VOL.11 ISSUE
02
AUG
2016 ISSN 1793-222X
A Discovery A Day
CONTENTS Info Buzz WhatsApp a Librarian
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Browzine: Thousands of Journals on Your Tablet, Phone or Desktop
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Student Assistants Wanted, Needed, & Appreciated
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What Users Say 2015 Library User Survey Summary
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Using AVON for Learning and Teaching
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Do You Know
Debra L’Angellier Librarian (Library Promotion) dblang@ntu.edu.sg
Every day of your life presents an opportunity to learn and discover. This is even more so when you are in University and you are immersed in a wealth of knowledge. But learning doesn’t just happen in classrooms or during your scheduled lectures and tutorials, it can happen anywhere and at any time. NTU Libraries has dedicated an entire collection to the quest for life-long learning, and it is all at the Library Outpost, which is located on the first floor of The Hive. The Outpost features a Discovery Collection aimed at engendering a lifelong love for learning and reading. These titles provide an introduction to important or current ideas and thinkers, and act as a springboard to further exploration and learning.
There is also a daily programme at the Outpost, which we have named “The Daily Discover”, where 19 minutes is all you need to learn something new. This all happens at 12.30 pm every weekday during the semester. The programme consists of presentations, discussions and videos. It covers a wide range of subjects from arts, humanities and social sciences to science, technology and engineering. It also covers social issues as well as special interest topics. Find out what is coming up on The Daily Discover in this new semester, view the schedule on The Library Outpost blog at http://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/lib-outpost/ dailydiscover. Pick and choose the topics which interest you, mark the dates down in your calendar, even ask a friend to join you. We are also opening up The Daily Discover time slots to our NTU community. If you think
Five Simple Steps: Exporting Data from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) to EndNote
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How to Get Started? NTU Research Data Policy
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Snapshots New Staff: Bethany Wilkes
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New Staff: Lavanya Asokan
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New Staff: V Somasundram
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Resources Resources and Tips for Budding Engineers Minding Your Own Business
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Your New Library Account
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A Word from the University Librarian The Research Commons
Online version www.ntu.edu.sg/library/ pages/xpress.aspx
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Info Buzz continued from Cover Page you have an interesting topic for The Daily Discover, or you are looking to hold small events, drop me an email. In many ways, learning and discovering is a part of who we are as human beings. We are all curious about something in some way or another, so the Library wants to be your enabler on this journey of lifelong learning, and we hope you never stop discovering.
WhatsApp A Librarian Er Bee Eng Assistant Director & Head, Access Services Division beeeng@ntu.edu.sg
The WhatsApp a Librarian service was launched in Jan 2016. The Library has always offered “Ask a Librarian” services (in person, via phone and email) to provide research assistance. This service provides assistance via a text messaging platform. WhatsApp is the natural choice because it is easy to use and many students are already using it as their preferred texting platform. To use the service, users need to install WhatsApp on their mobile phone and connect it to a mobile or WIFI network. Sending messages via WhatsApp is free but users may incur personal mobile phone subscription charges. Users can ask questions or snap a picture of the problem they face (including a picture of their computer screen) and send to the Library via WhatsApp at 8395-0629. The Library provides an immediate response to WhatsApp enquiries during regular opening hours. A quick or focused question is well-suited to be answered via WhatsApp, but more complicated or multi-part questions might be better answered via email or in person.
BrowZine Thousands of Journals on Your Tablet, Phone or Desktop
RamaRavikumar Ramakrishnan Senior Librarian (Instructional Services) ramakrishnan@ntu.edu.sg
BrowZine is a tool that delivers thousands of academic journals to your tablet, iPhone/Android phone or desktop. BrowZine gives an immersive virtual browsing experience to access e-journals. You may visualise it like a physical shelf in the library. In addition to reading and browsing journals through a single interface, it allows you to track your favourite titles and get alerts for new journal issues. One key feature is to create a personal bookshelf of favourite journals, with options to email, download and send articles to reference managers like EndNote. BrowZine-app allows browsing recent issues of scholarly journals on mobile devices iPad, iPhone, Android tablets & smartphones. BrowZine-web (http://browzine.com) is for desktop PCs. It has all the features of the app with the added option to access all back issue journals subscribed by NTU Libraries.
