LC Desk Daily

2011-02-25T14:14:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPPbuzlui5w&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_stronger_r2-2r-7-HM

obama

Spring '11 Semester

2011-01-24T06:14:00.001-08:00

Welcome to returning students as well as newcomers! We're already half-way through the academic year and at the end of this semester is summer and even graduation for some of you!

Remember that while at the desk, helping patrons is our main interest! If ever in doubt as to a question asked, remember to collaborate with the other students in OIT Computer Classrooms and OIT Helpdesk. If we pool our resources, we'll be able to give the patrons what they need.

Also, always ask your supervisor if you don't know an answer to a question or if you don't know a procedure (such as changing a toner cartridge, etc.).

An excellent way to help patrons is to accompany them to where they need help; don't be afraid to get out from behind the desk!

Thanks!

Carol Will
Coordinator, Learning Commons

2010-11-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

What's up with Google's X-ray image today?

It is the 115th anniversary of the development of the X- Ray!

GOOGLE IN THE NEWS....

2010-10-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

Google Earth Adds WWII Images.

PC Magazine article

Blog post direct from Google

HOMEWORK

2010-10-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

Homework is a distant second priority while at work covering the desk in the LC. Its important to be focused on engaging patrons who approach the desk. If traffic is really busy, a supervisor may ask you to not do homework at all while on shift.
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You are doing a great job. Don't hesitate to contact a supervisor should you have any questions or concerns.

This weeks Caption Contest!!!

2010-10-22T07:39:00.001-07:00

FOLLOW THE LC ON TWITTER

2010-10-15T08:33:00.001-07:00

Follow the LC on Twitter!!!
www.twitter.com/umasslc

9 weeks to go!!

2010-10-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

As of Monday, there are only 9 weeks to go until the last week of finals!! Keep up the good work here, and best of luck on your midterms!!!

Lost and Found!!

2010-10-15T07:49:00.000-07:00

As midterms approach, I thought it would be a good idea to offer a memory refresher regarding the Library's Lost and Found policy.

Once or twice a year during times of peak traffic like midterms or finals, a patron will have their laptop stolen. Should someone come to the desk and report a stolen laptop, please escort the patron to the building monitor's desk.

In addition, ID's and personal valuables such as a wallet, UCard, Driver's License, or credit card, always get brought to the building monitor's desk.

Everything else (USB drives, phones, sunglasses, Ipods, etc.) get brought to the Circulation Desk in the Learning Commons.

It is important that all items "found" by LC Desk staff be brought to the proper Lost and Found location as soon as possible.

Thank you, and keep up the great work you have been doing.

This week's LC announcements....

2010-10-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

Check out this week's announcements for the Big TV's in the LC.

Enter this week's Caption Contest!!

2010-10-12T12:27:00.001-07:00

2010-10-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

When on Roves, please do not forget to check the copiers and printers for paper. If they are low or out of paper, please fill them immediately. Thanks! And keep up the good work!!

Holiday Weekend!

2010-10-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

Have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend!

(Don't relax too much!! Get your homework done!!!)

This week's LC announcements.

2010-10-07T05:42:00.001-07:00

To see the announcements posted for this week on the Big TV's in the LC, click here.

Dust and Dirt and Grime, Oh My!!

2010-10-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

When cleaning computers, be sure to wipe down the top and back side of the monitor and CPU. Cleaning should be done by everyone during every shift in the LC.
Thank you, and keep up the great efforts you have put forth thus far!

Privacy and the social network

2010-10-07T05:14:00.000-07:00

New features being unveiled this week on Facebook, including a "Groups" feature, will offer better privacy controls.

Read story here.

Your Creativity Wanted

2010-10-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Feel free to submit a caption or two.
New pictures will be posted weekly!!!

2010-10-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

October is Cyber Security Month!

Hello!
October is Cyber Security Awareness Month! In support of this nationalinitiative, the Office of Information Technologies (OIT) is sponsoring a series of activities designed to help the campus community stay safeonline.
For more information, see our Cyber Security Awareness Month 2010 Website:http://www.oit.umass.edu/security/cybersecurity10
-----------------
6 EASY WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER & PERSONAL INFORMATION

Any time in October, complete the steps below and remind a colleague or friend to do the same.
1. Remove your address, phone number, or birth date from Facebook andother social networking sites (e.g., MySpace).
2. Download and install the latest version of McAfee VirusScan from the OIT Web site (It's free!).
3. Update your software and operating system.
4. Change your OIT Account password in SPIRE.
5. Empty your recycle bins - on your computer and next to your desk.
6. Check your credit report.
To learn how, go to:http://www.oit.umass.edu/security/cybersecurity10/6ways.html
For more information, see our Security Checklist at:http://www.oit.umass.edu/security/protect/checklist.html

2010-10-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Did you know?

