Update on Peer-to-Peer File Sharing

This morning, the University’s CIO Jerry DeSanto sent out a reminder to all University community members about peer-to-peer file sharing.  We’ve posted about this before (see “What Students Should Know about Peer-to-Peer File Sharing”), but it’s such an important issue that it bears repeating. There were also some new regulations that took effect over the summer that students and faculty should be aware of.

Don’t forget: if you have questions about copyright, you can always ask a librarian!

Here’s the text of VP DeSanto’s email:

Members of the University Community:

Greetings from the Planning and Information Resources Division —  We have been hard at work during the summer months making improvements to the classrooms and computer labs, data center, enterprise applications and related services used to conduct the work of our campus community. Our technology infrastructure allows us to share resources and collaborate with each other and colleagues around the world in numerous, productive ways. I want to remind you that, while using the University’s technology resources, we have all agreed to abide by the Code of Responsible Computing and Student Computing Policy.

On July 1, 2010, final regulations from the federal government specific to the use of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing applications within colleges and universities took effect. Peer-to-peer file sharing is widely used to exchange files, most commonly music and video; however, the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material may subject the individuals involved to civil and criminal penalties.  In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed.  Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense. Colleges and universities can be required to identify offenders within their network(s); The University of Scranton will comply with any court orders it may receive.

The University limits the amount of bandwidth allotted to peer-to-peer applications in order to ensure the availability and integrity of our network and services. In addition, we prohibit the use of those aggressive peer-to-peer applications that utilize excessive network resources or are known to carry mostly illegal content. As stated in the University’s Copyright Compliance and Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Policy , individuals who are in violation of policy will be subject to disciplinary action, which may range from written warnings, fines, counseling, and/or suspension of network access. If you have any questions about this please contact the Technology Support Center at 941-HELP (x4357).

Best wishes for a very rewarding academic year.
Sincerely,
Jerome P. DeSanto
Vice President for Planning and CIO

Does the Weinberg Library have my textbook?

Does the Weinberg Library have my textbook?

No, The Weinberg Library does not purchase textbooks.  Textbooks are  updated much more frequently than  the traditional library book, thus making them difficult to keep up-to-date.  On the slim chance that we may have acquired the textbook for your class, it would be listed in the Online Catalog.  To check, simply access the “Our Catalog” link from the Library’s homepage and type in the exact title of the textbook (editor or author is helpful, since most textbooks have generic names such as Fundamentals of Psychology, Microeconomics, etc.)  Supplemental reading, such as a short story or essay may be found in collections of typical library books.  Use the procedure  listed above to see if the book is here.

Length of loan can also be problematic, since books circulate for one month, and you need your textbook for an entire semester.

You may also try E-Z Borrow (PALCI), a direct borrowing service found as a link from the Library’s Homepage.  Your Royal Number is your login for this service.  Check the holdings information on this search, since many libraries may have the book, but it could be already checked out.

Technology on Your Own Terms Fall 2010

Each semester, the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence (CTLE) offer a faculty and staff advancement series called Technology on Your Own Terms. The series introduces University faculty and staff to emerging technologies in a hands-on environment, in order to encourage innovation in the workplace and in the classroom. We’re continuing the series in Fall 2010 with a theme of “Get to Know Google,” featuring workshops on four different Google services. All workshops take place in Rm. 306 of the Library.

Just Google It!
Tuesday, September 14 from 12pm – 1pm

One billion results in 0.27 seconds! When you need information, chances are you use Google™ to find it.  In this workshop, you will learn how Google’s Web search engine works.  You will also learn some tips to help you improve your search experience as well as some of Google’s special features, such as Google Books and Google Scholar. (Taught by Bonnie Oldham, Weinberg Memorial Library)

Google Docs: An Excellent Way to Create, Collaborate on, and Securely Store Documents
Friday, October 1 from 12pm – 1pm

This workshop will introduce you to Google Docs, a service that allows you to create documents that parallel Microsoft Office:  Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. It also allows for the creation of online surveys and the storage of any type of document in a very secure environment. Google Docs offers excellent collaborative opportunities for working on any supported document type with both peers and students, meaning that the tool can be used for course paper submissions, faculty feedback, collaborative student projects, club, or research purposes. (Taught by Dr. Tim Cannon, Psychology/Neuroscience)

