Monthly Archives: January 2015

Install AdBlock for Firefox and Chrome for better, safer surfing

By Ryan Johnson, technology training coordinator

adblockWhether I’m working at Penn State, surfing the web at home or helping family and friends with their computers, one of the first things I do is make sure they install AdBlock.

AdBlock is a simple extension for Firefox and Chrome (versions for Safari and Opera are also now available) that prevents page elements, such as advertisements from being displayed. Not only will AdBlock block ads but it will also help block spyware and malware from installing on your computer.

If the page you are visiting requires a pop-up to complete a necessary function, you can always pause Adblock on certain web pages or an entire website by clicking on the icon that displays in your browser after installing and adjusting the settings.

iconTo try AdBlock, visit getadblock.com or install the extension for Firefox or Chrome directly (Privilege Guard is NOT needed). Don’t be confused with AdBlock Plus, with is a slightly different extension.

Events: Jan. 26

January 26, 1:30–3:00 p.m.: Mendeley. 302 Paterno Library. Mendeley is a free reference manager and academic social network that can help you organize your research library, collaborate with others online and discover other relevant papers based on what you are reading. To register, go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html.

January 28, noon: “What do Sherpas Think About Climate Change on Mount Everest?” Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. The event is free and open to the public and can be viewed online.

January 28, 6:00 p.m.: Reading of Professor Charles Dumas’s new play, “Reconciliation,” presented by the United Nations Association of Centre County and the University Libraries, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library.

January 28, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: “The Power of YOUR Money: Who is in control?” Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library.

January 29, 3:00 p.m.: Box at Penn State. See TechSmart for location and details. This session will provide an overview of Box, the new cloud based file storage at Penn State. We will discuss how you can sync files easily across various devices and how Box can be used to share files and collaborate with departments and committees at the Libraries.

February 4, noon to 1 p.m.: “The Swans came to Penn State too,” a talk by Charles S. Prebish, Foster Auditorium. Held in conjunction with the current exhibition, “The Way is in the Heart,” an exhibition of publications from the Charles Prebish Buddhism Collection, on display in the Franklin Atrium. Prebish is professor emeritus of Religious Studies at Penn State, where he served on the faculty from 1971 until 2006.

February 8, 2 p.m.: Gallery talk by Chip Kidd Collection Archivist, Alyssa Carver. Carver will discuss Chip Kidd Archive exhibit highlights and some of the challenges involved with organizing and preserving the hybrid (analog and digital) archive.

February 12, 2015 10:00 a.m.: Introduction to SelectSurvey. See TechSmart for location and details. Want to learn more about the survey tool for the libraries? Everyone at the University Libraries has access to SelectSurvey. In this Introductory class, you will learn basic survey creation, management and deployment.

February 19, 10:00–11:00 a.m.: Library Research Basics. W315 Pattee Library. Learn how to find books, articles and other materials in your research area or major by using the Libraries’ online databases. You will also discover library services that can help streamline your research process. Individuals not affiliated with Penn State can register by calling 814-865-9257. To register, go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html.

February 26, 9:30 a.m.: Creating Accessible Word and PowerPoint Documents in Office 13
See TechSmart for location and details. In this session, you will discover best practices to create accessible Microsoft Word and PowerPoint documents (updated for Office 13). Whether you create website content or just email and share documents with staff, creating accessible Office files is very important. This session will cover the basic techniques needed to optimize your content for accessibility.

March 5: 10:00–11:30 a.m.: Mendeley. 302 Paterno Library. Mendeley is a free reference manager and academic social network that can help you organize your research library, collaborate with others online and discover other relevant papers based on what you are reading. To register, go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html.

March 2, 10:00–11:30 a.m., Endnote, W23 Pattee. EndNote can be used to search online bibliographic databases, organize references, images and PDFs in any language and create bibliographies and figure lists instantly. Attend one of these seminars to learn how to get the most out of EndNote. To register, go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html.

** Also see “Training and Enrichment Opportunities” for additional staff events.

Removing barriers to improve user experience

By Susan Hayya, coordinator, Adaptive Technology and Services

ats locker

Lockers in ATS are popular with students

After the lockers were installed in Adaptive Technology and Services, it didn’t take long for our students to discover them. They were excited to have a place to store their books in the same area where they studied.

One of our blind students wanted to know how the lockers worked. I directed him to the eight lockers, explaining that four lockers are stacked directly on top of another set of four lockers. Using his hand and starting at the top left locker and ending at the bottom right locker, he touched each locker, and assigned a number for each one.

