MIT Libraries News

MIT researchers tackle big data

MIT will host an Intel-sponsored research center to look at ways of handling “big data,” collections of data so immense and complex they cannot be processed by tools that currently exist. The center will be led by Electrical Engineering and Computer Science professor Samuel Madden and adjunct professor Michael Stonebraker. In addition to the Intel center, the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab launched a new industry-sponsored initiative called bigdata@CSAIL. As a part of the center and initiative, faculty and scientists at CSAIL will collaborate with corporate and university researchers beyond MIT to work on projects like analyzing biological data in search of more accurate diagnostic techniques or increasing the security and privacy of financial information.

Explore Professor Madden’s research in the Open Access Articles collection in DSpace@MIT, where it is openly accessible to the world.

Since the MIT faculty established their Open Access Policy in March 2009 they have made thousands of research papers freely available to the world via DSpace@MIT. To highlight that research, we’re offering a series of blog posts that link news stories about scholars’ work to their open access papers in DSpace.

MIT researchers bid adieu to sticky condiments

It is a problem familiar to most of us: The last ounces of ketchup just won’t shake free from the bottle, so we throw it out, wasting food and money. In May, the architects of a solution won the audience choice award at MIT’s $100K Entrepreneurship Competition. Scientists from the lab of mechanical engineering professor Kripa Varanasi invented a plant-based coating they call LiquiGlide, a slippery material that helps any condiment—from honey to mayonnaise—slide easily out of glass or plastic. “We’ve talked to various folks in the supply chain, from equipment makers to bottle makers to food companies, and they all love it and want it in their bottles,” Varanasi told the Boston Globe. Varanasi’s lab has also created surfaces and coatings that keep frost off planes and allow water to flow more efficiently through pipes.

Explore Professor Varanasi’s research in the Open Access Articles collection in DSpace@MIT, where it is openly accessible to the world.

Since the MIT faculty established their Open Access Policy in March 2009 they have made thousands of research papers freely available to the world via DSpace@MIT. To highlight that research, we’re offering a series of blog posts that link news stories about scholars’ work to their open access papers in DSpace.

CSAIL professor celebrated as outstanding woman in computer science

In April, CSAIL professor Nancy Lynch was named the Athena Lecturer, an annual award from the Association for Computing Machinery that celebrates women who have made fundamental contributions to computer science. Lynch will give a talk at an ACM conference and receive a $10,000 prize from Google. “We’d certainly like to attract more attention to the success of women researchers,” said Lynch in a Boston Globe interview, “so we can get more women inspired to get into the field.”

Explore Professor Lynch’s research in the Open Access Articles collection in DSpace@MIT, where it is openly accessible to the world.

Since the MIT faculty established their Open Access Policy in March 2009 they have made thousands of research papers freely available to the world via DSpace@MIT. To highlight that research, we’re offering a series of blog posts that link news stories about scholars’ work to their open access papers in DSpace.

eLife, a new collaborative initiative backed by Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Max Planck Society, and the Wellcome Trust, announced the board of reviewing editors today for its new open access journal, eLife. Of the 175 editors, five are faculty from MIT: Barbara Imperiali (Biology), Nancy Kanwisher (Brain & Cognitive Sciences), Michael Laub (Biology), Aviv Regev (Biology), and David Sabatini (Biology).

According to the news release, eLife’s “first aim is to publish an open-access journal for the most important discoveries that is also a platform for experimentation and showcasing innovation in research communication.” The eLife journal, focused on life and biomedical science, is intended to offer “a top-tier open-access journal covering basic biological research through to applied, translational and clinical studies.”

eLife‘s goal is to “accelerate scientific advancement by promoting modes of communication whereby new results are made available quickly, openly, and in a way that helps others to build upon them.” Toward that end, eLife plans to “make decisions quickly; deliver a fair, transparent, and supportive author experience; and create maximum potential exposure for published works.”

eLife will launch toward the end of 2012.

