Comments for MiddBlog

Comment on Sunday Reading: Read This Instead of Doing Your Homework. by Koama

Koama — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:03:55 +0000

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/02/peter-gleick-confesses-to-obtaining-heartland-documents-under-false-pretenses

The identity theft that this leading climate “scientist” and “ethicist” engaged in to illegally obtain documents is only the part that he confessed to. The forgery of the memo is worse yet. Read on.

Comment on SGA Sound-Off: Internship Credit, Financial Aid for International Students, Reserve Books & More by Brittany

Brittany — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:28:06 +0000

Tim, thank you for the comment and clarification of Middlebury’s current options! From the discussion at the SGA meeting, it was suggested that for Senator Benson’s next steps she speak with the Internship Coordinators in Education in Action (your name as well as Peggy Burns was brought up) and Dean of Curriculum Bob Cluss to investigate and gather as much info as possible on Middlebury’s current position. I’ll definitely be sure to pass this along to her in the meantime and reflect the ‘notation’ option in the post.

Comment on SGA Sound-Off: Internship Credit, Financial Aid for International Students, Reserve Books & More by Tim Mosehauer

Tim Mosehauer — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:45:11 +0000

I’d like to comment on the topic that Kathryn Benson brought up: internship credit policy. I work as an advisor in EIA (Center for Education in Action) and I’m happy to be supportive in exploring this issue. I work with over 100 students doing internships for credit in J-term, and for summer, I want to make sure students know we have something that can help: it’s called transcript notation. Check out all the details here: http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/resources/cso/students/internships/transcriptnotation This is used by dozens, not hundreds, of students every summer, and should be looked at as an option for students who have an employer who requires credit. Please get in touch with me if you’d like to talk more. -Tim

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:59:44 +0000

I was looking at one of these in the Library today and noticed there was no charger for an iPhone….seemed odd as iPhones are one of the most popular cell phones…

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by K B

K B — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:45:28 +0000

What if one suffocates?

Comment on SGA Sound Off: The Sweet Smell of Success by SGA Sound-Off: Internship Credit, Financial Aid for International Students, Reserve Books & More | MiddBlog

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:43:41 +0000

[...] be meeting with the College’s VP for Finance & Treasurer, Patrick Norton. Third, the North Campus Exercise Space/YouPower Bike room after a brief delay is slated to open after spring [...]

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Joseph Watson

Joseph Watson — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:36:46 +0000

Regarding the exact price that was paid for the booths– I’m sorry to say that we have an agreement with the vendor that prevents us from publically sharing the discounted price. Naturally they do not want to annoy other recent customers who may have paid more, and they do not want the sale price to us to become the new norm.

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Brittany

Brittany — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:44:18 +0000

To Jess, of course! I would be more than happy to and will be updating as we have more information. However, while the rate is reduced, there has yet to be an indication of how much. Once I have the number (email to Joseph on the way)… this post will reflect that.

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Mike Roy

Mike Roy — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 08:28:22 +0000

Dear W,
I take your point that we need to be sensitive to the aesthetics of our building when we introduce new elements to support new needs. That said, I hope you recognize that the present placement is not the permanent placement, and also that buildings exist to serve our needs, and sometimes our needs interfere with some grand aesthetic program. We mean no disrespect to the architects. I am certain that they would have included something in the original design had cell phone coverage on campus been such that they could have anticipated such a situation as we presently face. There is a lesson here in how one balances form and function, the old and the new, the grand vision and the day-to-day practicalities of keeping a building vibrant and functional.

– mike

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by jessisler

jessisler — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:15:54 +0000

Hi Brittany,

I wonder if you would be willing to update the body of the post and strike out the price conjecture you included, since based on Joseph’s and Marlena’s responses, we know that the price listed there is not what the College paid for the booths? Having inaccurate price information in the article may skew the response and make the cost of the booths seem more extravagant than it actually was, and while the correct information is included in the comments, it seems like correcting the body of the post could help avoid further confusion.

Many thanks for considering this adjustment!

-Jess Isler, LIS Librarian

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Brittany

Brittany — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:54:55 +0000

Thanks to everyone for their comments — specifically Joseph and Marlena for more of the context from the Library perspective! Looking forward to seeing the post and feedback received from the larger Campus Community regarding this (which maybe some of these comments will help with).

To Anonymous, I thank you for your constructive criticism. In my opinion, as a blog writer I feel that sharing a story in an informal, conversation-like, quick way is generally more important than having perfect mechanics. Especially when it’s something like this that everyone was talking about, and I felt deserved a centralized discussion where people could comment (as I am happy to see is happening). I do appreciate, however, the loss that may be incurred when putting time and informality before editing and I thank you for bringing that to our attention.

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Anonymous User

Anonymous User — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:39:28 +0000

Hi Guys,
I recommend you have your contributions proof-read by others before posting them. Quite a bit of really awkward English up there.

