Nov 09, 2024  
2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog, Volume 78 
    
2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog, Volume 78 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Library


 

Library/Audiovisual Resources
J. Spencer and Patricia Standish Library
518-782-6717

The J. Spencer and Patricia Standish Library is a teaching library providing educational services, materials, and information to support the learning goals and research needs of the students and faculty. The library has access to over 300,000 eBooks and a collection of over 300,000 volumes consisting of books, journals, microforms, compact discs, videocassettes, and a growing number of electronic information sources. Over 30,000 journals are available through electronic resources or in print. Patrons can access the online catalog, the library’s Web site, many databases and full-text articles through the campus network and the Internet. Library faculty are on duty every day during the academic terms to assist students and faculty in their course assignments and research. Other services include individual and group instruction in the effective use and evaluation of print and electronic resources, interlibrary loan, course reserves, rush cataloging, and media services. Through local and national resource sharing networks and agreements, Siena students and faculty have access to the holdings of libraries in New York State and throughout the United States.

The J. Spencer and Patricia Standish Library offers attractive and inviting spaces for individual study and collaborative learning. Print, audiovisual and electronic resources are located in close proximity. Audiovisual Services provides traditional and electronic access to audiovisual resources; digitization services and support for the Digital Scholarship Center, as well as supporting coursework and other educational programs.

During the academic year the Library is open Monday - Thursday 7:45am to 1:00am; Friday 7:45am to 6:00pm; Saturday 10:00am to 6:00pm; and Sunday 10:00am to 1:00am.  Variations in the scheduling during other periods are posted in the lobby and on the Library’s Web site (http://lib.siena.edu/home).

 

Information Technology Services

Information Technology Services provides access to computing services for all members of the Siena College community. The staff and facilities are dedicated to student and faculty needs and are available to support them in their coursework and research. Contact the Helpdesk at (518) 786-5000 for students and 782-6000 for faculty/staff.

Services available to students and faculty include: Helpdesk support, “How To…” documentation, and frequent training seminars. Equipment provided includes desktop and laptops (Windows and Macs) as the primary computer for faculty and staff; desktop computers in labs and study spaces throughout the campus for students, laser printers (B & W as well as color) and scanners. Two computer labs are available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. The 24-hour lab in the library also houses the Student Help Desk. All students have accounts that provide access to email, the Internet, WiFi, and network file, print and application services.

All academic and residential buildings are interconnected with a high-speed network. Every student residence space includes a connection point for access to the College’s network and the Internet, and wireless access is available throughout the college.

All classrooms including seminar spaces have computer and multimedia projection technology. Additionally, there are a number of teaching spaces throughout campus with computers for students, both PCs and Macs, to meet both general and specialized coursework needs.

Faculty and students use the Blackboard Learning Management System with support provided by instructional technology from ITS. The college uses Google Apps for Education as its e-mail and collaboration tool. Students will retain their Siena Google account on becoming alumni. Standard supported software includes the Microsoft Office suite including: Word (word processing), Excel (spreadsheet), Access (database), and PowerPoint (presentations). The Oracle database system is also available. Statistical tools include industry-leading SPSS; Mathematica is used extensively in Mathematics and other courses. Additionally, Java, PHP, Python, Perl, and C++ are used in a variety of courses. Many specialized software packages are also used in the lab and classroom facilities for languages, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and business.

Computer Ethics

This is a summary of the College’s Computing Use Policy. The complete document is published in Siena Life, the student handbook, and is available on the Information Technology Services website (www.siena.edu/its). The computing facilities are a resource of the College with access given for academic and research use. Accounts are to be used solely by the person to whom the account was given.

In order to continue to provide computer services to students and faculty at Siena, it is expected that all persons who are given access to the computing facilities will conduct themselves responsibly and professionally.

Student abuses of the privilege of access to the computing facilities will be adjudicated via the College’s judicial system, following stated College policy on dishonesty and theft. Abuses of privilege include (but are not limited to):

  • Use of another person’s account (with or without the owner’s permission).
  • Reading, printing, altering, or deleting information from another account without permission of the owner.
  • Damaging, modifying, replacing, or copying any licensed software.
  • Damaging, modifying, or replacing any computer equipment.
  • Use of any hardware or software in the pursuit of personal monetary profit.
  • Harassment of any individual via use of any part of the Siena computer network.

The staff of Information Technology Services may access users’ private files during the investigation of possible abuses, or by direction of the President or Vice President of the college.