We are please to announce our schedule of workshops for the upcoming semester. If you have suggested programming or other feedback, please email dissco@vassar.edu

Summary of Events
01/23 1:30 pm Intro to Excel & Data Literacy
01/31 11:00 am Stay Organized & Save Time with Zotero Citation Manager
02/04 11:00 am Overleaf Latex Series Part 1: Creating & Editing Equations
02/10 12:30 pm Intro to RISO Printing
02/12 3:00 pm Intro to the Vassar College Libraries Digital Library
02/14 1:00 pm Intro to Locating Data: Social Sciences Edition
02/19 3:00 pm Poster Design for Academia
02/20 10:00 am Intro to Illustrator for Laser Cutting
02/25 9:00 am Intro to Drone Mapping (with GEOG 226)
02/25 10:30 am Intro to ArcGIS Online and Story Maps Part 1 (with ENST 125)
02/26 3:30 pm Stay Organized & Save Time with Zotero Citation Manager
02/28 1:00 pm AI Tools for Your Literature Search
03/03 3:00 pm Intro to Omeka
03/04 10:00 am Overleaf Latex Series Part 2: Creating & Editing Figures
03/05 3:00 pm Intro to Audio Recording and Campus Resources
03/07 11:00 am Campus Resources for Building Websites
03/25 10:00 am Overleaf Latex Series Part 3: References & Zotero Integration
03/25 10:30am Intro to ArcGIS Online and Story Maps Part 2 (with ENST 125)
03/27 10:00am Terminate your Fear of the Terminal
03/27 3:30 pm Introduction to Airtable
03/31 3:00 pm Intro to Scalar
04/08 2:30 pm Using InDesign for Academic Publishing
04/16 3:30 pm Intro to Generative Visual AI
04/23 3:00 pm Fun with AI Transcription and Text Analysis Tools

Intro to Excel and Data Literacy

January 23, 2025, 1:30 – 3 PM, BLS 101 (Laybourn Visualization “SciVis” Lab)

The first step of making sense of data is often organizing it into a spreadsheet. Once entered and organized, spreadsheets can be used to sort, filter, analyze, and visualize patterns and trends that might not be apparent from our own limited observations. Using contemporary datasets in environmental and earth science as examples, participants will learn how to create and navigate spreadsheets in Excel, sort and filter data, write formulas to perform calculations, summarize and format data into tables for a report, and generate graphs from data. Contact Neil Curri to register or for questions (necurri@vassar.edu / x7708). 

Stay Organized & Save Time with Zotero Citation Manager

Friday, January 31, 2025, 11:00 – 11:45 am, Main Library, Electronic Classroom Rm. 160

Looking to save time formatting your bibliography? Overwhelmed by unorganized PDFs? Zotero is a free citation manager that helps you organize references, annotate pdfs, and generate in-text citations and bibliographies. Zotero is most useful when used during the research process – finding sources, building your Zotero library, and using Zotero’s citation tools all work together to facilitate your research and writing. During this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Create a Zotero library
• Organize and share references
• Generate bibliographies in your preferred citation style
• Format in-text citations and reference lists in Word and Google Docs

Led by Elizabeth Salmon, Social Science Librarian. Registration appreciated but not required.

Overleaf Latex Series Part 1: Creating & Editing Equations

Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, Laybourne Visualization Laboratory, BLS 101

 Interested in using LaTeX language to draft documents? LaTeX is very useful for generating documents that include equations, figures, and citations, especially if they are referenced within the text. One environment for using LaTeX is Overleaf, which is like the “Google Docs” of LaTeX. Come join Part 1 of the Overleaf workshop series to learn the basics of generating equations within LaTeX to generate professional looking PDF documents. Either bring your laptop or use one of the computers in the SciVis lab to participate in hands-on examples during the workshop! Having an account set up on Overleaf beforehand would be ideal (and it is free!). https://www.overleaf.com/login 

Led by Susannah Zhang, Academic Computing Consultant for the Natural Sciences

Intro to RISO Printing

Monday, February 10, 2025, 12:30 – 1:30 Main Library, Electronic Classroom Rm. 160

The Fabulous Innovation Lab has an amazing and popular new RISO printer. Come to this workshop and learn how to use Illustrator & Photoshop to prep digital files for RISO printing and to learn more about RISO printing in general. Led by Academic Computing Services

Intro to the Vassar College Libraries Digital Library

Wedneday, February 12, 2025,  3:00-4:00 PM, Zoom

The Digital Library includes photos, audiovisual materials, manuscripts, and much more! Did you know it now also provides access to Finding Aids, Vassar Scholarship, and a Herbarium? Join us for a tour of the system followed by a Q&A. The tour will include tips on how to find what you need for your research and how to submit your work to the Vassar Scholarship repository. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/14050723 

If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://calendar.app.google/fTatyJxU7g5EPBGv5 

Introduction to Locating Data: Social Sciences Edition

Friday, February 14, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00pm, Zoom

Where do you find trustworthy data and statistics for your research? Who owns data, and who uses data? This workshop provides an introduction to the data landscape with a focus on research in the social sciences. During this workshop we will access data using Social Explorer, a data mapping tool that includes U.S. census data back to 1790, the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) data archive, and more. 

