Which should I use? VDI or the Terminal Server?

Need to access your H drive from off campus? Need to use specialized programs such as SAS, SPSS, or Photoshop for a class assignment? You can access all these from almost any computer by using a virtual connection. There are two computing environments to connect to: VDI and the Terminal Server.

VDI has newer versions of the Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of programs. Some specialized software lives on VDI, while other software is only on the Terminal Server. Decide which option is best suited to your needs with this chart:

VDI vs Terminal server

Once you know which one you need to access, follow the corresponding directions below:

VDI instructions

terminal server instructions

Tech Tuesday: Microphones

Are you are working on a video or digital project for a class or student organization? Using a microphone for the voice over, instead of relying on the microphone on your iPhone or video camera, will make a world of difference in the final project.

The library has several different types of microphones that you can check out and that will lend a professional touch to your finished product. Learn more:

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Tech Tuesday: tripods

Are you filming something for a class project, your student organization, or just for your own artistic expression? Well, unless you’re going for a Blair Witch Project-style camera shake, you will want a tripod.

The library has both floor stand and tabletop tripods in several different sizes and styles that you can check out! Learn more:

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Tech Tuesday: Headsets w/microphones

Have you ever tried to hold your phone against your ear and type at the same time? It is difficult. Talking on speakerphone can solve this, but what if you’re in a public place or your roommate is asleep? That’s where these headsets can really come in handy.

They’re perfect for things like group calls and online classes – any scenario where you might want to talk and type at the same time. Plus, the sound quality is much better than speakerphone. Learn more:

[iframe src=”http://api.libguides.com/api_box.php?iid=557&bid=21238509″ height=”575″ width=”1000″]

Tech Tuesday: Portable DVD Players

Need to watch a movie for class, but you left your laptop at home? Maybe you don’t have a laptop, or your laptop doesn’t have a DVD player? Whatever the scenario, the library can help. We have portable DVD players that you can check out for up to 4 days and take wherever you’d prefer to watch your movie. Learn more:

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Tech Tuesday: audio recorders

Did you know that we have three different types of audio recorders that you can check out from the library? These little beauties are perfect for recording:

A class lecture (as long as your professor is OK with it!) to take notes on later
An interview for a class assignment
A podcast to put online that will bring you fame and fortune (maybe…)
Notes on that story for your creative writing class or that article you’re writing for the school paper
…and more!

Plus, you don’t have to worry about taking up space on your smartphone with large audio files. Here’s more info about the three types of audio recorders available for checkout at Hamersly:

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Noodle Tools will make your life easier

Working on a research paper or project? Save time and make your life easier by using Noodle Tools! As a WOU student, you can create a *free* premium account.

What is Noodle Tools? It’s an online tool that helps you organize your research sources and create citations in APA, MLA, or Chicago/Turabian formats. Using Noodle Tools, you can create a new project for each of your research assignments and store your bibliography for as long as you’re working on the assignment — or longer, it’s up to you. You can add notes to individual sources reminding yourself how you’d like to use them in your paper. And you can reuse sources for different projects in the future, even automatically changing to another citation style if necessary.

Access Noodle Tools here to sign up for your free, premium account and get started.

It’s OK to order things OnDemand!

When you run across an article in your research that is available through “Get It Now” or “OnDemand,” don’t let that stop you from getting the article you need.

These terms mean that Hamersly doesn’t have access to the journal that published the article you are looking for, but we can still get the article for you. In order to get access, you will go through a short process – since the library pays (on average around $30) each time an article is viewed through the Articles OnDemand provider’s website, we want to make sure you actually want the article. We budget for Articles OnDemand use though, so we want you to use it when you need it! We simply ask that you:

Read the abstract of each article to determine how likely it is to suit your needs before viewing the full text and incurring charges.
Be sure to save the article somewhere you will be able to get back to it (e.g. your H:/ drive, My Documents folder on your personal computer, a USB drive) so that the library only pays for it once.

Happy researching!

One more reason to plan ahead when researching

There are two systems through which WOU students, faculty, and staff can obtain books from other libraries that we don’t have in Hamersly: Summit and Interlibrary Loan. What does this mean for you? It’s a matter of time: Summit items get to you in 3-5 days, while Interlibrary Loan items take longer, sometimes up to two weeks.

Summit logo Summit is the shared catalog and borrowing system of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium of academic libraries in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. This special partnership makes it faster for us to borrow items from Summit libraries and for this reason, it is used to request most books, videos, and CDs that WOU does not own. Interlibrary Loan, consisting of all libraries except the Summit libraries, is used to request articles from journals and any books, videos, and CDs not available in Summit libraries.

The moral of the story? If WOU doesn’t have what you need, request through Summit when possible. If requesting through Interlibrary Loan is your only option, just be aware that it will likely take longer than you’re used to with Summit. No matter what system, however, the library can almost always get you what you need!

“Can I send someone to check out those books?”

We often get asked if a family member, friend, or graduate assistant can pick up materials on behalf of a borrower. Our system now makes it easier for us to manage these requests by documenting a borrower’s proxy. As a Hamersly Library patron, you may grant permission for another person (or persons) to check out materials from the library on your account.

Proxies can pick up materials that arrive for you through Summit and Interlibrary Loan, and Hamersly-owned items that are on hold for you.

You can designate a proxy for just a few days, to accommodate an illness perhaps, or longer term, for continued access–it’s up to you.