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technology

Brand New Videocameras!

This summer, the Library purchased several new additions to our AV collection, including Kodak PlayTouch flash memory digital camcorders.

These lightweight, easy-to-use models can upload digital footage quickly to a computer.  You’ll need to supply your own SD memory card, available for cheap at Best Buy.

Wheelock students may check out these cameras, along with the rest of the Library’s AV equipment collection (digital voice recorders, digital cameras, and the older miniDV tape videocameras) for 7 days at a time.  If you ever need help operating AV equipment, get in touch with Jeff Pearson, Library Technology Specialist, at jdpearson@wheelock.edu or 617-879-2223.

Also, suggestions for new equipment are always welcome!


QR What?

These images have begun to appear all around the Library.  You may be wondering:  What the heck are these?  We have all been to the supermarket to buy groceries and watched the scanners add up our totals.  The registers are reading the barcodes printed on every item.  Those codes carry between 12 and 40 characters of data.  Think of the QR code (Quick Response) above as a barcode on steroids, one which can potentially carry upwards of 4,000 characters.  This includes a number of different types of data, anything from a simple line of text, a contact for your address book, or a date for your calendar, to a link on YouTube, a PayPal “Buy Now” button, or a link to Face Book.  The QR code itself is not a simple line but a two-dimensional “print based hypertext link” (http://www.qrstuff.com/qr_codes.html).  To read these codes requires some version of a smart phone, with a camera and QR reading software.  One of the best free readers is by i-Nigma (http://www.i-nigma.com/Downloadi-nigmaReader.html) which lists all of its versions as well as the long list of supported devices. Other readers may be available as apps for your phone, just search for “QR reader” in your app marketplace.

Our QR codes in the Library are mostly links to people or departments on Wheelock’s website.  A couple are contact details for a person and one or two will bring up a blank email message.  As we experiment with QR codes you will begin seeing them for other uses around the Library. Let us know what you think! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at librarytech@wheelock.edu or 617-879-2223.

Jeff Pearson


Student Technology Services

Many of you already know me. I am based in the lower level of the Library, near the computer labs. Primarily, I work in the Library, supporting the computers and printing in the building and provide service to student laptops. We wanted to formally announce here the expansion of my services for the students. In cooperation with the Technology Department, we are making my desk a “one stop shopping” destination for all student technology needs. These services include:

  • Laptop support: spyware, viruses, update issues
  • Audio/Visual equipment help
  • email questions and problems
  • TV/Cable issues
  • Help with Office applications
  • Hardware device installation: cameras, printers, etc.
  • Smartphone email issues

Please come by and see me with any of these issues. I can be contacted at:

Jeff Pearson

617-879-2223


New Website, Rooms, Equipment, and Staff!

Library Hours
A concern was raised that the Library has been closing earlier than the posted hours. I have worked with Security to resolve this problem. The front door will continue to be automatically locked at 15 minutes before the closing time. The posted hours by the door and on the Library webpage now accurately reflect this. Students inside the building will be reminded at that time of the closing by Library staff; however, lights will not be shut off and the building cleared and secured until the scheduled closing time.

New Media Equipment & Technology
We are adding four new Canon Powershot A470 digital cameras and four new Canon ZR950 digital video cameras to our collection. These will be available to be borrowed from the Circulation Desk very shortly. You will find this equipment a vast improvement over the old media equipment!

There will shortly be ten new iMacs in the Reference area on floor 1M for student use. No more waiting for the PCs to load!

Student-Use Library Rooms
There are two new rooms on the second floor available for student use. One is designated as a Group Study Room and it may be reserved through the Circulation Desk. If no one has reserved it, then it is available for anyone to use. The room contains a table, four chairs, and a whiteboard. The other room is a Media Room with a TV/VCR/DVD setup and a couple of soft chairs. There is no need to reserve this room.

Updated Library Website
The Library website (http://www2.wheelock.edu/wheelock/x1038.xml) has been updated. We hope that you will find the cleaner presentation easier to use. Amy Basque, our Systems Librarian, is looking for students to help with usability testing of the new site. If you are interested (you will be rewarded for your time), please contact her at x2296 or abasque@wheelock.edu.

Please note the Talk Back link on the right side of the Library page. This is an area where you can post any questions or comments (not research questions—contact Library staff with those!) you may have about the Library and its operation, and the question and response will be posted on the site.

New Staff
We are very pleased to have a new Access Services Librarian starting in mid-May. You will most likely see her at the Circulation Desk area. Our student staff have done a great job of running the Circulation operation in the absence of a librarian. Once the new librarian starts, she will review and revise policies and procedures to help ensure that everything runs smoothly for the summer term and beyond.

Reminder
Please return all library materials you have borrowed by May 11!

Survey
I am working with Jeannie Blazar, Director of the Resource Center, on future planning for the Resource Center. As part of that planning, we will conduct a survey to gather usage information. Please take the time to complete the survey after you receive it, even if you have never used the Resource Center. It is important to have the input of as wide a cross-section of students as possible.

Communications
I am very interested in ensuring that the Library and Resource Center work to support all your needs. If you feel there is an issue that needs to be addressed, please bring it to my attention. I can be reached by phone at x2225 or email at becsedy@wheelock.edu, or just stop by my office on the second floor of the Library. I am working with SGA to maintain communications through that group also.

Best of luck to you all as the semester winds down!

Brenda Ecsedy
Director of Academic Resources & Library Services
x2225


Computers on Floor 3 back on

Good news! The computer cluster on Floor 3 is up and running – just in time for the end-of-semester rush. We’ve added three brand-new computers to the three previously available.

We’re still working on getting everything connected properly, so for now if you want to print or use the scanner, you’ll need to plug the cord into the USB port on the front of the computer you’re working at. It won’t work if you use the USB ports on the monitor.

Thank you for your patience as we set up this cluster for the benefit of all Library patrons.