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by w

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:19:48 +0000

they are an architectural travesty, a corruption of architectural space and a tremendous act of disrespect towards the designers of the building

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by CCY

CCY — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:09:02 +0000

Money well spent. It just asks for 2 dollars from each student per year. Then the college can recoup the original investment in 4 years. Good deal: In more than one occasions, I was willing to pay 5 bucks just to let that noisy phone chatter shut up!

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Marlena Evans

Marlena Evans — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:46:29 +0000

Where did the idea of a cell phone booth come from? The idea got started when a colleague needed to make confidential work related phone calls, and was unable to do so from our shared office. It was during the finals period last December, and she could not find any other private spot in the library, as all the study rooms, private offices, even semi-private spaces were occupied. An email just arrived inviting applications for the Work/Life Mini Grants from the Sloan Foundation, and we applied for funding for one phone booth. Because of a real need for a location in the library from which private phone calls could be made both by students and by staff, the Dean of LIS Mike Roy offered to provide additional funding for the purchase a phone booth if needed. However, our application was declined by the ACE/Sloan Advisory Committee and other projects received the funding. When we found that the CellZone maker was selling the booths at deeply discounted prices, the LIS administration made the decision to purchase two of them. They were delivered to the library on Valentine’s Day! Many thanks to Mike Roy for making this happen!

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Arabella

Arabella — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:34:21 +0000

I want to echo what Ginny said. Speaking of ‘echo’ – that’s what you get in the stairwell! And the rest rooms! Seriously, folks, please don’t make cell phone calls in the stairways or the restrooms in the Library. Please.If for no other reason than that we can hear everything you say. Please. Thank you!

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Virginia Faust

Virginia Faust — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:51:45 +0000

I work in the library and there have been many times when I have heard a student having a cell phone conversation in the stairwells. People don’t realize that these conversations are not private at all- in fact, the stairwells seem to magnify the sounds so they echo all over the library. Obviously many students do not simply “go outside”. The Cell Zones will provide a much needed private space for phone conversations for everyone.

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Joseph Watson

Joseph Watson — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:31:41 +0000

I work in LIS and part of my job is to coordinate facility concerns in Davis Library. I’m glad you’ve noticed the booths and think, overall, they’re a good idea. We purchased them in response to two needs; a place for students to make phone calls without having to go out into the weather; and a place for staff who work in shared offices in Davis Library to be able to make private phone calls without having to go out into the weather. There are about thirty staff members who couldn’t have a private conversation at their desk with their doctor, baby sitter, etc. The Cell Zones seemed like a good way to provide such a space for them, enhancing their “work/life balance”. And yes, people making calls in study areas has been a common complaint for years, and other academic libraries like ours have successfully used cell zones to solve that problem.
The really good news is, we got them at a deeply discounted price. Will everyone thing they’re worth it? Hard to say, but LIS Administration thought it was worth trying to improve the ability of folks to use their phones without going out into the winter cold. We may be hard wiring them with land line phones too.
Oh, and we’re going to do a blog post of our own explaining all this, but we’re not sure the booths will be permanently located where they are now, so we wanted to wait until we tried the locations and worked with them a bit before announcing them broadly. You beat us to the punch!

Comment on CellZones: Futuristic Capsules Land in the Library! by Olivia Noble

Olivia Noble — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:27:02 +0000

Alright well this is one of the more bizarre financial investments this school has made. My two cents: for that price, those booths better be freaking time-turners. Or Tardises. Now I’m just being nerdy, but the point still stands- seems like a strange use of college funds.

Comment on Walking to Listen by ARLENE STEWART

ARLENE STEWART — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:19:20 +0000

HI ANDREW

I MET YOU FRIDAY IN GULFPORT, MS, AFTER I MET YOU I WISHED I COULD HAVE SPENT MORE TIME WITH YOU AND FOR YOU TO MEET MY FRIENDS AT GILLIGAN’S LOUNGE.
I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE CERTAIN WALKING GOALS. HOPE YOU FOUND A PLACE IN LONG BEACH, MS AND MAKE IT IN TIME FOR MARDI GRA IN NEW ORLEANS.
IT WAS CONFIRMED TO ME WHEN I MET YOU THAT YOU REALLY ARE AN “ANGEL.” YOUR PERSONALITY IS SO GREAT I KNOW WHY PEOPLE TRUST YOU IMMEDIATELY. I PRAYED AT MASS SATURDAY THAT YOUR FEET WILL MAKE IT AND I AM MOST CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR BACK, THAT BACK PACK WAS UNBLIEVABLE.
MAY THE LORD PUT ANGELS AROUND YOU KEEP YOU SAFE ON YOUR JOURNEY AND GIVE YOU THE FORTITUDE TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO CALIFORNIA. I WILL KEEP UP WITH YOU ON YOUR BLOG. BY THE WAY MY BACK SEAT CLEANED UP PERFECT FROM THE WENDYS SPILL. YOU ARE AWESOME!!! ARLENE STEWART