Social Media, Networking and the Ag Community

Are you new to social networking? Would you appreciate some tips and strategies on how to make Facebook, Twitter and You Tube work for you and your business or organization? If so, then take a look at the Ohio Farm Bureau guide to social media. This guide describes the key features of these popular resources and how to manage their respective interfaces, particularly Facebook and Twitter.

While the guide is intended to facilitate outreach and communication efforts between farmers/agri-businesses and their consumers, it is a useful primer for anyone desiring a straight-forward orientation to social media.

Discover Your Social Web: An Ohio Farm Bureau Guide to Social Media

What's in a name?

Have you ever wondered about those individuals for whom our campus buildings are named--who they were and how they have come to be so honored? As part of an ongoing series from University Communications, you can learn a little more about the people behind the buildings.

This week, we were delighted to see that Harry Steenbock was featured. Should you wish to learn more about Harry Steenbock and his legacy, I encourage you to consult the following links and/or consider a visit to the University Archives. The University Archives maintains biographical files, interviews and papers from the distinguished faculty and staff of this institution. The Archives also supports a variety of digital collections.

About Harry Steenbock, Biochemistry Department, Steenbock Symposium

Steenbock and Warf’s Founding

And, of related interest: Buildings of the University of Wisconsin

Tweeting Badgers

Bucky Badger has joined the Twitter community.
Sign on should you tweet or wish to follow same.

This Twitter community has been initiated by the Wisconsin Alumni Association as just one of its many ways to keep abreast of campus events and to stay in contact with fellow students, staff and alumni.

Haggis and Other Scottish Cookery

Haggis, a savory pudding blend with offal, is popularly served during the week of January 25 in honor of Scotland’s much-celebrated poet, Robert Burns, who just happened to craft a poem in its honor. And, I wouldn’t be a Scots’ lass without confessing to having had a wee sample now and again.

While one can presume that haggis is likely an acquired taste, there are other Scottish culinary traditions that can be browsed from the stacks of Steenbock Library. A sampling is presented below. Do consult with your librarians for assistance locating these and other titles treating specific food traditions.

Author: FitzGibbon, Theodora.
Title: A Taste of Scotland: Scottish Traditional Food
Call Number: TX717.3 F57 1971

Author: McNeill, F. Marian (Florence Marian), 1885-1973
Title: The Scots Kitchen : Its Traditions and Lore: with Old-Time Recipes
Call Number: TX725 M15

Author: Warren, Janet.
Title: A Feast of Scotland
Call Number: TX717.3 W33 1979

Resources on Haiti

In response to the disastrous earthquake in Haiti, Chancellor Martin encourages the UW-Madison community to support relief efforts.

Many resources are available online, and from campus libraries, to help you to learn more about Haiti and current relief efforts. Speak with campus librarians for assistance locating additional resources (articles, books, web sites).

Charitable giving (agencies, organizations):
American Red Cross
Doctors without Borders/Medecins sans Frontieres
Engineers without Borders
Partners in Health
Unicef…, among others.
(In order to evaluate a charitable organization, visit the Charity Navigator site).

News:
CNN Haiti Earthquake
Democracy Now! (headline news and recent shows)
New York Times, Haiti
Relief Web, Haiti

Country Information, Maps:
CountryWatch (Select country, Haiti)
Haiti, CIA World Factbook
Haiti, World Health Organization
Haiti Earthquake, Map, USGS

Health & Disaster Response:
Haiti Earthquake, Disaster Information Management Research Center, NLM, NIH

Books/Documents (campus collections):
Run a MadCat, Words Anywhere search, to flexibly retrieve records to books, documents and audiovisual items from campus collections or browse this index of subject-headings. Click on a heading of interest to pull records to those collection items.

• Haiti: Past and Present Research Guide, UW-Madison Libraries (includes listing of film series event)
  

Blog post inspiration credit to UMass-Amherst librarian, Isabel E. who has generated a “Disaster in Haiti" Research Guide for her campus.

