Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

Posted on November 4, 2013 by QLB

Happy November Club UGL! Fall break is just around the corner, but did you also know that November is Native American Heritage month? And what exactly is Native American Heritage Month? It’s a month that provides a platform for Native Americans to share various aspects of their culture, including dances, foods, crafts, and other facets of their way of life.

In 1990, Former President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution to make November Native American Heritage Month. Many museums and organizations have contributed their efforts and formed exhibitions related to this month. The Library of Congress, National Archives, The National Gallery of Art, and many more institutes have gathered materials and exhibitions commemorating Native American history and future in this country. For more information about these exhibitions or archives, visit the official website for Native American Heritage Month.

It is a nationwide holiday, but celebrations for this month are closer to home than you might think. The University of Illinois takes pride in having a diverse student body, and also a diversity of student organizations and houses. The Native American House on campus opened on Nevada Street in 2002. Its purpose is to increase knowledge and understanding for Native American culture in the past, present and future by providing students and staff with various resources. Such resources include the Native American House Library, help finding information regarding American Indian Studies, and much more.

The Native American House here on campus will be doing various activities and celebrations throughout the month. The first one, “Maori Approaches to Research and Methodology Workshop” features Dr. Nepia Mahuika, who is the current chair of New Zealand Māori History Collective. Among the other events will be dance and singing performances and film screenings. For a complete calendar of events visit their events page.

Learning about Native American history isn’t just for this month! if you’re interested in learning about Native American history or are doing a school project and just don’t know where to begin, the subject guide for American Indian Studies is very helpful. It provides many resources to point you in the right direction. The UGL also has a Pinterest board with suggestions for works by Native American authors.

Anasazi Pottery. Attribution: Photograph by P. Hollembeak. ©American Museum of Natural History, New York

We encourage you to participate in the events going on on campus and learn more about Native American peoples and their heritage, no matter what month it is.

What’s Up With Chromebooks?

Posted on October 10, 2013 by CN

You may remember one of our posts from the start of the semester where we mentioned that we’ve replaced our Macbooks and PC laptops with Chromebooks. You may even have checked one out from the loanable technology desk and taken it for a spin. But just what are these strange devices, and how can you make them work for your needs?

Very clever image of Chromebook with question marks

Those question marks will disappear in a puff of learning – just keep reading.

Chromebooks are actually pretty capable and convenient machines, but if you’re unfamiliar with them, they may raise a few questions when you first use them. Here are the answers to some common queries about Chromebooks – read on to get the hang of ’em and start using them to be productive (or for watching Youtube videos – we don’t judge).

Why is it called a Chromebook?
Chromebooks are laptops that run on Google’s Chrome operating system (OS). Macbooks run on a Macintosh OS, and PCs usually run on a Microsoft Windows OS. The major difference between computer running a Chrome OS and a computer using Windows or Macintosh is that Chrome computers are designed to be used while connected to the Internet, and make use of online applications and programs, rather than applications and programs that are downloaded onto the computer directly.

How do I log in?
When you first open up the Chromebook, it’ll ask you you to log in to a wireless network. To log in to IllinoisNet, use your NetID and password. Then it’ll ask you to log into a Google account to use the Chromebook itself; you can use your NetID and password again, or any another Google account you may have. If you don’t have a Google account that you would like to use, you can log in as a guest. There should be a sticker on the Chromebook that tells you the guest username and password.

How can I open/edit/save my Microsoft Office files?
Chromebooks don’t have Microsoft Office applications like Word or Excel installed. That doesn’t mean you can’t use them to work on your files, though! If you have a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file that you’ve already started, you can upload them to Google Drive, and them open them with Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, respectively, and make changes to them as you need. Once you’ve made your changes (or if you make a new document and need to save it), you can save it to your Drive as a Google document, or choose to “Save As” in the appropriate file format, to open in Microsoft Office later. If you need help navigating the various Google apps, there are tutorials on the Google Apps site.

What else can I do on a Chromebook?
Anything you can do with a Google account you can do with a Chromebook – general Internet surfing, use of all the Google docs services, and all that good stuff. In addition to the document apps above, there are lots of free apps in the Chrome webstore that can help you work on other kinds of projects, play games, or use various kinds of media. You’ll notice there’s a webcam on the Chromebook we have – if you want to use it, search for the ‘Camera’ app and make your best duck face. Other apps that use the webcam, like Google Hangouts, should automatically detect it.

