Technology on Your Own Terms

TOYOT_logo4a small

On behalf of the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, we invite University of Scranton faculty and staff to our Spring 2013 Technology On Your Own Terms (TOYOT) workshops. Here’s what we’ve got planned for this semester:

Web Personalization: Powerful Information Tool or Filter Bubble?

Donna Witek (Public Services Librarian)
Thursday, April 18, 2013 – 12:00-1:00PM in WML 305

Like. Share. +1. Subscribe. Unsubscribe. These are just some of the actions we perform on the Web as we interact with information. Generally speaking, we do these things to make sense of the vast amount of information available to us. What is less widely known is that the information we see on the Web is shaped by more than just these deliberate actions we take. For instance, your search engine may know in what country you are located, and it may use this information to deliver search results it deems relevant to your interests based on this information. This process is called Web personalization. In this presentation, attendees will receive a basic overview of Web personalization, how it is different from customization, and the role it plays in determining what information we encounter on the Web. Common examples of how we participate in Web personalization (knowingly and unknowingly) will be demonstrated, and critiques of this technology will be presented. A light lunch will be provided.

Sessions are open to all University faculty and staff, but seats are limited, so please let us know you are coming. You can register at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration – under Technology on Your OwnTerms.

Get in the Game!

Xbox KinectAnyone can play! Especially with Xbox Kinect, the new gaming system that doesn’t require a controller. Your physical gestures are the remote control so if you are playing volleyball, you would reach up and hit the ball!  Join us on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 any time between 11:30 am and 2:00 pm to try it out. Event will be held in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library. We will also have Wii and Playstation with various games. Feel free to ask questions about the different consoles, and experience the games firsthand. Stop up, learn some new tools, and play some games!

Pizza, soda, and snacks will be provided just like at the Game Nights we hold every semester for students.

Any University faculty or staff member can drop-in, but please let us know you are coming so that we order enough pizza. You can register at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration – under Technology on Your Own Terms.

Get in the Game! (a Technology On Your Own Terms workshop)

Join us on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 for a drop-in game day style TOYOT! Event will be held in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library. We will have Wii, Playstation, and Xbox with various games like Rock Band 3, Just Dance 4, and Mario Kart. Feel free to stop by at any time from 11:30AM-2:00PM to test out our new gaming systems, ask questions on the various consoles, and experience the games firsthand. We will also feature the Kinect which is a motion sensor gaming system that uses physical gestures as the remote control. Gesture based computing is huge in the gaming industry and growing with televisions and home entertainment, but may also have implications in education for students to engage in virtual exercises.

Pizza, soda, and snacks will be provided just like at the Game Nights we hold every semester for students. Stop up, learn some new tools, and play some games!

Sessions are open to all University faculty and staff, but seats are limited, so please let us know you are coming. You can register at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration – under Technology on Your Own Terms.

Technology on Your Own Terms

TOYOT_logo4a small

On behalf of the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, we invite University of Scranton faculty and staff to the first of our Spring 2013 Technology On Your Own Terms (TOYOT) workshops.

 

 

Password Security

Adam Edwards (Director of Information Security)
February 20, 2013 – 12:00-1:00PM in WML 305

This session will teach you some techniques for creating memorable passwords, give you some tools that can be used to improve password security, and tell you some ways that you can keep your password safe.  This session will give you some tips on how to recognize if you are being targeted as a social engineering victim. This is when someone attempts to get your password by tricking you into thinking that he is someone else.
A light lunch will be provided.

Sessions are open to all University faculty and staff, but seats are limited, so please let us know you are coming. You can register at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration – under Technology on Your OwnTerms.

Technology on Your Own Terms – Spring 2013 Workshops

 

TOYOT_logo4a small

On behalf of the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, we invite University of Scranton faculty and staff to our Spring 2013 Technology On Your Own Terms (TOYOT) workshops. Here’s what we’ve got planned for this semester:

Password Security

Adam Edwards (Director of Information Security)
February 20, 2013 – 12:00-1:00PM in WML 305

This session will teach you some techniques for creating memorable passwords, give you some tools that can be used to improve password security, and tell you some ways that you can keep your password safe.  This session will give you some tips on how to recognize if you are being targeted as a social engineering victim. This is when someone attempts to get your password by tricking you into thinking that he is someone else. A light lunch will be provided.