Finding Course Reserves

If you are a student, you can access your e-reserve content by logging in to MyUW and selecting the Library/Reserves link listed with your registered classes. Similarly, you can access these same library links from within Learn@UW.

Should your instructor have placed materials for you to use at one of our campus libraries, visit the MadCat catalog to run a Course Reserves search. Do note that Reserve loan periods can vary by library location and fines may be applied if these Reserve items are returned late; do return your Reserve items to the library from where you have borrowed them.

• Course Reserve Borrowing Policies (Steenbock)

Tours and Workshops

Steenbock Library offers free tours and drop-in workshops to students and staff!

Come learn about library resources and services that can make your work easier. We offer a variety of workshops to satisfy many interests, whether that is to harness a citation management product or to search more effectively using Google or the MadCat Catalog.

Plan to attend any of the workshops on the current spring schedule (and printable PDF). If you cannot attend one of these particular workshops, we can arrange individual or small group sessions. Send us your request using our online form.

All workshops are free and include hands-on time to explore the resource. No reservations are necessary. We look forward to seeing you there!

Textbooks, Options & Alternatives

Need textbooks? Visit My UW Textbook list (Academics tab) or the University Bookstore Text Department site to see what texts may be required for your classes this coming term. In addition to the campus bookstore, you may also be able to purchase necessary texts from your local and/or independent new and used booksellers.

In addition to that which could be purchased, the frugal student may also wish to consult campus libraries and Reserve collections. Depending upon what your required reading may entail, some texts may be available in campus libraries. Search MadCat or expand your search to the UW-System to find items to borrow. Please do realize that while you may be able to renew those items from our campus and UW-System collections, demand for a particular item may initiate a recall in which you would be prompted to return the item so that another library user could also view the text.

Many texts are also placed on Reserve in campus libraries. Visit My UW (Academics tab) or Learn@UW to find information about all reserve items that may be available for your class—either in a digitized format or held physically at a library location. (In this latter instance, you can also search for Reserve items using the MadCat Course Reserve search).

ASM Spring Bus Pass Distribution

ASM bus passes for the spring semester can be picked up at Steenbock Library.

Collect your pass, weekdays (January 11-15), 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM and (January 19-22; January 25-29), 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM in Room 240 (across the room from the main entrance).

While most UW students qualify for an ASM Bus Pass, there are some conditions. See the ASM FAQ page to learn more.

If you are not able to pick up your pass during this three week period, you will be able to pick one up from ASM StudentPrint Offices, beginning February 2, 2010. StudentPrint is located on the third floor of the Student Activity Center, 333 East Campus Mall.

Transit Tracker

If you are a bus commuter, it is nice to know when you can expect your bus to arrive--particularly during these very cold days (and with recess changes to campus routes). While you can view route schedules at the City of Madison Metro Transit site, real time arrivals can be tracked using its Transit Tracker—either with text-based arrival times or with live mapping.

Should service deviate due to special events or to severe weather, visit the Detours page for updates. You can also register to receive Rider Alerts to your preferred email account.

Liaison Services @ Your Library

Have you met your liaison? The winter intersession can be a good time to get acquainted. Steenbock liaisons work as principal contacts for each department and program the library serves.

Find liaisons by Department/Program/Center; Find liaisons by Name

Library liaisons can provide the following services:

• Assist with library services and policies (e.g., Library Express, faculty runner cards, UW System search and retrieval…),

• Customize email alerts to keep you informed about new articles matching your topic criteria and tables of contents of your favorite journals,

• Provide in-depth reference consultations—our office or yours--(e.g., help with strategy and database choices, customize your own alerts…),

• Supply customized instructional sessions and course web pages for students (e.g, hands-on training in using specific databases in your subject area, cited reference searching, evaluating websites),

• Verify citations,

• Assist with purchase requests or recommendations,

• Consult on questions related to publishing your research (e.g., identifying target journals, managing copyright, measuring research impact, open access publishing),

• Provide in-depth orientation for new faculty, staff, graduate students, and project and research assistants.