| The "Tip of the Week" comes to you from the library and educational technology staff and is intended to provide weekly helpful hints on using our services and resources here at Albright. If you have any helpful suggestions of information you think should be shared or a question you want answered, contact Rosemary Deegan at 610-921-7202 or rdeegan@alb.edu. Weekly Tips: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7
Return to Tips homepage Tip of the Week #1 Library Tip: JSTOR is now available.
This scholarly journal archive provides page images of back issues of core scholarly journals from the earliest issues to within a few years of current publication. This resource supports the humanities, social sciences and biology departments. Patrons may browse by journal title or discipline, or may search the full-text or citations/abstracts. Issues of existing titles and new titles are added on an ongoing basis. More information on this database appears in the Library Link or at http://www.jstor.org. Ed Tech Tip: Why were you asking about overhead projectors? Won't the library support that technology anymore?
The reason that we asked who uses overhead projectors was so we can better assign the projectors we have before we buy more. What we found is that most but not all classrooms need a projector in them throughout the day. And we found that some folks are not above pilfering one from another classroom if their bulb blows. For example, at the end of the summer of 2004, one classroom had 4 projectors in it - but not one service call was placed to change bulbs. We would like to thank the 31 faculty who took the time to respond to our plea for information. With their input, we have a better idea of what classes need projectors and have ordered some new projectors to increase our coverage. In the next week or so, in between and after classes, we will be re-distributing projectors and labeling them with the room assignment and the phone number to call to report problems/get new bulbs installed. Before we make any moves, I will send out an email that lists which rooms will and will not have library supported projectors. Sorry for any confusion.
If you need assistance with any educational technology issues, contact George Missonis (gmissonis@alb.edu or 610-921-7203) or Tam Do (tdo@alb.edu or 610-921-7234). top of page
Tip of the Week #2 Library Tip: Another new database -- Marquis Who's Who on the Web
This database of biographical information replaces all of the library print subscriptions to the various Marquis publications and features comprehensive profiles of 1.2 million of the most accomplished individuals from all fields of endeavor. You have the ability to conduct powerful searches of its entire database of achievers from around the globe. Search by name, gender, occupation, geography, hobbies and interests, religion, education and much more. The college has a single user subscription, which means at times you may be unable to log on if another person wants to use the database The following Who's Who titles are included (with data since 1985): WW in America, WW in the World, WW of American Women, WW in Science and Engineering, WW in American Law, WW in Finance and Business, WW in 20th C America, WW of Emerging Leaders in America, WW in the East, WW in the Midwest, WW in the South and Southwest, WW in the West, WW in Media and Communications, WW in Entertainment, WW in American Education, WW in American Nursing, WW in Religion, WW Among Human Service Professionals and WW in American History, 1607-present. Ed Tech Tip: How to print out a document in Blackboard.
Whenever you can open a file in Blackboard, it is recommended that you open with a right mouse click (for PCS) and Control and click (for MACs without a dual click mouse). This way, you have the ability to open the document in a new window and can print or edit it -- and for PowerPoint presentations, you will have access to the print command that lets you print out multiple screen shots on a single handout sheet. top of page
Tip of the Week #3 Library Tip: I would like to renew my books but I have so many that I can't carry them all over to the Library? can I renew them any other way? Sure. The library is just introducing a new online service - book and AV media renewal. You can now request an online renewal for any book, AV material or interlibrary loan by clicking on the Book Renewal form on our Online Forms page (http://www.albright.edu/library/forms.html ) and following the instructions posted there. Assuming that they are not needed by anyone else, items can be renewed electronically multiple times (faculty materials can be renewed up until the end of the academic year and student loans can be renewed up until the end of the semester). Two major exceptions to this new service are - equipment can not be renewed electronically, and
- shorter-term loans (like Reference, Reserves, the Juvenile or Popular Collection) will be not be able to be renewed until the end of the year/semester.
Of course, the renewal isn't "official" until you hear back from us with the new due date.
Ed Tech Tips: Need to repeat an Excel column header row on the top of each printed sheet?
In order to have the column headings print on every page you need to click on menu File link and then select the Page Set Up link (if it does not appear, click on the down arrow button to show more options). From the dialog box, click on the Sheet tab. In order to have column headers repeat on each page, click on Rows to repeat at top box and then click back on the worksheet and highlight the area that contains the column labels. It will fill in something that looks like $1:$1 or $A$1:$B$5.