The Learning Commons has a facebook page! Check us out @

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Amherst-MA/UMass-Amherst-Learning-Commons/7146711926?ref=ts

Spread the word!

Just another helpful hint....

2010-10-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Please keep track of all questions asked. It helps us monitor just how much our great services are needed. (so we all can get rai$e$...someday)

Survey is here!!!

2010-10-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. Our seating sweeps survey will begin Sunday 10/3 and will be done at the bottom of every hour (:30) until the following Saturday (10/9).

The purpose of the survey is to accurately count the number of patrons utilizing the resources of the Learning Commons. These numbers will be used as a gauge to help determine the future course of the LC. We just expanded but are more computers needed? We currently offer many services like the Advising Link, Writing Center, and OIT but can we offer more? An accurate count will help chart our future.

The supervisors will primarily be responsible for completing the survey, but your assistance will be required. Your great help with this task is most important in helping us paint the bigger picture of Library/Learning Commons services to come.

2010-09-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Long Lines?

If you notice long lines forming for the public access and OIT computers, inform students that there are some extra open access computers on the sixth floor. Also, if there is a long line at the quick print station, please tell students there is another quick print station at the top of the stairs by the Procrastination Station. Thanks for all of your help!!!

TechRepublic's Camera Phone Challenge : Reflections

2010-09-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

TechRepublic challenged the TechRepublic community to submit photos of reflections that they had taken with a camera phone. This article provides a good opportunity to compare phone camera quality, with indoor and outdoor shots. Read more at TechRepublic's site.

Weekly Announcements for 9/27/10

2010-09-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Weekly Announcements from the Learning Commons for the last week in September. This is the same slide show visible on the Big TV's

Got Logophilia?

2010-09-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

logophilia n., love of words.

The Oxford English Dictionary is online here in the Library. If you go the database page and click on "Dictionaries and Encyclopedias", you will find over 30 different online resources. However, there will ever be only 1 OED!!

George N. Parks

2010-09-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

Remembering George N. Parks 1953-2010

NEW EXHIBIT

2010-09-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

The UMass Amherst Libraries host an exhibit, “Uncertain Futures: Americans and Science Fiction in the Early Cold War Era,” through October 31, 2010, in the Special Collections Reading Room on Floor 25, Du Bois Library, UMass Amherst. The exhibit can be viewed Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

“Uncertain Futures: Americans and Science Fiction in the Early Cold War Era,” includes science fiction magazines from 1945-1965, as well as documents and photographs of prominent cold war-era science fiction authors, editors, and fans.

The exhibit explores the rise of American science fiction in the first two decades of the cold war. It draws on primary source research and the holdings of the UMass Amherst Science Fiction Society to argue that the burgeoning paperback book market and the devotion of science fiction fans were as much responsible for the genre's rocket-ship rise as the atomic bomb and the cold war.

Have you seen this?

2010-09-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

Every week, the Big TV's in the Learning Commons are updated with a new PowerPoint slide show. In addition to some core content about the LC and library, it contains information uploaded weekly about events, exhibits, and service provider updates. You can find the slide show on the LC web page under "Weekly Announcements."

If you get chance, take a look at the current posting, and maybe some past posts. If you have any ideas or suggestions about the presentation (adding content, pictures, specific information), send me an email at dpaquette@library.umass.edu.

Thanks! Your input is valuable to making this place work.

GREAT FILM COMING

2010-09-16T05:28:00.001-07:00

Fritz Lang's Metropolis - The Complete Restoration is opening this weekend at the Amherst Cinema. This film pioneered sci-fi and is considered one of the great films of all time, having inspired Star Wars, Blade Runner and Avatar.

Our Library has subject research guides for most majors and other topics of interest. Check out the Film Studies Research Guide and try searching for "Fritz Lang" and/or "Metropolis" in any of the listed resources.

COMMENTS WANTED

2010-09-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

Feel free to post comments to any post seen on the blog. Your feedback is always welcomed in this venue, and helps make this place work!!