Explore Top Scholarly Articles Scan the QR code to download the app
BrowZine provides access to online journals and open access journals subscribed by NTU Libraries. Browzine allows you to: Browse by title or subject to find journals of interest – all in ONE app or interface Read articles in a format optimized for tablet or mobile devices and desktops Create a personal bookshelf of favourite journals for easy and fast access Receive notifications when new articles are published Save articles to EndNote or other reference managers or an app of your choice for pdf collecting and notetaking S h a r e lin ks to a r tic l e s w i th oth e r s throu g h e m a il a nd social media platforms Download and save articles for offline reading Sync your mobile settings with BrowZine on your desktop for convenience BrowZine offers journal issues from 2005 onwards. If you are looking for a specific article, older articles (before 2005) or doing in-depth research, NTU Library’s OneSearch is the ideal entry point. Try browsing with BrowZine. If you would like any pointers on setting up the app or if you have other questions, drop me an email.
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Info Buzz
Student Assistants
Wanted, Needed & Appreciated Dianne Cmor Deputy University Librarian dcmor@ntu.edu.sg
NTU Libraries is heavily dependent on our excellent Student Assistants (SAs). You will meet them at our service desks, you will benefit from the work they do in our offices, and you can be one of them! Students often ask us about working at the Library, so this short article will introduce you to what it’s like to work with us, and let you know how you can apply. With 7 libraries on campus, SAs are a critical part of our workforce. We employ a large number of SAs to help us provide frontline services, re-shelve materials quickly and accurately, and help run various talks and events throughout the semester. In our offices, students may design posters and web banners, receive and process materials, update our website and blogs, and work on technology related projects. We also ask our student assistants to provide valuable feedback on library services, so they help to make the Library better for all. Working at NTU Libraries offers a number of benefits for students. Work experience is always valuable when you are looking for that first job after graduation. Hours are flexible and can be arranged around your classes – we understand how difficult
New Staff Bethany Wilkes Senior Assistant Director Head of Instructional Services bwilkes@ntu.edu.sg
Bethany joined NTU Libraries as the Head of Instructional Services in April 2016. She has worked in libraries for over 12 years in several different parts of the world. Her most recent position was as Assistant Professor/Information Literacy Librarian at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) in the United States; she may still be thawing out! There she coordinated the information literacy programme and taught classes in information literacy, managed the reference department, and created a staff development programme. Prior to working at UAS, she was the Coordinator for Reference and
it can be to work and study at the same time. Many students find that working at the Library helps them understand how to access and use library resources more effectively for their course assignments. Finally, you won’t find a nicer group of people to work with- we enjoy our work immensely and care about our community! Libraries are not quiet, boring places to work – they are full of creative, knowledgeable and caring people who want to help all students and faculty in their learning and research. Our vacancies are posted year-round at Studentlink > Financial Assistance > Work Study Scheme Starting wages range from $8-$10 per hour depending on the work involved and skill level required. As an incentive to continue working with us, we give students a raise in their hourly rate for every semester they continue working with us up to $12. And we have an annual appreciation lunch for our student assistants too! So if you want to get some work experience, make some money, and be a part of a great team and vibrant culture of knowledge and learning, consider becoming a student assistant at NTU Libraries. Access your Studentlink by visiting https://venus.wis.ntu.edu.sg/WSS/Student/ or by scanning the QR code
Instruction at Run Run Shaw Library, City University of Hong Kong, where she led a team in developing those areas in both the faceto-face and digital environments. She received her MLIS from Florida State University and her BA in English from the University of Montana. Bethany is interested in engaging learning experiences that can increase students’ information and digital literacy skills to foster success in their academic, professional and personal lives. She is also interested in the many ways in which students, faculty and staff can flourish as active participants in the continually evolving information environment. She is excited about exploring Singapore and travelling in the region, as well as sampling a lot of local cuisine! She also likes to jog, participate in water sports such as sailing and snorkelling, and yes… read. 3
Info Buzz
2015 Library User Survey Summary
What Users Say Wendy Ong Senior Assistant Director (Library Assessment & Quality Assurance) wendy@ntu.edu.sg
“I'm proud to be part of NTU, NTU Library definitely is my favourite place of all time!” “Really really excellent – from a Prof who has several (years) at several international universities.” “The Library has been creative in making the place a learning center, providing accessible information on research frontiers and cultivating different domains of knowledge, well done!” (Source: 2015 LibQUAL+ User Survey)
All right, not all responses were as uplifting as these ones, but the latest library survey strongly indicate that users are appreciative of the Library’s people, resources and services. The online international LibQUAL+ survey was rolled out in Oct 2015 for over 3 weeks and gathered very useful responses from 3,111 students, faculty members, researchers and staff. Assessing library service across 3 dimensions, users rated library service quality 7.08 out of 9. This shows an improvement over two previous surveys in 2012 and 2008. The rating is also comparable to that of consortium institutions in U.S., Europe and Asia in 2015 which ranged from 6.89 to 7.24.
