Category: Resources & Technology

Insider’s Guide to Smartphones

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January 28, 2011

10:09 am

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Events, News, Resources & Technology

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On February 16, our Spring 2011 Technology on Your Own Terms workshops will begin with The Insider’s Guide to Smartphones, to be held from 12pm-1pm in WML305.

In this workshop, digital services librarian Kristen Yarmey and technology services analyst Diane Jachimowicz will discuss some of the technology behind smartphones like iPhones, Androids, and Blackberries.  We’ll talk about what terms like 3G, 4G, tethering, and jailbreaking mean in plain English, what sensors like accelerometers and compasses mean for average users, how operating systems like iOS and Android differ, and what phone features to look out for in 2011 and beyond.  A light lunch will be provided during the discussion.

All faculty and staff members are welcome, but seats are limited, so please register at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration (under Technology On Your Own Terms).

Science and Nature, now available from the Weinberg

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January 27, 2011

2:46 pm

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Great news for scientists on campus – the Weinberg now has online subscriptions to the journals Science and Nature, available from anywhere for our University of Scranton faculty, staff, and students!  

Nature is available in Nature Journals Online from the November 4, 2010 issue to the present. You can find older issues (1990 to one year ago) in our Proquest Central database.

Science is available from January 1997 to the present in Science Magazine.  As with Nature, you can find older issues of Science (1988 to 2005) in our Proquest Central database.

Remember, these are subscriptions, so if you’re not on campus be sure to log in to my.scranton in order to access full-text articles.  To all of our science faculty and students, happy searching!

Technology On Your Own Terms in Spring 2011

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January 14, 2011

12:18 pm

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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 order to encourage innovation in the workplace and in the classroom. We’re continuing the series in Spring 2011 with three new workshops, all of which will be held in the Library.

The Insider’s Guide to Smartphones
Wednesday, February 16 from 12pm-1pm in WML305

In this session, librarian Kristen Yarmey and technology services analyst Diane Jachimowicz will discuss some of the technology behind smartphones like iPhones, Androids, and Blackberries.  We’ll talk about what terms like 3G, 4G, tethering, and jailbreaking mean in plain English, what sensors like accelerometers and compasses mean for average users, how operating systems like iOS and Android differ, and what phone features to look out for in 2011 and beyond.  A light lunch will be provided during the discussion. (Taught by Kristen Yarmey, Weinberg Memorial Library, and Diane Jachimowicz, IT Services)

The Changing Face of Facebook
Wednesday, March 9 from 1pm-2pm in WML305

If you are a Facebook user, you have probably asked yourself at least once, “Why does Facebook make so many changes to its site?” In this session, librarian Donna Mazziotti will present an overview of the latest wave of changes made to the Facebook user interface. She will also offer a rationale for why Facebook is an ever-evolving tool, as well as reasons why users should embrace Facebook’s mission to always improve its product. After this session, attendees will grow from passive to proactive Facebook users, able to educate themselves about changes made to Facebook as the changes occur. A light lunch will be provided during the discussion. (Taught by Donna Mazziotti, Weinberg Memorial Library)

E-Readers: The Hype and the Facts
Wednesday, April 6 from 11am-3pm in WML305

Nook, Sony, Kindle, iPad, etc.  There are so many e-readers and tablet computers available that it’s getting harder to know which product to choose to fill a certain need.  Want some answers?  Drop in any time during a four hour showcase of e-readers and tablet computers at the Weinberg Memorial Library. Best Buy will have many products on display and provide knowledgeable staff to answer your questions.  You will learn about the Weinberg Memorial Library e-books available for download as well as where you can find free ebooks and how to convert regular documents to ereader formats.  Light refreshments will be served. (With representatives from Best Buy, the Weinberg Memorial Library, and the 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 (under Technology On Your Own Terms).

Google World

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October 27, 2010

12:21 pm

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If you are enjoying the Technology On Your Own Terms series this fall or if you just want to learn more about Google, you can view the DVD Google World, a new addition to the Media Resources Collection. This film scrutinizes Google’s  history, corporate culture, business practices and ambitions.  Check for its availability by searching our Library catalog at http://wml.scranton.edu/search.

Android mobile access to My.scranton

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October 27, 2010

9:59 am

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We’ve heard from a few students lately about not being able to access my.scranton from their Android phones.  When they try to log in, they get an error message that looks like this:

uPortal Error

Sorry, but uPortal encountered an error that is preventing it from rendering.  The error must be corrected by system administrators.  Try again later.

We talked to our friends over in the University’s Planning and Information Resources office, and they said that the problem isn’t the Android OS but Chrome — so if Android users download Firefox as their mobile browser instead, they should be able to get into my.scranton just fine.  Spread the word, Android owners!  And thanks for the tip, PIR!

