April Open Workshops are in bloom here at the Hirsh Library! Come to our workshops and grow some new skills! Workshops are held on Thursdays from 12noon-1pm in Sackler 510. To learn more about Open Workshops and register,please visit: https://hirshlibrary.tufts.edu/services/open-workshops
Thursday, April 4, 2019 – 12noon-1pm Sackler 510
This workshop will introduce you to Mendeley, a free citation management tool. Like other citation management tools, Mendeley allows you to:
- collect and organize references discovered from articles, databases, and web sites
- upload and manage PDF files
- insert and format references in Word to create in-text citations and bibliographies in various of citation styles, such as APA and JAMA
Come to this workshop and learn more about how Mendeley combines both cloud-based and desktop computing to give you the best of both worlds!
Patents for Health Sciences Research
Thursday, April 11, 2019 – 12noon-1pm Sackler 510
We’ll identify types of research questions and literature searches where identifying related patents can be helpful. Then we’ll cover tips and tricks for finding and reading patents.
Right to the Source: Locating U.S. Health Data
Thursday, April 18, 2019 – 12noon-1pm Sackler 510
This workshop will introduce you to major sources of health data for the United States. Topics will include: data collection, stakeholders, and methods, tips & tricks for locating health data, and an introduction to the Hirsh Library “Health Data and Statistics” guide.
Attention second year medical students! As you’re preparing for Step 1 this spring, don’t forget about the study resources offered by Hirsh. We offer electronic question banks USMLE Easy and (new this year!) BoardVitals. Our research guide on Board Prep for Medicine lists our print and electronic Step 1 study materials: borrow First Aid and Kaplan comprehensive review resources or check out systems-based review books in the Student Consult, Rapid Review, or Blueprints series. Many of our most popular print resources, including two copies of First Aid 2018 are available on reserve at the Library Service Desk. Stop by the 4th floor and check them out!
Post contributed by Christina Heinrich
Study carrel feeling lonely? Assignments got you down? Why not make a little buddy to help cheer you up? That’s right, Hirsh’s favorite pom pom critters are back for two days only! Stop by the Library Service Desk this Thursday 3/21 and Friday 3/22 starting at noon and make a fluffy friend for yourself or someone else.
Congratulations on your match, Class of 2019! We can’t wait to celebrate with you tomorrow on Match Day and learn where you’re headed!
For those of you not in the know, Match Day is an annual event that began in 1952 where medical students learn where they will go for their residency program. On Friday, March 15th the service desk on the 4th floor will be closed from 11am-2pm to accommodate celebrations for this event. All other floors will be open for study. Please plan on obtaining laptops and reserve items prior to 11am if you need them. Please note as well that the Food4Thought Cafe will be closed all day. Thank you!
Hello hello!
March is upon us, which means the time has come for our second (and final) Affiliation Survey this academic year! What does this mean for you? Well, this is that time when we walk around and ask every one of our lovely patrons which program they are with (Dental, Medical, Sackler, etc). This is all we ask. We will not ask for your name or even which year you’re in! The numbers we collect are used in aggregate so we can get a snapshot of what the library usage is like.
This post from this past June shows you just what all the numbers ends up looking like.
Now here’s how it goes: there are 7 days spread out over the whole month, randomly chosen to try and maximize the usefulness of the numbers (in other words, we’re trying not to get skewed by exam blocks too much). On those days, HHSL staff (you’ll probably recognize us!) will walk around 4 times over the course of the day to gather the totals of how many people from each school are in the library. There will be signs and posters up this month, so you’re not caught unaware.
Keep your eyes out for them!
We won’t announce ahead of time which days we’re counting (see our need to randomize, above), so it’s safe to assume that it could just happen any day this month.
Don’t panic!
If you don’t want to be bothered (or to speak out loud), you are welcome to leave your ID next to you while you study. If that is still not good enough, you can write your program down on a piece of paper and leave that next to you. If you’re in a group room, feel free to stick a note to the outside of the door (on the wood – the windows must remain clear!) telling us how many people of what program(s) are in the room. Done and done. We will add that number to our count, and we will move on to the next person!
There are pencils, pens, markers, scrap paper, and tape down at the Service Desk on the 4th floor, so you can even make your sign bright and cheerful! If you have any questions or concerns, let us know either in person at the desk, or through Ask Us on our website. We’re here to help and make this quick and easy.
But otherwise, we look forward to seeing you all this month and finding out just what our beloved HHSL looks like this fine autumn.
Good luck on studying and I look forward to seeing you in the library!
