Monthly Archives: March 2017

Budget request system and timeline changes

The ABLE budget request application is currently being rewritten. The new application is called the Budget Request System which will be more straightforward to use for requestors and will provide more automated/online features for Library Administration and the Business Office.

This year the budget request period may start a few weeks later than in the past to allow for a full production launch of the new request system (mid to late April). This does not mean that you should wait for an announcement to begin working on your budget request plans. The content of the request will remain the same.

Please begin to prepare in the weeks ahead and be ready to enter your requests when the system becomes available. You will be able to copy and paste, so feel free to prepare your draft request in Word. You’ll be able to add attachments (quotes, supporting documentation, etc.) to each section of your request as well.

We’ll share more information about the system and training/instructions on how to use the new system as we get closer to the release date.

If you have questions or concerns please contact the project product owner, Kimlyn Patishnock.

– submitted by Linda Klimczyk, I-Tech

Inside Access: Revised Access Services Training Bulletin #22

by Fay Youngmark, Penn State Harrisburg Library

Access Services Training Bulletin #22 Processing the daily Clean Hold Shelf List Reports has been revised. It is now recommended that staff use the Discharging wizard to process materials that appear on these reports. In addition to the new procedure, this training bulletin also includes guidelines on what to do if users ask us to hold their items longer; what to do if you cannot find items on the reports; and best practice ideas for managing materials on your location’s hold shelves.

The Clean Holds Shelf List reports are used to manage materials on holds shelves at all library locations. They run Monday-Friday and are emailed to library staff. The Clean Holds Shelf List reports are not comprehensive. Items only appear once so it important to process materials promptly.

Important: Materials listed on the Clean Hold Shelf List reports have available holds automatically removed and current locations changed to match the materials’ home locations. To prevent staff from searching for and marking as ‘missing,’ materials that may be on holds shelves at other locations, it is important to process materials listed on the Clean Holds Shelf List reports daily.

Access Services Training Bulletins are located on the Intranet at https://staff.libraries.psu.edu/access-services-council/access-services-training-bulletins.

If you have any other ideas for training documentation, please contact the Circ-Reserves Expert Team at https://staff.libraries.psu.edu/ask-circ-expert-team.

Customer Service Tip: Quit your kvetching

Customer service expert Jeff Toister’s writes about an interesting Yiddish word taught to him by his great aunt: kvetch. It means to constantly complain. It can also refer to someone who is a constant complainer. Nobody wants to be known as a kvetch.

We’ve all been tempted to complain about a difficult customer. Perhaps they were unreasonable, a bit light on brains, or just plain mean. Whatever the reason, we should remember that those of us who don’t remember our history are doomed to repeat it.
Let’s say you encounter a grumpy customer who just can’t be satisfied. Afterward, you complain about it to a co-worker. This conversation makes you feel better because it validates how smart you are, how dumb the customer was, and the unfairness of it all. Unfortunately, that conversation will stick with you the next time you work with a similar customer and you’ll be unlikely to get a better result.

Here’s another version of the same story.

Let’s say you encounter a grumpy customer who just can’t be satisfied. Afterward, you tell a co-worker about how frustrated you were by the situation. Together, you confirm that you did a good job, but also brainstorm a few ways you can get better results in the future. The next time you work with a similar customer you get a better result because of what you learned from the last experience.

Rather than complain, try using this positive visualization technique: priming.

– submitted by Carmen Gass, User Training Services

Tech Tip: Android vs. Apple: Which one is for you?

 

graphic showing android logo versus apple logo for article discussing advantages and disadvantages of both

by Ryan Johnson, I-Tech

With devices in the technology market ever-changing, it’s hard to stay up-to-date on what the pros and cons of each phone are. Hopefully, these next few paragraphs will enlighten you on which system is for you.