Register to receive Zoom details. Presented by Elizabeth Salmon, Social Science Librarian, as part of International Love Data Week, “Whose Data is It, Anyway?”

Poster Design for Academia

Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 3:00 – 4:00 Main Library, Electronic Classroom Rm. 160

Need a poster for an academic conference? Want to print a giant poster for your event? Come to this hands-on workshop, learn basic design and how to use Illustrator, Powerpoint or Google Slides to make a poster. Led by Nicole Scalessa and Baynard Bailey. Please rsvp to babailey@vassar.edu (suggested but not required).

Intro to Illustrator for Laser Cutting

Thursday, February 20, 2025, 10;00 -11:00 am, Main Library, Electronic Classroom Rm. 160

Prepping materials for laser cutting and making has never been easier! Please join us for this introductory workshop where we’ll learn how to use Adobe Illustrator to create and prep designs to be cut out of cardboard, wood, metal or other materials. Led by Academic Computing Services.

Intro to Drone Mapping
Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 9:00 – 10:15 AM, Archery Field (intersection of Kenyon Hall Dr. and Sunset Lake Dr.) Map
(Inclement weather date: Thursday, February 27, 2025)

Drone mapping is the process of creating high-resolution, spatially-accurate images and data for applications from urban planning to agricultural crop monitoring to ecological research and monitoring. In this workshop, you will learn the basics of drone operation and safety, how to plan for and capture images of a survey area, and about processing the imagery in photogrammetry software to create an orthomosaic image (and digital surface/elevation models) of the survey area. To register or for questions contact Neil Curri (necurri@vassar.edu / x7708).

Intro to ArcGIS Online and Story Maps, Part 1 (with ENST 125)

February 25, 2025, 10:30 am – 11:45 am, Main Library, Electronic Classroom Rm. 160

Learn how to find geographic data and make maps using ArcGIS Online, a cloud-based geospatial mapping platform. Maps can be private, or shared with a group of collaborators, or shared publicly. Participants will also learn how to create digital essays using ArcGIS StoryMaps, which integrates maps created in ArcGIS Online with text, images, videos, and other media. Users can share their stories with others, and use them to create awareness, influence opinions, or affect change. This workshop (Part 1) covers ArcGIS Online and finding maps and data sources related to your topic, with a focus on environmental and climate justice topics. Please email Neil Curri (necurri@vassar.edu) to register or if you have any questions. 

Stay Organized & Save Time with Zotero Citation Manager

February 26, 2025, 3:30 – 4:15pm, Main Library, Electronic Classroom Rm. 160

Looking to save time formatting your bibliography? Overwhelmed by unorganized PDFs? Zotero is a free citation manager that helps you organize references, annotate pdfs, and generate in-text citations and bibliographies. Zotero is most useful when used during the research process – finding sources, building your Zotero library, and using Zotero’s citation tools all work together to facilitate your research and writing. During this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Create a Zotero library
• Organize and share references
• Generate bibliographies in your preferred citation style
• Format in-text citations and reference lists in Word and Google Docs

Led by Elizabeth Salmon, Social Science Librarian. Registration appreciated but not required.

AI Tools for Your Literature Search 

Friday, February 28, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, Main Library Electronic Classroom Rm. 160

As part of our DiSSco AI series, join us to experiment with AI tools that support the discovery and exploration of academic research. This workshop will review a few tools like Research Rabbit, as well as a quick introduction to evaluating AI discovery tools, and an overview of how and when to use AI tools to supplement your research process. Led by Elizabeth Salmon, Social Science Librarian. Registration appreciated but not required.

Intro to Omeka

Monday, March 3, 2025, 3:00- 4:00 PM on Zoom

Omeka is a free, open-source content management system for online digital collections that allows users to publish and exhibit scholarly collections and cultural heritage objects. The Vassar College Digital Scholarship Services Collaboration (DiSSCo) provides a web hosting resource called vassarspaces.net. This service, a Domain of One’s Own (DoOO) product, provides the flexibility for anyone in our academic community to build websites on a variety of platforms, including Omeka. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services.

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/14050897 

If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://calendar.app.google/fTatyJxU7g5EPBGv5 

Overleaf Latex Series Part 2: Creating & Editing Figures

Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00am, Laybourne Visualization Laboratory (SciVis), BLS 101Interested in using LaTeX language to draft documents? LaTeX is very useful for generating documents that include equations, figures, and citations, especially if they are referenced within the text. One environment for using LaTeX is Overleaf, which is like the “Google Docs” of LaTeX. Come join Part 2 of the Overleaf workshop series to learn the basics of formatting figures within LaTeX to generate professional looking PDF documents. Either bring your laptop or use one of the computers in the SciVis lab to participate in hands-on examples during the workshop! Having an account set up on Overleaf beforehand would be ideal (and it is free!). https://www.overleaf.com/login 

Led by Susannah Zhang, Academic Computing Consultant for the Natural Sciences

Intro to Audio Recording and Campus Resources

In the summer of 2024, the exploring transfer students were some of the first to try out the new setup.