Note: If you want row headers to print on each page, click on Columns to repeat at left. What should I do if I need help in using a newly renovated classroom? If you need help is using any of the newly installed mounted computer projectors or LCD screens or if you have no idea how to plug into the speaker systems (available in the larger classrooms), be sure to call the ed tech staff for instruction. We can make an appointment with you and show you how to use any of the newly installed technology. Please do not wait until you are standing in front of a classroom full of students to ask for help. top of page
Tip of the Week #4 Library Tips: How can I personally get the cheaper copying card rate now that VendaCards have disappeared?
Although departmental copy cards have been available from IT since last winter, personal copy cards are now available too. By visiting Student Accounts with your own ID and some cash in hand and enrolling in their staff DBA plan, you can then use your ID card like a debit card at the Library copy machines, the Caf, Jake's Place; any card-accessible drink machine. Once the account has been created, you can add more value at Student Accounts or at the ValuePort in the Campus Center main lounge.
I don't see a barcode on the back of my college ID - what do I do?
If you don't have a barcode on your ID card or if you can't read the number on the barcode clearly, bring your ID to the circulation desk for a new barcode. It only takes a minute or two to update your ID which you need in order to borrow books and media, AV equipment and use our subscription databases off-campus. For any ID issued since this summer, you should check it since the barcodes no longer are automatically generated when Security issues the ID.
Ed Tech Tip: What kinds of sound options are available in the renovated classrooms?
1) The larger rooms have speakers embedded in the ceiling and an amplifier in the podium. The speakers are simple, monaural speakers and are there to boost the sound of the laptops since the computer projectors have no built in speaker system. The sound from this setup is reasonable for most computer uses but it is not close to theater or even TV quality. This is the recommended way to show DVDs if the larger picture is more important that the sound quality.
2) The smaller rooms do not have speakers in the ceiling since they are small enough so that in most cases, the volume options of the laptop should be sufficient to cover the sound needs of the classroom. In a few of these rooms, we have placed a set of small computer speakers in the podiums that you are free to use if you wish.
3) All of the rooms have a built-in TV with a good sound system. This is how you should play your DVDs and VHS tapes if you think sound is important. top of page
Tip of the Week #5 Library Tips: Why can't I go into the AV closet and look for videos, CDs and DVDs alone anymore? You used to let me.
We converted the AV media closet into a closed stacks area over a year ago. This means that faculty and students cannot browse the AV closet by themselves and must be accompanied by a library staff or student worker or they can submit a written call number request to the circulation department and an employee will quickly fetch the item(s).
Why did we do this? Some unexplained losses and mis-shelving were the first reasons why we decided to close the closet. And although closed stacks or stacks with empty media containers on the shelves are common in many libraries, we have an additional reason. Due to our space shortage, the closet is often used for more than AV media storage and we do not want anyone wandering around our piles of "stuff" - this is a security and a safety issue. So we now restrict the space to everyone who isn't a library employee.
One last word? Since changing this policy is beyond the control of the smiling student assistant or helpful library staff person, we do appreciate your cooperation in following our rules and directing all comments and complaints to Rosemary Deegan (rdeegan@alb.edu or 610-921-7202), not to the employee who happens to be on duty.
Ed Tech Tip: What is that big change in ed tech that you hinted at last week?
The library has created Media Services a new service point for all equipment contact. If you or your students need or will ever need to check out a laptop (limited to faculty) computer projector, overhead, CD player or any other AV equipment or you ever need help in using the technology in the classroom, open the attachment and see what is happening. In the next few weeks, we will be providing more information on current and new services. top of page
Tip of the Week #6 Library Tips:I would like to order some books and DVDs for my students to use. What do I need to do?
Collection Management, or the systematic building and shaping of a library collection, is a joint effort that really benefits from faculty involvement in the selection process. With your assistance and expertise, the library will continue to grow and become the very best it can be. Library acquisition funds are intended to strengthen the library collection and to guarantee that the library has adequate resources to support the curriculum but are not intended to provide materials for office use or basic teaching materials needed for day-to-day use in the classroom, e.g., textbooks or language tapes.