Let’s start with Android and its advantages over competitors. Android advantages:

  • Great for multitasking; it can run many apps at the same time
  • Will always notify you – there’s always notification on home screen as well as LED blinking indicator
  • Playstore (app store) – thousands upon thousands of apps readily available, even those from third-party developers
  • Apps are also, on average, cheaper than those on iOS systems
  • Multiple phone options from various manufacturers include Samsung, HTC, Motorola and more – and each has its own style
  • Custom ROM can be installed
  • Use of NFC for multiple things, such as cashless payments or ease of sharing images and more
  • Ease of customization for user interface
  • Prices are wide in range
  • Flexible – pairs well with many devices

As with any technology, there are disadvantages to Android, too. Android disadvantages:

  • Most phones need some type of internet connection active (although this is not always the case)
  • Although many apps are free, ads will more-likely-than-not to be somewhere in that application
  • On average, battery life is poor
  • Device heats up easily
  • Updates are not given to all devices at the same time

Now let’s not forget Android’s top competitor – Apple. What are the advantages to this system, you ask? Here they are:

  • Updates come out seemingly quick
  • Pairs well with Apple devices, such as iPad and Mac
  • Little to no extra or unwanted apps that come on the phone already
  • On average, devices are worth more when you try to resell them
  • Easier charging with lightning cable – no wrong way to plug it in
  • iMessage & FaceTime – easy ways to communicate with others
  • Usually more storage available
  • Camera is one of the most advanced

Last but not least, Apple phones also have their downsides as well. The disadvantages of Apple are:

  • Their dependence on iTunes when connecting music to your computer
  • The headphone jack has disappeared, which means you need to buy an adapter or specific Apple Earpods
  • Prices are increasing with each new phone
  • You cannot remove the Li-Po battery, which would be handy for uses like charging externally
  • Lack of quick charging option
  • Screen resolution is less than other competitors

Now that you are enlightened about some of the major advantages and disadvantages of each operating system, you can choose which one best suits you.

Events: March 20

Spring 2017

Through Friday, May 5: “From the Trenches: The Great War in Sepia” exhibit, spring semester hours, Special Collections Library, 104 Paterno Library, University Park.

Through Friday, May 5: “Research Wrapped in Aesthetics: The Air Wall,” documentary exhibit, spring operating hours, Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library, 111 Stuckeman Family Building, University Park.

Through Wednesday, August 9, 2017: “Plastics: Knowledge and Information Taking Shape” exhibit, Pattee Library operating hours, Sidewater Commons and central entrance, Pattee Library, University Park.

Through Friday, August 30, 2017: “100 Years of the Pulitzers: Celebrating Our Humanity,” exhibitArts and Humanities Library operating hours, Diversity Studies Room, 203 Patee Library, University Park.

Monday, March 20: Edible Book Contest judging, noon-1:00 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday-Wednesday, March 21-22: 3D Scanning demonstration, by Angela Davis, Angel Peterson and Linda Struble, 1:30-2 p.m. and 3:30-4 p.m., Engineering Library, 325 Hammond Building, University Park.

Wednesday, March 22: COP Discussion: Ithaka Survey Results and Instruction, moderated by Steve Borrelli and Rebecca Miller, noon-1 p.m., via Zoom.

Wednesday, March 22: “This Book is an Action: The Politics of Feminist Publishing,” presentation by Jennifer Gilley, 12:15-1:30 p.m., Room 10, Abington Library, Abington.

Thursday, March 23: Conversations with Carmen, with guest speaker State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, March 23: TEAM Library, 2-3:30 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Monday-Thursday, March 27-30: Maker Fair, week-long outreach event, Hazleton Library, Hazelton.

Tuesday, March 28: Diversity Committee Annual Potluck, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, March 28: Dean’s Forum, 1:30-3 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Wednesday, March 29: The Many Faces of Intercultural Dialogue, presentations and conversations, 3-4 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, March 29:  “The Ark Before Noah: Decoding the Story of the Flood,” lecture by Dr. Irving Finkel, 6 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, March 30: Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts, “Books, Bodies, and Circulations of Dancing in Early 18th-Century France and England,” by Linda Tomko, 4:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park, reception to follow in Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Monday, April 3: Centre County Reads: Rethinking the American West, panel discussion inspired by Stacey Lee’s “Under a Painted Sky,” 4-5:30 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, April 4: Interactive Civility Workshop, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 5: Undergraduate Research Exhibition9:15 a.m.-2 p.m. poster sessions; 4 p.m. awards ceremony, Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park.

