2010 Winter Olympics

Olympic rings

(This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.)

Even if you’re not a sports fan, you probably have seen some of the 2010 Winter Olympics being held in Canada, specifically Vancouver, British Columbia. The United States is currently leading the medal race with 14, followed by Germany with 10, and France with 7. Last night I watched Shaun White win the Gold Medal in the Snowboard Men’s Halfpipe. WOW! His first run earned him 46.8 points (out of a possible 50).  No need to make a second run, but he did. Why? For some people, it’s not just about winning. Listen to what Shaun said after the run.

I’ll be posting about other events as the games continue.

Let me know which event is your favorite: [polldaddy poll=2721283]

Library Love on Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras at the Library!

Thank you all for making our first gaming night at the library a big success! Last night, at least 65 students came by the 5th floor Heritage Room to eat wings and pizza, and get their game on.

Super Smash Brothers was a big hit.

Games that got the most play include Super Smash Brothers and the Wii Fit — even the classic game Scattegories got in on the action.

There was also a raffle, which 67 students entered. There were three $10 Amazon gift cards awarded as prizes. The winners of the raffle drawing are:

Dan Parisi (Senior)

Devin Patel (Junior)

James Costello (Senior)

Winners will be notified via email of how and where to pick up your prizes.

We got enough positive feedback to know that gaming night is something we should do on a regular basis. So, we can all look forward to another gaming night in the library, since this one was such a hit.

But, by far, the best part of Mardi Gras at the Library was all of the *library love* we got from everyone who participated. Thanks for the great feedback guys, and we can’t wait for the next one!

Library Love (aw shucks :) )

(A special shout-out to the Center for Health and Education Wellness for lending us the games, and to our very own Bonnie Oldham and George Aulisio for planning this awesome event. For more coverage of Mardi Gras at the Library, including photos, check out our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/UofSLibrary.)

Mardi Gras!

Just a reminder…

Mardi Gras at the Library is Tonight!

Come to the Heritage Room between 8-11 to enjoy Wii games, Board Games, Pizza, Wings, Chips, Pretzels, Donuts, Soda, M&M’s, Free Beads, and Prizes!!

See you there!

Share those photos!

Good news – we still have seats left for this Friday’s Technology on Your Own Terms workshop on photo sharing.

This time, Library systems staff member and computer training coordinator Vince Yanusauskas will present “Can You See Me Now?: Creating Digital Web Albums to Share with Family and Friends.”  Vince will demonstrate Google’s free Picasa service, which gives users 1 GB of free storage space to save, organize, describe, and share their favorite photos with their favorite people.

The workshop will be held on Friday, February 19th from 12pm-1pm in Weinberg Memorial Library Room 306.  If interested, be sure to register for a seat at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration, under Special Events.  All University faculty and staff are welcome.

Photo collage (made using Picasa) is courtesy of Flickr user Burnt Pixel, under a Creative Commons license.

Wolfram | Alpha

By now Wolfram|Alpha might already be old news, but just in case you haven’t heard about it, you should really check it out…

Caffeine Vs. AspirinWolfram|Alpha is set-up to look like a Search Engine similar to Google, but it is actually a “computation machine.”

This resource is a good tool for finding statistics, socio-economic data, information on a date, figuring out equations, and has data on specific locations.

You’ll see on their Examples by Topic page that Wolfram|Alpha could be useful for the following Subjects — Math, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Education, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Engineering, Geography, and a lot more.

Just to get a feel for it, I suggest plugging in your Birthday to see what you get, then try doing a comparison, for example: Scranton, PA vs. Philadelphia, PA.

I’m sure you’ll at least find it to be interesting. Those of you who work with numbers, facts, and data might find this “computation machine” to be downright awesome.

http://www.wolframalpha.com/

Mardi Gras at the Library!

This Tuesday night (Feb 16) from 8pm to 11pm the Library will be hosting a gaming night for Scranton students.

"Come enjoy yourself at the Library on Tuesday Night, with me, Mario!"

Students will have the entire Heritage Room to themselves to kick back, socialize, eat, and play some games!

There will be three Wii consoles on three different televisions and students will have the option to play Mario Kart, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, Wii Fit, Wii Sports, and Rock Band. For those students who prefer classic gaming over video gaming there will also be various board games set up along the room.

Not yet intrigued?

What if the Library throws in Pizza, Wings, Soda, Chips, and Candy in the mix for you!

Still not enough?

OK, OK. How about three $10 Amazon gift cards that every student who shows up has a chance of winning regardless of one’s gaming skills?

We figured that would get your attention! See you at the Library!

