LibConnect February 2018

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From the Desk of Gulcin Cribb
University Librarian

Welcome to 2018!

 

Thank you for your amazing support and usage of SMU Libraries. 2017 was another popular year, with almost 1.4 million entries between Li Ka Shing and Kwa Geok Choo Libraries, an 11% increase over the 2016 figures.

I am delighted to share with you that Level 4 of Li Ka Shing Library has been recently renovated with the addition of some new furniture providing a variety of learning spaces to suit different needs. There is something for everyone, including collection of original paintings to inspire.

It is wonderful to see groups of students creating their own personalized corners in different parts of the Library. We are aware that Library is the preferred learning space for many, not only for individual and group work, but also for participating in classes offered by librarians and visiting speakers on topics ranging from law research to finding and using economic data and statistics to companies research, managing research data, making infographics and organizing references using different tools for research.

There are many exciting events and services happening over the next few months, so watch this space and library announcements.

Gulcin Cribb
University Librarian
 

New e-Learn Resource on Plagiarism

“Avoiding Plagiarism through the APA Style” is a new interactive elearn resource for students to learn the correct way of citing and referencing so as to avoid the pitfall of unknowingly plagiarising.

Interested to find out more this new elearn resource?
Contact Rajen, Head Learning Services at rajen [at] smu.edu.sg
 

Open Education Resources (OER) Resources with Melody Chin

Open Education Resources (OER) have been touted as the “next big thing” in higher education.

What is Open Education Resources (OER)? What are the 5R activities? What are the steps to take to adopt OER?

Join research librarian, Melody, for an overview of Open Education Resources (OER) and the answers to these questions. 

Click to view the video. 
 

Bite-Size Workshops

SMU Libraries organises a series of Bite-Size Workshops every semester. Some of the workshop topics include presentation skills, citation management and working with data.

“The facilitator was great, clear & concise.
Delivered the key aspects of good presentation skills."

 

Attendee, Presentation Slide Design

Something New at Li Ka Shing Library

He Says She Says

The feedback:
“Seats are “reserved” for too long.
I know some universities have a 30 minute cap on how long belongings can be unattended to reserve a seat and that could be useful because it’s unfair that I can sit for 4 hours with someone’s stuff taking up a seat that a friend and I could have used. Pretty ridiculous to walk around the library and not get seats because someone seems out to lunch for 2 hrs…”

 

 

The reply:
I’ve been telling my librarian colleagues that seat-hogging is so easy and so rampant that we must banish, punish and finish the seat-hoggers!

But my colleagues argue different opinions:

  • Soc-sci Librarian: We need to be more considerate to each other and humanize our actions.
  • Info-sys Librarian: Automated booking system might work, but if machines solve everything, why do we still have education?
  • Biz Librarian: Policing the seat-hogging is not a sustainable business model. Would the value of policing be enough to invest in manpower and resources? 
  • Accountancy Librarian: The ROI of seat-hogging is actually detrimental to one’s moral balance.
  • Econs Librarian: The hoggers do not care that their action create inequality among student population
  • Law Librarian: Gracious society, not nanny-state!
  • Catbrarian:
     

Anyway, we agree to keep on campaigning on ethical use of space, and continue the conversation. So, keep your feedback coming!

If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world.
Francis Bacon

Did we also mention that we appreciate the feedbacks? So keep them coming. 

New Faces in the Library


Samantha Lim
 
Samantha is a fresh graduate from the National University of Singapore and the new Trainee Librarian for the Kwa Geok Choo Law Library. Her undergraduate degree was in law. Librarianship is a new and exciting field for her. Her main role is to facilitate and support research and learning for the School of Law and the SMU community as a whole. In her free time, she enjoys eating, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.


Cheryl Delos Santos

Cheryl is a new library specialist for Scholarly Communications team. She graduated with a BSE, majoring in Library Science in the Philippines. Her primary role is to put up SMU publications in SMU repository to increase visibility of SMU research outputs. In her free time, she enjoys running, cycling and swimming.

Dino Yeo
 
Dino is a new Library Specialist who joined less than a year. He is part of a team which ensures users have seamless access to library digital resources. Born with a sweet-tooth, Dino loves to eat cakes and pastries. He also enjoys his regular workout such as carrying-weights and Muay Thai to make sure all that extra calories are burnt. 
12 March 2018 | 9:00 am - 12:00 pm | SMU Labs Level 1                    Register Today

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