MIT Libraries News

“Riding the space shuttle is like strapping yourself to a gigantic beast….you go from 0 to 17,500 miles per hour in eight and a half minutes,” MIT alumnus, Astronaut Mike Massimino said in a talk at MIT last month.

After nearly 3 years of training, in May 2009 Massimino rocketed 5.3 million miles into space on a mission to repair NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.  The veteran astronaut spoke about the extensive preparation for the journey, as well as the risks and thrills that were a part of the historic final trip to Hubble.

He also returned an item to MIT that he took into space with him—a book loaned from the MIT Libraries’ collections.  The book, a limited edition facsimile of Galileo’s landmark publication Sidereus Nuncius (Starry Messenger), was chosen to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s astronomical research, the first recorded planetary observations using a telescope.  It is on display through December 2009 in the Science Library (14S-134).

Astronaut Massimino’s talk was sponsored by the MIT Libraries, the Technology and Policy Program (TPP)/ Engineering Systems Division (ESD), and Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

If you regularly use the SciFinder client, you have probably noticed challenges in logging in. We have been dedicating fewer and fewer seats (of 11 total) for the client. All of the seats will be unavailable as of Monday, November 2.

If you have not yet registered to use the web version of SciFinder, please do so.

You will have to access SciFinder via the Libraries proxy server, which requires the use of the MIT Touchstone authentication system. Note that this is only available for MIT faculty, students, post-docs, other researchers and staff with certificates installed on their machines.

If you have any questions, please contact the Chemistry Librarian, Erja Kajosalo.

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
4-5pm
Killian Hall, Building 14

Veteran Astronaut and MIT Alumnus Dr. Mike Massimino (SM TPP 1988, Engineer ME 1990, PhD 1992) will come to MIT on Wednesday Oct. 28 to talk about his recent work servicing NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and to return a book to the MIT Libraries.

In May 2009 Massimino and six other astronauts boarded the space shuttle Atlantis for a journey that took them 5.3 million miles for a final servicing of the telescope.  Massimino and other STS-125 crewmembers conducted five spacewalks to upgrade the Hubble, enabling it to send back spectacular images of the universe well into the next decade.  While on the mission the crew captured photographs and video, and Massimino became the first astronaut to ‘Tweet’ from space—sending back updates on the mission through his Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/astro_mike), which has surpassed 1 million followers.

Accompanying Massimino on the mission was a rare book loaned from the MIT Libraries’ collections.  The book, a limited edition facsimile of Galileo’s landmark publication Sidereus Nuncius (Starry Messenger), was chosen to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s astronomical research, the first recorded planetary observations using a telescope.

In his talk, Massimino will discuss his work and show images and video from the mission.  He will also present the well-traveled book back to the MIT Community and the Libraries.

Sponsored by the MIT Libraries, the Technology and Policy Program (TPP)/ Engineering Systems Division (ESD), and Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Power Supply: Energy Resources in the MIT Libraries is a new exhibit in the Maihaugen Gallery that showcases “energy resources” in the Libraries that have supported and resulted from research and education throughout the Institute’s history. Included are books and articles from historical collections, examples of rich working collections, theses by MIT students, and video (below) highlighting MIT’s current efforts in energy research.

The MIT Community is invited to an opening reception on Friday, October 23, 1-3pm in the Maihaugen Gallery (14N-130). Check out the exhibit and enjoy refreshments with friends!

Learn how to manage your articles and cite your references more effectively in these hands-on workshops. No advance registration required.

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

EndNote Basics

EndNote is a “personal bibliographic software” package that allows you to create and manage a database of bibliographic references.

Attendees will create a personal database of cited literature by importing references from resources such as Barton, Web of Science, PubMed, & other sources of published literature. Your database can be used to automatically generate in-text citations and bibliographies in your manuscripts. It can also help you organize and manage your PDF files.

• Friday, 10/16: 12-1pm
• Tuesday, 10/20: 5-6pm

RefWorks Basics

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

• Thursday, 10/15: 5-6pm
• Wednesday, 10/21: 12-1pm

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

Using citation management software to create and maintain a collection of references is becoming more common and important 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 package 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 include a discussion comparing and contrasting the three softwares, and we will introduce some of the basic concepts and functionality of each program.

• Wednesday, 10/14: 5-6pm
• Thursday, 10/22: 12-1pm

Can’t make the classes and need help?  Try our research guides for citation software help, or ask us!

Renovations in Barker and Dewey Libraries have created great new spaces to study!  The MIT Community is invited to Open House events at each library.  Please come visit and celebrate with us!

Barker Library Open House
Where: Barker Engineering Library (10-500)
Reading Room (under the Dome)
When: Wednesday, September 16, 4-6pm
Remarks at 4:30pm, Refreshments served

The old “journal racks” in the Barker Reading Room have been removed to open up the space and give way to a more flexible design.  New area rugs, fresh paint, refinished furniture and improved lighting make this iconic space more inviting for quiet study.