The Ritsuko Sato Exhibit

Artwork of Ritsuko Sato The Weinberg Memorial Library is featuring the artwork of Ritsuko Sato of Kurashiki City Japan. Curator Kazuaki Kishimoto of the Nagi Museum of Contemporary Art stated “Sato’s work is by no means subtle or predictable. Her often deformed motifs dynamically combine chaotic and random strokes with bright vibrant colors. The effects are almost childlike in their innocence, revealing Sato’s unique impressions and interpretations of the world around her.” The exhibit will run from February 8 through April 25.

Book Sale 2010: The Preparations Begin

We’re T-minus 73 days to the kickoff of Book & Plant Sale 2010, and the Library staff is already busy getting ready for our biggest annual event.  Clear your calendar for April 24 and 25, since this year’s sale promises to be one of our best yet.

The Library has started collecting donations of used hardcover and paperback books, along with videos, CDs, records, and tag sale items.  If you’re doing some early spring cleaning and would like to donate, please drop off your contributions in the donation boxes at our Monroe Ave entrance.

Recruitment of this year’s class of volunteers has also begun. We’re looking for students, patrons, and friends of the Library to help us price, organize, and sell our books.  Give Barb E. a call at 570-941-4078 and let her know what times you’re available.

And in the meantime, feel free to start thinking about where you’ll start your browsing when the doors open. Cookbooks? Nonfiction? Barb’s famous “Special Treasures”? The fragrant flowering plants? Whichever section catches your eye, shop with a happy heart, knowing that your purchases benefit the Friends of the Library endowment fund and support the collections and services of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

Now Hiring: Tech-Savvy Students as Library TechCons

The Weinberg Memorial Library seeks to hire two talented, dedicated student workers to serve as Library Technology Consultants (TechCons).

TechCons are highly skilled student workers who support the work of the Weinberg Memorial Library. They are technology-savvy, self-driven, reliable, and able to work both independently as well as in a team environment. TechCons work approximately ten hours each week, with flexible scheduling, and gain valuable real-world experience and training.

TechCons are undergraduate or graduate students enrolled at The University of Scranton and are eligible for federal, state, or University work study funding.

The Weinberg Memorial Library currently has two open TechCon positions:

Digitization TechCon
This TechCon supports the Library’s digitization initiatives and reports to the Digital Services Librarian.  Monday-Friday, daytime hours only. Job responsibilities for this position include:

  • Digitizing photographs, negatives, and documents from the University’s Special Collections.
  • Contributing technical information to digital collections metadata, conforming to standards set by the Digital Services Librarian.
  • Copying and distributing digital images requested by Library patrons.
  • Promoting digital collections with postings to the Library’s Flickr account, etc.
  • Performing other digitization duties as assigned.

Preferred qualifications for this position include:

  • Experience with Adobe Photoshop
  • High level of attention to detail

Library Outreach TechCon
This TechCon supports the Library’s Public Services initiatives and reports to the Library’s Evening Public Services Librarian. Afternoon, evening and some weekend hours available. Job responsibilities for this position include:

  • Publicizing Library events and services using the Library’s social media presence (with regular postings to the Library’s blog, Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter accounts).
  • Researching the usage of social media tools at other libraries.
  • Preparing informational slides, images, and video for the Library’s new television displays.
  • Photographing Library events and activities.
  • Assisting the Public Services Librarians in planning outreach activities. Potential projects include gaming events and Earth Week.
  • Assisting the Digital Services Librarian and Digitization TechCon in promoting digital collections.
  • Assisting with other special projects as needed.

Preferred qualifications for this position include:

  • Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, Flash, and Powerpoint
  • Familiarity with Mac operating system and software
  • Experience with audio/video editing and graphic design
  • Excellent written communication skills
  • Familiarity with social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter, and with current social media trends and culture

If you are interested in either position, please email Digital Services Librarian Kristen Yarmey-Tylutki at yarmeyk2@scranton.edu with your name, Royal Number, major, expected graduation date, and either a resume or a brief statement of your qualifications.  Please also note whether you are eligible for federal or state work study.

Wireless Printing for Macs Now Available in the Weinberg Library

Photo courtesy of Ruben Bos under a Creative Commons license

It’s a great day for Mac users at the Weinberg Memorial Library!  You can now wirelessly print from your Mac laptop to one of our UniPrint printing stations.  Just check out our instructions here and print away.  If you run into any trouble, let a library employee know so that we can fix the problem.

Wireless printing is not yet available for 64-bit Vista systems – only Macs and 32-bit PCs. Thanks for your patience, Vista users!