Library Book Sale
Oct 10 and 11
9am-4pm
Located in the Winifred Cone Gallery
All proceeds go to the Brian Schappert Endowment
Monday, September 30, 2013
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Notes from a Summer Worker Chapter 1
1) Contradictory to popular belief, circulation workers have a lot to do in the library over summer. My coworkers and I have been biding our time with regular circulation work on top of some special projects. A special project that has been going on for the duration of the summer is transcribing interviews about the 2008 flood in Cedar Rapids. Once completed the transcriptions will be placed into archives and be accessible for students. Eventually, we hope to have everything in the archives on the Internet. We are working towards that with not only the transcriptions but scanning student theses as PDF documents as well.
You may be thinking okay so you’re busy with work but does anyone ever come into the library? The answer is yes, not as many as there is during school but people still visit the library. This summer Coe was the host to several programs for children in the community. One program was College for Kids that has two-week sessions, twice during the summer. The library was the host of several of the classes this program offered. The second program Coe hosted was Reading Camp where children in the community came to campus to improve their reading. As you would suspect, that was a busy time for the library! Coe was also involved in Iowa Private College Week and of course the library was one of many tour stops.
As fun as this summer has been at the library, I know we are all looking forward to having students back on campus. Even though we have had visitors throughout the summer, there is nothing like the Kohawks!
2) This is my last year at Coe. For the school year I am looking forward to seeing all of my fellow Kohawks back on campus. Instead of missing home, I am the opposite in that I miss school. Not necessarily the homework and test part, but having my Coe family on campus. The summer always seems too long with everyone away. Is there some way we could have everyone stay on campus for the summer and not have to have class?
I am also looking forward to recruitment this fall. From what I gather there is another big class of Kohawks coming in. We could possibly get thirty new members! It is amazing to see how fast Tri Delta has grown since my time here. As a freshman we only had 38 members and now we are in the sixties. I am excited to get to know these new members and continue to get to know the existing members. Yes, this is somewhat of a plug for Tri Delta but what I am most excited about for Delta is our philanthropic events for St. Jude. As a national organization we made the goal of raising $15 million in 5 years. Well we have finished our third year at $14.2 million! I can’t wait to get my fellow Kohawks involved in our events for fundraising.
~~~Kallie
You may be thinking okay so you’re busy with work but does anyone ever come into the library? The answer is yes, not as many as there is during school but people still visit the library. This summer Coe was the host to several programs for children in the community. One program was College for Kids that has two-week sessions, twice during the summer. The library was the host of several of the classes this program offered. The second program Coe hosted was Reading Camp where children in the community came to campus to improve their reading. As you would suspect, that was a busy time for the library! Coe was also involved in Iowa Private College Week and of course the library was one of many tour stops.
As fun as this summer has been at the library, I know we are all looking forward to having students back on campus. Even though we have had visitors throughout the summer, there is nothing like the Kohawks!
2) This is my last year at Coe. For the school year I am looking forward to seeing all of my fellow Kohawks back on campus. Instead of missing home, I am the opposite in that I miss school. Not necessarily the homework and test part, but having my Coe family on campus. The summer always seems too long with everyone away. Is there some way we could have everyone stay on campus for the summer and not have to have class?
I am also looking forward to recruitment this fall. From what I gather there is another big class of Kohawks coming in. We could possibly get thirty new members! It is amazing to see how fast Tri Delta has grown since my time here. As a freshman we only had 38 members and now we are in the sixties. I am excited to get to know these new members and continue to get to know the existing members. Yes, this is somewhat of a plug for Tri Delta but what I am most excited about for Delta is our philanthropic events for St. Jude. As a national organization we made the goal of raising $15 million in 5 years. Well we have finished our third year at $14.2 million! I can’t wait to get my fellow Kohawks involved in our events for fundraising.
~~~Kallie
Free Museum Tickets!
Need something to do this weekend? Smithsonian Magazine is sponsoring an event called "Museum Day Live!", place across the country this Saturday, September 28th. As part of this promotion, the magazine is giving away FREE tickets to hundreds of museums around the United States, and to get your free tickets all you have to do is sign up here. If you're staying local, some museums in the area offering free admission include:
- Brucemore
- Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
- African American Museum of Iowa
In Iowa City, museums include:
- Old Capitol Museum
- University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
And there are plenty more great museums for you to check out if you want an excuse for a road trip. You are limited to 2 tickets, and tickets must be used this Saturday. That being said, this sounds like awesome way to spend part of your Saturday, and again, it's free!
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Library Updates, including JSTOR news!
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="583"]
Students from Bethany Keenan's Western Civ class practice their formation on the quad with a familiar building in the background, with Professor Keenan leading the way.[/caption]
Hi everyone! This post is to update campus on several bits of library news
1. First, an update surrounding the download of PDFs from JSTOR when using Firefox as your web browser. As of right now, it appears that the problem has been resolved; files will download normally, with users then able to open the PDF following the download. This is an important reminder though, that if you run into issues using any of the college's databases, please let us know! Notices from users are one of the ways in which we are alerted most quickly to problems or issues with our online resources, and by letting us know, we can get started fixing things.
