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"Tips & Tricks"
Please enjoy the inaugural edition of Ask Ms. Shelved, the new, irregularly scheduled advice column from HHSL!
Dear Ms. Shelved:
I am in my final weeks of classes for the semester, and I find myself studying (and eating, and sleeping) in the Hirsh Health Sciences Library. I am the first person in the building in the morning and the last person out. I haven’t seen my cat, Hortense, in days, possibly weeks. My friends think I moved away. I saw my own picture on a milk carton the other day.
But today I discovered that the caretakers of my cozy den, my warm second home, my snug grotto of learning have cast me out! I approached the Library Service Desk to check out a phone charger, and was told that I had overdue items and I could not check anything out for a FULL WEEK. Ms. Shelved, I am bewildered, bamboozled, and BLOCKED.
Whatever shall I do?
Sincerely,
Stunned in Sackler
Dear Stunned,
Well, it seems you’ve been visited by THE BLOCK. He’s like a lot of other holiday specters…like the Uncouth Uncle at Thanksgiving dinner, he’s never a welcome visitor. Like the Schmaltz Stain left on your sweater after frying latkes, he’s persistent. And like the Tantrumy Toddler at Christmas, he follows you around, fraying your nerves and trying your patience.
Since you are blocked for a week, it appears you’ve invoked this unwelcome guest once already since July, and now you’re on your second strike. But don’t despair! Here are some helpful tips to Banish the Block:
- Electronics, accessories, reserve materials, skulls, models, etc. circulate for 4 hours. Set a timer on your phone when you check out.
- If there’s a chance you’ll get stuck in a meeting or appointment, TELL the person who checks out the item, and ASK if you can have a (reasonable) extension.
- If a genuine crisis arises (like a building evacuation or a trip to the Emergency Department), CALL the desk at 617-636-6705 and let us know, we will try to work something out.
- Remember that you can renew some items (like laptops) as long as no one is waiting to use it, but you have to bring it back to the desk first.
- Many of the books on reserve are also available online! You probably don’t need to smuggle that textbook out overnight.
I suggest paying closer attention to your loans, because if you are blocked again before June 30, you will lose your borrowing privileges for 30 days!
Stunned, if you have any questions about the Blocking Policy, please see it in full here: https://hirshlibrary.tufts.edu/about-us/policies/overdue-items.
Remember, try to get some sleep, take a shower, drink some water, and bring your stuff back on time!
Ever yours,
Ms. Shelved
Look, we know it’s a BEAR of a time right now…exams, assignments, travel, holidays…
Image taken from page 54 of ‘The Frozen Crew of the Ice-bound Ship; or, the Terrors of the arctic regions. A romance of the wild and wonderful. With illustrations’ is made available by the British Library and has no known copyright restrictions.
…luckily, we’re here to help! However, remember that when you’re busy, we’re busy. Don’t get shut out in the cold, PLAN AHEAD!
Leave plenty of time to snag the books and other resources you need to study for exams (and don’t forget to bring them back on time and avoid The Block!).
If you’d like to work with a librarian, you are always welcome to stop by the Service Desk on Sackler 4, but to avoid lines and waiting, why don’t you schedule an appointment with your liaison librarian? Just find the librarian dedicated to your school or program and book an appointment by clicking on a librarian’s name and then clicking the “Schedule Appointment” button.
Need an appointment in a hurry? Fill out the Schedule a Consultation form and we’ll be in touch ASAP. Appointments are available Monday -Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, as schedules permit.
The Hirsh Fall Open Workshop series may be over – but – that doesn’t mention you can’t request a workshop on demand! We’re re-posting the following regarding our Workshops on Demand option – check it out!
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Workshops On Demand Bring Learning to YOU!
Look, we’ve all been there. You really WANT to attend that HHSL Open Workshop, but we were up SO LATE on Sunday studying/watching the Oscars/binging Netflix, and 9:00 am Tuesday feels so early. So you decide to attend the Wednesday 4:00 pm session of the workshop. But hey, did you notice that it is staying light outside until almost 6:00 and also the world is not currently a Frozen Hellscape and you should really go outside for vitamin D?
