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“Liaison Discussion Section” meetings address research and/or technology topics of interest to liaisons. They can be conversations, or presentations, or both. They take place most often on the 3rd week of the month, but in order to allow people who work different hours to attend, they’re sometimes scheduled for different days/times.

Topic: Information Security Road Show. Led by Ian Burke, Network Security Administrator.
Who’s Invited: All liaisons, Information Security Team members, and anyone else who might be interested
Who’s “Required”: Primary liaisons, please try to attend if you can. Sorry in advance for any conflicts.
Where and when: Tuesday, April 16, 2013. 1-2 pm. LIB 145.
Description: Information Security: Why should we care about it? What are the recommended practices for keeping computers and identities secure? This is a near-total revamp of last year’s information security presentation, and Ian will be bringing it to other offices at Middlebury as well as out to Monterey. Come learn, share, and provide Ian feedback as he prepares for his travels.

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“Liaison Discussion Section” meetings address research and/or technology topics of interest to liaisons. They can be conversations, or presentations, or both. They take place most often on the 3rd week of the month, but in order to allow people who work different hours to attend, they’re sometimes scheduled for different days/times.

Blog censorship by threat of lawsuit: Posts removed...

Description: Adela will tell us what academic departments and programs been asked to do regarding assessment of student learning, share some examples of what departments have chosen to do, and discuss how assessment is a continuous process that should build over time. We’ll then share some ideas regarding how LIS staff can contribute to information literacy assessment efforts, both through our information literacy pilots and through our individual course-related workshops.
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“Liaison Discussion Section” meetings address research and/or technology topics of interest to liaisons. They can be conversations, or presentations, or both. They take place most often on the 3rd week of the month, but in order to allow people who work different hours to attend, they’re sometimes scheduled for different days/times.

Terry Deary’s attack on libraries branded ‘ignorant twaddle’
Popular children’s author Terry Deary says public libraries should cease to exist. Other authors disagree.

The Only Thing That Can Stop This Asteroid Is Your Liberal Arts Degree, from McSweeney’s.

Description:
Joe and Adam will provide an overview of curricular resources and projects, including:
* Course Catalog and Scheduler
* Adding Middfiles to the Course Hub
* Digital Language Lab pilot
* Adaptive Testing

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“Liaison Discussion Section” meetings address research and/or technology topics of interest to liaisons. They can be conversations, or presentations, or both. They take place most often on the 3rd week of the month, but in order to allow people who work different hours to attend, they’re sometimes scheduled for different days/times.

Description: When Hans and Steve looked at a year of our emailed Reference questions as part of the 2012 assessment of Research & Instruction, they found several types of questions which were asked repeatedly.  They’ll present a handful of them with the ways in which we responded, and then open the floor up for discussion of other common Reference questions we’ve experienced and our best answers to them.

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“Liaison Discussion Section” meetings address research and/or technology topics of interest to liaisons. They can be conversations, or presentations, or both. They take place most often on the 3rd week of the month, but in order to allow people who work different hours to attend, they’re sometimes scheduled for different days/times.

Social Sciences
A few highlights: Faculty shared their experiences with curricular and other technology support. Hats off to Kellam, who was praised for her Reserves work!

Sciences
A few highlights: Faculty are interested in reviewing discipline-specific lists of journal subscriptions. Pros and cons of several options for data management were discussed. How best to get more input on faculty preferences? “Send us an email and keep following up if we don’t respond. This is important!”

Arts and Humanities
A few highlights: Faculty shared their answers to the question, “What do faculty most need to know from LIS?” After reviewing statistics on curricular technology use around campus, faculty discussed their continuing need for in-depth support.

Languages
A few highlights: Faculty learned about the two information literacy pilots in progress on campus. The long-term goal is to build out research and technology learning goals within each department. Faculty demonstrated special software that assists with essay grading.

Ithaka, the non-profit organization that brings us JSTOR, on Supporting the Changing Research Practices of Historians: This study, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, uncovers the needs of today’s historians and provides guidance for how research support providers can better serve them.

3D Printing:  Wondering what this technology is all about?  Read the latest CQ Researcher report “3D Printing: Will it revolutionize manufacturing?“  Trivia question: How was this technology used in the latest James Bond thriller “Skyfall”?

Some faculty and students have been reluctant to post undergraduate theses to Scholarship at Middlebury in part because they fear it could jeopardize their ability to publish the findings in journals later on. A report published in the Chronicle of Higher Education indicates there isn’t much cause for this kind of concern. (Read the comments too, where the validity of the conclusions is debated.) Putting Dissertation Online Isn’t an Obstacle to Print Publication, Surveys Find.