2. Regular evening hours at the library reference desk are now in place. There are student reference workers available to answer research questions and provide library help in the evenings from 8-10:30 PM, Sunday through Wednesday night. If you need help finding something when you're working on stuff during the week, Aura and Andrew are there to help!
3. The library will be hosting several events throughout the month of October, including our fall book sale, an author visit and reading, and the first "Perrine Presents" event of the semester. Please keep checking the blog or the library website for additional news on these exciting events!
-Katelyn Handler, Head of Reference
Students from Bethany Keenan's Western Civ class practice their formation on the quad with a familiar building in the background, with Professor Keenan leading the way.[/caption]Hi everyone! This post is to update campus on several bits of library news
1. First, an update surrounding the download of PDFs from JSTOR when using Firefox as your web browser. As of right now, it appears that the problem has been resolved; files will download normally, with users then able to open the PDF following the download. This is an important reminder though, that if you run into issues using any of the college's databases, please let us know! Notices from users are one of the ways in which we are alerted most quickly to problems or issues with our online resources, and by letting us know, we can get started fixing things.
2. Regular evening hours at the library reference desk are now in place. There are student reference workers available to answer research questions and provide library help in the evenings from 8-10:30 PM, Sunday through Wednesday night. If you need help finding something when you're working on stuff during the week, Aura and Andrew are there to help!
3. The library will be hosting several events throughout the month of October, including our fall book sale, an author visit and reading, and the first "Perrine Presents" event of the semester. Please keep checking the blog or the library website for additional news on these exciting events!
-Katelyn Handler, Head of Reference
Friday, September 20, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Advice from a Junior
Maybe high school was a breeze for you and now you think you got the whole study thing down? While study skills from high school can be extremely useful, many students have trouble their first semester getting adjusted to a college environment, specifically when it comes to studying. Here are some ways you can translate those loved and learned high school ways into college success, from the get go!
1. Take notes, and then some
Taking notes is a great way to mix what you read in the textbook with what the professor emphasized in class. Highlighting in the book (if you rented it, be sure to check if it’s okay you highlight!) and writing in the margins are also great ways to focus on what’s important. When in class, recording the lecture can be a great resource for later, like when you just need to hear exactly how a concept works.
2. Questions, questions, questions
Talking in class isn’t everyone’s favorite thing (I know it’s not mine). However, for the sake of your own understand (and GPA) don’t hesitate to ask the professor, other students, or even upperclassmen who have taken the class before you questions about the material. Form study groups with friends or people in your class and ask them questions. If you’re not a fan of talking during class, be sure to seek out your professor or drop by during office hours and ask away!
3. Figure out how you study
For some people, studying in a quiet space with no distractions is the only way to go. For others, they’ve got to have the music blasting and the door open to get any work done. I had a roommate who would study with the television on and right in front of her! Everyone’s got their own little study style. Beyond environment, figuring out techniques can be very useful as well. Talking yourself through scientific processes or using post it notes will help you stay on track.
4. YOLO won’t get you through college
Even the hardest partiers have to study sometimes. Coming to college may seem like the perfect time to chill out or go out, but managing your time effectively (or at least somewhat effectively) is going to be vital if you actually want to get your money’s worth. Remember, you’re paying a solid amount of money to be here. Save going out for the weekends and get your stuff done, and it will make that extra time even more worthwhile.
~~~~Whitni
1. Take notes, and then some
Taking notes is a great way to mix what you read in the textbook with what the professor emphasized in class. Highlighting in the book (if you rented it, be sure to check if it’s okay you highlight!) and writing in the margins are also great ways to focus on what’s important. When in class, recording the lecture can be a great resource for later, like when you just need to hear exactly how a concept works.
2. Questions, questions, questions
Talking in class isn’t everyone’s favorite thing (I know it’s not mine). However, for the sake of your own understand (and GPA) don’t hesitate to ask the professor, other students, or even upperclassmen who have taken the class before you questions about the material. Form study groups with friends or people in your class and ask them questions. If you’re not a fan of talking during class, be sure to seek out your professor or drop by during office hours and ask away!
3. Figure out how you study
For some people, studying in a quiet space with no distractions is the only way to go. For others, they’ve got to have the music blasting and the door open to get any work done. I had a roommate who would study with the television on and right in front of her! Everyone’s got their own little study style. Beyond environment, figuring out techniques can be very useful as well. Talking yourself through scientific processes or using post it notes will help you stay on track.
4. YOLO won’t get you through college
Even the hardest partiers have to study sometimes. Coming to college may seem like the perfect time to chill out or go out, but managing your time effectively (or at least somewhat effectively) is going to be vital if you actually want to get your money’s worth. Remember, you’re paying a solid amount of money to be here. Save going out for the weekends and get your stuff done, and it will make that extra time even more worthwhile.
