Daily Archives: November 16, 2015

Campus-wide sustainability program modeled after Green Committee’s game

The Libraries’ Green Committee and its successful Recycling Sorting Station game developed for this fall’s Open House at University Park so impressed members of Penn State’s Sustainability Institute that they have developed two versions of it for ongoing campus-wide educational initiatives.

Jennifer Funk, Interlibrary Loan information resources and services support specialist and Green Committee member, suggested the idea of a sorting station as a way to involve the Green Committee in Open House activities, and to help educate a new cohort of students and other new patrons about recycling and composting best practices. The Sorting Station stop on the Open House tour gave the committee an opportunity to illustrate both proper sorting and its impact.

Linda Struble, information resources and services supervisor-manager at Penn State’s Engineering Library and a member of the Libraries’ Green Committee, volunteered at the Sorting Station. “The students really seemed to enjoy it. And because Penn State’s Sustainability Institute also provided us with examples of products made from recycled materials, like fleece clothing and carpeting, it helped demonstrated the value of proper recycling,” she said.

two students listening to Linda Struble talk about recycling and sustainability in Franklin Atrium, Pattee Library

Linda Struble, a member of the University Libraries’ Green Committee, answers students’ recycling and composting questions during the Libraries’ Open House. The committee’s sorting station game offered a fun way to educate new students, faculty and staff about Penn State’s commitment to sustainability.

Committee members used baskets that patrons use for carrying books as “recycling bins” for the game, and as luck would have it, an older green basket was available to stand in as the game’s compost bin. Members also printed sheets of recycling signage similar to those on the Libraries’ recycling bins, and posters listing five actions individuals can take to reduce their waste.

They borrowed the Sustainability Institute’s bag of clean recyclables available for such programs and collected other oddball recycling items to challenge players. The Institute also provided an “answer key” indicating where each item should be placed correctly in the waste stream. 

“We made sure to insert humor into the game,” Struble added. “For instance, multiple participants feigned surprise when they discovered a rubber chicken in the compostable bin, representing a real chicken, bones and all, that are compostable.”

Lydia Vandenbergh, the Sustainability Institute’s associate director of employee engagement and education, and other Sustainability Institute members volunteered for shifts at the sorting station along with Green Committee members. After they saw the sorting station game’s success, Sustainability Institute members decided to use the same concept to create a traveling educational show, tentatively called the Recycling and Composting Roadshow. 

Two versions of the Roadshow were developed — one for high student-traffic areas, including on-campus dining halls, the HUB-Robeson Center, and the University Libraries, and the other for more general-traffic campus audiences including classroom buildings.

Karen Serago, academic adviser at the Smeal College of Business, and Dan Cahoy, professor of business law and a member of the college's sustainability board, learned about the recycling and composting roadshow tool from Kaitlynn Hamaty, intern at the Sustainability Institute.

Karen Serago, academic adviser at the Smeal College of Business, and Dan Cahoy, professor of business law and a member of the college’s sustainability board, learned about the recycling and composting roadshow from Penn State student Kaitlynn Hamaty, an intern at the Sustainability Institute.

The Roadshow already is in use, and Sustainability Institute members have demonstrated it to Green Team representatives across the University Park campus and offered it for future educational programs. The committee’s idea also will be featured in the Sustainability Institute’s e-newsletter.

Congratulations to the Green Committee, whose ingenuity has inspired a new level of sustainability education at University Park.

Giving Tuesday and Nov. 17 event focus on textbook fund

7 - Giving Tuesday logoFor the fourth year, following the consumer-focused Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving will be celebrated as Giving Tuesday, a day to recognize and support nonprofit organizations. This year, Tuesday, December 1, marks Penn State’s second year of participation — and the first focused on supporting the student-centered University Libraries’ textbook fund.

The purpose of the fund is to acquire textbooks and other course materials for students’ use. While it eases non-tuition costs for students with financial need, the textbook fund benefits all students by providing enhanced access to materials.

In advance of Giving Tuesday, the Libraries will celebrate the Day of Philanthropy on Tuesday, November 17, marking the start of its awareness campaign for this important event. The event, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Pattee Library’s Franklin Atrium, University Park, will celebrate the impact of philanthropy. Those not at University Park are invited to participate online via the Libraries’ Facebook page, to view the Day of Philanthropy event virtually — and to share what they love most about the Libraries. 

Penn State Annual Giving’s online-focused Giving Tuesday pilot program includes the Libraries as one of three University areas of special focus. Outreach via email and social media will encourage donors to donate online at giveto.psu.edu/givingtuesday,  where the Libraries’ textbook fund will have prominent visibility.

PAMS2015-Textbooks_6853Especially noteworthy is that charitable contributions to the Libraries will have double the value during the Giving Tuesday campaign, which kicks off today (Nov. 16) and concludes at the end of the day on Dec. 1. The Penn State Bookstore on campus, managed by Barnes & Noble, has pledged to match Libraries gifts dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000.