He then asked how to lock and unlock them. By directing his finger on the keypad and reading the numbers out loud, I explained that he could enter a number combination of his own to use a locker. I removed my hand from his finger and he proceeded to retrace the rows and columns on the keypad. He then exclaimed that he understood it; it would be no problem, it was like cells in a spreadsheet. Now he was ready to lock and unlock it on his own. By keeping track of the cells he was able to input his code to open and close a locker. He was thrilled.

Access to the locker meant more to him than a place to put his personal items. It meant success, independence, and equal opportunity. He joyfully opened, closed, and locked each locker five times. Now that he and other students know how to use them, the lockers are in constant use.

ScholarSphere news

Want the latest information on ScholarSphere? See these two new posts on the Digital Stewardship blog:

  • “New Year, New Release” – on ScholarSphere 2.1:
    As of January 16, ScholarSphere is at Version 2.1. Folks may remember that we released ScholarSphere 2.0 in September 2014 and unveiled a brand new interface, based on user feedback and participatory user design activities that we undertook in the last couple of years. With the 2.1 release, we focused on improving the functionality of some existing features and broadened discovery possibilities for ScholarSphere content and authors.
  • “ScholarSphere Drop-In Hours: New Year, New Habits”
    The ScholarSphere Service Team has organized a few drop-in hours for anyone to come by and get advice and help on using ScholarSphere, or to talk with us about what you’re interested in seeing in the service in the future.

LHR News: Jan. 26

Please join us in welcoming the following new hires:

Full-time:
1/26/15 Jennie Levine Knies – Head Librarian, Wilkes-Barre

Part-time:
D’aundra Lewis – Penn State Altoona
Chen Chen Xu – Penn State Altoona
Aruba Tariq – Penn State York
Aimee Liu – Commons Services
Conor Stone – Earth and Mineral Sciences Library

Wishing the following employees well as they leave us:
Mary Derstein, Social Sciences Library

Discovery Day team seeks your ideas

The Discovery Day 2015 Programming Committee is seeking ideas, suggestions, and volunteers for presentations and poster sessions for Discovery Day , which will be held on Friday, May 29, 2015.

The survey contains four relevant areas:

  1. sessions suggested at our open forum
  2. teaching/presenting a session
  3. presenting a poster or infographic
  4. purchasing a commemorative 10th anniversary T-shirt

To submit suggestions or volunteer for a session or a poster, please go to:
https://surveys.libraries.psu.edu/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=783Il7l

Everyone is welcome to send in suggestions and we look forward to receiving them.
The deadline for responding to the survey is February, 6, 2015.

Feb. 3 Tech Update agenda

Time: 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Foster Auditorium and MediaSite Live

  • 3D printing: Kyle Bowen with Education Technology Services will inform us of the capabilities of the 3D printing lab in the Knowledge Commons.
  • Where is it safe to store my stuff? Linda Klimczyk with I-Tech will give an overview of how to: identify the types of files that we have; public, internal/controlled, or restricted; resources of where to best house them, and retention best practices/requirements.
  • Drupal update: Charlie Morris from I-Tech will provide an update on the Drupal implementation while Binky Lush will provide an update on the Implementation and Management Team.
  • Aeon: Timothy Babcock with Special Collections will provide an update on the implementation of Aeon; the new Special Collections Management software.

Dean’s News

By Barbara I. Dewey, dean, University Libraries and Scholarly Communications

Welcome back everyone! I hope you had a nice break. I bring greetings from about 50 alumni who attended the Naples, FL Penn State Alumni Meeting. I was their guest speaker and had the opportunity to let them know about the great things that are happening at Penn State Libraries at University Park and across the Commonwealth. They were excited.

We were successful in securing Joe Salem and Anne Langley for the associate dean positions. They both look forward to joining us. Dace Freivalds and her committee are back to work on the search for the Associate Dean for Technology and Digital Strategies. Hearty thanks to them for their hard work. Please let Dace know of potential candidates.

Libraries host reading of “Reconciliation,” a play

The United Nations Association of Centre County and the University Libraries will present a reading of Professor Charles Dumas’s new play, “Reconciliation,” on Wednesday, January 28, at 6:00 p.m., in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. The William Joiner Institute commissioned the play for the Study of War and Social Consequences. The reading is open to the public with no admission fee. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.

The play depicts an African-American State Department official and his wife attempting to negotiate peace in a war torn Iraq. The University of Massachusetts will present the full production of “Reconciliation” next June.

Dumas is a professor emeritus from Penn State’s School of Theatre. He is a prize-winning actor, director and writer as well as a Pennsylvania Council of the Arts fellowship recipient. The reading is directed by Wendell Franklin, an associate professor in Penn State’s School of Theatre, and he is a professional actor, who was last seen recently in “M****with the Hat.”

