Library News and Events

Exploring Publishing Possibilities: A McConnell Library Symposium

All sessions are free. No registration is required.

Making the Match: Finding the Right Journal for Your Unpublished Article
Monday, March 31, 1 pm - 2pm Library Classroom B

Not sure where to submit your draft article? In this workshop, we will share techniques for locating journals that publish on the topic, identifying whether the journals are peer-reviewed, and discovering how often articles from a journal are cited.
Workshop, hosted by:
Candice Benjes-Small & Kevin Tapp, McConnell Library and Harvey Center

Making the Leap: Launching Your Own Journal
Tuesday, April 1, 2 pm—3:15 pm Library Radford Room

Wonder what it takes to start your own journal? Listen to the voices of experience- our panelists.
Panel Discussion, moderated by Gene Hyde, McConnell Library

• Dr. Theresa Burriss, Contributing Senior Editor of Pluck!
• Dr. Steve Corwin, Managing Editor of the eJMT - The Electronic Journal of Mathematics and Technology
• Tim Jackson, Editor of the New River Voice
• Dr. Susan Van Patten, Executive Editor of JUPTRR - The Journal of Unconventional Parks, Tourism and Recreation Research
• Dr. Wei-Chi Yang, Editor-in-Chief of the eJMT - The Electronic Journal of Mathematics and Technology (

Making the Case: Should Blogs, Wikis and New Media Count as ‘Publishing’?
Wednesday, April 2nd, 11:00 am –Noon George Harvey Center (Waldron Hall)

Panel Discussion, moderated by Candice Benjes-Small, McConnell Library

• Taryn Chase, Managing Editor of the New River Voice
• Charley Cosmato, Assistant Director of the Technology in Learning Center
• Dr. Bob Stepno, Assistant Professor of Media Studies

Making the Cut: What Editors Want from Writers
Thursday, April 10, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Library Radford Room

RT Smith, editor of the Shenandoah Review, will focus his informal remarks on submitting material to literary magazines. Co-sponsored by the Club Programming Committee, Sigma Tau Delta, and the English Department.

For more information about the Symposium, contact the Library Reference Desk at 831-5696 or Refdesk@Radford.edu or IM: RuLibSpot

Starting Monday, March 24, the computers in McConnell Library will have only Microsoft Office 2007 (which includes Word, PowerPoint, and Excel). The computers used to have both Office 2003 and 2007 installed, but incompatibility issues forced us to remove 2003 this weekend.

Office 2007 is backwards-compatible, meaning you can use Office 2007 to read, modify, and edit documents created in Microsoft Office 2003 programs. But if you want to use Office 2003 to read, modify, or edit documents created in Office 2007, you will need to either:

a) Save the file in Office 2007 as 2003 compatible or

b) Install the Microsoft Compatibility Pack onto the personal computer that has Office 2003

If you are sharing the file with other people (like professors), we strongly encourage you to save the file as 2003 compatible.

Helpful 2007 hint: Commands that used to be available under the “File” menu in 2003 (like Print and Save) are accessed by clicking on the colorful Microsoft icon in the upper left hand of your screen.

If you have questions, please ask at the Library Reference Desk, 831-5696, refdesk@radford.edu, IM RuLibSpot. Office 2007 is new to us too, but we’ll do our best to help you!

Our next Game Night is coming soon!  Join us in the library’s Radford Rooms on Wednesday, March 19th, from 7-9pm for a night of SCRABBLE®, WORDIGO®, and other games with great snack food and prizes!

Bring your friends!

McConnell Library recently conducted a student survey of library services.  Several students won incentives for their assistance in the survey - scroll down for names and photos!

                                                                                                                                                            Eric Ackermann, Reference/Instruction and Assessment Librarian, presented Laura Kinzie (above, right) with a 16 GB iPod Touch.  Laura is an Art major from Vinton, VA.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Melissa Londry (above, right) won a Chargepod, which was presented by Eric Ackermann.  Melissa, from Radford, is a Graduate Teaching Fellow in the Psychology Department. 

 Another Chargepod was won by Mark Middleton (not pictured), a graduate student from Floyd, VA, who is studying Educational Leadership. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Hiromi Hori (above, left) received a Chartwell’s card good for free coffee for the rest of the semester from William Brenner, Director of Radford University Dining Services.  Hiromi is an Elementary Education major from Japan.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Dave Hayes, University Librarian, presented a Chartwell’s card good for free coffee for the rest of the semester to Caitlin McWilliams (above, right).  Caitlin is an Art major from Narrows, VA.

Five students (not pictured) were the recipients of 75 cents’ worth of printing credit: Kimberly Mast, Bridgette Greer, Andrew Seidemann, Erin Harper, and Kathryn Jones.

Congratulations to all winners, and thanks to everyone who responded to the survey.

Sometimes students need it as quiet as possible to study. Sometimes students need to work in groups and talk to each other. McConnell Library is doing its best to accommodate both types of studying!

Looking for quiet? Classroom A on Level 3 and the entirety of Levels 1 and 5 are designated for Quiet Study. Library staff make regular rounds of these areas, but if you are being disturbed by noise, please let an employee know. (You can go to one of the desks on Level 3, or IM RuLibSpot.)

Looking for a group space? Classroom B on Level 3 is specifically designated for group study, and groups are welcome to use any of the computers and tables in the main reference area of Level 3, and all of Level 2 and Level 4. Groups in Classroom A and on Levels 1 and 5 will be asked to move.

With your cooperation, the library can serve as a space for everyone.

If you’re staying in the area during Spring Break, why not stop by the library?  Our books, videos, computers, comfy couches, and friendly staff will be here!  Click here for a listing of our special Spring Break hours.