World Bank e-Library: http://libraries.mit.edu/get/elib – updated search engine and new open access repository

Provides electronic access to over 7,000 books, reports, journals, and working papers published by the bank, many going back as far as the 1970s.

Note: the e-Library has new terms of use, including Creative Commons licenses that allow for broader usage.   This change was made in conjunction with the recent launch of the Open Knowledge Repository —the World Bank’s new site for providing open access to many of its research outputs and knowledge products.  In addition, a new Open Access Policy will go into effect on July 1st.

World Development Indicators and Global Development Finance: http://libraries.mit.edu/get/wdi – new interface

These two databases are now combined in a new interface with more functions for selecting and displaying data, performing customized queries, downloading data, and creating charts and maps.  Provides statistical time-series data on development and the global economy for countries worldwide. Includes a wide range of basic statistics, including social, economic, financial, natural resources, and environmental indicators. 1960 to present.

Also in the new World dataBank Suite: – new interface

• Africa Development Indicators: http://libraries.mit.edu/get/adi

Time series data for over 50 countries. Includes social, economic, financial, infrastructure, governance, partnership, and environmental indicators. 1960 to present.

World Bank Open Data Web Site: http://data.worldbank.org/

In a recent initiative, the Bank has created a new infrastructure for improving public access to its data.  Their Open Data site provides many new tools for accessing and visualizing their data, including:

• Downloads
• Data visualizations and a mapping platform
• Accessing World Bank Open Data in Stata
• Microdata Catalog (data available upon application)
• And much more

Library Catalog: Lastly, keep in mind that you can search for materials by the World Bank in the Libraries’ Barton Catalog by specifying it as the publisher in the Advanced Search.

Where: 14N-132

Want to find out how to obtain over one million tracks of streaming audio ranging from classical to jazz, popular, and contemporary world music? How about over 150,000 online music scores? Streaming video of poets reading from their work? Images so sharp you can see the shadow beneath the Mona Lisa’s smile? Or panoramic views of architectural sites from around the world?

Come to this session to learn how to bring these and other cultural treasures right to your desktop through the MIT Libraries.

Please register for this session. For more information, please contact Mark Szarko.

Where: Lobby 10

Celebrate National Bookmobile Day with the MIT Libraries! Check out new fiction and non-fiction, DVDs, and music (Bring your MIT ID if you want to borrow something).

For more information, please contact Theresa Tobin.

In conjunction with the Maihaugen Gallery exhibit opening of Glass at MIT: Beauty and Utility, the MIT Libraries have launched a new Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection website.

The website includes a slideshow and sampling of images from collection artwork, including stained glass panels and paper designs.  A history page provides insight into Connick as an artist, his studio, and how the collection came to MIT.  Additionally, it covers the contents of the collection and processing projects such as digitization and conservation.

Soon, researchers will be able to use the website to access digital images in the collection and to search a database of collection job files containing information on Connick windows around the country.

For more information on the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection, visit the new website or contact Jeremy Grubman, Project Manager, at jgrubman@mit.edu.

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.

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.

NYC Parcels

Detailed tax lot data for New York City from 2002 – 2011 is available through the MIT Geodata Repository.  Attributes include ownership information, building characteristics (number of floors, total units, year built, etc.), valuations for tax purposes, and more. Easily find available datasets by using borough names, like Manhattan, to search.

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.

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

Courtyard in bloom, photo by: Grace Liang

The Lipchitz Courtyard within Building 14 (adjacent to Hayden Library) is a hidden gem—a quiet, leafy retreat where you can find a sunny or shady spot to pull up a chair and read a book, or enjoy artwork from MIT’s Public Art Collection.  The courtyard contains three sculptures by 20th century Cubist artist Jacques Lipchitz.

The flower beds and planters in the courtyard are full of colorful flowers, thanks to the generosity of an MIT alumnus.  Stop by and see what’s in bloom!

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.

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

For a listing of course offerings and application information, see the ICPSR Summer Program web site.  For further information, contact Katherine McNeill, Social Science Data Services Librarian, at mcneillh@mit.edu.