library space for their studying and learning, and quiet space for individual activities. 3 out of 10 top perceived areas for improvements were related to space issues. This continues to be a persistent challenge. Other key areas involved difficulties in accessing electronic resources, finding it hard to navigate the library website and gaps in needed print and electronic resources. These areas were unanimously indicated as highly important to all user groups.
Assessing library service across 3 dimensions, users rated library service quality 7.08 out of 9.
The survey also received many enthusiastic open comments from over 1,600 respondents. We are thankful for users who share their compliments and concerns freely and constructively. Some feedback were acted on immediately. Some were fitted into ongoing improvements. Some will be incorporated into library work plans as the next step forward. Some require follow-up programmes to uncover and understand inherent issues. A detailed report of the 2015 LibQUAL+ User Survey can be found at the User Surveys webpage http://www.ntu.edu.sg/Library/about/survey/ We value your input on library services, tell us what you think by sending an email to library@ntu.edu.sg
New Staff Lavanya Asokan Senior Librarian (Scholarly Communication Group) alavanya@ntu.edu.sg
Lavanya joined the Scholarly Communication Group in April 2016 as a senior librarian where she is involved in research data management. She graduated from Bharathidasan University, India with a bachelor degree in Information Technology. In 2006, she came to Singapore to further her studies at NTU with a keen interest in becoming an Happy winners at the prize-presentation and networking lunch hosted by the Library in January 2016.
information professional. After obtaining her Master in Information Studies in 2007, Lavanya started her career as an information analyst with a private healthcare organisation and remained in
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Users are most happy with our library staff members’ professionalism and commitment in meeting their information needs. 7 out of top 10 areas of library strengths relate to our library staff members’ responsiveness and capability. Users tell of numerous encounters where they experience welcoming help from librarians and library support staff in their academic journey.
the healthcare sector as a data analyst.
On the flipside, undergraduates are not so happy with inadequate
aquarium with gold fishes.
She decided on a career switch where she can help people in learning. She looks forward to her new role in serving the NTU community. She loves to spend her weekends with her family and friends. She also has the hobby of fish keeping and owns a small
Info Buzz
Use Academic Video Online (AVON) for Learning or Teaching Law Loo Shien Senior Librarian (Acquisitions & Collection Management) looshien@ntu.edu.sg
You must have heard of Netflix. Some of you could be subscribers too. With streaming technologies these days making videos much more accessible, more and more academic videos are also getting onto streaming mode. The latest addition to the library is the Academic Video Online (AVON) collection from Alexander Street Press. AVON comprises various types of video material with curricular relevance, in particular: documentaries, interviews, performances, news programs, field recordings, commercials, and raw footage.
Other streaming video collections available from NTU Libraries 50 Lessons 50 Lessons films the world’s most successful business people to obtain the most important lessons they have learnt in the course of their careers. Acland’s Video Atlas of Human Anatomy Over 300 narrated videos of real human anatomic showing moving structures—muscles, tendons, and joints—making the same movements that they make in life.
Content is carefully selected by expert editors, and covers a wide range of subject areas, mainly from the humanities, arts and social sciences.
