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"Tips & Tricks"
Image Source: https://www.cityofboston.gov/311/
As classes begin to pick up again, we wanted to share a resource that the City of Boston offers its residents. Street light out on your walk home? Trash not picked up? Report it easily with BOS: 311 , a service created by the city of Boston to make sure that these issues are taken care of. Become a neighborhood reporter by calling 311, downloading the app, tweeting to the city, or submitting a report on the site. There are similar programs in Somerville and Cambridge as well. Live somewhere else? Let us know if your town has a service!
Issue in the library? Tell us! Report it at the Library Service Desk on the 4th floor or choose your preferred method of contacting us on our homepage under “Ask Us”.
Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photo-1238602/
There is no better time to pick up new skills for the upcoming school year than now!
Tufts University subscribes to Lynda.com, which is a free online video-tutorial resource available to Tufts University students, faculty, and staff. It provides training in software such Microsot Office, Adobe products, data analysis and visualization tools, in addition to programming languages, and topics found under these broad categories:
- 3D + Animation
- Audio + Music
- Business
- CAD
- Design
- Developer
- Education + Elearning
- IT
- Marketing
- Photography
- Video
- Web
You can refine your skills in teaching techniques, public speaking, IT security, improve written communication, accounting, new standards, leadership skills, accessibility, how to use specific software and the list goes on! Lynda.com also offers learning paths that include a succession of videos on a focused topic.
To access Lynda.com and for more information, go to: https://it.tufts.edu/lyndacampus or login by clicking the graphic below!
Post contributed by Berika Williams
We thought it was great that the 4th was a Monday last year, since it gave us a 3-day weekend, but we’re thrilled that the Tuesday holiday this year gives us a 4-day weekend! The weather forecast looks good, so why not take advantage of all the 4th of July activities in the Boston area?
Fireworks Over Boston by Mike Halsall is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
The quintessential Boston 4th of July celebration is the Boston Pops performance and fireworks show on the Esplanade. Visit the official event website for a rundown of the schedule and more event details. CBS Boston has also put together a handy guide with viewing location suggestions and other useful tips. Want to hear the music but don’t want to deal with the crowds on the 4th? The Pops will be doing a rehearsal (minus fireworks) on Monday July 3rd.
Harborfest Drummers 1 by Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
For fun throughout the weekend, head down to Boston Harborfest . Dedicated to celebrating Boston’s harbor and history, it’s the largest 4th of July festival in the country and features tons of activities, some free and some paid. Here’s the full schedule.
Newton Fireworks at at Halloran Sports and Rec Complex by Owen and Aki is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Don’t want to fight the crowds for Boston fireworks on the 2nd or the 4th? Here’s a list of all the fireworks displays planned for this summer in MA. Of particularly local note, Somerville will be having a display tonight (6/29) at 9:15pm and Newton and Waltham will also have fireworks displays on Tuesday 7/4.
Old North Church, Boston by Matthew and Heather is licensed under CC BY-ND-NC 2.0
Want to keep learning while the library’s closed Sun-Tues? Why not take in a historical tour with National Park Service or visit the Colonialfest at the Old North Church?
Whatever you choose to do this weekend, we hope you have a happy, healthy, and safe Independence Day. And don’t forget to wear sunscreen!
Studying abroad or plan to travel overseas for research or vacation? The Tufts University community has access to Mango Languages, which you can use to learn over 70 different languages! You can complete lessons on the website or download the free app on your mobile device to practice on the go.
To access, log in here with your Tufts credentials, then choose quick start to use the web interface as a guest, or create your own personal profile with a separate Mango login to save your customized language tutorials.
To use the mobile app, download it from the App store or Play store and log in using the login you used to create your personal profile.
Post contributed by Berika Williams
Unpaywall is a free web browser extension, presently available for Chrome and Firefox, which quickly finds free and legal versions of paywalled research papers. As you search for articles online, an “open lock” tab will instantly appear on the right side of your browser for articles where an open access version is available. Click the tab to reach the full text. More information? Check out UnPaywall’s FAQ.
