Kennedy School Library Blog

Please join the Harvard Law School for their final Open Access Week event. Three speakers will discuss the significance of open access to research from a variety of perspectives.

The Significance of Open Access to Research

• Carolina Rossini, Berkman Center
• John Wilbanks, Science Commons
• Stefan Gruber, HLS Visiting Researcher

Friday, October 23rd, noon-1:30pm
Harvard Law School, Pound 108
RSVP requested, but not required: http://tinyurl.com/yzp956o

Four schools at Harvard University have adopted open access policies for their scholarly articles. In celebration of Open Access Week (http://www.openaccessweek.org/), Stuart Shieber (Faculty Director of Harvard University’s Office for Scholarly Communication), Peter Suber (Berkman Fellow and leader in the open access movement) and representatives from the schools with open access policies will be hosting a forum to answer questions you might have about Harvard’s current activities in implementing these policies and issues about open access generally.

Monday, October 19th, 11:00am-12:30pm
Harvard Law School
Ropes Gray Room (Pound Hall)
RSVP required at http://bit.ly/2AbAfL or e-mail to mpearse@law.harvard.edu (As part of the RSVP form, we encourage you to submit questions before the event.)

Drop by the Library this afternoon to learn about library services and get help.

• Enter a raffle to win free movie tickets
• Set up an Interlibrary Loan Account
• Get help with RefWorks
• Get answers to all your library questions: Reserves, Research, Circulation
• Learn about upcoming workshops
• Eat some delicious chocolate

We hope to see you there!

Several new workshops have been added to the HKS Library’s schedule:

• Starting from Scratch: Developing Search Strategies (additional sessions added)
• Find it @ Harvard: HOLLIS, the Harvard Library Portal, eResources, and More (additional sessions added)
• Introduction to Web2.0 (additional sessions added)
• Managing the Information Overload in Your Field: Keeping up with Start Pages, RSS, Blogs, and Podcasts (NEW!)
• All about Twitter (NEW!)
• News Searching 101 (NEW!)
• LexisNexis 101 and LexisNexis Advanced
• .gov Research (NEW!)
• Google Hacks: Find Anything in Google (NEW!)
• Country Research (NEW!)
• Research Tools for Firefox (NEW!)
• RefWorks

Since seating is limited, please register in advance for sessions. Full details available here.

We look forward to seeing you!

Space is limited for all sessions. Please register in advance. Feel free to bring your lunch. Laptops encouraged! Contact library_research@hks.harvard.edu with questions, comments, and suggestions.

Starting from Scratch: Developing Search Strategies

This workshop will focus on formulating effective search strategies: how to construct search terms, how to use subject headings, Boolean searching, and truncation. We will discuss how and why to keep a research log, tips and tricks for brainstorming search terms, and how to effectively use different types of information resources — books, articles, databases, government documents, think tank reports, etc. Bring a specific research topic to work through or work with one of our sample topics. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops.

• Monday, Aug. 17 — 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.  (HKS Library)
• Wed., Aug. 19 — 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. (HKS Library)
• Monday, Aug. 24 — 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. (HKS Library)
• Wed., Sept. 2 — 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (HKS Library)

Register Now

Find It at Harvard: HOLLIS, the Harvard Library Portal, eResources, and More

Harvard provides access to an incredible array of information resources, but it can be difficult to know where to start or which system searches what. Join us to learn about the various types of systems and sources you have access to as a member of the Harvard community. Bring your laptop.

• Wed., Aug. 19 –3:00 – 4:00 p.m. (HKS Library)
• Tuesday, Aug. 25 — 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. (HKS Library)
• Friday, Aug. 28 –12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (HKS Library)

Register Now

Walking Tour Library Series

Join us for a walk to and tour of various other Harvard University Libraries.

• Monday, Aug. 17 — 3:30 – 4:45 p.m. (Widener Library & Lamont Library (Note: Limited to 15 participants. We will meet outside of Yenching Auditorium, after the MCPP orientation session.)
• Friday, Sept. 4 — 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.    Baker Library (Harvard Business School) (Note: Limited to 15 participants. We will meet at the HKS Library and walk to the Baker Library.)
• Friday, Sept. 11 — 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.    Baker Library (Harvard Business School) (Note: Limited to 15 participants. We will meet at the HKS Library and walk to the Baker Library.)

Register Now

Introduction to Web2.0

Curious to know more about Web2.0? We’ll give a brief overview of web2.0, some of our favorite web2.0 tools, and implications for finding information. We’ll also briefly discuss gov2.0.

• Wed., Aug. 19 — 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. (HKS Library)
• Wed., Aug. 26 — 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (HKS Library)
• Thurs., Aug. 3 — 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (HKs Library)

Register Now

Web2.0 Collaboration Tools

Collaboration tools allow users to do much more than simply share documents. Learn more about these tools and how to use them. We’ll provide an overview of Google Apps, Dropbox, EtherPad, and Evernote.