Wednesday 3:00 March 5, 11:00 – 11:45 am, Main Library Electronic Classroom, 160

Planning to record voice or music and you have never done it before? Interested in podcasting? Perhaps you have an interview you need to edit and share? We’ll review free and cross-platform tools and review resources for audio production. We’ll conclude by visiting the audio nook and the studio in the basement of Chicago Hall. Led by Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services.

Campus Resources for Building Websites 

Friday, March 7, 2025  3:00-4:00 pm Main Library, Electronic Classroom Rm. 160

Need a website? We will review the options you have available to you as a member of the Vassar Community. We’ll also highlight our cloud resource : vassarspaces.net – where we empower users to become sys admins and install their own apps (WordPress, Scalar, Omeka and more!). Led by Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services and Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/14051353 

Overleaf Latex Series Part 3: References & Zotero Integration

Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00am, Laybourne Visualization Laboratory (SciVis), BLS 10

Interested in using LaTeX language to draft documents? LaTeX is very useful for generating documents that include equations, figures, and citations, especially if they are referenced within the text. One environment for using LaTeX is Overleaf, which is like the “Google Docs” of LaTeX. Come join Part 3 of the Overleaf workshop series to learn the basics of citations within LaTeX using BibTeX to generate professional looking PDF documents. How to use your Zotero citations with BibTeX will also be covered. Either bring your laptop or use one of the computers in the SciVis lab to participate in hands-on examples during the workshop! Having an account set up on Overleaf beforehand would be ideal (and it is free!). https://www.overleaf.com/login Additionally, having a Zotero account, https://www.zotero.org, beforehand would also be helpful, but not required.

Co-led by: Susannah Zhang, Academic Computing Consultant for the Natural Sciences

      Elizabeth Salmon, Social Science Librarian

Intro to ArcGIS Online and Story Maps, Part 2 (with ENST 125)

March 25, 2025, 10:30 am – 11:45 am, Main Library, Electronic Classroom Rm. 160

Learn how to find geographic data and make maps using ArcGIS Online, a cloud-based geospatial mapping platform. Maps can be private, or shared with a group of collaborators, or shared publicly. Participants will also learn how to create digital essays using ArcGIS StoryMaps, which integrates maps created in ArcGIS Online with text, images, videos, and other media. Users can share their stories with others, and use them to create awareness, influence opinions, or affect change. This workshop (Part 2) covers features and functions in Story Maps to integrate your ArcGIS Online maps and other media in your story, with a focus on environmental and climate justice topics. Please email Neil Curri (necurri@vassar.edu) to register or if you have any questions. 

Terminate your Fear of the Terminal

Thursday, March 27, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00am, Laybourne Visualization Laboratory (SciVis), BLS 101

Want to finally get comfortable in the terminal? Not only is the terminal another way of using a PC; it’s a powerful tool that is designed to work more around your thinking! In this workshop we’re going to help curious terminal users of almost any background and skill set. We can go over basic commands like SSH, CP, SCP, and how to see files and executables in a different way. We’ll cover how to get logged into systems, find files and get them to the right places, using your apps, and start building new workflow logic!

Learn it once, use it everywhere: The fundamentals you learn here will be valuable for a long time. They are portable around the Mac Terminal, increasingly usable in Windows, and every Linux distro. Even Git, AWS, and Android use some of the style! Either bring your laptop or use one of the computers in the SciVis lab to participate in hands-on examples during the workshop!

Co-led by: Jesse Hayward, Systems Administrator for High Performance Computing

     Susannah Zhang, Academic Computing Consultant for the Natural Sciences

Introduction to Airtable

Thursday, March 27, 2025, 3:30 – 4:30 pm, BLS 101 (Laybourne Visualization “SciVis” Lab)

This workshop provides a comprehensive introduction to Airtable, a platform that combines the functionality of spreadsheets and databases. Participants will learn the basics of creating and customizing tables, using views to filter and sort information, and linking records. The session will also cover Airtable’s collaboration features and automation capabilities, making it a valuable tool for academic projects, administrative tasks, and team management. (Note: Vassar College does not have an institutional license available for Airtable. Features explored in this workshop will be on the free tier. Departments and offices, after consultation with CIS, may purchase individual subscriptions.)