For more information on eLife and other open access journals:

• New York Times article about eLife
• Open Access FAQ

Since the MIT faculty established their Open Access Policy in March 2009 they have made thousands of research papers freely available to the world via DSpace@MIT. To highlight that research, we’re offering a new series of blog posts that link news stories about scholars’ work to their open access papers in DSpace.

New climate circulation model shows Southern Ocean’s importance

As reported in the MIT News, Oceanography professor John Marshall and colleague Kevin Speer offer an updated ocean circulation model that emphasizes the Southern Ocean’s influence on the earth’s climate and climate change. Previous research has focused on the North Atlantic, but Marshall and Speer’s recent paper, a review of past observations and research, pinpoints the water circling Antarctica as a key player in the global circulation system.

Explore Professor Marshall’s research in the Open Access Articles collection in DSpace@MIT, where it is openly accessible to the world.

The Elsevier boycott started by mathematician Timothy Gowers has grown to over 8,900 names, with 81 signatories from MIT, 12 of whom list affiliations with the MIT Mathematics department. Adjunct MIT Professor of Mathematics Henry Cohn, one of the boycott signatories, is co-author of a new article “Mathematicians Take A Stand” that explains the reasoning behind the boycott.

The article, which has been accepted for publication in the Notices of the American Mathematical Society, argues that Elsevier “has aggressively pushed bundling arrangements that result in libraries paying for journals they do not want and that obscure actual costs,” has “fought transparency of pricing,” and has “imposed restrictions on dissemination by authors.” For example, Cohn and co-author Douglas Arnold of University of Minnesota point out that “if your institution mandates posting the accepted author manuscript in its repository, then Elsevier stipulates that you may not–although they permit such posting when there is no mandate!”

The authors report that push-back on Elsevier’s practices has had a real impact. Following the boycott, Elsevier publicly withdrew its support for the Research Works Act (RWA), which would have prohibited the government from establishing open access mandates for research it funds. Elsevier’s withdrawal of support came just hours before its sponsors declared the bill dead. “This victory,” Arnold and Cohn note, “confirmed the boycott’s success in delivering a message where we were never able to get through before.”

In addition to reversing position on the Research Works Act, Elsevier issued a “Letter to the Mathematics Community,” announcing a “target price” for core mathematics titles, and promising to address concerns about “large discounted agreements,” as well as opening access to the archives of 14 core mathematics journals from 1995 up to four years prior to the present day. Arnold and Cohn call for “expansion to the full set of mathematical journals and the period before 1995,” as well as a “binding commitment” to the changes Elsevier has made. They also want Elsevier to “allow authors to post accepted manuscripts to any [noncommercial subject] repository, as well as to university repositories, regardless of whether there is a posting mandate,” and to include this in their publishing agreement with authors.

More broadly, the authors reflect that “it is too early to predict” what mix of publishing models will “emerge as the most successful” but that “any publisher that wants to be part of this mix must convince the community that they oversee peer review with integrity, that they aid dissemination rather than hinder it, and that they work to make high-quality mathematical literature widely available at a reasonable price.”

For more information:

• Statement of Purpose for the Elsevier boycott (signed by 34 mathematicians)
• Why Scientists are Boycotting a Publisher: Gareth Cook’s editorial in the Boston Globe
• Interview with Elsevier about the boycott, RWA, and more
• Elsevier Fact Sheet
  
• Elsevier statement in reversing support for the RWA including that they will still “continue to oppose government mandates in this area.”

When: Tues April 3, 12:00 – 1:00 pm

Where: 14N-132

While you won’t come out of this session qualified to be a patent attorney, you will be able to successfully find patent references from all over the world and know how to obtain patent text and diagrams. The session will be a hands-on practicum that will help de-mystify the patent literature and expose attendees to key resources for finding patents through free resources available on the web.

Please register for this session. For more information, please contact Howard Silver with any questions.

Please join us for the opening of the MIT Libraries’ latest exhibit GLASS AT MIT: BEAUTY AND UTILITY

Date: Friday, February 10, 2-4pm
Location: Maihaugen Gallery (14N-130)

A new exhibition in the Libraries’ Maihaugen Gallery explores glassmaking as revealed in glassware from MIT laboratories, blown glass from the MIT Glass Lab, and stunning stained glass windows from the Libraries’ Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection. Tools, early photographs, and selections from rare books demonstrate the combination of artistry and engineering that goes into the creation of glass.