Asian Film Online
With over 48,000 titles from 1,500 providers, there is likely to be something useful for everyone.
independent Asian filmmaker.
What’s more, there are several unique features of this video platform:
Coloribus
• Some titles have transcripts displayed by the side of the video, so you can follow or review the content closely. You can watch and read, pause and reflect, all at your own pace. • You can build your own playlists, and also create video clip selections to share with others. • Citing the video in your assignments is also very easy. It only takes a few clicks to get the citation formatted in APA style. Video is widely acknowledged as an engaging way to learn or to teach, so do check out what’s available. Search or browse for videos at the online video platform itself or in OneSearch. If you need any assistance to find something specific, you may contact me or your subject librarian. Access AVON by visiting http://search.alexanderstreet.com.ezlibproxy1.ntu. edu.sg/avon or by scanning the QR code
New Staff V Somasundram Senior Librarian (Library Technology Group) Art Librarian (Media Arts) somasundram@ntu.edu.sg
You may have seen Soma around campus. He started his career as a library officer in 2007. In June 2011, he took on the role of an assistant librarian at the Library Promotion Division where his responsibilities included managing the Library’s social media marketing channels and collaborative projects with student bodies.
A view of Asian culture as seen through the lens of the
One the biggest creative advertising archive with more than 2 million ads collected from around the world. Engineering Case Studies Online The analysis of engineering failures is an essential part of many engineering curricula today. This focus enables modern engineers and scholars to learn what not to do and how to create designs with a greater chance of success. Ethnographic Video Online Videos on studies of human behaviour and culture. Contains classic and contemporary documentaries, previously unpublished footage from working anthropologists and ethnographers in the field, and select feature films.
He also served as a subject librarian for media arts-related disciplines such as animation, digital filmmaking, interactive media and photography. In 2013 he was awarded the Library Association of Singapore’s Outstanding Newcomer Award. After a short stint in Singapore University of Technology & Design, Soma is glad to be back in NTU Libraries, reprising his role as media arts librarian and taking on a new role in the Library Technology Group. In his leisure time, Soma enjoys watching movies, reading fiction by South Asian authors and listening to podcasts. He also tweets as tall.dark.librarian (@sundram_v). Follow him if you are on Twitter! 5
Do You Know
Simple Steps: 1 Exporting Data From China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)
Wu Yao Yao
Librarian (Instructional Services) yywu@ntu.edu.sg
Conduct your search in CNKI and select the records you want to export No.
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Title
Author
Click on the save button
Mark All
EndNote allows you to organise and manage referencesTitle No. from online databases such as Web of Science, ScienceDirect and EBSCOhost. But what about Chinese databases? Can you export references directly from them to EndNote? The answer is YES. The main Chinese databases such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and WANFANG DATA do have the option to export references to EndNote. Here, we use CNKI as an example to guide you on how to import references from Chinese databases. There are five simple steps.
Author
3
Sources
Clear
Save
Publication Database Dates Source
Brief
Select EndNote on the left sidebar of the pop-up window
Detail
Reference Customize RefWorks
EndNote is a powerful tool for managing references. It can help students and researchers build a personalised library of references to simplify the process of their academic writing. Students and researchers can use this EndNote library to generate bibliographies, organize references, and even cite and format these references during their writing.
EndNote NoteExpress Novelty check
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CNKI pdl
Click on “Output to local” and then save the text file in your local drive
Although the method for exporting references may vary from database to database, the majority of databases will allow you to save, export or send references to EndNote. Remember, you can always get assistance from your librarian if you are not sure how to do it.
Output to Local
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Open your EndNote library and choose File (top left) > Import > File. Click on Choose to navigate to your text file and click
on Open to select it. For Import Option, select EndNote Import, then click on Import. Import File
s
Import File:
ck
Choose...
