BOOKENDS May 2025, Volume 8, Issue 3

Over the past three years, eBooks have quietly taken center stage at Khalifa University Library. What started as a steady shift toward digital access has now become a key part of how our community reads, learns, and researches.

More Titles, More Flexibility
Since 2022, our eBook collection has grown by more than 30%. We now have over 600,000 titles spanning subjects from engineering and medicine to business and the humanities. All these are just a click away, wherever you are, be it on campus, at home, or halfway across the world.
We’ve worked closely with faculty to include eBooks on course reading lists, and we’ve prioritized digital platforms that make reading easier, like ProQuest Ebook Central, EBSCO, and SpringerLink. The result? A collection that’s more accessible, more relevant, and more responsive to your needs.

Why eBooks Matter Now More Than Ever
Students tell us they appreciate the flexibility of digital books: no wait times, no need to physical borrow or return books, and the ability to highlight, search, and take notes directly in the text. Faculty have also embraced eBooks for their ease of integration into course materials and their wide availability across subjects.

A Smarter, Greener Approach
Our focus on eBooks isn’t just about convenience, it’s also part of KU’s wider sustainability goals. Fewer print books mean reductions in paper usage, shipping, and storage, all while making more titles available to more people.

What’s Next?
We’re not stopping here. The library plans to continue expanding its English eBook offerings, explore more interactive formats, and offer quick sessions to help you make the most of the eBook platforms. As academic life continues to evolve, we’re evolving with it, bringing you resources that fit your pace.

The story of eBooks at KU is really the story of you, our students, faculty, and researchers pushing for smarter, more flexible ways to learn. We’re proud to be part of that journey.

Dr. Glenda El Gamal, Senior Lecturer in the General Education Unit at Khalifa University and Secretary General of AILA (International Association of Applied Linguistics), which spans 34 countries and represents over 8,000 members, has developed a timely and impactful course titled 'Critical Thinking for the AI Revolution: Skills for Scientists and Engineers.' Drawing on her expertise in applied linguistics and critical thinking, the course addresses a growing need for scientists and engineers to bridge the gap between AI literacy and critical thinking in science and engineering education. This innovative course, funded by a CTL mini-grant, integrates critical thinking with AI literacy to address a crucial skills gap in engineering and science education.
As AI continues to transform the scientific landscape, professionals in these fields need not only technical proficiency but also the ability to critically assess AI-generated data and outcomes. The course provides a comprehensive framework that blends AI applications with classic critical thinking principles, helping students refine their reasoning, detect logical fallacies, and assess the ethical implications of AI use.

“Our students are entering fields where AI is increasingly pervasive,” Dr. El Gamal explains. “While AI can process enormous datasets, human judgment is essential for interpreting these findings responsibly and ethically. This course equips students with the skills to navigate AI-driven environments while maintaining strong critical reasoning.”

The course also connects to Dr. El Gamal’s recent video podcast on Khalifa University’s 'The Pulse,' which gained over 150,000 views in just four weeks. Hosted by Khalifa University, the podcast underscores the importance of clear, impactful communication in STEM and how AI is reshaping scientific discourse.

Graduate students interested in enrolling in the 'Critical Thinking for the AI Revolution' course, a six-week, non-credit evening program starting in September (Fall 2025), can contact Dr. Glenda El Gamal at glenda.elgamal@ku.ac.ae.

There is also another valuable course aimed at supporting graduate students called 'Research Writing and Publication Skills,' which will also commence in September (Fall 2025). For more information about either course, please reach out to Dr. El Gamal at the General Education Unit, Khalifa University.

You can also explore AI and communication in STEM by accessing Dr. El Gamal’s recent podcast episode:

- YouTube: Khalifa University YouTube Channel
- LinkedIn: Is Poor Communication Holding STEM Back?

Smart, Simple Ways to Manage Your Sources
Research can be exciting, but it can also get overwhelming quickly. Between tracking sources, formatting citations, and trying to stay focused, it’s easy to lose time (and patience). Fortunately, your library offers powerful tools to help you stay organized, save time, and reduce stress.
Here’s how to manage your research more effectively with a few helpful tools and tips.

Start with a Citation Manager
Citation managers help you store and organize all your references in one place. There are many options available; some of the most commonly used are:
•    RefWorks: Easy to use and cloud-based. It lets you organize references into folders. Easily integrates into Word and Google Docs to insert citations and build your bibliography. This is the only manager that KU has a subscription to, and it has the most on-campus support, including regular workshops.
•    EndNote: Great for advanced research and publication-focused work. It helps manage large numbers of references and allows for more detailed organization.
•    Zotero: A favorite for many students. It captures citations from your browser, saves PDFs, and lets you tag and annotate your sources.
Tip: Choose one tool and stick with it; consistency makes things smoother in the long run.

