Reminder: Colonial State Papers demo today

A reminder that there will be a demonstration of one of our new e-resources, Colonial State Papers, today at 12.45pm in the Lecture Theatre at the History Faculty.

Colonial State Papers provides access to thousands of papers concerning English activities in the American, Canadian, and West Indian colonies between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Also included is a digitised version of The Calendar of State Papers, Colonial: North America and the West Indies 1574-1739, which contains bibliographic records and extracts for thousands of additional documents. Come along to this session to get an introductory overview of the content, functions and features of this new database.

WISER coming up: Reliable reference sources, keeping up-to-date and reference management

This week’s WISER sessions include reliable reference sources, and technology tools for keeping up to date and reference management.  Please book your places:

WISER Beyond Wikipedia: Reliable Reference Sources
When using online reference sources, you need to be confident that the information you are getting is reliable, authoritative, and accurate. This session provides an introduction to some of the scholarly reference sources available via OxLIP+.  
Presenters:Gillian Beattie and Angela Carritt.
Monday 22 February 12.30-1.30.
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZWZ

WISER Technology Tools: Keeping Up To Date with the Latest Research 
This session will help you to keep up to date with developments in your research field using a range of tools including personal research / interest profiles, email alerting services, RSS feeds and more 
Presenters:  Ljilja Ristic and Angela Carritt.
Date: Thursday 25 February 12.30-2.15.
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZWD

WISER Technology Tools: Reference Management
Keeping track of your references and formatting them correctly for your thesis or publication is a chore. Reference management software makes it easy and is worth investigating. This introductory session gives an overview of how it works and the pros and cons of RefWorks, EndNote and other tools.
Presenters: Roger Mills and others.
Date: Thursday 25 February 2.30-4.30.
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZW6

To view the full WISER programme please see www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/services/training/wiser or to receive a weekly email listing WISER sessions please send an empty email to wiser-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk   Alternatively why not follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/oxwiser  or receive WISER updates by RSS feed http://rss.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ulib/usered-events-wiser/rss10.xml

Individual assistance is also available on request direct from your subject librarian. Please see www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/libraries/subjects/librarians for contact details.

Please email usered@ouls.ox.ac.uk for more information about WISER.

OULS-reader wireless

The OULS-reader wireless service is currently out of action.   ICT are working to fix it as soon as possible, but in the meantime wireless access is still possible via OWL (via VPN) or Eduroam.

We’ll let you know as soon as we hear it is up and running again!

Edit: All working again now! (10.05am)

Updated library PCs: FAQs

Our library PCs have now all been updated to the new settings, whereby readers need to log in and out individually.   Here are a few instructions which might help with the new system:

The screen is black. What do I do?
Touch any key or move the mouse to wake up the PC from standby.

How do I logon?
Login with your library barcode number (on your Library / University card) and password.
Use only lowercase letters.

What if I don’t know my password?
By default your password is your date of birth.

Example login:
Barcode: 2701290
Password: 20jul1969 (lowercase letters)

If that doesn’t work or you changed your password in the past but can not longer recall it, contact a member of library staff who will be able to reset your password for you.

If you need to access the internet or the libraries’ electronic resources urgently, you can also use a Sun Ray (networked terminal).  In the VHL this is the OLIS terminal on the first floor (north side, by the windows).
   
How do I change my password?
Go to OLIS, sign into your OLIS patron record (Patron Functions) and choose Change Password. You can also do this on a Sun Ray terminal in the library. Ask library staff for help with this if needed.

“Your account has been disabled” – what does that mean?
If you used your library barcode as the password, you will get this error message. You need to change your password in OLIS on a Sun Ray terminal or ask staff to reset it for you.

“The system could not log you on. Make sure your User name and domain are correct….” – what does that mean?
Make sure that the Domain box on the login screen is set to ‘library-public’ and try again.  If you are still having problems logging on, ask a member of library staff to reset your password.

Can I save files?
Yes, you can save files, either to your memory stick or temporarily to the desktop. Note that all changes and files saved to the desktop will be deleted at the end of each session. To keep files securely, save them to a memory stick or email them to yourself.