When working in the Teaching Commons......

2010-09-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Effective immediately, the sign in/out procedure for those working in
the Teaching Commons is as follows:

1. Swipe your card in Kronos
2. Stop by the LC Desk and fill out/sign the sheets in the red book
3. Go directly to the TC for the start of your shift.

At the end of your shift, it is not necessary to come back down to the
LC Desk. Just be sure to swipe your card again in Kronos.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask a supervisor.

REMEMBER THIS

2010-09-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

413-577-1272

Put this number in your phone. If you are going to be more than 5 mins late, or need to speak to supervisor regarding a missed shift, call this number and ask for Peter, Paul, Amanda or Dan.

FALL IS UPON US!

2010-09-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

Normal Shifts for the Fall 2010 semester start on Tuesday September 7th at 8AM.

Our overnight shifts start at midnight on Sunday (into Monday) September 12th.

All new and returning students are required to attend an orientation being held on Tuesday September 14th (4PM to 5PM) or Thursday September 16th (6PM to 7pM). Again, attendance at one of these two sessions is required.

We are looking forward to having you on board, and wish you the best of the luck for a successful and productive semester.

Keeping the Tweets!! A new approach for the US Archives

2010-09-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to clear up confusion over record-keeping requirements for government use of social media, the National Archives and Records Administration has released a new report detailing the intersection of records and social media and recommending new policies to address federal record keeping in the Web 2.0 era.

The study, "A Report on Federal Web 2.0 Use and Record Value," comes as more and more agencies embrace social media for official communications, and drew on interviews and focus groups with representatives from 25 federal agencies to determine how social media is being used in government today. CONTINUE ARTICLE HERE

LIBRARY RESOURCES: Hot Topics Guides

2010-09-01T07:43:00.001-07:00

When patrons click on the "Subject Resource Guides" on the library website, research guides for many academic subjects are brought up. These contains databases, links, contact info, and other resources targeted by major or specialty subject.

In addition to this, there are several "Hot Topics" guides. Instead of targeting an academic major, the hot topics guides offer resources related to current events and themes. If a student wants to use relevant academic resources to investigate the earthquake/rebuilding in Haiti, or Global Climate Change they can find a host of credible academic information on these guides.

Of recent interest, a new hot topic guide has been produced about Narco-Violence in Mexico.

Check these out and feel free to offer any comments about what you think!!

6 days to go!!!

2010-09-01T07:27:00.001-07:00

2010-08-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Facebook Fixes
Image by Spencer E Holtaway.
Facebook may be the de facto social network of, frankly, almost everyone, but that doesn't mean you have to use Facebook... more at Lifehacker.com

Upcoming Library Event of Possible Interest

2010-08-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

How Can A Textbook Be Free? Keeping Higher Education Affordable with Open Resources

August 25, 2010 -- The UMass Amherst Libraries will host a panel discussion on Open Educational Resources, “How Can a Textbook Be Free? Keeping Higher Education Affordable with Open Resources,” on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., in Room 163C of the Campus Center, at UMass Amherst. The panel will include Stephen Carson from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Eric Frank ’92 and Michael Boezi from Flat World Knowledge.

1 More Week to go!!

2010-08-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

We're down to the wire and almost there.
1 more week to go!!

APPLE IN THE NEWS

2010-08-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

Privacy group says Apple plans to patent "traitorware" and spy on users:

Some people may be celebrating the U.S. Copyright Office declaration that it's legal to "jailbreak" iPhones. But Apple is fighting back, and a well-known privacy group warns that a recent Apple patent application "does nothing short of providing a roadmap for how Apple can --- and presumably will --- spy on its customers and control the way its customers use Apple products." The patent application is downright chilling. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has examined Apple's patent application for, in the patent's words, "identifying unauthorized users of an electronic device." Read article here.

WINDOWS 7 & OFFICE 2010 on Public PC's

2010-08-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

The public PC's are being updated to include Windows 7 and Office 2010 this week. When you get a chance, take your time and explore this platform. We will be undoubtedly be answering many questions regarding this change.

NO FOOD AT THE DESK

2010-08-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

Providing excellent customer service at the LC Desk is our goal. To that end and starting today, there will be no food allowed behind the LC Desk. Covered beverages are okay. Snacks and meals can be consumed on your breaks at the cafe upstairs. Soon, a specified break area for students will be announced. Thank you, and keep up the great work!!

