Student-to-Student: Library News
with Nick Freed

New Computers in the Reference Department

Students beware.  The tried and true excuse of “the library computers ate my midterm
paper” may not be so dependable anymore.  With Spring Break long over, some may have noticed a change in scene in the Pius XII Memorial Library reference section, where a slew of larger monitors and smaller CPU’s have replaced the familiar sight of the simply ‘okay’ computers of days past.  No more impromptu yoga classes while trying to plug in a USB drive, and no more awkward glances as the small plastic cover on the front of the tower comes off in your hand. This means that the library is easier and more relaxing than ever. 

But there’s more to the Pius library than just computers and books, I think we have covered that by now. And that’s even more true now than ever, but the computers definitely make up a large portion of today’s technology-centric world.  Computer sciences students know all too well that the best (and prior to Spring Break, the only) place to do any programming homework was in Ritter or McDonnell Douglas Hall, where the labs close early and the computers turn off in odd intervals (usually because someone takes a nice big stretch and puts a shoe to an important plug-in).  Now, however, with the addition of Maple 10 to the already fantastic, though not necessarily well publicized, selection of software available, students can finish that last minute programming homework from the comfort of the library with other human beings nearby.  Library computers aren’t just catering towards computer sciences majors, however, and software suites include popular programs like Microsoft Powerpoint, Word, (the dreaded) Excel, Access, and even programs like SPSS 14.0 and Microsoft FrontPage.  Even more understated is the fact that all library computers offer the often-unsung chance to print to a PDF file, meaning that all those aspiring authors out there can finally print to PDF without fear that someone will steal their Word documents and claim them for their own.

In addition to computer programs and computers, the library’s notorious printers have also gotten upgrades of their own, with a new and more reliable Pharos client installed to ensure that those pesky term papers get printed in all of their 8 1/2” x 11” glory.  Provided that you have your ID and that you’ve actually had it activated at Saint Louis University’s Parking and Card Services in DuBourg, which is conveniently just outside the Pius XII Library, students can now print mostly care free, except with the dash to their next class in mind.  And if you’re unfortunate enough to be out of Billiken Bucks on your ID, there are machines that can directly deposit money on your ID using cash.

It’s inevitable that everyone, at one point or another, experiences a problem with a program or a project, and it’s in the library’s staff that the Pius library, along with all other campus libraries, truly gets a chance to shine.  With dedicated and professional personnel in every department, it’s nearly impossible to find yourself without having someone work toward a solution to your needs at a personal, one-on-one, level.  With theology papers coming up, and with countless English and Biology (to name a few) assignments drawing towards a conclusion, the library’s Reserve and Reference sections are more useful, and desperately necessary, than ever.  With liaison librarians and the Writing Center under its belt, the Pius Library, among the rest of the University’s wonderful libraries, is the perfect place to touch up those last minute submissions. 

The library isn’t just a place where people keep books out of a passion for paper, it’s a place of learning like the rest of any good academic establishment.  With the idea of a “learning commons” resurgent in today’s academic community, we hope that you’ll find the campus libraries a perfect place to escape from a noisy dorm room, work on a paper or project, do research using superb academic tools, and to feel surrounded in an atmosphere of both comfort and learning.

 

Last updated May 10, 2007