I’ve saved my files to the desktop – where are they?
Files are saved by default to the top left of the desktop (for the duration of each session).

How long can I be away from the Library PC without being logged out?
If you don’t use the Library PC for 10 minutes you will receive a pop-up warning and after a further 10 minutes, you will be logged out automatically. Make sure you save your work to a memory stick if you think you may be away for that time.

Why can’t I share my username/password?
1.    You must not share your username and password with anyone else. This contravenes IT regulations and you will be held responsible for any misuse of your account.
2.    You can only be logged into one PC at a time. If you share your account with another person and they login, then they will close your session. You will lose any work.

Logout at the end of your session!
If you do not logout after you are finished, then the next person using the machine will have access to anything you have saved, or could misuse your account.

Ask library staff for help if needed!

WISER coming up: Finding Stuff, Images, and RefWorks

Next week’s WISER programme introduces WISER Finding Stuff, a series of four workshops aimed at helping you to find books, journal articles, theses and conference papers. In addition WISER Sourcing Images on Thursday will take a look at image repositories, and there are also a few places left on our RefWorks for Humanities class on Wednesday afternoon. Please book your places.

WISER Finding Stuff: Books
This session will focus on finding books for your research in Oxford and beyond. We will cover a number of search tools and catalogues and cover more advanced subject searching as well as basic author/title searches. The session will be mainly hands on with some demonstrations.
Presenters are Kerry Webb and Angela Carritt .
Date: Mon 15 Feb 9.15-10.15
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZW2

WISER Finding Stuff: Journal Articles
This session will focus on finding journal articles for your research using a wide range of databases as well as developing effective search strategies. There will be plenty of time for participants to try out their own searches using databases for their subject.
Presenters: Kerry Webb and Angela Carritt
Date: Mon 15 Feb 10.15-11.15
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZW3

WISER Finding Stuff: Theses and Dissertations
This session offers guidance on finding theses, both those held in Oxford and those from other institutions in the UK and abroad. It will demonstrate how to exploit the main sources of information : SOLO, Index to Theses (UK and Ireland); and Dissertations and Theses (international) EThOS and ORA.
Presenter:Jayne Plant
Date: Mon 15 Feb 11.15-12.15
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZW4

WISER Finding Stuff: Conferences
Conference papers can be difficult to find but they are valuable because they describe cutting-edge research. This session will enable you to find out about forthcoming conferences and also to locate the published papers of proceedings which have taken place.
Presenters: James Shaw and Sue Bird .
Date: Mon 15 Feb 12.30-1.30. Please note new time.
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZW5
WISER: Sourcing Images
Introduction to some recommended digital image resources covering not only art and architecture, but also more generally the humanities, social sciences and sciences, for use in teaching and research. A brief overview to ARTstor will be included.
Presenters: Clare Hills-Nova and Victoria Brown.
Date: Thurs 18 Feb 12.30-1.30
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZWX

RefWorks for Humanities
RefWorks is an online tool which allows you to manage your references, insert them into your work, automatically generate bibliographies and easily switch between citation styles. This introduction is open to all, but the section on importing references will focus on Humanities examples.
Wednesday 17 February 2.00-5.00.
Presenters: Kate Petherbridge and Shona McLean.
Date: Wed 17 Feb 2.00-5.00
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TDBM

The WISER programme which is delivered by subject librarians aims to help you to make the most effective and efficient use of online and printed resources.

To view the full WISER programme please see www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/services/training/wiser or to receive a weekly email listing WISER sessions please send an empty email to wiser-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk Alternatively why not follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/oxwiser or receive WISER updates by RSS feed http://rss.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ulib/usered-events-wiser/rss10.xml

Individual assistance is also available on request direct from your subject librarian. Please see www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/libraries/subjects/librarians for contact details.

Please email usered@ouls.ox.ac.uk for more information about WISER.

Refworks classes in 5th week

Do you need to manage multiple references and citations for your research?  Have you tried RefWorks?  RefWorks is a free reference management system which will allow you to manage your references, insert them into your work and easily switch between citation styles.      The Library services is running two training sessions on RefWorks at OUCS during 5th week.    Both classes are open to all members of the University, although the first will concentrate on Humanities examples whilst the second will concentrate on the Sciences and Social Sciences. Please book your places.