• Friday, Sept. 4 — 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (HKS Library)
• Tuesday, Sept. 12 — 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.    (Computer Lab)

Register Now

Managing the Information Overload in Your Field: Keeping up with Start Pages, RSS, Blogs and Podcasts

Learn how to stay informed in your field without being overloaded. Join us to learn how to set up and manage personalized start pages such as Netvibes, PageFlakes, and Google; find and use blogs and podcasts; and take advantage of RSS technology. Bring your laptop.

• Thurs., Sept. 3    – 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (HKS Library)
• Friday, Sept. 4    – 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (HKS Library)

Register Now

LexisNexis 101

This session is designed for those new to LexisNexis. Learn what kinds of sources are available through LexisNexis, get familiar with the search interface, and start searching. We’ll provide an overview of the various types of information that can be found in LexisNexis – news, legal, statistics, and business-oriented research. Bring search topics. Meet in the computer lab.

• Tues., Sept. 15 — 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (Computer Lab)

Register Now

LexisNexis Advanced

Assumes some experience and knowledge searching LexisNexis. Learn more advanced search techniques, tricks, and tips to make your searches more targeted. Bring search topics. Meet in the computer lab.

• Friday, Sept. 18 — 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Computer Lab)

Register Now

RefWorks

Get started with RefWorks, an online tool that takes much of the hassle out of gathering references for your research. Learn how to import citations directly from any article database, create a bibliography in one click in any style (Chicago, Turabian, APA, MLA, etc.), and add citations or footnotes to your papers as you write. You must sign up in advance for this session. Email Lamont Librarians Chris Lenney (lenney@fas.harvard.edu), Steve Kuehler (kuehler@fas.harvard.edu), or stop by the Research Services Desk at the Lamont Library, Level B.

• Tuesday, Sept. 1 — 3:00 – 3:50 p.m. (Lamont Library)
• Thursday, Sept. 10 – 4:00 – 4:50 p.m. (Lamont Library)

These RefWorks sessions will take place in Room 310, 3rd floor of Lamont Library. Space is limited.

Register Now

Upcoming Sessions

• Using Twitter for Real-Time News
• Gov2.0
• Searching .gov
• Open Access
• Publishing Your First Article
• Creating and Maintaining a Professional Identity: Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Profiles and More
• Intro to Medical and Public Health Research
• Intro to Legal Research
• Intro to Business Research
• Digital Natives & Digital Immigrants
• Information Literacy in a Global Context

The Harvard Kennedy School Library & Knowledge Services is now on Twitter! Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/HKSLibrary to see our posts and learn more about the issues that matter to us.

And if you’re not yet using Twitter, stay tuned — we’ll be offering workshops this fall about Twitter and other social networking tools.

Come by for research help this Wednesday, June 17th from 3 – 4pm in the Library Group Study Room.  No appointment is necessary.

Looking for help getting started with a new research project? Want to learn more about library databases and resources? Need a refresher on using library tools such as RefWorks to manage citations? The HKS Library research staff is happy to help.

Over the summer, there are several ways to get research help:

1. Schedule an appointment: Members of the research team are available for research consultations. Appointments are available Monday – Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Submit a request online at: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/library/secure/consultation.php

2. Email: Email us your research-related questions at question@hks.harvard.edu.

3. Drop-in hours: Each week, we will host drop-in hours for assistance. No appointment necessary. Hours will be posted each week on the HKS Library’s blog: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/library/blog/

4. Chat: submit research requests via a chat tool embedded on the HKS Library web site. Chat is generally available Monday – Friday, 9:30 – 4:00. If no one is available and the widget does not appear on our site, please submit your questions via email. http://www.hks.harvard.edu/library

5. Phone: For information about library hours, to speak with someone from the Circulation Desk, or to request a research consultation, please call 5-1300.

We will try to answer questions within one business day.

For more information about research requests, please contact Abby Clobridge at 6-1772 or abby_clobridge@hks.harvard.edu.

If you want to save your data while you still have access to Harvard’s electronic resources, you can learn how to back up your database.

Alumni are also eligible for a discounted subscription rate for RefWorks.  Follow the above link for instructions.

The bad news is that once you graduate, your Harvard ID and PIN numbers will no longer let you use the thousands of electronic resources you’ve come to rely on.

The good news is, we can help.  The library has a guide to coping with life after Harvard.

Researching as HKS Alumni

We’ll also be hosting sessions to present techniques for researching outside the Harvard Libraries system and give you information about HKS library services available to alumni.

Join us at one of the following times to learn what you need to know. All sessions will be held in the Library Group Study Room.

• Friday, May 8th, 3:00 – 4:00pm
• Friday, May 15th, 3:00 – 4:00pm
• Friday, May 22nd, 3:00 – 4:00pm