The Library also offers hands-on workshops to cater
Import Option:
EndNote Import
to different types of users – Basic, Advanced and
Duplicates
Import All
Mac users. For full schedule and more information
Text Translation:
No Translation
about workshops, please scan the QR code or visit: h t t p s : // b l o g s . n t u . e d u . s g / l i b - l e a r n i n g / workshops/endnote/
Import
Cancel
Your records are now imported into your EndNote library! 6
Sou
Do You Know
NTU Research Data Policy
Goh Su Nee
Senior Assistant Director (Scholarly Communication Group) sunee@ntu.edu.sg
The NTU Research Data Policy was launched in Apr 2016. The implementation of the Policy will require all NTU researchers to adhere to guidelines in planning their funded research projects. It will ensure systematic planning in preserving and managing research data in NTU. The Library is pleased to play a role in the drafting of the policy and putting in place systems for some of its implementation.
The DMP is a formal document where you outline the steps that you will be taking to collect, use, manage, keep, preserve and share the research data for a specific research project. To get a head start on the NTU DMP template, you may like to take a look at the online Research Data Management Guide, accessible via the NTU libraries homepage. There is an overview of the 10 questions from the NTU DMP template, question level guides and samples, as well as FAQs.
NTU Libraries
Discover
How to Get Started?
What is the NTU Research Data Policy?
RESEARCH DATA MANAGEMENT
The policy clarifies NTU’s expectations on the management of research data by researchers. It lays down the responsibilities of principal investigators, colleges and schools, Research Support Office, NTU Libraries and Centre for IT Services. It also provides guidance to NTU researchers in following good research data management practices.
There is an increasing emphasis on managing and sharing research data. This guide will help researchers learn more about the various aspects of research data management and sharing. It will also guide NTU researchers in meeting the university as well as funders requirements. INTRODUCTION LEARN MORE
But I’m not the Principal Investigator (PI)
DEFINING RESEARCH DATA
As long as you participate in research work that involves the use, collection or generation of research data, you still need to pay attention to the NTU Research Data Policy. Whether you are the PI or not, you can get started by considering the following:
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LEARN MORE
DATA MANAGEMENT PLAN LEARN MORE
Familiarise yourself with the NTU Research Data Policy
WHERE TO SHARE DATA? LEARN MORE
Firstly, it is important that you understand the University’s requirements now, so that you will make the necessary provisions and considerations towards the fulfilment of your obligations. The Policy provides guidelines on matters such as research data ownership, retention, disposal, deposit, sharing, etc. If you are a PI, you may wish to alert and brief your research team on guidelines and requirements at the very beginning of your research project. It usually requires the effort of the entire team to properly manage research data in a manner that allows it to be reusable by yourself, your research team and others, in accordance with funders’ requirements and NTU policy.
NTU RESEARCH DATA POLICY LEARN MORE
HOW TO SHARE DATA? LEARN MORE
WHY SHARE DATA? LEARN MORE
DMP WRITING WORKSHOPS LEARN MORE
Research Data Management Guide
If you are required to write a DMP but not sure of where or how to start, we welcome you to attend a DMP Writing Workshop conducted by the Library. At the end of the workshop, you should have completed a draft DMP for a specific research project. Register via the online Research Data Management Guide. For more help and advice, you could also send me a draft of your DMP.
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Prepare Research Data for Open Sharing
Access the Policy via the NTU Research Integrity webpage at http://research.ntu.edu.sg/ResearchIntegrity/ or by scanning the QR code
2
Submit a Data Management Plan (DMP)
Secondly, you need to be aware of the requirement to prepare a data management plan (DMP) using the NTU DMP template in RIMS for each new research project.
The Policy requires open data sharing unless agreements with external parties prevent such sharing. You may star t by inc or porating g o o d researc h d ata management practices in your research work. These could include creating supporting documentation to explain how you organise or code your data; establishing consistent and meaningful file naming conventions; identifying back-up and versioning policies and procedures, etc. This is to help prepare your research data for open sharing later. 7
Resources
Resources and Tips for Budding Engineers Here are some more resources and services on the engineering profession to check out before you graduate:
Padmaja Muralidharan
Engineering Librarian (Electrical & Electronic Engineering) padmaja@ntu.edu.sg
Engineering Career and Profession Books ONLINE COURSES
SOCIAL MEDIA
DATABASE
(CAREER INFO)
Ready for takeoff!: a winning process for launching your engineering career.