RefWorks for Humanities
Wednesday 17 February 2.00-5.00 at OUCS
RefWorks is an online tool which allows you to manage your references, insert them into your work, automatically generate bibliographies and easily switch between citation styles. This introduction is open to all, but the section on importing references will focus on Humanities examples.
Presenters: Kate Petherbridge and Shona McLean. 
Book your place at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TDBM

RefWorks for Sciences and Social Sciences
Thursday 18 February 9.15-12.15
RefWorks is an online tool which allows you to manage your references, insert them into your work, automatically generate bibliographies and easily switch between citation styles. This introduction is open to all but the section on importing references will focus on Science/Social Science examples.

Presenters: Nia Roberts and Gillian Pritchard 
Book your place at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TDBL

Please contact usered@ouls.ox.ac.uk for more information.

Change to library PCs: logging on and new software

From next week (week beginning 15th February), reader PCs in all the OULS libraries will be updated.   The VHL is going to be the first library to get the new software, and our PCs will be changed early next week.  The main change is that to access PCs you will need to log on with your OLIS barcode and password (the same as for the wireless or for stack requests).

Why this change?
The libraries need to comply with JANET and University network regulations. These require that a reader can be identified, if necessary, when IT regulations have been broken, copyright infringed or malware introduced.

How will readers benefit from this change?
Readers will have access to updated software (IE7, MS Office 2007), a choice of browsers (IE or Firefox), and new software, such as Endnote, iTunes, and much more.

How do I log in?
Log in with the same OLIS barcode and password you use to place stack requests or to access OULS-reader wireless.

Unless you have reset your password, the default is normally your date of birth.  Ask library staff for help if this doesn’t work, or if you have forgotten your password.

Example login:
Barcode: 2701290
Passsword: 20jul1969 (note lowercase letters)

NB, if your password is currently the same as your barcode, you will not be able to log on to the PCs until it is changed to be something different.   You can change your password on the OLIS-only terminal on the first floor, or ask staff to do it for you.  


If you have any feedback, please email feedback@ouls.ox.ac.uk with the subject heading ‘Reader PCs’.

More information can be found at: http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/services/computing.
 

WISER coming up

Coming up next week:
 
WISER: Maps and Mapping.  
Mon 8 Feb 12.30-1.30. OUCS, 13 Banbury Road,
Many areas of research use spatial data and digital mapping is an ideal way to present it.  This presentation will cover both web based resources (online map collections etc) and the digital mapping facilities available in the Bodleian. 
 
Presenter:  Nick Millea. 
 
WISER Technology Tools: Getting Organised on the Web.  
 Date: Fri 12 Feb 12.30-1.30. 
 
This session will look at some tools that can help you organise yourself on the web, including social bookmarking services like delicious.com, bibliophile sites like LibraryThing and My WorldCat, and customised start pages.   
 
Presenters:  Jane Rawson and Emma Cragg
 
The WISER programme which is delivered by subject librarians aims to help you to make the most effective and efficient use of online and printed resources.
To view the full WISER programme please see www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/services/training/wiser or to receive a weekly email listing WISER sessions please send an empty email to wiser-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk   Alternatively  why not follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/oxwiser  or receive WISER updates by RSS feed http://rss.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ulib/usered-events-wiser/rss10.xml
Individual assistance is also available on request direct from your subject librarian. Please see www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/libraries/subjects/librarians for contact details.
Please email usered@ouls.ox.ac.uk for more information about WISER.

 

Demonstrations of new e-resources: Colonial State Papers and US Congressional Serial Set

Library staff will be holding demonstrations this term of two of our new e-resources, open to History Faculty staff and students:

ProQuest Colonial State Papers: Demonstration
Tuesday 23rd February (week 6), 12.45-13.30, Lecture Theatre, History Faculty

US Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1994: Demonstration
Wednesday 3rd March (week 7), 14.15-15.45, Seminar Room, Rothermere American Institute

More information can be found on the History Faculty Library’s Information Skills Training page.