. It can be tempting to immediately begin to debate the merits of a claim that a source makes (and, depending on how outrageous it is, you may be able to dismiss a source based on its claim alone). However, it's often a good idea to begin by investigating if the source of the claim is credible. See the video below to learn why the strategy you use to investigate a source can mean the difference between an inaccurate conclusion and a successful fact-check.https://youtu.be/yBU2sDlUbp8In the next video, learn a quick method for investigating a source.https://youtu.be/hB6qjIxKltA Find more information, suggested resources, and assignment ideas related to Investigate the Source on our Misinformation Research Guide. MEDIA LITERACY WEEK: DAY 1The SIFT MethodToday we’ll start by introducing the SIFT method. What is SIFT? StopInvestigate the sourceFind trusted coverageTrace claims, quotes and media to the original context.Learn more from the creator, Mike CaufieldThe first step in the SIFT method is to Stop when you are considering sharing information online or using it as evidence in an assignment. Consider the following:Do you have a deeply-held belief about this topic? Do you have an emotional reaction to the claim? What is your information need and context? Are you going to be using this information for a low stakes task, like deciding what movie to watch, or a higher stakes decision, like whether to share political information on social media? If the source you plan to use evokes a strong emotional reaction, be extra cautious to verify its claims before sharing. Also, return to this stage of SIFT if you are feeling frustrated or stuck -- take a pause and re-evaluate what you've learned in your investigation.https://youtu.be/dNmwvntMF5A?si=Uwwl21H461vfW896 Find more information, suggested resources, and assignment ideas related to the Stop of SIFT on our Misinformation Research Guide. ...

It's National Friends of Libraries Week!

Become a member of the Friends of the Library FREE for one yearAND be entered in a drawing to win a $50.00 Amazon gift card. This week, Oct. 20-26, we are celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week. If you are not already a Friends member, we invite you to join us free for one year and be entered into a drawing for a $50.00 gift card!The Friends organization supports the Michael Schwartz Library in many ways and sponsors a diverse range of events for faculty, students, alumni, and the general public. These include book discussions (both in-person and virtual), bus excursions to local areas of interest, a Meet and Greet with a Local Author, the Connect with CSU Faculty series, an Annual Book Sale, and more. There's something for everyone!JOIN NOW! With your free Friends of the Library membership, you will:· Gain early access to the Annual Book Sale· Be given early registration access to the annual bus excursion· Receive an invitation to the Annual Meeting in the spring, where the Friends plan programs and events for the following academic year and discuss other topics of interest.· Be added to the e-newsletter list, the Friends monthly publication filled with our upcoming events, book discussions, and other interesting topics (unsubscribe at any time) This complimentary one-year membership is open to everyone--CSU faculty, staff, students, alumni, current Friends members, and the general public. There's no obligation to continue after the first year. However, we always welcome voluntary donations to support our work. We're all in this together.To start enjoying the benefits of the Friends of the Michael Schwartz Library, join us for a year, absolutely free.JOIN NOW! Show some #librarylove to the Friends of the Michael Schwartz Library and donate today! Click the Donate button and then select "Friends of the Library" under Fund Designation. Any size donation is appreciated! ...

Conflict Resolution Day - Resources from the Michael Schwartz Library

In observance of Conflict Resolution Day, the COM 366 classes will be hosting an event in the Student Center innerlink on Thursday, October 17, from 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm. Diane Kolosionek, Communication Librarian, will be there to share some of our library resources, so please plan to drop in if you can. Can't make it? Here are a few samples: Select Electronic Resources related to Conflict Resolutionavailable from your Michael Schwartz LibraryNeed help using these resources? We're here for you...Ask a librarian! JournalsConflict Resolution QuarterlyJournal of Conflict ResolutionE-booksThe 7 Principles of Conflict Resolution: How to Resolve Disputes, Defuse Difficult Situations and Reach AgreementThe Big Book of Conflict Resolution Games: Quick, Effective Activities to Improve Communication, Trust, and CollaborationThe Conflict Resolution Toolbox, 2nd EditionFundamentals of Conflict Resolution in 60 Minutes: Techniques and Best Practices to Effectively Resolve DisputesGetting Along: How to Work With Anyone (Even Difficult People)The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and PracticeHBR Guide to Dealing with ConflictLet's Talk About It: Turning Confrontation Into Collaboration at WorkManagement, Conflict Resolution and Strategy: Coping with Stress at WorkPeace: A Very Short Introduction More Conflict Resolution materials from the Michael Schwartz Library and from OhioLINK About Conflict Resolution DayConflict Resolution Day is a global observance dedicated to promoting peaceful conflict resolution, fostering understanding, and encouraging collaboration. It serves as a reminder of the importance of resolving disputes and conflicts through non-violent means and finding common ground for the betterment of individuals, communities, and the world. Conflict Resolution Day encourages individuals, organizations, and governments to embrace conflict resolution techniques and work together to build a more harmonious and just society.Questions? Contact Diane Kolosionek, Head, Research & Liaison Services...

SYSTEMS ALERT: Proxy Server Maintenance on Monday, March 11, 2024