Get Where You’re Going with Google Maps
Tuesday, October 12 from 12pm – 1pm

Many people know that you can use Google Maps to get driving directions from one place to another. But did you know that you can also use Maps to scope out a vacation destination, find the closest Italian restaurant, or make a custom map for a friend or a project?  In this workshop, you’ll explore specialized features and tools available in Google Maps to help you get where you want to go.  (Taught by Kristen Yarmey, Weinberg Memorial Library)

Does Google Give You A Voice?
Thursday, November 4 from 12pm – 1pm

In this workshop, we will explore Google Voice, a recently-made-public service of the search giant.  Google Voice offers one central phone number, which can be setup to call your other phones based on caller, time of day, etc.  Other features of the service include visual voicemail, personalized greetings, voicemail transcription, international calling, and a lot more.  It is easy to set up… Learn how! (Taught by Eugeniu Grigorescu, CTLE)

All faculty and staff members are welcome, but seats are limited, so please register for sessions you plan to attend at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration (select Special Event).

The Scholarly Side of Mad Men

If you’re a fan of the AMC television series Mad Men, you’re probably anxiously awaiting the season premiere, coming up this Sunday.  Mad Men isn’t just a television show, though – it’s also a great excuse to do a little independent historical research and gain a deeper, more scholarly understanding of America in the 1960s.

One of the reasons the show is so compelling is that the writers and producers pay very close attention to historical detail, and they often incorporate references to real-life events into the fictional characters’ lives. For example, you might remember the Drapers’ maid Carla listening to a radio broadcast of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s eulogy for four young girls killed in the 1963 Birmingham bombing, or Pete Campbell’s father dying in the American Airlines Flight 1 crash of 1962.  So over the next few days, why not indulge your Mad Men madness by immersing yourself in the 1960s?  The Weinberg Memorial Library can help!

  • If you want more information about a historical reference made on the show, you might want to use our e-book version of The Historical Dictionary of the 1960s (edited by James S. Olson) to fill in the holes.  And you can also use our Credo Reference tool to search for encyclopedia or dictionary entries about any historical event.
  • To get a feel for 1960s print advertising, try browsing through the Historical New York Times – the Library’s subscription means that University community members can access this database for free.  You can also find digitized 1960s issues of Life Magazine online, courtesy of Google Books.
  • For insight into Betty Draper’s life as a desperate housewife, you’ll definitely want to read Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique.  If you’re more interested in the working girl characters of Peggy Olson or Joan Holloway, request Helen Gurley Brown’s Sex and the Single Girl via PALCI E-Z Borrow for a glimpse at 1960s-style dating.
  • Richard Yates’ novel Revolutionary Road is a famous portrayal of marriage in the 1950s, which might help you understand why the characters struggle to deal with the changing expectations of the 1960s.
  • Season 4 will take place starting in November of 1964 – the month that Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater in the presidential election.  The Weinberg Memorial Library has several books about Johnson’s presidency that you can browse – and you might find Theodore White’s The Making of the President, 1964 worth a read.
  • The Library also has copies of several books that Mad Men characters have mentioned (or have been seen reading) over the past three seasons – like Frank O’Hara’s Meditations in an Emergency, Leon Uris’s Exodus, David Ogilvy’s Confessions of an Advertising Man, Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, and Mary McCarthy’s The Group.
  • If you need to catch up on Seasons 1, 2, or 3, you can borrow the DVDs from our colleagues over at the Albright Memorial Library.

If you’re looking to do more in-depth research on the 1960s, you’ll definitely want to visit our collection of history-related scholarly databases.  And don’t forget, if you need help, you can always ask a librarian.  Happy viewing!