The United Nations Association of the United States of America is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to building understanding of and support for the ideals and vital work of the United Nations among the American people. Its educational and humanitarian campaigns allow people to have a global impact at the local level. Centre County’s chapter (http://www.unacentrecountypa.org/) was founded in 1994, with the goal of building bridges to the community

For more information or if you anticipate needing accessibility accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Helen Sheehy at hms2@psu.edu or 814-863-1347.

Money management workshop for students

“The Power of YOUR Money: Who is in control?” will be presented Wednesday, January 28, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library.

An interactive session presented by Dr. Daad Rizk, Penn State financial literacy coordinator, and Peer Educators from Penn State’s Student Financial Education Center (SFEC), the workshop will discuss the main money management issues that college students face. Participants will have the opportunity to test their financial savvy and discover the Penn State resources and services that can help to improve their control of their financial wellbeing.

Refreshments will be provided.

This program was developed for the Shaping the Future Summit through the collaborative efforts of Penn State’s Commission for Adult Learners, University Libraries and the SFEC, which is a partnership between University Libraries and the University Park Undergraduate Association. Shaping the Future Summit 2015 is an ongoing, yearlong conversation about “The Power of Money” across disciplines and interests.

For more information or if you anticipate needing accessibility accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Lauren Reiter at lmr29@psu.edu or 814-865-4414.

Libraries offer $1,250 award for outstanding undergraduate thesis

The Penn State University Libraries announce the fourth annual competition for the Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis. The competition aims to find the best thesis submitted by an undergraduate student in consultation with his or her adviser. The winner will receive an award of $1,250. Second place will receive $750, and third place will receive $500. Undergraduate students graduating in summer 2014, fall 2014, or spring 2015 and from all Penn State locations are eligible for the spring 2015 award.

Students must submit an online application, have a statement of support submitted by a Penn State faculty member, and provide a copy of their final thesis. The competition includes a review of the submitted theses by a faculty jury and an oral presentation by the students chosen as finalists.

2015 Deadlines include:

  • January—discuss the award and thesis requirement with your faculty adviser.
  • April 13 (by 11:59 p.m.)—submit online Student Thesis Application, Faculty Statement of Support, and final thesis.
  • April 28—three finalists notified.
  • May 7—public oral defense by finalists in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library.

Barbara I. Dewey, dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications, explains, “Through this award, the Libraries emphasize the importance of utilizing quality research methods and employing a thorough understanding of the legal and ethical issues related to the use of information—both key components of academic excellence.” She continues, “The projects submitted in past years have been very impressive, and each thesis has demonstrated excellence in the research process of locating, evaluating, and utilizing appropriate scholarly resources.”

Details, including submission forms and application criteria, are available at:
www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/admin/thesisaward.html

The Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Award is a partnership between the University Libraries and the Schreyer Honors College.

For more information, see or contact Sandy Confer at slb3@psu.edu or 814-863-4723.

Events: Jan. 19

king speech

photo: Penn State University Archives

January 19, 11 a.m.: Audio broadcast of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1965 address at Rec Hall, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. The event, which is organized by the University Libraries Diversity Committee, is open to all, and students and the public are encouraged to attend. A related slide show will be presented along with the audio.

January 19, 1 p.m., Musical selections from Penn State’s Essence of Joy, Franklin Atrium, 106 Pattee Library. Essence of Joy is one of 10 choral ensembles in the Penn State School of Music, and performs sacred and secular music from the African and African American traditions under the direction of music professor Anthony Leach.

January 21, noon: “Food Processing with Malawian Village Women,” Foster Auditorium, first floor, Paterno Library. Presented by Dorothy Blair. The event is free and open to the public and can also be viewed online.

January 21: 2:00–3:00 p.m.: Library Research Basics. W315 Pattee Library. Learn how to find books, articles and other materials in your research area or major by using the Libraries’ online databases. You will also discover library services that can help streamline your research process. Individuals not affiliated with Penn State can register by calling 814-865-9257. To register, go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html.

January 21, 1:00–4:00 p.m.: Renovations showcase at the Engineering Library, 325 Hammond Building, and the Fletcher L. Byrom Earth and Mineral Sciences Library, 105 Deike Building.

January 21, 5:30–6:30 p.m., Wage and Tax Fundamentals, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library. Additional details are online at http://bit.ly/1rzz1Jw. Registration is available online at http://bit.ly/14vwFV6.

January 26, 1:30–3:00 p.m.: Mendeley. 302 Paterno Library. Mendeley is a free reference manager and academic social network that can help you organize your research library, collaborate with others online and discover other relevant papers based on what you are reading. To register, go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html.

January 28, noon: “What do Sherpas Think About Climate Change on Mount Everest?” Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. The event is free and open to the public and can be viewed online.

