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May 2010

Introducing…

Introducing: Ann Glannon, Associate Director and Collection Management Librarian
I first started at Wheelock in 1985, took some time out to be a full time mom during the 1990s, and then came back in 1997. I have a background in education, and a master’s degree in Library and Information Science. My first job here was as the Reserves Assistant, followed by Curriculum Resources Librarian; I became Assistant Director in 2004 and Associate Director in 2006. I have always worked in public services, providing instruction and reference, and in developing collections. I figured out one day that in all my years here I have probably either physically handled and/or ordered about 85% of the items (except serials) in our materials collections. My current work encompasses all aspects of collection management including budgets, policies and procedures, materials selection, acquisition, lending, and housing for all collections including monograph, serial, juvenile, curriculum, media, special, and digital. I also work with our Director, Brenda Ecsedy, in managing the Library. I can’t help it that I look like the stereotype of a librarian.
I love visiting the Maine coast, thrift store shopping, and digging in the dirt. (If I had any skill that last one might be called gardening.) I don’t like dogs, I do like cats. I listen to WUMB radio and used to watch the Discovery channel until it turned into the Redneck channel. I can’t quite remember, but I think the last movie I saw in a theater was during a school vacation week in 1997. Dreadful. It was pretty much “Barbie does the Russian Revolution”; official title: Anastasia. And now you know why I haven’t been to the movies since 1997.

Spyware, Mal-ware, and Viruses: Relentless Adversaries

Spyware, mal-ware, and viruses: no matter what you call them, they’re nasty and are out to attack your computer. While they range in seriousness from the merely annoying to the truly nefarious (attempting to steal personal information such as banking and credit card numbers), they can all seriously damage laptops and desktop machines. So, it’s good to have an answer to the question:

How do you prevent viruses from being installed?

  • Create another user with “Resticted Privileges.” Logging on to a computer with a user that cannot install software helps keep “the bad stuff” out.
  • Keep Windows up to date. Most viruses and spyware are written to exploit Microsoft Windows–this runs most of the computers. Installing updates when alerted helps close these vulnerabilities.
  • Use a reputable Antivirus/Antispyware program. There are many excellent programs on the market, some for a cost and others for free. Here is a link to help evaluate your needs: http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,4796,00.asp. Again, keep it up to date!

If all of your preventative measures fail and your computer exhibits tell-tale signs of virus/spyware activity such as very slow Internet browsing, numerous pop-ups, or the inability to connect to the Internet or restrictions on where you can go, come see us!
You also email librarytech@wheelock.edu or call us at 617-879-2223.



By the Numbers
 The numbers quoted below are from Lavasoft’s site, a reputable antispyware company, and they are staggering.

100 – 150 million
Estimated number of PCs on the Internet
that are under the control of hackers.

63%
Percentage of people that accept End User License Agreements
without reading the text, according to a Lavasoft poll.

2,286
Number of people who responded to a Lavasoft poll
that they have been a victim of a phishing attack.
With a total of 4,966 people answering the Lavasoft survey,
nearly half of those surveyed have been scammed by a phisher.

15-60 minutes
Estimated timeframe for how often Zlob Trojans update
and change in order to avoid detection, according to Lavasoft researchers.

http://www.lavasoft.com/support/spywareeducationcenter/spyware_statistics.php