EBSCO New User Interface Coming Soon!

Screenshot of the new EBSCOhost user interface displayed on a laptop.

The EBSCO databases you know and (hopefully) love are getting a makeover!

This summer, our EBSCO databases will migrate to a brand new user interface. Highlights include:

  • simplified, clean design
  • improved accessibility
  • intuitive filters
  • personalized dashboard
  • AI insights
  • and much more!

EBSCO aims to make the transition to the new user interface as seamless as possible, but some users who have saved items to their personal accounts may want to take action prior to the migration.

If you have a personal MyEBSCO account, any articles and books you have saved to My Folder will migrate to the new user interface, and you do not need to take any action.

Screenshot showing My Folder items that will migrate to the new user interface.

However, if you have created My Custom folders, these will NOT migrate to the new user interface.

Screenshot showing My Custom folder items that will not migrate to the new user interface.

If you want to retain the contents of My Custom folders, these are your options:

  1. Move any articles, ebooks, and saved searches from My Custom folders to My Folder. This guide with video demonstrates how do to this.
  2. Save or export the items from My Custom folders (for use outside EBSCO). Refer to this guide with video.
  3. Take no action. After migration, you should be able to download an Excel file of the contents of My Custom folders.

How do you know if you have items in My Custom folders? Just Sign In to your EBSCOhost account (if you ever created one), then click on the Folder icon to check.

Screenshot showing EBSCOhost login procedure.

Additionally, if you have Search Alerts, you may want to change them to Saved Searches, since Search Alerts will not migrate. Please see this guide for more information.

Look for additional information to come. In the meantime, click on the image below for a brief introduction to the new user interface. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our friendly librarians at lccref@hawaii.edu.

Screenshot of EBSCO new interface tutorial.

Lā Lei (May Day) at Waiʻanae Moku

Hawaiians Smiling Doing Lei

On May 1st, Waiʻanae Moku celebrated its second annual Lā Lei (May Day) lei making event—a vibrant and joyful gathering that lasted for seven hours. The space overflowed with generous donations of flowers and ti leaf, allowing students and staff to craft countless varieties of beautiful lei.

  Two Hawaiians doing lei kui

More than 40 lei were made for the graduates of Waiʻanae Moku, who were honored at Waiʻanae Moku graduation ceremony taking place the next week. Throughout the day, everyone enjoyed talking story, creating lei, eating ʻono food, and listening to Hawaiian music together.

 Prepped Crown Flowers

Lā Lei at Waiʻanae Moku was first started last year by the immediate past Hawaiian and Pacific Resource Librarian, Annemarie Paikai, and the campus extends heartfelt gratitude to her for beginning what they hope will continue as a cherished annual tradition.

Lei lāʻī in hilo style

Hoʻomaikaʻi to the 2025 Graduates of Waiʻanae Moku Campus!

This year marks the largest graduating class in Waiʻanae Moku’s history, a milestone that fills the campus with immense pride. We are incredibly proud of our graduates and can’t wait to see all the wonderful things they will accomplish in this next chapter of their journeys.

Finals Countdown: Lei Making Workshop

The tutors and the library staff hosted a lei making workshop in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) Thursday, May 8th. Students learned how to make ti leaf lei and eyelash yarn lei. Mahalo Jordan and Faith, our LRC tutors, for leading the workshop!

 Spring 2025 Finals Countdown - Tī Leaf Lei Making Spring 2025 Finals Countdown - Eyelash Yarn Lei Making

Eyelash yarn lei supplies funded by ASUH – Leeward CC.

Learning Commons Closed Summer 2025

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The Learning Commons will close on May 19 to allow units to prepare spaces for construction and relocate 2nd floor services to other locations. Construction work is scheduled to begin on June 2 and be completed by the end of July 2025.

We will share more details on how services will be offered during the two-month closure in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please contact me at waydeo@hawaii.edu with your questions and concerns.

Finals Countdown Activities for May 5-9

Get ready for the home stretch of the semester! The Library & Tutoring will be hosting a few de-stressing activities for students during our Finals Countdown period, May 5-16! Please share our event schedule with your students:

  • May 5-16 (Mon-Fri), 8am – 5pm: FREE snacks* at the Library’s circulation desk
  • May 7 (Wed), 4:15-5pm: Yoga with Natalie Kahn at the Hale Lehua Dance Studio (DA 108), located next to Kīpuka
  • May 8 (Thu), 12-1:30pm: Lei Making Workshop* at the Learning Resource Center, located inside the Library (Registration Required)

*Supplies funded by ASUH – Leeward CC. Validated Leeward CC ID required.

For more information, visit our Finals Countdown page at go.hawaii.edu/yTR

Ebook Central Research Assistant is here!