~~~~Whitni
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
As the library main floor has stated it is National Honey month! The month of September also pays homage to something else, Hispanic heritage.
What does this have to do with the library? The library has a plethora of Hispanic authors for you to read as well as their biographies! Read authors like Sandra Cisneros, who graduated from the Iowa Writer's Workshop and was taught by Gordon Mennega himself! Read Gary Soto a poet and writer focused in Chicano youth fiction. Prefer classic? How about the ever famous Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Fuentes (I recommend The Death of Artemio Cruz), and Isabel Allende!
Not really into books? The AV department has a wide variety of Hispanic subject movies that are both in Spanish and English. There's Selena, about a great Tejana singer and the tragic result of her fame, starring Jenifer Lopez. Or try Vicky Christina Barcelona to see Penelope Cruz do her thing! For practice with Spanish watch Volver or Biutiful.
As always keep reading and stay classy, Coe College!~~~~Paulina
What does this have to do with the library? The library has a plethora of Hispanic authors for you to read as well as their biographies! Read authors like Sandra Cisneros, who graduated from the Iowa Writer's Workshop and was taught by Gordon Mennega himself! Read Gary Soto a poet and writer focused in Chicano youth fiction. Prefer classic? How about the ever famous Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Fuentes (I recommend The Death of Artemio Cruz), and Isabel Allende!
Not really into books? The AV department has a wide variety of Hispanic subject movies that are both in Spanish and English. There's Selena, about a great Tejana singer and the tragic result of her fame, starring Jenifer Lopez. Or try Vicky Christina Barcelona to see Penelope Cruz do her thing! For practice with Spanish watch Volver or Biutiful.
As always keep reading and stay classy, Coe College!~~~~Paulina
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Productivity
The study rooms are really nice to be able to work, by yourself or with a group, without any distractions. It's also helpful because if you need a book, you're already in the library! And, my personal favorite, you don't feel like people are staring at you and silently judging you. That's always a plus. So use the study rooms! Be productive! Yay, productivity!~~~~Angela
Monday, September 9, 2013
Issue with JSTOR & PDFs while using Firefox
Hi folks. The library staff was alerted to a problem that users were encountering when trying to open PDFs while using Firefox to search in the database JSTOR. After looking into the technical aspects on the college's end, here's the update that was recently posted by JSTOR Technical Support that we wanted to share with the Coe community:
"With the release of Firefox 23 on August 16, users began to experience problems downloading JSTOR PDFs through the built-in PDF viewer in Firefox. The viewer does not display our PDFs optimally, which may result in slow loading times or download errors. Users report that downloading a PDF through the viewer results in an error message that the file is corrupted or damaged, which prevents users from opening or using the file.
We are aware of this issue and our technical team is currently investigating this problem. We intend to use this page to update users on this issue, and we appreciate your patience as we work to solve this problem as quickly as possible.
As a workaround, we recommend one of two options. You could try a different browser, such as Internet Explorer or Google Chrome. If this is not an option, open the PDF as you normally would. Then, right click anywhere on the page and select "Save Page As...". This will allow you to save the PDF to your computer and should allow for a faster, more successful download. You can then open the file with another PDF viewer (such as Adobe) and use the print controls to print the article.
We are very sorry for the inconvenience this issue may cause. Any questions you may have can be directed to JSTOR Support."
So, in this case, it's not us, it's them. If you are in JSTOR and experiencing problems, please to refer to the workarounds listed above while doing your research. Apologies for the inconvenience, here's hoping that JSTOR gets things figured out soon!
-Katelyn, Head of Reference
"With the release of Firefox 23 on August 16, users began to experience problems downloading JSTOR PDFs through the built-in PDF viewer in Firefox. The viewer does not display our PDFs optimally, which may result in slow loading times or download errors. Users report that downloading a PDF through the viewer results in an error message that the file is corrupted or damaged, which prevents users from opening or using the file.
We are aware of this issue and our technical team is currently investigating this problem. We intend to use this page to update users on this issue, and we appreciate your patience as we work to solve this problem as quickly as possible.
As a workaround, we recommend one of two options. You could try a different browser, such as Internet Explorer or Google Chrome. If this is not an option, open the PDF as you normally would. Then, right click anywhere on the page and select "Save Page As...". This will allow you to save the PDF to your computer and should allow for a faster, more successful download. You can then open the file with another PDF viewer (such as Adobe) and use the print controls to print the article.
We are very sorry for the inconvenience this issue may cause. Any questions you may have can be directed to JSTOR Support."
So, in this case, it's not us, it's them. If you are in JSTOR and experiencing problems, please to refer to the workarounds listed above while doing your research. Apologies for the inconvenience, here's hoping that JSTOR gets things figured out soon!
-Katelyn, Head of Reference
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