Clock is ticking!!!

2010-08-20T06:45:00.001-07:00

18 more wake-ups until the first day of classes for the Fall 2010 Semester!!! Check out First Week Activities on Campus here.

Another Great Resource: Declassified Documents Database!!!

2010-08-20T06:33:00.001-07:00

The Declassified Documents Database is a clearing for previously top secret government documents, cables, and reports. The passage of the Freedom of Information Act made the publishing possible. Consider it a legitimate version of the wikileaks database now making news.

The fields of history, politics, and international relations can be enriched with access to the primary documents in this Library Database, found under D in the alphabetic list of Databases on the Library's website.

2010-08-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Most Dangerous Things You Can Do Online

Researchers at Internet security service provider CyberDefender looked at some of the most dangerous things you can do online

http://gizmodo.com/5614047/the-top-ten-most-dangerous-things-you-can-do-online

Database of the week: Digitial Sanborn Maps

2010-08-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a rendering of Downtown Springfield in 1911. It was created as tool for the insurance industry by the Sanborn Map Company.

"Sanborn Maps were originally created for assessing fire insurance liability in urbanized areas in the United States. The maps include detailed information regarding town and building information in approximately 12,000 U.S. towns and cities from 1867 to 1970."wikipedia

This collection was digitized into a database, and is available though our Library's Database website under S for Sanborn. There are many locations available. Check out your hometown!!!

Please note: The detail available in the database is much better then the photo on this blog post.

Happy Friday!!!

2010-08-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

After today there are only 3 more Fridays until Labor Day weekend and the start of the semester.

Facebook Privacy = Oxymoron!!!

2010-08-12T06:48:00.000-07:00

Facebook Privacy Flaw Identified

Despite its struggle to simplify its privacy controls, Facebook still has some work to do. Read article here!

GOT TWEETS???

2010-08-11T11:10:00.000-07:00

Follow the LC on twitter at www.twitter.com/umasslc

Even if you don't have a twitter account, you can still check out what we have been posting by clicking the link!

Where did summer go?

2010-08-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

The Library's summer employment period will end on Saturday, August 28. No student employees should work after that date unless they have been cleared for fall employment. Paperwork for students returning in the Fall will be available in the next week. Only 3 weeks to go!!!

SIGN THE BOOK

2010-08-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Please remember to sign the red book twice for every shift you work. Random audits are being done by the Library's HR department. These manual records are also important in case Kronos fails. Thank you for your great work done this summer thus far! Only 4 weeks to go!

100 years ago at UMass

2010-08-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

the entrance exam looked like this!!

Source: SCUA Public Records 1904 Annual Report of Mass Aggie.

SUMMER IS ALMOST.......

2010-08-09T07:51:00.001-07:00

26 days until classes begin!!!

YOUR COMMENTS WANTED!!!!

2010-08-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Please feel free to leave a comment on any blog post. Your feedback is essential to making the LC Desk Daily blog work.

GOOGLE IN THE NEWS......

2010-08-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

"WAVE" Goodbye: Google Wave Washed Out

Google says it will stop development on Wave, its real-time communications and collaboration platform, a scant three months after making it available to the public, though the technology will live on in other products inside and outside the company. READ STORY HERE

It's about time: Google Rolls Out Multiple Sign-In

Users with multiple Gmail or Google Calendar, Reader, Code or Sites accounts will be able to log in once and access all accounts without the need to log out and log in again. READ STORY HERE

"Do no evil" : CIA, Google Invest Future Of Web Monitoring

Recorded Future, a Boston-area startup, measures online momentum, sentiment combined with visualization tools to show patterns and links between information and predictions. READ STORY HERE

BREAK TIME!!!

2010-08-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Be sure to take your scheduled breaks. If you work 4 or more hours, be sure to take your paid 15 minute break. If you work for more than 6 hours, you automatically get an unpaid half hour break in addition to the paid 15 minute break. There are always more than 1 supervisor around during the summer, so don't be afraid to ask for coverage when you are ready for a little R & R during your shift.

FIRE! FIRE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!

2010-08-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

In the next few weeks, there will be a fire drill in the library. When this occurs, your priority is to exit the building as soon as possible.

If you are in the Teaching Commons, please proceed down the stairs and avoid the elevator. If you are physically unable to descend the stairs, call 911 and inform the UMPD of your name and location. They will tell you if its a drill, and if not, send help.

