The Information and Technology Building (151 East 25th Street) is scheduled to be closed from 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on four consecutive Thursdays: March 06; 13; 20 and 27. This is due to electrical repair work to be done as a result of the east 26th Street water main break in March 2013. The repairs will require a complete power shut down, which will affect all building systems. On those Thursdays, to prepare for the loss of power, computer systems, wifi service, and Internet access will start to shut down at 6:00 p.m. The reference desk will remain open until 9:00. However, the circulation and laptop loan desks will close at 6:00 along with the student computing lab on the 6th floor. Currently enrolled Baruch students may use labs on the 6th floor of the Newman Vertical Campus across the street. We regret the inconvenience caused by these necessary repairs.
Author Archives: adowning
Library Tests the Addition of Electrical Outlets to Study Tables
In response to a request from Undergraduate Student Government the Library is testing the addition of electrical outlets to the large study tables. Each unit has 3 electrical outlets plus 2 USB ports for re-charging mobile devices. The first unit has been installed on a table on the North side of the second floor (see photo below). If the test is successful and users are satisfied, units will be installed on tables throughout the library.
Visitors from Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan
On November 7 an academic team from Kwansei Gakuin University visited the Newman Library to discuss the future of academic libraries, collaborative programs with faculty, and space planning. They came to Baruch College after a similar examination of the libraries at Stanford University, Harvard, MIT, and Mount Holyoke.
Arthur Downing, Chief Librarian with visitors from Kwansei Gakuin University
Electricity Peak Load Management Reduction Event – July 9, 2013
To: Baruch College Community
From: The Office of Campus Facilities and Operations
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Electricity Peak Load Management Reduction Event
Tuesday, July 09, 2013
12:00 pm TO 6:00 pm
Baruch College is participating in The New York Power Authority’s Peak Load Management Program, which requires the curtailment of Electricity.
All departments must turn off all non-essential equipment such as lights, computers, printers, copy machines, etc. – Please note that this includes the equipment in the Library and the computing labs.
- Escalator and Elevator service will be limited.
- All windows must be closed.
- Window AC set points should be raised to 77F.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
If you have any questions or comments, please call the Office of Campus Facilities and Operations at
646-660-6030 or Buildings and Grounds Office at 646-660-6630.
So what are those New Media Artspaces, anyway?
It may have been the glimpse of a video that caught your eye as you rushed off to the elevator. Or maybe it was a brightly colored sign that caused you to pause on the way to checkout. Or maybe you saw students clustered around a screen on the 3rd floor and wondered… what are those New Media Artspaces?
By renovating the old pay phone booths in the library, the Department of Fine and Performing Arts and Newman created innovative exhibition space for the New Media Arts program. Underexposed, the first exhibition by the first cohort to complete the New Media Arts minor at Baruch, presents works in a range of media such as single channel video, animation, and photography. Playing through August, Underexposed celebrates our New Media students while raising the profile of the arts at Baruch College.
Check out the current exhibition at the Artspace on each floor of the library, and expect more curated interdisciplinary artworks by international artists, students, alumni, and faculty showcased there soon.
For more information about the exhibition, please visit: www.newmediartspace.info
New Collection of Books on Turkish History and Culture
The Newman Library has acquired a new collection of books on Turkish history and culture through a grant from the Institute of Turkish Studies. The titles were selected by students in the Baruch College Turkish Student Association. The books are available for loan and are currently on display in the Engelman Reading Room on the second floor of the Library.
Kimmy Szeto to Join the Newman Library Faculty as Metadata Librarian
Professor Kimmy Szeto will join the Newman Library faculty on July 8th as Metadata Librarian. Since 2007 he has held the position of Cataloging and Metadata Librarian at SUNY Maritime College. Previously he was Metadata Librarian for the Queens Borough Public Library. He has taught in the fields of Mathematics, Music, Geology, and Library Science at Columbia, CUNY, Illinois Institute of Art, University of Illinois, and the University of Chicago.
Professor Szeto holds the following degrees: MLS, Queens College/CUNY; MPhil (Marine Geology and Geophysics ), Columbia University; MA (Earth and Environmental Science), Columbia University; MA (Earth and Environmental Science), University of Chicago; and BA (Music and Mathematical Statistics), Columbia University. He is an accomplished musician with licenses in both violin and piano performance from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (UK) and serves as General Manager/Ensemble Librarian for the Argento New Music Project.
New Credit Courses: Information Futures, Local History Detective, & Image as Information.
The Newman Library is offering three new three-credit courses as part of its Minor in Information Studies.
- INFORMATION FUTURES
Students will examine ideas about the impact of information on the future. The course will be structured around the speculative literature from the past and the present, and will engage students in a model of predictive research to imagine the impact of information on the future. The past, present, and future will be examined through three prisms: information artifacts, human activities, and societal structures (social, economic, cultural, and political). Visual media, fiction, and analytical resources will be used to discover how people and groups have thought about information and its capacity to change who we are and how we live. - LOCAL HISTORY DETECTIVE
This course is designed to provide students with an overview of how the history of a community can be revealed through the use of primary materials. From Colonial Times to the present, American settlers have had the foresight to save remnants of their history for future generations. In addition, independent historical societies and early museums, as well as local and federal governments have played significant roles in preserving the past. Specialized collections, real and virtual repositories, and the many kinds of sources valuable to local history research will be explored. - IMAGE AS INFORMATION: Image-Based information & Resources
This course examines theoretical principles and practical approaches to visual-based information retrieval, evaluation, and use in academic, professional, and daily-life activities. Students will gain a greater understanding and awareness of social, ethical, and structural issues related to participating in a visual-interactive information culture as informed producers/consumers (prosumers). Visual literacy and presumption literature concepts will be applied to exploring, creating, and evaluating image-based information and resources.
For more information, contact Professor Randy Hensley, Head of Instruction for the Newman Library
New Online Resource: Mango Languages – Language Leaning Program
The Newman Library has licensed Mango Languages for all students, faculty, and staff. This interactive learning program teaches practical conversation and cultural awareness. The 45 languages offered include: Arabic (Levantine), Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Mandarin), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dari, Dutch, Farsi (Persian), Finnish, French, French (Canadian), German, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Pashto, Pirate, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Slovak, Spanish (Latin America), Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu and Vietnamese. There is also a mobile app that users can download to learn a language on the go.
You do not have to create an account to use this database. However, if you want to track your progress, you should create a personal account.
Use Your Copycard Balance by December 27
Baruch College’s contract with the Library’s current photocopy service vendor has expired. The vendor will remove the photocopiers on December 27, 2012. Any balance on copycards at that time will be lost. The Library’s printing and scanning services are not affected.