Commons Knowledge

If you’ve been returning your books to the library a few at a time so that you don’t have to lug them all up the stairs, we’ve got good news for you! On the ground floor of the library building (at the “Bookstore” entrance) you’ll find our new Book Drop. Simply drop your books in there and we’ll do the lugging for you.

Please do not use the Book Drop to return Videos, DVDs, Reserve items, Laptop computers or anything that might get damaged (or will not fit through the drop slot). We will empty the box once a day and make sure that any items returned are removed from your account.

I
f you haven’t been into the Associated Alumni Student Study Lounge (Isn’t that quite a handle?) lately, you’re in for a surprise. You’ve missed the 12 big comfy chairs, the new study carrels and the spiffy office chairs (I tried to sneak one back to my office, but I was caught). Everything is so new, clean, and bright!

We’re still waiting on a little more furniture, but if you’re over by Tim’s, drop in and see the progress. Too bad there isn't a make-over contest for "institutional rooms" . . . I know that it would win "greatest transformation."

Tired of waiting in line to check out or renew books? Try our new self-check machine, located beside the Circulation Desk in the library. Just touch the screen anywhere, and follow the easy instructions! *Please note that laptops and other short-term loan items (inlcuding reserves) cannot be renewed on this machine.

Your UNB Student ID Card acts as your Library card, Athletics Centre membership and you may even be asked to present it when writing tests and exams. It also entitles you to discounts in the community such as “student” bus rates.

The Student Technology Centre (near Tim Hortons) is currently holding ID Sessions Monday to Friday from 8:30 am until 8:30 pm. Don’t bring cash - there is no fee for your first ID card. The day-long sessions will continue until Sept 12; then cards will available on demand as staffing permits.

Returning students will need to have their IDs updated with a 2008-2009 validation sticker, available from the Business Office (when you pay your tuition) or the Library (with a tuition receipt). The replacement fee for lost or damaged cards is $10.00, payable at the Circulation Desk of the Library.

Effective immediately WCL230 (the old 2nd floor computer lab) is now open for student use. We've just completed the renovations and you're going to love it. Inside are 8 Dell PCs, 2 brand new iMacs (with big 20" flat screens), 3 scanners, a printer, a Smartboard and all new furniture! By the time you add the scenic view, it's the best computer lab on campus! Enjoy it but make sure you treat it nicely!

Well, I would have liked for it to go into my living room (but we have really efficient security ‘round campus). Instead, we have it tucked away in the ISS offices while we redesign and test a brand new version of the Campus Information Display. (A.K.A. CID 2.0)

Acting on the advice received from everyone who responded to our survey this summer, we’re in the process of totally re-designing the display. (You’re going to love the result) Our thanks to everyone who completed the survey; we got some really great ideas!

Thinking of the survey, congratulations go out to Laura Green the winner of the Dell laser printer. Back in August, we drew Laura’s name at random from more than 200 respondents who completed the survey. Enjoy the printer Laura!

The Writing Centre appointments have been filling up like crazy. (When I looked this morning, there are only a handful of appointments available between now and this time next week.) So . . . they are adding additional evening and weekend hours with two new writing consultants . . . Robin Sutherland and Lindsay Bell. (They’re actually not new-new; just returning-from-last-year new!)

Robin will be working Monday- Thursday evenings (from 5 – 9 pm) and then Lindsay works from 1 – 5 pm on Saturday & Sunday. Let’s see, that means an additional 28 appointments a week. Even with the extra hours . . . you’d be wise to plan ahead and book early!

Be sure to “welcome” Robin & Lindsay when you see them!

Are you a student currently enrolled at UNBSJ? UNB Libraries is designing a new website in 2009 and we want your help to do it!

On November 18, we will be holding a focus group that will help us to develop a new face for the library website.

Even if you don’t use our website much…that’s informative too! Tell us why and what you use instead. What could we do to improve your experience?

Food will be provided and all participants will receive a $25 honorarium. Focus group sessions will be conducted on both campuses of UNB, with the Saint John Session running from 5:00pm – 7:00pm.

Interested? Contact David Ross (Email: drross@unb.ca or Tel: 648-5832) no later than November 12, 2008.