Led by Julian Aguilar of Academic Computing Services. Registration appreciated but not required. Capacity: 15

Intro to Scalar

Monday, March 31, 2025, 3:00-4:00 PM on Zoom

Scalar is an open source, web-based publishing software from the University of Southern California’s Alliance for Networking Visual Culture that allows you to create networked, multi-media online publications.This workshop will begin with the basics of installation along with creating accounts, projects, and content path. It will also cover the management and inclusion of media, such as images and video. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/14050897 

If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://calendar.app.google/fTatyJxU7g5EPBGv5 

Using InDesign for Academic Publishing

Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 2:30 – 3:30 pm, BLS 238 (Conference Room)

This workshop introduces Adobe InDesign, a powerful tool for print design. Participants will learn best practices for structuring documents, such as setting up consistent formatting, managing tables of contents, and preparing files for print or digital distribution. Whether you’re publishing a scholarly publication or a creative project, this workshop will provide the knowledge to facilitate your engagement with publishing design teams to bring your ideas to life.

Led by Julian Aguilar of Academic Computing Services. Registration appreciated but not required. Capacity: 15

Intro to Generative Visual AI

Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm  Library Electronic Classroom, Rm. 160

Part of our DiSSCo AI workshop series, in this workshop we’ll explore easy to use free tools out there for generating memes and artwork. Come to try these tools and and discuss the latest AI trends. Led by Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services. 

Fun with AI Transcription and Text Analysis Tools

Wednesday, April 23, 2025 3:00-4:00 PM Location: Library Electronic Classroom.

In this hands-on workshop we will create an audio transcription from an MP3 using MACWhisper and then apply a variety of text analysis tools on the output. 

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/14051325 

If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://calendar.app.google/fTatyJxU7g5EPBGv5

We are please to announce our schedule of workshops for the upcoming semester. If you have suggested programming or other feedback, please email dissco@vassar.edu.

Events Overview

09/11   3:30pm Intro to Excel and Data Literacy
09/13   3:30pm Building and Maintaining Your Author Profiles: Faculty Workshop
09/18   2:00pm Stay Organized & Save Time with Zotero Citation Manager
09/27 12:00pm Supporting Video in the Curriculum Workshop 
10/02 11:00am Intro to Drone Mapping (HV SCGIS meeting at Vassar Barns)
10/02   3:15pm Drone Cinematography Workshop (with Film Department/VIL)
10/04   3:00pm Intro to the Vassar College Libraries Digital Library
10/09   3:00pm Digital Humanities DMP Basics
10/22   1:30pm Intro to Census and American Community Survey Data and Mapping
10/25  11:00am Stay Organized & Save Time with Zotero Citation Manager
10/30   3:00pm Intro to Omeka 
11/01   3:00pm Intro to Scalar
11/06   3:30pm Campus Resources for Building Websites
11/07 10:30am Intro to ArcGIS Pro (in the GIS Lab with ESCI 235)
11/07   3:00pm – 6:00 World Digital Preservation Day event in Library Lobby
11/08   3:00pm Static vs. Dynamic Website Design: How to Choose the Best Option for 
                         Your Project
11/22   10:00am Intro to Audio Resources

Intro to Excel and Data Literacy

September 11, 2024, 3:30 – 5:00 PM, Ely Hall Rm 114 (GIS Lab)

Datasets about all kinds of natural, social, and experimental phenomena are widely available, and new datasets are being generated every day. The first step of making sense of data is often organizing it into a spreadsheet. Once entered and organized, spreadsheets can be used to sort, filter, analyze, and visualize patterns and trends that might not be apparent from our own limited observations. Using contemporary datasets as examples, participants will learn how to create and navigate spreadsheets in Excel, sort and filter data, write formulas to perform calculations, summarize and format data into tables for a report, and generate graphs from data. Registration: https://forms.gle/Hcus8fZYRXmnoheq5. Questions: Neil Curri (necurri@vassar.edu / x7708). 

Building and Maintaining Your Author Profiles: Faculty Workshop

September 13, 2024, 1:00 – 3:00pm, Main Library, Class of ’51 Reading Room

Learn to establish and optimize your ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID), and claim and edit your scholarly profiles in Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus. Claiming and maintaining your profiles ensures that your work is correctly represented and attributed to you, allows you to keep up to date with works in your field, and notifies you when authors cite your work or works that you’re citing in your research. 

Faculty from all disciplines and career stages are welcome to attend. Led by Gretchen Lieb, Humanities and Multidisciplinary Librarian. Cosponsored by the Director of Faculty Research. If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://libcal.vassar.edu/appointments/gretchen

Stay Organized & Save Time with Zotero Citation Manager

September 18, 2024,  2:00 – 2:45pm, Main Library Computer Classroom, Rm 160

Overwhelmed by unorganized PDFs? Want to save time formatting your bibliography? Zotero is a free citation manager for organizing references, storing pdfs, and formatting in-text citations and bibliographies. Zotero is most useful when it’s incorporated into the research process – finding sources, building your Zotero library, and citing references all go hand in hand. During this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Create a Zotero library
• Organize and share references
• Generate bibliographies in your preferred citation style
• Format in-text citations and reference lists in Word and Google Docs

Led by Elizabeth Salmon, Social Science Librarian. Registration appreciated but not required:https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/12928881.

