President Córdova and Provost Woodson Visit the Libraries

During President Córdova and Provost Woodson's visit to the Libraries on Tuesday, January 19th, they were presented with the opportunities and challenges of information literacy.

Sharon Weiner provided an overview of the issues now facing our students in making decisions about accessing, assessing, and integrating information into their research and studies.

Tomalee Doan, Hal Kirkwood, and George Bergstrom provided insight into the content of information literacy instruction and teaching methodology applied in several courses as well as the technology available in the MEL Learn Lab.

Later that afternoon the President and Provost talked with and answered questions from the Purdue Libraries, Press and Copyright Office Staff and Faculty.

MEL Set to Host Gaming Events

MEL will be hosting a series of gaming events in the Learn Lab during the month of February.  Each event begins at 6:00 p.m. and is open to all Purdue students. Please watch for more details.

Wednesday, February 3 – Lemonade Stand Contest
Lemonade Stand is an online game that tests one’s business skills.  The player controls the price, the lemonade recipe, supplies, and deals with the unpredictable weather.  The players’ goal is to maximize customer satisfaction, inventory, and price.  The player with the highest profit wins.

Wednesday, February 10 – Coffee Shop
Players purchase supplies, create their own recipe, set their price, and start selling. Players can keep an eye on what potential customers think and adjust prices to maximize profits.  The player with highest profit wins.

Tuesday, February 16 – Net Acquire
An interesting high-finance electronic board game that includes elements of strategy, some luck, and a little cut throat instinct as players try to maximize wealth investing in hotel chains.

Wednesday, February 24 – Digital Literacy Contest
A high-speed battle of minds to find information using the internet.  Created by Purdue student Daniel Poynter in 2007, players are given 30 minutes, a seat at a computer, and a list of questions to answer by searching online.

LCSSAC Announces Libraries "Quick Tips" Sheet

LCSSAC is proud to announce the availability of a “Libraries Quick Tips” sheet.

The tip sheet was first conceived as a “quick reference” guide about frequently asked questions received from patrons while staff were working at service desks throughout our system: “Where are the group study rooms?  Where are the public computers located? How do I find a reserve item? How are the journals shelved?”

Jill Begley contacted each library and the information was compiled to create a brief one-page handout. The campus map with the Libraries’ locations was added on the reverse side making it helpful when directing patrons to specific locations. 

Realizing this type of information can frequently change, LCSSAC will review the tip sheet before the beginning of each fall semester to make sure the information is as accurate as possible. Please be sure to contact your LCSSAC representative with any updates throughout the year so that corrections and updates can be made.

It is LCSSAC’s hope that each library will find the information helpful when working with patrons at service points throughout our system.

A PDF copy of the “Quick Tips” is available for you to print out as needed under LCSSAC on the Libraries intranet site.

Thank you to Elaine Bahler for her assistance in creating the tip sheet.

Fresh snow fall, packed snow, freezing rain, ice, snow-covered ice, rough frozen slush, and snow stuck to your footwear and other winter conditions; we sometimes take these conditions for granted or our mind is somewhere else and that’s when we are most vulnerable to slip and fall. These can be dangerous conditions to navigate through and not being fully alert and cautious can result in some pretty serious consequences.

Slip and fall prevention strategies:

