4 - The Michigan Daily - Summer Orientation 1995
Despite the recent technological advances, some students choose to make themselves at home in the Graduate library stacks. Midterm exams
confined Engineering senior Maya Agarwal to a quiet spot away.
Ubranes mplement new technology
By James Nash
Daily Staff Reporter
The University library system plans to launch
several computer-based initiatives this fall as the li-
braries try to keep pace with the information revo-
lution on campus.
Under the moniker of the Digital Library Pro-
gram, the libraries plan to convert more resources to
a computer-text format, allowing users to quickly
scan virtual reams of text to find the information
they need. At the same time, library officials say the
system remains firmly grounded in the printed
word.
So rapid is the transformation of information re-
sources, and so tentative the nature of many Univer-
sity projects, that library representatives said they
could not disclose all of the initiatives planned for
the fall.
"We're on the leading edge. We're consid-
ered the leaders in the country, not only in the
digital library, but also in information manage-
ment and other areas of librarianship," said Janis
Giannini, spokeswoman for the University library
system.
Within the past year, the University - spurred
by a major construction project at the Undergradu-
ate Library - has added several CD-ROM data-
bases, an Internet gopher terminal, PowerPC work-
stations and a database of journals that can be
printed out at sites all over campus.
But the real progress, according to library offi-
cials, is going on behind the glossy new computer
monitors.
MIRLYN, the University's digital card cata-
log, has grown to cover nearly 11 million biblio-
graphic records - 99 percent of the library
system's collections. MIRLYN is the grandfather
of the University's on-line resources, officially
inaugurated in August 1988 with 830,000
records.
MIRLYN is now poised to expand beyond the
University campus. Through a forthcoming collabo-
ration tagged the Michigan Research Libraries Tri-
angle, the University will link its catalog to those of
Wayne State University and Michigan State Univer-
sity. In a similar vein, the University isa member of
the 13-school Committee on Institutional Coopera-
tion, with a goal of linking catalogs containing more
than 58 million volumes.
With the sheer volume of information available
at a keystroke, it's easy for the new student to get
lost - or not know where to start.
Not to worry, says Giannini: The library system
- particularly the Shapiro Undergraduate Library
- is staffed by librarians who are trained to show
students how to use computer resources.
Barbara MacAdam, head of the Shapiro Library,
envisions the librarian as a "navigator," helping us-
ers locate and process information within and be-
yond the University.
Outside of the library system, the University is
literally teeming with technology. More Macintosh
computers are on the University campus than any
other location on the globe, except for Apple head-
quarters.
PC users, too, can find IBM and Dell comput-
ers at many of the University's campus comput-
ing sites. The two biggest are NUBS and Angell
Hall.
This fall, students will automatically receive a
uniqname from the University based on a pre-sub-
mitted list of possible uniqnames. A uniqname, the
student's personal identification for campus com-
puting, is required for e-mail, use of campus com-
puters and other applications.
Most students will immediately be drawn to e-
mail, now a major form of communication at the
University used to exchange millions of messages a
year. The University is disbanding the old standby,
the Michigan Terminal System, is favor of the e-
mail program Pine, which runs from the
University's UNIX servers.
The UNIX servers - accessible via modem or
on any campus computing site - are an entrance
ramp to the Internet, providing users with access to
on-line conferencing, global newsgroups, file trans-
fer protocol, a basic World Wide Web browser and
even an on-line dictionary.
T
Surviving
the first yea
at Michigan
By Adam Mesh
Daily Staff Reporter
Congratulations! If you are reading this then yo
have decided to attend a university with many on
standing things to offer. While at school, you will
experience many unique situations. The following
list has been created to help you adjust to college
life. It is a survey of numerous students attending
the University and contains the 10 most common
things they felt you will need your first year.
1. You should be aware that if someone raises
their hand and points to a particular spot on it, they
are probably from Michigan.
While at Orientation, you will most likely me4
many people from Michigan and it's good to know
that they are showing you where they are from and
not attempting to communicate sign language.
2. A good fake ID.
3. A couple of definitions might make things
easier for you. Know that soda = pop and gym shoes
= sneakers. This will help you fit in better.
4. A 1-800 number for those who will miss
your parents.
"You might not be used to being away frog
home for such an extended period of time and this is
a very convenient way to access your family when-
ever you want," said Mark Katz, an LSA junior.
5. A working knowledge of the Greek alphabet.
When you receive a dozen party invitations each
day, this information will help you know what
houses are having the parties.
6. A student ID card as well as a uniquname
and password.
"The student ID card should be kept with you i
all times because you will be asked to show it toa lot
of people during your stay at the University of
Michigan," said Brian Stutland, an LSA junior.
A uniquname and password will be required to
use a campus computer. Both can be acquired at the
Angell Hall computing site.
7. Some type of shoes for the shower. This was
one of the most popular answers and the reasons
why you need these will become apparent.
S. Someone older to go to for advice (prefeg
ably someone with a car).
"While advisers will tell you what they are sup-
posed to, and older friend will be experienced
enough to give you the best advice in most situa-
tions, and if they can't they will know someone who
can," said Mitch Garfin, a junior in the Business
School.
9. A girlfriend or boyfriend from back home.
Relationships are rare at the beginning of school so
one of these is always good to fall back on. This wi
only be needed for your first year.
10. A winter jacket, gloves, scarf, waterproof
boots, ski mask, thermal underwear and another win-
ter jacket. It gets really cold here, but it's worth it.
- ~ AA -
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM PREPARATION
INDIVIDUALIZED & AFFORDABLE
" Learn to Anticipate the Exam's Thinking
* Improve Your Reasoning Skills & Timing
* Develop Comprehensive Exam Strategies
" Understand How to Make the Exam's
Distributed Scoring Work for You
cEL 996-1500
Test Preparation 1100 South University