Wednesday, April 5: “You’re ‘kitten-me,’ it’s that easy? Tips and tricks for taming LionSearch and the CAT, 4-5 p.m. 211A Pattee Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 5: Docunight: Iran via Documentaries, “Sonita,” documentary screening about, around, or in Iran, or made by Iranians, 7 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, University Park.

Thursday, April 6: “Why Indigenous Knowledge Systems Matter for U.S. Land-grant Universities: Responsibilities and Challenges,” lecture by Kyle Whyte, 10-11 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday-Saturday, April 7-8: Boundaries of the Human in the Age of the Life Sciences Capstone Conference, presentations by ten renowned scholars, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park. Register by March 17.

Tuesday, April 11: “Fantastic Beasts and How to Understand them: Godzilla, Kaiju, and the Nuclear Age,” lecture by Dr. John Haddad, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Harrisburg Library, Harrisburg.

Wednesday, April 12: Alumni Library event, 1-3 p.m., Earth and Mineral Sciences Library, Deike Building, University Park.

Wednesday, April 12: COP Discussion: ACRL Debrief, 2-3 p.m., via Zoom.

Thursday, April 13: Celebration of Scholarship Research Fair, noon-6 p.m., Gym, Athletics and Recreation Building, Wilkes-Barre.

Thursday, April 13: Art + Engineering = Creative Problem Solving, lecture by Penn State Laureate Rebecca Strzelec, 1-2 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park, and Mediasite Live.

Friday, April 14: Remembrance of Kiarostami: The Life of an Iranian Artist, all day event, multiple locations, Pattee Library and Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, April 18: “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap” documentary, sponsored by the Libraries Diversity Committee, 7-9 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, April 18: Tech Update, by Libraries I-Tech staff, 2-3 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park, and Mediasite Live.

Wednesday, April 19: Poetry Slam7-9 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: Beyond the Database Demo: Information Literacy Instruction at the Foundational Level, 11 a.m.-noon, 211A Pattee Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: Earth Day Marigold Giveaway, by the University Libraries Green Committee, 2-4 p.m., Frankllin Auditorium, Pattee Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: 2017 Public Poetry Contest winners public reading, 7:30-8:30 p.m.,
Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Sunday, April 23: International Write-In, 3:30 p.m.-midnight, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 26: Financial Literacy Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.,
Black Box Theater, Slusser/Bayzick Building, Hazleton.

Wednesday, April 26: Conversations with Carmen, with guest speaker Bob Smith of the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center/Eisenhower Chapel, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday, April 28: Last day of spring classes.

Sunday-Tuesday, April 30-May 2: DeStress Fest, 3-8 p.m, University Park library locations.

Monday-Friday, May 1-5: Final exams.

Wednesday, May 3: Docunight, documentary screening about, around, or in Iran, or made by Iranians, 7 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, May 4: Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Award Public, Oral Defense, three award finalists, 3:30-5 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday-Sunday, May 5-7: Spring commencement weekend, most campuses.

Monday, May 8: MediaTech Expo, Media and Technology Support Services invites vendors to showcase the latest in technology products, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., President’s Hall, Penn Stater Conference Center, University Park.

Tuesday, May 9: COP Workshop, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Please submit event information to Public Relations and Marketing via the Library News submission form.

LFO Research Colloquium on Thursday, March 16

The LFO Research Committee invites you to this year’s Research Colloquium to be held from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16 in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park. This year’s Colloquium will be a mix of longer presentations and lightning talks, and will also be available on Mediasite.

Please see below for the schedule and more information about each talk.