• Get an earlier start to your day. It takes more time to navigate winter walkways safely so it’s a good idea to leave a little earlier to get to your destination in time and injury free.
• Focus on what you are doing. Walk attentively on a hazardous surface.
• Choose your path carefully and avoid icy conditions whenever possible.
• Be aware of surface conditions and slow down; take small steps.
• Although your hands might be cold, don't put them in your pockets when you are navigating wintry stretches. If you slip, you will need your arms to restore balance. If you fall, your arms will help you to break your fall and land safely.
• Wear the proper footwear. Some materials are very slippery on snow and ice (plastic, leather, foam). You’ll get superior traction with rubber soles having deep traction grips. Strap-on non-slip shoe treads are available in stores. Although it may not be glamorous to wear a pair of boots, it will give you traction, not to mention keep your feet warm. If you want to wear heels or other kinds of shoes, simply carry an extra pair with you to change in to once you’ve reached your destination.
• If you think you are approaching a particularly slick area of snow or ice, don't be afraid to explore the area with your toe to see how slippery it is before you put your full weight on the area. Better safe than sorry.
• Don't carry large loads while walking on snow or ice - you are asking for trouble! If you are carrying a load on an icy walk and feel yourself falling, toss your load so that you can break your fall with your arms.
• Take small careful steps instead of large ones. When getting out of a vehicle, step, don't jump. When possible, use handrails, handles - anything that will help you keep your balance. Never run.
• Consider carrying a small bag of cat litter or salt in your car. If you become aware that where you are parked is hazardous, you can sprinkle a handful or two of litter or salt on it before you try to step out of the car.
• When you become aware of particularly icy, slippery spots near your work area, you should report them to your building deputy so that they can be taken care of.
• Help your elderly friends and relatives on snow and ice. Slips and falls can be extremely dangerous for seniors. If you are older, don't shy away from asking others for a helping hand.
• Get the snow off the bottom of your footwear when entering buildings.
• On your own property, be sure to shovel driveways, walkways, and sidewalks. Salt high traffic areas if you think ice may form. If there are especially icy spots, place a sign to warn others of the hazard.
• Remember, prevention is the best way to stop slips and falls during the winter in icy conditions.

Libraries Staff Lunch, Learn and Laugh

Marsha Hill, LCSSAC Chair, introduces Anthony Cawdron at the recent Lunch and Learn series, "Eat, Drink and Be Wary."

Mr. Cawdron is responsible for coordinating more than 200 events with up to 12,000 guests each year held at Westwood, the Purdue president's home. In addition to his event planning duties, he instructs hundreds of Purdue students each year on the intricacies of proper service and business etiquette.

His demonstrations and British wit were enjoyed by all.

When I hear ‘green’ or ‘sustainability,’ the first things I think of are recycling, alternative energies, and reducing needs/wants. However, maintaining wildlife is another important aspect; especially birds in winter when food can be hard to come by and when they need more to survive. I remember several features from an Audubon lecture last year about how birds keep warm in winter. Among them is a blood circulation system that re-circulates blood from the warmer body to the colder toes, sleeping on one leg while the other is being warmed, and staying in groups. But the most important is eating to maintain body temperatures through metabolism. Jim Derringer, who contributed to this piece by researching bird preferences and needs, discovered how much they need to eat: up to 10,000 calories a day, which in human proportions would be a 155,000 calorie intake!

I was always taught not to feed birds so as not to disturb their natural food finding instincts. Thus, I welcomed this assurance that Jim unearthed from Ecologist Margaret Clark Brittingham of the University of Wisconsin: no matter how much food was offered in bird feeders, the studied birds searched out wild sources for 79% of their needs. Like humans, birds require a variety of nutrients.  Protein and fats are necessary to maintain bird body heat, especially overnight. Brittingham noted that birds appear to weigh or taste a seed, then either eat or drop it. The dropped seeds were either low quality or low fat. Jim found Kirk Klasing supporting this selectivity with the discovery that birds taste protein (which usually accompanies fat) and might also taste fat. In addition, birds prefer seeds that are easily handled and digested since they need to eat so much and also since they need to escape predators, sometimes even while eating.

So if you feed birds in the winter, you not only get the enjoyment of watching your feathered visitors, but also aid in their survival, especially if you select well.  From the research of David Horn, Associate Professor of Ecology at Millikin, Jim found specific preferences of black oil sunflower, white proso millet, nyjer (thistle) seed and sunflower chips are especially helpful. This high quality selection can be further improved by seeds being stored in a clean, dry place and put out as fresh as possible.

Planting seed and berry bearing trees and shrubs also provides quality food for birds. Don Staley, the Senior Landscape Architect at Purdue, explained university goals.  “Although feeding birds is not a top priority, it is certainly a byproduct of university philosophy. Landscaping decisions are made with awareness that wild life needs to be supported and that native plants provide better support than ornamental.”  He noted an example in the Swartz Tennis Center, being constructed between Horticulture Woods and McCormick Woods where the landscaping goal is to maximize the potential of reconnecting the two woods.

We probably have another month or two of winter and another snow or two—plenty of time to feed birds.  And if you have a chance to do some landscaping this summer, think ahead to the winter needs of birds.