Support for using Video in the Curriculum

September 27, 2024 12:00 – 1:00 pm Main Library, Electronic Classroom 160

Library and ACS experts will review recommended steps and procedures for acquiring video content for use with your classes. We’ll cover in-class viewing, out of class viewing, & streaming options. We’ll also describe ways to add content to the collection or to acquire temporary streaming licenses.

Led by Deb Bucher, Head of Collections & Discovery and Baynard Bailey, Asst. Director of Academic Computing Services

College Counsel Shay Humphrey will be in attendance to answer questions relating to copyright law.

Drone Cinematography Workshop 

Wednesday, October 2, 2024, 3:15 PM at Sunset Lake

Join us for an afternoon of flying and exploring the capabilities of the DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine. Find out how you can add production value to your projects with assistance from the Vassar Innovation Lab. This service is free to Vassar students.

Intro to Drone Mapping

Wednesday, October 2, 2024, 11:00 AM at The Environmental Cooperative at the Vassar Barns

Drone mapping is the process of creating high-resolution, spatially-accurate images and data for applications from urban planning to agricultural crop monitoring to ecological research and monitoring. In this workshop, you will learn the basics of drone operation and safety, how to plan for and capture images of a survey area, and about processing the imagery in photogrammetry software to create an orthomosaic image (and digital surface/elevation models) of the survey area. Registration: https://forms.gle/7XvXoquguMnC7ujWA. Questions: Neil Curri (necurri@vassar.edu / x7708). 

Intro to the Vassar College Libraries Digital Library

October 4, 2024 3:00 – 4:00 PM Online

The Digital Library includes photos, audiovisual materials, manuscripts, and much more!  Did you know it now also provides access to Finding Aids, Vassar Scholarship, and a Herbarium? Join us for a tour of the system followed by a Q&A. The tour will include tips on how to find what you need for your research and how to submit your work to the Vassar Scholarship repository. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/13104415 

If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://calendar.app.google/fTatyJxU7g5EPBGv5 

Digital Humanities Data Management Plan Basics

October 9, 2024 3:00 – 4:00 PM Online

Are you considering building an Omeka, Scalar, or WordPress site to share your work with the world? Have you already created a proof of concept for a digital project and want to know what comes next? You need a Digital Management Plan to ensure sustainability of your site! A DMP describes the data that will be acquired or produced during your project; how the data will be managed, described, stored, accessed, and preserved during and after the completion of the project. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/13104430 

If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://calendar.app.google/fTatyJxU7g5EPBGv5 

Intro to the U.S. Census and American Community Survey (ACS) Data and Mapping

Tuesday, October 22, 2024, 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM, BLS 101 (Laybourne Visualization “SciVis” Lab)

The U.S. Census Bureau provides periodic and comprehensive statistics about the nation. This data is critical for government programs, policies, and decision-making. Presenter David Kraiker, Data Dissemination Specialist for the U.S. Census Bureau, will provide an introduction to the Census Bureau, the data it collects and provides, and how to find and use the data. Attendees will learn the differences between the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Decennial Census, and how to use the tools in the Census Bureau’s data portal, https://data.census.gov, to explore and map ACS and Census data. Registration: https://forms.gle/qmymBxJeN45KyCpR6. Questions: Neil Curri (necurri@vassar.edu / x7708). 

Stay Organized & Save Time with Zotero Citation Manager

October 25, 2024,  11:00 – 11:45am, Main Library Computer Classroom, Rm 160

Overwhelmed by unorganized PDFs? Want to save time formatting your bibliography? Zotero is a free citation manager for organizing references, storing pdfs, and formatting in-text citations and bibliographies. Zotero is most useful when it’s incorporated into the research process – finding sources, building your Zotero library, and citing references all go hand in hand. During this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Create a Zotero library
• Organize and share references
• Generate bibliographies in your preferred citation style
• Format in-text citations and reference lists in Word and Google Docs

Led by Elizabeth Salmon, Social Science Librarian. Registration appreciated but not required: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/12928881.

Intro to Omeka

October 30, 2024 3:00 – 4:00 PM  Online

Omeka is a free, open-source content management system for online digital collections that allows users to publish and exhibit scholarly collections and cultural heritage objects. The Vassar College Digital Scholarship Services Collaboration (DiSSCo) provides a web hosting resource called vassarspaces.net. This service, a Domain of One’s Own (DoOO) product, provides the flexibility for anyone in our academic community to build websites on a variety of platforms, including Omeka. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services.