If you choose to log in as a guest, some options won’t be available, since you won’t be connected to a full personal account. To be able to use all the apps and services of the Chromebook, use a Google account!

What happens to my files and information after I return the Chromebook?
Just like on our old Macs and PCs, all your files and information will be removed from the Chromebook after you return it, using an option called powerwashing. This means that the next person to use the Chromebook won’t see anything you’ve done or be able to access any of your information. Your secrets are safe! This also means that if you forgot to save your work on a file, we won’t be able to recover it, so double-check to make sure all your changes are saved before you log out and return it. Google Drive is a good tool to use for this.

That’s the lowdown on our new Chromebooks. If you still have questions, come to the loanable technology desk on the upper level of the UGL (where you checked it out from!) or Ask a Librarian for help. Good luck and happy app-ing!

Spotlight on…Pop Culture Universe

Posted on September 30, 2013 by HJL

Can you believe we’re already six weeks into the semester? It’s almost time for midterms, and with those come papers and projects that require research. You know the UGL is here for all your research needs. And if you need research pop culture, we’ve got just the thing for you: Pop Culture Universe.

Many different aspects and eras of pop culture are covered.

More than you ever wanted to know about Madonna (and other pop culture icons!)

Pop Culture Universe is a database containing articles about fads and trends in pop culture throughout history. Starting largely with the 1900s, it allows you to find articles and resources in a variety of ways. To get to Pop Culture Universe, start at the UGL homepage, and click on that handy “Find Articles” link under the Easy Search box. Once you’re on our Find Articles guide, you’ll find Pop Culture Universe under “Starting Points,” with other general subject databases recommended for your research.

You can get started searching using the Quick Search function, located in the top right corner of the database’s homepage. Just type in your keyword or phrase, click the search icon, and you’re well on your way delving into the depths of popular culture.

The database also has ways you can browse for information. One of those is to see major trends by decade. You can see a basic introduction of each decade from the 1900s to the 2000s, as well as articles that highlight popular movements, like baseball in the 1920s or MTV in the 1980s.

Find quick, easy resources to learn about the Roaring 20s or the dotcom era.

Another way to find information in Pop Culture Universe is to use the “Idea Exchange” where the database poses a question, and offers articles featuring divergent opinions and responses. This is great for understanding how pop culture fits into the larger context of history.

Articles are presented as possible resources for answering common questions.

See multiple perspectives on a topic, all in one convenient place.

One final way Pop Culture Universe makes it way too easy to expand your knowledge is to use their Advanced Search option, which allows you input multiple pieces of information in one search. Selecting the Advance Search option lets you input keywords, select a decade, and narrow to a particular topic area, all at the same time. For example, a search for “grunge” in the decade of the 1990s, and the topic area of “fashion” nets article relating to how grunge music influenced fashions in the 90s.

See? We want to make it easy for you to find everything you need. If you have problems using Pop Culture Universe (or any library resource!) come visit us during Office Hours @ the UGL or chat us up online. We’re waiting.

Find other posts in the Spotlight On… series here.

UGL 101: Printing from a Laptop

Posted on September 12, 2013 by QLB

*UPDATED: 10/31/2018*

As you find yourself immersed in your studies at the UGL, you realize that you have to print out something. Wait, does this mean that you have to actually find an open public computer to print your things out? No! You can print out your work from the convenience of your own laptop. Follow these easy steps and you’ll be on your way to becoming a printing wizard!

UGL 101

The first step is saving your file on your hard drive. Protip: make sure that the name of a file is something you can easily recognize without having to scroll down a list of documents. Remember, if your document is anything other than Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, or PDF, you will need to convert it to a PDF before you send it to the printer.

The next step is logging into IllinoisNet. This is the only wireless network that will work for laptop printing. Once you’ve connected to IllinoisNet, go to this website: http://go.library.illinois.edu/webprinting

This page should appear and ask you for your NetID and password.

Once you have logged in, click on the “Web Print” tab on the left side of the window.

Click “Submit a Job”

Once you are on this page, you can search for “library” to find library printers. You have the choice of selecting which printer you would like to print from – black & white or color. Black and white printing is 10 cents per page and color printing is 40 cents per page.

