Monthly Archives: February 2021

Tech Tip: Security reminder – Tax season

By: Ryan Johnson

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any Information which can be used to uniquely identify or trace an individual’s identity, such as their name, Social Security number, Driver’s license number, or Financial and Medical information, alone, or when combined with other personal or identifying information which is linked or linkable to a specific individual, such as date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, etc.

Since its Tax Time, Strat-Tech would like to remind you that ALL your official tax forms contain Personally Identifiable information (PII). Please DO NOT save a copy of any of these forms to your University Libraries computer or to the network (Roo).

Today’s multifunction copiers contain hard disks that store data about the documents copied, printed, or scanned. This is another place where PII could be stored. It is recommended that you do not use UL copiers/printers/scanners to duplicate your materials.  If you do, be sure to remove or blacken out any personal information, such as a social security number prior to duplication.

Copiers/printers/scanners that are part of the Copier Management service have their hard drives removed and secured before the device leaves campus, all other copiers/scanners/printers should be submitted to Strat-Tech for proper data removal before being salvaged.

Examples of official tax forms:

  1. W-2 Wage and Tax Statement            3.   1098 Mortgage Interest Statement
  2. 1099-INT Interest Income                   4.   1098-T Tuition Statement

If you do open any of your tax forms on a University Libraries computer, please remember to make sure your University Libraries computer is clear of PII once you are done.

To clear your University Libraries computer, follow these steps:

  1. DO NOT save any tax forms to your University Libraries Computer
  2. Clear your browser cache.

For more information on clearing your Browser Cache, please visit the Web Browsers staff site page.

  1. Clear all computer temp files (PC).

Start -> Type in the search box (Disk Cleanup) -> Select System(C:)

tech tip screenshot "clean up"

In Disk Cleanup check all boxes and press OK

tech tip : disc cleanup screenshot for Tech Tip

If you have any question or need further assistance, please contact the Libraries Helpdesk.

Libraries’ Wellness Days resources and events

By Sara Jimenez Rincon

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Feb. 9, 2020- Financial and Occupational Wellness

Tomorrow (Feb. 9) is the first of the University’s Spring 2021 thematic Wellness Days! On these days, no classes will be held, but special programming geared toward improving your wellbeing will be offered. Though the programming will span a range of topics throughout the three Wellness Days, Feb. 9 is focused on programming to enhance your financial and occupational wellbeing. Below are Libraries’ sponsored events and supplemental resources to find your healthiest self.

Crip Camp Documentary Watch Party (8am since film starts at 10am)
Join The Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity’s (OVPEE) Diversability Committee for a watch party of the documentary Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution. This film tells the story of a group of teen campers from the 1970s who were inspired to join the fight for disability civil rights. Learn more and register here.

Personal Finance Basics – Financial Literacy – Library Guides at Penn State University (psu.edu)
This personal finance basics subject guide brings together information on everything from credit cards to investing your money. Make sure to explore the websites, books, and podcasts that have been selected by our subject librarians!
https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/financial-literacy

Financial literacy for Generation Z: a practical guide to managing your financial life / Kenneth O. Doyle., PhD – Penn State University Libraries Catalog (psu.edu)
Interested in learning about how financial psychology and planning can help you achieve your long-term goals? Check out this guide by Dr. Kenneth O. Doyle that teaches you how to make good financial decisions throughout your life!
https://catalog.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/25794737

Ask a Librarian -this could be the last post of the day. https://libraries.psu.edu/ask
Don’t forget you can ask a librarian any questions you have about financial literacy and occupational wellness! Use the chat feature or text the number on the Libraries website, or email askalibrarian@psu.edu.

