Friday, September 26, 2008

Independent Filmmaker, Loni Ding, on campus Thursday, 10/2

Thursday, October 2, 2008, Wang Center Theatre, 12:50-2:10 pm.

4-time Emmy Award winning independent filmmaker, Loni Ding, will discuss her latest documentary projects and her passion for social justice. Ding, who is a recipient of an honorary doctorate from SBU in 2002 for her pioneering work in Asian American film and activism, teaches at UC Berkeley. Her works include: Ancestors in the Americas, a three-part PBS documentary series on the richness of Asian experiences in the Americas since the 1600s; 600 MILLENNIA: CHINA'S HISTORY UNEARTHED a prime-time special on the 1975 international tour of an archaeological collection from the People's Republic of China; BEAN SPROUTS, a five-part children's series on multicultural identity; WILLIE LOBO: MANCHILD, a musical drama on the ghetto homecoming of a black Vietnam veteran much changed by the war; and two documentary films, NISEI SOLDIER and THE COLOR OF HONOR, on the political and moral dilemmas faced by Japanese American soldiers serving in World War II .

This event is made possible by SBU's Dialogues Across Diversity Grant and co-sponsored by SBU Libraries.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Election 2008 Workshop Oct. 6 @ 12 PM

Using Library Databases to Track the Process

Are you an informed citizen/voter? Do you want to check the accuracy of candidates’ statements? This workshop will focus on using the library’s subscription databases, not available to the general public, to find helpful information for selecting the next leaders of our country. In this workshop you will learn how to:
· Check congressional voting records
· Find out what various ethnic groups think about the candidates.
· Read party platforms
· Read before and after analyses of the election.
· Find more statistics than you ever wanted to know about Congress, the Electoral College, the Presidency and the Judiciary.
· Create customizable e-mail alerts about politics.

Monday, Oct. 6 @ 12 PM
Melville Library, 1st Floor, Classroom A

Sign up on the library website www.stonybrook.edu/library under Library Instruction > Register for a Workshop.

Additional sessions may also be scheduled for groups of 5 or more.
Contact Janet Clarke @ janet.clarke@stonybrook.edu or 632-1217.

Library Tour Oct. 3 @ 12 PM

Main Library Tour

Take a tour of the Melville Library’s main public service areas. Learn about our collections and services and get some freebies while you’re here. Meet us @ the Central Reading Room, Melville Library. All tours run about 30 minutes. Check website for more details.

Friday, Oct. 3 @ 12 PM


All workshops take place in classroom A in the Central Reading Room and last about one hour, unless otherwise noted. Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more.

For more information click on the Library Instruction link at www.stonybrook.edu/library or contact Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

GPS Workshop on Sept. 25

Hands-on Introduction to GPS Using a Trimble GPS Pathfinder XB Receiver

In this workshop, learn how to:
• Collect field data for point and line features
• Convert Global Positioning System (GPS) data, and display it in ArcPAD, a mobile Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program
• Transfer GPS data to a desktop GIS
• Become eligible to borrow the Melville Library’s GPS unit


Thursday, Sept. 25 @ 2:30 PM (2 hours; 8 seats available)

Register @
http://www.stonybrook.edu/library/services/instruction/.

All workshops take place in classroom A in the Central Reading Room and last about one hour, unless otherwise noted.

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For more information click on the Library Instruction link at
www.stonybrook.edu/library or contact Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu.

STARS (Library Catalog) with Google Books Workshop

STARS: Finding Books, DVDs, Music and More @ SBU Libraries

STARS is Stony Brook University Libraries' online catalog of more than 2 million titles, including books, journals, DVDs, music CDs, scores, etc. The catalog now includes links to Google Books. In this workshop, learn how to:
• Find books
• Find journals
• Review your library account information
• Renew books online
• Get Course Reserves and more

Tuesday, Sept. 23 @ 2:30 PM


Register @ http://www.stonybrook.edu/library/services/instruction/.

All workshops take place in classroom A in the Central Reading Room and last about one hour, unless otherwise noted.

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For more information click on the Library Instruction link at www.stonybrook.edu/library or contact Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu.

Galaxy Combined Search Tool Workshop Sept. 24

All Across the Galaxy: Searching Multiple Resources Simultaneously

The library's new combined search system, Galaxy, allows you to search up to 50 library resources simultaneously. Learn how to use Galaxy to quickly and effectively locate the information you need. In this workshop, you will:
• Understand the power of Galaxy as a research and discovery tool
• Construct effective and productive searches in Galaxy
• Navigate from citations in Galaxy to the full-text available elsewhere
• Email and print information from Galaxy

Wednesday, Sept. 24 @ 1 PM

Register @ http://www.stonybrook.edu/library/services/instruction/.

