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.

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.

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.

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

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 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

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.

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

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 and Elizabeth Salmon, Social Science Librarian

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.

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 and Susannah Zhang, Academic Computing Consultant for the Natural Sciences

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

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