Trial to InfoSci-Books

We currently have a trial to InfoSci books online. This allows access to chapters from IGI Global, a publisher of scholarly research in computer science and information technology.

To access the login details, visit the Databases A-Z page and click on the Current Database Trials link at the top. You will be prompted for your University IT account username and password to open the document which will provide the username and password for InfoSci books. The trial will run until 31st July 2009 during which time you will be able to search and download full text chapters.

Please feedback any comments about the resource by commenting here or contact me by email.

Summer updates

As it is the 1st of June and the sun is shining (for the moment at least), thought it was time for a few updates on Learning Centre activity over the Summer.

Learning Centres are still open throughout the Summer with extended opening in the evenings and on Saturdays at Harrison and Walsall. Check full details on the Learning Centre website. Our online chat service ASSIST will be on hand throughout the Summer, and outside of operating times you can submit a query via Ask a Librarian or email us direct.

If you are coming into Harrison Learning Centre, you will notice our new Information Point on the ground floor where a librarian will be available to help with any enquiries. There may be some movement of books or journals which are sent off for binding, so if you are after something specific, it may be advisable to telephone first to check availability. Any requests for EndNote training or anything from the InfoBites workshops can also be accommodated – just contact us with the details.

Have an enjoyable Summer break : )

WolframAlpha – will it change search?

There’s a new search service on the block, widely reported to rival Google as search engine of choice. WolframAlpha is the brainchild of Stephen Wolfram, and it sells itself as a “computational knowledge engine” rather than a search engine. The idea is that rather than providing a list of sites to help you with your query, it will bring you the answer from its knowledge base. It definitely has its strengths when looking for facts and figures. View some the examples of what it can do with certain topics including mathematics, statistics and data analysis, and web and computer systems.

Like many others, I have been testing it over the last few days but often being answered by “Wolfram|Alpha isn’t sure what to do with your input.” Another criticism has been the fact that at the moment it has a US bias. Time will tell whether the service will improve or interest fizzles out but it is still an ambitious project worth keeping an eye on. You can follow what others are saying about it on Twitter. Let me know your thoughts if you have tested it out.

125 years of the IEEE

I’m a bit late with this post given that it’s already May but 2009 is the 125th year of the IEEE and their celebration website is well worth a look if you haven’t already.

The site has lots of great features including a whole range of videos from speakers discussing how emerging technologies can change the world, and the Engineering the Future Day on 13th May.

The IEEE celebration can also be found hanging about on social sites Facebook and YouTube and event pictures are available on Flickr.

Don’t forget that Learning Centres have an online subscription to the IEEE Computer Science Digital Library for access to IEEE journals and conference papers.

SCIT Librarian on the Web

The www is a fast moving place and the sheer volume of information that can be found from a simple search is mind boggling. Hopefully you will be finding SCIT Blog a useful source to help you identify useful sources for academic research, but did you know you can also subscribe to my Delicious links and, now even follow me on Twitter?

In my guise as SCIT Librarian, I can be found on the web picking up all the useful snippets of information relevant to SCIT students and staff. If you are a Twitter user you can follow me on Twitter where I will post quick updates and links to useful stuff, and all the best academic websites for computing and maths are stored and tagged in my Delicious account.

You can subscribe to the RSS feeds from SCIT Blog, Delicious, and Twitter however you wish to receive the updates. I’d love to get your comments and feedback about any of the services, so feel free to comment here or @SCIT_Librarian on Twitter.

Grid, Distributed & Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a hot topic at the moment. GridResources is a “subject tracer” blog which seeks to bring together resources for grid, distributed, and cloud computing. Regularly updated, the blog is a recommended starting point for research in the area.

Some suggested further reading on the subject include this short introduction to cloud platforms by David Chappell.

Video debates from British Computer Society

Stay up-to-date with the latest debates in the world of IT with the British Computer Society video series. The most recent debate is “IT’s help in the credit crunch: What can IT do to help enterprises cope in the current economic climate – and is it all bad for IT professionals?” View the video here.

What is Python? Free Safari webcast

If you are interested in or studying Python, you might be interested in signing up for a free webcast from Safari online. This is a one hour webcast with author of Core Python Programming Wesley Chun.

The webcast is taking place on Wednesday 29th April. Visit Safari Books Online for more information and to register for the event.

Academic Earth

Academic Earth is a collection of videos from top scholars at US Universities. A great resource containing both computer science and mathematics categories.

New quiet study area

Photo from Flickr, uploaded by ewphoto

There have been a few changes at Harrison Learning Centre recently, and in response to student and staff feedback, the 3rd floor has now been designated as a quiet study area. All spaces, tables and study rooms are for individual study. Please note that this only applies to the book floor and not the IT suite.

We hope that this move will be welcomed and supported by students and staff. Your feedback is always valued so please comment here, fill in a comments form in the Learning Centre or submit comments online.