Lichtenberger Engineering Library

Feb 05 2020

Learn & Create Valentine’s Pop-up Card Workshop!

Posted on February 5, 2020January 16, 2020 by Carol Johnk

Creating Pop-up Greeting Cards
Tuesday, February 11th; 5:00 PM
Engineering Library Creative Space

Valentine’s day is right around the corner! Are you ready?

We can help you impress your friends and family with fun and unique greeting cards! Learn about paper folding and create your own, unique pop-up card! Learn to create them and you can make special cards for every occasion!

This workshop will be taught by Deanne Wortman, NEXUS.

This workshop is FREE, but space is limited – register now!!

Check our webpage to explore the upcoming classes! We have a variety of classes designed to be successful in your college career, and to try things you haven’t tried before! Don’t miss out!!

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Kari Kozak at kari-kozak@uiowa.edu in advance of the event.

Jan 29 2020

Learn & Create! Surface Mount Soldering Basics!

Posted on January 29, 2020January 15, 2020 by Carol Johnk

Soldering Basics – Surface Mount
Tuesday, February 4th; 5:00 p.m.
Engineering Library Creative Space

Soldering is one of the most fundamental skills needed to dabble in the world of electronics. Although it is possible to learn about – and build – electronics without the need to pick up a soldering iron, you’ll soon discover that a whole new world is opened up with this one simple skill. This workshop will focus on learning surface mount soldering.

Jeremy Roszell, Electronics Electronics Shop, will be teach this workshop.

This workshop is FREE but space is limited – be sure to register now!
Check the Learn & Create webpage for more information on all the workshops coming up!

Jan 24 2020

SciFinder is being upgraded to SciFinder-n

Posted on January 24, 2020January 25, 2020 by Kari Kozak

Welcome to the new generation of Scifinder: SciFinderⁿ!

It is also written as SciFinder-n.

Registration is required before the first use. If you have already registered for SciFinder, your username and password will work for either one. Register for a SciFinder Account

Also, the registration for academic IDs remains the same and users should use the existing process through the Library. The same ID and password work for both platforms so there is no additional registration for SciFinder-n.

The links below work from anywhere, but you must use them to access either interface from off-campus.

Both interfaces search the same information but are quite different.

SciFinder This classic version has been available since 2008 and has an older architecture. It has system limits so you have to be more precise in searching.

SciFinder-n This interface has just become available. It has a more modern architecture so it allows more flexible searching, has relevancy ranking, and better functionality via mobile devices. It also has no system limits, renders structures in standard conventions and allows you to combine reference and structure searches. It includes these new tools: PatentPak, MethodsNow and Retrosynthesis Plan.

New Tools:

PatentPak

Quickly locate relevant information within patents.
MethodsNow

Locate and compare methodology.
Retrosynthesis Plan

See SciFinder-n’s suggested route for preparing a compound from commercially available precursors.

Need Help?

On-Campus Training
- An trainer from CAS will be here on Feb 10th and 11th to provide demonstrations on the new features.
- Monday, Feb 10
  - 1:30-2:30pm (snacks available): E215 Chemistry Building
- Tuesday, Feb 11
  - 9:30 – 10:30 am (snacks available): E215 Chemistry Building
  - 12-1pm (pizza available): 2001 Seamans Center
SciFinder-n Help
SciFinder-n online training

Jan 21 2020

Welcome Back!!

Posted on January 21, 2020January 21, 2020 by Carol Johnk

Welcome back!
We hope you had a good winter break!

We’ve been busy while you were gone, and this semester is filled with activities!

We are very excited about Capture Your Research 2020! You are invited to come to a question-and-answer session about this brand new photo competition on January 30th at 5:00 p.m in Engineering Library Creative Space. This new event is sponsored by the College of Engineering, Hancher Auditorium, NEXUS, and the Lichtenberger Engineering Library. Full information and registration can be found here. The final Q&A will be held February 20th at 5:00 pm in the Engineering Library Creative Space. The entry deadline is February 28th.

Come to either of the Q&A sessions, and prepare your submission. We are looking forward to seeing what you are researching!

We also have a whole new set of Learn & Create workshops scheduled. And this time we have workshops we haven’t offered before. We will be having a two-part workshop in which you will learn to code and design a a small project and then the following week there will be a “field trip” to the Machine Shop, where you will learn to use the water jet cutter (The 1st workshop is required to enroll in the second). We also have a new workshop where you can learn about robotics – buy a kit and you can take your robot home with you! With these new workshops, along with our regular workshops about patents, standards, and learning to create pop-up Valentine’s cards, among others, I think we have something for almost everyone.

We also are going to be having a information to session about Scifinderⁿ. SciFinder has been changed and updated, so you will want to attend this session and learn about all the updates. That session will be held in early February. Stay tuned for more details.

