It’s finals, but I’m not stressed!

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Tahirah Akbar-Williams in Ask Your Librarian, Hopkins | Leave a comment

So it‘s time for finals. Feeling a bit stressed? I remember those days. Well, relax, and let me share a few tips that may help you de-stress:

One last thing: check out this survival guide! It’s online, so you can read it in the comfort of your dorm room. One fewer thing to stress about!

Teaching a Summer Course? Consider Using Course Reserves!

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Lael Ensor in Hopkins, Learn the Library, Library Hardware and Software, Online Resources | Leave a comment

Busy preparing a summer course while your family and friends are out getting a tan? Let Reserve Services help! We can make readings available electronically and place books and videos on reserve. From 19th century American literature to differential equations, we will be happy to support your summer course.

Visit our website and choose an option to submit your reserve reading requests. You may email your syllabus, or you may prefer to submit your requests electronically through our interactive PDF forms. Don't wait long, though, as the summer sessions are fast approaching, and Reserves staff are going live with Ares, a new ereserve management system. Staff are currently processing requests for Summer I and would appreciate submissions by June 1, 2012 for Summer II.

To learn about Reserves’ new ereserve management system, check out the informational page about Ares on our website. If you have questions about course reserves in general, please see our FAQ page, or contact us directly at reserves@jhu.edu. You might still have time to lounge around the pool!

Student Suggestions in Action

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Adriane Koenig in Hopkins, Learn the Library | 1 Comment

Over the years we've taken a number of steps towards making the library a greener space, such as introducing composting and a pen recycling program. We're also pretty excited that the Brody Learning Commons, slated to open this summer, will be at minimum LEED Silver certified. But we're always looking to improve, and we were thrilled to hear from freshman Biophysics major Jon Smeton. As a member of Students for Environmental Action and Eco-Reps, he had a great idea for reducing paper usage. Thanks to Jon for sharing his observation and story:

As a student affiliated with sustainability, I often catch the phrase “we are committed to sustainability” on every handout, sign, and mission statement I see. This phrase often becomes so oversaturated that I tend to take it with a grain of salt. Thus, when I saw on the Lav Notes in Eisenhower that very phrase, I couldn’t truly believe it unless I saw it in action.

For the past two weeks, every time I was to sign out headphones at the AV station, I was required to write my name and the date on a form which was used for bookkeeping purposes. I understood the necessity of keeping track of everything, but I would still feel like I was killing a little bit of tree every time I needed to hear my Orgo Lab pre-lecture slides. Testing the truth of the Lav Notes, I sent an email to Adriane Koenig, the library's Program and Communications Coordinator and Green Campus Rep, asking if this information could be filed in a computer database rather than on these slips. Within the week, I received a reply with many thanks from Adriane and Lynn Mathieu in AV for “waking [her] up” to the impact of the request slips and a promise to discontinue them immediately.

It is a refreshing thing for your voice to be heard and even more so to be thanked for speaking it. What’s most refreshing is to be able to read those Lav Notes again and know that my library and my school are committed to sustainability.

Thanks to Jon, we'll also cease requiring the paper request slips for AV Reserves at the end of this semester. Please keep the good ideas coming! E-mail Adriane your suggestions.

Lighting Out for the Territories (actually just for the BLC)

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Brian Shields in Hours, Special Collections | Leave a comment

The Sheridan Libraries Special Collections main reading room and department in the Milton S. Eisenhower Library will be closed starting June 18 to allow staff to move into the Brody Learning Commons. The department will reopen in its new space in the Brody Learning Commons at 9 AM on Monday, August 13. During this time, the Garrett Library and George Peabody Library will continue to be available for patrons. The George Peabody Library is open Monday through Thursday from 9-5 and Friday from 9-3. The John Work Garrett Library at Evergreen is open by appointment.

To lessen the impact on scholars using our collections, we will be working directly with curators, faculty, and students to try to identify collection needs for the summer. We will move necessary material to the George Peabody Library for the period we are closed.

If you use Special Collections materials, such as rare books, manuscripts, or archives, please work with the Special Collections staff or your liaison librarian to identify material you might need over the summer. If we receive lists prior to June 4 we can pull and move that material to the George Peabody Library for your summer use.

Our new home in the Brody Learning Commons will have more space for researchers, two small group work rooms, and state of the art teaching space. The space will allow our curators, archivists, and librarians to help scholars engage with our unique, rare, and treasured resources.

If you have questions please contact one of the following:

We appreciate your patience during this period and look forward to welcoming you to our new space when the Brody Learning Commons opens in August.

Ouch That Hurts!

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Liz Mengel in Books and Reading, Learn the Library | Leave a comment

Every year the library circulates hundreds of thousands of books. In addition to circulating books, patrons use thousands of books in the library that are not checked out. Usually, the books return to us in about the same condition they were in before they were used.

Sometimes though accidents happen – a cup of coffee spills, pets behave badly, there is a sudden downpour leaving you and all your belongings soaked, a science experiment goes awry and something explodes all over your books, you need to use the book to defend yourself against a marauding band of ninjas. We understand; life happens. When books come back to Circulation in less than ideal condition they become, as we around the library affectionately call them, “Wounded Books.”

These wounded books are put through an evaluation process to determine the best course of action for their future life. Each book that ends up in the wounded book workflow is evaluated by its respective subject librarian who determines if it should be replaced, rebound, digitized, returned to the stacks, or withdrawn from the collection. We process over 500 wounded books annually. You might run into these books from time to time doing a catalog search. If you have ever wondered what "replacement review" means in the catalog, those are our wounded books.