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/13104721 

If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://calendar.app.google/fTatyJxU7g5EPBGv5 

Intro to Scalar

November 1, 2024 3:00 – 4:00 PM Online

Scalar is an open source, web-based publishing software from the University of Southern California’s Alliance for Networking Visual Culture that allows you to create networked, multi-media online publications.This workshop will begin with the basics of installation along with creating accounts, projects, and content path. It will also cover the management and inclusion of media, such as images and video. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/13104726 

If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://calendar.app.google/fTatyJxU7g5EPBGv5 

Campus Resources for Building Websites 

Wednesday, Nov 6, 2024 3:30 – 4:30 PM online

Need a website? We will review the options you have available to you as a member of the Vassar Community. We’ll also cover our new resource : vassarspaces.net – where we empower users to become sys admins and install their own apps (WordPress, Scalar, Omeka and more!). Led by Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services and Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/13104800 , https://vassar.zoom.us/j/96170519016

Static vs. Dynamic Website Design: How to Choose the Best Option for Your Project

November 8, 2024 3:00 – 4:00 PM Online

Learn what the best platform options are for a variety of website projects while also gaining a better understanding of how to make environmentally friendly and sustainable choices. This session will include an overview of website building options, website examples, and decision making tips for your project. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/13104777 

If you cannot attend the specified date we can discuss this topic by appointment: https://calendar.app.google/fTatyJxU7g5EPBGv5 

Intro to ArcGIS Pro
Thursday, November 7, 2024, 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM, Ely 114 (GIS Lab)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software is used to manage, map, and analyze geographic data. In this workshop, you will learn how to use ArcGIS Pro, an industry-standard desktop GIS program, to overlay GIS “layers” in a map, analyze the relative composition of land cover types (developed, forested, wetlands, etc.) within a local watershed relative to stream sample locations, and assemble a map layout of the results. Registration: https://forms.gle/fktwZfMfX7sWbWT6A. Questions: Neil Curri (necurri@vassar.edu / x7708). 

Intro to Audio Recording and Campus Resources

Friday, Nov 22, 10:00 – 11:00 AM, Main Library Electronic Classroom

Planning to record voice or music and you have never done it before? Interested in podcasting? Perhaps you have an interview you need to edit and share? We’ll review free and cross-platform tools and review resources for audio production. We’ll conclude by visiting the audio nook and the studio in the basement of Chicago Hall. Led by Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services.

The current version of Powerpoint* includes a great accessibility feature: it will automatically transcribe your spoken remarks in real time, displayed as subtitles, while you give your presentation. If you give slide presentations, this is a great function for making your lectures more accessible– for the hearing-impaired, but also for non-native English-speaking students.

Here’s a short demonstration. (Remember, these subtitles were machine-generated in real-time, as I spoke.)

The live subtitling function can also do language translations. You can choose the language that the speaker will be using: Chinese, American, Canadian or British English, French, German, Italian, Latvian, or Spanish. You can then choose the language in which your subtitles will appear, from a list of more than 60 languages.

Here’s the same demonstration, but with French chosen as the subtitle language:

* Real-time subtitling is available only with the Powerpoint component of the desktop version of Microsoft 365. It is not available in Microsoft Office (the predecessor of Microsoft 365) and it is not available in the web-based version of Microsoft 365. Please contact the Vassar Service Desk if you need help installing Microsoft 365 on your device.

Introduction to QGIS 

Tuesday, January 30th, 3:10 – 4:40 pm, Ely Hall Rm 114 (GIS Lab)

QGIS is a Free and Open Source (FOSS) Geographic Information System (GIS) program. GIS software enables you to produce maps and other graphic displays of geographic information for analysis and presentation. In this workshop, you will learn to find and obtain data for a mapping project, edit the data, make a printable map layout, and run geospatial analysis tools. This workshop is suitable for beginners to GIS and those who have had experience with commercial products like Esri’s ArcGIS. Led by Neil Curri of ACS. Please register to attend at https://forms.gle/fPiBiKXYtmehYPNL8. 

Stay Organized & Save Time with Zotero Citation Manager

Friday, February 2nd, 1:00 – 1:45 pm, Main Library Computer Classroom, Rm 160

Overwhelmed by unorganized PDFs? Want to save time formatting your bibliography? Zotero is a free citation manager for organizing references, storing pdfs, and formatting in-text citations and bibliographies. During this workshop, you will learn how to create a Zotero library, organize and share references, generate bibliographies, and format in-text citations and reference lists in Word and Google Docs. Led by Social Science Librarian Elizabeth Salmon

Computers provided however if possible, please bring a laptop to the session.

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11829830

Intro to the Vassar College Libraries Digital Library: Research and Classroom Use

February 7 and 9, 2024, 4-5PM, via Zoom

The Digital Library includes photos, audiovisual materials, manuscripts, and much more!  Did you know it now also provides access to Finding Aids, Vassar Scholarship, and a Herbarium? Join us for a tour of the system followed by a Q&A. The tour will include tips on how to find what you need for your research, incorporate use of the DL in the classroom, and how to submit your work to the Vassar Scholarship repository. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: 

2/7/2024 https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11885218

2/9/2024 https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11885223 

Intro to Audio Recording and Campus Resources

Wednesday, February 14, 3:30 – 4:30 pm, Main Library Electronic Classroom

Planning to record voice or music and you have never done it before? Interested in podcasting? Perhaps you have an interview you need to edit and share? We’ll review free and cross-platform tools and review resources for audio production. We’ll conclude by visiting the audio nook and the studio in the basement of Chicago Hall. Led by Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services.

