The Libraries are hosting a series of classes all during the month of October! Some require registration and are filling up quickly – see below for details.

Managing your references: Overview of EndNote, Zotero, & Mendeley – Register
Thu October 3, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Remlee Green, remlee@mit.edu

Using citation management software to create and maintain a collection of references or PDFs is becoming more common and important in today’s academic world. These software packages (EndNote, Zotero, & Mendeley) 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. We’ll take a look at these 3 tools.

Please register for this session.

Intro to R – Register
Thu October 3, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, 1-115
Contact: Jennie Murack, murack@mit.edu

Get an introduction to R, the open-source system for statistical computation and graphics. With hands-on exercises, learn how to import and manage datasets, create R objects, install and load R packages, conduct basic statistical analyses, and create common graphical displays.

Prerequisite: This workshop is appropriate for those with little or no prior experience with R. MIT only – Athena login required.

Please register for this session.

Introduction to GIS for Architecture – Register
Fri October 4, 1:00 – 3:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Jennie Murack, murack@mit.edu

GIS is for architects too! Learn how to complete simple tasks using ArcMap GIS software, including making a basic map and exporting to CAD. This workshop is geared toward architecture students or those looking to learn how GIS can be used for architecture-related tasks.

Please register for this session.

Patent Searching Fundamentals
Thu Oct 10, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, 14N-132 – Register
Thu Oct 24, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, 14N-132 – Register
Contact: Howard Silver, hsilver@mit.edu

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 either the 10/10 or 10/24 session.

Intro to GIS – Register
Mon October 7, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Jennie Murack, murack@mit.edu

Learn the basics of visualizing and analyzing geographic information and creating your own maps in a Geographic Information System (GIS). We will introduce open source and proprietary GIS software options and let attendees choose to work through exercises using ESRI ArcGIS (proprietary) and/or Quantum GIS (QGIS) (open source). Learn to work with data from the MIT Geodata Repository, analyze the data, and create maps that can be used in reports and presentations.

Please register for this session.

R Programming – Register
Thu October 10, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, 1-115
Contact: Jennie Murack, murack@mit.edu

This intermediate R course will guide users through a variety of programming functions. This workshop covers blocks, loops, program flow, functions, S3 classes and methods, and debugging in R. This workshop is intended for those already comfortable with using R for data analysis who wish to move on to writing their own functions.

Prerequisite: A basic familiarity with R, such as acquired from an introductory R workshop. MIT only – Athena login required.

Please register for this session.

To Infinity and Beyond: Borrowing from a Galaxy of Libraries – Register
Fri October 18, 2:00 – 3:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Pat Page, pagep@mit.edu

Did you know you can access a universe of resources? Don’t let your research end with MIT’s holdings—this workshop will show you three trajectories to borrowing from non-MIT collections. We’ll explore the different benefits of these trajectories, so you can take your research to infinity—and beyond!

Please register for this session.

Endnote Basics – Register
Fri Oct 25, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Anita Perkins, perkins@mit.edu

EndNote is a “personal bibliographic software” package which allows you to create and manage a database of bibliographic references. Learn how to find and use information more effectively in our hands-on workshop.

Please register for this session.

Course Reserves at the MIT Libraries – Register
Wed October 30, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Molly McInerney, mcinerne@mit.edu

Are you a new instructor or teaching assistant at MIT, or are you an administrative assistant who supports teaching faculty? Do you want to learn more about course reserves and their copyright policies?

The MIT Libraries can help you navigate reserves services for print and electronic materials, and we will provide an overview of fair use and copyright guidelines for course reserves. We will also cover the details about submitting required textbook information via the Semester Book Submission Form.

Please register for this session.

Welcome to the MIT Libraries! We look forward to meeting you. Join us for an event and learn what the Libraries have to offer, or follow these tips to get started using the MIT Libraries.

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: Tuesday, August 27, 2013, 2 – 3:30 pm
Where: Johnson Athletics Center (W34). Look for the Libraries’ banner.

Hitchhiker’s Guide Library Tours
What: A walking tour of the MIT Libraries.
When: Thursday, August 29, tours start at 2 & 2:30 pm
Where: Meet in Lobby 7; Ends outside Hayden Library for the ice cream social.

Freshmen Explorations: Ice Cream Social
What: Free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream!
When: Thursday, August 29, 3 – 5 pm
Where: Lipchitz Courtyard (Building 14); rain location: hallway in front of Hayden Library (Building 14)

 

GRADUATE STUDENTS:

Graduate Student Orientation: Grad School 101
What: An introduction to the MIT Libraries services and resources.
When: Monday, August 26, 10:10 am – 12:00 pm
Where: 26-100

14th 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: Friday, August 30, 5 – 7 pm
Where: Barker Engineering Library Dome (Building 10-500)

 

ALL MIT COMMUNITY:

Health & Community 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: Tuesday, September 3, 1 – 4 pm
Where: Kresge Oval, outside the Student Center

Unless indicated otherwise, all sessions take place in the Digital Instruction Resource Center (DIRC), 14N-132.