1:00 – 1:05 p.m.  Opening Remarks by Dean Dewey
1:05 – 1:30 p.m.  Vanessa Eyer
1:30 – 1:55 p.m.  Nancy Adams and Val Lynn
1:55 – 2:20 p.m.  Jackie Esposito
2:20 – 2:25 p.m.  Break
2:25 – 2:50 p.m.  Nathan Piekelek and Ben Goldman
2:50 – 3:15 p.m.  Rob Olendorf
3:15 – 3:20 p.m.  Carmen Cole (Lightning Talk)
3:20 – 3:25 p.m.  Zoe Chao (Lightning Talk)
3:25 – 3:30 p.m.  Close/Thank you for coming

Vanessa Eyer
Preparing Engineering Students for What Lies Ahead: Developing Career Resources in Libraries

Engineering students are extremely career-driven and focused on finding a job before graduation, but few realize that the library may be a good source for information. Some librarians are also not aware that they have the resources and skills to assist students in this endeavor. This presentation will provide practical ways librarians can assist students in career development using successful examples and strategies from the Penn State University Park
Engineering Library and outside research. In addition, the presentation will discuss marketing and advertising methods for promoting these resources to students.

Nancy Adams and Val Lynn
What Counts as Knowledge?: Concrete Examples of an Abstract Concept from the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy

The constructed and contextual nature of authority is perhaps the most abstract of all the frames in ACRL’s Framework. We will share concrete examples of how the “evidence-based practice” (EBP) paradigm defines what counts as knowledge in health sciences and education. We will then discuss our research findings from an investigation of how librarians have negotiated the contested terrain of EBP in partnership with education faculty with whom they collaborate.

Jackie Esposito
Big 10 Institutional Records: Importance as a University Asset, Management of Content and Context, and Long-Term Preservation Issues

During the summer of 2016, Esposito traveled to all the Big 10 universities to determine the methods of institutional records placement; management principles, policies, and guidance; and preservation protocols. This presentation will outline best practices, lessons learned, and
recommendations for the future.

Nathan Piekielek and Ben Goldman
Climate Control: Vulnerabilities of American Archives to Rising Seas, Hotter Days and More Powerful Storms

Archives preserve some of our society’s most prized cultural possessions and yet some may be vulnerable to expected changes in future climate. We explore the potential effects and their interactions of three climate changes on archive locations throughout the U.S. — sea level rise, temperature warming, and surface water flooding. Results suggest that all national archives will
likely be exposed to future climate changes and those along the Atlantic coast may be especially vulnerable.

Rob Olendorf
A Game Theoretical Exploration of Open Data

Research data is becoming increasingly open due to both funder requirements and also a general cultural shift among researchers. In both cases, the argument for making data more open is that it advances the cause of science. However, many researchers correctly point out that making data open incurs costs such as increased time spent in management and documentation, archiving costs and risk of misuse. At the same time the direct benefits to researchers are limited, primarily to the potential of increased impact of manuscripts. I model this problem as a “common garden” problem using a game theoretical model known as the Prisoners’ Dilemma. The analysis reveals insights as to how researchers should behave to promote open data, and also potential changes to their environment that will also advance the cause of open data.

Carmen Cole
Using Citation Analysis to Inform Future Liaison Initiatives

To date, few STEM librarians have reported utilizing the bibliographies of undergraduate theses to determine the course of their liaison initiatives. The purpose of my research is to examine the College of Information Sciences and Technologies Schreyer Honors Theses bibliographies produced within the past five years. My intent is to draw upon a variety of metrics to aid in
informing future undergraduate instruction and outreach efforts. In this talk, I will share what led me to develop this research agenda, discuss past research, and present early findings.

Zoe Chao
Report from the UX Cafe

What is UX Cafe? By offering a cup of coffee and a granola bar, I had the opportunity to have conversations with students about the Libraries website. Do they click “I want it” or “Request”? What does the term “Library Collections” mean to them? I will give a brief report on the findings in this five-minute lightning talk.

– submitted by Jennifer Gilley, LFO Research Committee

Save the Date: Dean’s Forum March 28

The next Dean’s Forum is set for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28, in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, and on MediaSite Live. Dean Barbara I. Dewey will present an impressive list of kudos and followed by a panel discussion to share the mission and relationship with the University Libraries featuring Patrick Alexander, Penn State University Press; Steve Hinckley, Penn State Law Library, University Park; Gail Partin, Penn State Dickinson Law Library, Carlisle; and Cynthia Robinson, Harrell Health Sciences Library, Hershey.

