database | NEWS & MUCH MORE!

JSTOR New Content

July 26, 2022 by Cheryl | 0 comments

Exciting news! We’ve recently gained perpetual access to a wealth of new content on JSTOR. While we formerly subscribed to just 3 collections (Arts & Sciences I, II and III), we are now entitled to ALL of the following collections:

Arts & Sciences I – XV
Life Sciences
Sustainability
Security Studies
Lives of Literature

This gives us new access to thousands of scholarly journals across many disciplines. If you’ve never used JSTOR before, this would be a great time to check it out!

What’s in JSTOR?

JSTOR is a digital library of academic content in many formats and disciplines. The collections include top peer-reviewed scholarly journals as well as respected literary journals, academic monographs, research reports from trusted institutes, and diverse primary sources.

Our JSTOR collections primarily focus on archival content. Journal coverage starts with the very first volume published and ends at a “moving wall” of 3-5 years prior to the current year. Our other databases generally do not provide such extensive backfiles. If youʻre looking for the most up-to-date information, JSTOR may not be the best choice; however, it can be a fantastic resource for historical information. For example, hereʻs a timely article from the November 2, 1918 issue of Scientific American:

Screenshot of Spanish Influenza article from Scientific American, November 2, 1918.

Wearing a mask at work? Seems like the more things change, the more they stay the same!

Using JSTOR

To get started with JSTOR, navigate to our A-Z Databases page and find JSTOR in the list. If you are off campus, you may be prompted to enter your UH login. Once you get to the JSTOR home page, you should see “Access provided by Leeward Community College” at the top of the page.

Screenshot of JSTOR home page showing "Access provided by Leeward Community College" message.

You may use the basic search box to enter your keywords. There are options for restricting your search to author, title, or publication name. You may also choose to search for images.

Use the filters in the left sidebar to narrow your results. You may add another keyword, specify the content format, indicate a date range, or choose a subject.

Screenshot of results page showing left sidebar filters.

Once you identify an item of interest, JSTOR makes it easy to download, cite, or link back to the item.

Screenshot of item page showing functions for cite, download, and link.

There are many other ways to find content on JSTOR. Check out these brief video tutorials for more information:

Text Analyzer

JSTOR’s Text Analyzer is a nifty tool that can help you quickly find relevant keywords and articles related to any document. Simply copy and paste your text, or upload an entire document to the Text Analyzer, and JSTOR will generate search terms and related articles! Click on the picture below for a quick video demonstration [opens in a new tab].

To get started with Text Analyzer, click on the Tools tab near the top right corner of any page and select Text Analyzer from the drop-down menu.

Screenshot showing how to access Text Analyzer.

At the next screen, you may copy and paste in your text, or upload a file from your computer. It may take a few minutes for JSTOR to analyze your submission.

Screenshot of JSTOR Text Analyzer working with submitted text.

Now you will have a list of terms and related articles available on JSTOR! You are free to add or remove terms, or adjust their relative weight. The list of related articles will change accordingly.

Screenshot showing results page from Text Analyzer.

JSTOR highlights

With thousands of scholarly journals in the humanities, social sciences and life sciences, JSTOR has something for everyone. Here are a few significant titles:

We hope you enjoy our new, expanded access to JSTOR. We’ve barely scratched the surface of what JSTOR has to offer, so please explore it on your own and see what treasures you can find. For more information, check out JSTOR’s YouTube channel, reach out to your librarian subject liaison, or contact us at lccref@hawaii.edu.

Streaming Videos at Leeward CC: Kanopy

July 12, 2022 by Cheryl | 0 comments

Over the past two months we introduced you to resources for streaming videos at Leeward CC, including Academic Video Online (AVON), Feature Films for Education/Swank Digital Campus, and Docuseek. For the final post of this series, we’ve saved the (arguably) best for last: Kanopy.

Image source: Kanopy, Inc.

Kanopy at a glance

Currently contains more than 28,000 films, with new titles added periodically.
Offers something for everyone, including feature films, documentaries, classics, foreign films, and more.
Suppliers include The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, A&E, The History Channel, Kino Lorber, A24 Films, Magnolia Pictures, and many more.
Operates on a pay-per-use model (we are charged a small fee each time a video is played).
We also have the option to purchase up-front licenses for high-use titles.

Using Kanopy

To access this resource, start at our A-Z Databases page and select Kanopy from the list. Kanopy requires you to use a (free) personal account. If you already have an account, click on LOG IN in the top right corner. If you need to create an account, click on LOG IN TO LEEWARD and follow the prompts. For security purposes, do not use the same password that you use for your email.