If you are in the LC, proceed to the exit by the Academic Advising station. Try to guide people with you, but exit the building immediately. Lead others out the door by your example.

The rally point for all Learning Commons and Teaching Commons full-time and student staff is the minuteman statue, regardless of weather. Once you arrive there, check in with a supervisor, or Carol, or Sarah, because we will be looking for you and waiting for the "all clear."

If you have any questions about this, please ask a supervisor.

SLEEP IN NEXT WEDNESDAY

2010-08-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

Next Wednesday, August 11th, the library will be opening at 9 A.M. due to an electrical inspection. If you have a normally scheduled start time of 8 A.M., your shift is reduced and you get to sleep for an extra hour. All other shifts start at the normal time that day.

GOT VOICEMAIL???

2010-08-04T06:11:00.000-07:00

If the red light is blinking on the LC Desk phone, please be sure to check for voice mail messages, and pass along any relevant information to a supervisor. If you are unsure about the password or the process on how to obtain the messages, ask a supervisor. It's easy!!

The blog is back baby!!!!

2010-08-04T05:58:00.000-07:00

The blog is back from a restful vacation. There are only 30 days until classes begin here in the happy valley. I would like to say thank you for your universal great efforts this summer thus far, and keep up the great work!!!

If you are interested in learning more about the great activities on campus during the opening week, click here!!!!

Please try and check this blog frequently. There will be updates daily.

NSO New Students Orientation and Advising

2010-06-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

Please be aware that the New Student Orientation is being held throughout a good portion of the summer.

Here is a link to the schedule.

Also, here is a link to the Information Desk blog with information about the NSO activities here in the library. You will note that the advising part will be held in the south end of the LC on various dates.

As listed on the Information Desk blog, these are the dates of each session:
June 6-8, 9-11, 13-15, 16-18, 27-29, 30-July 2
July 7-9, 11-13, 14-16, 18-20, 2010

Looking for a job??

2010-05-12T07:32:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a job this summer, there is one industry in the state of Massachusetts that is always hiring: Higher Ed. According to http://www.higheredjobs.com/, Massachusetts has the most job listings compared to any other state, including California. Working for a college or University is a great way to take classes and have tuition waived or significantly reduced, and there usually is a solid benefit structure. If you have any questions, ask me and I'll help anyway I can!

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2010!!!

2010-05-12T07:28:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to the class of 2010 and best of luck as you embark on the next phase of your life!

The survey ends today!

2010-05-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of the survey for the semester! Thank you for all of your help with collecting the information this semester. The info gathered will be used to shape the future course of the Learning Commons.. Thank you for invaluable contribution on this project!!!

Happy Birthday Salvador Dali!!!

2010-05-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

Is Twitter the new CNN???

2010-05-10T10:19:00.001-07:00

Read this hyperlinked article to find out why some are saying yes!!!

1 More Week to Go!!!

2010-05-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

Privacy of Facebook???

2010-05-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Check out this comparison of Facebook's evolving privacy policy.

Say it ain't so!!!

2010-05-03T10:45:00.001-07:00

The survey will make it's fifth and final appearance this semester beginning on Thursday and running through next week. Accuracy is most important as these numbers will be used to chart the course for future developments and services in the LC. Discounting a few hitches, it has taken a Herculean effort thus far balancing four surveys. As usual, your help is essential in finishing this necessary project for the semester.

FINALS ARE HERE!!

2010-05-03T10:39:00.001-07:00

Best of luck to everyone as we wrap up this school year!!! Only a matter of days and it will be all over. Keep up the great work you have been doing all semester! We are almost done....

FREE ICE CREAM?????????????????????????

2010-04-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

In appreciation for the efforts of our great student employees, the Library's Annual Great 'CHILL OUT' is Tuesday, May 4th! in the courtyard from 1-230pm - Make sure to bring your appetite!!! Everyone's welcome to come make their own SUNDAES!!! with 'real' ice cream, sugar-free or gluten-free ice cream, or sorbet! The line forms behind Dan.

15 minute rule...

2010-04-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

In order to ensure that we are available to help the most patrons possible, remember that we can spend only a limited amount of time with any one individual. If addressing a help request approaches 15 minutes, inform the patron there is a 15 minute limit and that your supervisor will help them further. Our number 1 priority is ensuring there is access to quality help and information given the large numbers of patrons we see over the course of a day or night. Thank you, and keep up the great work!!