This event is free and open to the community.

Please join us for a presentation by Sayeed Choudhury on the development of research data management services provided to the Johns Hopkins University research community by the Sheridan Libraries (http://dmp.data.jhu.edu/).  This presentation is being hosted by the MIT Libraries’ Research Data Management Team, which provides support for managing research data created at MIT (http://libraries.mit.edu/data-management).

Date:  Monday, Nov. 7th
Time:  2-3pm
Place: 6-120

Bio: G. Sayeed Choudhury is the Associate Dean for Library Digital Programs and Hodson Director of the Digital Research and Curation Center at the Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins University. He is also the Director of Operations for the Institute of Data Intensive Engineering and Science (IDIES) based at Johns Hopkins. He is the Principal Investigator for the Data Conservancy, one of the awards through NSF’s DataNet program. He has oversight for the digital library activities and services provided by the Sheridan Libraries at Johns Hopkins University.

Staying up late in the library is common at MIT, but in this video, six grad students pull an all-nighter for a different reason – to prove that the Earth is rotating about its axis. How do they accomplish this? With a 160-year old demonstration called a Foucault’s Pendulum.

Business analyst data for Boston's Back Bay neighborhood

This package combines detailed data about business, consumer spending, demographics, segmentations, and major shopping centers with tools for analyzing geographically.

Find out more about the data types available and its capabilities.

Business Analyst Desktop is available in the MIT GIS Lab for teaching and research purposes. Business Analyst Online is also available for teaching in MIT classes. Contact gishelp@mit.edu with questions or if you would like access to Business Analyst Online for a class.

The MIT Libraries have been working hard during your summer vacation. Here are some of the new things you can look forward to this fall:

New resources

• Have a smart phone? Now you can go to the MIT Mobile Web to search for and request books and more.
• Find out how to use and cite images (and other content) with a new guide on copyright & fair use.
• Need help managing your data? Get assistance, attend workshops, or schedule an individual consultation on the guide for finding and managing data.
• Download new ESRI ArcGIS 10 software and improved MIT Geodata Search Tool for ArcGIS. Find GIS lab hours, workshops and more.

Library hours & study space

• The Hayden Library group study room (14E-311) is now equipped with a touch-screen reservation system and new video conferencing equipment.
• Study under the Dome: new group study rooms on the 8th Floor of  Barker Library open soon.
• Longer hours have returned!  See hours for all library locations.
• Get answers to all your questions about borrowing with helpful new FAQs: Circulation FAQ and Course Reserves FAQ.
• Questions? Ideas or Comments?

Upcoming Events

• We’re offering a wide variety of events throughout the fall.  Find out about scheduled readings, talks, workshops, exhibits and more.

View the What we did on your summer vacation flyer (pdf).

Come learn about creating maps and doing geographic analysis!

Register for the Fall GIS workshop series.

Workshops include:

• Introduction to GIS – Friday, Sept. 23, 1-3:30 pm or Tuesday, Sept. 27, 4-5:30 pm.  This session will introduce students to open source and proprietary GIS options.
• Introduction to GIS for Architecture – Wednesday, Oct. 12, 12:30-2 pm
• Discovering and Using US Census Data – Tuesday, Oct. 18, 1-3:30 pm
• Exploring Spatial Patterns using ArcMap – Tuesday, Nov. 1, 1-3:30 pm
• Introduction to Spatial Statistics Tools and Analysis in ArcMap – Tuesday, Nov. 8, 1-3:30 pm
• Introduction to Regression Analysis in ArcMap – Tuesday, Nov. 15, 1-3:30 pm

A new touch-screen reservation device has been installed outside the Hayden Library 3rd-floor group study room (14E-311).  You can reserve the study room using this new touch-screen device or reserve the room in advance through your online calendar.  You can also view the room schedule to check on availability.