Pre-registration is required for some, but not all sessions. See below for details.

Patent Searching Fundamentals – Register
Wed July 10, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Howard Silver, hsilver@mit.edu

You won’t come out of this session qualified to be a patent attorney, but 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.

Please register for this session.

Take Charge of Your Stuff: Personal Content Management Tools – Register
Mon July 15, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Peter Cohn, pcohn@mit.edu

Personal content management tools help you get organized so you can work more efficiently and save yourself time. Some tools help you organize all sorts of information (notes, pdfs, documents, etc.) and work more efficiently. Others let you annotate, cite, and/or share your content. In this session we’ll show you tools for doing this while working solo or in a group.

Please register for this session.

Research Data Management: File Organization – Register
Mon July 15, 2:00 – 3:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Katherine McNeill, mcneillh@mit.edu

Do you struggle with organizing your research data? Wonder if there’s a better way to arrange and name your data files to optimize your work? This workshop will teach you practical techniques for organizing your data files. Topics will include: file and folder organizational structures and file naming. Will include hands-on exercises to apply the concepts to your particular data project.

Please register for this session.

Introduction to GIS – Register
Tue July 16, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Jennie Murack, murack@mit.edu

Learn the basics of visualizing and analyzing geographic information and creating your own maps in a Geographic Information System (GIS). We will introduce open source and proprietary GIS software options and let attendees choose to work through exercises using ESRI ArcGIS (proprietary) and/or Quantum GIS (QGIS) (open source). Learn to work with data from the MIT Geodata Repository, analyze the data, and create maps that can be used in reports and presentations.

Please register for this session.

Digitization @MIT Libraries – Register
Wed July 17, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Andrew Haggarty, ahaggart@mit.edu

Boxes of dusty photos and slides? Old records sitting in the basement? Tax forms piling up in desk drawers? Take a tour through some of the digitization options available to the MIT community on campus through MIT Libraries, learn how to safely (and cheaply) digitize your items, and what steps you can take for long-term preservation.

Please register for this session.

Managing Your References: Overview of EndNote, Zotero and Mendeley – Register
Wed July 17, 4:00 – 5:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Peter Cohn, pcohn@mit.edu

Using citation management software to create and maintain a collection of references or PDFs is becoming more common and important in today’s academic world. These software packages (EndNote, Zotero, & Mendeley) 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. We’ll take a look at these 3 tools.

Please register for this session.

Managing Confidential Data – Register
Thu July 18, 9:00 – 3:00, 56-114
Contact: Randi Shapiro, shapiror@mit.edu

This tutorial provides a framework for identifying and managing confidential information in research. It is most appropriate for mid-late career graduate students, faculty, and professional research staff who actively engage in the design/planning of research. The course will provide an overview of the major legal requirements governing confidential research data; and the core technological measures used to safeguard data. And it will provide an introduction to the statistical methods and software tools used to analyze and limit disclosure risks.

Failures of confidentiality threaten research integrity, reputation, legality, and funding. Every researcher in the social, behavioral and health sciences must understand how to manage confidential information in research. Successful management of confidential information is particularly challenging because it requires satisfying a combination of complex legal, statistical and technological constants. And the management of this information has grown increasingly challenging because of recent changes in the law, new forms of data collection, and advances in statistical methods for linking data.

The course will be presented in a half-day format, followed by an individualized consulting session focused on each attendee’s research project.

Please register for this class.

GIS Level 2 – Register
Thu July 18, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Jennie Murack, murack@mit.edu

Expand your experience with GIS software and learn how to create and edit GIS files, geocode addresses onto a map, re-project data, and use tools like Clip, Buffer, and Spatial Join.

Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of ArcGIS (such as taking the Intro to GIS workshop)

Please register for this session.

Commercialize Your Science and Engineering Research – Register
Fri July 19, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Howard Silver, hsilver@mit.edu

This session will introduce scientists and engineers to business information resources that will help you understand the commercial potential for your ideas, how to find partners, and sources for financial support. We will use realistic examples and hands-on exercises with key resources to demonstrate how to match your ideas and discoveries with the opportunities and realities of the marketplace.

Please register for this session.

EndNote Basics
Wed July 31, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, 14N-132
Contact: Anita Perkins, perkins@mit.edu

EndNote is a “personal bibliographic software” package which allows you to create and manage a database of bibliographic references. Learn how to find and use information more effectively in our hands-on workshop.