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Moon Library Suggestion Box

Send your suggestions to Stephen Weiter , Director of Libraries

Past suggestions from the Library Suggestion Box:

19 October 2012

Having a color printer in the library would be nice to have. Why don’t you have one?

LIBRARY RESPONSE: Thanks for your suggestion regarding color printing in the Moon Library. We agree that it would be nice to offer this service.

The network printers available to students for printing are not controlled by Moon Library and we have little say in what features they have.

Computing & Network Services provides the printers, paper and toner for this purpose, and they choose the models installed and their distribution. At present color printing is available in Baker 317.

I believe you can print to Baker 317 from Moon Library and then go pick up your print job from the print release station there, so long as you get there within 20 minutes of sending your print job. See http://helpdesk.esf.edu/cns/ComputingCenter/BakerFacilities/Printing.aspx Remember, color printing costs you 5 times as many credits from your print quota as a black and white print job.

With luck, we will have a color printing option in Moon when the current printer ages out and we get a replacement.

19 April 2012

Please return a couch to the quiet study room.

LIBRARY RESPONSE: We are so pleased students have noticed the changes we are making in Room 103 to enhance quiet study in the Library! Providing improved quiet study areas is one of the major initiatives I have been working on since 2009. With the help of a generous donation from Robert (’84 NRM) and Lisa Unsworth we are finally able to make some improvements in this area.

However, improving quiet study areas means other aspects of our spaces have to change. While I understand the sofa in Room 103 was quite popular, I also noticed that a large chunk of its use was for naps. I have no objections to napping in the library, and did so myself quite often as an undergraduate. But napping isn’t conducive to quiet study. J Neither are conversations. And we are trying to eliminate conversational settings in Room 103 (including sofas) to ensure a quieter environment. There are at least eight sofas in the library, including in the current quiet study area in Room 13 on the lower level. They are all part of conversational groupings, as was the sofa in Room 103. While we will have a mix of comfortable chairs and study carrels in Room 103, we do not want furniture arrangements that encourage conversations or anything else that would distract from quiet study in that room. We will re-evaluate the design of the room after it has been in use, and continue to make improvements. We do appreciate knowing what students think of the changes. Please continue to let us know how you feel about the services and the environment we provide.

26 January 2012

Access to journal articles through Google Scholar would be super hepful! I think I remember doing this in the past…

LIBRARY RESPONSE: Thanks for your note about searching for journals using Discover and Google Scholar. Both methods have their benefits and draw backs.

In fact you can still link directly to journals in our catalog through Scholar, HOWEVER:

They have to be journals to which we have subscriptions;
You have to be on campus using our computers or EvergreenX/AirOrangeX or
Logged into myslice using your SUnet id or logged into the SU library using your id card number and last name if you are off campus.

At least two of those conditions have to be met so that the journal website will recognize you as a valid user (either via login or ip authentication) with rights to access those journals.

While Google Scholar is convenient and easy to search and has access to many scholarly journals available electronically it does not index them all, nor does it necessarily index all of the ones we subscribe to. Many publishers will not allow Google to harvest their metadata, so it does not “know” about them. And the info found there may not be current. Google Scholar does index JSTOR (for instance). JSTOR indexes and provides access to a vast number of titles, but only for those 5 years old or older. The publishers do not allow JSTOR access to the most recent publications. If those publishers block google from harvesting data directly from their websites, then the most current information will not be there. There are also a lot of journals we can’t afford to subscribe to that google DOES harvest. If you click on those links, you are going to be asked to pay, or simply be denied access.

Discover does have its limitations regarding access to electronic journals. However, anything you find in there will allow you access – not only to electronic versions but to print versions of the journals as well. And if you read the records carefully, you can see which databases allow access to specific years of coverage. Sometimes it is much more efficient.

Do a search for “Wetlands” on Google Scholar. Unless you do an advanced search and use the “articles published in” box you will spend days scrolling through results for the journal title.

If you do the same search in Discover the journal is the second result in the list and you can link directly to it.

The ESF and SU libraries are looking at ways to improve the catalog. A new tool will replace the database/article search tool in Discover in the coming months ( I am not sure of the implementation schedule) and we know the current article search and search multiple database tabs are clunky. We are working on replacing those with something that works, and will be installing SUMMON http://www.serialssolutions.com/discovery/summon/ in the very near future.