For full details on scheduling 14E-311 and other MIT Libraries group study rooms, see reserving group study spaces.

Features of the Hayden group study room include:

• 14 chairs
• 6 tables, each 30″ x 60″– use separately or group together
• 37” LCD widescreen monitor (wall-mounted) with laptop connector cable
• large chalkboard
• tall windows — much daylight, view of Hayden Courtyard
• window blinds — block light during presentations

If you have questions about using the Hayden group study room, contact the library at 617.253.5671.

Happy studying!

The latest version of the ESRI GIS software (including ArcGIS/ArcMap) and ESRI Data and Maps are now available to the MIT community via download from: http://ist.mit.edu/services/software/esri/10

Use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to make maps and analyze spatial information. Learn more about using GIS for your teaching at research at MIT GIS Services.

The Hayden Library (14S-100) has added two new Kindles and two new Nooks to their lending repertoire.  Each device is loaded with public domain works and several freely available MIT Press titles.  If you’ve wanted to see if e-reading is for you – now is your chance to test drive the technology.  Check out the Barton records (below) to see if they are available, and if not – contact any service desk to have your name added to the waiting list.  The loan period is one week.

Check availability of  Nooks: http://library.mit.edu/item/001966701

Check availability of Kindles: http://library.mit.edu/item/001966700

Any questions? Just Ask Us!

The MIT Libraries have recently joined HathiTrust, a partnership of over fifty academic libraries that share the ambitious goal of building a comprehensive digital library of their shared collections.

Started in 2008, the HathiTrust digital library currently contains over 8.5 million digitized volumes representing the collections of partner institutions. HathiTrust’s collections include both copyright and public domain materials digitized by Google, the Internet Archive, and Microsoft, as well as partner institutions.  Founded by twelve universities from the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the University of California system and the University of Virginia, the partnership has now grown to include fifty-five institutions.  MIT and Harvard are two of the most recent universities to join.

Through the HathiTrust website, the public can search the full-text of 8.4 million digitized volumes, and get full online access to 2.2 million volumes that are in the public domain.  With the MIT Libraries membership, the MIT community will have the added benefit of being able to download full volumes of public domain works in PDF format, and also build and share collections using the Collection Builder feature.  Access will be provided to MIT users, with authentication through Touchstone, later this year.

Joining HathiTrust is one of several steps the MIT Libraries have recently taken to expand access for MIT faculty and students to print or digitized resources beyond the holdings of MIT.  In January, the Libraries announced their membership in Borrow Direct, a partnership with Ivy Plus libraries that gives the MIT community access to nearly 50 million print items. In February, MIT and Harvard libraries jointly announced an expanded alliance to explore collaborations for sharing library materials, advancing digital preservation collections practice, and developing future off-site storage facilities and services.

“In today’s interdisciplinary learning environment, it’s essential for our faculty, students and researchers to have access to an even wider array of information resources than ever before.  By collaborating with other outstanding research libraries, we can offer the resources necessary to support the cutting edge research and education that is MIT’s hallmark,” said MIT Director of Libraries, Ann Wolpert.

Wolpert added that it is important for universities to take a leading role in shaping digital libraries. “Libraries have been stewards of the scholarly record for centuries,” she said.  “We’re committed to the long haul.”

The MIT Libraries are actively involved in open access initiatives that support MIT’s mission to make scholarly knowledge openly available to the world.  Partnering with HathiTrust, an organization committed to collecting, organizing, preserving, communicating, and sharing the record of human knowledge, is in line with the Libraries principles of supporting the long-term curation of the cultural record, and furthering global scholarship and research.

Want to learn about GIS online, on your own time? The MIT community has access to many virtual campus courses from ESRI. Courses can help students learn many skills including: using ArcGIS, working in 3D, raster analysis, programming with Python, and creating mobile GIS applications. The virtual campus addresses a variety of topics including getting started with the basics of GIS and working with HAZUS – using GIS technology to estimate physical, economic, and social impacts of disasters.

