The Information Commons in Library West

TinEye – a “reverse search engine”

Got a picture?  Want to see where else it’s used on the web?  Maybe you want to find similar images?  Maybe you’re just trying to identify it?   Well, TinEye can help you with that.

TinEye is a reverse image search engine.  You search for images using images, not words to find out where the image came from, how it’s being used, if modified versions exist, or to find higher resolution copies. 

TinEye searches billions of sites in seconds and is really easy to use.  You can upload an image or insert a URL that contains the image you are using to search.  It’s the first image search engine on the web to use image identification technology rather than keywords, metadata or watermarks.  

For those of you who need to know ALL the details first, you can watch a short, three minute video tutorial on their FAQ page.

For the rest of you who just want to start playing right away, go for it!  :D

• Comments Off

The Preamble

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

“Constitution Wednesdays” was made possible by the Founding Fathers.

• Comments Off

End of the Semster Book Sale in the Library Bookstore!

Sale continues through this Friday, May 1st.  - 10am – 3pm.

$15 for one bag of books

$10 each for more than one bag

Bookstore is located on the first floor of Smathers Library.

• Comments Off

Moving Out?  Spring Cleaning?  Downsizing?

Craiglist (http://gainesville.craigslist.org/) 

Try selling your stuff on Craigslist where placing a “for sale” ad is free. 

Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/) 

You could give away or trade some of your things on Freecycle.  Freecycle is a nonprofit, grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns.  A great way to recycle and keep reusable items out of the landfills.  There is a local Gainesville Freecycle Group.

The Dignity Project (http://www.dignityproject.com)

Have computer equipment or even an old car that you’d just like to donate?  Consider giving it to the Dignity Project. Volunteers at The Dignity Project repair/refurbish computers and automobiles to give to community members in need.  

Thrift Stores 

Consider donating your unwanted items to local thrift stores.  Gainesville has many to choose from, including these: 

• Alachua County Humane Society

• Habitat for Humanity

• Salvation Army

• Peaceful Paths

• Haven Hospice Attic

Library Donations

Just want to get rid of  some old books, CDs, videos, DVDs, magazines or software?  Consider donating those items to the Alachua County Friends of the Library Association or the UF Smathers Library Bookstore.

• Comments Off

Flash Bubble Wrap Game

You’ve been working hard.  The semester is ALMOST done!  Just a couple more exams to go… 

Yep, it’s definitely time for you to stop what you’re doing and take a quick bubblewrap break! 

See, wasn’t that nice?  Admit it, you feel a little bit better now, don’t you?  :)

• Comments Off

Dealing with End of Semester Stress  & Test Anxiety

Well, Final Exams are finally here. Most of you are working hard wrapping up projects and papers and studying last minute for final exams.

Reduce General Stress & Anxiety

Stress and anxiety during this time of the semester is normal but there are many ways that you can help reduce the levels you are suffering from:

• List It- Make a list of tasks you have left to complete this week and prioritize that list.
• Schedule It-  Take a few minutes to schedule out academic, social and physical time. Be realistic in the amount of time you allot for each.
• Exercise-  Get some exercise at least every other day, even if you just go for a 15 minute walk.
• Sleep- Get. Enough. Sleep!!!  Seriously, going into an exam sleep deprived will only reduce your performance.
• Eat Well- Easier said than done, but try to avoid junk foods this week.  Eat some veggies and drink some water. 
• Stop procrastinating- Just do it!  Finish those tasks you’ve been dreading & get them out of the way so you no longer have to worry about them!
• Decompress- Try to find at least 20 minutes during the day to give yourself some alone time.  Stare at a wall if you have to. 
• Let Go- Recognize what you can and cannot change.  Don’t dwell on things beyond your control- let go of those things and focus on things things you CAN change. Allow yourself to say, “Good Enough.”
• Assert yourself-  Set limits on the demands others place on your time and energy when necessary. It’s okay to say “No.”

Dealing with Test Anxiety

The UF Counseling Center has a great list of tips and tricks for dealing with testing anxiety.

Overwhelmed?  Need to talk to someone?

If you are starting to feel overwhelmed and feel that you need to talk to someone,  UF has many resources for students to effectively deal with a wide variety of problems that can interfere with their academic progress.  Among the key student support resources:

• Alachua County Crisis Center, 24hr hotline, 264-6789
• Career Resource Center, 392-1601, located in the 1st floor Reitz Union
• Counseling Center, 392-1575, located in 301 Peabody Hall
• Dean of Students Office,392-1261, located in 202 Peabody Hall
• International Student Center, 392-5323, located in 123 Grinter Hall
• Student Mental Health, 392-1171, located in the Student Health Care Center

We’re here for you too!

Don’t forget, the library is here for you too.  If you have questions you can call us at Library West (273-2629 or 273-2665).   You can even instant message a librarian.

• Comments Off

Friday Fun for you – Google Image Labeler, an oldie but a goodie.

Yeah, I know, it’s been around since 2006, but c’mon it’s still a nice way to shift the gears in your brain, put your mind into another mode of thinking, and give yourself a short break from studying.  

It’s really easy to play.  Google randomly pairs you with a partner who is also online and playing the game.  Over a two-minute period, the two of you will see the same set of images and the goal is to type in as many labels as you possibly can to describe each image in front of you.   

You get points when one of your labels matches your partner’s label then the program will kick out a new image for you to start describing.   After the two minutes are up, you can look at the images you’ve just seen and from where they were pulled.

Set your timer though- this is meant to give your brain a break, not to provide another way to procrastinate from studying.    http://images.google.com/imagelabeler/

Hang in there, the semester is almost done.  :)

• Comments Off

Cool New Resource: The World Digital Library

The World Digital Library, launched by the United Nation’s cultural agency, offers FREE access to rare manuscripts, books, films and maps from around the world, AND in your choice of seven different languages!

There are some great film and audio recordings in this collection. You can stream original footage shot by the famous Lumière brothers  as well as view footage of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island.

Some of the contributions are old (as in 8,000 BC old!) and among the many artifacts are a 1,000-year-old Japanese novel and the earliest known map to mention America by name.

If you see something you like and want to bookmark it or share with your friends, they offer a HUGE list of web 2.0/social networking options so you can easily post the item to your Facebook, blog,  FriendFeed, etc.:
 

They just launched in April, but expect to see this collection grow quickly. Now that they’re live, interest will grow and more institutions will certainly want to jump on board.

• Comments Off

GREAT Article: “10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know.”  

This article contains a valuable list of information showing you how to protect your Facebook privacy by tweaking friend lists, removing your name from search engine lists, protecting yourself from unflattering photos shot of you by your well-meaning (or maybe your not so well-meaning) friends, and etc.  

Seriously, it’s really worth a quick browse and I guarantee there is probably at least one item on this list that you didn’t already know how to do.   :)

(Savage Chickens cartoon used with permission by Doug Savage)

• Comments Off

Reluctant to leave the comfort of your “study nest?”   

Why not instant message a librarian your questions instead?!

You can instant message a librarian during the libraries’ extended hours:   
Sunday, April 19  through Friday, April 24
from 9 am – 3 am

• Comments Off