Have you squandered your last chance to learn EndNote? Thrown away your shot to master Web of Science? Wasted all opportunities to hone your PubMed skills? Are you doomed?
“On Fire” Gunshow #648 by KC Green. This is a meme all over the internet now, give its creator some love here.
No! Your friends at Hirsh Health Sciences Library would never abandon you! We know how busy you are, and we can’t schedule Open Workshops at times that fit everybody’s schedule. To better meet your needs, we bring you Workshops on Demand– gather a few friends, find some times that work for a group session, and tell the Library what you want to learn about. We will provide the content, and expert librarian instructor, and we’ll even book the room. Choose from the list of topics, or suggest your own- we’re listening! Just fill out the form and we will be in touch to set up your custom workshop. These sessions are a great way to maximize learning and interaction with an instructor and your classroom peers, and ideal for those embarking on group projects. Workshops on Demand can be scheduled M-F between 8:00 am and 5:30 pm, depending on the availability of librarians, and we can conduct them via WebEx as well for those off-campus.
(of course, if you would like a one-on-one instruction session with a librarian, we can set that up too. Just contact us here)
In case you haven’t heard, we have a new addition to our Open Workshops! In addition to workshops, Hirsh Library and the Tufts Data Lab Assistants are offering topic-specific drop-in sessions and office hours so that you can ask questions and get one-on-one help. You don’t need to have attended a workshop or registered in advance in to attend drop-in sessions and office hours – just come and drop-in! We look forward to meeting with you!
Drop-In Session/Office Hours:
10/1 Tableau (2-3pm Sackler 510)
10/3 Visualizing Data with R (4-6pm Sackler 514)
10/11 EndNote (4-6pm Sackler 4)
10/11 GIS (1:30 – 2:30pm Sackler 514)
10/19 Approaching the Lit Review (8:30-10am Sackler 4)
10/17 R Help ( 11am-12pm Sackler 510 )
Scared of stats? Spooked by lit reviews? Frightened by citation management?
October doesn’t have to be a scary month with October Learning Opportunities@Hirsh! The Hirsh Library and Tufts DataLab have a frightfully awesome line-up of learning opportunities for October filled with tips & treats!
In addition to workshops, we will also be holding additional drop-in sessions and office hours so that you can ask questions and get one-on-one help . To see full descriptions and to register for workshops (nb: you don’t need to attend a workshop or register in advance in to attend drop-in sessions and office hours), please visit: https://hirshlibrary.tufts.edu/services/open-workshops
October
Workshops:
10/1 Building Interactive Visualizations with Tableau (1-2 pm Sackler 510)
10/2 Visualizing Data with R (9-11am Sackler 514)
10/9 EndNote (9-10am Sackler 510)
10/11 Intro to GIS using ArcMap (12 – 1:30pm Sackler 514)
10/16 Approaching the Lit Review (9-10am Sackler 510)
10/17 Statistics in R: Intermediate Level (10-11am Sackler 510 )
10/23 PubMed (9-10am Sackler 510)
10/24 Story Maps: Not Your Average Presentation (11am-12pm Sackler 510 )
10/31 An Intro to LabArchives Digital Notebook (11am-12pm Sackler 510)
Drop-In Session/Office Hours:
10/1 Tableau (2-3pm Sackler 510)
10/3 Visualizing Data with R (4-6pm Sackler 514)
10/11 EndNote (4-6pm Sackler 4)
10/11 GIS (1:30 – 2:30pm Sackler 514)
10/19 Approaching the Lit Review (8:30-10am Sackler 4)
10/17 R Help ( 11am-12pm Sackler 510 )
Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photo-1661731/
Did you know that there’s a librarian at Hirsh just for you?
The Hirsh Library Liaison Program provides a “point person” for each of the academic programs and clinical departments on the Tufts’ health sciences campus.
