Who needs chocolate bunnies and jellybeans when there are lots of new web resources to try out…and library news to get caught up on? There is a lot of rejoicing going on as we tell you about a new research tool for Firefox users, new books in the Library, a new stock photo site, the new Quiet Study Area and more!
1)Library news
New Quiet Study Area: In the Library news department, we have a new Quiet Study Area available at the Library @ Fennell! Equipped with 25 study carrels and located on the first floor of the Library @ Fennell, this room contains nothing but cool, clear silence! When you need to get things done or if you just want to meditate on life’s more complex conundrums, come on over to the Library @ Fennell and enter the chamber of silence and sanctitude (i.e. Quiet Study Area)…your escape to tranquility in a crazy world!
Let Your Voice Be Heard: Did you know that you can comment on anything you read here in the BRAIN_blog? That’s right! Just click on the Comments link at the bottom of any post and comment away! Have more to say? Head on over to the Library Suggestion Box and let us know what you’re really thinking! You can either post your comments for the world to see and get a conversation going or send us a comment privately! Either way, isn’t it time you let us know what you really think of us?
New Fiction Shelves: You may have noticed that beautiful set of shelving in the Library @ Fennell just outside the stairwell….that’s the new fiction shelves! Libraries aren’t just about research and seriousness …. we know when to kick our shoes off and have rip-roaring good times. Why, look at all of those wonderful tomes for recreational reading! Grab one of those babies and kick back!
New Titles: The new titles just keep on coming! There are positively heaps on the list but here are some highlights:
What color is your parachute 2007 edition
Encyclopedia of evolution
Bones, brains and DNA : the human genome and human evolution
Got game: how the gamer generation is reshaping business forever
Mavericks at work: why the most original minds in business win
The long tail : why the future of business is selling less of more
Wikinomics : how mass collaboration changes everything
Oh, the choices! Which one to choose for your long weekend reading pleasure? My top pick would be The Long Tail for its insightful look at how markets are changing with the rise of Internet retailing. Written by Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Wired magazine, this book started out as an article in Wired about how the Internet is transforming markets (especially entertainment markets) by enabling niche markets to arise. From the article, a blog was also born. Yup, this one is a goody!
2)Research tools
New and improved Wikipedia launches (called Citizendium!)
At the end of March, a new reference resource called Citizendium launched. Like Wikipedia, it is a web-based user contributed encyclopedia. It was founded by the same person who co-founded Wikipedia, Larry Sanger. His aim is to improve on the Wikipedia model by adding “gentle expert oversight” and requiring contributors to use their real names. Check out the About page to get the full scoop. Could this be the answer to our Wikipedia misinformation woes? Time will tell!
Firefox users rejoice!
Easter is a time for rejoicing, especially if you are a Firefox user! If you use Firefox as your browser, you already know about the huge variety of extensions available to make your Internet browsing life fun and hassle-free! Well, now there is a new extension just for researchers who use Firefox! Zotero is a free Firefox extension that allows you to save resources you are using for research, make notes on those resources, create a bibliography, export all the information and more! Zotero even knows when you are using the Library catalogue and can save all the book information at once! If you want to know what librarians dream about at night, Zotero is it!
Peep Research
It’s spring which means it’s time to take another look at the Peep Research tutorial, developed by the folks at Staley Library, Milliken University. Not only will you learn some valuable lessons about peeps and their research methods but you’ll also learn a thing or two about library research in general. Who could ask for more?
3) Web tools
Photo Tools
Want to spruce up your course web page with some photos? Here are some tools that can get the job done! First, off stock.xchng! Words cannot express my sheer excitement and gratitude that this site was invented! Any site can give you free photos…but this site gives you free, gorgeous, useful photos! Ho boy, this site is a gift from the photo gods!
Next up, we have picnik. Picnik is a free photo editing site! Got some blurry, red-eyed photos? Upload them to picknik and fix away!
And last but not least, Splashr is a free tool that takes your Flickr photos and puts them into a fancy display! You can choose from many different options! Check out the library’s Splashr show for an example.
Calculating and CAD/CAM
A couple more tools you might find useful…Calcoolate calculates and converts pretty much anything. It’s a one stop shop for all of your calculating and converting needs…need to convert currency, temperature, volumes? Find it all here! From Google comes Sketchup. Sketchup is a tool for creating, viewing and modifying 3D diagrams. There are free and pro versions available. From the site: “Developed for the conceptual stages of design, this powerful yet easy-to-learn software allows for quick and easy 3D form creation, the result is an interface that supports a dynamic, creative exploration of 3D form, material and light.” Nifty!
4) E-learning Resources
The Learning Technologies Centre at the University of Manitaba has set up a great resource on social software – Learning Technologies Centre Wiki. Need to know what a wiki is? Wondering what I was nattering on about when I mentioned Flickr? Still not sure what this blog thing is all about? Well, head on over to the wiki to learn all about these technologies and more!
The latest issue of the EDUCAUSE Review is now available. Check out some great articles on social software in academia, content management systems and more!
Check out the new EDUCAUSE tutorial on clickers: 7 Things You Should Know About Clickers. The mysteries of these little devices are revealed in seven quick points!