NTU CAREER & ATTACHMENT
Author: Dean C. Milar Call No: TA157.M645
MOOCs
BUSINESS LIBRARY
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
OFFICE
For engineering students, there are several resources and services available to give you a head start in your career preparations. Engineers today work in a globalised world, therefore, in addition to expertise in the subject, engineers will also need to hone their communication, presentation, and writing skills. Ethics are also very important for engineers.
Studying engineering : a road map to a rewarding career Author: Raymond R. Landis Call No: TA157.L257
We have compiled a list of resources on these for your reference:
Books Fundamental competencies for engineers Author: Bruce Dunwoody Call No: TA157.F981
Is there an engineer inside you? : a comprehensive guide to career decisions in engineering Author: Celeste Baine Call No: TA157.B162
Engineers and their profession The essence of technical communication for engineers : writing, presentation, and meeting skills.
Author: John D. Kemper & Billy R. Sanders Call No: TA157.K32 2001
Author: Herbert L. Hirsch Call No: T10.5.H669
Fast-tracking your career : soft skills for engineering and IT professionals. Author: Wushow “Bill” Chou ebook available
Business Library has a Career Research corner where many books and audiovisual (AV) materials that offer advice on job search, companies and industries are displayed. Vault (formerly known as Career Insider) is a database that provides career information. It has different types of guides such as industry guides, company guides and career advice guides on crafting resumes, cover letters and tips on preparing for interviews. Some useful titles in this database are:
New media communication skills for engineers and IT professionals : transnational and trans-cultural demands. Author: Arun Patil ebook available 8
• Vault guide to engineering jobs • Engineering CV • How to Avoid Common Resume Mistakes • Selling Yourself in Your Cover Letter • Bond With Interviewers to Clinch Your Candidacy
Resources Professional societies often provide continuing professional development, so join as a member in professional societies that have NTU student chapters - ASME, IEEE, IET, ACM, Biomedical Engineering Society, Institution of Engineers Singapore. Social media tools like Linkedin and Twitter can connect you to professionals in your areas of interest and allow you to network with them to further expand your horizon. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) provides free relevant online courses for you to gain knowledge and expertise in your chosen field. NTU Career Attachment Office gives career advice and coaching h t t p : / / w w w. n t u . e d u . s g / C A O / S t u d e n t s _ C a r e e r h u b / careeradvisingncoaching/ Registering as a professional engineer The Professional Engineers Board Singapore (PEB) is a statutory board in the Ministry of National Development which maintains a register of professional engineers in prescribed branches of engineering, namely civil engineering, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering. The details on the criteria required for registering with the board are available at: http://www.peb.gov.sg/
Engineering Ethics & Society
Some interesting articles retrieved are: Barakat, N. (2011). Engineering Ethics: A Critical Dimension of the Profession. IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference, 159-164. doi: 10.1109/EDUCON.2011.5773130 Manion, M. (2002). Ethics, engineering, and sustainable development. IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, 21(3), 3948. doi: 10.1109/MTAS.2002.1035228
Leadership and Skills Books Engineering your start-up: a guide for the high-tech entrepreneur Author: James A. Swanson & Michael L. Baird Call No: HD62.37.B163E 2003
What every engineer should know about starting a high-tech business venture Author: Eric Koester Call No: TA190.K78W
Books Engineering ethics : concepts and cases Author: Charles E. Harris Call No: TA157.H313 2014
What every engineer should know about decision making under uncertainty Author: John X. Wang Call No: TA190.W246
By design : ethics, theology, and the practice of engineering Author: Brad J. Kallenberg Call No: TA157.K14
Access the Engineering Library blog at http://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/lib-engineering/ or by scanning the QR code
Engineers, society, and sustainability Author: Sarah Bell Call No: TA157.B435
Check out Nanyang Technopreneurship Center to participate in meetups, start-ups, hackathons and get creative. http://www.ntc.ntu.edu.sg/Programmes/UndergraduateProgrammes/
Are you wondering if you can access the library resources after you graduate from NTU? Engineering databases such as Engineering Village and IEEE Xplore also have articles on engineering ethics. Conduct a search in these databases with the phrase ‘engineering ethics’ to retrieve these articles. Databases are accessible at:
NTU Alumni can get access to print and selected e- resources in the library collection with the Alumni Membership. New graduates are eligible for a subscription fee waiver in their first year upon graduation.