Once you have selected your printer, proceed to step 2, which is to select the number of copies you would like to print of the selected document. Selecting “Charge to my personal account” will make the charge payable from your student account. Next, you will want to select “Upload Documents.”

The third step will be to upload your document. Drag your file into the box or click on “Upload from computer” and select the file you want to print from wherever you saved it on your computer. Then click “Upload and Complete.”

Once you have uploaded your document, it may take a couple of seconds for it to fully upload, so be patient! When the status is “Held in Queue”, that’s when you are able to go to a printing station and print out your document. If you have questions regarding the printing stations, see our helpful guide to printing at the UGL.

See? Easy as pie! It’s one less thing to worry about, and you can go back to sipping on your pumpkin spiced latte (or energy drink, if that’s your poison).

UGL 101: Learning about the new course reserves

Posted on September 5, 2013 by QLB

If you’re a new student on campus or even a returning student, you’ve probably been a bit confused by the e-reserves. You might find yourself saying “What the heck?!,” but have no fear, the UGL is here to help. If you find yourself overwhelmed, here are a few steps to ease your anxiety.

UGL 101: an introduction
To access the reserves, you can go to the Undergrad library webpage .

Course Reserves link

Click on the “Course Reserves” button under the easy search box.

This will take you to the reserves page. The course reserves are print or media reserves that are located throughout the libraries on campus. The e-reserves are scanned articles or books. The change this year is regarding the e-reserves. However, a lot of you are new and might be a bit confused as to how things work around here, so here’s how you do it!

Course Reserves Page

One way to get to your e-reserves is by clicking on the “Search All Course Reserves” link on the page. This will take you to another page where you are able to select the instructor or course. Either one is fine. Click “search” and it should take you to the one required for the class or instructor. You will see both physical and electronic reserves for your class on this page. Look for links that include words like “electronic access” and follow those to get to your course reserves. Make sure you know your NetID and password, because you will have to log in to access any e-reserves.

If you know you only need e-reserves, click on the “Search Electronic Reserves Only” on the “Course Reserves” page and it will ask you to login. Use your NetID and password. After logging in, it will take you to the main menu, where it will tell you your classes and how many reserve items there are.

Course Reserves Login

You are able to click a class and it takes you to a list of all the e-reserves you may need to use.

One important thing to remember is that your e-reserves might not immediately be there. Why? There is a new system this year, and it has to update after you log in for the first time. One you log in, if the e-reserves for your class are not there, then you must wait for next cycle of the system update. It updates at the following times: 2:30 AM, 6:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM, 6:30 PM, and 10:30 PM. So, if you log in and don’t see anything, check again after one of these update times, and it should be there!

If you have any more questions or aren’t getting the hang of it just quite yet, there is a link on the left under the “Student Help” tab. If you want a quick tutorial on it, see our subject guides that explains more. See? It’s not that hard, you just have to have a little patience. Don’t be surprised if you become an expert and have your friends asking you for help. Remember, it’s a new school year and the Undergrad Library will be here to help with any questions or concerns you might have.

Quick-change Acts

Posted on August 29, 2013 by CN

Have you popped in for a visit to the UGL since the semester started? If you have, you’ve probably noticed that things are a lil’ different around here. Don’t get disoriented! We’ve still got all the cool stuff you know and love, and even some new stuff. We just did some shuffling over the summer. Here’s a quick guide to some of the major changes.

Behold: your new chill spot.

First off, the new books and magazines – which used to be on the northern side of the upper level – are now on the shelves on the southern side, near the collaboration rooms. You may notice that this is the same spot where the reference books and career cluster used to be. If you still have need of the style guides or test prep materials that used to be there, fear not! We still have them – we just moved them with the rest of the books downstairs. Ask a librarian to help you find them.

Enter and be enter-tained (cue audience groan)

Speaking of downstairs, we also rearranged our media enclosure, so your favorite movies and audiobooks should be easier to find. The audiobooks are now against the left wall, and the VHS tapes are all huddled together like friends. It’s a much better arrangement, but if you still need a bit of help finding something, ask the nice person in the vest who should be sitting at the table pictured above.

Come to the gaming space to feel the cosmos.

In other entertainment news, the gaming space has also been getting revamped over the summer. Why don’t you come in to check it out? We’ll still be adding things as the fall semester progresses – come see our new stuff as we get it!