Kanopy login screen showing buttons for creating an account and logging in to an existing account.

Browse through the new releases and categories of interest on the page, or use the Browse and Search functions in the top left corner.

Kanopy screenshot showing browse and search functions.

Click on any title to get to the video page. From this page you may Play the film or add it to your Watchlist. Select the Share tab to generate direct links and citations.

Any films added to your Watchlist are accessible by clicking on My Lists from the top left corner and selecting the My Watchlist tab.

Screenshot showing My Lists and My Watchlist functions.

Kanopy has many other features, including captions, transcripts, custom playlists, and a mobile app. For more detailed information, please visit Kanopy Help.

Keeping Kanopy affordable

Kanopy offers a wide variety of quality films in an attractive user interface, so it’s a very popular resource. Our Kanopy usage has increased steadily over the years, peaking during the pandemic-induced pivot to online learning. The downside is that higher usage leads to higher costs, since the great majority of our titles are pay-per-use. The chart below illustrates the trend in our monthly pay-per-use costs from 2019 – 2021.

Chart showing Kanopy monthly pay-per-use costs increasing from Jan 2019 - Dec 2021.

Fortunately, there are steps we can take to keep Kanopy affordable. You can help us out by notifying your library subject liaison or lccref@hawaii.edu if you intend to assign a Kanopy film for your class. Why?

Some Kanopy films are also available via other resources (such as AVON) that charge a flat subscription fee for unlimited viewing of all titles on the platform. We can see if the title you want to use is available through one of these resources instead.
If your title is available only through Kanopy and is likely to receive high usage (60+ views over the next year), it may be more cost-effective for us to purchase an up-front license. Licensed films do not incur additional pay-per-use fees.

. . . and that’s a wrap!

We hope you’ve learned something new about all of the great video resources available to you through your library. If you have any questions, please contact your library subject liaison or lccref@hawaii.edu. We are always happy to help!

Streaming Videos at Leeward CC: Docuseek

June 28, 2022 by Cheryl | 0 comments

Over the last few weeks, we gave you an overview of the library’s streaming video platforms, introduced you to Academic Video Online (AVON), and shared some great resources for feature films. This time our focus is on Docuseek, our newest streaming platform.

Docuseek at a glance

Provides access to more than 2,000 documentaries from independent distributors.
Content providers include Bullfrog Films, Icarus Films, Collective Eye, GOOD DOCS, and more.
Covers a wide range of subjects, with an emphasis on social issues, anthropology, environmental issues, and history.
These films are generally not available through other streaming platforms.

Using Docuseek

To access this resource, start at our A-Z Databases page and select Docuseek from the list. If you are off campus, you may be prompted to enter your UH login first.

The home page displays popular/timely films and top subjects.

Click on the Browse link at the top of the screen for an A-Z list of films available, the Subjects link to view films categorized by hundreds of subject areas, or the Search icon to perform a title or keyword search.

Screenshot showing the Browse, Subjects, and Search functions on the Docuseek homepage.

After performing a search or browsing the A-Z list of films available, you may filter your results by subject, year, or source (distributor). Enter your criteria in the left sidebar, then click on the Filter button. Advanced search functions are available by clicking on the More search options button.

Screenshot showing Docuseek filter options.

After selecting a video, you may generate a direct link by clicking on Embed. Many videos have transcripts, which may be viewed by clicking on the Transcript button. Some videos even have interactive transcripts that allow you to click on a section of text to skip to the corresponding part of the video.

Screenshot showing Embed and Transcript features in Docuseek.

Additional features, such as creating clips and playlists, are available to registered users. Register for your free personal account by clicking on the Register link at the top of any page.

Screenshot showing Docuseek Register link.

New Online Resource: MLA Handbook Plus

The library now subscribes to MLA Handbook Plus, an online platform which gives access to the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook, the guide to academic writing from the Modern Language Association. Students now have unlimited access to comprehensive guidance for using the MLA citation style. Also in MLA Handbook Plus are two additional e-books: Guide to Digital Literacy and MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature.

MLA Handbook Plus also has a “Courses” section, which currently features MLA Style 101, a series of short video lessons about the core elements of the MLA citation template. Each lesson shows how to find the information for that element, and how to put that information into a citation.