To help the Libraries build awareness of the value of its Giving Tuesday donor-matching opportunity, social media users can help spread the word about the event using the hashtag #PSUGivingTue on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. (Follow the University Libraries at facebook.com/psulibs and via account name @psulibs on Instagram and Twitter, and tag the Libraries with the hashtag #psulibs.) Social media users also will have the chance to earn points and chances for prizes through “The Nittany Network” on the online platform SocialToaster.com.

In advance of Giving Tuesday, the Libraries will celebrate the Day of Philanthropy on Tuesday, November 17, marking the start of its awareness campaign for this important event. The event, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Pattee Library’s Franklin Atrium, University Park, will celebrate the impact of philanthropy with snacks and a fun crowd-sourcing activity and also will officially kick off the Libraries’ Giving Tuesday Textbook Fund campaign to benefit all Penn State students. The Libraries’ Facebook page, found at https://facebook.com/psulibs, will feature a photo album of images from the event.

Both the Day of Philanthropy and Giving Tuesday celebrate the generosity of Libraries donors and the impact of philanthropy on the faculty, staff, and students of Penn State.

For more information, including ways to give, please visit giveto.psu.edu/givingtuesday.

Events: Nov. 16

Monday, Nov. 16, noon: Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow Panel presentation on “Higher Education Systems in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Mexico, & Pakistan,” Foster.

Mon., Nov. 16, 1-2:30 p.m.: Mapping Applications: Getting to know SimplyMap, PolicyMap, and Social Explorer, 302, Paterno Library, and online at https://meeting.psu.edu/ssltraining/

Mon, Nov. 16, 6-7 p.m., Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Keynote address: “What Entrepreneurs need to know about intellectual property and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,” Foster Auditorium. Presented by Jeanne Clark, patent examination policy advisor with the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. This presentation will also be available online via MediaSite Live. For more information on all GEW events, see http://www.gewpennstate.org/

Mon., Nov. 16, 5-6 p.m.: Free Data!…Courtesy of Uncle Sam, 302 Paterno Library. GEW event. Librarian Jeff Knapp will introduce participants to methods for finding free demographic statistics and data that can help entrepreneurs locate their potential customers. Registration max is 34.

Mon., Nov. 16, 8 p.m.: 4 under 30 panel. A GEW event. Join four recent Penn State alumni to hear of their successes and challenges in developing their start-ups.

Tues., Nov. 17, 9:30-10:30am: I want to sell to the Acme Corporation, where do I begin? 302 Paterno Library. GEW event. Learn how to find out about specific companies and the industries in which they operate. Presented by librarian Kevin Harwell. Registration max is 34.

Tues., Nov. 17, 1–2 p.m.: Highly Pragmatic Trips and Traps from the Trenches GEW event. Presented by Steve Barsh and moderated by Lee Erickson. The focus of this event is on common mistakes entrepreneurs make and how to avoid them, and much more. An open Q&A will follow the presentation.

Tues., Nov. 17, 1–2 p.m.: Financial Research, 302 Paterno Library. GEW event. Financials are a key component of any entrepreneurial endeavor. Learn the research strategies and resources available to help you find financial benchmarks for your business. Presented by librarian Lauren Reiter. Registration max is 34.

Tues, Nov. 17, 3-4:15 p.m.: Basic Patents, 140 W. Pattee Library (in the Knowledge Commons)
GEW event. This short, hands-on workshop by librarian John Meier will focus on understanding what patents are, the basic process of obtaining a patents and online searching of prior art (previous inventions). Attendees should have an interest in patents and be prepared to do practice searching in Google Patents and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Registration max is 40.

Wed., Nov. 18: GIS Day Programming
10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.: Poster Display, Franklin Atrium, Pattee Library
10 a.m.–2 p.m.: Information Fair, Leisure Reading Room, Pattee Library
All day: Speaker and Lightning Talks: Location: Foster Aud., Paterno Library (able to view remotely via Media Site Live)
Morning Session:
11:15–11:45 a.m.: Joseph Kerski, 5 Converging Forces: Geoawareness, geotechnologies, geoenablement, citizen science, and storytelling are combining to make this the most exciting time ever for GIS in education and society. Find out about these forces, why they matter,how you can get involved, and what they mean for your career pathway.
11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.: Lightning Talks
Afternoon Session
1:30–2:30 p.m.: HERE maps
2:30–3:00 p.m.: Joseph Kerski, Telling your story with Esri Storymaps: Combine audio, video, photographs, sketches, narratives, and other multimedia to present the results of your research, to teach, and to communicate your OWN story, using Esri’s easy-to-use yet powerful storymapping web applications.
3:00–3:30 p.m.: Lightning Talks
4:00–5:30 p.m.: Networking Reception, Mann Assembly Room
Drawing of a $75 Gift Certificate from Geographic Research, Inc. producer of SimplyMap. For more information, visit the GIS Day website

Wed., Nov. 18, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.: Standards & Tech Reports for Inventors 302 Paterno Library. GEW event. Learn what standards are and how they can aid you in developing a product that meets industry specifications. Also learn about technical reports and how they provide guidance for technical literature searching for patent applications. Presented by librarian Angela Davis. Registration max is 34.