Student Loans – Financial Literacy – Library Guides at Penn State University (psu.edu)
Get some advice on paying for college in this library guide! Several books and websites can help you navigate the world of student loans and other forms of financial aid.
https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/financial-literacy/student-loans

Career Wellness | Healthy Penn State (psu.edu) – student blog
Ever wondered what career wellness really means? Penn State student Michelle Mehallow outlines its definition and its importance in her blog post for Healthy Penn State. Take a look at it here: https://sites.psu.edu/healthypennstate/2017/07/31/career-wellness/

Career Exploration & Guidance – Career Resources – Library Guides at Penn State University (psu.edu)
Penn State University Libraries has curated several resources to help you select a career. This library guide also contains information about resumes, interviewing, and salaries, all geared toward enhancing your occupational wellness.
https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/career-resources

The Informed Consumer Series- A Penn State Libraries Initiative
This blog, written by finance student Alyssa Leavens in collaboration with various librarians, relays financial information and education on information literacy. Take a look at the season-specific financial tips that can make thinking about money less scary and empower you to make financial decisions! https://sites.psu.edu/financialeducation/2019/01/16/spring-2019-blog-1-new-year-in-the-know/

Workshop – Digital Wellness Workshop – Library Guides at Penn State University (psu.edu)
The Libraries offers a Digital Wellness Workshop to help you understand how your digital habits can impact your personal wellbeing. Through a series of self-reflective exercises, this Workshop can teach you how to align your priorities, habits, and goals so that you can best take care of yourself in this increasingly digital time. https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/Berks/DigitalWellness

Maps and Geospatial Webinars & Virtual Student Office Hours 

By: Tara Anthony

This spring semester the Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information is hosting webinars on GIS, mapping, and geospatial data, along with specific sessions focused on ArcGIS Story Maps, ArcGIS Online applications, and QGIS. In addition to scheduling individualized consultations, there are also virtual student office hours. Please see below for information on webinars and share with interested individuals and respective departments. 

Working with Geospatial Data, GIS, and Mapping Projects  
Date: 3/3/2021, 3-4pm  
Zoom Registration  
Presenter: Tara Anthony, GIS Specialist  

This session will introduce participants to geospatial data from U.S. and international sources, along with information on geospatial software access at Penn State including ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS ArcMap, and ArcGIS Pro. A highlight of online geospatial resources available to will be included. Additional resources will be provided to help participants manage geospatial projects.  

Introduction to ArcGIS Online and Story Maps  
Date: 3/17/2021, 3-4pm  
Zoom Registration  
Presenter: Tara Anthony, GIS Specialist  

This session will provide an introduction to ArcGIS Online available through the Penn State ArcGIS Online account. Users authenticate with Penn State credentials to access geospatial data from authoritative sources, user-generated content, and to create their own content. An overview of web map and Story Map applications will be highlighted.  

Leveraging ArcGIS Applications: ArcGIS Business Analyst, ArcGIS Experience Builder, and ArcGIS Hub for showcasing projects, maps, and data  
Date: 3/24/2021, 3-4pm  
Zoom Registration  
Presenter:  Tara Anthony, GIS Specialist  

This session provides examples of ArcGIS applications available through the Penn State ArcGIS Online Organizational Account. The applications to focus on this session include ArcGIS Business Analyst, ArcGIS Experience Builder, and ArcGIS Hub. ArcGIS Business Analyst enables users to explore demographics, charts, and infographics for locations. ArcGIS Experience Builder enables users to create visual content surrounding maps, narrative, images, and media using multiple types of templates. ArcGIS Hub enables the user to create a site with map and embedded map applications with content from ArcGIS Online.  

Introduction to QGIS: (Part 1/2)  
Date: 4/20, 1-2pm  
Zoom Registration  
Presenter: Jae Sung Kim, Open Source Geospatial Analyst  

QGIS instruction for beginners in QGIS. The objectives are 1) to be familiarized with QGIS, 2) to learn the most basic GIS concepts. The topics will include installation of QGIS, QGIS Interface, projection, creation of vector data, and geoprocessing of vector data.  

Introduction to QGIS (Part 2/2)  
Date: 4/21, 1-2pm  
Zoom Registration  
Presenter: Jae Sung Kim, Open Source Geospatial Analyst  

QGIS instruction for beginners in QGIS. The objectives are 1) to be familiarized with QGIS, 2) to learn the most basic GIS concepts. The topics will include overview of raster, raster analysis, georeferencing of raster, creating maps, and use of web map services.  