We want to learn from YOU!

Can you believe it? We’re less than 1 month from the beginning of exams, so it’s time once again for us to extend our hours (and soon we’ll be cracking down on the noise!). Beginning this Friday (November 14th), the library will be open every single night ‘til 11:00 pm. And, on the weekends we’ll be opening at 10:00 am. So to summarize:

Extended Exam Hours (Nov 14 – Dec 18, 2008)

Mon – Fri 8:15 am – 11:00 pm
Sat & Sun 10:00 am – 11:00 pm

Stop by the Alumni Student Study Lounge and admire our newest art acquisition. On the right hand wall, as you step into the room, is a series of carved wooden faces (watching over the goings-on in the Study Lounge). This beautiful piece, “Audience” is the work of local wood-carving artist, Ron Davis. We have a second sculpture, a life-sized human caricature entitled “Waiting” that stands next to the photocopiers in the Learning Commons.

Ron works almost exclusively with big chunks of indigenous pine. Since exhausting the supply on his own land, he relies on woodlot owners to contact him when (huge) pine trees are to be cut. The White Pine used in “Audience” was once a shade tree on someone’s property. After cutting, it takes months for the wood to dry properly before the carving can even begin. So from living tree to finished sculpture you’re looking at least a year or two . . . certainly not a craft for the impatient.

Exams are underway and for the next three weeks, we need your cooperation to keep the noise level in the library to an absolute minimum. We will be doing frequent rounds to discourage noise and cell phone use, but please let us know if noise is keeping you from studying. During the exam period, we are filled close to capacity, and there are a lot of students in a relatively small space but if everyone does their part we can keep the library quiet. Please respect your fellow students need for quiet. Your cooperation will be appreciated!

Can’t find your pen? Got writer's cramp from filling out all those book order forms? If so then take a look at: http://www.lib.unb.ca/wcl/services/order.html where you’ll find our Book Order Request form in an online format.

The form lets Faculty and Staff conveniently input all the information required to order a book without ever picking up a pen. Once submitted the forms go directly to Gail Correia’s mailbox and are processed in the same efficient manner as always. We are still accepting the hand written order slips, or you may contact the liaison librarian in your field.

Happy New Year Everyone! Welcome back to a new term and please note that we have made a few changes to the library hours the new hours are:

Monday - Thursday 8:15 am - 10:00 pm
Friday 8:15 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday - Sunday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

However library hours do fluctuate, for exams, holidays and sometimes even the weather. If you are in doubt please call 648-5710, or you can check for scheduled changes on our website http://www.lib.unb.ca/about/hoursWinter.html#ward

Come visit the Learning Commons in the Ward Chipman Library on Wednesday January 14th, starting at 10:00am. We are welcoming back students with some Hot Chocolate and Warm Apple Cider. Hope to see you there!

Money collected each year from the Student Tech Fee is used to purchase new computers and printers for student labs, as well as other new technologies that benefit students, like equipment for the campus radio station and laptops that students can borrow from the library.

Since the money is intended to benefit you, the students, it's important for us to know how you want it used. That's why we'd like to thank everyone that recently participated in the Student Tech Fee survey. We'd also like to announce the winner of the survey draw: congratulations Vasiliki Raffaela Papadopoulos, you have won $10 worth of print credits.

For the past 25 years the the Freedom of Expression Committee has organized Freedom to Read Week. It is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Check out the Freedom to read display at the Ward Chipman Library to see some of the books that have been banned over the years. Or go to the Freedom to Read web page for more information.

Have you ever schlepped across campus only to find the computer lab full when you got there? Use Lab Display next time to see how many computers are available from anywhere on campus. Not only will you see how full the computers labs are but you will see how many laptops are available at the Ward Chipman Library Circulation Desk, and what time the next laptops are due to be returned. In addition, you can search for labs containing certain hardware (e.g. DVD-burner) or software (e.g. Dreamweaver).

Exams are just a few weeks away and the Ward Chipman Library has extended their hours from March 20th to April 25th. The extended hours are:

Monday - Friday 8:15 am - 11:00 pm
Saturday - Sunday 9:00 am - 11:00 pm

You can find regular hours and holiday hours on the Library’s web page at:
http://www.lib.unb.ca/about/hoursWinter.html#ward

The Ward Chipman Library will have the following hours for Easter Weekend (April 10-13).

