Saturday, January 12, 2008
Guest Login System Down
The guest login system has been down all day (Saturday, January 12th). In the meantime, BCTC provided me with a generic guest login (valid only until tomorrow night) which I distributed to those non-Baruch users who needed a guest login.
Friday, January 11, 2008
CCH Accounting Research Manager now includes Government and Internal Controls modules
You now may access the Government and Internal Controls literature and interpretations that are available through CCH's Accounting Research Manager, one of the library's databases. You will need to access the information through the library's website, not CCH's commercial site, which would require a password.
We will have either 4 or 5 simultaneous users for each module. (It's being worked out.)
Government accounting and auditing, and nonprofit accounting, which follows much of government accounting (from what I understand) is becoming more important in Baruch's curriculum, and elsewhere, both in business schools and the schools of public administration.
The Government Module includes standards from:
GAO - Government Accountability Office
GASB - Governmental Accounting Standards Board
GFOA - Governmental Finance Officers Association
HUD - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
OMB - Office of Management and Budgets
PCIE - President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency
and CCH's interpretations and examples through a Governmental GAAP Practice Manual, Governmental GAAP Guide and Local Government and Single Audits.
Previously, the GASB standards and some interpretative literature were available only through accessing RIA Checkpoint. This access will continue.
In Internal Controls, you have access to standards from the COSO,(Committee of Special Organization of the Threadway Commission),the AICPA, the PCAOB (which is now in charge of audit standards, the SEC and the Institute of Internal Auditors reference works, which includes some audit check lists, as well as CCH's interpretations and examples for SOX 404 for small, publicly held companies; information technology audits, Auditor's Risk Management Guide, and Audit Committees.
These guides should be helpful to students, as well as faculty.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
I'll get the descriptions updated for the website.
Rita
We will have either 4 or 5 simultaneous users for each module. (It's being worked out.)
Government accounting and auditing, and nonprofit accounting, which follows much of government accounting (from what I understand) is becoming more important in Baruch's curriculum, and elsewhere, both in business schools and the schools of public administration.
The Government Module includes standards from:
GAO - Government Accountability Office
GASB - Governmental Accounting Standards Board
GFOA - Governmental Finance Officers Association
HUD - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
OMB - Office of Management and Budgets
PCIE - President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency
and CCH's interpretations and examples through a Governmental GAAP Practice Manual, Governmental GAAP Guide and Local Government and Single Audits.
Previously, the GASB standards and some interpretative literature were available only through accessing RIA Checkpoint. This access will continue.
In Internal Controls, you have access to standards from the COSO,(Committee of Special Organization of the Threadway Commission),the AICPA, the PCAOB (which is now in charge of audit standards, the SEC and the Institute of Internal Auditors reference works, which includes some audit check lists, as well as CCH's interpretations and examples for SOX 404 for small, publicly held companies; information technology audits, Auditor's Risk Management Guide, and Audit Committees.
These guides should be helpful to students, as well as faculty.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
I'll get the descriptions updated for the website.
Rita
Reflinks page missing
Lisa mentioned today that our Reflinks page that featured links to notable web sites was not available anymore. I tried to find it on our shared network drive, but it seems to have gone missing. For those of you who had been relying on it, I've created a placeholder page of sorts (which, like the original, is only available from PCs here in the library). It features some of the local links we had but is missing all the links to reference web sites.
If there's great demand for the missing links to reference sites, then we can began building a new one. If that's your feeling, then add a comment to this blog post.
If there's great demand for the missing links to reference sites, then we can began building a new one. If that's your feeling, then add a comment to this blog post.
Librarian Anne Mintz on the Misinformation Superhighway
Librarian Anne Mintz, who heads KM at Forbes, and teaches in CUNY's Grad School of Journalism, was recently interviewed for NOW on PBS about misinformation on the Internet.
A unique opportunity this Sunday to happen in New York Harbor
A friend has sent me a notice from Cunard about an event this coming Sunday evening...the Queen Mary 2, the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the new Queen Victoria will all be sailing in New York harbor, and are scheduled to pass each other, for the first and only time. The event will include fireworks from the Statue of Liberty.
New articles re Federated Searching and teaching, instruction, promotion
With the help of ILL, I have received three recent articles regarding federated searching. I have placed them in the articles folder under Federated Search on the shared drive. Please let me know if you have any trouble accessing them. I have a print copy of each article too that I will share.
The articles are:
Labelle, Patrick R. 2007. Initiating the Learning Process; A Model for Federated Searching and Information Literature. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 12, 3, 237-252.
Lampert, Lynn and Katherine Dabbour. 2007. Librarian Perspectives on Teaching Metasearch and Federated Search Technologies. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 12, 3, 253-278.
Robbins, Sarah and Cheryl McCain. 2007. Federated Searching; Instruction and Promotion on ARL Libraries' Web sites. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 12, 3, 279-296.
