By: Alexa Orbin, Secondary Education/English Dual Major/Gumberg Humanities Library Intern
Since my last post, I published my first research guide as the author. With the help of Mr. Ted Bergfelt from the Gumberg Humanities Library, I was able to complete and publish the “Medieval Philosophy” research guide as the main author. The research guide is focused on medieval philosophy and outlines all relevant reference works available through the Gumberg Humanities Library. This was the first research guide that I was the author of, which is very exciting. I was able to create the research guide from a large compilation of references works and databases focused on the topic. During the creation process, I learned how to link various searches to the Gumberg Library catalogue. These links will help people easily navigate the large number of resources Gumberg has to offer. The subject of medieval philosophy is very specific search criteria, in comparison to the general “History” research guide I had previously been working on. Despite the specificity, I was able to peruse the endless supply of resources Gumberg Library has for students and outside learners.
When publishing the guide, Mr. Ted Bergfelt demonstrated the mobile phone capabilities of his research guides that I was previously unaware of. Mr. Bergfelt designs the research guides with smart phone users in mind. He designs these research guides to ensure they are compatible with smart phones and maintain their aesthetic appeal. The smart phone compatibility makes the research process even more accessible for busy students. Users can access the guide on their smart phone without losing any of the features that can be accessed on a computer. Accessibility is extremely important because it widens the audience of learners able to utilize the research guide. Duquesne students and other learners looking to use the “Medieval Philosophy” research guide can do so on their laptops or phones, making it very convenient. I am happy to be working on the creation of learning and research resources that can be accessed by a wide audience.
Building Bridges 