Instant Message
Email
Phone
In Person
Energy Information
This guide lists sources of information to assist students who are researching prospective employers. All of the sources listed can be found in the University at Buffalo's Arts & Sciences Libraries or on the World Wide Web.
Introduction
UB's Energy for the FutureUB Green, the university's environmental stewardship office, released a report detailing how UB's operations impact global warming and how the university might harness resources to reduce that impact. The result of two years of intensive data collection and analysis by UB Green, UB's environmental stewardship office, the 160-page "UB Green Climate Action Report" (26MB PDF) is chock-full of statistics about how UB's operations impact global warming, how that impact has changed during the past decade and how the university might harness resources on campus to dramatically reduce that impact.
The University Libraries are pleased to be a part of a new, exciting, and ground-breaking endeavor on our campus: the installation of UB's first renewable energy system, a 73.5 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) array on the roof on UB's Norton Hall. The location of this solar energy array is adjacent to the Capen Libraries, where there is a perfect "picture window" view of the array. On the Third Floor of the Capen Libraries there are two educational exhibits related to this project. The first part of the exhibit is the "Turbine Wall," a series of posters on the environmental impacts of conventional fossil fuel energy sources followed by posters describing clean renewable alternatives. The second display area is the "Solar Lounge," an area adjacent to east facing windows which look out over UB's new 73.5 kilowatt photovoltaic array on the roof of Norton Hall and displays posters on PV technology and UB's energy conservation and green power energy programs. It also contains an energy video viewing area, a kiosk with real time and cumulative energy performance data on the PV array, and a computer featuring this website.
Library SupportThe major component of the UB Libraries commitment to this project is featured here-a Resources by Subject compilation of information found in the UB Libraries. These library resources are used to identify books, technical reports, journal and magazine articles, statistics, and other data related to the topics of Energy from its exploration, to research and development, delivery, use, and impacts to the environment. Resources are in the UB Libraries book, documents, multimedia, and journal collections. Information includes the full scope of topics highlighted in the "Energy for the Future" Web portal: global warming and climate change, energy conservation and efficiency, photovoltaics, solar homes and passive solar design, solar hot water, wind energy, biomass and biofuels, hydroelectricity, geothermal energy, and hydrogen.
Public Access to UB Libraries
Members of the public are welcome at any of the University Libraries during hours of operation to read, study, use research materials on-site, and access computers, subject to the individual policies of each library.
All members of the public are eligible to use library research computers in order to access the Internet, subscription databases, and electronic journals. Present a photo ID at any circulation desk to obtain a Library Research Station Access Card. Eligible borrowers may also use their Courtesy Borrower / Library Research Station Access Card to log into library research computers.
Cards provide access to "UB-only" electronic resources inside the libraries. Off-campus access is UNAVAILABLE to alumni and guest users. Due to licensing restrictions, word processing and productivity software are NOT available on library research computers.
Guest users of the Libraries may print from the library research stations at the cost of 10 cents per page. Printing requires the use of a Print/Copy Debit Card. The document iprint@ub has full instructions. In order to borrow library books and other materials with a Courtesy Borrower / Library Research Station Access Card, you must meet one of the following criteria:
- UB Alumni Association member (One-time or annual fee)
- Open Access Program member (Valid student/faculty/staff ID from any SUNY school)
- InfoPass Program member (Application obtained at participating WNY public or academic library for reciprocal borrowing privileges)
- Friends of the University Libraries member (Annual fee)
- Corporate Borrower Program member (Designated employee of eligible business firm)
BISON: UB Libraries Catalog
BISON ( B uffalo I nformation S ystem ON line) is the catalog of holdings of University at Buffalo Libraries. Use BISON to identify and locate books, journals (titles only, not individual articles), government documents, music scores, maps, manuscripts, audiovisual materials, microforms and electronic resources in the UB Libraries and on the Internet. BISON is available 24 hours a day. BISON works best with the current version of Internet Explorer on a PC platform. Using other browsers and operating systems may result in some loss of functions. For a detailed guide to effective and efficient use of BISON go to the Searching Tips site.
Bibliographic Databases
The University at Buffalo Libraries subscribes to, or provides access to more than 200 bibliographic, reference, and other databases. The following lists are bibliographic utilities providing access to the literature related to energy: journals, trade and general interest magazines, newsletters, patents, technical reports, government documents, and conference proceedings.
Scientific & Technical
For academic institutions--updated monthly. Multidisciplinary coverage of a broad range of scholarly areas, including the arts, humanities, social, and general sciences; literature, language, and linguistics; education and ethnic studies; computer sciences, engineering, physics, biology, chemistry, medical sciences, and more. Topics related broadly to energy are included in this convenient first-stop on the road to finding information in the periodical literature. Provides full text for approximately 4,650 serials, including more than 3,600 peer-reviewed publications. Full-page images and color embedded images included .
