Piping Up

I am trying to login to Refworks and get a page that says it is now a service of the Ontario Scholars Portal. However, when I click on the provided link http://refworks.scholarsportal.info.proxy.lib.sfu.ca, nothing happens.

A. Thanks for reporting this problem. There seems to be an issue with the vendor’s side. We have contacted Scholars’ Portal to let them know and hopefully the issue will be resolved soon.

Sincerely,
Yolanda
—
Yolanda Koscielski, MLIS
Liaison Librarian for Criminology, Engineering, and Computing Science

Q. Nice layout. Appreciate the subject database breakdown. Would help if proxy sign-in page was also mobile accessible.

A. Thank you for this welcome suggestion.

Regards,
Nina Saklikar, Web Librarian

Q. Although the “My Library Record” feature in MySFU is really helpful, we still need to login to SFU connect to use that feature, which is an extra step. It would be nice if we can login to the library record with our SFU login and password instead of having to go through SFU connect.

A. Hello,

Mark
—
Mark Jordan
Head of Library Systems

Q. When is the library going to create an iphone app for the library catalogue? The library catalogue is great and useful, but a little more use of social media (i.e. facebook and twitter) would be better. Thanks.

A. Hi, Thank you for your suggestions, and we’re so glad you’re happy with the catalogue!

Best regards,
Janis McKenzie
Head, Reference Division

Q. Dear Library Admin,

I wanted to know if a technician could please install java on the library laptops? I can’t do my math homework without it and I need to bring a laptop to the math workshop if I seek assistance with the online assignment components (LON-CAPA). This is the response I received:

Sorry, the GeoGebra Applet could not be started. Please make sure that Java 1.4.2 (or later) is installed and active in your browser (Click here to install Java now)

I would really appreciate a response, and possible actions that might be taken.

Thank you.

A. Hi,

Regards,
–
Daryl Clarke
Technician, Library Systems

I like the new Fast Search system – I’m finding all sorts of things that I wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s so much easier to find journal articles!

I was looking for a citation/reference manager only to later realize we have RefWorks at the library (see my review process here: http://mlsci.blogspot.com/2010/02/reference-management-software.html ). Yet I wonder how much the library is paying for RefWorks that could’ve been used to keep or expand the magazine subscriptions instead.

I suggest you look into supporting something that’s free, like CiteULike (which is sponsored by Springer, by the way), which is what I’m using now. An upshot of CiteULike is students who finish their studies at SFU can keep using the same site for reference managing as they move on to other schools or work for free.

Maybe RefWorks is “better” on a features count, but I’d rather the library subscribe to more magazines than pay for something that has comparable free alternatives. Maybe RefWorks is essentially free because of the library’s subscriptions to some journal collections, but I’d rather *I* don’t have to pay for it when I move on from SFU.

Just a thought. Thanks.

A: Thank you for writing. We are always working to balance costs of collections with other costs, including the products that support students’ and faculty’s work with these collections. At the time we first purchased RefWorks, there were fewer alternatives than there are now, but as you point out, the environment has changed a great deal since then, and we are keeping an eye on free and low-cost product options, including CiteULike and Zotero. If and when we make a change, we will also need to keep in mind the impact of a switch on the more than 12,000 members of the SFU community who currently have RefWorks accounts.

Best regards,
Janis
–
Janis McKenzie
Head, Reference Division

Q: Hello! I am an amateur scholar with no interest in becoming professional, although I do have a great interest in developing scholarly competencies as an amateur. I recently attended, with interest and profit, a workshop which I believe Learning Commons authorized on formatting techniques in Microsoft Word. As a mature student I would really APPRECIATE it if you could do a workshop on MICROSOFT WORD–THE BEGINNING BASICS, THE ESSENTIALS…I am talking about saving, saving to the computer system here, the distinction between this system and what you might have at home, and so on. In other words a tutorial on the basics. There is a program on line in this subject but it does not operate easily on your system. Thank you.

P.S. I am available of one on one at the Commons on most day.

A: Hi – The SLC sponsors introductory Word, Excel, and Powerpoint workshops, delivered by Campus IT technicians. See http://workshops.learningcommons.sfu.ca/?q=workshops/3 to see the options and sign up.

Best regards,
Elaine
——–
Elaine Fairey
Associate University Librarian, Bennett Public Services
& Director, Student Learning Commons