Use Database Features
Library databases like EBSCO, ProQuest, and IEEE Xplore do more than just find articles. They contain useful features that can help you organize your research, such as:
•    Saving searches and articles in your personal account
•    Setting alerts for new research on your topic
•    Exporting citations to your citation manager
•    Creating folders for specific assignments or topics
These features make it easy to revisit useful articles later, without starting your search from scratch.

Take Notes and Annotate
Don’t just collect articles, engage with them. Tools like Zotero and EndNote let you highlight, annotate, and add notes to your saved PDFs. This helps when you’re writing later and need to recall why a source mattered.
Tip: Tag notes with keywords like #theory or #statistics to find ideas easily later.

Ask Your Librarians
Not sure where to begin? The library team is here to help! Whether you need help picking a tool or finding resources, librarians offer guidance through tutorials, research consultations, and online guides.
Don’t procrastinate! Get help early, stay ahead, and avoid deadline stresses.

Sync and Back Up
Most tools offer cloud syncing so you can access your work across devices and keep your research safe from data loss. Make sure it’s turned on!

Final Thoughts
Organizing your research doesn’t have to be stressful. With tools like RefWorks, Zotero, and EndNote and support from your library. You can stay focused, save time, and do your best work.

Need help getting started? Visit the library or email us at libse@ku.ac.ae. We’re here for you.

The Secret Life of Bees is a touching and powerful story about a young girl named Lily Owens. She is 14 years old and lives in South Carolina during the 1960s. Lily has a very hard life. Her mother died when she was little, and she lives with her angry and unkind father. The only person who cares for her is Rosaleen, their housekeeper, who is like a mother to her.

One day, after Rosaleen gets in trouble for standing up to some prejudiced men, Lily decides to run away with her. They go to a small town called Tiburon. There, they meet three kind sisters, August, June, and May, who live in a pink house and keep bees. These women welcome Lily and Rosaleen into their home and change their lives.

While staying with them, Lily learns many new things. She helps with the bees; learns about love, loss, and forgiveness; and slowly begins to understand the mystery and truth about her mother. Most of all, she finds people who truly care for her. The story is about healing, growing up, and finding where you belong.

The book talks about important topics like prejudice, family, and finding one’s true self. But it does so in a gentle and hopeful way. The characters feel real, and the writing is simple and easy to follow. I especially liked the character of August, who is wise, calm, and loving.

I really enjoyed reading The Secret Life of Bees. It made me feel sad at times, but also warm and hopeful. The story shows that even when life is painful, love and kindness can help us heal.

I recommend this book because it is honest, emotional, and full of heart. It teaches us about support and the people who stand by us.

Interested to read it? Get a copy from your library.

Have you ever found yourself spending hours trying to locate the right research article, only to end up with dozens of open tabs and still no clear answer? You’re not alone. That’s where Zendy comes in.

Zendy is an AI-powered research platform that has recently become available through Khalifa University Library. Think of it as your personal research assistant that works around the clock to help you discover, summarize, and access academic content across countless fields.

What makes Zendy special?
First, Zendy is incredibly easy to use. Instead of scrolling endlessly or trying to come up with the perfect search term, you can just type a question or a topic in plain English. Zendy’s AI will understand what you’re looking for and return results that actually make sense. It can even summarize long articles so you can quickly decide if they’re relevant to your research. No more need to skim 20 pages of text just to realize that what you need isn’t included.
Zendy gives you access to a rich mix of open-access materials and premium content from top publishers. Whether you’re diving into a new area of research, preparing a paper, or just curious about a topic, Zendy’s got your back.

What else can it do?

• It learns what kind of content you’re interested in and recommends more of it.
• It covers all major subjects—engineering, medicine, business, social sciences, and more.
• It’s mobile-friendly, so you can browse articles on your phone while waiting for your coffee or riding the bus.
• It gives you a clean, ad-free experience with easy filters to narrow your search results.

But perhaps the best thing about Zendy is that it makes research feel less overwhelming. It’s smart enough to help guide your process but simple enough that you don’t need a tutorial to get started. If you’ve ever wished for an easier, faster way to find trusted academic sources, Zendy might be just what you need.

Why should you try it?
For students, Zendy can help save time and effort when working on assignments, reports, or capstones. For faculty and researchers, it’s a great tool to stay updated, explore new topics, or quickly collect relevant literature. For everyone, it’s a great way to keep learning without the frustration of hitting paywalls or digging through outdated resources.

Ready to give it a go?
You can access Zendy right from our Library’s e-resources page. It’s available to all KU students, faculty, and staff. Just sign up on the site with your KU email address and you will have full access. We encourage you to explore it, play around with its features, and let us know what you think.

Happy researching smarter and simpler with Zendy!