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/library/databases 9
Resources
Minding Your Own Business Edward Lim Junhao
Business LIbrarian (IT & Operations Management) edwardlim@ntu.edu.sg
Take the road less travelled, consider life as an entrepreneur. It’s an exciting path, one which leads to wealth in a variety of forms.
Get Ideas, Get Inspired
The collection contains books on start-ups and entrepreneurship. These resources are perfect for both business and non-business students alike, and they put key concepts into straightforward, easy to understand terms. Collection examples include: • Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader [Call number HD57.7.I12] • Getting to Yes with Yourself [Call number BF637.N4U83gt]
It all starts with an idea. Tap into the resources available in the Business Library, they’ll help guide you during those first scary steps of entrepreneurship. Get your ideas off the ground!
• The Lean Startup [Call number HD62.5.R559; e-book available]
Featuring a wealth of online resources and databases, our Library has everything you need to explore markets, evaluate competitive trends, and test the mettle of your budding business ideas.
• Start-up City : inspiring private and public entrepreneurship, getting projects done, and having fun [e-book available]
Students are free to access key company information (e.g. financials, performance, competitors, etc.) and industry information (e.g. key players, market size & growth, industry structure, market research reports on a specific industry, etc.) in their research through the Library. These key resources include:
Focusing on business and financial research, PrivCo holds vital information on major privately-held companies. These businesses include family-owned, private equity-owned, venture-backed and international unlisted companies.
OneSource is a global business browser with data on more than 37 million companies and 43 million executives. OneSource can be used to conduct market research, highlight financials, and create detailed reports. The information in OneSource is extracted from selected data partners around the world.
Thomson ONE is a report generator for IBES history, first call, public and private companies, and Worldscope data, as well as Moody's.
Passport by Euromonitor is an online business information system providing business intelligence on countries, consumers and industries. Passport offers access to statistics, reports, and business information sources across more than 200 countries. The Business Spotlight collection of the Business Library is another often overlooked resource that aspiring student entrepreneurs should not pass up.
• The Misfit Economy [Call number HD2341.C619]
The Business Spotlight Collection is constantly updated, and you are welcome to view the full list of our current resources here on the Business Library blog: http://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/lib-business/business-spotlight-collection
The Minor in Entrepreneurship Business Showcase Sometimes the best people to learn from are your peers, which is why the Business Library hosts the Minor in Entrepreneurship (MiE) Business Showcase in collaboration with Nanyang Technopreneurship Centre (NTC). The Showcase is a chance for students to come together and learn about exciting start-up experiences—what went well, what went less than well, and what really impacted the journey. Presenters are undergraduates involved in the Minor in Entrepreneurship (MiE) programme. The Showcase is a part of their ET9135 Business Venture Implementation—they are “required to create and run a real business of their choice”, and share their experiences during the Showcase. The Showcase is designed to inspire students (attendees) to be venturesome and more resilient in this ever changing world by empowering them with the basics of entrepreneurship, and bringing to light the endurance necessary to build a successful business. It is a rare and powerful opportunity for students interested in entrepreneurship to learn directly from their peers.
If you are interested in attending the bi-annual (March and September) Showcase, follow the Happenings @ NTU Libraries blog (https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/lib-happenings).
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Resources
Your New Library Account Ng Mee Ling Senior Librarian (Library Technology Group) mlng@ntu.edu.sg
Have you checked your library account recently? If not, take a look as there are some enhancements and new features available for you:
Share Your Favourite Books See some good books while browsing a list of library books? You can now like and share them easily on your Facebook.
Pick Up Books At Your Preferred Library Simply specify your default pickup library and you don’t have to choose again whenever you place a hold on an item.
Personalised Reading Lists Interested in some books but have no time to read them yet? You can create reading lists and catch up on your reading later.