1 MORE WEEK OF CLASSES TO GO!!!!

2010-04-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

GOOGLE IN THE NEWS AGAIN

2010-04-27T09:30:00.001-07:00

Cyberattack on Google Said to Hit Password System - NYTimes.com

Cyberattack on Google Said to Hit Password System......

Ever since Google disclosed in January that Internet intruders had stolen information from its computers, the exact nature and extent of the theft has been a closely guarded company secret. But a person with direct knowledge of the investigation now says that the losses included one of Google’s crown jewels, a password system that controls access by millions of users worldwide to almost all of the company’s Web services, including e-mail and business applications.

See article in the New York Times.

FOUNDER'S DAY!!!

2010-04-27T09:22:00.001-07:00

Don't forget to register for the Founder's Day "Celebrate UMass" cookout to be held this Thursday, April 29, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Goodell Lawn, this year's campus appreciation event. Come enjoy a free meal provided by our very own award-winning Dining Services.
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Stay for the entertainment, including a carillon at the Chapel and a performance by the student group Wicked Pitch A Capella, and then play a round of miniature golf, hosted at the Campus Pond by the Alumni Association and the Student Alumni Association. Cheer on some of our coaches, along with Sam the Minuteman, and celebrate the successful conclusion of the Faculty and Staff campaign.
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While the cookout is free, all attendees are asked to register online at http://ur.umass.edu/urfounders/ to help us obtain an accurate count.
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It is a time for the campus community to come together to celebrate our accomplishments as we near the close of another successful academic year. This is a time to thank you for what you do to make the campus a vibrant, thriving community.

Remember not to punch in too early....

2010-04-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

Sleep a few extra minutes....

Try not to punch in more than 5 minutes before your shift. You won't be paid for that time, and you might even get a warning. Relax, get here on time, and keep doing the great job your doing.

George Washington, Library Deadbeat!!

2010-04-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

If George Washington were alive today, he might face a hefty overdue library fine.

New York City's oldest library says one of its ledgers shows that the president has racked up 220 years' worth of late fees on two books he borrowed but never returned.

One of the books was the Law of Nations, which deals with international relations. The other was a volume of debates from Britain's House of Commons.

Both books were due on Nov. 2, 1789.

See article here.

Searching Email without a warrant?? Almost.....

2010-04-16T15:54:00.001-07:00

Yahoo and Google team up against the Department of Justice......

Yahoo prevailed Friday over Colorado federal prosecutors in a legal battle testing whether the Constitution’s warrant requirements apply to Americans’ e-mail.

Saying the contested e-mail “would not be helpful to the government’s investigation,” (.pdf) the authorities withdrew demands for e-mail in a pending and sealed criminal case. For the moment, the move ends litigation over the hotly contested issue of when a warrant under the Fourth Amendment is required for Yahoo and other e-mail providers to release consumer communications to the authorities.

Got Money??

2010-04-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Starting today, please see Carol for your paychecks. Her office is located in the Learning Commons staff office. If she is not there to hand you your check, please see the supervisor on duty.

If you are unable to retrieve your paycheck within a week, it will be mailed to you at the address printed on the check.

Remember to PUNCH OUT!!!!

2010-04-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

This is a reminder that you must remember to clock in and out when working for the LC desk.
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Also, you MUST physically sign both sheets in the notebook so we have a written record of when you have worked (if you don't know where these are, ask your supervisor). This is the only way that we can tell that you physically were here if the electronic Kronos system goes down or if you missed punching in or out.

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If you find a discrepancy in your paycheck, you must address it with a supervisor as soon as possible so as to get the problem solved immediately. These procedures are in place in order to ensure that you are paid for the work you do.
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Summer positions in the Learning Commons

2010-04-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

If anyone is interested in working at the LC Desk over the summer, please let Peter know by email no later than next Monday, April 19.

We anticipate that there will be funding for 4 positions each consisting of 15 hours per week. While the Library's summer hours have not yet been finalized, last summer the Library was open Mondays-Thursdays 8am-7pm, Fridays 8am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-5pm and was
closed on Sundays. It is expected that the schedule of hours will remain the same this summer. The summer session will begin on or around Monday, May 17 and end on or around September 4.