The MIT community can sign up for ESRI virtual campus courses for free by emailing gishelp@mit.edu. For a listing of available courses visit the MIT GIS Services website: http://libraries.mit.edu/gis/teach/esrivc.html

For updates about GIS related events, new GIS data and software, and more subscribe to mitgis@mit.edu by visiting: http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/mitgis

SciFinder Mobile is now available to those registered to use the web version of SciFinder at MIT.

Accessing SciFinder Mobile is easy. Using the web browser on your smartphone

1. Visit scifinder.cas.org/mobile.
2. Sign in with your SciFinder web version username and password and you’ll be seamlessly directed to the mobile-friendly version of SciFinder.

Use SciFinder Mobile anytime and anyplace.

With SciFinder Mobile, you can:

• Explore by Research Topic. Locate information on a specific area of research

• Explore by Substance Identifier. Search for substances of interest to retrieve information such as molecular formula, predicted properties, and experimental properties

• Explore by Author Name. Enter an author’s name to locate their published research

• Explore by Company Name. Find articles and patents issued by a particular company, academic institution, or government organization

• Review Keep Me Posted Alerts.* Stay up-to-date with the latest information found via SciFinder Keep Me Posted alerts that were Previously created in the web version of SciFinder

• Retrieve Saved Answer Sets.* Review search results from SciFinder Saved Answer Sets

* From alerts and answer sets that were previously created in the web version of SciFinder

Remember you are limited to 100 detailed substance or reference displays per day.

Questions, contact the CAS Customer Center at help@cas.org, or 800-753-4227.

New agreement reflects physical proximity, cross-registration, joint programs, and research affinities

The Provosts of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have charged their respective library systems to explore expanded collaborations for sharing library materials, advancing digital preservation and collection, and developing future off-site storage facilities.

Both institutions have identified increased collaboration between and among their complementary libraries as an essential element in developing the research library of the 21^st century. While an ambitious level of collaboration is anticipated, each library system will remain engaged with and guided by the respective missions and priorities of each university. While enhanced collaboration may serve to reduce prospective costs, the focus of the collaboration is on the future of 21^st-century library services, technologies, and collections.

“No single library system can expect to meet the full intellectual needs of the academic and research communities of MIT and Harvard,” stated Harvard Provost Steven E. Hyman. “A wide-ranging exploration of all opportunities for collaboration is of great interest to both institutions.”

Both formal and informal relationships already exist between the MIT and Harvard libraries. MIT has shared in the use of the Harvard Depository since its inception in 1985. A 1995 agreement between Harvard College Library (HCL) and MIT brought reciprocal borrowing privileges to faculty, researchers, and graduate students in both institutions. An April 2010 pilot program extended those privileges to undergraduate students.

While traditional library materials have been the focus of prior agreements, digital materials are at the forefront of the new alliance.

“The increasing primacy of digital materials brings its own urgency to our collaboration, ” observed MIT Provost L. Rafael Reif.  “As new models of online information delivery emerge, Harvard and MIT can support joint programs for open-access as well as joint acquisition and licensing approaches that are appropriate for education and academic research.”

Under the agreement, the two libraries will develop a four-tiered action plan by the end of 2011.  The four tiers are:

Reciprocal access to circulating collections

By developing linked access between Harvard and MIT library catalogs and implementing reciprocal privileges that extend to Harvard’s graduate and professional school libraries, library patrons can anticipate full access to 20 million volumes that users will experience as a single collection.

Enhancing digital preservation and collection practices

MIT and Harvard have earned leadership roles through their open access programs and repositories and through their respective approaches to digital preservation. High priority areas for collaborative growth include digital archives of faculty papers and web-based publications.

Developing wider access to electronic information

Questions of electronic serials pricing, and the costs of building digital information management and delivery systems, point to opportunities for Harvard and MIT to investigate new models for licensing agreements, as well as alternative, open access forms of publication that reflect each institution’s commitment to the dissemination of new knowledge.

Envisioning joint off-site storage facilities for the future

Harvard and MIT have shared the Harvard Depository for high-density, non-browsable, off-site storage since 1985. Together, the two universities could effectively anticipate both a new service model and an additional facility for off-site storage.