Rita
The articles are:
Labelle, Patrick R. 2007. Initiating the Learning Process; A Model for Federated Searching and Information Literature. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 12, 3, 237-252.
Lampert, Lynn and Katherine Dabbour. 2007. Librarian Perspectives on Teaching Metasearch and Federated Search Technologies. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 12, 3, 253-278.
Robbins, Sarah and Cheryl McCain. 2007. Federated Searching; Instruction and Promotion on ARL Libraries' Web sites. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 12, 3, 279-296.
Rita
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Question about computers in classrooms 130 and 135
In preparation for teaching workshops, etc. in the classrooms Room 130 and 135 this coming semester, I was wondering if it is still recommended that students use Internet Explorer rather than Firefox?
The reason I ask is I tried a computer in Room 135 just now, and when I clicked on Firefox, I received a message asking if I wanted to download the updated version, which would take a few minutes. I wouldn't want to take time during a workshop to do this, and also I didn't know if it would take administrative rights.
The reason I ask is I tried a computer in Room 135 just now, and when I clicked on Firefox, I received a message asking if I wanted to download the updated version, which would take a few minutes. I wouldn't want to take time during a workshop to do this, and also I didn't know if it would take administrative rights.
Student assignment re census information data from 1950 on
A political science class has an assignment, a group assignment I believe, to find census statistics regarding poverty levels and number of foreign born nationally, and in NYC, and NYS from 1950 on. I tried to help two groups of students, each with one of the above referenced requests, while on the reference desk. They have the information that is available online from the Census Bureau and are primarily looking for 1950 census information.
I showed them how to search on CUNY+ for census and 1950 and also suggested and explained the Statistical Abstract of the United States and how they could check the index for tables. I also reminded them that it takes several years for some statistical data, particularly the census, to become available, so for 1950 they might want to start with the 1953 Statistical Abstract.
Some of the students said they had not used the library before. This is a junior level class. Some students said they were transfer students.
One student expected me to find the information to complete their chart but I explained it was their assignment. One student said that they had found some sites in which they could purchase the 1950 census information for $8. I advised against doing this.
I showed them how to search on CUNY+ for census and 1950 and also suggested and explained the Statistical Abstract of the United States and how they could check the index for tables. I also reminded them that it takes several years for some statistical data, particularly the census, to become available, so for 1950 they might want to start with the 1953 Statistical Abstract.
Some of the students said they had not used the library before. This is a junior level class. Some students said they were transfer students.
One student expected me to find the information to complete their chart but I explained it was their assignment. One student said that they had found some sites in which they could purchase the 1950 census information for $8. I advised against doing this.
two books being held for Louis Barrera
I have placed two books in the "to be held for pickup" at the reference desk. They are for Louis Barrera who was in yesterday but found circulation closed. He left the books at the ref desk and called twice about hours and the books this morning and explained his efforts to get the books. He said he will be in before 6 p.m. today. I told him that if he doesn't come in today, the books will be reshelved.
Rita
Rita
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
IRS releases new Form 990 for use by nonprofits and charities for 2008 (2009 tax filings)
In late December the IRS announced a new form 990, that charities, foundations and nonprofit organizations, including many hospitals, file with the IRS. It is for 2008, which means the first filings will be made in 2009.
The new form was announced after public comments were received on a draft. Guidestar was among those commenting. The Form 990 had not been revised since the late 1970s, when the nonprofit world was smaller in many ways. According to the IRS web site and some articles, the new 990 forms will help people better understand the workings of charities and no- profits and help the IRS find people and organizations violating not-for-profit laws and regulations.
There may be some Public Affairs and other students asking about this new form and the changes. Although the IRS has some information, some law firms' newsletters are offering some explanations, and the changes are being covered in articles such as from the The Chronicle of Philanthropy, on January 10, 2008 Thursday
IRS Unveils Final Version of New Informational Tax Form for Charities, available through numerous library databases.
If anyone would like to have an email of a Minneapolis law firm's general take on the new form, please let me know. (I was once a legal assistance at the firm, which does a lot of nonprofit work, and I'm on their email newsletters list.) A financial scandal in the late 1950s involving officers and directors a charity that provided help to polio victims helped launch Minnesota's non-profit laws and the political career of Walter Mondale.
It is also important to consider 990 forms for searching information about for-profit businesses as you can determine what companies and corporation foundations are providing funds to organizations,and also, through looking at expenses, sometimes how much specific companies are being paid for their services/products by the charity (such as pr firms, etc.)
Guidestar and the Foundation Center provide information about the 990s.
The new form was announced after public comments were received on a draft. Guidestar was among those commenting. The Form 990 had not been revised since the late 1970s, when the nonprofit world was smaller in many ways. According to the IRS web site and some articles, the new 990 forms will help people better understand the workings of charities and no- profits and help the IRS find people and organizations violating not-for-profit laws and regulations.
