Monthly Archive Index for KSL News Blog

Video, Action! August Orientation InfoFair@KSL

KSL captures the memories of families, friends & new students at the Orientation 2011 Information Fairs held at the Kelvin Smith Library. Catch a quick look at the latest KSL in Action! Video, and see what it was like amongst the popcorn & drinks, prizes, Cramleot travel mugs, and more:

Information Fairs also made their KSL debut at Orientation I in July, with more new faces at Orientation II a week later, and emerged as the 1st KSL Video of Summer Orientation.

Video capture & production by Dina Hoeynck, student assistant in the Freedman Center, and a Graduate student in Art Education.

New Online Forum Keeps the Justice Discussions Alive

New students gathered on 3 floors in the library, in book discussion groups led by KSL staff as everyone talked about various aspects of the 2011 Common Reading book, Justice: What's the Right Thing To Do?

KSL staff also experiments with extending the discussion to anyone on campus, and has created a new Online Forum. Read more about it & join in (Case ID required)—ask a question, post a comment, engage in dialog with someone else who's read Michael Sandel's other works. Keep the conversation going all year!

Mark Eddy, Brian Gray, Karen Thornton, and Tina Oestreich lead lively groups on Friday afternoon, August 26th in the Kelvin Smith Library.

Reconstruction, Redesign@Work at KSL

Day by day, things are changing at KSL this summer. New quad-computer tables appear on the main floor as the large oak tables move up to the 2nd floor. Minutes after the caution tape came down around the first 2 tables, a grad student sat down to work. She's the first to try one out...and she says it's also her "first time in here!"

New graduate student Constance says she loves the big open spaces and light, and says it's not like any other library she's been in before. Physiology & Biostatistics brought her to Case & hearing about KSL the day before at Grad Studies' Orientation, the news brought her to KSL. Checking out one of the 900 seats here, she's got the best new seat in the library!

More Redesign@Work photos on the Kelvin Smith Library facebook page...we hope you "like" it!

International Student Online Guide

Get a great start at Case Libraries by using our new online international student guide. It's created in a friendly, easy-to-read style that can help with some of your first university questions.

Created for international students who come from many different cultures, the guide answers frequent questions:

• how do I find and borrow a book?" & "how long can I keep it?"
• is there a place for writing help when it's time to write a paper?
• what library departments & people can answer questions?
• where are the quiet places in KSL?

For Anyone!
Part of a larger research service called Research Guides, this guide was written collaboratively by KSL staff members and can help any new person get a good start on campus. See other subject & topic guides for classes, research, SAGES, or ones created by your department librarian, and try a Guide today!

Justice Common Reading Discussions@KSL

Once again KSL hosts several discussion groups with new students to explore this year's Common Reading book. On August 26th at 2 pm nearly 40 new students will meet KSL volunteers in small groups at KSL to discuss Michael Sandel's Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?

A quick book review can help affirm your reactions, or give you another perspective on your reading of the book. Read or listen (via MP3) to a few reviews:

• Best Books 2009, Review. Kirkus Reviews (12/15/2009), Vol. 77, Iss. 24, Special Section, p 14.
• Harvard Professor Reviews Justice. NonFiction. Kirkus Reviews (9/15/2009), Vol 77, Iss. 18, p 54.
• You Be the Judge, by Jonathan Rauch, New York Times Book Review (11/29/2009), p. 21.

There's still time to read the book, too! Copies of Justice: What's the RIght Thing to Do? may still be available at the Kelvin Smith Library, or by request from OhioLINK.

KSL volunteers Mark Eddy, Brian Gray, Tina Oestreich, & Karen Thornton will lead discussion groups in Lower Level 01 classroom, the Lower Level lobby seating area, the Cramelot cafe, and the 2nd floor Alcove in KSL. Signs & KSL staff will help you find your discussion group!

Photo: One of the 2010 book discussion groups at Kelvin Smith Library, for Elizabeth Royte's Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It.

Miss the Show? Get the Transcript & See What Warren Buffett Said

One of Case's best databases has a feature you can use when you miss a TV or radio show. Catch up on Warren Buffett as he commented this week on taxing the very rich.

When you see or hear a reference to Buffett's Monday "appearance on Charlie Rose" you can easily get the transcript to see how that interview developed! (You'll even see his answer when Rose asked what the succession plan is, in A Conversation About Taxes and Spending...)