Dewey Library Open House
Where: Dewey Library (E53-100), First Floor
When: Thursday, September 17, 4-6pm
Remarks at 4:30pm, Refreshments served

The new, improved Dewey Library offers a secure 24-7 study space, an area designated for quiet study, and numerous power-enabled study carrels. There are 12 brand-new group study rooms, each with LCD screen and white board, which can be reserved online. The brighter, more open space also features many ecologically-friendly touches, such as cork floor tiles and energy-efficient lighting.

Monday, July 20th marks the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, when heroic MIT graduate Buzz Aldrin took his historic steps on the lunar surface.

Institute Archives’ records reveal that it was an accomplishment he had only dreamed about as a graduate student.  In the dedication of his PhD thesis, Aldrin wrote, “In the hopes that this work may in some way contribute to their exploration of space this is dedicated to the crew members of this country’s present and future manned space programs. If only I could join them in their exciting endeavors!”

See Aldrin’s thesis in the current Fascination of Flight exhibit in the Libraries’ Maihaugen Gallery, or find it online in DSpace.

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Monday, July 6 and Monday, July 20, 12pm – 1pm

Find out where Aero/Astro materials are now located. This session will highlight the various Aero/Astro collections and how to access them.

Contact Barbara Williams with any questions.

Full schedule of JulyAP 2009 workshops

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Friday, July 10, 12pm – 1pm

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 workshops.

Contact Peter Cohn with any questions.

Full schedule of JulyAP 2009 workshops

Want to learn how to find an article database for your research? Or use bioinformatics databases? Or use the library catalog? Then try the Libraries video tutorials, now hosted on TechTV!

MIT TechTV is MIT’s free video posting and hosting service, specializing in science, engineering, and MIT-related videos. Feel free to comment on our videos or suggest other videos that the Libraries can produce.

Sample Video: Finding Articles, Part 2: Finding Journal Articles on a Specific Topic

Learn how to find and use information more effectively in these hands-on workshops. No advanced registration required. Light refreshments will be served at each session.

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

GeneGo Training
Wednesday, July 8, 9am – 12pm
Learn how to use this gene expression tool licensed by MIT Libraries. Bring data!
Contact: Courtney Crummett

Bioinformatics for Beginners
Thursday, July 9, 1pm – 2pm
Learn about the organization of key NCBI databases, understand the database record structure, and work with the BLAST search tool.
Contact: Howard Silver

EndNote Basics
Friday, July 10, 12pm – 1pm
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 workshops.
Contact: Peter Cohn

OAG as a Travel Planner Tool
Monday, July 13, 12pm – 1pm
OAG Travel Planner Pro is the premier customizable online tool for business and professional travelers who need to make and manage complex travel plans.
Contact: Barbara Williams

RefWorks Basics
Friday, July 17, 12pm – 1pm
RefWorks is a web-based resource designed to help you organize references and create a bibliography. RefWorks allows you to search, retrieve relevant citations, easily cite references as you write your paper, and build your bibliography. It allows users to create individual or group accounts.
Contact: Anita Perkins

Accessing the Aero/Astro Collection
Monday, July 6 and Monday, July 20, 12pm – 1pm
Find out where Aero/Astro materials are now located. This session will highlight the various Aero/Astro collections and how to access them.
This session is limited to 25 participants. To register, contact Barbara Williams.

Sequence Alignment
Wednesday, July 22, 10am – 12pm
Explore sequence alignment algorithms and their practical applications. Session will include a hands-on algorithm exercise and practical usage information (Clustal, BLAST, BLAT, Maq).
Contact: Charlie Whittaker

DSpace@MIT for Research Collections
Friday, July 24 and Monday, July 27, 12pm – 1pm
DSpace@MIT archives and makes globally discoverable the research output of MIT faculty, researchers, and students. The session will highlight MIT Libraries’ initiatives for easy upload of complete technical report and working papers series’ and will demonstrate how individuals and research groups can establish and begin populating new collections of research materials.
Contact: Craig Thomas

BLAST
Wednesday, July 29, 11am – 12pm
Learn how to use NCBI resources and optimize your BLAST protein searches to get the most out of your results. Attendance at Bioinformatics for Beginners and familiarity with BLAST are recommended.
Contact: Amy Stout

Data Management 101
Friday, July 31, 12pm – 1pm
For researchers struggling to manage their data, basic strategies will be provided for best practices for retention and archiving, effective directory structures and naming conventions, good file formats for long-term access, data security and backup options, metadata, tagging, and citation and other relevant issues.
Contact: Anne Graham

Sponsored by the MIT Libraries.