Preview: List of checkouts
We welcome your feedback at library@ntu.edu.sg continued from Page 10
Ways To Get Started If you are thinking about entrepreneurship, NTU has a variety of options to get you started:
needed to turn novel ideas into successful business ventures capable of thriving in today’s fast-paced economy
The Minor in Entrepreneurship: • Designed to equip students with basic skills necessary for success in entrepreneurship • Available for all undergraduates not in their final year
CO-OP at NTU: • Student-led business cooperative that sells students’ merchandise • The CO-OP shop is located at the iconic Hive building • Gain first-hand experience at what it takes to succeed in retail as an entrepreneur
The Master of Science in Technopreneurship and Innovation: • A course designed to help students cultivate the skills
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A Word from the University Librarian
The Research Commons
A New Collaborative Place to Look Forward to Choy Fatt Cheong University Librarian librarian@ntu.edu.sg
Most people who enter the Lee Wee Nam Library for the first time are drawn to the large curved interior which houses hundreds of computers clustered in the centre and flanked by bookshelves on both sides. This scene, with minor changes here and there has greeted visitors for the last 15 years. In mid-2017, there will be a more stunning view as we transform the second floor into the Research Commons. Preparation work started in July 2016 and you can see some structures and equipment being installed now. The Research Commons is designed for all students and pr ov i d e s a c o m m u n it y a n d learning space with facilities, equipment and ser vices to suppor t and enhance their work. It is a place to discover new ideas, work and learn productively, collaborate with others and showcase your work to a broad community base. It will cater especially to students working on projects and engaging in research activities. The renovation will cover about 1,000 square metres, with the existing Learning Commons under the third floor parapet being kept intact. The new Commons is organized into 5 distinct zones – Event Central, E-Book Gallery, Research Showcase, Data Workbench and the ConnecTiam. A focus group meeting with a group of 12 graduate students in 2015 helped us to shape the final configuration of the new space. The following is a brief description of what the Research Commons has in store for you. As you come in by the main entrance of the Library, you will see a dramatic stepped drop to the second floor below. This is the Event Central. Here, you can rest or do your laptop warrior thing on the steps of the amphitheatre-like space or be seated to enjoy the range of events such as talks and interactive activities that we will be hosting. You are also welcome to initiate learning and research related events here as well. We envision a place that is highly conducive to forming a strong sense of community in our University. Right in front of the Event Central is the E-book Gallery, a large horizontal screen that visitors will not fail to notice. The 12
digital gallery displays rows of e-book covers scrolling across the screen. The whole idea is to ensure you and your fellow students/researchers are aware of the large collection of e-books (900,000 at the last count) that we have but which are not as noticeable as print books on physical shelves. You can use one of the 3 terminals in front of the gallery to personally interact with the e-books on display, i.e. reading more information about the book and/or emailing the fulltext link to your own devices to read later. Towards the end of the back window lies a busy space with poster walls, digital screens and individual platforms for students to display their research projects. This is the Research Showcase. Each display stand here will be provided with a feedback tablet where visitors can comment and provide feedback on the projects being displayed. We hope that the interaction between students will increase inter-disciplinary understanding and collaboration, besides showcasing the work of our students. The mezzanine floor above the research showcase will be extended slightly to make space for another section of the Commons called the Data Workbench. Several high-end computers with specialized software for data crunching and analysis work will be provided. Equipment such as 3-D printers, 3-D scanners and a large screen visualization wall will also support students to work here in new and innovative ways. We will also organize community help, tutorials and instruction to use the software and equipment. The last section of the Commons is what we call the ConnecTiam, which is formed from the words Connect and Tiam (as in Kopi Tiam). As the name implies, it is a place for students to connect and work together in various configurations of vibrant and energizing seating spaces. There will be individual seats by the windows, small pods with digital writing surfaces, work benches, a 12-person group centre, casual enclosures, video conferencing pod, a mini-instructional area and large generous spaces for computing work. We also hope to bring your attention to the wonderful world of knowledge, books and reading in a special themed collection located near the Research Showcase. Every semester, we will select a significant range of books to heighten your awareness on interesting topics in science and technology from our Popular Science collection. Although work has started on the plans above, there is still room for accommodating other good ideas. We are interested to hear suggestions and feedback from you to help us make the Research Commons a vibrant and endearing place for all students. Send you suggestions to library@ntu.edu.sg!