AGRICOLA
AGRICOLA (Agricultural Online Access) is the U.S. National Agricultural Library's bibliographic database to identify journal articles, government documents, technical reports, books, patents, and audiovisual resources from agricultural sources, including botany, ecology, environmental science, freshwater and marine sciences, and forestry from 1970 to the present. With the agricultural sector representing a major energy consumer, and whose products are implicated with potential ecological impacts form energy exploration and use, this is a good resource.
Outstanding and comprehensive index to national and international architectural journals, both professional and popular. Covers architecture, urban planning and design, historic preservation, art, and related topics. Lists reviews for books, exhibitions, audiovisuals, websites, and citations for obituaries. Comprehensive coverage 1930 to the present; selective coverage from mid-19th Century. Updated weekly.
Provides reference plus abstract as well as selected full text of journal articles, conference papers, books, patents, and technical reports in all areas of biological research including environmental science and ecology related to energy. Coverage is for the years 1990-present. To determine if the article you want is available online, click on External Link Resolver.
References plus abstracts (as well as selected full text) to journal articles and conference papers in all areas of engineering including environmental engineering and environmental technologies. Various technical and environmental aspects of energy research are included in this database Available online for the years 1980-present. To determine if the article you want is available online, click on External Link Resolver.
This public website provides access to the full-text and bibliographic records of DOE research and development reports in the sciences, including multidisciplinary coverage of environmental and energy sciences.
Publicly accessible database providing references plus abstracts to reports related to energy and energy-related research sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the years 1948-present. Coverage spans the fields of chemistry, physics, materials, environmental science, geology, engineering, mathematics, climatology, oceanography, computer science, and other energy-related disciplines.
GEOBASE is a multi-disciplinary database that focuses on social geography, physical geography, ecology, biology, oceanography, and earth science, including those sciences related to energy. The database provides current coverage of over 1,800 journals and archive coverage of several thousand additional titles.
Citations plus abstracts to journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports, and theses in the geosciences, covering all aspects of geology and geography including geotechnical engineering, all having applications in the areas related to energy exploration, delivery, and use. Available online going back as far as 1785 for some sources.
Hundreds of applied & materials science and engineering reference books including those related to energy and engineering aspects of energy. Tables can be searched permitting rapid retrieval of specific data values for substances.
Provides citations and abstracts for technical reports describing government-sponsored research from 1964-present.
Indexes and abstracts doctoral and selected masters theses in all disciplines from 1861-present. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses offers free downloading of University at Buffalo dissertations published after January 1997, as well as the full-text of many non-UB digital dissertations published since 1997. To download dissertations, click on "Free Download" and follow the instructions.
Provides access to citations plus abstracts (and selected full text) for journal articles, conference papers, patents, dissertations, books, and technical reports in chemistry and chemical technology for the years 1907-present. Extensive coverage of topics related to energy research and development, and the ecological consequences of energy exploration and use. Located at dedicated terminal in HSL, LML, and SEL/UGL. You must download software that will allow you to search this database from your desktop.Business & Management
Web of Science contains the Arts & Humanities Citation Index , the Social Sciences Citation Index, and the Science Citation Index from 1973 to the present and allows for users to search for papers citing previously published works. In addition to outstanding coverage of the scientific and technical aspects of energy from a multidisciplinary perspective, the Web of Science addresses various socioeconomic, policies, legal, and ethical aspects related to energy. To determine if the article you want is available online, click on the S-F-X icon.
The growth and development of energy industries is significant and rapidly evolving. This resource provides access to business-related periodicals, and is particularly useful for locating articles from academic journals in all areas of management, including general business magazines, professional journals, and selected trade journals.Government & Policy
Factiva is a powerful database system which provides current and retrospective news stories, periodical articles, trade news, and financial data from thousands of sources worldwide, including extensive coverage of various disciplines in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
Indexes U.S. government publications in all formats issued since 1976. GPO intends to add earlier documents in the future. The GPO Monthly Catalog, published by OCLC (called GPO Access), is a commercial edition of the same. Includes Congressional hearings and related documents as well as agency and department documents and reports. Technical reports on energy research and development are available from NTIS.
The public gateway to federal government publications and websites. Find the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications in the A-Z Resource List. This includes access to all energy-related publications from all branches of the Federal government, including Congressional hearings, policy documents, consumer resources, etc.
Covers all areas of the social sciences, especially public and social policy. In addition to journal articles and books, also indexes government documents, statistical directories, gray literature, research reports, conference reports, publications of international agencies, microfiche, Internet material worldwide, and more. An excellent resource produced by the Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS).Education
Intended for researchers, students, government officials, regional leaders, community activists, and the general public, provides socioeconomic and political information, including maps, data, and other information on Western New York area and southern Ontario. Covers such topics as demographics, government, economy, planning and land use, public health, and public safety.