Cartoon robot pointing to the words Ebook Central Research Assistant shown on a laptop.

Artificial intelligence is making its way into nearly every aspect of our lives, and the library is no exception. Several of our electronic resources are actively incorporating AI tools, with many more to come. Ebook Central, our largest ebook platform, has recently implemented its AI-driven Research Assistant.

Researchers may leverage Ebook Central Research Assistant to quickly assess relevance and identify resources that merit further investigation. The tool also facilitates discovery by offering concepts and additional titles that may be of interest. Ready to check it out?

To get started, navigate to Ebook Central from our A-Z Databases list. If you are currently off campus, you may be prompted to log in with your UH credentials first. With more than 280,000 titles available, you’re sure to find something of interest. Select a title to reach the book detail page, then click on Read Online.

Screenshot of book detail page prompting you to click on Read Online.

The Research Assistant will automatically load in either the left or right sidebar, depending on the format of the selected ebook. Click on Find chapter in table of contents to see the Research Assistant in action.

Screenshot showing how to select a chapter from within an ebook.

The table of contents will load in the sidebar. Select a chapter from the list.

Screenshot showing how to select a chapter from the list within an ebook.

The chapter text will display in the main screen. Now click on the stars icon to re-load the Research Assistant in the sidebar.

Screenshot showing how to click on the stars to open the Research Assistant.

Research Assistant currently offers three functions. The first is to provide a brief “key takeaway” from the chapter. Click on Show key takeaway from this chapter and the Research Assistant tool will generate it.

Screenshot showing how to generate a key takeaway of the chapter.

The second function is to summarize five important concepts from the chapter. Click on Show concepts discussed in this chapter to generate them.

Screenshot showing how to click on the button to generate key concepts for the chapter.

The third function is to display other Ebook Central titles that feature a key concept generated by Research Assistant. Click on the search icon next to any concept to see additional titles that may be relevant.

Screenshot showing how to click on the search icon to find additional titles that discuss the key concept.
Screenshot showing other titles identified as relevant to the key concept.

Ebook Central Research Assistant is still in beta mode, so we can expect it to evolve and change over time. Important notes:

  • Research Assistant may work better in Firefox or Edge rather than Chrome.
  • The tool is not available for all content in Ebook Central; authors/publishers may opt out, and brief chapters may not provide enough material.
  • The tool analyzes text only (no images).
  • Research Assistant operates on the individual book chapter level, NOT across an entire book or across multiple titles.
  • As always, AI-generated content may not be 100% accurate. Additionally, sensitive terms/content may be blocked.

How do YOU feel about the recent proliferation of AI tools? Personally, I’m remembering all those hours I spent in the library stacks flipping through volume after volume, and feeling a bit jealous right now!

Learning Commons Renovation Project Update

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The upcoming phase of the Learning Commons Renovation Project involves retrofitting fire sprinklers on the second and third floors. This work will require the closure of the second floor, where library services are consolidated during the renovation. It will also impact Tutoring Services (Writing Center and LRC) and Disability Services.

The Learning Commons will close on May 19 to allow units to prepare spaces for construction and relocate services to other locations. Construction work is scheduled to begin on June 2 and be completed by the end of July 2025.

We will share more details on how services will be offered during the two-month closure in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please contact me at waydeo@hawaii.edu with your questions and concerns.

Sacred Asia: Exploring Spirituality

During Asian Heritage Month, the Learning Commons & Library will be hosting the “Sacred Asia: Exploring Spirituality” exhibit for a limited time:

Sacred Asia Exploring Spirituality for Asian Heritage Month Exhibit: April 28 - May 12 at the Library's front entrance Sacred Asia Exploring Spirituality for Asian Heritage Month Exhibit Description
Sacred Asia: Exploring Spirituality
Presented by Dr. Kevin Tangonan, Office Of Planning, Policy & Assessment
Exhibit Dates: April 28 – May 12
Location: Library Entrance

In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, “Sacred Asia: Exploring Spirituality” invites you to journey though the spiritual and cultural landscapes of Asia. This exhibit showcases a curated collection of sacred and symbolic items.

Each piece reflects the rich tapestry of beliefs, customs, and historical narratives that shape the spiritual identities of diverse Asian cultures, from religious artifacts and good luck charms to ceremonial objects and ancestral symbols, these items embody the deep connection between the material and the metaphysical.

This exhibit serves as a space to explore how tradition and spirituality are interwoven into daily life, artistic expression, and cultural continuity across generations. Through these artifacts, we celebrate the resilience, diversity, and sacred traditions that continue to guide communities throughout Asia and the Asian diaspora.