Also in February we’re going to be having an Innovation day. This will be held on February 18th. Stay tuned for all the details!!

Besides all we have scheduled for February, we also will be having a water filtration challenge at the beginning of March, Pi day is going to be held on March 12th (before spring break), the Poster Session for the KickStart program will be on April 2nd, and the awards ceremony for Capture Your Research 2020! will also be on April 2nd at Hancher.

We have SO many things coming up – you’ll want to watch for our Monday Morning Fireside Chats – Kari will talk about all the events! They will be posted on both Facebook and Twitter and can also be found on our youtube channel – be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out!!

We have so many new and exciting things planned for this semester! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@UIEngLib), watch for our Monday morning fireside chats, check our webpage, our blogs (accessible from the home page) and you won’t miss any of our upcoming events!

Welcome back!

Jan 21 2020

1st Learn & Create Workshop! Through-Hole Soldering Basics

Posted on January 21, 2020January 15, 2020 by Carol Johnk

Dec 20 2019

Need Fun Activities for Break?

Posted on December 20, 2019December 30, 2019 by Carol Johnk

It’s the holiday break. You’ve opened presents, eaten, napped, and now what?
How about some fun DIY projects and crafts?

Maybe start out with something from The Star Wars Craft Book. Want to start with a holiday-themed craft? How about a Hanukkah Droidel? The appendix comes complete with the Droidel pattern (it also has patterns for many of the other crafts including Yoda finger puppet dolls and, yes, even a Jar Jar Binks Jedi Mind Trick Doll pattern!) There are instructions for a Ewok Fleece hat, an R2-D2 crocheted beanie, an AT-AT Herb Garden, and even a Jabba the Hutt body pillow!

Ever dreamed of being a pioneer? Make: Like the Pioneers will take you through a “typical” day for a pioneer would have been! From the morning, which might include a bow drill to help you master fire, or what could be more fun that making bacon soap? Or learn to make apple cider right at your kitchen table! Learn to turn your junk mail into home made paper – your own personal stationery! In the afternoon you could learn to do some woodworking and make a “fool’s stool.” (The Fool’s Stool instructions use table saws and wood glue – so you’ve got an advantage over the pioneers!) There is also a section of full-color photos to teach the art of lashing! With some practice you could make a lookout tower! Think the evening is for rest? Well, a pioneer would no doubt be pickling grapes and beets or roasting pumpkin seeds. So, night calls for making an oil lamp, to keep the darkness at bay!

Maybe you are more into LEGO^® building and would like to try something more elaborate than usual…. The Art of LEGO Design : Creative Ways to Build Amazing Models can help you do just that! It has chapters that include inspiration, how to work with colors, shapes, sizes, and scales! It helps you make the perfect work space and takes you through the essential elements. The chapters include Wildlife & Foliage, Large-scale Figures, Cars, Wagons, & Watercraft, Buildings, and Science Fiction. You’ll certainly find something that will spark your creativity!

Are you spending your holidays at the beach? How about making some Sand Stampers? Make: Fun! : Create Your Own Toys, Games, and Amusements tells you how!! Want to make custom cookie cutters? Make an oven using a light bulb and a can? Thinking ahead to Halloween? How about making a Tiki Mask? Cereal Box Sound Racers? There are even instructions n hot to make a talking booby trap, or a personalized talking doll? You got it – Make: Fun! has all the instructions for these – and more fun ideas!!

Make: Easy 1+2+3 Projects also fun projects – from a mini-foosball game, a clothes folding board, a simple lightup hoodie to tattooing a banana!

These are just a few (very few!) of the fun DIY project books we’ve got! Check below for additional resources and find something to make this holiday break!!

Have a great winter break! DIY something!!

Resources:

Burton, Bonnie. 2011. The Star Wars Craft Book. New York : Del Rey/Ballantine Books. Engineering Library TT157 .B87 2011

Schwartz, Jorday. 2014. The art of LEGO design : creative ways to build amazing models. San Francisco, Calif. : No Starch Press. Engineering Library TS2301.T7 S38 2014

Make Editors. 2015. Make : like the pioneers. San Francisco, CA : Maker Media. Engineering Library TT157 .M35 2015

Knetzger, Bob. 2016. Make: Fun! : Create Your Own Toys, Games, and Amusements. San Francisco, CA : Maker Media. Engineering Library TT174 .K58 2016

Additional Resources:

Cohen, Sahrye; Hal Rodriguez. 2018. Make it, wear it : wearable electronics for makers, crafters, and cosplayers. New York : McGraw-Hill Education. Engineering Library TK7870.C64 2018

Borgatti, Matthew, Kari Love. 2018. Make : soft robotics : a DIY introduction to squishy, stretchy, and flexible robots. San Francisco, CA : Maker Media, Inc. Engineering Library TJ211 .B665 2018

Baichtal, John. 2018. 10 LED projects for geeks : build light-up costumes, sci-fi gadgets, and other clever inventions. San Francisco : No Starch Press, Inc. Engineering Library TK7871.89.L53 L4324 2018

Santos, Rui; Sara Santos. 2018. 20 easy Raspberry Pi projects : toys, tools, gadgets, and more! San Francisco : No Starch Press, Inc. Engineering Library QA76,8.R15 S26 2018

Need more ideas? Go to InfoHawk and search Make. You can narrow it down to titles here in our library!