Google Voice Workshop

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October 22, 2010

2:23 pm

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We’ve had a lot of good times in our Technology On Your Own Terms series this fall.   Bonnie taught us how Google search works; Tim showed us how we could make collaborative drawings in Docs.  We even made our own custom maps in Google Maps.  But before the Fall 2010 series to comes to an end, you still have one more chance to learn a little more about Google products and services.

On Thursday, November 4 from 12pm-1pm, CTLE’s Eugeniu Grigorescu will teach our last Fall workshop, titled Does Google Give You A Voice? He’ll guide you through an exploration of 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!

As usual, we’ll be in WML 306. Remember, 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).

Go Green with GoodGuide

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October 22, 2010

11:04 am

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Green Weinberg, News, Resources & Technology

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The Weinberg Memorial Library has been working hard lately to make sure that our building is as sustainable as possible.  We set up a green team, we’ve upgraded our lights with more energy-efficient bulbs, and we’re really pushing recycling.

But the Library faculty and staff have also been chatting lately about the best ways that we can go green in our personal lives.  Many of us have started carrying reusable water bottles and coffee mugs instead of using disposable cups.  Some of us have switched to buying recycled paper towels and napkins for our homes.  The more you think about going green, though, the more confusing it can get.  A lot of products these days advertise themselves as green, but which ones are really best for the environment?

Enter GoodGuide, a website created by a University of California-Berkeley professor of environmental policy that rates commonly used products on how environmentally friendly and healthy they are. GoodGuide uses a pretty intense methodology to examine each product, from its contents to the impact of its manufacturing processes.  But they also translate that information into scores that are easy for consumers to understand, and their website makes it easy to compare product types across brands.  (For example, I compared brands of contact solution – only to find out that the product I’ve been using for years got one of the worst rankings!)

GoodGuide's picks for the best and worst toothpastes

GoodGuide is a “B Corporation,” which means that it’s a for-profit company that has made a public commitment to environmentalism and social justice.  The company makes money by selling its analysis results back to manufacturers or retailers who want to use it for market research or to improve their products (see this recent Newsweek article on GoodGuide’s business strategy).  So their business depends on the accuracy of their information, which makes me feel a little more comfortable trusting their website.  I also like that if you want more information about a product, you can drill down to see how GoodGuide assigned its score and get details on how the ingredients and life cycle assessment were judged.  And of course I’m excited to try GoodGuide’s free iPhone app – you can scan barcodes of products to get environmental ratings on the go, while you’re shopping.

So take a second to search for some of your favorite brands – you might find that a greener option is just another step down the grocery aisle!

Information Literacy Stipends for 2010-2011

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October 12, 2010

2:09 pm

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Call to University Faculty:

Do you want to enhance your students’ research skills? Then an Information Literacy Stipend may be just what you need!

This is an opportunity for you to strengthen students’ research skills in your discipline.

If you are awarded one of the five (5) stipends available for 2010-2011, you will collaborate with a faculty librarian to develop assignments that focus on information literacy skills, and you will also receive a $1,000.00 stipend.

What is information literacy? Why is it important?

Information Literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has developed competency standards as a guide to help faculty integrate information literacy into their courses.

To apply…Submit a proposal, not to exceed 2 pages, that includes the following:

  • Course name and number
  • Student learning outcomes related to Information Literacy Standards

(http://academic.scranton.edu/department/wml/infolit.html)

  • Assessment plan to determine how student learning outcomes will be evaluated
  • Projected Timeline (Spring/Fall 2011 or Spring 2012)
  • Name of the Library Faculty member with whom you will collaborate

Proposals will be reviewed by the Library Advisory Committee’s Information Literacy Subcommittee. Stipends are subject to taxes. Upon completion of the course, you must submit a report documenting the impact that the information literacy component had on student learning outcomes to the Dean of the Library and Information Fluency. This report will be posted on the Library’s Web site.

If you are interested, we can schedule an information session as well as connect you with someone who has completed a successful grant. Examples of previous stipends are posted on the Library’s Web site. For more information, contact Bonnie Oldham, Information Literacy Coordinator at 941-4000 or bonnie.oldham@scranton.edu.

Please submit applications via campus mail to:

Charles Kratz

Dean of Library and Information Fluency

Weinberg Memorial Library

941-4008

charles.kratz@scranton.edu

Application Deadline:

Monday, November 1, 2010

GLBT History Month

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October 3, 2010

6:41 pm

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Resources & Technology

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October is GLBT History Month, and the Scranton Inclusion student group will be celebrating the achievements of GLBT icons throughout history.  If your interest is piqued by the flyers you’ll be seeing around campus, why not stop by the Library to learn a little more about GLBT history?

We have some relevant books, like…

You can also read the works and biographies of GLBT icons including…

And don’t forget that you can take a look at our GLBTQ Inclusion Research Guide for additional resources on GLBTQ issues.