“We’ve enjoyed a collaborative working relationship with Harvard’s libraries for many years,” said Ann Wolpert, Director of the MIT Libraries.  “This new agreement builds on our successes and underscores the commitment we share to provide our communities with the best and broadest range of resources possible, and to be at the forefront of advancing the digital preservation of scholarly work.”

“In several ways, the libraries of Harvard and MIT are already united by proximity and affinity,” said Helen Shenton, Executive Director of the Harvard Library. “Our new agreement supports the distinct priorities of two very singular universities. At the same time, it challenges us to collaborate on a sustainable information ecosystem for the 21st century.”

Because JSTOR has recently reported excessive, systematic downloading of articles at MIT, we need to add a new layer of access control. This is the only way to prevent recurrence of the abuse and therefore the only way to ensure ongoing access to this valuable resource for the MIT Community.

How this affects your access:

• Whether you are on- or off-campus, you must use either the shortcut URL for JSTOR (http://libraries.mit.edu/get/jstor) or use the JSTOR link in Vera in order to be recognized as a subscriber.
• Your current MIT status will be verified as you are passed through to the JSTOR site.
• This change will take effect by Wednesday, January 12, and as early as Monday, January 10.

If you find you have any problem with access, please email econtrol-lib@mit.edu.

The incidents that prompted this change involved the use of a robot, which is prohibited by JSTOR’s Terms and Conditions of Use . Additionally, these incidents violated MITnet Rules of Use. Continued access to JSTOR and other resources is dependent on the MIT Community complying with these policies.

Thank you,
Steve Gass
Associate Director for Research & Instructional Services
MIT Libraries

MIT GIS Services has recently added new Garmin GPSMAP62s GPS units to our collection.

These new units have a high sensitivity quad helix antenna, so they pick up satellite signals quickly. They also have a color display, are easily readable in the dark and in bright sunlight, have 1.7 gigabytes of memory, and are easily recognized by computers via a USB cable.

These are now available for checkout through the Rotch Library front desk.
For more information visit: http://libraries.mit.edu/gis/software/gps.html

photo by: Tom Pixton

All MIT Libraries locations, with the exception of the 24-hour study facilities in Hayden and Dewey libraries, will be closed Thursday, December 23, 2010 through Sunday, January 2, 2011, as a cost saving measure to meet Institute budget reductions.

During the closure, the Libraries’ website, Barton, Vera and access to electronic licensed resources will be available.  However, most library staff will be on furlough and will not be available to offer assistance. A small number of staff will be on-call to address any reported system outages; reasonable attempts will be made to bring systems back online as soon as possible.

While it will continue to be possible to make online requests for some MIT Libraries’ services or materials, these requests will not be acted upon until the Libraries reopen.  Due dates for materials on loan have been adjusted to reflect the closure – no items will be due during this period and fines will not accrue.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

Visit our library hours page for a complete list of individual library hours.

Please send questions, comments or concerns to budgetfeedback-lib@mit.edu.

Date: Wednesday, November 03 2010, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Location: Killian Hall MIT Room 14W-111

Registration: https://alum.mit.edu/smarTrans/register-login.vm?eventID=48142&groupID=146

Physical/Virtual:  MIT Libraries in the Digital Age, a program sponsored by the MIT Alumni Club of Boston, will feature a panel discussion moderated by Ann Wolpert, Director of Libraries.   This discussion will explore the diverse ways the Libraries support teaching and research at MIT today. The panel will include Tom Rosko, Head of the Institute Archives and Special Collections; Ellen Duranceau, Program Manager of Scholarly Publishing and Licensing; and Angie Locknar, a librarian who will discuss innovative instructional programs (including collaboration with Don Sadoway’s famous Introduction to Solid State Chemistry).

Looking to gain skills in working with statistical analysis software packages?  The following classes will be taught by the Harvard-MIT Data Center (HMDC) Statistical Trainer starting this week.  Note: pre-registration required; also, there will be time at the end of each session for individual assistance, so feel free to bring your research questions.

Where: All workshops held in 1-115.