Maps and Geospatial Virtual Student Office Hours  
Dates: 3/12/2021, 3/31/2021, 4/13/2021, 4/28/2021, 1-2pm  
Zoom Link  
Presenter: Tara Anthony, GIS Specialist  

Students are welcome to drop-in during virtual student office hours to discuss maps and geospatial projects using GIS software, maps, and/or geospatial content.

Customer Service Tip: Acknowledge and refocus

By: Jeff Toister (submitted by Carmen Gass)

Taking ownership is sometimes confused with being blamed, but it’s really about accepting responsibility for solving a problem.

A great way to take ownership (and defuse any anger) is through the Acknowledge and Refocus technique:
* Acknowledge the problem or service failure. This conveys empathy and helps the customer feel valued.
* Refocus on a solution. Being solution-oriented prevents you from getting stuck on discussing blame and will give your customer the confidence that you are here to help.

Sound too easy? Here’s two ways it can go wrong if you aren’t careful:
1. You say, “I’m sorry” but your customer doesn’t feel acknowledged. Be sure your tone and body language convey just as much empathy as your words.

2. You get stuck playing the ‘blame game’. It’s easier than you think. Phrases like “Who told you that?” or “Well, I didn’t do that!” are good signs that you are playing the ‘blame game’ rather than focusing on a solution!

Tech Tip: Outlook — Add buffer time between appointments / meeting

By: Ryan Johnson

A new feature in Outlook 2016 with an Office 365 subscription allows you to add buffer time between appointments and meetings. This is an awesome new feature. You can use that time to check in with your team, get coffee, and answer critical emails.

November 2018 was the release date for this new feature.

To turn on End Appointments & Meetings Early in the Outlook Desktop Client:

  1. Click File – Options.
  2. Click Calendar on the left.
  3. Under Calendar Options, select Shorten Appointments and Meetings.
  4. Change the times for meeting less than 1 hour and meetings for over 1 hour.  Click OK.

Outlook options screenshot for tech tip

To adjust these settings for Outlook on the web

  1. Click Settings then select View all Outlook Settings
  2. Select Calendar -> Events and Invitations.
  3. Under events you create check the box for Shorten duration for all events.
  4. Change the times that you prefer and click Save.

Outlook options screenshot for tech tip

PSU Press names new Journals Manager

By: Cate Fricke

Penn State University Press is pleased to announce that Julie Lambert has accepted the role of Journals Manager. Julie has been a mainstay of the PSU Press Journals department for over twelve years; she began as a Production Assistant for books and journals in 2008 and has worked as Production Coordinator for journals since 2011. A member of the AUPresses Journals Committee from 2015 to 2018, Julie brings into this new position an established relationship with both the PSU Press journals program and the scholarly publishing community.

“I am thrilled to reestablish my commitment to the journals program and am looking forward to the opportunity to manage the department in a renewed capacity,” she says. “Since I started in 2008 as the sole staff member devoted to journals, we have experienced dramatic growth in our portfolio of titles, added staff positions, adapted an in-house database, and facilitated
relationships with vendors to host, archive, and disseminate our content to an international audience. I’m proud to have contributed to this growth and am pleased to provide continuity
as the department continues its trajectory into the future.”

In her new role, Julie will oversee all aspects of the journals department, including a vigorously growing program that, as of 2021, will publish eighty journals. She will also become a key member of the Press leadership team, playing an important strategic role in fulfilling the overall mission of the Press.

“I am absolutely delighted that Julie Lambert has accepted the job of journals manager,” says Press director Patrick Alexander. “Julie’s talent as an industry professional, her deep knowledge of journals publishing, her leadership qualities, and her commitment to high standards made her an easy choice.”

Learn more about PSU Press’s journals program at www.psupress.org.