National Poetry Month

Shakespeare Panel April is National Poetry Month, and, as Fr. Pilarz has pointed out, today, April 29, is designated as the official occasion to celebrate. One way that you could celebrate is by visiting the Heritage Room on the 5th floor of the Weinberg Memorial Library. Enjoy the beautiful paintings by Trevor Southey, but also notice the poetry written on the wall beneath these images. Each quote is from a diffrerent poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, a 19th century Jesuit poet. You can search The Columbia Granger’s Wold of Poetry to find out which poem each quote comes from. There is a Quick Search on the left-hand side of the page. Type “Gerard Manley Hopkins” in the search box under Poet and click on the Go button. Click on Hopkins, Gerard Manley (1844–89) for a list of his poems (my favorite is Pied Beauty) or click on [bio] to access some biographical information.

Web Surfing Made Simple

While surfing the Web I came across a website which makes focusing on your work all that much more difficult.

StumbleUpon is a website which leads you to other websites.

The webpages you stumble upon could range from Government Fact Sheets, National Geographic Images, YouTube Videos, Flash Games, News Articles, Blog posts, just about anything you can imagine.

My first result was a great set of images which help to scale galactic objects in comparison to one another… http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/9LspdV/www.rense.com/general72/size.htm

After that I stumbled on a game where you try to tranquilize sheep running from your herd. http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1F2W83/www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/reaction_version5.swf

Then an extremely interesting video from YouTube. http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1mWEMo/www.youtube.com/watch%253Fv%253DlUMf7FWGdCw

Lastly, a photo of Earth at Night from NASA. http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2hI6DU/antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0011/earthlights_dmsp_big.jpg

You do not need to sign-up in order to use this site, but for people who do a lot of surfing I would suggest making a free account. Account members can chose what kinds of websites they most frequently enjoy. As you are lead to a new site you can decide if you Like or Dislike the site. The more you rate websites the more likely you are to be lead to sites that you’ll enjoy.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/

Happy stumbling!

Wonderful Gmail Labs, pt. 1: Nested Labels

Here is Part 1 of a series of posts I plan to do, in which I share about the latest and (in my opinion) greatest features available in Gmail through Gmail Labs.

(Image borrowed from the Gmail blog post about Nested Labels, linked in the body of this post)

To all the Gmail users on campus…

Ever wish you could organize your thousands of archived emails into folders, like most other email clients allow? Well, now you can. Or, at least, you can do the equivalent, with a new Gmail Lab called Nested Labels.

Nested Labels allows you to create custom labels and sub-labels (which can even be color-coded), where the parent label, as viewed by default to the left of your inbox, can be expanded and collapsed to reveal (or hide) the sub-labels within that parent label.

I find this incredibly useful, since it allows me to categorize my huge archive, thus making older emails easier to find. It takes a little bit of time to set up, since you’ll need to go back and categorize all of your old emails from the past, assigning custom labels to the emails you want easy access to. But, if this is something you’ve wished Gmail had (or if you’ve been using the folders4gmail browser extension as a work-around, like I was), check out the Gmail blog post, linked above, for instructions on how to get started with Nested Labels.

Free Rice

What’s more fun than playing a game?

Free Rice

Playing a game that matters…

http://www.freerice.com/ is a multiple choice website which quizzes your general knowledge.

People spend hours wasting their time on games similar to this one, but the difference here is…

When you answer correctly on FreeRice.com a Sponsor pays for a donation of Rice to the UN World Food Programme.

The more you play, the more you get correct, the more rice gets donated.

According to FreeRice’s FAQ section, FreeRice has:

Fed 27,000 Myanmar refugees in Bangladesh.
Provided take-home rations of four kilograms of rice for two months to 13,500 pregnant and nursing women in Cambodia.
Fed 66,000 school children in Uganda for a week.
Fed over 108,000 Bhutanese refugees for three days in Nepal.
Fed 41,000 children for 8 days in Bhutan.
Fed 750,000 cyclone affected people for 3 days in Myanmar.

The website defaults to English Vocabulary words, but you can click on Subjects at the top of the page to change it to something more to your liking, such as: Famous Paintings, Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics, German, French, Italian, and Spanish.

If you are going to burn time on the internet doing something similar, why not do it here? I guarantee if you spend an hour at this website you’ll feel a lot better than you would if you spent an hour at another website.

www.freerice.com