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SULAIR NEWS – March 4, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- WebLogin Changes Planned for March 10
- Observational Research in Green, Meyer, and Engineering Libraries
- Town Hall Meetings on Changes to Retirement Savings Plans (TDA and SCRP)
- Print on Demand Option for Springer eBooks
- Matt Jockers Helps Professor Build Metaphor Database
- *** Reference Question of the Week ***
1. WebLogin Changes Planned for March 10
WebLogin is about to get a facelift. Perhaps the most noticeable difference on the new WebLogin pages is that there is no Stanford seal. This change is driven largely by the increasing use of mobile devices. The new WebLogin pages will load faster without the graphic, especially on these devices. Additionally, the input fields for entering SUNet ID and password should scale to fit the device without having to zoom in.
On March 10, the new WebLogin page will be introduced on all Stanford web authenticated pages. If you have questions or concerns regarding this change, please submit a HelpSU request.
More information about WebLogin and WebAuth is available on the Stanford Web Auth service site.
--submitted by Nancy Ware (ITS)
2. Observational Research in Green, Meyer, and Engineering Libraries
The Steelcase WorkSpace Futures team is conducting an ethnographic study of how students in higher education study and do collaborative research --both inside and outside of the library. Because of the ongoing relationship between Steelcase and Stanford, the Stanford University Libraries have agreed to allow the Steelcase team to conduct research at Stanford during the week of March 9th. The Steelcase research project will include observations of student study space in Green and Meyer Libraries, at the Engineering Library, and at other areas in the Terman Engineering Center. The Steelcase team will also interview selected staff and student volunteers.
Signs will be posted in Green, Meyer and Engineering to alert patrons of the dates, times, and location of the observations. The signs will also inform students that their participation is voluntary, and will provide directions to alternate library spaces not affected by the Steelcase study.
For more information about the Steelcase Workspace project please see Steelcase Research Project, March 9-13, 2009.
Comments or questions about the study may be directed to Mimi Calter, Chris Bourg (Green Library), Helen Josephine (Engineering Library), or Richard Holeton (Meyer Library).
--submitted by Helen Josephine
3. Town Hall Meetings on Changes to Retirement Savings Plans (TDA and SCRP)
In February, all staff should have received a letter from Benefits announcing changes to the investment options available through SCRP and TDA. Benefits encourages you to attend a Town Hall meeting to learn more about these upcoming changes. Presented by a member of the Benefits staff, you will learn about the new investment options, how they work, and why the changes are being put into place.
Seating is now on a first come, first served basis; enrollment through STARS is not necessary.
Town Hall Meeting Dates
| Date |
Time |
Location |
| Thursday, March 5 |
11 a.m. Noon |
Porter Drive, San Francisquito Bldg/Ruby
Rm |
| Tuesday, March 10 |
Noon 1 p.m. |
Redwood Hall, G19 |
| Thursday, March 19 |
Noon 1 p.m. |
Redwood Hall, G19 |
| Friday, March 27 |
Noon 1 p.m. |
Redwood Hall, G19 |
| Thursday, April 9 |
Noon 1 p.m. |
Redwood Hall, G19 |
| Thursday, April 16 |
Noon 1 p.m. |
Redwood Hall, G19 |
| Tuesday, April 21 |
Noon 1 p.m. |
Redwood Hall, G19 |
| Thursday, May 7 |
Noon 1 p.m. |
Redwood Hall, G19 |
| Tuesday, May 12 |
Noon 1 p.m. |
Redwood Hall, G19 |
| Thursday, May 28 |
Noon 1 p.m. |
Redwood Hall, G19
|
--submitted by Sheilaugh Sebastian
4. Print on Demand Option for Springer eBooks
The eBook division of Springer publishing and the Stanford Libraries are testing out a new service for print on demand copies of eBooks. The service is called MyCopy and it is an extension of Springers eBook platform. Over 11,500 titles are available in MyCopy format exclusively through SpringerLink.
MyCopy softcover books sell for $24.95 each (including shipping and handling). English language titles (including monographs, textbooks, reference works, and handbooks) with a copyright year of 2005 or later (832 pages or less) are currently available. Springer manages the order processing, production, and delivery. Orders are paid by credit card. Books are sent directly to the patron, not to the library. It takes 7-10 days for the book to arrive. MyCopy books will only be delivered to addresses that are located in the same country as the sponsoring institution.
Thanks to Paul Zarins and Linda Yamamoto for coordinating this test.
--submitted by Helen Josephine
5. Matt Jockers Helps Professor Build Metaphor Database
The San Jose Mercury News, recently published an article about how English literature professor Brad Pasanek is building a vast database of metaphors. Pasanek began this work while he was a graduate student in English at Stanford. Matt Jockers, SULAIR Academic Technology Specialist, got Brad started with his first database and consulted on the project as it matured. Begun in 2005, the database is now the largest metaphor database available.
"But the database was really only the beginning," Jockers said recently. "After graduating from Stanford, Pasanek teamed up with computer scientist D. Sculley in order to utilize the database as a training-set for a far more complex machine-learning problem."
"The nature of metaphor is such that it does not lend itself to easy detection by the usual sorts of pattern matching algorithms, Jockers said. "Structurally speaking, the phrase 'my love is a red rose' is very much the same as 'my dog is a blue heeler,'" Jockers said. "The former is metaphor, the latter is not."
Together, Pasanek and Sculley are experimenting with a type of machine-learned metaphor detection, and some of their initial work has been published in the journal Literary and Linguistic Computing.
Pasanek, who now teaches literature at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, says the database, still in its beta version, will continue to improve and expand.
See the Mercury News article for more details.
--submitted by Editorial Staff
6. *** Reference Question of the Week ***
Question: How can I mail something to a specific building at Stanford? I don't know what mail codes and ZIP codes to use.
Answer: The basic Stanford ZIP code is 94305, and you tack on the Stanford mail code after that. For example, the Law School's mail code is 8610, so you'd list the ZIP as 94305-8610. If you have a SUNet ID, you can see all of the mail codes here. If you don't have a SUNet ID, you'll need someone (like the folks at the Green Library Information Desk) to look them up for you.
You can find more reference questions and answers at the Information Center Web site.
To contribute to the Reference Question of the Week feature of SULAIR News, submit your question
and answer through the SULAIR News online submission form.
--submitted by Editorial Staff
SULAIR News is an electronic publication of Stanford University
Libraries and Academic Information Resources issued weekly. Copy deadline is
12:00 NOON Friday for publication on the following Wednesday. Submit items for
publication via the online submission system.
Editor: Eleanor Brown, Eleanor.Brown@stanford.edu
