DawgBlog : Technology Tips

Texting the Information Commons

spfitzin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:45:00 GMT

Now you can get research assistance from the Information Commons via your cell phone. You can always call us at 317-940-9235 and talk to us but now you also have the option of texting us.

Just text 265010 and in the body of the text type "buinfocommons: yourmessage." (Note: You may be charged by your wireless service provider.)

Visit http://www.butler.edu/library/ask for more ways to contact the Information Commons.

Chalk & Wire

spfitzin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:30:00 GMT

If you are a student interested in training for Chalk & Wire, please visit the list of I.T. Training Sessions. The Information Commons will be supporting use of Chalk & Wire, but not actually performing initial training. That will be done in the I.T. Training Sessions and in individual classes as professors begin to use it.

New Computers in Irwin

spfitzin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:24:00 GMT

There are now computers available to students in every quad/section of Irwin Library. We've had to use the built-in wireless capabilities of the iMacs to install some of them, which meant removing all Macs from the Reference Lab area. The end result is six more computers available to library patrons in different parts of the building.

Current Summary:

Basement: 2 PCs and 2Macs in the Education Commons, 1 Mac in the Rich Media Room, 2 PCs in the General area (where the newspapers used to be)
Main Floor: 25 PCs in the main lab (1 with Scanner), 1 group workstation in the back of the Reference Collection, 2 group workstations in the Collaborative Learning Spaces
2nd Floor: 1 PC in SE quad, 2 wireless Macs (1 usable as a group workstation) in SW quad, 1 PC & 1 wireless Mac (group workstation) in NW quad, 1 PC in NE quad
3rd Floor: 1 PC in NW quad, 1 wireless Mac in NE quad

Groups in the Library

spfitzin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:35:00 GMT

Do you have a group project to work on? The libraries are excellent places for this work. Rather than take up lots of space in the main "computer lab" areas, the libraries encourage you to make use of the spaces that have been designed for group work.

The Science Library has four small group study rooms upstairs. There are no computers in these, so if you need one, you can either bring your own or check out a laptop from the Circulation Desk. There are also two computers across from the Circulation Desk specifically for groups to use.

In Irwin Library, there are three computers on the main floor that are designated as Group Workstations. Downstairs there are a couple more. You can also check on the availability of room IL119, our library instruction room, which is available when a class session has not reserved it. Group study rooms are available downstairs and on the second floor.

If you have any special needs or requests, please stop by the Circulation or Reference Desks or use the Ask A Librarian link on our website.

Reminder: Use BUFiles

spfitzin — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:09:00 GMT

This is your regular reminder to use BU Files for saving documents, papers, class projects, etc.

Every student (and employee) has space on BUFiles for saving these kinds of files. This is typically mapped to your H: drive, so if you go to any lab computer and click on My Computer, the H: drive should point to your space on BU Files, which is entitled with your Butler username.

Do NOT save important documents to the "Default" or to "My Documents" on the computer you're sitting at.

ALWAYS make sure you're saving things to BUFiles (or H:).

Local computers get reimaged, have profiles deleted, etc., causing your files to disappear. This will NOT happen if you save your things on BUFiles. Plus, they will then be accessible from another computer on campus.

Every semester it seems we have a few students in the library who lose documents because they were not saving them to BUFiles. We hope you will read this and act on it before writing your big papers this semester.

If you have any questions about where to save files when you are using library computers, please ask at the Reference Desk.

Citing Articles, Books, etc.

spfitzin — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:12:00 GMT

"Works Cited" list got you down? Are you having a hard time figuring out just what information is supposed to be included when you're citing an online article or a chapter in a book? Don't be dismayed--we're here to help!

Our new LibGuides system has a Guide specifically for citation information. Whatever format you need, we have examples and links to get your questions answered and your bibliography pristine.

Visit the library website (http://www.butler.edu/library) and click on LibGuides. Citations Guides is the first featured LibGuide listed. Just click that and then pick the format you need (MLA, APA, Turabian, etc.). You can also go there directly: http://libguides.butler.edu/citations (You may want to bookmark this link.)

You can even get there from Facebook by adding the LibGuides app to your profile!

Research Starts Here

spfitzin — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:31:00 GMT

Are you starting a research project? Your first stop should be LibGuides.

Our librarians have gathered all kinds of resources into the new LibGuides system, making it your one-stop-shop for research. Visit http://libguides.butler.edu to get started.

(We're also in Facebook! http://apps.facebook.com/libguides/ )

LibGuides are Coming

spfitzin — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:44:00 GMT

What are LibGuides?

LibGuides can be subject guides, info portals, class guides, community guides, research tips, or useful resources on any other topic.

In January of 2008, LibGuides will be replacing the Subject Resource Guides with better-organized, more dynamic and flexible collections of links, book lists, research help, multimedia, RSS feeds, search results, and other information useful to faculty and students alike.

The LibGuides system combines the best features of social networks, wikis, bookmarks and blogs to help librarians share knowledge and promote library resources to the community.