"The Center Cannot Hold", 1993

Harry Ellenzweig: Works on Paper, 1955-2010

Opening reception: March 11, 2011, 6:00-8:00 pm

On view: March 4-31, 2011, Rotch Library (7-238)

Harry Ellenzweig, the founding principal of the Cambridge-based firm Ellenzweig, has practiced architecture for almost 50 years. His work has focused on innovative designs for major academic institutions, as well as a wide range of projects for research, medical and corporate clients. His most recent building is the just-completed David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research here at MIT. In addition, Mr. Ellenzweig is an artist, and has been painting since youth. His work is included in several museums and many private collections in the United States. He has described his graphic works as reflecting “a vision informed by the architect’s eye, a passion for forms found in nature and images of cities – the shared heritage merging with an imagined and abstracted urban landscape.”

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.”

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

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.

Omar Khalidi, photo by L. Barry Hetherington

Omar, who died on Monday, worked as the librarian for the Aga Khan Program in the MIT Libraries for over 20 years.  MIT News story.

Where: MIT Lewis Music Library, 14E-109

When: Monday, November 15, 2010, 5:00 pm

Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts were often beautiful, exceptionally crafted, and extraordinarily expensive items, and the modern facsimiles that seek to reproduce the originals can have the same qualities and drawbacks. By contrast, the Internet has brought images of many of these amazing artifacts to a wide audience at no cost. Yet the expensive, physical publications are still in wide demand by collectors and libraries. Dr. Jane Alden, Associate Professor of Music at Wesleyan University, will discuss this seeming paradox in her lecture, “Quill and Pixel: Chansonniers and their Modern Readers.” Dr. Alden will discuss ways in which today’s technology has changed our relationship to original manuscripts (especially 15th-century French songbooks) and what role published facsimiles may play in the future.
This event is free and open to the public.

Heart-shaped MS, 22 x 16 cm, 144 pp.

Reception: November 4, 2010, 5:30pm-7pm

The current exhibit at Rotch Library showcases the work conducted by Voices Beyond Walls, a non-profit media initiative supporting creative expression and human rights advocacy among impoverished youth, co-founded by Nitin Sawhney, Ph.D., a Lecturer and Research Fellow at the MIT Program in Art, Culture and Technology.

Voices Beyond Walls spent time in community centers in Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza to produce the photography and films showcased in the exhibit.

Re-imagining Gaza (2010) provides perspectives from Palestinian youth in Gaza City, the Jabaliya refugee camp, and the Gaza buffer zone, re-imagining their lives despite the ongoing blockade and recent war in the Gaza Strip.

Youth Visions of Jerusalem (2009) shows how Palestinian children develop spatial representations and creative media narratives in the contested spaces of the Old City and Shu’fat refugee camp, both a part of the divided city of Jerusalem today.

The exhibit was designed by Jegan Vincent de Paul, a Research Fellow in the MIT Program in Art, Culture and Technology. It is supported by the Council for the Arts at MIT and an ACT Director’s Discretionary Grant.

Overlooked, 2010, 18 inch square oil painting on stretched canvas

Rotch Library Exhibition – October 4–29, 2010

Reception: October 15, 4–6pm.

Water Works features paintings by Carol Schweigert from Dewey Library’s Access Services.  Schweigert’s passion is for painting from direct observation in both oil and gouache, indoors and out.  MIT and scenes on the Charles River are common themes she has explored.  Four MIT dome studies painted by Schweigert hang in Dewey Library and were the subject of an article in the May 3, 2010 issue of News@MITSloan.  This exhibit offers the opportunity to see more of Schweigert’s paintings and sketches.

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.

Register at: http://tinyurl.com/gisintro4arch

Learn about what you can do with GIS, common sources of GIS data, how to make your own GIS data, and gain hands-on experience using tools to create basic maps, export to CAD, Google Earth, or image formats, and work in 3D.

More information is available at: http://libraries.mit.edu/gis/teach/archintro.html

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.