There may be some Public Affairs and other students asking about this new form and the changes. Although the IRS has some information, some law firms' newsletters are offering some explanations, and the changes are being covered in articles such as from the The Chronicle of Philanthropy, on January 10, 2008 Thursday
IRS Unveils Final Version of New Informational Tax Form for Charities, available through numerous library databases.
If anyone would like to have an email of a Minneapolis law firm's general take on the new form, please let me know. (I was once a legal assistance at the firm, which does a lot of nonprofit work, and I'm on their email newsletters list.) A financial scandal in the late 1950s involving officers and directors a charity that provided help to polio victims helped launch Minnesota's non-profit laws and the political career of Walter Mondale.
It is also important to consider 990 forms for searching information about for-profit businesses as you can determine what companies and corporation foundations are providing funds to organizations,and also, through looking at expenses, sometimes how much specific companies are being paid for their services/products by the charity (such as pr firms, etc.)
Guidestar and the Foundation Center provide information about the 990s.
Bearcat Search - Feedback
A couple comments on Bearcat Search following yesterday's training session:
1) Thanks to the to the Committee for all their effort and being able to explain things.
2) I think Bearcat Search's greatest value will not be so much as meta-search engine, but as a tool to expand student knowledge of the vast array of database resources available to them. It will help them identify which databases have greater coverage on their topics. Students can then go directly into the best databases and take advantage of the precision searching protocols that don't work in the federated search engine. Librarians should push this approach at the reference desk and in instruction sessions.
3) Based on what we saw in the hands on searching, I strongly suggest that we remove Lexis/Nexis from Bearcat Search because a) phrase searching with quotes doesn't work -- gave zero hits; b) searches seemed to default to the basic search mode which searched only two years back in the news library -- leaving out older records, and legal, business, and reference records) c) Lexis/Nexis has a limit on how many results can be retrieved (I think it's still 1,000 hits), which gives error message.
This creates a situation where students will too often get no results for L/N or incomplete information. I think it would be better to include Lexis/Nexis in the alphabetical list of databases with the notation that it is not included in Bearcat and a link to search the database directly, as we saw with the accounting database.
What do other people think?
Jerry
1) Thanks to the to the Committee for all their effort and being able to explain things.
2) I think Bearcat Search's greatest value will not be so much as meta-search engine, but as a tool to expand student knowledge of the vast array of database resources available to them. It will help them identify which databases have greater coverage on their topics. Students can then go directly into the best databases and take advantage of the precision searching protocols that don't work in the federated search engine. Librarians should push this approach at the reference desk and in instruction sessions.
3) Based on what we saw in the hands on searching, I strongly suggest that we remove Lexis/Nexis from Bearcat Search because a) phrase searching with quotes doesn't work -- gave zero hits; b) searches seemed to default to the basic search mode which searched only two years back in the news library -- leaving out older records, and legal, business, and reference records) c) Lexis/Nexis has a limit on how many results can be retrieved (I think it's still 1,000 hits), which gives error message.
This creates a situation where students will too often get no results for L/N or incomplete information. I think it would be better to include Lexis/Nexis in the alphabetical list of databases with the notation that it is not included in Bearcat and a link to search the database directly, as we saw with the accounting database.
What do other people think?
Jerry
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Vendor Printing - Printer options
A student wanting to print the VITA tax guide last night noticed that the student printer allows one to change output options to have multiple pages (at least two) print on a page, but the vendor printer does not. Systems is looking into whether the vendor printer software options can be changed to allow this as well.
Please note that this is not duplex printing, but shrinking the pages down so more than one can fit on one side of the paper (to save money and paper).
I will follow up when Systems lets me know if this can be done.
-Linda
UPDATE: Vendor printer options now allows page scaling (multiple pages per sheet).
(Thanks to Systems for quick response.)
Please note that this is not duplex printing, but shrinking the pages down so more than one can fit on one side of the paper (to save money and paper).
I will follow up when Systems lets me know if this can be done.
-Linda
UPDATE: Vendor printer options now allows page scaling (multiple pages per sheet).
(Thanks to Systems for quick response.)
ACRL's newest blog: ACRL Insider
You've probably already noticed the sidebar I added long ago to the blog that offers links to recent posts from ACRLog, the first blog that ACRL launched and that covers key trends and issues in academic librarianship. ACRL has just launched a new blog that focuses on news about ACRL itself: ACRL Insider. In her first post, Mary Ellen Davis (the Executive Director of ACRL), says that the blog is:
designed to keep you informed on the activities, services, programs, and governance of ACRL. Here you will find out about ACRL publications, events, conferences, e-Learning opportunities, podcasts, etc. and gain some insight into the governance of ACRL.