The largest education database in the world. Selective indexing with abstracts for over 800 periodicals plus ERIC documents. Includes coverage of energy, environmental, outdoor, nature, and conservation education.
This Department of Energy publication is the most comprehensive compilation of energy education resources. Most items are free or very low cost.
On this Department of Energy site you'll find links to educational and training resources on energy, particularly energy efficiency and renewable energy, including K-12 Energy Lesson Plans & Activities links to more than 350 lesson plans and activities on energy efficiency and renewable energy for grades K-12, Kids Saving Energy, Energy Games and Facts for Kids, A Consumer's Guide options for saving energy and using renewable energy at home, at work, in your community, and while driving, all from the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy site.
The National Energy Education Development Project promotes an energy conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, business, govenrment and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multi-sided energy education programs, and includes good program implementation resources for teachers.
This is New York's primary supporter of basic and applied energy research, which has a number of resources on energy education, including:
Is Your School Energized - provides teachers and students with opportunities to learn about energy and its impact on the environment and economy. It offers curricula and hands-on applications-based instructional support for classroom lessons in energy and energy efficiency; Energy Workshops for Educators - promotes understanding and action among students; curriculum includes: an Energy Education Teacher's Guide; an information-packed CD that includes the Conceptual Framework for Energy Education, basic information on energy and an Energy Glossary; color posters; and class sets of the Energy Action Challenge to use with students; Resources/Curriculum; and Energy 101, resources specifically designed for students.
Resources from National Wind Coordinating Collaborative.
Selected Web Resources
Designed to help building-industry professionals design and build construction projects from a whole-systems perspective and take an integrated design approach that minimizes ecological impact and maximizes economic performance.
CDIAC's data holdings include records of the concentrations of carbon dioxide and other radiatively active gases in the atmosphere; the role of the terrestrial biosphere and the oceans in the biogeochemical cycles of greenhouse gases; emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere; long-term climate trends; the effects of elevated carbon dioxide on vegetation; and the vulnerability of coastal areas to rising sea level. Resources are provided free, and many are directly available via the Internet.
The American Library Association takes a look at the concepts, resources, and potentials for librarian roles in decision making related to sustainability from a community perspective.
Provides a link to the National Library for the Environment and its collection of full-text, online Congressional Research Service reports on the environment, summaries of its national conferences, plenary speeches, and other documentation from NCSE programs.
Publicly accessible database providing full text access to over 10,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publications. Dates of coverage vary.
Provides links to a wide variety of federal government sites on energy, alternatives sources of energy, and energy conservation
Selected Reference Resources
Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change
SEL/UGL Ref This print resource provides detailed treatment of topics related to human impacts on the environment, such as acid rain, climate change, ozone depletion and much more.
SEL/UGL Reference TJ163.2 E394 2004. This 6-volume, print compendium is a major, comprehensive work covering all aspects of energy research, development, and applications. A glossary of terms, a 67-page chronology of energy-related events and developments, a brief annotated bibliography, and an inventory of energy-related tables (conversions, measures, parametrics, etc.) are included
SEL/UGL Ref GF10 .E63 2004
SEL/UGL Reference TJ163.3 W85 1999 . This handbook is a treatise on finding, evaluating, and installing efficiency improvements for retrofitting, renovating, and reconstruction, as well as for new construction projects for small to mid-size installations. Many engineers, architects, remodelers and builders consider this an essential information resource for understanding and implementing appropriate energy efficiency technologies in buildings.
A comprehensive treatment of environmental issues with an emphasis on the social, historical, and cultural aspects of environmental studies.
SEL/UGL Reference TJ163.28 M33 2001. This is a 3-volume reference work of energy-related articles from acid rain to Z-pinch. A brief chronology is appended.
Detailed articles covering all areas related to chemical technology, including that related to energy production and processing.
Related Resources by Subject
These are compilations of subject specific websites produced by UB's librarian subject specialists. Each of the following deals with some aspect of energy. They can be used as launching sites for additional information and Web-based data and information resources:
- Architecture
http://libweb1.lib.buffalo.edu/infotree/resourcesbysubject.asp?subject=Architecture- Ecology & Environment
http://libweb1.lib.buffalo.edu/infotree/resourcesbysubject.asp?subject=Ecology+%26+Environment- Energy
http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/busdoc/energy.html- Engineering: Environmental
http://libweb1.lib.buffalo.edu/infotree/resourcesbysubject.asp?subject=Environmental+Engineering- Government Information
http://libweb1.lib.buffalo.edu/infotree/resourcesbysubject.asp?subject=Government+Information- Planning
http://libweb1.lib.buffalo.edu/infotree/resourcesbysubject.asp?subject=Planning