Get in the Game!
Sheli McHugh (Cataloging & Metadata Librarian) &
George Aulisio (Public Services Librarian)
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 – 11:30AM-2:00PM in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library

Join us on March 26, 2013 for a drop-in game day style TOYOT! Event will be held in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library. We will have Wii, Playstation, and Xbox with various games like Rock Band 3, Just Dance 4, and Mario Kart. Feel free to stop by at any time from 11:30AM-2:00PM to test out our new gaming systems, ask questions on the various consoles, and experience the games firsthand. We will also feature the Kinect which is a motion sensor gaming system that uses physical gestures as the remote control. Gesture based computing is huge in the gaming industry and growing with televisions and home entertainment, but may also have implications in education for students to engage in virtual exercises.

Pizza, soda, and snacks will be provided just like at the Game Nights we hold every semester for students. Stop up, learn some new tools, and play some games!

Web Personalization: Powerful Information Tool or Filter Bubble?

Donna Witek (Public Services Librarian)
Thursday, April 18, 2013 – 12:00-1:00PM in WML 305

Like. Share. +1. Subscribe. Unsubscribe. These are just some of the actions we perform on the Web as we interact with information. Generally speaking, we do these things to make sense of the vast amount of information available to us. What is less widely known is that the information we see on the Web is shaped by more than just these deliberate actions we take. For instance, your search engine may know in what country you are located, and it may use this information to deliver search results it deems relevant to your interests based on this information. This process is called Web personalization. In this presentation, attendees will receive a basic overview of Web personalization, how it is different from customization, and the role it plays in determining what information we encounter on the Web. Common examples of how we participate in Web personalization (knowingly and unknowingly) will be demonstrated, and critiques of this technology will be presented. A light lunch will be provided.

Sessions are open to all University faculty and staff, but seats are limited, so please let us know you are coming. You can register at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration – under Technology on Your OwnTerms.

Changes to Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service

Google LogoIf you have a Google account, you should be aware that Google is updating its Privacy Policy and Terms of Service Policy effective March 1, 2012. Instead of different policies for each of its different services, there will now be one policy for all of their services. What does this mean for you? Basically, that it will become more difficult for you to be anonymous when you login to Google and use various Google services. Google will not only be gathering information about you, but will also use that information to “offer you tailored content.” With these new policies, Google is going to combine the information that it gathers from its different services to “push” content to you such as ads for products based on your interests à la Facebook. In fact, Google has recently launched its own social network, Google+. But even if you don’t login,  Google‘s servers automatically record the page requests made when you visit their sites. These “server logs” typically include your web request, Internet Protocol address, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your request and one or more cookies that may uniquely identify your browser.

“Google now watches consumers practically everywhere they go on the Web — and in real life, when using a mobile phone,” said Christopher Soghoian, an independent privacy and security researcher in Washington D.C. “No single entity should be trusted with this much sensitive data.”

The main issue with Google’s new policy is that it will now be combining information that it has on users. This could mean, for instance, that when users search via Google, the company will use their activities on sister sites like Gmail and YouTube to influence those users’ search results. Google has not done that before.

Library Research Prize Winners

Congratulations to Rosemary Shaver, a junior History/Political Science major, who was selected as the winner of the first annual Library Research Prize!

The Weinberg Memorial Library inaugurated the prize to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge in the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools, and services.

Three students were selected to receive Honorable Mentions–Courtney Fluehr, Benjamin Redan, and William Woody.

Winners will be honored at a reception and awards ceremony on Thursday, May 12, 2011 in the Heritage Room of the Library.

Library Research Prize

The deadline is fast approaching to submit your application for the first annual Library Research Prize which will be awarded by the Weinberg Memorial Library! Completed application packages must be submitted by 4:00 pm on Wednesday, April 27, 2011.

This prize is designed to attract the outstanding research projects from courses taught in departments across The University of Scranton campus. It recognizes excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge in the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools and services.

$500.00 will be awarded to the winning student or group. (If won by a group, then the award will be split equally among the group members.)