As of Friday, June 26, the Aeronautics and Astronautics Library (Aero/Astro) will officially close its doors and its collections will be relocated to other areas within the MIT Libraries. The majority of the collections will move to the Barker Engineering Library. Barker will house all current, unbound Aero/Astro journals, as well as books, theses, CDs and DVDs. All materials are expected to be fully accessible to users by July 2nd.

Older bound journals have been moved to the Library Storage Annex. Electronic (PDF) files of articles from these journals can be requested through Barton. Whole volumes may also be requested through Barton and delivered to a library location of choice.

During the move, assistance is available for retrieving books formerly located in the Aero/Astro Library—call 617.253.5661, or inquire at the Barker Engineering Library Service Desk. Aero/Astro databases and other electronic resources will continue to be accessible 24/7, see http://libguides.mit.edu/aero for links to these resources. For additional information about Aero/Astro collections, contact Barbara Williams, the Aero/Astro librarian, via email or by phone at 617.253.5666.

What is the legacy of the Apollo program, and what can we learn from it to help us confront the scientific and engineering challenges of our own time?  This short film kicked off the “Giant Leaps” Symposium commemorating the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing. The symposium was organized by the MIT Aeronautics and Astronautics Department, and held at MIT on June 11, 2009.  Find out more about Giant Leaps.

Check out this great video and more on MIT TechTV.

Exterior repairs to the dome to fix leaks will begin in earnest starting Monday, June 8, from 7am – 3:30pm. Work is expected to last from June through November.

Work from June through September entails replacing the stonework on the stepped part of the dome and chipping/grinding away residual concrete and filled-in spaces. From September to November, there will be repairs on the curved part of the dome.

A super-structure will be built over the dome to protect it from the weather and to allow construction regardless of the forecast. There will also be scaffolding on the 5th floor exterior spaces, with infrequent access needed from within Barker spaces. A construction trailer and crane will also be installed in the space between buildings 13, 12, 10, and 4. The crane will be in heavy use throughout the summer lifting new stone up and removing debris, so access to the doors in that alleyway will be unavailable.

For further history and updates regarding the project, see our ESL renovations blog, visit the Facilities update page, or email us.

Barker Library will be closed on Commencement Day, Friday, June 5th, due to previously scheduled events.

If you need access to Barker’s collections during this time, you may request delivery of materials to another MIT Library through the Libraries’ online catalog, Barton. To order delivery of materials that cannot be requested through Barton, or are already on hold at Barker, please call 617.253.5661 for assistance.

Reference services will be available in the Hayden Library (14S-100) or through our online service AskUs!. Barker Library staff will also be available by email or telephone throughout the day. Please refer to our online directory for contact information.

Barker will re-open for normal business hours on Saturday, June 6th.

The Reading Room of the Barker Library will be closed for our renovation project from Tuesday, May 26 through Friday, June 5. The Reading Room will re-open on Saturday, June 6.

All of Barker Library will be closed for Commencement Day, Friday, June 5 due to previously scheduled events.

Beginning on June 8, the Reading Room will close yet again and remain closed until mid-August as our renovation project continues. We look forward to introducing you to the newly improved space in the fall!

If you have any questions or concerns, please email us.

Hayden Library — Humanities & Science — will stay open 24 hours a day during Finals

from Thursday May 14th at 8am to Friday, May 22nd at 7pm.

Overnight hours are for the MIT community only.

Need a break from your studies?

Enjoy free drinks & snacks at our two Food for Thought events this week:

• Barker Library (10-500) lobby, Tuesday May 12th, 2:30-4pm

• Hayden Library (14S-100) lobby, Thursday May 14th, 2:30-4pm

Come and hear attorney Sonia Guterman of Lawson & Wetzen discuss the distinctive aspects of patents that make them valuable, the role of patents in capital development, along with issues surrounding filing biotech patents. She will be assisted by Drew Lowery, who received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from MIT and is a member of Global Prior Art’s Life Science Team. Drew will discuss and demonstrate alternative ways to search biotech patent art and their suitability. At the end of the talk attendees will have the opportunity to do hands on searching.

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Thursday, April 16, 12 – 1:30pm

Contact Darcy Duke for more information.

Check out the full listing of IAPril 2009 Libraries events!

Learn how to find and use information more effectively in our hands-on workshops. No advanced registration required.

**NOTE that different events will be happening throughout the month of April and early May.**

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Friday, April 10, 12 – 1pm

Class attendees will learn about the organization of key NCBI databases, understand the database record structure, and work with the BLAST search tool. The session is a hands-on practicum and an excellent starting point for people who are new to, or curious about bioinformatics research tools.

Contact Howard Silver for more information.

Check out the full listing of IAPril 2009 Libraries events!