Dec 18 2019

Announcing Our Kick-Start Award Winners!!

Posted on December 18, 2019December 17, 2019 by Carol Johnk

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR KICK-START WINNERS!!

We are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Creative Kick-Start Program!

Kick-Start, a program which was developed by the Engineering Library and the Engineering Technology Centers, awards $500 to 10 projects which are submitted by engineering students. Undergrad and graduate students are eligible to submit proposals for prototyping a new project or finishing a current project. The funds for the Creative Kick-Start program have generously been provided by the Engineering Technology Centers.

Meet the winners!!

Carly Donahue, Akar Jani, Emma Rigby, Lindsey Mundt, and Nick Nielsen are working on a Hawkeye Head Holder, a device designed to help support a patient’s head during spinal surgery. The Next-Generation Stage Measurement at Ungauged Locations using IoT is being developed by Muhammed Yusuf Sermet. The team of Ben Rauenbuehler, Annice Najafi, Hunter Duncan, and Xiaoyyue Yu are developing the Attentive Scooper. The Attentive Scoooper is being developed as a tool to help children with disabilities learn to rely on their caregivers less when eating.

A Multi-functional Compartmentalized Product Analysis Reactor is being designed by Collin Sindt, Patrick Henkhaus, Mason Lyons, Dimitiri Gatzios, and Nathan Jarvey. Their proposal is to redesign a reactor used in research labs to address three issues: ease and speed of assembly, effectiveness of the seal, and cost effectiveness. Ethan Patterson, Nicholas Seliga, Quenton Boddie, Isabella Solaroli, and Robert Agnew have teamed up on the Sled-Pull Power Optimization for Athletes. The goal is design a device to measure the force an athlete creates during a pulling-sled exercise, the data will be analyzed to output the optimal training loads.

Victoria Black, Russell Martin, Bailey Rambo, and Roger Luo have proposed UCan, a design for a specific two-year-old child with Canavan’s disease. Their device will allow the child to safely explore the environment with independence with care-taker oversight. The XY-SEE Reading Table is being designed by Faith Meyer, Zoey Slettenhaugh, Lukas Brandner, Shawn Franken and Rachel Cavett. Their goal is to design a device which would fulfill a previously untapped space in central vision aids for patients with macular degeneration and other types of low vision conditions.

The Palate Pal is being designed for a specific seven-year-old with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, which would help her to achieve more independent eating. Hannah Drkulec, Jennifer Mount, Ally Carey, Taylor Deutsch, and Jason Zych are working on this project! Designing a device which will allow for a universal system for sample testing in electrochemistry research is the goal of Austin McKee, Jacob Fields, and Jonathan Koonce. Their design is called an Adaptive Electrode Assembly. Andrew Solsrud, Caleb Eichelberger, Sawyer Goetz, Mitchell Schaffer, and Alex Peebles are working on the Throat and Airway Simulator. The goal is to improve endoscopic laryngeal learning experiences among ENT residents by designing a device that is an affordable and realistic model for residents to practice with.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS AND THEIR INNOVATIVE PROJECTS AND PROPOSALS!!

Dec 12 2019

Congratulations Graduates!

Posted on December 12, 2019December 11, 2019 by Carol Johnk

Congratulations to our student assistants, Rachel and Jarod!

They are both graduating this December and we are so excited for them!

Congratulations, Rachel! Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, University of Iowa Class of 2019. Photo courtesy of Ashley Freeman.

Rachel Henkle has been working with us for three and half years as a Student Assistant, and we are going to miss her smiling face! She is getting her degree in communications and would like to end up in event planning, Human Resources, or in an administrative position. During her time here at the University, she enjoyed being part of the leadership for the On Iowa! program. She also says that has really enjoyed working in the engineering library because she likes being able to help other students find what they need. This last semester she had a four-credit internship with us, which added to her normal duties at the circulation desk and included helping with class and workshop preparations, doing some data entry and curating an exhibit. She says that one of the favorite parts of her job include “working alongside amazing people and becoming more organized.”

Jarod Concha will be graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering and has been working with us as a Student Assistant for three years. His after-graduation plans include an internship before attending grad school in the fall of 2020. Some of Jarod’s favorites parts of being at UI are becoming familiar with Iowa City and all the arts, festivals, food, and football! He has enjoyed working at the engineering library because he likes seeing all the faces – both familiar and new – while seeing the wide range if disciplines the library caters to. He also said, “I want to say how grateful I am for having this job during my undergrad. School is stressful, and I feel like this job helped me strike a good balance between study, work, and leisure time. I will miss my co-workers and helping fellow students. I will look back fondly at my time in the library.”