January 28, 6:00 p.m.: Reading of Professor Charles Dumas’s new play, “Reconciliation,” presented by the United Nations Association of Centre County and the University Libraries, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library.

January 28, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: “The Power of YOUR Money: Who is in control?” Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library.

January 29, 3:00 p.m.: Box at Penn State. See TechSmart for location and details. This session will provide an overview of Box, the new cloud based file storage at Penn State. We will discuss how you can sync files easily across various devices and how Box can be used to share files and collaborate with departments and committees at the Libraries.

February 4, noon to 1 p.m.: “The Swans came to Penn State too,” a talk by Charles S. Prebish, Foster Auditorium. Held in conjunction with the current exhibition, “The Way is in the Heart,” an exhibition of publications from the Charles Prebish Buddhism Collection, on display in the Franklin Atrium. Prebish is professor emeritus of Religious Studies at Penn State, where he served on the faculty from 1971 until 2006.

February 8, 2 p.m.: Gallery talk by Chip Kidd Collection Archivist, Alyssa Carver. Carver will discuss Chip Kidd Archive exhibit highlights and some of the challenges involved with organizing and preserving the hybrid (analog and digital) archive.

February 12, 2015 10:00 a.m.: Introduction to SelectSurvey. See TechSmart for location and details. Want to learn more about the survey tool for the libraries? Everyone at the University Libraries has access to SelectSurvey. In this Introductory class, you will learn basic survey creation, management and deployment.

February 19, 10:00–11:00 a.m.: Library Research Basics. W315 Pattee Library. Learn how to find books, articles and other materials in your research area or major by using the Libraries’ online databases. You will also discover library services that can help streamline your research process. Individuals not affiliated with Penn State can register by calling 814-865-9257. To register, go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html.

February 26, 9:30 a.m.: Creating Accessible Word and PowerPoint Documents in Office 13
See TechSmart for location and details. In this session, you will discover best practices to create accessible Microsoft Word and PowerPoint documents (updated for Office 13). Whether you create website content or just email and share documents with staff, creating accessible Office files is very important. This session will cover the basic techniques needed to optimize your content for accessibility.

March 5: 10:00–11:30 a.m.: Mendeley. 302 Paterno Library. Mendeley is a free reference manager and academic social network that can help you organize your research library, collaborate with others online and discover other relevant papers based on what you are reading. To register, go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html.

March 2, 10:00–11:30 a.m., Endnote, W23 Pattee. EndNote can be used to search online bibliographic databases, organize references, images and PDFs in any language and create bibliographies and figure lists instantly. Attend one of these seminars to learn how to get the most out of EndNote. To register, go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html.

** Also see “Training and Enrichment Opportunities” for additional staff events.

LHR News: Jan. 19

Please join us in welcoming the following new hires:

Part-time:
James McCready – Education and Behavioral Sciences Library
Christian Fake – Earth and Mineral Sciences Library
Theodore Smith – Earth and Mineral Sciences Library
Adrienne Showalter – Penn State Brandywine

Wishing the following employees well as they leave us:
Taryn Bartholomew, Arts and Humanities Library

Team to guide Drupal implementation

Over the next 24 months, the Libraries’ website will migrate from Adobe CQ CMS to Drupal. A team has been formed to guide this transition, sponsored by Dace Freivalds, head of the Department for Information Technologies and Lisa German, associate dean for Collections Information and Access Services. The Web Implementation and Management Team (WIMT), headed by Binky Lush, will work closely with I-Tech to evaluate and plan site functionality, prioritize phases of migration and develop a strategic vision for the Library’s web presence.

WIMT is made up of team members from across the Libraries, who will represent the following areas:

  • Content Strategy
  • Usability
  • Discovery
  • Technology
  • Marketing
  • Analytics
  • Research
  • Teaching and Learning

The team will define guidelines for the new website to ensure that it supports and facilitates an engaging user experience. These guidelines will include:

  • User-centered, integrated interfaces for fast and easy information retrieval
  • Structured websites with minimum clicks for user-desired tasks
  • Information content and services packaged to meet user needs
  • Information seeking as the central focus of website design
  • Integration of more user-centered resources into web design
  • Structured website and tools for better integration with other information
    portals
  • Compliance with current information standards and conventions for web design
  • Content that interoperates with University Systems
  • Ongoing browser compatibility

Upon completion of the Drupal implementation, WIMT will continue to coordinate all web project proposals and formulate policies related to the web. In the coming weeks, regular updates from the WIMT will be posted in the Library News blog.

For more information, contact the team at ul-wimt@lists.psu.edu.

WIMT members: Binky Lush, Linda Klimczyk, Helen Smith, Chuck Jones, Lana Munip, Dawn Amsberry, Charlie Morris, Alex Brown, Bonnie Imler, Amy Rustic