While the MLA citation style has changed little since the 8th edition of the handbook, the guidance for citing sources has been expanded and reorganized in the 9th edition. Hundreds of sample citations have been added, as have many illustrations. Among the changes to the citation style are an expansion of the contributor element, options for the handling of long URLs, and changes to how social media content is cited. There are also changes to how pseudonyms, Digital Object Identifiers, certain publishers, and publication dates with seasons are shown.

The 9th edition of the handbook has significantly more content than the 8th edition, including bringing back past handbook content not included in the 8th edition. There is new or updated guidance on quotations and paraphrasing, avoiding plagiarism, formatting papers, footnotes and endnotes, and annotated bibliographies. It also has new writing advice, including guidance for spelling, punctuation, abbreviation, grammar, capitalization, and inclusive language.

Sources: EasyBib’s MLA 8 vs. MLA 9: Updates and Highlights and MLA’s How Does the Ninth Edition of the MLA Handbook Compare with the Eighth Edition? and the What’s New in the Ninth Edition of the MLA Handbook webinar.

Electronic Resource Access Models

June 21, 2022 by Cheryl | 0 comments

Line drawing of a person with a frustrated expression, looking at a computer. — **“I could have sworn I saw it here before . . . “**

Has this ever happened to you? You stumble upon a series on Netflix, watch every episode, and really enjoy it. A year later, you decide to re-watch it, only to find that it has vanished without a trace! What happened?

In short, Netflix doesn’t own all of the content that is made available through the platform. They negotiate licensing agreements with the content owners, and some of these agreements expire. If you want guaranteed access to your favorite show, you usually need to purchase it, either on DVD or through a different streaming service.

Many of the library’s electronic resources operate in much the same manner. Read on to learn about two of our main access models–subscription and perpetual–and how the type of model may affect the resources you use.

Subscription model

With the subscription model, we usually pay an annual fee that gives our users access to everything that is currently included in the collection. Examples of subscription resources:

Academic Video Online (AVON) (79,000+ videos)
Ebook Central Academic Complete (222,000+ ebooks)
Academic Search Complete (8,000+ ejournals and emagazines) and other EBSCO databases

What’s great about this model?

It offers a large amount of content that would be unaffordable if purchased individually.
The collections are continually refreshed with new content.
There is usually no limit to the number of simultaneous users.

What’s not so great about this model?

We cannot select the individual titles included in the collections.
A relatively small amount of content is removed periodically, and we have no control over what is removed.

If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you can’t find an ebook or video that you know you’ve seen before, chances are it was a subscription title that was removed from the platform. Vendors generally add and remove content throughout the year, but some do their large removals in the summer and at the end of the year.

For example, this is the list of ebooks that will be removed from Ebook Central after June 30, and this is the list of videos leaving Academic Video Online after July 11.

Perpetual access model

With the perpetual access model, we purchase the titles we want, and they are ours for as long as we have access to the platform. This purchasing model is available on many of the same platforms that offer subscription collections.

What’s great about this model?

We select only the titles we want, so we have greater control over the collection.
These titles will not disappear unexpectedly.
Some ebooks are priced for one, three, or unlimited simultaneous users, so we may select the option that best fits our needs.

What’s not so great about this model?

Not all titles are available for purchase, and some are only available for one user at a time.
Prices can be very high, depending on the title.
Titles in rapidly changing fields will be outdated in a few years.

How can I tell if the ebook or video I want to use for my class is going to be there for sure?

Unfortunately, you probably can’t tell, so it’s best that you contact your library liaison or lccref@hawaii.edu to check. If your title is part of a subscription package, it is sometimes possible to purchase it under a perpetual access model, as well. For some streaming videos, limited-term licenses may also be available; this works well in situations where the video is needed for 1-3 years, but not permanently.

The key takeaway here is that it is a good idea to contact us if you are planning to use an ebook, streaming video, or other library resource for a class assignment or other important purpose. We cannot guarantee that perpetual access will be available for everything, but we will make every effort to prevent unpleasant surprises from happening.

Now, if Netflix would only bring back Friends . . .

Streaming Videos at Leeward CC: Feature Films

June 14, 2022 by Cheryl | 0 comments

In the past few weeks, we gave you an overview of our streaming video platforms and an introduction to Academic Video Online (AVON). This week, our focus is on feature films. Many of our streaming platforms offer at least a few feature films, but two of our resources really showcase them: Feature Films for Education and Swank Digital Campus.

Feature Films for Education

Feature Films for Education at a glance

Currently contains 693 films, with new titles added periodically.
Content is primarily from 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, and related labels.
Films on this platform are generally not available on our other streaming platforms.
Includes classic films as well as more recent blockbusters and Academy Award winners.