Tom
Eyes Horns Chamois Hiding Place Hide Alpengämse by Max Pixel is licensed under CC0
Fair use is hard at work, in places where you might not even realize or might take for granted. Since this week is Fair Use Week, let’s celebrate the doctrine in Copyright Law that allows for the use of existing cultural and scientific material without permission, under certain circumstances, in order to promote innovation, creativity, and scholarship, fair use! And, let’s take a moment to recognize all that fair use provides us…
News reporting – Fair use allows reporters to show previously created content to provide appropriate context around current events, giving the audience a better understanding of events that are unfolding.
Database Searching – Information can be indexed and searched, expediting discovery since fair use allows for the copying and ingestion of copyrighted works into searchable databases.
Text and Data Mining – The creation of searchable databases is a transformative fair use in which the copyrighted work is being used for a different purpose than its original intent. Internet search engines, plagiarism detection software, and other databases rely on this.
Art – Fair use facilitates the use of culturally and historically significant clips and artifacts in various forms of entertainment. Appropriation art, such as Andy Warhol’s paintings of Campbell’s soup cans, relies extensively on preexisting works.
Fan fiction – Fair use permits the use of existing characters, songs, and audiovisual clips in the creation of new, user-generated content.
Parodies – Since it is comedic commentary about a work, that, by definition, requires an imitation of the work to make its point, fair use allows it.
Documentary films – There are many ways in which documentary films may use copyrighted material. Some examples include, for social or political critique, to illustrate points of argument, incidentally while filming something else, or in historical sequences.
And more!!!
Adapted from the Fair Use Promotes the Creation of New Knowledge Infographic
Post contributed by Judy Rabinowitz
March is here – time to spring into learning with Open Workshops!
March_workshops
Workshops will be held in Sackler 510 on Thursdays at 12noon. Learn more about Open Workshops@Hirsh at: https://hirshlibrary.tufts.edu/services/open-workshops
March 7 – Introduction to R (12-1:30pm)
R is an open source programming language used to manipulate, analyze, and visualize data. Researchers and health professionals can use it to convey complex information in a manner that is easy to understand. The flexibility of R allows large amounts of data to be processed and represented in ways that spreadsheet programs cannot. This introductory, hands-on workshop provides a brief overview of how R works and what it is capable of. No prior experience with R or programming languages is required.
March 14 – Visualizing Data with R (12-1:30pm)
R is an open source programming language used to manipulate, analyze, and visualize data. In this hands-on workshop, users will be introduced to R packages used for data visualization. This session includes data visualization exercises utilizing a sample data set. Prior experience with R or completion of the Hirsh Library’s “Introduction to “R” open workshop is recommended.
March 28 – Systematic Reviews: Laying the Groundwork (12-1pm)
Come to this workshop to learn about systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and other types of high-level research reviews. We will discuss topics such as the elements of a systematic review, protocols, resources, timelines, and suggested databases.
In observance of Presidents Day, we will be operating with a modified schedule on Monday, February 18th. The Library Service Desk will be open from 12pm – 7pm and Library Offices will be closed. We will be open for our usual hours on Tuesday. Stay warm and have a good weekend!
Chinese New Year in Boston’s Chinatown by Andrew Choy is licensed under CC BY 2.0
February 5th marked the start of Lunar New Year celebrations, which will continue through Tuesday, February 19th. 2019 is the Year of the Pig, the twelfth animal of the Chinese Zodiac. ChineseNewYear.net offers some background on the pig’s symbolism and the characteristics of those born in the Year of the Pig.
Our campus is well positioned to take part in celebrations! Boston’s Chinatown hosts the largest parade in New England, which will kick off at 11am on Sunday 2/17 from Phillips Square (the corner of Harrison and Essex) and wend its way through the streets of Chinatown. Boston Discovery Guide gives a good run down of what you’ll expect to see during the parade. After the parade, stick around to explore the Cultural Village which will feature arts, crafts, and cultural demonstrations. The Pao Arts Center is holding a number of workshops on Sunday as well, from dumpling-making and tea-tasting, to Lion Dance workshops for kids.
If you are celebrating Lunar New Year, we wish safe travels and much joy and prosperity this year! 恭贺新禧 Happy New Year!
February is Heart Health Awareness Month!
And what better gift to give to your loved one than a healthy heart for Valentine’s Day 🙂 Select books on heart health are currently on display on the 4th floor of the Sackler building. Look for the Listen to Your Heart sign above the journal wall! For more information on looking after your heart you can browse through the following links for the latest on research, activities, and heart disease prevention:
NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
#ourhearts
#AmericanHeartHealthMonth
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