Monthly Archive Index for KSL News Blog
Win Kindle Fire for Sharing Opinions on KSL
Graduate Students: A Kindle Fire could be yours! KSL knows you're busy, but we'd like to share an hour of your time & talk about what you use in library resources, spaces, and services. Register and participate in a session, and your immediate future might include a Kindle Fire!
We'll also talk about what the future@KSL might offer graduate students. We especially need Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Weatherhead graduate students to meet with library staff in informal discussions.
Share your knowledge & remarks on your research activities—we look forward to hearing from you. Registration is required, lunch is provided. Participants from all groups will be entered in a drawing for a Kindle Fire, which could change your research, too!
Sign Up for your school's session here: http://tinyurl.com/KSL-focus-group
• Social Science & Weatherhead Graduate Students: Feb 1, Noon -1:30 pm
• Arts & Humanities Graduate Students: Feb 6, Noon - 1:30 pm
Sessions are in the Graduate Research Commons room, SW corner (Severance Hall side), 2nd floor.
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CaseLearns New Media Workshops
Time to register for Spring 2012 CaseLearns New Media Workshops! CaseLearns returns with a full lineup of New Media workshops with offerings from Digital Images & Digital Video to Desktop Publishing & Presentation Design.
This semester many of the workshops will take place in the new ACR (Active Collaboration Room), the completely remodeled KSL 215 classroom with high-tech features and comfortable new furniture. Another new offering is a series of workshops, "Tell Me About Technology." Part demonstration and part discussion, these one-hour workshops take place each Thursday on a variety of different topics ranging from e-books to Facebook!
Faculty who are interested in having students incorporate New Media projects into their courses are encouraged to contact the library's Creative New Media Officer Jared Bendis (jared.bendis@case.edu) He'll consult on project parameters, arrange for training sessions, and help faculty learn how best to take advantage of resources such as the Freedman Center and the Software Center.
Registration is required for CaseLearns, where classes continue to be posted. Please check back for new classes, and read more about the program and the Attendance Policy. We'll see you in a class, soon!
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Kelvin Smith Library Announces Research Service Improvements
In a change that will improve the quality of service for users, Kelvin Smith Library is integrating reference and circulation services at the KSL Main Service Desk on January 17, coinciding with beginning with the Spring 2012 semester. Enhanced training for the Main Service Desk staff means that library staff will be able to answer most common questions. Questions that cannot be answered by the Main Service Desk staff will be referred to the librarian subject specialists or transferred to the 24x7 online chat services that the library continues to maintain.
These changes in service are based upon an extensive analysis of transaction records that tracked the most frequently asked questions at the Reference Desk, and the times of day during which help was sought. Many (if not most) research libraries have seen the number of walk-up transactions falling over the past ten years, and have been modifying their services accordingly. By reassigning Research Services Librarians (formerly known as reference or collection management librarians) from wait-for-walk-up to a more active form of service, KSL is now able to tailor our services for the benefit of the entire University community. Therefore, beginning this semester the librarians will:
- actively increase their availability for appointments not only in KSL but in academic departments and other places of need on campus.
- receive referrals by Main Service Desk staff to handle questions that require specialized assistance.
- be available "on call," with at least one librarian scheduled from 11:00 am-5:00 pm Monday through Friday to provide quick assistance within KSL.
- increase the opportunities to collaborate in and assist with faculty and student research through regular consultation in academic departments and in a new first floor consultation room created in KSL to meet one-on-one or with small groups.
- offer increased instruction opportunities, such as greater availability to teach classes, to assist in assignment/project creation with instructors, and to be available by appointment to assist students.
- increase their ability to attend academic department programs, seminars, and other events to proactively support collection development and research needs of faculty.
In addition, KSL will continue to provide a 24x7 online chat service through OhioLINK and through other online systems, including:
- Email: asksl@case.edu
- Phone or text message: (216)236-3KSL (216-236-3575)
- Chat: http://library.case.edu/ask
- Your Librarian: http://library.case.edu/ksl/collections/management/specialists.html
As a further improvement in research services, also on January 17, the library will introduce “KSL Summon,” a service that allows simple searching across the library’s collections of books, journals, and electronic resources, as well as the resources of OhioLINK. The search interface can be used in a straightforward “Google-like” mode, but also provides enhanced features to enable more complex searching. In either case, the search will enable the user, with a single click, to search the CWRU catalog and most of our electronic resources. The KSL Summon index also makes suggestions of more specific databases that may assist the user with in-depth research. KSL Summon will continue to grow throughout the semester as additional resources are indexed.
As Kelvin Smith Library is implementing additional assessment and opportunities for user feedback as part of an ongoing effort to improve the library’s services, users are invited share questions and comments with Brian Gray, KSL Team Leader for Research Services, at bcg8@case.edu or 216-368-8685.
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Freedman Center Hours Shortened for Break and Files to be Deleted
Have a project to work on in the Freedman Center? Beginning Monday, January 9th until Saturday January 14th the Center will be open from 10 am until 5 pm. As always, staff will be on hand to help you out.
On Wednesday, January 11th we will be purging all saved files from the Freedman Center's work stations. To ensure you don't lose them, please come in to take all files with you. Need a jumpdrive? We sell 'em! Contact us at freedmancenter@case.edu with any questions.
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Now Open: Cramelot
Classes start on the 17th, but KSL's Cramelot is open now, when you need it! Come in from the cold and enjoy hot beverages, soup and sandwiches, or start the year with a new resolution for salads and fruit.
During Interim Session, KSL is open six days a week & adjusts library hours, open until 8:30 Monday through Thursday evenings, and all day Friday and Saturday. Friday the 13th, KSL stays open until 8 pm for those who want to get items ready before the MLK Holiday Weekend.
So whether you're catching up or getting a head start, now is a great quiet time...we'll see you soon!
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