Business/Finance related cable programming
I can't say whether these shows will be good viewing, but I thought the programming may be of interest to some. Thursday night is "Money Night" on MOJO HD.
As part of its new Thursday night MOJO Money Night programming block, MOJO HD will premiere Start-Up Junkies January 24 at 10p. This new hi-def financial series airing over eight 30 minute episodes will spotlight entrepreneurs as they launch a new company and nurture it through various stages. Start-Up Junkies, produced by Screaming Flea Productions, joins Wall Street Warriors and Bobby G: Adventure Capitalist each Thursday night. [As announced on Cynopsis, http://www.cynopsis.com]
MOJO HD is on Time Warner and Cablevision. (By the channel name, it obviously targets men, also high income.)
As part of its new Thursday night MOJO Money Night programming block, MOJO HD will premiere Start-Up Junkies January 24 at 10p. This new hi-def financial series airing over eight 30 minute episodes will spotlight entrepreneurs as they launch a new company and nurture it through various stages. Start-Up Junkies, produced by Screaming Flea Productions, joins Wall Street Warriors and Bobby G: Adventure Capitalist each Thursday night. [As announced on Cynopsis, http://www.cynopsis.com]
MOJO HD is on Time Warner and Cablevision. (By the channel name, it obviously targets men, also high income.)
Monday, January 07, 2008
Vendor Printer
Since students who are not registered for the intersession cannot print with their student accounts (printing accounts for the spring are not activated til Jan 25th) - printing questions are becoming very popular - I have had 10 in the past two hours. Some helpful hints:
- Students are often not aware that they cannot print if they are not registered for Jan, so they will come to the desk and simply say the printer isn't working. Problem 1 is figuring out if it's because they're not registered, and then explaining the vendor card option.
- Problem 2 is they're trying to use the vendor printer and it's not working - because they are hitting print and the default printer is the student printer. So tell them to go to file - print - and select the vendor printer.
- Problem 3 is the vendor printer still isn't working because they are not getting the dialog box to enter a user name and document description. This is happening because the computer has somehow become disconnected from the print server (?) The solution here is to turn the machine off, turn it on, and try again, and it will work. I have had to do this EVERY SINGLE TIME someone has had to use the vendor printer today.
- Students are often not aware that they cannot print if they are not registered for Jan, so they will come to the desk and simply say the printer isn't working. Problem 1 is figuring out if it's because they're not registered, and then explaining the vendor card option.
- Problem 2 is they're trying to use the vendor printer and it's not working - because they are hitting print and the default printer is the student printer. So tell them to go to file - print - and select the vendor printer.
- Problem 3 is the vendor printer still isn't working because they are not getting the dialog box to enter a user name and document description. This is happening because the computer has somehow become disconnected from the print server (?) The solution here is to turn the machine off, turn it on, and try again, and it will work. I have had to do this EVERY SINGLE TIME someone has had to use the vendor printer today.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Blank copies of reference desk statistics sheet
I've uploaded the file for the reference desk statistics sheet to the reference wiki. In case the copies in the file cabinet drawer in the reference desk run out, you can always find the file for the sheet on the wiki on the page for Reference Desk Statistics Sheet.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
ICPSR launches ICPSR Data User Help Center
ICPSR has just beta launched the ICPSR Data User Help Center
This online resource provides a variety of tutorials designed to help data users with using ICPSR data, using SPSS/SAS and related resources. Moreover, they have help in a variety of formats -- video, audio and print out instructions.
This online resource provides a variety of tutorials designed to help data users with using ICPSR data, using SPSS/SAS and related resources. Moreover, they have help in a variety of formats -- video, audio and print out instructions.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
SEC Launches Executive Compensation Reader
On December 21st the SEC launched an Executive Compensation Reader, another tool for investors built on XBRL technology. The SEC has been doing a review of executive compensation disclosure this year and is using information from 500 large companies that have filed proxy statements with the Commission.
With the Executive Compensation Reader investors can quickly glimpse the total annual pay as well as dollar amounts for salary, bonus, stock, options and company perks. They can instantly compare those executive compensation figures with other companies by sorting according to industry or size (market cap or revenue). The new tool includes direct links to companies' proxy statements, including footnotes and the companies' explanation of their compensation decisions. Selected comparisons can be depicted in both table and graph form and data can be downloaded into Microsoft Excel. (Quoted from the Press Release)
With the Executive Compensation Reader investors can quickly glimpse the total annual pay as well as dollar amounts for salary, bonus, stock, options and company perks. They can instantly compare those executive compensation figures with other companies by sorting according to industry or size (market cap or revenue). The new tool includes direct links to companies' proxy statements, including footnotes and the companies' explanation of their compensation decisions. Selected comparisons can be depicted in both table and graph form and data can be downloaded into Microsoft Excel. (Quoted from the Press Release)
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