LibGuides also integrates with Facebook, where information is instantly available via the LibGuides app!

Library on your Google Toolbar

spfitzin — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:13:00 GMT

Do you use the Google toolbar in your web browser?

Would you like a button to add that takes you right to the library catalog?

Now you can have one! Just click this link to add our new Google toolbar button. It will give you a confirmation pop-up, explaining that there's a privacy concern--namely, that your search results will be sent to hickory.palni.edu, but that's just where our catalog is located, so no worries.

(If you need the Google Toolbar, here's a link.)

Working with Emailed Files

spfitzin — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:39:00 GMT

A common method of working on papers is to email the document to yourself and then open it from your email. While this method does work, PLEASE NOTE that you cannot just click "Save" when you've opened an email attachment. That will only save the document in a TEMP folder which will disappear once you log off, meaning YOU WILL LOSE YOUR WORK.

If you are opening a document you sent yourself via email, PLEASE save it to BUFiles first and only then start working on it. That will ensure you don't lose all the work you've done.

Better yet, simply work from BUFiles all the time. The only time you won't have access is if you're off campus, in which case we suggest using a USB Flash Drive. If you do choose to use email, remember that files opened directly from an email attachment will open via a TEMP folder and clicking "Save" will NOT save it the way you want.

Extra Computers in Irwin Library

spfitzin — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:31:00 GMT

We are quickly approaching the time of year where you may come into the Irwin Library Reference Lab and find that all the computers are full. Take heart! There are others available!

Room 119 in the Music and Fine Arts Reference area has eight more PCs that are available in the evenings and after any scheduled classes are done using the room that day. Those computers use the same printers as the other lab-type computers located around the library.

Subscribe to Library News

spfitzin — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:43:00 GMT

Would you like to be notified whenever a new Library News item is posted? You can do it via RSS or email.

Just log into DawgBlog at https://www.butler.edu/library/communityadmin/blogs/dawgblog and look in the top left corner. You'll find links for RSS and Atom feeds that you can copy right into your RSS reader or aggregator. If you prefer to receive the notices via email, you can click the "Email" link in that same corner and choose one of the email options.

It's that easy!

RSS Feeds for New Books

spfitzin — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:48:00 GMT

The Butler libraries now have RSS feeds available to let you know about new books that have been added to our catalog.

Using your favorite aggregator (we recommend Google Reader or Bloglines), just add any of the following feeds and you'll be notified every time a new book is added to our catalog in that subject area.

All New Books - http://hickory.palni.edu:8080/rss/bup.xml
General, Reference, & Miscellaneous - http://hickory.palni.edu:8080/rss/bup_gen.xml
Fine Arts - http://hickory.palni.edu:8080/rss/bup_art.xml
History & Geography - http://hickory.palni.edu:8080/rss/bup_hisgeo.xml
Literature & Language - http://hickory.palni.edu:8080/rss/bup_litlang.xml
Natural Science & Mathematics - http://hickory.palni.edu:8080/rss/bup_sci.xml
Philosophy, Religion, & Psychology - http://hickory.palni.edu:8080/rss/bup_prp.xml
Social Sciences - http://hickory.palni.edu:8080/rss/bup_soc.xml
Technology & Applied Sciences - http://hickory.palni.edu:8080/rss/bup_tech.xml

RSS Feeds from EBSCO Searches

spfitzin — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:03:00 GMT

EBSCO databases have long used "alerts" to help you keep track of new materials that interest you. Now they've begun delivering those alerts via RSS feeds.

Users can now create an Alert directly from the Result List, Search History, or the Publication list. Create instant RSS feed Alerts by clicking on the orange RSS Feed icons.

What does this mean? It means you can create a search in any EBSCO database, grab the resulting RSS feed, and get information sent to you about new materials that have been added to that database that fit your search criteria. And without having to re-do your search every time.

(If you need an RSS reader, we recommend Google Reader or Bloglines.)

Butler Libraries currently subscribe to over 35 different EBSCO databases, including Academic Search Premier, Business Source Complete, ERIC, MasterFILE Premier, MEDLINE, Newspaper Source, PsycARTICLES, and SocINDEX with Full Text.

REMINDER: Use BUFiles

spfitzin — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 17:48:00 GMT

Computers in the library labs are regularly rebooted to clear off profiles and keep them running smoothly. When profiles are deleted, that includes all the MyDocuments folders that anyone has used on that machine. End Result: Local folders (including anything on the C: drive) are NOT a safe place to save your documents.

Instead, use BUFiles!

All Butler students, faculty, and staff are given some network space on BUFiles that they can access from any computer on the network. This is your own personal space that no one else has access to. It's much safer, more secure, and more convenient than using the My Documents folder on any machine in a lab. Use BUFiles for storing all your assignments, papers, and other important documents. You can typically get to this folder by opening your H: drive under My Computer.

If you need more assistance working with BUFiles, visit the Networking & Accounts page on I.R.'s website.