In the meantime some good tips on searching our catalog can be found at http://researchguides.library.syr.edu/quickstart

If you need further assistance I encourage you to stop in and talk to any of our reference librarians. We are more than willing to help anyone who asks.

03 May 2011

You should have a back door so that we don’t have to walk all the way around to get to Jahn or Baker.

LIBRARY RESPONSE: While the library does have an emergency exit on the West side of the building, there is no public entrance/exit other than the main entrance on the Quad for the foreseeable future.

First, the West side of the building is adjacent to the construction zone for the Gateway Building due to be completed mid-2012. Not only is it not the best place to walk, but use of the door allows exhaust from heavy equipment to enter the building. It is also not a handicap accessible entrance as there are stairs inside the door. Therefore, access to that entry has been restricted.

Second, additional public entrances to libraries require additional book security systems and additional personnel to monitor them. We have neither at this point in time due to budget restrictions imposed on us by NY state.

We recognize that in addition to Baker and Jahn, Centennial Hall, the Gateway and the eventual Academic Research Building will move a large proportion of our campus community west of our current main quad. Therefore a western entrance to Moon Library is highly desirable. The library would like to see a link between the Gateway Building and Moon at some point in the near future. That is possible 4-5 years down the road, but is not possible at this time. Please be patient. I hope we will get this access soon.

03 May 2011

Please update the first floor printer. It is very slow

The computers in the Moon Library are not sufficient for a university.

LIBRARY RESPONSE: The library does not control or purchase the student computing resources used in Moon Library. Computing and Network Services provides the computers and printers for campus-wide use. The number and the quality of the computers in Moon have been increased in the past year. The older PCs are scheduled to be replaced over the summer.

There is a color printer in 317 Baker, as well as a large format printer. Color printers (and the toner cartridges) are a bit expensive. Speed of printing is often dependent on a number of factors, including network traffic, size of the print job, the number of jobs in the queue, etc. That said, we will request a faster, color printer in Moon when the current printers come due to be replaced on the current schedule.

Given the focus on sustainability on campus, I would encourage faculty colleagues to accept, and students to submit, electronic versions of papers, assignments, and tests, thus reducing the need for printers, the amount of paper waste, and our collective carbon footprint on campus.

26 October 2010

The bulletin board is an eyesore. What’s the deal? Yikes!

LIBRARY RESPONSE: I’m not sure which bulletin board you mean. The library information bulletin board is a work in progress for thanksgiving and fall, but unless you find the fall colors terribly disagreeable, is not what we would consider an eyesore. The GCI bulletin board next to it is certainly crowded, but not terribly so. Are you referring to the bulletin board in the lounge area on the lower level? It does tend to get crowded with flyers and announcements as events during the semester multiply, students seek roommates, tutors advertise their services, etc. However, this morning I looked and there was only one out of date poster. Everything is current on that board.

Aside from the one board the library reserves for its own use, we tend not to police the general bulletin board or the GCI bulletin board except in cases of offensive or threatening materials. We do try to remove dated material from the board on the lower level. However, those boards are for student use, and we allow them to use the boards freely, and without our intervention. There are very few areas on campus where material can be posted, especially where there is a lot of student traffic, so we try to accommodate what we can. If you could be more specific about your concern, I will try to address it.

11 October 2010

I would recommend in investing in a “Face-up” scanner for scanning books. It would preserve your books a lot better than the current photocopier, especially the journals.

LIBRARY RESPONSE: I appreciate this suggestion more than you know. You are correct that the pressure of forcing bound materials down on the photocopier glass causes wear and tear on the spines of those materials. Those that get the heaviest usage sometimes have to be rebound in order to preserve them.

Overhead or “planetary” book scanners usually run from $4,000 to upwards of $50,000 for very durable high quality scanners, and most of them require a PC to control the software (and provide printer or USB portable storage capabilities). So the minimum investment is $4,500 for such a device, not counting furniture, maintenance, and other incidentals. (The average cost of rebinding a journal is about $30.00 at the moment). They are also not terribly easy to use, and require a detailed series of steps to get a good clean image.