Good Friday 1:00pm – 11:00pm
Saturday 9:00am – 11:00pm
Easter Sunday 9:00am – 11:00pm
Easter Monday 8:15am – 11:00pm

The staff of the Information & Services Department invite you to stop by and take part in our last day of classes sundae bar. We will have lots of ice cream and all of your favorite toppings to design a sundae just for you. Festivities begin at 11:00 and run till 12:00 noon in the foyer of the Ward Chipman Library, Thursday April 9th.

Exams are underway and for the next three weeks, we need your cooperation to keep the noise level in the library to an absolute minimum. We will be doing frequent rounds to discourage noise and cell phone use, but please let us know if noise is keeping you from studying. During the exam period, we are filled close to capacity, and there are a lot of students in a relatively small space but if everyone does their part we can keep the library quiet. Please respect your fellow students need for quiet. Your cooperation will be appreciated!

As the seasons are changing so are the hours of the Ward Chipman Library. Sunday April 26th to Sunday May 3rd, our hours will be:

Monday through Friday 8:15 am to 5:00 pm

From Monday May 4th to July 31st, Spring Session for UNBSJ, our hours will be:

Monday to Thursday, 8:15 am to 9:00 pm
Friday 8:15 am to 5:00 pm
Saturday 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Sunday closed

It was decided that the computer lab in room 339 of Hazen Hall need a bit of a pick me up. With that in mind some new furniture was purchased; there are 3 new leather sofas & coffee tables and 8 leather club chairs. The lab has 15 computers, and we think we've created a modern & relaxing environment for studying or working on assignments. Want to tell us what you think? If so you can email us at studenthelpdesk@unb.ca.

The Campus Information Display (CID) system is maintained by Information Services and Systems, and is available to staff and students who need to get messages to the campus community. Events, services, schedules, posters, announcements, and so on are displayed via a state-of-the-art system that is highly flexible, yet easy to use and to update. The system, and the content shown on the high-quality 46” flat panel monitors placed at Tim Horton's and the Baird Dinning room, is completely customizable. Some points to remember if you would like to post information on the CID:

Messages should be short and to the point—the typical viewer is walking by the display system, so whatever is showing has to get the idea across quickly.

Sound is not supported.

Formats supported by the system include video (.wmv, .avi, & .mpeg) images (.jpg, .gif, & .bmp), Flash, RSS, and web pages

If you would like to post your event on the CID or are looking for additional information please email cidsj@unb.ca.

Most students don’t realize that summers are a very busy time for the Student Technology Centre. In preparation for the student’s arrival in September, we are busily preparing the labs to be in top notch shape. This summer’s projects include: completely renovating Irving Hall 105 lab with new furniture and a new paint job, resurfacing the worktops in Irving Hall lab 102, painting and installing new blinds, installing all new computers in both Hazen Hall labs 236 & 339 (come and check out the new 19” flat screen monitors), re-imaging all 170+ computers that are available for student use, both in labs and at the Circulation Desk in the library, with the latest version of software available to us, installing 2 new Quick Access Kiosks near the Student Information Centre, and installing Laptop Charging stations around campus. Come to the Library in September to check out the new Mini Dell’s available for loan from the Circulation Desk…..so while everyone thinks we may be having a quite summer with most of the students away from campus…..we are very busy preparing for September.

501 MUST-READ BOOKS is a guide to the best literature in the English language chosen by scholars and authors within the genres of Children's Fiction, History, Memoirs, Modern Fiction, Science Fiction, Thrillers and Travel. Reading these books will greatly enhance a well rounded liberal arts education—therefore the 501 Collection has been brought together in one place, at the Ward Chipman Library.

Join us in the Learning Commons on Friday, September 18, 2009 at 10 a.m. for the official launch of the collection. Enjoy refreshments and take some time to browse through the collection.

