This class looks at the topic of library skills for literary study very broadly. To be sure, we will spend a lot of time learning how to find information like books and articles in the OSU Libraries’ collections. But we will also spend time thinking about how information is organized in these, and other, collections -- knowledge we can use to unlock any collection of information, in a library, on the web, or in an archive. This class will also look at the topic of information management -- being able to build your own library of useful sources will help you be a successful college researcher, and successfully solve problems and answer questions after college, in whatever field you pursue.
Procrastination Fighting Tools
There are a variety of software-based options to help you remove some of the distractions that help enable procrastination. These take two main forms: providing a writing environment that is itself free of distractions, or blocking your access to the sites you think are distracting you.
FocalFilter: Set a block list in FocalFilter & it blocks websites across several browsers until the timer runs out. (Windows).
SelfControl: SelfControl is an OS X application which blocks access to incoming and/or outgoing mail servers and websites for a predetermined period of time. (Tip: Read this review to decide if this approach is for you:http://macgenius.co/apps/productivity/selfcontrol-review/)
Freedom: Freedom is a simple productivity application that locks you away from the internet on Mac or Windows computers for up to eight hours at a time. (Not free. $10. Trial version available) (Mac or Windows)
Temptation-removers that run on your browser
LeechBlock: Is a free Firefox add-on that blocks chosen Web sites at certain times on certain days and for different time periods.
StayFocusd: A Chrome extension that limits the amount of time you can spend on distracted websites.
Chrome Nanny: Free Google Chrome extension to block certain sites at certain times.
Primary sources - documents and images
Remember the ArchivesGrid database and the WorldCat database (in the OSU Libraries databases list)