Cost aside, I am always on the lookout for affordable technologies of this nature, not just or our users to photocopy or scan from, but also for archival and digitization uses. If I find a solution similar to this that makes fiscal sense and is easy for the students, faculty and staff to use, I will certainly see that we implement it.

04 October 2010

Is there any way to control the volume of people’s voices in the library? This seems to me like it should go without saying…It’s a library. Loud voices at night are counterproductive and obnoxious for those of us actually here to do serious work.

LIBRARY RESPONSE: Thanks for your comments and I appreciate your concern. It can be loud in the Moon Library at times, and this does make it difficult for many to focus on their work in the main reading room. However, the tradition on this campus – in the absence of a student center - is to treat the Moon library as the campus “living room” and that often means that there is some level of socializing going on, as well as group study. We are long past the era where shushing people is appropriate - unless they are REALLY LOUD. Social interaction is part of the library and learning experience. We do try to limit the loudest behavior, including cell phone conversations and music that is loud enough to escape someone’s ear-buds. There are quiet places to study in Moon. The quiet study area in room 13 on the lower level is one option, as are the desks behind the stacks along the west wall, and the carrels on the North and South ends of the reading room. Students also often use the current periodicals room and the academic success center for quiet study. Room 110 and the classroom on the lower level (when not in use) are also viable options.

I wish we had the space and resources to do more, and to create better quiet study areas within the library at this time. We are working on a plan to improve the quiet study areas over time, and to segregate those areas from the main reading room. I hope those plans can come to fruition in time for you to take advantage of the results.

21 April 2010

I first off want to say I appreciate all that the Moon provides. But it would be great if it was open super late or 24-hours the last few weeks of the semester. Thanks.

LIBRARY RESPONSE: Thanks for letting us know. We always try to base the hours and services we provide on student (and faculty!) needs. We do have to balance those decisions with operating expenses, actual usage of the library/service and lately – sustainability efforts. While we have survey data indicating that students would like us to be open later, the nightly headcount tells us that there are very few people here after 10:00 p.m. even during finals week when we do extend our hours both in the morning and evening. (We are open 7:30 a.m. to Midnight may 5-6 and May 10-11.)

We will revisit our policies in terms of the hours we are open if there is demand for more hours. There is also a possibility that a 24-hour computer lab will be placed in Moon Library. We will keep you posted on developments in this area.

21 April 2010

Why does the guy that cleans the bathroom has to close it for an hour and send you to the other bathroom that has no toilet paper and dirt. The bathroom should be cleaned first.

LIBRARY RESPONSE: ESF Housekeeping provides us with two people to clean the library every morning. Bathrooms are cleaned daily, and during that time the bathroom is closed to prevent slip and fall accidents, to allow the floors to dry cleanly, and to avoid potential embarrassments. (Sometimes, it’s not a guy who cleans the men’s room!) The schedule of those cleanings is not controlled by the library, but I will alert housekeeping to your concerns.

19 April 2010

Thank you for providing the opportunity to display student art. It’s really nice to see some creativity on this campus which is inspired by things other than classes. I hope the library will continue to provide this opportunity and not just for Earth Week.

LIBRARY RESPONSE: We were happy to partner with GCI and Friends of the Moon Library during National Library Week and Earth Week to display student artworks of various forms. There was a very positive response to this initiative and we will look for ways to provide more display opportunities. All of the artwork submitted was very well done and we would like to thank the students who submitted these examples of their creativity for display in the library.

10 March 2010

Why can’t the vending machines take our SUper points like the ones in Sadler?

Bray has a nice coffee machine that has lattes, etc.

LIBRARY RESPONSE: I am forwarding these questions to SU Food Services for a response and will let you know what I find out. I thought the machines here would accept Super points, as there are ID card readers built into the vending machines. However, it may be that they are either inoperable, or need to be repaired. We are aware that our coffee machine produces something that – though it resembles coffee – really isn’t very drinkable, and is not the latest model available. I am afraid Moon Library doesn’t generate a huge amount of revenue and we are therefore not the highest priority location when it comes to locating new vending machines. Nevertheless, I will follow up with SU food services and see if we can get an upgrade.