Please join us in person or online to learn more!

2017 Mann Lecture focuses on art and information of dance notation

Linda Tomko, a historian, performer, and embodier of dances past, will serve as the distinguished speaker for the 2017 Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 30 in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library on Penn State’s University Park campus. Tomko will share her talk “Books, Bodies, and Circulations of Dancing in Early 18th-Century France and England” which includes references to items in the Mary Ann O’Brian Malkin Early Dance Collection (1531–1804). A reception following the lecture will be held in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library.

Tomko holds a Ph.D. in history from UCLA and her work focuses on the embodiment and theorization of early 18th-century French and English court and theatre dances. She leads the Baroque dance troupe Les Menus Plaisirs and has choreographed period-style dances for Stanford University. Active in scholarly dance organizations, she currently serves as editor for the Dance & Music series published by Pendragon Press.

Many of the books in the Malkin Collection are known to scholars like Tomko through the catalog of the Malkin Collection, “Dancing by the Book: A Catalogue of Books 1531–1804” in the Collection of Mary Ann O’Brian Malkin. The Malkin Collection includes books on early dance, both amateur and professional dancers, and dance notation, the shorthand used by choreographers to make detailed records of their work. The collection, which Malkin donated in 2003 to Penn State, her alma mater, is especially strong in 18th-century European material and was considered the best in private hands.

The Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts, named in honor of Charles W. Mann Jr., the first Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair for Special Collections in the University Libraries. This annual event featuring scholars with academic research areas connected to the materials held in the Eberly Family Special Collections Library is supported by the Mary Louise Krumrine Endowment.

Details about the 2017 Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts are included in the recent Penn State News article. An 8.5×11 poster with information about the Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts is available as a downloadable PDF.

Hazleton Library acquires a new 3D printer from FormLabs

new FormLabs 3D printer at Hazleton Campus Library

After much research and discussion with vendors, the Hazleton Campus Library decided to purchase an advanced high-resolution desktop 3D printer from FormLabs at the end of the fall 2016 semester. Erik Angel, Penn State Hazleton Library Staff member, initiated this collaborative partnership between University Libraries and the Hazleton Campus. The FormLabs 3D printer is unique at Penn State University as it utilizes stereolithography printing (resin-based) instead of using the more traditional plastic filament (PLA/ABS). Stereolithography converts a liquid resin material into a solid permanent state by exposing it to laser light over a period of time. The advantages of using a resin-based 3D printer include flexibility of materials (e.g. castable resin, clear resin for optics, and higher print quality), less support structure, a lower print failure rate, and an immediate print failure notification.

FormLabs was a startup company created in 2011 by a group of individuals from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. With the help of the KickStarter crowdsourcing platform the Form1 3D printer was made a reality with the goal of creating an affordable desktop 3D printer using stereolithography. In September 2015, the company announced the new Form2 3D printer which offered many new features and abilities (e.g. wifi/Bluetooth, touchscreen, larger build volume, and a new resin cartridge design).

The Hazleton Library began discussing cost-sharing possibilities with campus faculty members Dr. Joseph Ranalli, engineering, and Dr. David Starling, physics. With the use of a Hazleton Campus Butler Grant and University Libraries funds, the new printer was ordered before the start of the spring 2017 semester and immediately put into service.

Currently the printer is being used by students, faculty and staff for many projects. Some examples of these projects are pictured in the gallery above and new projects are listed on the Hazleton Library Facebook page.

More information about the Form2 3D printer can be found at Formlabs.com.

– submitted by Erik Angel, Hazleton Library

Reminder: Engineering Library’s lightning talks for One Button Studio March 15-16

promotional graphic for one button studio featuring three circles with steps to use system

The newest One Button Studio, located in the Engineering Library, 325 Hammond Building, provides Penn State students, faculty and staff with an easy-to-use process for recording high-quality videos.

Lightning talks by Information Resources and Services Support Specialist Harlan Ritchey are scheduled for 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, March 15 and 16, in 325 Hammond Building. These short talks will introduce the One Button Studio and demonstrate how the equipment works. Attendees will receive a University Libraries USB drive, which can be used to save video files.