Use a great feature of LexisNexis Academic:
• Open the blue News icon (left side of main page)
• Select TV & Radio Transcripts
• Type Charlie Rose & use "Show Name" from the pull-down menu
• Type Buffett (next line) & use "at least 5 occurrences" in pull-down menu
• Specify date as previous week

Miss part of Morning Edition on your drive to work? It's easy to catch up: Check NPR in the Source Box, enter the show name, select Today. If you choose Aug. 18, you'll see Bananagrams, a lost & found Emperor penguin, what Obama's doing after his vacation, and more.

The Research Database List has links to LexisNexis Academic; remote access requires an activated VPN connection.

Cafe Opens August 22

Just in time as people come back to campus, Cramelot reopens on Monday, August 22! Take a break in a comfortable chair with a magazine or newspaper, and enjoy....

• Espresso & coffee drinks (hot &cold), energy drinks, juices
• Salads, soups, hot & cold sandwiches
• Fresh fruits, desserts, cookies, trail mix, candies
• $1 coffee refills with your Cramelot travel mug (for sale in the cafe)

Cramelot Opens...
• Mon. Aug 22 - Thu. Aug 25 11 am - 9 pm
• Fri. Aug. 26 11 am - 4 pm

After classes begin Mon. August 29, Sunday hours will be 2-9 pm

Monday Alert: KSL Redesign @ Work

Computers & furniture are on the move, as the first major changes in KSL redesign are underway. Starting Monday, August 15th, furniture and computers will be moved:

Phase 1, Augusts 15th:
• Carrels & computers on the main floor move to the 2nd floor to make room for new furniture
• Large tables near the Freedman Center move to the 2nd floor
• Laptops & iPads can be borrowed from the Freedman Center so you can move away from the activity (Case IDs)
• Painting continues in the Group Rooms; multimedia capability is added next

Phase 2, August 23rd - 25th
• New furniture arrives for the main floor & computers are placed on new tables.
• New tables and chairs are flexible in shape & design, and open up the view on the main floor (no more high carrel walls)
• Carrels on the 2nd floor are removed, further opening up those areas.

We're excited about this first major phase of KSL redesign, and the start of a new year with new spaces and opportunities that you suggested. We appreciate your patience as the spaces evolve over the next few weeks!

Center for Statistics & Geospatial Data Now on 1st Floor

When you need to print a research poster, use ArcGIS or SPSS, you'll now find the Center for Statistics and Geospatial Data (CSGD) conveniently located inside the Freedman Center.

The first of many KSL changes this year, moving the CSGD from the 2nd to the 1st floor brings more benefits to Case users:

• Increased computer access, as we load ArcGIS & SPSS software on Freedman Center computers

• More hours & more staff assistance—we're training Freedman Center staff for final-version poster printing

• Customized help with your data & poster will still be available by appointment

Need to print a poster soon? Here's what you need to know about poster printing while we fine-tune our new spaces!

Ann Holstein, Manager of the CSGD looks over a student’s poster printed in the new space in the Freedman Center, and welcomes your questions & comments about CSGD services.

Video: KSL in Action, July Orientation InfoFair

This summer KSL welcomed the class of 2015 & got their year off to a great start. Nearly 1200 students & families enjoyed meeting campus organizations and Case staff at two Orientation InfoFairs held in the Kelvin Smith Library.

It's August and untold amounts of popcorn, snacks, and bottled water later, Kelvin Smith Library shows you a quick video look at some of the first Orientation sessions...the incredible new energy coming to Case!

We'll see you at the last Orientation Information Fair on August 22nd.
Video footage by Tom Hayes; video production by Jennine Vlach.

Poster Printing & CSGD Moves on Friday Aug. 5th...

More exciting changes are happening at the Kelvin Smith Library, as the Center for Statistics and Geospatial Data moves to the main floor & into the Freedman Center!

Moving Day is Friday August 5th and poster printing takes a break, while we move & set up workstations and equipment.

Bonus—ArcGIS & SPSS software will be installed on all Freedman Center computers (vs 4 in CSGD 2nd floor at KSL.)

You'll have more room to work, more software opportunities, and additional staff assistance when you need to print your posters.

The move will be quick, and Ann Holstein (216-368-8689) welcomes your questions or concerns. We'll see you in our new location!