A focus on women and GIS, vol. 2: Stars of Spatial

By: Tara Anthony

A Focus on Women and GIS, vol. 2: Stars of Spatial Science: Impact of Women in GIS Across Fields

This post highlights some of the key features of Women and GIS, vol. 2: Stars of Spatial Science (2020) as there was a previous display in the Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information on Women in GIScience, which included reference to Women and GIS: Mapping Their Stories. Additional materials are also included related to the volume 2 text, which can be accessed online. These texts are available via interlibrary loan. More information on Women and GIS, vol. 2: Stars of Spatial Science can be found on the Esri Press webpage.

Women and GIS, vol.2: Stars of Spatial Science profiles 30 women from across the fields of science, research, education, government, business, humanitarian, environment, and conservation fields. The text is visually organized with symbols to represent these different categories of representation. There is also additional organization based on leaders, pioneers, entrepreneurs, and fieldworkers. An additional feature of this text is also a color categorization based on the continental location of each profile. These additional features highlight the greater perspective of voices represented in the examples, a more international focus of perspectives of experiences, and broader career journeys.

A Story Map entitled, “Celebrating Women: Stars of Spatial Science,” from Esri highlights briefly the women represented in volume 2. A user can choose the category of their interest to locate the individuals profiled. Also, additional work has been done to highlight women in the GIS field through the Women in GIS Around the World and with the Women in GIS organization.

Generally, each section begins with how early childhood activities related to geography, geospatial information, and/or future geospatial interests. Career journeys are relayed from education backgrounds, career changes, information on pivotal career decisions, and the role of mentors. These selected narratives do have a primary focus on key career and professional influences with less of a focus on aspects of a personal or family narrative interwoven with the professional journeys of these individuals.

A selection of women profiled are represented here to illustrate the broad categories of women being leaders in the GIS field, along with multiple uses of geospatial information. Elizabeth Groff, Criminal Justice Professor at Temple University in Pennsylvania, is profiled based on her experience using criminal mapping techniques in police departments. Groff’s work with crime mapping has been influential in reducing crime. Kelsey Leonard of the Shinnecock Indian Nation has been influential in protection of the Shinnecock Indian Nation waters, along with other climate, water, and policy topics. Veronica Velez is highlighted for her work with critical race spatial analysis and research in social and racial topics related to education. Cyhana Lena Williams’ work in Africa focuses on connections of business and GIS.

Women and GIS, vol.2: Stars of Spatial Science can be referenced from across fields to illustrate the many ways geospatial information is having an impact in societies. These examples depict the journeys of women in their educational and career paths in their pursuits to have an impact on their communities through application and use of geospatial information.

Reference Women and GIS, vol. 2: Stars of spatial science. (2020). Esri Press.

Tech Tip: 5 useful Google Chrome Extensions

By: Ryan Johnson

Chrome extension graphic logo

Browser extensions can be very useful to increase productivity.  Browser extensions extend your web browser with additional features, modify web pages, and integrate your browser with the other services you use.

To install a Google Chrome extension, please use the Chrome web store and follow these instructions.  I will provide direct links to the ones mentioned below:

Visor – Visor is a screen dimmer and reading aid that helps with fluency, eye strain and concentration while reading.

Session Buddy – Manages browser tabs and bookmarks.  You can open tabs as collections that can be restored later.  See and manage all open tabs in one place and search open tabs to quick find what you are looking for.

Dualless – While you can manually split browser windows one a screen, it can be a pain at time.  This extension splits your browser window into two with 2 simple clicks.  The ratio can also be adjusted according to your needs.

Momentum – You can replace a new tab page with a personal dashboard featuring to-dos, weather and inspiration.

OneTab – This extension can help with tab clutter by dumping all your open tabs into a single list of tabs that you can save within the extension itself.

A word of note.  Browser extensions are like any other piece of software. Malicious extensions could do bad things and even well-intentioned extensions could have bugs. As with any other type of software, from Windows desktop apps to iPhone apps, you should try to pick trustworthy extensions.

Customer Service Tip: Be a goldfish

By: Shep Hyken (submitted by Carmen Gass)

I was recently asked what three traits I think are most important for someone in customer service to have.

I’d like to broaden the topic to anyone dealing with someone else’s problem or question, be it a customer or another person inside the organization, also known as an inside customer. My response to the question was quick: Read more here.