1. Introduction to Stata

This workshop is designed for individuals who have little or no experience using Stata software. You will learn how to navigate Stata’s graphical user interface, create log files, and import data from a variety of software packages. We will also share tips for getting started with Stata including the creation and organization of do-files, examining descriptive statistics, and managing data and value labels.

When: Thursday, September 30th, 1-4pm; Space is limited: pre-register online

2. Data Management in Stata

Topics covered include basic data manipulation commands such as: recoding variables, creating new variables, working with missing data, and generating variables based on complex selection criteria. Participants will be introduced to strategies for merging datasets (adding both variables and observations), and collapsing datasets. Prerequisite: a general familiarity with Stata (such as taking the Intro. workshop).

When: Thursday, October 14th, 1-4pm; Space is limited: pre-register online

3. Regression Using Stata

This hands-on class will provide a comprehensive introduction to estimating the linear regression model using ordinary least squares in Stata. Topics covered include: univariate and multiple regression, dummy variables, interaction effects, hypothesis tests, assumption testing, and strategies for organizing model testing. Prerequisites: General familiarity with Stata, including importing and managing datasets and data exploration (such as taking the Intro. workshop); knowledge of the linear regression model and ordinary least squares estimation.

When: Monday, October 25th, 1-4pm; Space is limited: pre-register online

4. Graphics in Stata

Graphs are a powerful and memorable means of communicating quantitative information. This hands-on class will provide a comprehensive introduction to graphics in Stata. Topics for the class include graphing principles, descriptive graphs, and post-estimation graphs. Prerequisite: a general familiarity with Stata (such as taking the Intro. workshop).

When: Thursday, November 4th, 1-4pm; Space is limited: pre-register online

5. Introduction to SAS

This course is intended for individuals with little to no experience using SAS, a powerful statistical software package available on Athena.  With hands-on exercises, explore SAS’s many features and learn how to import and manage your data in SAS. Novices welcome!

When: Monday, November 15th, 1-4pm; Space is limited: pre-register online

6. Introduction to R

Get an introduction to R, the open-source system for statistical computation and graphics available on Athena. With hands-on exercises, learn how to import and manage datasets, create R objects, and generate figures. Novices welcome!

When: Monday, December 6th, 1-4pm; Space is limited: pre-register online

————————————
Can’t make these times? MIT affiliates can alternatively attend these workshops at Harvard.

Questions? Contact Katherine McNeill, Social Science Data Services and Economics Librarian, mcneillh@mit.edu.

Monday, Sept.20 at 3pm in Killian Hall (14W-111)

Join us for a lively discussion and Q&A with Gioia De Cari from “Truth Values: One Girl’s Romp though MIT’s Male Math Maze,” an autobiographical solo show in which she reflects with wit and wisdom on her experience at MIT, the world of elite mathematics and the role of women in science.  The discussion will be followed by refreshments and a chance to win tickets to “Truth Values!”

This event is sponsored by the MIT Libraries in conjunction with “Tell her to go to it” an exhibit on women’s experiences at MIT. For more information about the exhibit see the gallery website, or contact maihaugen-lib@mit.edu.

Learn how to manage your articles and cite your references more effectively in these hands-on workshops.  Register now for October.

All workshops will take place in the Digital Instruction Resource Center (DIRC), 14N-132.

Managing Your References:   Overview of EndNote, RefWorks, and Zotero

WHEN:   Wednesday, October 6, 5 – 6pm

Citation management software is an important tool in today’s academic world.   These software packages allow users to search databases, retrieve relevant citations, and build a bibliography, to be added to a paper or thesis or stored for future reference.  But which software product should you use, and how do you get started?

This session will focus on Endnote, RefWorks, and Zotero, the three major options for citation software at MIT.  We will compare the three and introduce some of the basic concepts and functionality of each program.

Please pre-register for this session.   Contact Mat Willmott with questions.

EndNote Basics

WHEN:   Wednesday, October 13, 5 – 6pm

EndNote is a “personal bibliographic software” package that allows you to create and manage a database of bibliographic references.  Come to this hands-on workshop to learn how to use Endnote to manage your citations, create bibliographies and more.

