Reference Transactions

Have you noticed that the two primary printing options on the "Innovation Lab" computers refer to the same physical printer? Printer M1 and printer C1 are the same printer. Wondered why?

The default, which is M1, refers a print job to mongraphic printing (black-and-white). To get the same printer to print a job -- even the same page -- in color, the user has to change the printer option to C1.

According to Judi, this was done because the Mac's are unable to figure out for themselves that a print job should be in color, while the PC's are. More or less. Thus, all Innovation Lab users now have to make a choice to print in color.

And, yes, this is kind of a step backwards. Before a change was made this summer, the PC's automatically treated color pages as color printing.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Prof. Erin Devlin. 9 students. Students complete assignments for primary source retrievals and major research paper.

Class page is at:

http://library.wlu.edu/guides/history/HISTORY269-AMERICANPROTESTINTHETWENTIETHCENTURY.html

Posted by vaughan stanley at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Prof. Erin Devlin. 11 students who are assigned substantial research paper due near term's end. Class page is at:
http://library.wlu.edu/guides/history/HISTORY260-AFRICANAMERICANPEOPLESINCE1877.html

Vaughan

Posted by vaughan stanley at 9:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Economics 398D - Seminar in Economics -- International Trade
Professor Anderson -- 12 students

Assignment: The students are preparing literature review for their research proposal. In this session, I reviewed how to locate articles that have cited a particular article. They are working on a short paper in which they must review articles that follow up on the methods used in an assigned article.

Posted by John Tombarge at 2:34 PM | Permalink

Course: Economics 398A - Seminar in Health and Education Economics in Developing Countries
Professor Blunch -- 10 Students
Assignment: The students are preparing research proposals in preparation for the capstone class next term. In this session I reviewed sources of data related to health and education in developing countries.

Posted by John Tombarge at 2:31 PM | Permalink

I gave a presentation to Prof. Kaiser's 15 students in Labor economics. The students will write a 10 page research paper on a topic in labor economics. Some suggested sources for their research are listed at
URL: http://library.wlu.edu/research/guides/business/econ230.asp

Posted by John Tombarge at 12:24 PM | Permalink

"The population of Lexington for 1950? I have the Rockbridge County and Buena Vista population for 1950, but Lexington was not an independent city at the time."

This is very similar to this earlier question.
But, thanks to posting that earlier q-and-a in this blog, answering this question took about 3 minutes, instead of 30 minutes.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 8:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Whilst fielding repeats of the same questions at the Reference Desk, i finally discovered The Truth about two situations:

There no longer is any admonition from ITS against campus visitors using Microsoft Word (or other Microsoft products?) at the "guest" computers. Apparently changed months ago and I have been misleading inquiring patrons for those same months.

The "L" drive continues to be unavailable (sporadically?) from Innovation Lab computers (part of the innovation, I guess). Those in need of "L" drive access can use the LL1 lab, etc. ITS has not yet identified the source of the problem.

A whine: It sure would be nice if staff who discover these little tidbits, especially the little tidbits which involve significant policy changes, would share this with the rest of us.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This is the presentation I do for the art department every year. All students in art classes are requested to attend.
Prof. Jenny Ramirez
September 22, 2009

53 students

Research Guide

Posted by Yolanda Merrill at 7:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A student needed historical stock indexes for European stock exchanges. Most of the world stock exchanges are reported on Yahoo! Finance UK.

Posted by John Tombarge at 8:41 AM | Permalink

Prof. Fu asked me last minute to do a class presentation at night for the EALL seniors who will be writing their thesis this fall or spring. I am unable to present in person, but we agreed I'd make a research guide for them.
appr. 10 students
Yolanda Merrill

Research Guide

Posted by Yolanda Merrill at 2:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I met with Doug Cumming's JOUR 357 class, which includes 8 students. They have a series of wide-ranging assignments, including local history and some self-selected research topics.
Here is the research guide.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I met with a student who is writing a philosophy senior thesis on redistributive justice as it applies to juvenile delinquency and who needs social science "background" (data, studies, programs, articles, etc.) on the issues.
Here is a research guide we put together (and may revise).

Posted by Dick Grefe at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Religion 102: Intro to the New Testament
September 18, 2009
20 students (2 sessions)
Yolanda Merrill
In-class presentation, tour of reference section, and research guide.

Students will have some library-specific assignment(s), and a short research paper later in the term.

Posted by Yolanda Merrill at 3:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I made a classroom presentation to Toni Locy's JOUR 180 class, a first-year seminar with 15 students.
Their assignments include a ten-page research paper on a specific trial.
Here is the research guide.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I made a classroom presentation to Abigail Perdue's INTR 180 class, a first-year seminar with 12 students.
There are several challenging research and writing assignments, some of which will involve reading law review and law journal articles.
Here is the research guide.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 2:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September - October 2009 (3 afternoon sessions)
Art 395 - Senior Thesis Tutorial
Professor Simpson (coordinator)
Yolanda Merrill
12 students

Research Guide

Posted by Yolanda Merrill at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LIT 218 - Professor Fu
September 15, 2009
Yolanda Merrill
21 students
Research Guide
A research paper will be written later this term.

Posted by Yolanda Merrill at 2:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This type of question has arisen from time to time. The answer to this type of question has arisen far less frequently.

A local resident who is auditing an English class at W&L wanted to know if he could have remote access to the campus network in order to make use of the online resources, including library resources, the instructor is using in the course.
Judi Owens and John White had to kick this up to Ruth Floyd, who responded.... yes, such short-term students may have temporary network accounts. All such requests have to go to Ruth.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 1:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I made a classroom presentation to Harvey Markowitz's ANTH 180 class, which is a first-year seminar with 12 students.
Course assignments include a 5-7 page paper and a term paper of about 12-14 pages.
Here is the research guide.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I made a classroom presentation to Professor de Maria's JOUR 101 class, which has 42 registrants, most of whom are first-year students.
They have two brief research paper assignments (about 5 pages).
Here is the research guide.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 14, 2009
Professor Brodie
English 299A: Becoming Jane [Austen]
12 students
Yolanda Merrill
Class presentation and Research Guide

Posted by Yolanda Merrill at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 10
Professor Warren
English 299B: Whitman and Dickinson
15 students
Yolanda Merrill
Research Guide only

Currently, the resources are not annotated. When time allows me, I will put those in.

Posted by Yolanda Merrill at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 10, 2009
Professor Melina Bell
Students: 7
Yolanda Merrill
Class presentation on new features in Annie; Philosophy subject guide; WorldCat; ILL; WebBridge
no specific research guide was written, but the Philosophy subject guide has the fundamental information sources and services on it. From now on, I will meet individually with each student.

Posted by Yolanda Merrill at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I did two sessions of a "oreation-and-tour" for new students, with a very approximate estimate of about 75 students, which would be about 15% of the class and more than twice as many as we had last September.
The experience was similar to that of recent years -- smallish, manageable, polite groups that were very attentive and asked very good questions.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two issues which already have arisen at the Reference Desk:

printing from wireless: According to Ben Hartless, wireless printing is not available for students, and it may be months before it is available.

printing from "Innovation Lab" Mac's: Students still need to use the supplementary login to be able to print. And it may be months before this situation is fixed.

Posted by Dick Grefe at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)