This week is National Library Week, and we are celebrating National Library Workers Day today. We’d love to help you with your research projects. You can get help in-person or via chat, email, text, or phone at Ask Us.  Or setup an appointment with your subject librarian. You can also use our Book an Appointment calendar to find a time that will work for you.

A solar eclipse is coming. This longer than normal eclipse is bringing a storm of excitement for the lower 48. We won’t see this one, but you have plenty of time to get your eclipse viewing supplies ready for the next eclipse that will be visible in Alaska on March 28, 2033.  

Grab your solar eclipse viewing device, semicircular snacks and log in to the Consortium Library to do your research. Learn all about the upcoming eclipse and its trajectory in the journal “Astronomy” April 2024, Vol. 52, Issue 4. You can find the journal in our ProQuest Database. Want to know more about Astronomy? On the main Consortium Library page go to Guides. There is a Topic Guide for Astronomy, which has a link to NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. Check out the journal “Sky and Telescope” or use one of our databases like “ProQuest Science and Technology” to find out why a solar eclipse can only happen during a new moon or search how to take a good photo of the eclipse with your phone. Read about the “unusual behavior” in animals during an eclipse to plan for your own study in 2033.

Alaska may miss the solar eclipse but we are getting some great northern lights. Check out UAF’s Geophysical Institute Aurora Forecast to find out where and when to see the northern lights. 

Knowing what type of source you are reading is important for deciding whether to use the information you gain from that source in a research paper or an assignment. Three common types of Publication Sources include:

• Popular Magazines & Newspapers
• Scholarly Journals
• Trade and Professional Publications

Professors typically have a preference to what type of source you must use for an assignment. They will usually explain this in the assignment guidelines. If you are unsure, make sure to contact your Professor directly for clarification.  For help understanding the difference between a Scholarly Source and a Popular Source, the following LibGuide is available for Students to access: Scholarly vs Popular Sources.

It is also important to note that just because something is published does not mean it is peer- reviewed. Individual Publications have their process for selecting and publishing material. Another important fact to note is that just because something is published in a Scholarly Journal does not make it automatically peer-reviewed. For help determining if a source is peer-reviewed, the following LibGuide is available: Peer Review.

Still need clarification, The Research Help Desk is available to answer any questions or concerns, ASK US, in person, via phone, online chat or email.