In your email please specify your preferred days and hours. It is also recommended that you include alternative times you will be available to work in case your preferences cannot be accommodated. If more than 4 people are interested in the openings, priority will be given to those based on a combination of several factors including receipt of your response by
the above deadline, seniority, performance evaluation and availability to work from the beginning to the end of the summer.

The summer work schedule will be available by Thursday, April 22.

If you have any questions/concerns, please do not hesitate to contact
a supervisor.

Need your feedback for our new website!!!

2010-04-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

Complete our Wireframes Feedback Survey and you could win a USB drive. For a chance to win, submit your email address at the end of the survey. All responses are anonymous - your email address is not linked to your survey response.

The UMass Amherst Libraries are seeking input on the upcoming redesign of our website, to be released Fall 2010. We are gathering feedback on four wireframes that convey potential layouts for the Libraries' home page. A wireframe presents the proposed functions, structure, and content of a web page without using color or graphical elements. .

Our website serves the undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, administration, and staff of the University, as well as members of the Commonwealth, and we are eager to hear from each of these groups. We are committed to continually improving our site through formal evaluation and user feedback in order to ensure that the site remains vital and usable.

Watch out for the machines!!!

2010-04-12T07:55:00.001-07:00

This weekend the Color Printer which is located across from the LC desk was found to be inoperable.

The problem as analyzed by the systems department:
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8x11 paper was jammed into the 11x17 paper drawer. This paper was forced into the drawer where there was already 11x17 paper. It was also way overloaded. This caused the drawer to be jammed shut with no way for the machine to operate.

This has happened previously. The potential damage caused by overloading paper as well as putting the wrong sized paper (as well as paper-type)in the printers and copiers is substantial (in the thousands of dollars).
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1. Your supervisor will be retraining you on what paper goes where in the printers/copiers.

2. NEVER overload the paper; put less not more in the drawer.

3. NEVER force the drawer shut. It should slide in with a small amount of pressure.

4. The color copier uses a different type of paper; ask your supervisor where this paper is.

5. Be alert to patrons trying to load paper into any of the machines here; it is not allowed.

6. If you witness any coworkers using the wrong paper or overloading the drawers, please notify your supervisor.

Thanks! Indirectly, the cost of the equipment in the LC impacts us all...

Article in the Collegian

2010-04-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

What do YOU think?

http://dailycollegian.com/2010/04/09/students-check-facebook-while-peers-wait/

SURVEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-04-08T11:01:00.000-07:00

Next week, we will be conducting our fourth survey of the semester. In an effort to gauge the usage of the new landscape, we are conducting five surveys total this semester.

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Your assistance in gathering accurate numbers is vital to this process. These numbers will be used to determine the future of both the Learning Common and services within the Learning Commons.

Your help thus far has contributed greatly to this process. After next week, there is only one left. Finishing this effort strongly can only help advance the Learning Commons as the hub of campus.

What the heck is GIS?

2010-04-07T12:04:00.001-07:00

The Environmental Protection Agency defines GIS: "A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer-based system designed to collect, store, integrate, manipulate, analyze & display data in a spatially referenced environment. It allows you to analyze data visually and see patterns, trends, and relationships that might not be visible in tabular or written form."

Beyond environmental studies. many undergrad and grad programs dealing with social statistics and/or public policy use GIS in their research. There is a great resource available on campus that offers support on campus and online to faculty, staff and students. It is a great referral point for both instruction and tech support.

Check out the campus website here.

For more information about GIS, check out this quick resource from GIS.com

Patriot's Day

2010-04-06T07:51:00.001-07:00

This is a reminder that, although Monday, April 19 is a holiday and there are no classes, the Library will remain open 24 hours and the regular Monday work schedule will be in effect. Monday's class schedule will be held on Wednesday, April 21, however the normal Wednesday work schedule will be followed in the Library. If this creates a conflict for anyone, please let a supervisor know this week so that we can make arrangements to cover your shift.

I'm ready for my close up, Mr De Mille!!

2010-04-06T07:32:00.001-07:00

Okay so this isn't Sunset Boulevard. Carol is doing a project and needs an intrepid volunteer to help her with a video project. She's looking for a student to play a short part in a video that her group is making for a grad class.

There's no real acting involved...you would be filmed walking into the library for help and getting help at various service desks. (Surprise reward at the end of filming).

If you are interested, contact Carol at cwill@library.umass.edu

The ATC!!

