Monthly Archives: September 2011

Book donations/gifts

If patrons come to the desk with books they want to donate to the library, please note:

* If it is one or two books, great: take the books and put them on the donations shelf (bottom shelf below the DVD reshelving) and thank the patron kindly.

* If it is more than two books, please politely direct them to this page (also GO/librarygift) and indicate that we cannot accept their donation at the circulation desk.

SciFinder Scholar – How to create an account

Hi Armstrong Students,

It’s SciFinder season!  Chem  students just received training in SciFinder Scholar, and to use it they’ll need to create their own account.  Here’s what to tell them when (not “if” but “when”!) they ask:

  1. Go to the Chemistry Research Guide (go/chemguide).
  2. In the “SciFinder Scholar” description, look for the link to “create an account.”
  3. After the student has an account, s/he will use the “SciFinder Scholar” link to log in and do research.

SPSS (PASW) Stats Software at Armstrong

If anyone is looking for a computer with SPSS (aka PASW) stats software at Armstrong, direct them to the public computers near the circ desk.  Computers in the Armstrong Computer Lab (MBH 161) will be updated with the latest (called PASW 19) next.  The thin clients in the current periodicals area don’t have the new software yet, and I don’t know when they will.

Remember, go/software links to software and lab locations.

Equitrac copy card refunds

If anyone comes to the circ desk asking for a refund for money stored on their Equitrac copy card, here is the procedure:

A circ staff member will read the Equitrac card, note the amount of money left on it, as well as the user’s name and ID number, and send an e-mail with that information to the helpdesk for a refund. The helpdesk will apply the refund when they are able (we will advertise within a week, but generally these are done within a day or two). The cards can be thrown out once the email has been sent to the Helpdesk.

Guest Equitrac refunds will be the same process. If a guest does not have a PaperCut account, they’ll have to open one in order to get a refund. This will involve buying a Papercut card at the Cafe. Understandably, some people might be upset by the fact that they have to buy something in order to get a refund, but this is the option that is place.

We will offer refunds through November 1st, 2011. The reader for the Equitrac cards (to see the amount left on the card) will be installed sometime this week. This will only take place at Davis – please refer anyone at Armstrong looking for a refund to the Davis circ desk.

LIS DVD Project – Watch Our Collection Grow

LIS has made significant changes over the summer, and we are especially pleased to inform you of the newly-augmented Browsing DVD section of the library. This section has been supplemented with over 80% of DVDs formerly confined to library viewing, housed behind the Circ Desk. These additions to the Browsing Collection provide an enhanced selection for you to select from and enjoy at home or wherever your laptop may take you for three days.  Additionally, since we have had the good fortune to add the Music Library contents over to Davis, we now offer an extensive group of musical DVDs ( CDs are stored separately behind the Circ Desk). In the lobby Browsing area, select from a musical DVD collection diverse as Rebel Music ( Bob Marley’s life story) to Puccini’s Tosca to Superfly. Our documentary section is incredibly stimulating & most definitely something to write home about. (But you must restrain yourself. You can only take out 3 DVDs at a time). Some examples:
The Maysles Brothers‘ Grey Gardens (based on the fascinating, reclusive mother-daughter socialites Edith Beales).
Man on Wire
, (an astonishing account of French high-wire artist who dared to walk and perform acrobatics on a cable between the Twin Towers 1350 feet above ground  in 1974).
The award-winning (Sundance Film Festival) Andy Warhol from PBS. Producer/writer/director Ric Burns’ takes an insightful portrait of Warhol, who defined the pop art movement in the 20th century.
Thompson’s wild ride in Gonzo: Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. And what a journalist.
From the Bill Moyers Collection, B.T. Jones: Still/Here.  Acclaimed choreographer Jones and his creative process.
Need I say more? These are just a few.
The TV Series section is also eclectic and fun (think Simpsons, True Blood, SNL, Mad Men, Smallville) while our current and classic feature collections encompass masters from the silent era, D.W. Griffith & Chaplin, on to Jack Cardiff, Hitchcock,Fellini, Truffaut, Wilder. All of the heavyweights are here. Check the amazingly varied titles in Midcat.
We have color-coded four sections to assist your search as you navigate through the shelves. There are posters to guide you to an area of interest. This continues to be a work in progress, but we welcome you to take advantage of our abundant & fantastic collection. We will keep you updated on the DVD project status as we proceed. Popcorn anyone?

Circ meeting minutes 9-7-11

Sorry for the delay…

Updates around the table

– Thesis carrels – Tuesday, Sept. 20th
– only 4 student shifts left open at Armstrong
– ALL students must stay under 20 hours per week when classes are in session
– Reserves media – shelve in call number order – ignore colors – DO NOT LOCK cases
– Lexa will watch the desk during the student training meeting on 9/22
– Dan will get another locker for the counter AFTER check-in for DVDs
– We will be using carrel slips for items that are to be kept in carrels – Todd will provide next week
– Morgan is training Kate, who will take over when Morgan leaves
– Rachel will make some ILL business cards that we can hand out at the circ desk
– Remember that you can always ask Dan for music ref questions, or help finding music stuff
– If there are issues with the Google calendar for students, talk to Kim or Chris Norris
– New signs for DVDs are up (thanks Todd and Janine!)