Unfortunately sometimes we find material that has been deliberately damaged. We recently found these four books in the stacks. Each book had its content cut out. This was an intentional act by someone. Regrettably this is not the first time this has happened to a library book. Each year we find journal articles that have been removed from bound volumes or images that have been cut from art books.

We really want everyone to use the books, journals, DVDs, maps, and other library materials – after all that is why we buy them and add them to the collection. However, it is important to remember that the library is here to serve a large community, so if you destroy a book, it will no longer be available for others to use. As sturdy and seemingly indestructible as a book may appear, it will still never be able to stand up to deliberate misuse. So be gentle with the material and before you consider deliberately destroying something, come talk to us, and let us try to help you find a better way to use the content.

NSF Data Management Plan Workshop

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Betsy Gunia in Events and Exhibits | 1 Comment

Grant proposals for the National Science Foundation, and for a growing number of other funders, require data management plans. Developing a competitive data management plan requires understanding and addressing all of the issues that funders and reviewers will expect. For example, have you considered how you will archive your research data to permit a complete retrospective audit for five years after your research is published, as required by the JHU policy on data retention? What steps will you take to adequately describe your research data so that it can be shared with others in the future, including metadata?

Join Data Management Services of the Sheridan Libraries for a workshop on preparing data management plans. During this 1 hour workshop, we will go over the fundamentals of what information is needed for a stronger, more competitive plan. Although the emphasis will be on NSF data management plans, the basic components of the plans are also applicable to other funding agencies. Participants will have an opportunity to address questions specific to their research. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, May 8, from 4:30-5:30 pm in the Electronic Resource Center, M-level, of the Milton S. Eisenhower Library.

Can’t make the workshop? Contact datamanagement@jhu.edu for personalized data management plan guidance. More info at http://dmp.data.jhu.edu.

By Land and by Sea: Kinetic Sculpture Returns!

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Donald Juedes in Events and Exhibits, Humanities, Staff Picks | Leave a comment

A time-honored Baltimore tradition, the Kinetic Sculpture Race is happening on May 5, 9:30am till 4:30pm. It is a sight to behold, sponsored by one of Baltimore’s unique institutions: the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM), an institution dedicated to “outsider art.”

What the heck is kinetic sculpture? Good question. Simply put: it’s art that moves. And, for this particular Kinetic Sculpture Race, it’s art that moves all around downtown Baltimore and into the Inner Harbor – so, the artwork must be “amphibious, human powered works of art custom built for the race.” Where else can you see amphibious art, live and in-person! Here’s your chance.

Looking to do your homework before hand? Check out books we have about kinetic art and outsider art. And, feel free to investigate the resources on the Art History Research Guide to find articles and other material on the subject.

If none of this has enticed you into attending, this might do the trick. Fifi, the gigantic pink poodle, will be racing for sure – and she needs your support!!!

FlowerMart: Where Old Books & Lemon Sticks Collide

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Heidi Herr in Events and Exhibits, Special Collections | Leave a comment

Well, not really. You see, the lemon sticks are supposed to be consumed before you look at the rare books, silly! Anyway, are you looking for some weekend plans that will make you feel all fancy, just like an extra in Downton Abbey? Well, grab your monocles and best Dowager Countess impersonation, and head over to the historic George Peabody Library for FlowerMart 2012! We'll be welcoming the public on Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5 from 11am-6pm. From lovely rare botanical books on display to fun children's activities, our FlowerMart celebration is guaranteed to float your boat!

But wait, there's  more! The Peabody Institute will also be hosting some lovely events, including a birthday party (everyone knows that birthday cake and lemon sticks make for a refreshing springtime lunch) for composer and classical guitarist Agustín Pío Barrios Mangoré on Saturday from 12-2, special archives displays, and tours. Plus, the theme of FlowerMart 2012 is "Blossoming Civility." Seriously, why would you not want to help to blossom civility in Baltimore?

Still need to be convinced? Well, check out all the fun we had last year. We hope to see you this weekend!

 

 

Maryland Film Festival 2012

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Donald Juedes in Events and Exhibits, Movies, Staff Picks | 1 Comment

I know, I know: I sound like a broken record. Every time you go to the blog, I’ve posted about another film festival. First Tournees French Films, then the JHU Film Festival, and now the Maryland Film Festival. Who knew Baltimore was such a hub for the movie industry?

The festival showcases films from around the world and around the corner. Check out the complete schedule to get a sense for the scope and variety of movies. There is something for everyone.

Can’t make it to the event? No worries, have your own in-house movie marathon viewing films from the library’s collection. We’ve got films in every genre, including: comedies, dramas, horror films, Westerns, thrillers. And, films by local directors like John Waters and Barry Levinson and legendary folks like Fellini and Bergman. A TV junkie? No worries, we’ve got you covered, too.

For film nerds (like me), don’t forget to use our Film & Media Studies Research Guide to find scholarship about film, reviews, screenplays, and basic information. Sure, IMDb is good, but we’ve got even more.

Whether you’re at the festival or on your couch, sit back and enjoy!

All Studying, All the Time

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Robin Sinn in Hours | Leave a comment

Spring Fair is history. Classes end May 4th. Reading period is May 5-8, and finals are May 9-17.

To help with this turbo-charged calendar, the Hut and all the levels in MSEL will be open 24/7 from Saturday, May 5th, through Thursday, May 17th. So that our students can find seats, visitor hours will be limited to 8 AM to 4 PM during this time.

If MSEL and the Hut feel a bit crowded, you can look forward to more room next year, when the BLC opens. It will have more room and some cool technology. Seniors, it's a great reason to come back for a visit! And remember, you can always Ask a Librarian for help!