Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Just in case anyone gets the same question as I got today, here's a note about the books in the display case (someone was potentially interested in checking one out and may return to do so). The key is in the refdesk drawer, and the books need to be checked in again as they are checked out to a library account at the moment, but once that is done they can be checked out to the person as usual.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

"Question Shop" (otherwise known as a reference desk)

"What they don’t mention is that the fellow in the picture is named Marcus Googlethorpe." (I'm not sure about that...) http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/02/10/question-shop-gives-answer-to-any-telephoned-query/

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Holistic Engineering Program?

Potential employers are finding out that engineers don't know how to manage systems that need knowledge in environmental areas. OSU has a solution: New program combines ecology with engineering "This lack of experience puts a burden on employers, including farmers, engineering consultants and government agencies, who must then teach engineers how to bridge the gap between environmental and engineered solutions themselves. "They need students who understand traditional engineering and how it intersects with biological and ecological systems," said Bolte. For this reason, OSU has launched a new undergraduate program that combines ecology with engineering. "By the time they leave, we expect them to be fluent in both," he said. About 10 students will complete their first semester of the ecological engineering curriculum this spring, and the program is expected to grow to about 120 students within five years... For several years, the university has offered a graduate program in biological and ecological engineering - evolved from its agricultural engineering program - but the students who enroll are generally interested in pursuing careers in research, he said. The undergraduate program, on the other hand, will produce engineers ready for work out in the field..."