UPDATE : SU Food Services managers responded that they generally replace vending machines every 10 years, and that our machines are not scheduled to be replaced until 2013. William Billy of SU Food Services did say they would look into the conditions of the machines

02 March 2010

Double sided Printing:

LIBRARY RESPONSE: I understand this request and commend the suggestion for the desire to reduce the paper waste in the Moon Library and on campus in general. That is the main reason our computers default to “Print to PDF” and our new copier has a scanning option that allows you to take electronic copies home with you instead of printing them. Computing and Network Services controls the printing equipment available, much as they do the computers that are in Moon Library. Replacing the current printer with one with duplexing capabilities would not be all that expensive, and is possible in the near future. However, you should be aware that duplexing printers are far more subjectable to paper jams and related problems. Students would also have to remember to select this option (or turn it off) depending on their printing needs. We think those are situations we can all adjust to, and a request for a printer with duplexing options will be forwarded to Computing and Network Services.

14 December 2009

Before, the library used to make notes on suggestion cards and put them up for people to read. I really liked that because it showed that someone was reading them and trying to improve the library. Why did the library stop?

LIBRARY RESPONSE: Because the new Director was unaware that this was past practice. I assure you I have read and/or listened to all suggestions and we are paying attentions to your concerns. In the future, responses to suggestion box comments will be posted on the library website at http://www.esf.edu/moonlib/ Until that is up and running, I will post responses to your concerns here.

02 November 2009

The computers in the library are all occupied. The computer room downstairs has 6 tables where the computers have been removed. Suggestion: Get more computers. The computers upstairs on the main floor are Super slow. Please upgrade and/or maintain them so they are functional.—SK

LIBRARY RESPONSE: Unfortunately, the Moon Library has little control over the number of computers in the library, nor much influence over when those computers get upgraded. We realize that the computers in the Library are in constant use, and we would like to have more computers here for the students to use. I have spoken to computing services about adding 4-5 more computers to the north end of the reading room. I also asked about the computers removed from the cluster in room 14. The reality is that we don’t have enough computers on campus to meet the needs of students in Moon Library. In fact, the computers missing from the room 14 cluster in Moon were used to fill gaps in other campus computing labs where classes are held.

One Lab in 314 Baker has been designated “No Classes” so that students might have better access to computing resources, and a 24/7 computer lab is under investigation – possibly in Moon Library. We will try to keep you informed of other computing opportunities. In the meanwhile, there are also computers located at:

Baker Computing Lab hours (Rooms 309, 310, 314): * Rooms 434 and 437 close at 8:00 PM

	Monday thru Thursday*	8:00 A.M. - 11:00 P.M.
	Friday	8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.
	Saturday	11:00 A.M. - 5:30 P.M.
	Sunday	11:00 A.M. - 11:00 P.M.

Please see the Lab class schedule for between-class availability during the academic year for the Rooms other than 314 Baker.

ESF Students also have access to SU Computing Labs;

SU Computer Lab hours:

Open 24 hours:	029 Kimmel 201 Lawrinson 016 Graham 202 Brockway 110 Link
Open 1/2 hour after building opens, Closed 1/2 hour before building closes	035 Schine Student Center 126 Schine Student Center 107 Goldstein Student Center 1-114 CST 020 Huntington
Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.	115 Physics

10 October 2009

Please consider vacuuming before the library opens. Many students come here to read or study and it is very distracting with a vacuum running and having it pushed around your feet as you’re sitting at tables. I understand the need to keep the floors clean but it would be greatly appreciated if the vacuuming was done prior to the posted opening hours. Thanks ---Annoyed Stumpy

LIBRARY RESPONSE: We are very sorry this occurred during the fall semester and have done our best to see that it doesn’t happen again. Housekeeping was very short staffed near the end of 2009, and there were not enough people around campus to do the daily housekeeping chores in every building in a timely manner. Since then, several new people have been hired, including more housekeeping staff to help ready Moon for the academic day. Students can do their part to help keep Moon Library clean by disposing of litter and food waste properly. This allows the morning cleaning to progress much more quickly, so most of that cleaning can be done before you arrive.

Thank you all for your input, and for your interest in improving Moon Library.

Steve Weiter, Director of College Libraries