The One Button Studio in the Engineering Library is available six days a week, Sunday through Friday. On weekdays, the One Button Studio opens at 9 a.m. with sessions available until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until 4 p.m. on Fridays. Sunday hours are from 3 to 6 p.m. only. Hours may vary during holidays, summer terms, or when classes are not in session.

Reservations for the One Button Studio may be made up to two weeks in advance by calling 814-865-3451 or visiting the service desk at the Engineering Library, 325 Hammond Building, during operating hours.

Ready, Set, Bake: Edible Book Festival competition is March 20

Are you creative in the kitchen? Do you enjoy literature and even…literary puns? Then the Edible Book Festival is for you! On Monday, March 20, the University Libraries will be hosting an Edible Book Festival in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park. This festival is part of a much larger International Book Festival which honors French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.

The competition is open to all Penn State students, faculty, and staff who submit their intent to enter via this online form. The rules for the competition are simple: All entries must be edible and all entries must be “bookish,” as in they are shaped like a book or inspired by book, its characters, text, setting, or event a pun on the title. Prizes will be awarded in five categories: most creative, best depiction of a classic, funniest/punniest, most appetizing, and for the “people’s choice.”

Not a whiz in the kitchen? No worries! Plan on stopping by the event between noon and 1 p.m.on March 20  in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, to pick your favorite entry.

– submitted by Hailley Fargo, Knowledge Commons

Special Collections Library offers $1,500 summer travel awards

The Eberly Family Special Collections Library invites applications for its annual Summer Research Travel Awards. Awards are available in five different categories to applicants who reside outside a 100-mile radius of State College, Pa., and who are not Penn State faculty, staff or students.

For more information on the five categories of awards and additional requirements, or to apply online, visit: https://libraries.psu.edu/about/libraries/special-collections-library/apply-travel-grant.

Applications are due by April 15, 2017, and recipients will be notified by May 1, 2017.  Contact Instruction & Outreach Archivist Julie Porterfield, at jmp48@psu.edu with any questions.

Please feel free to share this opportunity with your colleagues at other institutions. An 8.5×11 downloadable flyer with the details is available here.

– submitted by Julie Porterfield, Special Collections Library

Save the Date: 3D scanning demos scheduled for March 21-22

Half-hour demonstrations of the new 3D scanning system will be held at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 21 and 22, in the Engineering Library, located in 325 Hammond Building.

The new mobile 3D scanning technology available through the Engineering Library uses a wireless, handheld 3D scanning system purchased with a University Libraries Innovation Microgrant. Current Penn State students, faculty, staff and University Libraries resident borrower card holders will be able to capture 3D scans of objects nearly anywhere.

Read the Penn State News article on the 3D scanning system for detailed information on this new resource.

Green Tips: Helpful recycling tips to make March greener

by Nicole Schwindenhammer for the University Libraries Green Team

March is a green month! St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and spring will eventually arrive, bringing flower blooms and tree buds. We are entering the perfect season to become motivated again, if we aren’t already, by doing our part for our planet and being the best recyclers we can be! Here are a few helpful tips on recycling at Penn State:

  • A reusable water bottle is encouraged, but if you are drinking from a plastic bottle, make sure that the bottle is completely empty before placing it in the appropriate recycling bin. The added weight of any remaining liquid contributes to the cost of recycling, not to mention that the leftover liquid creates a big mess for the recycling crew when they are processing recyclables.
  • The hot coffee cups from cafés are unfortunately not recyclable. The cups are a mixed material made of both paper and plastic and at this time can not be recycled. In order to reduce waste, a reusable travel mug is a great idea.
  • There’s good and bad with yogurt containers. The good is that the plastic container itself is recyclable —you just want to make sure you rinse it out when you are done eating the yogurt. For University Park locations, this container would go in the “miscellaneous plastics” bin. Unfortunately, the foil lid on the yogurt container is not recyclable. The lids are made of a layer of aluminum foil, coated with plastic, so it falls in that mixed-material category and therefore goes into the landfill bin.