Using Feature Films for Education

To access this resource, start at our A-Z Databases page and select Feature Films for Education from the list. If you are off campus, you may be prompted to enter your UH login first.

Use the search box in the top middle of the page to enter a video title or keywords, or click on the Menu in the top left corner to browse by title or genre.

Feature Films for Education screenshot showing search and browse features.

After entering a search, you may use the filters in the right sidebar to specify a genre, language or copyright date.

Screenshot showing filters in right sidebar.

Click on the film you wish to view. From the next page, you may generate direct links to the video, or press the Play button to see playback options.

Screenshot showing embed/link and playback functions.

Select one of the playback options to view the video. Some films also have audio in Spanish. You may expand the video to fullscreen, skip forward or backward, and play the video at a faster or slower speed.

Swank Digital Campus

Our second major resource for feature films is Swank Digital Campus.

Swank Digital Campus at a glance

We currently have 23 films licensed.
Swank is different from most of our other resources in that we do not subscribe to a collection, but are allotted a set number of licenses each year. Titles are licensed individually, upon instructor request, for a 1-year term.
More than 25,000 titles are available to be licensed, including films from major studios such as Disney, Paramount, Sony, Warner, and more.
Swank titles are licensed only for instructional use in class. They may not be shown for campus/club events or other non-coursework purposes.

Using Swank Digital Campus

To access this resource, start at our A-Z Databases page and select Swank Digital Campus from the list. If you are off campus, you may be prompted to enter your UH login first.

Next, you will be prompted to indicate your campus role. Select Student if you simply wish to view the films available in our portal. If you are an instructor and would like to request a title for your class, you may select Instructor and create an account. View this video for information on creating an instructor account, and this video for the title request process.

Swank screenshot showing campus role selection.

Note that a few titles have special restrictions that prevent them from being visible to students in our portal, even though they are licensed to us. These Restricted titles may only be shared with students via direct link (ideally through Laulima). If you are an instructor and request a restricted title, we will send you the direct link once the title is licensed. You may also generate a link by logging in with your instructor account.

Click on any film, then select the Watch button to view it, or the Share button to generate a direct link.

Screenshot showing functions for watching films and generating direct links.

When playing a video, you may click on the Menu icon (3 dots in the lower right corner of the screen) for audio and subtitle options. Depending on the film, various languages may be available.

Screenshot showing menu for audio and subtitle options.

If you would like to request a video for use in your class but don’t want to create an instructor account, please contact us at lccref@hawaii.edu. We have a limited number of licenses available each year, but will do our best to fulfill your request.

Streaming Videos at Leeward CC: Academic Video Online (AVON)

June 8, 2022 by Cheryl | 0 comments

Last week, we gave you an overview of the major streaming video platforms available to Leeward CC students, faculty and staff. This week, we will focus on our largest platform, Academic Video Online (AVON).

Academic Video Online banner with link to site.

AVON at a glance

Currently contains more than 79,000 videos.
New titles are added every month. Titles are also removed periodically.
Includes documentaries, instructional material, newsreels, performances, interviews, and other content types.
Covers a wide range of subject areas, including social sciences, history, business, education, and performing arts.
Provides content in dozens of languages, such as Dutch, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, and Korean.

Using AVON

To access AVON, start at our A-Z Databases page and select Academic Video Online (AVON) from the list. If you are off campus, you may be prompted to enter your UH Login first.

Use the search box in the top right corner to enter a video title or keywords and search the current channel.

Enter title or keywords in search box at top right of screen.

Click on the Filter icon to narrow your search results by subject, publisher, person, content type, language, or release date. Filters can be set before or after you enter your search term(s).

Filter button is in the middle of the page, above the videos.

Click on any video for more details, or to view, cite, or share it. You may click on the Transcript feature to read the transcript as you watch the video, or to skip to a section of interest.

Transcripts can be viewed alongside video and can be used for navigation.

Click on the Share icon to generate direct links to the video.

Direct links are accessed via the Share icon at the bottom right corner of the screen.

Permalink, embed, and social media sharing options are available.

Additional features are available. Watch these videos to learn more about using AVON:

For information on embedding videos in Laulima, please refer to this guide: Linking to Articles, E-Books, and Videos.

Ethnographic Video Online

Ethnographic Video Online, Vol. III: Indigenous Voices is a subset of AVON that focuses on films made by and for indigenous people and communities. The collection consists of 653 videos to which we have permanent access (unlike the vast majority of AVON content that is subscription-based). Ethnographic Video Online titles may be accessed within AVON or via the separate Ethnographic Video Online channel.

