Passwords

Welcome back everyone, and welcome to the annual password post!

Passwords have gotten simpler, but with a few twists. Last year, MySCSU (with Banner), Vista, and the general computer logon were synchronized to a "Network ID". You can also download software (like MS Office with Windows and Mac), from the SCSU Software Share site, and log onto the wireless campus network. For those off campus, this will also get you into https://remote.southernct.edu/ (network file access and services--some access and services are only available off campus), and your southernct.edu webspace (you can also access your web files via the remote site from off campus).

Twist #1: The new student email, Owls Mail, is on the Microsoft Live system. That password is currently separate, but will be synchronized in a few weeks. In the meanwhile, be sure to 1) use a separate, non-identical password, and 2) add a separate (non-SCSU) email to your account so that you can get your password changes if needed. Until the synchronization happens, SCSU IT won't be able to help you with your Owls password.

If you need to change your Network password, you can visit an IT Service Desk, or use the online form. More help is available by phone (203-392-5123) or email (helpdesk@southernct.edu). Don't forget to identify yourself as an online student if you can't come to campus.


Library access (online databases and resources, library record viewing, online renewal, intra-campus requests, & online reserves) is still via your ID number (70xxxxxx), and a separate library PIN/password. If you don't know your ID number, log into MySCSU and look for Account Information and View SCSU ID Number under Settings on the main MySCSU page. You can set or check your library access via the CONSULS login page. The 'Forgot your PIN?' link on this page will send a link to the email address we have on file, which is whatever is in Banner. If you have not changed your Banner info, it's possible we still have whatever email address you first registered with (i.e. a non-SCSU address). You can change this in the library system by logging in to the CONSULS Library Catalog and selecting the Modify Personal Info button on the right. Email is the only thing you can update online (though, of course, you have to be able to log in in the first place.) You can also call the Circulation Desk at 203-392-5756 to wipe out an old PIN, so that you can set a new one. They can also help you update your contact information. This will not update your email address in Banner, so you might want to check that in MySCSU (Settings, View email address(es)). More on setting/resetting your Library PIN.

Twist #2: The new ILL system uses your network ID and password to login. There also seems to be a lag in the synchronization here, so if you have recently updated your Network password and can't get into ILL, try your old password.

Twist #3: You can use the Browse function in https://remote.southernct.edu (offcampus only) to access the library databases. This makes it look like you are on campus, so the databases will let you right in. Some materials may not be available, since there restrictions on web access; but it's a good backup if you are having PIN problems.

That's all I have for passwords this semester.

Printing@SCSU

Students and faculty who have been away for the summer may have missed the fact that SCSU is now charging for printing in the public computer labs, including the main floor of the library. The cost is $.05/page (black and white, single sided) on your HootLoot ID card only.

Students who rarely visit campus should make an extra effort to bring your ID card if you have one. If you don't have one and want one, you can visit the Card Office in Wintergreen during their business hours. Online students can get a non-picture card by emailing the Card Office (see the Note: Online Students). If you don't have an ID and can't get one in time, or lose yours, you can buy a copy card and use that for printing. Copy cards are $5, and you get $4 worth of copies/printing. (The photocopiers are $.11/page.) There is a card machine in the library by the Reference Desk; you can buy a card and put money on an old card or an ID card. You can also put money on an ID card (not a purchased copy card) via the Card Office website.

It's probably an even better idea to bring a USB "thumb" drive to the library. You can save all your articles, documents, etc., to the drive and print them elsewhere if the printers are down, card machine is down or out of cards, etc. You can scan printed items instead of photocopying. No online student should be without a USB drive these days. And they have gotten a lot cheaper. Staples had them at the check out counters for $10 for 2G, and I've seen $10 for 4G and $20 for 8G ones on sale. They are usable across platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux) and you can even load programs onto them. If you visit another library, they may be your best bet for getting articles, since you may not be able to get printing privileges.

Or you could go the all-online route. You can email PDFs and other files to a Gmail or other large capacity email account. You could use Google Docs, Zoho Docs, or your Owls Microsoft Online Office and Sky Drive to hold documents you are working on. Mendeley will store PDFs of articles and help you organize and cite your sources. I've used Drop.io to "send" myself files that are too big to email. Links to sites you want to look at later could be stored in Delicious, Evernote, or a similiar system, and Evernote lets you store pictures and add text notes, too.

So, don't let me hear that you've come a long way to visit the campus library, and left without what you needed because you "couldn't print"!

Article linking updates in EBSCO databases

Database interface changes always seem to catch me by surprise, even when I supposedly know they are coming. EBSCO updated it's EBSCOhost interface and one of the changes was pointed out to me in an email from a faculty member. No, she wasn't seeing things, the Permalink really wasn't where it "should" have been.

There is now a Tools menu on the right of the record screen (the screen with the info about the individual article). All the old functions (Add to Folder, Email, Cite, etc.) are over there, including Permalink.

There is also a new one, Bookmark. That gives you an astonishing array of linking services, such as Delicious, Facebook, CiteULike, and Connotea, courtesy of a service called AddThis. They are posting the "proxied" URL, too, so off campus users will be prompted to log in properly. (Of course, non-SCSU users will not be able to use the links, but that's a different issue. If you need to send something to a non-SCSU colleague, you should probably copy the info from the Cite tool, so that they can look it up themselves in their own library's databases.)

Now I really have to get that linking guide updated!