The staff and faculty at Penn State who regularly reduce, reuse and recycle are not only contributing to the good of the environment, but they can also elaborate what they have done in their yearly evaluations at You@PSU. The University prides itself in recycling and sustainability and is committed to doing its part. You can learn more about Penn State’s sustainability mission and how you can help by visiting sustainability.psu.edu.

So now that we’re a little more aware of what can and can’t be recycled, let’s go out there and do our part. Let’s be motivated about recycling and motivate others as well, so that we can all make this month of March even greener!

Tech Tip: New VPN client installed on PC/Mac laptops

by Ryan Johnson, I-Tech

screenshot of VPN connection options

This week, Cisco Systems VPN Client will be discontinued. The new client Cisco AnyConnect, has been installed on all Library Staff PC and Mac Laptop machines and is also made available through downloads.its.psu.edu for both PC and Mac.

A VPN client is often used to connect securely to Penn State resources from outside of the Penn State network — such as at home or at a Wireless Access Point.

For more information on VPN, please see the VPN Staff Site Training page.

If you don’t see the new Cisco AnyConnect client on your Windows or Mac laptop, please fill out a Helpdesk Ticket and a member of I-Tech will contact you.

For more information on using the new AnyConnect VPN client, including how to use it, please refer to a staff site training page located here.

LHR News: March 13

Please join us in welcoming the following new hires:

Full-time:
Beth Thomsett-Scott, Head, Engineering Library

Part-time:
Sarah Rossino – Penn State Berks
Nadia Porter – Penn State Berks

 

Events: March 13

Spring 2017

Through Friday, May 5: “From the Trenches: The Great War in Sepia” exhibit, spring semester hours, Special Collections Library, 104 Paterno Library, University Park.

Through Friday, May 5: “Research Wrapped in Aesthetics: The Air Wall,” documentary exhibit, spring operating hours, Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library, 111 Stuckeman Family Building, University Park.

Through Wednesday, August 9, 2017: “Plastics: Knowledge and Information Taking Shape” exhibit, Pattee Library operating hours, Sidewater Commons and central entrance, Pattee Library, University Park.

Through Friday, August 30, 2017: “100 Years of the Pulitzers: Celebrating Our Humanity,” exhibitArts and Humanities Library operating hours, Diversity Studies Room, 203 Patee Library, University Park.

Tuesday, March 14: Event rescheduled for April 4 due to anticipated inclement weatherFantastic Beasts and How to Understand them: Godzilla, Kaiju, and the Nuclear Age,” lecture by Dr. John Haddad, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Harrisburg Library, Harrisburg.

Tuesday, March 14: Event rescheduled for April 3 due to anticipated inclement weather Centre County Reads: Rethinking the American West, panel discussion inspired by Stacey Lee’s “Under a Painted Sky,” 4-5:30 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday-Thursday, March 15-16: One Button Studio Lightning Talks, by Harlan Ritchey, 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m., Engineering Library, 325 Hammond Building, University Park.

Thursday, March 16: HR Forum, 10:30 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Thursday, March 16: LFO Research Colloquium, 1-3:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Thursday, March 16: Library Services for Patrons Experiencing Homelessness, 4-5 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Friday, March 17: Art + Feminism Wiki-edit-a-thon, 10 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Monday, March 20: Edible Book Contest judging, noon-1:00 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday-Wednesday, March 21-22: 3D Scanning demonstration, by Angela Davis, Angel Peterson and Linda Struble, 1:30-2 p.m. and 3:30-4 p.m., Engineering Library, 325 Hammond Building, University Park.

Wednesday, March 22: COP Discussion: Ithaka Survey Results and Instruction, moderated by Steve Borrelli and Rebecca Miller, noon-1 p.m., via Zoom.

Wednesday, March 22: “This Book is an Action: The Politics of Feminist Publishing,” presentation by Jennifer Gilley, 12:15-1:30 p.m., Room 10, Abington Library, Abington.

Thursday, March 23: Conversations with Carmen, with guest speaker State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, March 23: TEAM Library, 2-3:30 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Monday-Thursday, March 27-30: Maker Fair, week-long outreach event, Hazleton Library, Hazelton.