Hosted content

The library also uses AVON to host a limited number of videos that are not part of the AVON subscription. We currently have three titles available:

Streaming Videos at Leeward CC

May 31, 2022 by Cheryl | 0 comments

If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine the impact of a high-quality, well-chosen video. Fortunately, Leeward CC has access to a wide variety of streaming video content.

Sample films available from Feature Films for Education. — Films available from Feature Films for Education.

Films available from Swank Digital Campus.

The table below summarizes our various streaming platforms. Click on the platform title to access the resource. Off-campus users may be prompted to sign in with their UH Login.

Platform	Model	Content	Titles	Notes
Academic Video Online (AVON)	Subscription	Documentaries, tutorials, performances, and more.	79,240	Includes hosted content and Ethnographic Video Online titles.
Docuseek	Subscription	Documentaries on social and environmental issues.	2,182	Primarily exclusive content from independent filmmakers.
Ethnographic Video Online	Perpetual	Films by and for indigenous people and communities.	653	Content is also included in Academic Video Online (AVON).
Feature Films for Education	Subscription	Feature films from 20th Century Fox and related labels.	693	These titles are generally not available on other platforms.
Films on Demand	Licensed selectively	Documentaries and other educational films.	8	Titles licensed upon faculty request.
Kanopy	Pay-per-view and licensed selectively	Feature films, documentaries, foreign films, classics, and more.	28,089	Library pays a small fee per view; heavily used titles are licensed.
Swank Digital Campus	Licensed selectively	Feature films from Disney, Warner Bros., Sony, and other major studios.	23	Titles licensed upon faculty request.

Streaming Video DOs and DON’Ts

No matter which platform you use, please keep in mind these general DOs and DON’Ts:

DO 🙂

Show films during in-person classes.
Share direct links with your students so they may view films on their own.
View as many films as you like, as often as you like!

DON’T 🙁

Show films outside of class for events (free or paid) without first consulting the library.
Stream films over Zoom or other video conferencing services.
Share films with persons not affiliated with Leeward CC.

In the coming weeks, we’ll give you an overview of each of our major streaming video platforms–their content, how to access them, and the most popular titles. Perhaps you’ll discover that perfect video to enrich your coursework, augment your learning, or just enliven your weekend!

New Best Sellers: Jan 19-22

January 19, 2021 by An | 0 comments

Best Sellers Collection

Click on the book’s image to place a hold in the book’s Primo record. Use the “Get It” feature to make the request.

Looking for a book that we currently don’t have in our collection? Please suggest a book title by filling out our Best Sellers & OverDrive Suggestion Form.

New Best Sellers and OverDrive Reads – December 2020

December 14, 2020 by Jason Yamashita | 0 comments

Best Sellers Collection

Click on the book’s image to place a hold in the book’s Primo record. Use the “Get It” feature to make the request.

OverDrive Collection

Click on the book’s image below to access the item’s Primo Search record. In the record’s “View Online” section, the provided link will direct you to borrowing in OverDrive. Note: Long Time Coming is an audiobook read by the author, Michael Eric Dyson.

Featured OverDrive sub-collection this month: Job and Career Preparation.

Are you new to using OverDrive? We have some tips for you on our OverDrive Collection Basics LibGuide.

Looking for a book that we currently don’t have in our collection? Please suggest a book title by filling out our Best Sellers & OverDrive Suggestion Form.

What’s in JSTOR?

Using JSTOR

Text Analyzer

JSTOR highlights

Kanopy at a glance

Using Kanopy

Keeping Kanopy affordable

Top 10 Kanopy videos at Leeward CC

. . . and that’s a wrap!

Docuseek at a glance

Using Docuseek

Top 5 Docuseek videos at Leeward CC

Subscription model

What’s great about this model?

What’s not so great about this model?

Perpetual access model

What’s great about this model?

What’s not so great about this model?

How can I tell if the ebook or video I want to use for my class is going to be there for sure?

Feature Films for Education

Feature Films for Education at a glance

Using Feature Films for Education

Top 10 Feature Films for Education videos at Leeward CC

Swank Digital Campus

Swank Digital Campus at a glance

Using Swank Digital Campus

Top 10 Swank Digital Campus videos at Leeward CC

AVON at a glance

Using AVON

Ethnographic Video Online

Hosted content

Top 10 AVON videos at Leeward CC

Streaming Video DOs and DON’Ts

DO 🙂

DON’T 🙁