Because we order through various vendors and because we want to be sure that we have the funds to purchase what you need, these are the deadline order dates for 2005/2006: - Items needed for the Interim Semester should be ordered by October 31
- Items needed for Spring Semester should be ordered by November 30
- Items needed for Summer Semester should be ordered by February 28
- Items needed for Fall Semester should be ordered by May 31 (before you leave for the summer)
Both full and part-time faculty can send orders to the Collection Management Librarian (Sandy Stump (x7205 or sstump@alb.edu) or their Liaison Librarian. There is no true limit of ordering for books, we just ask that all orders that total more than $500 for the year be submitted with a priority status attached so that we can guarantee to obtain the ones you need the most. AV materials orders are limited to $300/FT faculty member and can only be requested for course support of curriculum committee approved courses.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Sandy (x7205 or sstump@alb.edu).
Ed Tech Tip: How can I stop Microsoft Word from making changes automatically? Sometimes it changes things I don't want changed!
In Word, just click on the Format menu and select the Auto Format link. Click on the Options button and then selectively turn off or on anything you want automatically edited by the program.
To find out the sequence in any Microsoft Office software, click on the Help menu and search Help file for the word autoformat or the work autocorrect. If you are more adventurous, explore the Format and Tools menus or the Help file. top of page
Tip of the Week #7 Library Tips: Request for help - the Library needs your donations.
In addition to maintaining a popular reading and book exchange collection (we are still accepting your old paperbacks), in the next few weeks the library will be starting a popular DVD collection for faculty, students and staff. If you have any movies or TV shows on DVD that you don't watch anymore and are willing to donate, send them to Sandy Stump in the Library as soon as possible. We would like to start with as many donations as possible. Thanks!
I hear that the library is looking to cut back some of its periodicals on microfilm and fiche. Is this just a rumor?
Unfortunately, the library will not be renewing the microfilm copies of the New York Times or Wall Street Journal in January 2006. The library currently subscribes to the full text version (no pictures, charts, etc.) of the New York Times on the Lexis Nexis database and the Wall Street Journal on ProQuest. In both cases, the library will continue the paper copy subscription to these newspapers and store them for 3 months before discarding them.
We expect that the paper and database subscriptions will cover most of the access needs for these newspapers. The cuts are due to subscriptions costs outpacing our budget, which negate our ability to maintain a hard copy archival collection of these newspapers. The specific items were selected due to their extremely low student usage and high cost. As usual with any materials cutback, the Library pledges to obtain any needed information which is not available online via interlibrary loan or other sources.
The review of the journal titles on microfiche has not yet been completed. If any additional microfiche titles are selected for cancellation, faculty will be notified ASAP so that they can use this information when planning their syllabi. If you have any additional questions or concerns about this project, please contact Sandy (x7205 or sstump@alb.edu). Ed Tech Tips: I'm having trouble with [fill in the blank software]. I know that you can do [fill in the blank] but I need someone to show me how to do it. What can I do?
If you would like to get help in reviewing a simple function in MS Office, or learning how to scan documents, edit graphics/pictures, or transfer digital pictures or video from the equipment to a computer, consider coming to the AV Services Lab that is held in Media Classroom I (in the library basement across from Financial Aid) on most afternoons. The lab is staffed by student assistants who will work with you in learning how to do what you need. Unless there is a class scheduled, the lab is open: | | Monday-Thursday | 2 - 5 pm | | | Friday | 2 - 4 pm |
The lab can be opened at other times by appointment and more advanced training needs should be coordinated with the AV staff. top of page
Tip of the Week #8 Library Tips: Information Literacy ? I Still Need More Information At the November Dean's Seminar, a number of faculty members asked for more information on information literacy (IL). Here are some of our top link recommendations: And if the concept of IL is still confusing, contact your liaison librarian or contact Rosemary Deegan (x7203 or rdeegan@alb.edu). Ed Tech Tips: How can I find out how students are using technology? ECAR (EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research) has released its second annual comprehensive student survey focusing on the role of IT in student life: ECAR Study of Students and Information Technology, 2005: Convenience, Connection, Control, and Learning. Because of the topic's critical importance, ECAR has made the full study, as well as key findings and roadmap, publicly available to all. You may want to scan the 10 page key findings or the 4 page Roadmap before you delve into the 134 page full study. The key findings of the report are listed at the beginning of the Roadmap Although the key findings provide a lot of insight, I strongly recommend viewing the more detailed reports for anyone interested in how technology affects pedagogy. You miss some of the nuances, such as although students prefer technology, for most it is viewed as a supplemental process and should not replace the face-to-face contact with faculty and other students or the fact that although students don?t think they need training in IT issues, for most of the different software applications (outside or Word and email), they rate the knowledge and comfort levels at an unskilled to not quite skilled level.. If you have any comments or questions, contact Rosemary Deegan (x7203 or rdeegan@alb.edu). top of page
Tip of the Week #9 Library Tips: Library Hours for Thanksgiving:
The Library closes to the public on Wednesday but has faculty, student and staff access on Wednesday from 8 am - 4 pm. The Library re-opens on Sunday at 4 pm and closes at midnight. I have a few days off and need to unwind -- do you have any relaxing reading I can check out?
