

Wessels News
Vol 3, Issue 4 January- February 2025
PASCAL Podcast: A Value-Centered Library Service for SC
In this Podcast, Dr. Russ Conrath, Wessels' own Outreach Librarian, interviews Dean John White, the head of College of Charleston's Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library. While listening to this podcast, you'll discover why PASCAL (Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries) is a game-changer for students and faculty across South Carolina's colleges and universities. This invaluable resource connects public and private academic libraries, providing seamless access to a vast network of books, digital resources, and research tools. Join us as we explore how PASCAL empowers academic success, fosters collaboration, and makes higher education more accessible and affordable for everyone in the Palmetto State. Don't miss this insightful discussion on the power of shared knowledge and library innovation!
Wessels Shares Important Resources & Services with College 101 Classes!
By Steffi Hiltgen
From November 13th to the 15th, Wessels Library proudly supported Newberry College鈥檚 COL 101 classes by presenting to nearly 460 first-year students during seven sessions. COL 101 is a cornerstone of Newberry College鈥檚 comprehensive, scaffolded, and multi-phased approach to student success, emphasizing academic, emotional, and social development. The course equips students with essential skills such as listening and note-taking, studying and test-taking techniques, time management and organization, and an appreciation for diversity and individuality. Additionally, it introduces students to the Core curriculum, class registration, and academic pathways, while fostering an understanding of the value of a liberal arts education. Wessels Library鈥檚 involvement underscores its commitment to empowering students with the resources and knowledge necessary to thrive academically and engage fully in the Newberry College experience.
OneSearch Feature "Gale Business: Entrepreneurship"
Wessels Library Landing Page Link
Gale Business: Entrepreneurship is a comprehensive database that covers all aspects of starting and operating a business, including accounting, finance, human resources, management, marketing, tax, and more. It combines authoritative periodical and reference content to support prospective and current entrepreneurs as well as business students. The database features a variety of resources for entrepreneurs, including the entire Business Plans Handbook series; a tightly indexed collection of small business-focused eBooks from Gale, John Wiley & Sons, and other publishing partners; articles from journals and magazines like The Economist, Inc., Financial Management and The Tax Adviser; and content from local and national newspapers. Users also have access to downloadable podcasts and radio shows, directories, glossaries, and websites to keep up to date with today's industries. The Gale Business: Entrepreneurship interface is mapped to four key stages of building a business plan, fund, start, and manage-to fit researchers' needs at any point in their business's development.
Tech Tip News: Technology Considerations
Tech Tip News: Be Mindful of the Benefits & Challenges
By Dr. Russ Conrath
Technology is a cornerstone of modern education, particularly for college students. One critical piece of advice is mastering digital productivity tools. These tools, from project management software like Trello to advanced note-taking apps like Notion, can streamline tasks and improve efficiency. They allow students to organize their schedules, track deadlines, and maintain a clear overview of academic obligations. This organization is essential, especially when juggling coursework, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments.
Equally significant is the mindful use of technology to prevent burnout. Spending hours on screens is often unavoidable, but taking deliberate breaks and using tools like blue-light filters can help mitigate physical and mental strain. Digital well-being apps can set boundaries, encourage focus, and reduce time on distractions such as social media. Integrating these habits ensures technology becomes a support system, not a source of stress.
Lastly, cybersecurity awareness is paramount. Cyber threats frequently target college students, from phishing emails to compromised public Wi-Fi networks. Employing strong, unique passwords and utilizing two-factor authentication adds layers of security. Knowing how to identify suspicious activity and avoiding unverified downloads protect both personal data and devices. By adhering to these tips, students can harness the full potential of technology while staying secure and efficient.
Find Out the Latest Tech Scoop from Dr. Conrath: Scoop.it!
Scoop.it Suggests From Wessels: Useful Tools, Information, & Resources
Dr. Conrath's Scoop.it List: Check It out!
This "Scoop" shares a list of trending library-related topics and information.
Check Out an App, Todoist, In Order to Be More Organized
Todoist
"Todoist" is my favorite everyday tool, and I鈥檓 not alone: over 10 million people use this to-do checklist app to stay on top of things and keep up their productivity. It鈥檚 a to-do list, sure, but it鈥檚 so much more than that. You can create different projects, add tags, due dates, reminders, and teammates, get daily and weekly progress reports, and integrate it with multiple apps you probably already have, such as Dropbox and Amazon Alexa.