Introduction to Python for Data Science
February 21, 3:30 – 5:00 PM, Sci Viz Lab

Python has become more and more popular for data maintenance, wrangling, visualization, and analysis. Do you want to see what all the fuss is about? This hands-on workshop will cover the basics of Python coding and will introduce some common data-focused packages. This workshop is suitable for novice coders as well as those with coding or scripting experience in other statistical software such as R or Stata. Computers available, however, if possible, please bring a laptop to the session.

Sponsored by Data Science and Society, Led by Simon Hoellerbauer of DSS

Register Online: https://forms.gle/E4aEpfoceJ6UudU66 

Intro to Omeka

March 20 & 22, 4:00-5:00PM  via Zoom

Omeka is a free, open-source content management system for online digital collections that allows users to publish and exhibit scholarly collections and cultural heritage objects. The Vassar College Digital Scholarship Services Collaboration (DiSSCo) provides a web hosting resource called vassarspaces.net. This service, a Domain of One’s Own (DoOO) product, provides the flexibility for anyone in our academic community to build websites on a variety of platforms, including Omeka. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services.

Register Online: 

3/20/2024 https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11885125 

3/22/2024 https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11885127 

Intro to Scalar

March 25 & 29, 5:00-6:00PM via Zoom

Scalar is an open source, web-based publishing software from the University of Southern California’s Alliance for Networking Visual Culture that allows you to create networked, multi-media online publications.This workshop will begin with the basics of installation along with creating accounts, projects, and content path. It will also cover the management and inclusion of media, such as images and video. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: 

3/25/2024 https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11885084 

3/29/2024 https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11885101 

Introduction to Git and Github
March 22, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, Sci Viz Lab

Tired of naming files final_draft_v12_comments_corrected_v10.docx? Git is a commonly used version control system that solves this exact problem and is especially helpful when collaborating with others. GitHub is one of the most popular home for Git-based projects on the internet. This workshop will introduce you to Git and GitHub. You will practice making commits, pushing, and pulling, but alone and in collaboration with others. Please bring a laptop to the session.

Sponsored by Data Science and Society

Register Online: https://forms.gle/RnY7fasfPD6XKNt89

Cleaning Messy Data with OpenRefine

Wednesday, March 27th, 3:00 – 3:45 pm, Main Library Computer Classroom, Rm 160

 Want to spend less time cleaning and prepping your data? Doing the same tasks over and over in Excel? OpenRefine is a free, open source tool designed specifically for cleaning and organizing tabular data, with easy to use features for fixing errors and standardizing data. During this workshop, participants will learn how to upload data to OpenRefine, explore data, and conduct simple data transformations to produce a clean dataset ready for analysis.

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11832459

Introduction to R for Data Science
April 12, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, Sci Viz Lab

R is a statistical programming environment commonly used in academia for creating data visualizations and doing statistical analyses in a more regimented manner. This workshop provides a basic overview of using R and RStudio (a common interactive development environment) for statistical analysis (please note that this workshop does not cover statistical concepts).This workshop is suitable for novice coders as well as those with coding or scripting experience in other statistical software such as SPSS or Stata. Computers available, however, if possible, please bring a laptop to the session.

Sponsored by Data Science and Society

Register Online: https://forms.gle/3PoetbRc5G16QeNv5

Campus Resources for Building Websites 

Wednesday, April 17, 3:30 – 4:30 pm on Zoom 

Need a website? We will review the options you have available to you as a member of the Vassar Community. We’ll also cover our new resource : vassarspaces.net – where we empower users to become sys admins and install their own apps (WordPress, Scalar, Omeka and more!). Led by Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services and Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register: https://vassar.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEvdOqtqzspEt09z3XWM8VdxIVUF1G3bbv3

Poster Design for Academia

Wednesday, April 24, 3:30 – 4:30 Library Electronic Classroom, Main Library

Need a poster for an academic conference? Want to print a giant poster for your event? Come to this hands-on workshop, learn basic design and how to use Illustrator, Powerpoint or Google Slides to make a poster. Led by Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services. Please rsvp to babailey@vassar.edu (suggested but not required).

Alternative Assignments

Friday, September 1, 10:00 – 11:00 Library Electronic Classroom

Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services will provide an overview of some alternative assignments (websites, podcasts, videos, posters). We will discuss how innovative assignments can be used to support learning objectives and review relevant best practices.

Intro to U.S. Census and American Community Survey (ACS) Data and Tools 

Friday, September 15th, 3:00 – 4:30 pm, Ely Hall Rm 200

Presenter David Kraiker, Data Dissemination Specialist for the U.S. Census Bureau, will provide an introduction to the Census Bureau, the data it collects and provides, and how to find and use the data. Attendees will learn what Census Bureau is, the differences between the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Decennial Census, parameters for finding data of interest, and using the tools in the Census Bureau’s data portal, https://data.census.gov, to explore and visualize ACS and Census data. Refreshments and open discussion with Mr. Kraiker to follow (4:30 – 5:00 pm). Hosted by the Department of Earth Science and Geography. 