2010-04-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

New, glass, power doors have been installed in the ATC and it is open again after a brief closure. On roves, be sure to glance in and check out the room. Use of this space is restricted to students who register with Disability Services. Last week, we had several students drag a table in there and work in this space on laptops. Although logins to ATC computers are restricted to registered users, we need to ensure it is used properly. If you ever see something questionable, please let a supervisor know immediately. Also, make sure the lights are on at all times in that room.

This is an important resource for the students who use it. Please help us keep it that way.

For more information about the ATC, click here.

Stand up and be counted!!

2010-04-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

There will be student volunteers in the Learning Commons between Monday April 12th to Wednesday April 15th to help get the word out about the Census to patrons of the Library. This is part of a broader campus wide effort to help students fulfill this decennial responsibility. For information about the broader campus effort, click here.

Questions, Questions and more Questions......

2010-03-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

Please remember to denote each of the questions you answer on the stat sheet. Numbers are used to determine both trends in foot traffic and the importance of this desk as a resource.

upd8!!!!

2010-03-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

New: Ask a Librarian by text message!

Now patrons and you can get fast help with research in person, on the phone, by email, by IM, or by texting. Text to 66746 and start the first message with ASKUMA to reach a reference librarian.

Text a Librarian is available: Monday through Thursday 8:30 A.M. - 9 P.M., Friday 8:30 A.M. - 6 P.M. Saturday 10 A.M. - 6 P.M. Sunday 1 - 9 P.M.

Check out the "ask a librarian" web page: www.library.umass.edu/ask

Achtung!!

2010-03-23T07:44:00.000-07:00

Every week, the two wide screen TV's are updated with a PowerPoint presentation advertising library services, events and information to patrons in the Learning Commons. This presentation is also accessible from our website. The LC Page on Slideshare hosts all presentations, including the most current. Check it out. If you ever have an idea about the presentation itself, or about information that could be revised/included in it, please let me know.

Thank you!!!

Welcome Back!!!

2010-03-22T07:05:00.000-07:00

What do Grammy winner Natalie Cole, Pulitzer Prize winner Herbert Bix, and the screenwritier of the film The Departed have in common? They all received their undergraduate degrees from UMass Amherst. Only 7 weeks to go!! Keep up the great work.

Here is a list of famous UMass Alumni.

Using keyboard bacteria as a (not quite) unique ID

2010-03-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

By Casey Johnston

Bacteria have largely stayed out of the forensics game, but with some new research, scientists are seeking to put them into the evidence bag along with human DNA. Researchers have found that the bacteria... more from Nobel Intent

The Most (Overlooked) Beautiful Campuses

2010-03-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

By Scott Carlson

Forbes magazine recently came out with its list of "The World's Most Beautiful Campuses," and it cites some fine examples. I approve of the inclusion of University of California at Santa Cruz. Oxford, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale are there, of course. Also featured are some campuses that are not often seen on such rankings, which usually go for the obvious. Gracing the Forbes slide show, for example, is a picture of Kenyon College at the height... more from the Chronicle

2010-03-12T08:13:00.000-08:00

Oh so Clean!
Hey all! There are now some air duster cans in the cleaning cabinet. Use them when cleaning the keyboards for the computers. Just be careful to cover your face! The dust in them is unbelievable!
Thank you for all your help at the desk!!

Is the Internet Making Us Stupid?

2010-03-12T07:33:00.001-08:00

How we seek breadth of information, and sacrifice depth

By Gary Marshall

Saturday at 12:00 GMT

Since we came out of the caves, every new technology has been greeted with alarm and disdain. When we invented fire, people moaned that we'd forget the art of making salads. When we invented the wheel, people moaned that we'd forget... more from techradar

Need to Save and/or Share Ridiculously Large Files?

2010-03-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

March 9, 2010 4:00 AM PST
by Josh Lowensohn

A few years ago it was a big deal to find a place that would let you share 1 gigabyte of files.

Things change, though. Bandwidth keeps growing, and the cost of Web storage keeps shrinking. That's good news for people looking to share increasingly large files, be it an HD video recording or an archive of several files... more from CNet

SPRING BREAK!!!!

2010-03-11T07:53:00.001-08:00

Have a safe and relaxing Spring Break! Get some good rest. When we return there will be only 7 weeks left in the semester. Normal shifts will resume Sunday 3/21 at 11AM!!