All workshops take place in classroom A in the Central Reading Room and last about one hour, unless otherwise noted.

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For more information click on the Library Instruction link at
www.stonybrook.edu/library or contact Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu.

GeoPDF Workshop on Sept. 22

Sharing Spatially with GeoPDFs

Using data and aerial imagery of a Stony Brook University campus (e.g., Stony Brook, Southampton or Manhattan) learn how to:
• Manipulate layers, attach files, add comments, apply stamps
• Search and display object attributes, and zoom to coordinates
• Measure distances and change geographic projections
• Hyperlink GeoPDF objects with other PDF documents, such as floor plans or text


Monday, Sept. 22 @ 11:45 AM (2 hours)


Register @ http://www.stonybrook.edu/library/services/instruction/.

All workshops take place in classroom A in the Central Reading Room.

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For more information click on the Library Instruction link at
www.stonybrook.edu/library or contact Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Google Earth Workshop Sept. 17 @ 1 PM


In this workshop, learn how to:

  • Use the Google Earth user interface and the standard layers

  • Locate and use third-party geographic data in Google Earth

  • Create your own map features in the form of points, paths, polygons, and overlays

  • Add information to your map features such as text, hyperlinks, and photographs

  • Manipulate simple examples of Keyhole Markup Language (KML)


Wednesday, Sept. 17 @ 1 - 3 PM

Register @ http://www.stonybrook.edu/library/services/instruction/.

Library Tour Sept. 18 @ 11:30 AM

Take a tour of the Melville Library’s main public service areas. Learn about our collections and services and get some freebies while you’re here. Meet us @ the Central Reading Room, Melville Library. All tours run about 30 minutes. Register @ www.stonybrook.edu/library/services/instruction/.


Thursday, Sept. 18 @ 11:30 AM

Get Your Learn On: Web Research 2.0

Mark your calendars for the September 17 Library Instruction session "Get Your Learn On: Web Research 2.0".

Web research is like juggling dynamite: done right it’s spectacular, done wrong it blows up in your face. Effective Web research requires training and knowledge of select tools and resources. Learn how to do it right:

  • 10 rules for effective Web research
  • Organizing and sharing online research - tools & communities
  • Free online bibliographic tools
  • Top 5 Web research mistakes
10 Rules for Effective Web Research
  1. Define your topic Think about what you are researching, write or think of the three most important elements of your research -- sometimes it helps to frame your research topic as a question.
  2. Understand subject-oriented searching vs. keyword searching A directory is an examples of a subject-oriented search tool, whereas Google is a keyword search engine. Some search engines, like ask.com and clusty combine keyword and subject-oriented searching.
  3. Explore different search engines - know your search engine Finding What You Need with the Best Search Engine very good annotated, catogorized list of search engines by Phil Bradley, Choose the Best Search for Your Information Needs excellent guide from NoodleTools
  4. Utilize advanced searching
  5. Use directories Directories compile selected Websites, grouped by subject. Recommended directories:
  6. Unique terms deliver more precise results Use the most unique element of your research topic in your search term. For example, if you are researching the current Queen of England, do not enter "queen", "the queen" or "queen of england" as a search term, as there have been many queens. Instead be precise and search "Queen Elizabeth II".
  7. Using quote marks " " when searching an exact phrase
  8. Metasearch engines will help refine your search Metasearch engines show you search results from a selection of search engines: Google, Yahoo!, Ask, etc. Recommended metasearch engines: Mamma and Dogpile.
  9. Use the invisible Web Invisible Web: What It Is, How to Find It, and Its Inherent Ambiguity an excellent introduction from UC Berkley Library
  10. Know how to evaluate Web resources Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask another excellent tutorial from UC Berkley Library
Organizing & Sharing Online Research - Tools & Communities

Free Online Bibliographic Tools
Top 5 Web Research Mistakes
  1. "Research = Finding" Research is not just finding stuff -- it's finding and evaluating the best, most appropriate stuff
  2. "I found this online; it's true." Just because it's online doesn't mean it's true or accurate
  3. "Everything is online." Not everything is available online
  4. "This was the top result!" The top search results are not necessarily the best
  5. "I'll just Google it." Google does not index everything on the Web