Comments Off on Writer’s Studio and Citing Help

By Scott Pfitzinger, August 17, 2005 9:02 am

To all:

I recently met with someone in the Writer’s Studio regarding an instruction project that I am working on.

While I was there I noticed that they have handouts and bookmarks that
promote and explain their services. So, if you get a patron who needs
citing help and you can’t answer their question (or are not comfortable
doing so), please give them a handout, bookmark, and refer them to the
Writer’s Studio

These will also come in handy for those patrons who try to get us to help them write their papers!

Both are located on top of the white SRG holder. (in the rack with the local libraries maps)

You can also refer them to this page:

http://www.butler.edu/writersstudio/

-B

Comments Off on Virus Checking

By Scott Pfitzinger, August 17, 2005 3:47 am

You may have heard that there’s a new computer worm (virus) going
around and that we’ve been encouraged to double-check our virus
detection programs and make sure we have the latest virus definitions.
It’s a good thing to do anyway, so here is a review of steps you should
take to make sure you’re as thoroughly protected from viruses as
possible. These directions are for Butler-issued computers but will be
similar for other computers, depending on what virus protection
software you have.

(Note: Information Resources
has an excellent page with lots of information and directions,
including how students can download Symantec AntiVirus from My.Butler.)

There are two primary tasks you need to do. One is keeping your virus
definitions current (so the computer knows what to look for), and the
other is actually scanning the computer’s hard drive.

To update your virus definitions:
Run your Symantec Anti-Virus program (Start–Programs–Symantec Client
Security–Symantec AntiVirus Client). Click the LiveUpdate button to
get the updates right now. To schedule regular updating (highly recommended),
click File–Schedule Updates. Check the box to enable automatic updates
and select a time that your computer will be on and logged in.

To scan for viruses: Run your
Symantec Anti-Virus program (Start–Programs–Symantec Client
Security–Symantec AntiVirus Client). Click Scan Computer, check the
box next to “C: Local Disk” and click the Scan button to scan right
now. To schedule regular scanning (highly recommended),
click Scheduled Scans, then New Scheduled Scan. Click Next, then set a
time and frequency (daily is best, but weekly is okay) that you’ll be
logged onto the computer, but preferably when you’ll be away from it.
Lunchtime is good, or if you have a regular class or meeting. Click
Next and check the box next to “C: Local Disk” and then click the Save
button. You’re all set!

(By the way, if you haven’t seen that Windows Update icon in a while, you can visit Microsoft’s Update site at: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
(make sure you’re using Internet Explorer for this) or visit the I.R.
page (linked above) to make sure you’ve got the latest of everything.)

Comments Off on The State of the ERIC Database, Fall 2005

By Scott Pfitzinger, August 16, 2005 9:41 am

The ERIC database overhaul is still an
incomplete project as the fall semester begins.  In recent weeks,
they have begun to add newer material (2004) to the ERIC site, but
until Ebsco signs an agreement with ERIC, no articles or documents
newer than 2003 will show up in Ebsco ERIC.  A quick check of the
journals currently indexed by ERIC shows that only a small percentage
of the publishers of titles previously indexed by ERIC have reached an
agreement with ERIC to allow indexing of their recent issues.  For
now, advise everyone to make sure that they search Professional
Development Collection as well as ERIC to maximize the number of
current journal articles found on education topics.  The good news
is that eventually, there should be much more full text  available
in ERIC.  When the contractor finally finishes adding the
backfile, content should be within a month of current. I have no idea
how long it will take to reach that goal.

-Renee

Comments Off on SRG Ordering

By Scott Pfitzinger, August 16, 2005 8:07 am

Librarians:

(I prefer e-mail as opposed to notes
or verbal because if I get 10 people “telling me” I’ll likely
forget.)

Finally, you may also want to consider referring your students to the Electronic SRGs as an alternative to paper.

http://www.butler.edu/library/research/srg/index.html

Thanks!

Brad

Comments Off on Usage Study

By Scott Pfitzinger, August 16, 2005 7:38 am

The Reference Department in the library is performing a Usage Study. We
are trying to track what materials are used from our Reference
Collection and how often they are used.

Please help us perform this study by not
reshelving books that use from the General Reference or Music Reference
collections. Instead, please leave them on a table for a librarian to
pick up. Those books will be scanned and documented before we reshelve
them.

Thanks for your help in allowing us to create a continually better and more relevant Reference section for you.