Wessels Podcast Book Club 馃懞
Wessels Scoop.it, a Collection of Internet Trending Information and Resources
By Steffi Hiltgen
For fellow Wolf Den members who are interested in our Podcast reading project, the following is the general gist of this initiative:
1. Decide what you want to read-genre, author, format; it's up to you. Busy? Remember that magazines, newspaper articles, and even poems count, and audiobooks have come a LONG way.
2. Get your copy of the title. Included are some resources you can use to access the book if it is not already in your possession.
3. Read the book at your leisure.
4. Record your review (between 3 and 9 minutes long) of the title with Vocaroo and email your recording to Steff.Hiltgen@Newberry.edu. Be sure to include what you did or did not like about the book, and whether or not you recommend it to fellow listeners and why/why not. Not sure exactly what to say? Here are some things to consider:
路 What questions do you have for the author and why?
路 What were your favorite parts? Consider reading a passage and explaining why it is so momentous.
路 Is there anything you are left curious about or more interested in after reading? If so, please share with us your personal research journey and findings.
路 If you were to re-write what you鈥檝e read, what would you change about it(ending, character, etc.) and why?
路 What challenges did you face when it came to reading this? What ideas do you have to remedy this challenge?
*Using a mic to create your Vocaroo audio clip can help the audio quality tremendously. If you need to borrow one, please reach out to Russ Conrath or Stefania Hiltgen at the library. Here is a tutorial on how to use Vocaroo to create a podcast.
Here are simple steps to record with Vocaroo:
Go to the Vocaroo website: Open your web browser and visit vocaroo.com.
Start recording: On the homepage, you鈥檒l see a red microphone button. Click on it to start recording.
Grant microphone access: A pop-up may appear asking for permission to use your microphone. Click "Allow."
Record your message: Speak into your microphone. Once finished, click the same button to stop recording.
Review your recording: You can listen to the recording by clicking the play button. If you鈥檙e happy with it, proceed. If not, you can click "Retry" to record again.
Save or share: After recording, you鈥檒l see options to share the recording via a link, download it as a file, or delete it if needed. You can copy the link to share your audio.
That鈥檚 it! You鈥檙e done recording with Vocaroo!
For book club members who participate, we will hold a quarterly meeting with refreshments to fellowship and talk about your favorite books. The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 30th in the Wessels Public Services Office. Please bring your favorite book to share.
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Below, you will find several ways of accessing titles you are interested in reading for the purposes of this podcast. You can find easy-to-access eBooks on topics/genres you are interested in reading.
You can find e-books to read in several ways. Below are a few suggestions to start with.
Wessels Online Catalog: "One Search"
ABOUT WESSELS LIBRARY - Wessels Library - Welcome - LibGuides at Newberry College
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Newberry Public Library-
Simply use your Newberry College ID to join the Newberry branch.
Their contact information:
Newberry County Library: Directory (youseemore.com) BE SURE TO SHARE THAT YOU SIGN UP THROUGH YOUR NEWBERRY COLLEGE ID.
Free Online eBook resources- 路 23 Books That Everyone Should Read At Least Once In Their Lives 路 The Gutenberg Project 路 Europeana 路 Digital Public Library of America 路 Internet Archive 路 Open Library 路 FeedBooks 路 ManyBooks 路 Library of Congress 路 Loyal Books 路 Library Genesis 路 Librivox (Public Domain Audio Books)
Be sure to listen to other Newberry College students, faculty, and staff members give their podcasts as well. Check out some examples here to get you started.
OneSearch, Your One Stop Shopping for Information!
Need quick access to a wide range of academic sources? Look no further than OneSearch, Wessels Library鈥檚 powerful all-in-one search tool. OneSearch scans through 147 different databases, making it easier than ever to find scholarly articles, books, eBooks, journals, and more in one simple search.
Instead of jumping from one database to another, OneSearch allows you to access a vast collection of academic materials in just a few clicks. Whether you're researching for a term paper, looking for peer-reviewed articles, or seeking primary sources, OneSearch connects you with the high-quality information you need across multiple disciplines.
Try OneSearch today to streamline your research process and discover the wealth of academic content available through Wessels Library!
Wessels Library Faculty & Staff Contact Information
- Reid Austin, Library Director
- Steffi Hiltgen, Public Services Librarian
- Dr. Russ Conrath, Outreach Librarian
- Carl Lominick, Circulation Manager
- Janice Hudson, Technical Services Specialist
- Brooke Berry, Library Intern
Email: Dr.Russ.Conrath@newberry.edu
Website: https://newberry.libguides.com/wesselslibrary
Location: 2100 College Street, Newberry, SC, USA
Phone: 803-321-5229