Post contributed by Judy Rabinowitz
Hello there. Meet the Block.
What is this Block, you may ask? Well if you haven’t needed to know, consider yourself lucky (or, perhaps, just good with time management). The Block is an ever-vigilant consequence. Kind of like Batman, but without the martial arts skills, money, gadgets, costume, tragic backstory, or even opposable thumbs.
So…not very much like Batman at all, I guess.
The Block is what you face when you return Reserve items too late. All of the Hirsh Library Reserve items (laptops, chargers, many textbooks, all models, etc) can be checked out for 4 hours at a time. As long as there’s no immediate shortage and/or demand, you can even renew your item(s) by coming to the desk! But if you are too late, the Block will find you.
At your first offense, you will lose all borrowing privileges and they will only be reinstated after 24 hours. At your second offense, they won’t be reinstated until a week has passed. Third offense is a month, and the library will send a letter to your Dean.
So be careful, and don’t mock the Block! Set an alarm on your phone, write the due time on your hand, whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of the Block. Bring your items back on time, and you will be able to continue using the library happily! But if you don’t, and you ignore this warning…well.
The Block is waiting.
Ever felt defeated that the next book on your reading list is at the Tisch, Ginn, Veterinary, or SMFA Library? You probably don’t have time to schlep to Fenway, Medford, or Grafton. One of the best aspects about being a part of the wider Tufts University library system is that you don’t have to! As long as the book you want isn’t on reserve, you can request to have it sent to the Hirsh Health Sciences Library. Instead of wasting half a day taking the T to Medford, you can pick up the book at the Library Service Desk on your lunch break!
The request process is simple. After locating your desired book in the Tufts University Catalog, click on the “request item” button. It may be on the top or right of the screen.
After clicking “Request Item” you’ll be asked to login with your Tufts username and password or your library barcode and full name. After you submit your request, you will be able to pick up your book in a few business days!
Post contributed by Stephanie Krauss
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)
Well, hello there boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen. Back from Thanksgiving break so soon, are we?
What’s that you say? Exams a’ comin’? Already? Boy howdy.
Why don’t you join me for a moment. I’ll tell you a tale as old as the print journals on the 7th Floor. The story of a creature most hideous, most foul, and most dangerous. Of course, I speak of THE BLOCK.
AHHH! Thar he scowls! Be careful, don’t look into his eyes! How does one summon THE BLOCK? Let me share the lore with you.
Now, some say that if you return a reserve item (like a laptop, phone charger, skull, or reserve book) late once, THE BLOCK will follow you for 24 hours after you return the item, and you will be mysteriously unable to check out items from the Library. If you return an item late a second time, THE BLOCK will haunt your nightmares for 7 days, impeding your ability to study and borrow headphones (and other things).
Now, many have tempted fate and survived the wrath of THE BLOCK once, even twice. But beware, should you return a third reserve item late, the foul beast will cast his sharp, cubic shadow over your life for two fortnights!
(You know, you won’t be able to check anything out for one month after you return the delinquent item)
AND THAT’S NOT ALL. If you summon THE BLOCK three times, he will, like Marley’s Ghost, visit your Dean and share tales of your misdeeds.
And finally, if you are one of the foolish few who learns nothing of your third encounter with this reviled, hideous hexahedron, and you dare invite his wrath again, THE BLOCK will rob you of your borrowing privileges for the rest of the semester, and he will darken the doorstep of your Dean again.
And the most TERRIFYING thing of all? Every time you summon THE BLOCK, you wear his mark for the remainder of the academic year. So remember, a late return in September will follow you all the way to next July.
So take heed, as exams approach:
- Try to get some sleep
- Stay hydrated
- Return your reserve items on time, and
- DON’T MOCK THE BLOCK
(The Hirsh Health Sciences Library blocking policy can be found in its entirety here: http://hirshlibrary.tufts.edu/about-us/policies/overdue-items)
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
Find out who’s the librarian liaison for you program and then get in touch with them!
Hirsh Library Liaison Program
http://hirshlibrary.tufts.edu/research/liaison-program
(Photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Areyoumymother.gif)
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