Only undergraduate students are eligible. For more information, go to the Library Research Prize web page. If you still have questions, contact Bonnie Oldham, Information Literacy Coordinator, by phone (570-941-4000) or e-mail (bonnie.oldham@scranton.edu)

Library Research Prize

Do you want to win $500? Are you doing a research project for one of your courses here at The University of Scranton? Are you an undergraduate student?

If you answered yes to all three of those questions, then you should submit an application for the Weinberg Memorial Library’s Library Research Prize.  The prize is a new initiative by the library designed to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge in the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools and services.

Your research project must be one that you completed for a credit bearing course that you took (or will take) at The University of Scranton during the following semesters:
Summer 2010, Fall 2010, Intersession 2011, or Spring 2011

For more information: www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize

Here’s what you said about the new 24 hour space

The Library asked for students’ opinions of the 24 Hour Study Space.  This room was constructed in response to student requests.   For our future planning, we want to know what you would like.

Thank you for your comments!

Environment :

You said: It was too cold, it was too hot, or it was just right.
We say: It should be okay now.  Let us know if it isn’t.

Group Study Rooms:

You said: One person takes the room that is intended for a group.
We say: If this happens when Library staff is available, please let us know and we will ask the person to yield the room.

You said: More group study rooms and larger group study rooms.
We say: The Library is looking for ways and places for more group study rooms that will be constructed as funds and space permit.

Furnishings:

You said: More of the cushioned rocker chairs because the wooden ones are too hard.
We say: We are ordering more.

You said: Several people asked for a vending machine for beverages,other asked for a hot water machine.
We say: A soda/cold water vending machine was installed today! There are two water fountains by the restroom. We are investigating the possibility of getting a water cooler that dispenses hot water.

You said: More and higher tables.
We say: All new tables will be higher and we will look at fixing leg room for our current tables.

You said: Love seats for intimate relations, and several people asked for cup holders.
We say:  New chairs will be lounge chairs with tablet arms and cup holders.

You said: Food
We say: Vending machine is in place.

You said: Staplers, hole punchers
We say: Done!

Services:

You said: Several people asked for two sided printing.
We say: We’re trying.  We appreciate students’ interest in conserving paper and trees.  This is very important to us as well. The printer in the new 24 hour room is set to print two sided.  Wireless jobs go to this printer. If you do not want two sided printing, you need to change the default. One of your subsidized prints (or seven cents) is deducted for each side you print.  The expense of printing is the toner more than the paper.  While the other printers in the Library could print two sided, they are not working well with UniPrint.  We will continue to try to provide this service.

You said: Newspapers
We say: These are available on the second floor when the Library is open.

More access:

You said: Have a gate come down for the counter area and then connect the two after hour sections.
We say: We thought about that, but there is no way to close off the stair case leading to the second floor.

You said: Can we have an entrance open on the side of the Library for more convenient access from DeNaples.
We say: If we could use the time machine someone requested, we would go forward in time and connect the two buildings.

You said: Have “after hours entrance” always open.
We say: This exit does not have a gate like the other entrances/exits do so we need to have people leave through the exits with the security gates.

You said: Any way to keep the 2nd floor open as well—more space, computers, books and good times!!
We say: We need to control access to the second floor collection, desks and offices to times when staff are present.

Wishes:

You said: Color printer
We say: Libraries that have these charge 25 cents a page.  Right now, the Library is opting to subsidize 200 prints per semester (with an additional 50 for those taking Intersession classes)

You said: Kittens; Cuddly cute animal/puppy viewing area (lots of people liked this idea); Swimming pool; Time machine; Headphone station

Compliments (Thanks!):

Best place to study by far after 12:00 am

Love having 24 hour access to group study rooms

I love it in here.   Yay! I heart it so much!  Spacious.  Thanks everyone it’s luxurious.

Excellent.  Gr8 job!!!  Woohoo I like it!  It rocks

Thanks, what a nice way to go!  From the Class of 2010 and all the rest of alumni.

This room is smooth like keystone…you mean Keith Stone

Great for midterm and final study nights

Very convenient now with so many students

Great addition! Quiet place to study!  Congratulations!

You have space to do work and not crammed into the Pro Deo room

Very convenient on weekends being open before noon.