Thurs., Nov. 19, 3-4:15pm, Advanced Patent Searching, 140 W. Pattee Library (in the Knowledge Commons). GEW event. This workshop will help inventors and entrepreneurs already familiar with patents to perform competitive intelligence, prior art searching (to find earlier inventions), and discover international patents. After a brief introduction to patents and the patent process, including international treaties, attendees will be guided in searching on the European Patent Office (EPO) website, the USPTO’s Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) public system, along with a brief overview of more powerful patent research tools. Presented by John Meier. Registration max is 40.

Fri., Nov. 20, 1:30-2:30pm: Marketing Resources, 302 Paterno Library. GEW event. Consumer Behavior and Retail Market Trends. Learn which databases tap into the latest market analysis. Presented by Kevin Harwell. Registration max is 34.

Dr. Marcus Whitehurst

Dr. Marcus Whitehurst

Save the date: Dean’s Diversity Forum, presented by Marcus A. Whitehurst, vice provost for Educational Equity, Thurs., Dec. 10, 2:00–3:00 p.m., Foster Auditorium and Media Site Live.

How to change your default programs in Windows

by Ryan Johnson, technology training coordinator

You can easily change the default program that Windows uses when you open a particular type of file, such as a PDF or image. Click on the Start Menu and select Default Programs:
Capture1Select Associate a file type or protocol with a program:

Capture2Select the file type (ex. .pdf) then select Change program and select the program you want to use.

Capture3Click OK.

OpenStreetMap Mapathon

Join us on Thursday, November 19, from 6-8 p.m. in W013 Pattee Library (across from the Maps Library) for an OpenStreetMap Mapathon. Volunteers of all backgrounds and experience are welcome! Come learn how to map our world.

Free, up-to-date maps are a critical resource when relief organizations are responding to disasters or political crises and planning for a more sustainable world. This event will be in support of work by organizations such as Peace Corps, Red Cross, USAID, Doctors without Borders, and more. Learn more here about how we’ll contribute to OpenStreetMap.

Please contact Aaron Dennis (undergraduate, Department of Geography) at avd5316@psu.edu with any questions about the OpenStreetMap Mapathon.

Call for Discovery Day 2016 planning committee volunteers

by Ann Snowman

Discovery Day will be held on Thursday, May 19, 2016.
Staff and faculty alike are invited to join the Discovery Day planning committee which will be charged in late November. This will be the 11th consecutive year for this exciting event.

The University will be in session on Thursday, May 19, and University Park Libraries will be open for business. We again will be counting on supervisors and managers to commit to minimal staffing at service points to allow staff to participate as fully as possible.

To volunteer to be a member of the planning committee, please contact Ann Snowman, ams32@psu.edu, by November 20.

Craft Sale to be held Dec. 2

The University Libraries United Way Committee will be holding its Fall/ Holiday Arts and Craft Sale on Wednesday, December 2, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Mann Assembly Room.

Please Save the Date and plan to attend.

We are currently accepting donations of art and handmade items, including knitting, crochet, needlework, jewelry, photography, painting, woodwork.
We are also accepting supplies like yarn, fabric, beads, etc.

Donations can be given to Amy Miller (arm107) in Common Services, 107 Pattee Library.

New this year: We want to recognize you and the amazing crafts you make: We have so many great crafters in the library and we alway get so many beautiful and amazing things. Thank you to everyone who has donated in the past and to those of you who will donate this year. However so many times we get anonymous donations and can’t give you the recogniton you deserve.

If you are donating arts and craft items to the sale this year, please attach a business card or include your name and contact information along with your donations. If you have a crafting business, we’d like to recognize your work and give you some free advertising. We’d be happy to put some business cards alongside your donated items. If you just do it for fun, we’d still like people to be able to know what you made! (If you would prefer to remain anonymous, you can). All proceeds benefit the Centre County United Way. — Amy Miller

Databases landing page A/B testing

by Alex T. Brown, web analytics specialist and Web Implementation Management Team (WIMT) member

The Databases landing page was the third most accessed page on the website during AY14/15, with close to 375,000 pageviews. The average amount of time spent on this page is 5 minutes and 16 seconds. As the main purpose of the Databases page is to connect users to the database they are looking for, the lengthy average page time indicates that this page is not simplifying the process for our Library users!

A/B testing on the Databases landing page will be aimed at maximizing efficiency of the page and streamlining the ability of users to find the database they are looking for. Our A/B test will deliver a more efficient version of the page with both the databases search and the LionSearch forms on the right hand side and more of the databases A-Z list showing. This is a minor change, but if we are able to streamline the process and connect users more quickly with their desired database, user satisfaction and database usage will increase.

** Note from WIMT:  Did you miss the website Content Strategy presentation last week? Watch it now on MediaSite Live. **