The place to go to find (print) release.

Printing, printing, gotta get that printing done. Printing from our public computers still works the same way it did last year – we’ve just moved the printers to new locations, so don’t panic when you don’t see them right away. Did you know that we also now offer laptop printing? Tada! You’re welcome.

While we’re on the subject of laptops, say hello to the Chromebook:

Why hello there.

The Macbooks and HP laptops that you’ve all gotten so much use out of have outgrown their warranties, and gone off to a happy retirement. These sleek new Chromebooks are now your new best friends. Check one out at the loanable tech desk!

That’s it for now. There have also been some changes to the electronic reserves system for your classes – check back next week so you can read our explanation of those. Good luck and happy studying!

Not sure where to look? Start here!

Posted on July 8, 2013 by HJL

Summer is halfway over (say it isn’t so!) and we know that some of you are still busy little bees, working hard to complete your summer courses. We work hard in the summer, too, often updating programs and moving things around to better suit your needs. Sometimes, while the library is rearranging and refreshing, some systems, like the catalog or Interlibrary loan, will be offline for a day or two, making it difficult to find the materials you want. This is your guide to finding everything you need, no matter what.

The UIUC libraries have hundreds of resources available to you, right at your finger tips. So even if you can’t find what you’re looking for with one tool, we usually have another one that can get you to your books, articles, and movies. Here are some good places to search for different types of resources:

Books, movies, and anything else the library physically owns. Start with our catalog. This is your gateway to all the libraries’ holdings. There are links to it on the main library page, and the UGL main page.
- Where do you go if the catalog’s not working? Try one of our newest search tools, Primo. You can follow that link, or find it linked on the main library page under the easy search box. This tool will search for not only books, but articles, journals, and other electronic resources as well. So if you’re only interested in books, make sure to select “UIUC library catalog” from the drop-down menu next to the search box.
- If the catalog is offline, the information in Primo will be a ‘snapshot’ of what was available when the catalog was last working. The book you’re looking for may have been checked out in the meantime, but you can find out if we own it and where we keep it!
Books that are owned by other libraries. Even with millions of books available, sometimes the one you need will be already be checked out, or missing. In these cases, you can use I-share to search for your item in libraries across the state that share books with us. Use the link we just provided, or choose “All I-Share Libraries” from the drop-down menu next to the search bar in the catalog.
Like this!
- If you still can’t find what you need, you can request it through Interlibrary loan. You can follow that link to the ILLiad login screen (ILLiad is the system that lets you access Interlibrary Loan), or find it on the main library page under “Borrowing and Renewing Materials.” Log in with your NetID and password, then choose “Request a Book.” Fill in the details it asks for, then click “Submit Request” to send the information whizzing along to a librarian, who will work to find your items at another library and get them to you. But note: Sometimes, this system will go down, too, so make sure you’ve searched I-Share first. If it’s really not available, ask a friendly librarian for help.
Articles, journals, and other electronic resources. There are so many ways to search for articles and journals, because you have access to hundreds of databases as a UIUC student. If you know a specific database that you want, you can find a link to it using the Online Journals and Databases search. Or you can use the UGL’s Find Articles Guide to help you choose a good place to start. If, though, you are looking for a particular article or journal, and you know the title, author, publication date, etc., you can use a really nifty tool called the Journal and Article Locator to search for only the item you’re interested in. Just fill in your citation information and voila, links to the article will appear on your screen. The JAL is also available from the library main page, listed under “Article Resources.”
- If you can’t find the article you need using any of those methods, Interlibrary Loan can also help you with that! Just log into ILLiad through the main library page like you would for a book, but select “Request a Photocopy” instead. Fill in the information you have about the articles, and librarians will request a copy of it for you from an institution that owns it.

When all else fails you can always Ask a Librarian through chat, email, phone, or in person. We’re waiting to answer your questions and help you find the resources you need to succeed.

Underground Summer

Posted on May 13, 2013 by RAL

Hey, UGL-ers! Graduation is over, the Class of 2013 is on its way to becoming productive members of the “real world” and summer has arrived in Champaign-Urbana. Okay, so the last one might be a bit of a stretch, but even if it’s not beach-y outside, you can still get plenty of R-n-R at the library this summer.

The UGL is almost as relaxing as the beach.