Please pre-register for this session.   Contact Peter Cohn with any questions.

RefWorks Basics

WHEN:  Wednesday, October 20, 5 – 6pm

RefWorks is a web-based resource to help you organize references, create a bibliography, and easily cite references as you write your paper.  It allows you to create individual or group accounts.

Please pre-register for this session.  Contact Anita Perkins with any questions.

Zotero Basics

WHEN:  Wednesday, October 27, 5 – 6pm

Zotero is a free, open-source program for Firefox that helps you collect, manage, cite, and share your citations and files.  With one click, you can save PDFs and citations for most articles, then cite them in Word or OpenOffice.  Make a searchable PDF library and find out how to publish dynamic bibliographies and collaborate by using group collections.  In this hands-on session, learn tips and tricks on how to use Zotero more efficiently to save you time and energy.  Bring a laptop or use one of our computers.

Please pre-register for this session.  Contact Remlee Green with any questions.

Welcome to the MIT Libraries!  We look forward to meeting you.  Join us for an event and learn what the Libraries have to offer.

Orientation: Fall 2010

Undergraduate Students || Graduate Students || All Students

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS:

Academic Expo
What: An expo of MIT’s academic departments and programs. The Libraries will be ready to answer your questions and offer information about our resources and services. Pick up handouts and goodies.
When: Wednesday, September  1, 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Where: Johnson Athletics Center (W34). Look for the Libraries’ banner.

Freshmen Explorations: Ice Cream Social
What: Build your own ice cream sundae!
When: Thursday, September 2, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Where: Lipchitz Courtyard (Building 14); rain location: hallway in front of Hayden Library (Building 14)

Hitchhiker’s Guide Library Tours
What: A walking tour of all the MIT Libraries, with special gifts for the first 10 attendees at each tour.
When: Saturday, August 28, 1:30 p.m, Thursday, September 2, 11 am and *Thursday, September 2, 2 pm
*this tour also stops for ice cream outside the Hayden Library, courtesy of the MIT Libraries
Where: Meet in Lobby 7

GRADUATE STUDENTS:

Graduate Student Orientation: Grad School 102
What: An introduction to the MIT Libraries services and resources.
When: Tuesday, August 31, 3:30 – 3:50 pm
Where: 34-101

11th Annual New Graduate Student Reception
What: A reception for new graduate students, with beverages and light
refreshments provided.
NOTE: Tickets may be purchased for $5 at the Graduate Student Council Information Booth.
When: Wednesday, September 1, 5 – 7 pm
Where: Barker Library Dome (Building 10-500)

ALL STUDENTS:

Health & Wellness Fair
What: Libraries’ staff will be ready to answer your questions and offer
information about our resources and services. Pick up handouts and goodies.
When: Friday, September 3, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Where: Kresge Oval, outside the Student Center

The Hayden Reading Room is undergoing renovation work this summer. Construction began after closing on Friday, May 21, at 7pm.

The construction work will  continue through August.

In the current stage of the project (effective date: July 16), the collections on the first floor are closed for browsing or retrieval. Use Barton’s Request button to have materials retrieved for you. We will also retrieve materials on-demand if you’re already in the library.

Benefits to the Hayden Library include:

• New Energy Efficient Lighting
• Improved safety with sprinkler system upgrade
• New Carpet, Acoustical Ceiling Tiles, and Paint

During the project portions of the collections on the first floor will not be browsable. Use Barton’s Request button to have them retrieved for you. We will also retrieve materials on-demand if you’re already in the library.

If you have further questions regarding access to materials, do so online or see the Hayden desk staff.

We are pleased to announce that we have just added access to all available IEEE e-books for the MIT Community. More than 300 book titles with links have been added to Barton, our library catalog, and all of the e-books are also accessible through IEEE Xplore. 70% of IEEE books published since 2000 are included in the package, with a few titles going back to 1974.

The eBooks collection spans numerous content areas, including Bioengineering, Power & Energy and Communication technologies, among other growing areas of research.