The library has recently added over 60 best sellers to the Popular Reading Collection. Stop buy and check one out to read during the Thanksgiving break.
Ed Tech Tips: Media Services Pickup and Signage Reminders?
- If any faculty or staff member sends a student to pick up equipment from the Media Services department, be sure to send your ID card along or we cannot check the item out to you.
- And once you get your equipment, please read the attached notes and signs since they provide extra information on what you might need to operate the equipment (such as needing to have your own storage media for taping with the video equipment) or how to hook up and use the equipment (e.g., you need to hit the FN and F8 keys together to get the laptops to project).
Mini Tip/Shortcut for entering current date and time in an Excel spreadsheet.
In the cell you want the information to appear do the following:
- Press ctrl + ; (semicolon key) and the current date will appear.
- Press ctrl + shift + ; (semicolon key) and the current time will appear.
top of page
Tip of the Week #10 Library Tips:: Do you have your Library Hours for December posted anywhere because I know they change because of Crunch Week and Finals?
This information for the special library hours and regular schedule is posted on the Library website. When do I need to get the reserve items in for Interim or Spring? And when do I get the old ones back from Fall?
Frankly getting new requests in as soon as possible after the exams are over and picking up the old items at the same time are helpful. Going back to our reserve procedures, here is the official information:
Putting items on reserve:
1. All materials for Reserve must be accompanied by a completed processing sheet (available at the library or online). Professors should allow two working days for reserve processing. Although every effort will be taken to ensure prompt processing, the Library cannot guarantee that any materials will be available in less than 2 working days.
2. Accurate citations for all reserve materials are needed. The title given by the professor on the syllabus is used if at all possible.
3. All materials on Reserve will be given a red removable label with a security tag and a barcode if they do not already have one. Every effort is made to remove the tags carefully, but they do not remove cleanly on some materials.
Removing items from reserve
1. Reserves will be available until the last day of final exams.
2. Reserve items are removed at the end of each term and personal copies returned, unless other arrangements are made with the Head of Circulation. Personal photocopies, books, or other materials will be prepared for return and the professor notified within 3 weeks after the end of the Semester. [We hope to have everything ready to return by Christmas.]
3. If the professor is unavailable or unable to pick up the material within 7 days of notification, the material will be personally returned to the department office.
Ed Tech Tips: Media Services Hours for Interim
Since the usage in Interim is a lot less than that during the regular semesters, the Saturday hours have been cancelled and the Friday hours curtailed during this semester. The Interim hours are:
Monday - Thursday 8 am - 7:00 pm
Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm Anyone who needs equipment at any other time needs to request it from the Media Service Office at 610-921-7202 or by email at http://cms.targetx.com:8080/entity/mail:av@alb.edu. Set-up requests, just like during the regular semester, require staffing be re-assigned to the request and we need at least 2 days notice to verify that we can handle any specific setup. I need a Blackboard site for an Interim or Spring class. Can I request it now?
Actually the earlier you request it, the earlier you can get the site and start building it or adding your students. The way to get a site is to fill in our online request form.
top of page
The "Tip of the Week" comes to you from the library and educational technology staff and is intended to provide weekly helpful hints on using our services and resources here at Albright. Back issues of the Tip of the Week can be found online at http://www.albright.edu/library/tips/tips.html. If you have any helpful suggestions of information you think should be shared or a question you want answered, contact Rosemary Deegan at 610-921-7202 or rdeegan@alb.edu. Please share this message with anyone who is not on the faculty or allusers distribution list. Thank you!
The "Tip of the Week" comes to you from the library and educational technology staff and is intended to provide weekly helpful hints on using our services and resources here at Albright. If you have any helpful suggestions of information you think should be shared or a question you want answered, contact Rosemary Deegan at 610-921-7202 or rdeegan@alb.edu.
| 