What can a librarian liaison do for you? For starters, your librarian liaison can help you:
- identify resources for your particular topic, especially resources beyond article databases
- create effective and efficient search strategies for databases like PubMed and Web of Science
- discern what tool is right for you to help manage your citations (i.e., EndNote, Zotero, Mendeley) and providing instructions to get you started
- track down statistical data for research projects and help you manage your own data
Visit our Liaison Program page to find out who the librarian liaison is for your program and get in touch with them!
Image source: https://pixabay.com/photo-1891732/
The summer is flying by, but don’t worry! We’re here to help ease you into the academic year by offering expanded Writing Consultants hours in August.
We will continue with appointments on Thursdays and will add Sunday hours mid-month. The timing will vary from Thursday to Thursday, so be sure to make note of the hours for each individual date when you go to register.
So without further ado, here is the August schedule:
Thursdays:
August 2: 11am – 2pm
August 9: 10am – 1pm
August 16: 10:30am-1:30pm
August 23: 1:45 – 4:45
August 30: 11am – 2pm
Sundays:
August 19: 3pm – 6pm
August 26: 3pm – 6pm
Writing Consultants is available to all Health Sciences students on the Tufts Boston Campus. To register or learn more about the ways a writing consultant can help, please visit our Health Sciences Writing Consultants LibGuide.
Hey dental students! Are you studying for the Boards (part 1 or part 2)? Did you know we have study aids for you both online and in person?
If you’re going home or away or just don’t feel like leaving your home in the heat, you can still use Board Vitals – an online study aid and question bank that gives you personalized feedback. It works no matter your location! Learn how to sign up for an account and get started studying.
If you’re staying in town and want to study in the library, be sure to check out our physical study aids including Mosby’s, Dentin, and Dental Decks. See the full list or just head to our Service Desk on the 4th floor of Sackler and ask for what you need.
Good luck on your boards!
AHH! Don’t sneak up on a person like that. You startled me.
Why am I so jumpy? Don’t you know?! It’s that time of year again…the time when HHSL students are so busy studying for exams, moving to start residencies, and preparing for graduation that they don’t return their Reserve Items. Which means nearly every day, someone receives a visit from…THE BLOCK
THERE HE IS! Don’t look into his eyes!
[for those unfamiliar with THE BLOCK, you can read the Terrifying Tale here]Recently we’ve heard tell that THE BLOCK has a cousin. A beast who also brings hatred and woe wherever he goes. He haunts students who haven’t returned items to the Tisch Library. I hear they call him…THE BILL
AVERT YOUR GAZE! He has come for you!
It’s possible that you may not know THE BILL is coming for you…you might never have visited Tisch Library in person, but it’s possible you requested an item from Tisch, or the related SMFA or Lilly Music Library via JumboSearch. Even if you picked it up and checked it out at HHSL, you are beholden to the rules of the library that owns the item, and if you’re late you may owe a fine or replacement fee, bringing you face to face with THE BILL. And if you don’t pay THE BILL, you might end up in a tangle with…THE BURSAR!
So, check out the Tisch Fines and Fees to be safe and avoid THE BILL.
Any questions? Don’t hesitate to Ask Us!
https://data.boston.gov/
Working on a research paper that needs some Boston specific facts and figures? Looking for a place to peruse the City of Boston’s open data? Check out Analyze Boston to view public facts, figures and maps displaying data that connects the city with it’s inhabitants. Browse data sets on food establishment inspections, police reports, electrical use, moving permits and more.
Keep in mind, this website’s searching abilities are not as strong as some of the other databases you’re used to using. For example, if you wanted information about all of the cases of graffiti being reported you wouldn’t be able to find a data set by search graffiti. You would have to know that the 311 data set contains this type of information, luckily a quick google search of “graffiti boston removal” would help you learn which organization’s data set to look for. Once you’re within a data set, you can limit the information so that you’re only seeing the information you’re interested in.
Check out Analyze Boston to browse the data and to learn more.
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