Intro to Audio Recording and Campus Resources

Friday, September 22nd, 10:00 – 11:00 pm, Main Library Electronic Classroom

Planning to record voice or music and you have never done it before? Interested in podcasting? Perhaps you have an interview you need to edit and share? We’ll review free and cross-platform tools and review resources for audio production. We’ll conclude by visiting the audio nook and the studio in the basement of Chicago Hall. Led by Baynard Bailey of Academic Computing Services.

Faculty Seminar on Using Mathematica & Wolfram Alpha

September 21, 2023, 3:45-5:00, BLS 202

Andy Dorsett, of Wolfram Research, will present a seminar on (1) the basics of Mathematica and Wolfram Alpha for beginners, (2) classroom/homework/lesson plan activities, and (3) research applications – including machine learning, data analysis, image processing, connections to AI, etc.

Intro to the Vassar College Libraries Digital Library

October 2, 2023, 3:30-4:30PM, via Zoom

The Digital Library includes photos, audiovisual materials, manuscripts, and much more!  Did you know it now also provides access to Finding Aids, Vassar Scholarship, and a Herbarium? Join us for a tour of the system followed by a Q&A. The tour will include tips on how to find what you need for your research and how to submit your work to the Vassar Scholarship repository. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11208075 

Intro to Vassar GIS Resources for Social Science Mapping

October 4, 2023, 3:30-5:00 PM, Ely Hall Rm 114 (GIS Lab)

Powerful GIS tools for social science mapping are available to all students, faculty, and academic staff at Vassar. This workshop will provide an overview of these tools and how to use them, with examples exploring demographic and socioeconomic patterns (e.g. race & ethnicity, education level, income) and housing characteristics, as well as analyzing these patterns in relation to resource availability, threats, or impacts. Led by Elizabeth Salmon of Academic Engagement and Neil Curri of Academic Computing Services. 

Managing your Vassarspaces.net Web Resources

October 30, 2023, 3-4PM, via Zoom

Now that you have signed up for vassarspaces.net account and built an online resource what’s next? Learn how to set up backup schedules in CPanel and perform a manual local backup of your site(s). Having issues with site loading times, also learn how to use image compression and caching plugins to improve site performance. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services.

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11208119 

Basics of Research Data Management

October 31, 2023, 3-4PM via Zoom

In recognition of World Digital Preservation Day, this workshop will cover strategies and tips for organizing, documenting and preserving your research data. Learn how to streamline the research process and ensure data is accessible and understandable into the future with effective research data management!

File and Email Management

November 2, 2023, 3-4PM via Zoom

In recognition of World Digital Preservation Day, this workshop will cover strategies and tips for organizing, documenting and preserving your research data. Learn how to streamline the research process and ensure data is accessible and understandable into the future with effective research data management! Led by Digital Preservation Librarian Kim Gianfrancesco. Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11232344

Digital Humanities Data Management Plan Basics

November 6, 2023, 3:30-4:30PM via Zoom

Are you considering building an Omeka, Scalar, or WordPress site to share your work with the world? Have you already created a proof of concept for a digital project and want to know what comes next? You need a Digital Management Plan to ensure sustainability of your site! A DMP describes the data that will be acquired or produced during your project; how the data will be managed, described, stored, accessed, and preserved during and after the completion of the project. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services.

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11208107 

GIS Day

November 8, 2023, 5:00 – 6:30 PM, Ely Hall Rm 200

Join fellow students and faculty in Vassar’s 4th GIS Day, part of an international celebration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and geospatial mapping. Student and faculty presentations of geospatial mapping projects across multiple disciplines will be followed by discussion, food and refreshments. All are welcome. Hosted by Hudson Valley Mappers, the Earth Science and Geography Department, and the Office of Community Engaged Learning. 

Intro to Omeka

November 8, 2023, 3:30-4:30PM via Zoom

Omeka is a free, open-source content management system for online digital collections that allows users to publish and exhibit scholarly collections and cultural heritage objects. The Vassar College Digital Scholarship Services Collaboration (DiSSCo) provides a web hosting resource called vassarspaces.net. This service, a Domain of One’s Own (DoOO) product, provides the flexibility for anyone in our academic community to build websites on a variety of platforms, including Omeka. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services.

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11208114 

Intro to Scalar

November 29, 2023, 3:30-4:30 via Zoom

Scalar is an open source, web-based publishing software from the University of Southern California’s Alliance for Networking Visual Culture that allows you to create networked, multi-media online publications.This workshop will begin with the basics of installation along with creating accounts, projects, and content path. It will also cover the management and inclusion of media, such as images and video. Led by Nicole Scalessa of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services. 

Register Online: https://libcal.vassar.edu/event/11208115