Welcome back to a new year at UNBSJ everyone! We are so happy to see all the familiar faces of returning students, and are excited about getting to know the new group of first year students. We want you to know that the Ward Chipman Library is here to serve you and your needs, please stop by the Circulation and Information & Research Technology Support Desks to say "Hi" and meet the staff. While you are here take a walk around and see some of the changes that have been made over the summer. We've bought furniture, put up blinds and whiteboards, installed Smart Boards, painted study rooms and installed some new shelving. Whew! Come see what we believe are some great improvements (anything was better than those old orange chairs) and let us know what you think of the new look.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out all the computer labs on campus so far this year you are in for a few surprises. Over the summer months the staff at the Student Technology Centre worked round the clock to upgrade the PC’s in Hazen Hall 339 and Hazen Hall 236, the new models include widescreen monitors. Meanwhile the Irving Hall 102 lab was painted and the table tops replaced; while Irving Hall 105 was painted and decked out in all new furniture. We are proud of the results and hope that students using them are too.

Do you need help managing your references? Attend this hands-on workshop and you’ll be introduced to RefWorks, a bibliographic database manager (often called a “citation manager”). In addition to learning how to organize and manage your references, you will also learn how to import citations from databases and generate bibliographies in the citation style of your choice (e.g. APA, MLA, etc.) The session will be conducted by Diane Buhay, in Hazen Hall 236 on October 29th and 30th from 9:30am to 11:00am. You can register for the sessions at: http://www.unb.ca/ctd/

UNB is the first university in Atlantic Canada to offer Eduroam (EDUcation ROAMing). Eduroam allows you to easily connect to the internet when visiting other institutions around the world that are also members of Eduroam.
Normally when you visit another institution you have to go through the hassle of creating a guest account, but no more. By first setting up an Eduroam account here at UNB, you can have hassle-free wireless access at any other institution in the world that also uses Eduroam. All you have to do when you arrive is login into Eduroam using your regular UNB login ID and password.
For a list of Canadian Eduroam members visit: http://www.eduroam.ca
Students, faculty and staff from other Eduroam universities can benefit as well. When they visit a UNB campus they can easily access Eduroam wireless network by using their login ID and password from their institution.
For more information on Eduroam at UNB visit: http:/wireless.unb.ca

Want to check the weather, look up a mark in Blackboard or check your exam schedule in E-Services while you are in the Student Centre? Well no need to walk across campus to the computer labs we’ve installed two new computer kiosks on the second floor at the top of the stairs. The computers are imaged with all the same features of the lab computers and you can access all the same programs, however they have no printing capability. They do, however, have USB ports on the monitors that will allow you want to retrieve something from a flash drive.

This Wednesday, November 11th the library will open from 1:00pm to 9:00pm to allow staff and students the opportunity to part take of local Remembrance Day Services. Services will be held at Cenotaphs through-out the province to honour those men and women who did extraordinary things to protect our freedom and build a safer world to live in. For more information on Remembrance Day services in your area check-out:
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=feature/week2009

Exams are just a few weeks away and the Ward Chipman Library has extended their hours from Nov. 8th to Dec. 19th. The extended hours are:

Monday - Friday 8:15 am - 11:00 pm
Saturday - Sunday 9:00 am - 11:00 pm

You can find regular hours and holiday hours on the Library’s web page at:
http://www.lib.unb.ca/about/hours.php

If you have not heard yet the new home of the Ward Chipman Library is scheduled to start construction next month as UNBSJ builds the long awaited Learning Commons. The new LEEDS certified state of the art building will be located in the current parking lot in front of Irving and Oland Halls. For details on the project, floor plans and some photos check out:
http://www.unb.ca/saintjohn/universitycommons/index.html

Sunday, March 28th is the last day to participate in the LibQUAL+™ survey.
This is your opportunity to tell us your opinions on our services,
collections and facility. It will take about 10 minutes to complete and you
will be eligible to enter a draw for an Apple iPad™ (16GB, Wi-Fi) or one of
two University Bookstore Gift Certificates.

For more details and to take the survey click the link:
http://www.lib.unb.ca/libqual

RefWorks is a tool that allows you to manage your references. An introductory Refworks workshop will be offered on Thursday 1st April from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. In Hazen Hall #236. This session will explain how to create a RefWorks account; import your references; and, generate a bibliography. Please sign up by emailing dbuhay@unbsj.ca.