Tuesday, March 28: Diversity Committee Annual Potluck, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, March 28: Dean’s Forum, 1:30-3 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Wednesday, March 29: The Many Faces of Intercultural Dialogue, presentations and conversations, 3-4 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, March 30: Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts, “Books, Bodies, and Circulations of Dancing in Early 18th-Century France and England,” by Linda Tomko, 4:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park, reception to follow in Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Monday, April 3: Centre County Reads: Rethinking the American West, panel discussion inspired by Stacey Lee’s “Under a Painted Sky,” 4-5:30 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, April 4: “Fantastic Beasts and How to Understand them: Godzilla, Kaiju, and the Nuclear Age,” lecture by Dr. John Haddad, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Harrisburg Library, Harrisburg.

Tuesday, April 4: Interactive Civility Workshop, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 5: Undergraduate Research Exhibition9:15 a.m.-2 p.m. poster sessions; 4 p.m. awards ceremony, Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park.

Wednesday, April 5: “You’re ‘kitten-me,’ it’s that easy? Tips and tricks for taming LionSearch and the CAT, 4-5 p.m. 211A Pattee Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 5: Docunight: Iran via Documentaries, “Sonita,” documentary screening about, around, or in Iran, or made by Iranians, 7 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, University Park.

Thursday, April 6: “Why Indigenous Knowledge Systems Matter for U.S. Land-grant Universities: Responsibilities and Challenges,” lecture by Kyle Whyte, 10-11 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday-Saturday, April 7-8: Boundaries of the Human in the Age of the Life Sciences Capstone Conference, presentations by ten renowned scholars, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park. Register by March 17.

Wednesday, April 12: Alumni Library event, 1-3 p.m., Earth and Mineral Sciences Library, Deike Building, University Park.

Wednesday, April 12: COP Discussion: ACRL Debrief, 2-3 p.m., via Zoom.

Thursday, April 13: Celebration of Scholarship Research Fair, noon-6 p.m., Gym, Athletics and Recreation Building, Wilkes-Barre.

Thursday, April 13: Art + Engineering = Creative Problem Solving, lecture by Penn State Laureate Rebecca Strzelec, 1-2 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park, and Mediasite Live.

Friday, April 14: Remembrance of Kiarostami: The Life of an Iranian Artist, all day event, multiple locations, Pattee Library and Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, April 18: “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap” documentary, sponsored by the Libraries Diversity Committee, 7-9 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, April 18: Tech Update, by Libraries I-Tech staff, 2-3 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park, and Mediasite Live.

Wednesday, April 19: Poetry Slam7-9 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: Beyond the Database Demo: Information Literacy Instruction at the Foundational Level, 11 a.m.-noon, 211A Pattee Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: Earth Day Marigold Giveaway, by the University Libraries Green Committee, 2-4 p.m., Frankllin Auditorium, Pattee Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: 2017 Public Poetry Contest winners public reading, 7:30-8:30 p.m.,
Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Sunday, April 23: International Write-In, 3:30 p.m.-midnight, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 26: Financial Literacy Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.,
Black Box Theater, Slusser/Bayzick Building, Hazleton.

Wednesday, April 26: Conversations with Carmen, with guest speaker Bob Smith of the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center/Eisenhower Chapel, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday, April 28: Last day of spring classes.

Sunday-Tuesday, April 30-May 2: DeStress Fest, 3-8 p.m, University Park library locations.

Monday-Friday, May 1-5: Final exams.

Wednesday, May 3: Docunight, documentary screening about, around, or in Iran, or made by Iranians, 7 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, May 5: Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Award Public, Oral Defense, three award finalists, 3:30-5 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday-Sunday, May 5-7: Spring commencement weekend, most campuses.

Monday, May 8: MediaTech Expo, Media and Technology Support Services invites vendors to showcase the latest in technology products, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., President’s Hall, Penn Stater Conference Center, University Park.

Tuesday, May 9: COP Workshop, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Please submit event information to Public Relations and Marketing via the Library News submission form.