The librarian is: BLOGGING | Journalism Library, Columbia University

January 25, 2006

Welcome, new part-time students!

Filed under: General, Research tips, Libraries, Part-time class - journalismlibrary @

Welcome to the Journalism Library blog. I hope you will use this blog as a resource throughout your time at the J-school. Here are some crucial links to get you started:

The J-school Student Resources page is a good jumping-off point for starting your research. The Libraries section of the page has a number of useful links (including one to this very blog) and the Research Tools section has shortcuts to a number of databases that are likely to be of use to you very soon.

In order to make the most of this blog, check back in frequently, and remember to use the subject categories on the side of the page to navigate to the posts that interest you!

January 19, 2006

Nightly News presentation - Research 101

Filed under: General, Electronic resources, World Wide Web, Story and source ideas, FAQ, Nightly News - journalismlibrary @

The Basics: phone numbers & addresses
I wish I could tell you we had some super-duper special people-finder tools. But we don’t. Here are some decent free sites instead.

  • Verizon (www.verizon.com, then click on People Pages). The source. This is an online white pages. No reverse lookup, though.
  • Infospace (www.infospace.com). This was one of the only sites that had my current address right! Includes a reverse lookup by address (just click on “search by phone” to reveal reverse phone and address lookup forms). Accuracy seems good here, too.
  • Switchboard (www.switchboard.com). Another good option – data seems as accurate as Infospace, and also includes reverse lookup under “search by phone.”

    • New Yorkers and where to find them
    Looking for interesting New Yorkers to profile? Here are a few tips.

  • Gothamist (www.gothamist.com) is an excellent way to stay on top of NYC arts, sports, events, and pop culture.
  • NYC Bloggers (www.nycbloggers.com) is a map of bloggers by subway line. Check out a station near you and see if you find someone of interest.
  • Gotham Gazette (www.gothamgazette.com). The same site that keeps you informed on the latest doings in NYC politics can help you find interesting stories in New York’s neighborhoods. Pay special attention to the Community Gazettes section.
  • New York Public Library branches (www.nypl.org/branch/local/) frequently hold events, like storytelling hours, poetry readings, and seminars. Check out the one nearest you and see what’s on!
  • Meetup.com (www.meetup.com) is an online forum for people who share similar interests to meet each other. Browse by city to find groups who may make interesting subjects (like the “NYC Boston Red Sox Meetup Group”). Possibly also of interest for the Consumer Watch segment if you want to expose a possible scam.

    • Finding experts
    Preparing a Roundtable discussion? New York City is full of experts, but how to find them?

  • Academics: Visit the website of a local university (start with Columbia). All universities have listings of faculty by department, and most include specific research interests of each faculty member. Can’t find a professor on short notice? How about a doctoral student? Try visiting the department HQ, if it’s at Columbia. Looking at the flyers on the wall there may lead you to interesting people.
  • Others: Who has spoken on this subject before? Search Factiva or LexisNexis to find transcripts or quotes from newspapers stories on related topics.

    • Consumer Watch

  • Craigslist (newyork.craigslist.org) is a good place to look at the services New Yorkers are seeking and providing (click on the services section). Some may surprise you!
  • Daily Candy (www.dailycandy.com) is a daily newsletter reporting on shopping and service trends in a number of US cities, including New York.
  • Crain’s New York Business (access via Factiva, access restricted to current Columbia affiliates) is a weekly publication which covers all aspects of business in New York City. Search to find articles on a topic of interest.

    • Bonus resources we talked about during the session:
    AP Photo Archive
    Archive.org - online archive of multimedia content

    January 13, 2006

    Bloomberg terminal intro sessions… at the Business Library

    Filed under: Columbia Libraries, Types of journalism, Business reporting, Libraries - journalismlibrary @

    Just announced: the spring schedule of training sessions at the Business & Economics Library:

    Introduction to Databases and Online Tools

    This session will demonstrate web access to business and economics information as available from the Watson Business Library’s webpage.
    Wednesday, January 18, 5pm – 6pm Wednesday, January 25, 5pm – 6pm
    Friday, January 20, 11am – 12pm Friday, January 27, 11am – 12pm

    The class is held in the study space on the west side of the 1st mezzanine of the Business & Economics Library.

    Reservations are required: send email to business@libraries.cul.columbia.edu

    An Introduction to Bloomberg

    This session will teach the basic navigation and searching skills necessary to begin using Bloomberg.
    Friday, January 20, 2006, 10am – 11am Friday, March 31, 2006, 10am – 11am
    Friday, February 3, 2006, 10am – 11am Friday, April 14, 2006, 10am – 11am
    Friday, February 17, 2006, 10am – 11am Friday, April 28, 2006, 10am – 11am

    Friday, March 17, 2006, 10am – 11am

    The class is held in the study space on the west side of the 1st mezzanine of the Business & Economics Library.

    Reservations are required: send email to business@libraries.cul.columbia.edu

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