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Dec 10 2019

Next Week is FINALS Week!!

Posted on December 10, 2019December 10, 2019 by Carol Johnk

Yes, next week is FINALS WEEK and we are here to help you get ready!!!

Are you finding that you are having trouble concentrating when you try and study in your room? Too many distractions? The couch and TV or gaming system just too close? Or that nice, soft, comfy bed? Stop in – we have extended hours!

Our Final Week hours!

Sunday, December 15^th: Noon to Midnight
Monday, December 16^th through Thursday, December 19^th: 8:30 a.m. to Midnight
Friday, December 20^th: 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, December 21^st and 22^nd: Closed

We’ll help you stay awake and alert while you are studying by having FREE coffee, hot chocolate and hot cider!!

(bring your own cup – Mother Earth will thank you!)

We have PLENTY of space for individual and group study! We have two study pods which you can reserve using the 2-2-2 rules: 2 or more students required to be present – priority will be given to groups over individuals; reservations may last 2 hours, consecutive reservations not permitted; and reservations can be made up to 2 weeks in advance! Click on the link for full instructions! The Creative Space is available for individual or group study, and has 5 dry erase boards, collaborations tables with quad monitors! There is room to spread out and work on that final project!!

The lower level is a dedicated quiet space – with easy chairs, bean bag chairs, gamer chairs, study carrels, and two faux fireplaces! If it is too loud in your dorm or apartment – head over and check out our quiet space. You could be drinking coffee in front of the fireplace while studying for that final!

Want to give your mind a break from studying? We have LEGOS^®, coloring pages, Color by Number – Engineering Style (can you guess what the picture will turn out to be?), and, of course, the augmented reality sand table!!

We are here to help you make it through finals week!
Good luck!!

Dec 07 2019

SKYWARN® Recognition Day!!

Posted on December 7, 2019December 4, 2019 by Carol Johnk

December 7^th, 2019 is National SKYWARN^® Recognition Day!!

So, just what is SKYWARN^® ?

It is a National Weather Service (NWS) volunteer program with between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather spotters. The main responsibility of a SKYWARN^® spotter is to identify and describe severe local weather and storms. Unlike storm chasers, they generally stay in one place until it is necessary for them to move. The spotter is the “eyes and ears in the field” for the NWS.

In 1999, the NWS and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) created SKYWARN^® Recognition Day to recognize and honor “. . . the contributions that SKYWARN^® volunteers make to the NWS mission, the protection of life and property. . .” It is held each year on the first Saturday in December.

If you are interested in learning more about the weather, we can help! We’ve had several blogs over the last couple of years that have covered weather – from hurricanes and tornadoes to snow and ice. Catch up with our weather blogs here! If you are interested in hurricanes and tornadoes check out our resources, including Weather and Climate : Notable Research and Discoveries, Extreme Weather : Understanding the Science of Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Floods, Heat Waves, Snow Storms, Global Warming and Other Atmospheric Disturbances, and Big Weather : Chasing Tornadoes in the Heart of America.

Think you would be interested in becoming a SKYWARN^®volunteer? Training includes learning about basic severe weather structure and development, how to report, and basic severe weather safety. Training is free and typically lasts about 2 hours. Volunteers include police, EMTs, dispatchers, fire fighters, individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, nursing homes – and concerned private citizens! You can attend training at any NWS office facility, no matter where you live! Check SKYWARN training for information and find the SKYWARN^® program in your area! Attend a training course near you, register as a spotter, and help keep your community safe!

Thank you to all the spotters out there who volunteer their time to help the NWS with the updated, real-time weather information!

Resources:

Skywarn Recognition Day : First Saturday in December. National Day Calendar. Date accessed Nov. 20, 2017.

Skywarn Recognition Day : December 2, 2017 from 0000z to 2400z. National Weather Service. Date accessed Nov. 20, 2017.

NWS SKYWARN Storm Spotter Program. National Weather Service. Date accessed Nov. 20, 2017

Find Local Training Classes. SKYWARN. Date accessed Nov. 20, 2017

Kirkland, Kyle. 2010. Weather and climate : notable research and discoveries. New York : Facts on File. Engineering Library QC861.3 .K57 2010

Mogil, H. Michael. 2007. Extreme weather :understanding the science of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, heat waves, snow storms, global warming and other atmospheric disturbances. New York, N.Y. : black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. Engineering Library QC981 .M65 2007

Svenvold, Mark. 2005. Big weather : chasing tornadoes in the heart of America. New York : Henry Holt. Engineering Library QC955.5 .U6 S75 2005

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