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons under the Creative Commons license

If you’re taking a little break during Summer I, don’t forget we have lots of stuff to keep you entertained: new books and movies are arriving regularly (check the New Book shelves on the upper level for our latest additions); we’ve got loads of video games; and don’t forget about our loanable tech items, too!

If you’re sticking around and taking classes during Summer I, we’ve got stuff for you, too! Our reference services will still be available for all of your research questions! This summer, we won’t have a librarian sitting at the Research Desk, but if you have a question about finding sources, using databases, locating statistics or boning up on background info, ask at the Circulation Desk, and they can get one of our “on call” librarians or graduate assistants to come out and help. Ask A Librarian chat service will also be available during Summer I.

Just as a reminder: The UGL will be open M-Th: 8:30am-6pm; F: 8:30am-5pm and Sa-Sun: 1pm-5pm. If you want to visit another library on campus this summer, check out the whole summer schedule.

Congrats, Grads!

Posted on May 9, 2013 by RAL

Whether you finished in four years, are celebrating as a super-senior, or transferred in from another school, the UGL extends a big Illini Congrats to all the graduating seniors this weekend! We truly hope #ClubUGL was a positive part of your time here at Illinois, and we’re sure gonna miss seeing your smiling faces (studying is fun, right?) in our underground hangout!

The Alma Mater is all dressed up for graduation.

Alma photo courtesy of illinois.edu/blog

If you are graduating, you don’t have to entirely say goodbye to the library, though! We’ve got great resources for graduates! Check out the guide to Using the Library After Graduation and more info on Services for Alumni.

You can also keep up with the latest in UGL happenings by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, or following our boards on Pinterest. (We know you’re gonna be nostalgic for the all-nighters you pulled here. It’s okay to admit it. We get it.)

If you’re not graduating yet, don’t fret! We have plenty of awesome stuff in store for the summer and next school year, too. Keep in touch, come say hello, and stake out your prime study space for next fall! Remember, we’ll be closed this Saturday and Sunday for graduation weekend, but we’ll be back up and running on Monday, May 13 for Summer I hours.

Thank you, seniors, for helping make our work at the library special and important. After all, the library is here to support YOU! Good luck to all the graduates as you embark on your next adventure. And remember, you’ve always got a friend in the UGL!

Spotlight on…American Fact Finder

Posted on April 25, 2013 by HJL

In these final frantic weeks of the school year, you may find yourself needing some stats for final projects and papers. If you’re not sure where to get started, we have a lot of resources to help, but if you know you need stats about American people, businesses, industries, or markets, then try American Fact Finder’s Guided Search tool to get exactly what you need.

Screen shot of American Fact Finder homepage shows many options for finding informaiton.
American Fact Finder is hosted by the U.S. Census and is a good source for data about agriculture, education, employment, health, law, etc. Their website features valuable links to other official statistical resources, both domestic and international. Using the Guided Search tool enables you to tell the database exactly what you’re looking for, in an easy, step-by-step format.

To get to American Fact Finder, you simply start at the UGL homepage, and click on “How do I?” in the top right corner:

screenshot: How Do I link is in top-most navigational menu on UGL homepage

From there, you’ll look for the heading for “Find Sources” and then click on “Statistics”:

screenshot: Statistics are listed under 'find other types of sources'

Finally, you’ll see a selection of databases designed for statistics, and you’ll click on “American Fact Finder”:

screenshot: on statistics page, American FactFinder is listed under 'starting points'

Once you’re in the database, you’ll see an option on the left side of your screen for “Guided Search.” Just select that option, and follow the link to get started.

screenshot: Guided Search is a good search option to start with if you're unfamiliar with the resource.

The guided search tool will now walk you through several steps to help you narrow the information you can access. You start with selecting what kind of information you want (like people, industries, housing, or a specific table or dataset). Next you’ll choose topic areas (like age, education, race, etc.), then location (or geography), and on until you can see results that match your criteria. You can add as many topics, geographies, etc., as you like.

screenshot: the guided search gives you many options to refine your search.

Then the database will give you tables and stats based on your criteria, and you can also easily see what census the information has pulled from, so you know how recent it is. Pretty nifty, huh? This is only one librarian-approved source for statistics. If you find yourself needing other types of stats, check out the UGL’s statistics guide for more great sources of information.