Queen's University - Utility Bar

Queen's University Library

Queen's University Library

Library News - MADGIC

The last word: Access to information, knowledge & ideas

Posted: November 20th, 2015
Last work: access to information, knowledge & ideas

Last word: access to information, knowledge & ideas

Sharon Murphy, Head, Academic Services, Queen’s Library


Featured in the latest edition of the Queen’s Alumni Review – read the article here.

New local momentum for data analytics

Posted: June 11th, 2015
New local momentum for data analytics

New local momentum for data analytics

Scott Lougheed, a graduate student in the School of Environmental Studies, presents his perspectives on effective data management to a full crowd in Douglas Library at Data Day.

To read the full article, turn to page 11 of the June 10th edition of the Queen’s Gazette.

Inquiry@Queen’s Undergraduate Research Conference

Posted: March 4th, 2015

We invite the Queen’s community to come and support student research at the 9th annual Inquiry@Queen’s Undergraduate Research Conference.

For program information, please go to I@Q website: www.queensu.ca/iatq/conference/program.html

Freedom to Read Lunchtime Events

Posted: February 10th, 2015
The Queen’s Learning Commons would like everyone to uoin us on Tuesday, February 24, Wednesday, February 25, and Thursday, February 26 @ 12:30-1:30 pm in Speaker’s Corner.
Guests will read passages from challenged or banned books as part of the Freedom to Read Week.
For more information about Freedom to Read, go to: http://www.freedomtoread.ca/

The Queen’s Learning Commons would like everyone to join us on Tuesday, February 24, Wednesday, February 25, and Thursday, February 26 @ 12:30-1:30 pm in Speaker’s Corner.

Guests will read passages from challenged or banned books as part of the Freedom to Read Week.

For more information about Freedom to Read, go to: http://www.freedomtoread.ca/

Can’t join us? View the presentation (pptx)

Ebooks and Adobe Digital Editions privacy concerns

Posted: October 14th, 2014
The Library has been made aware of some privacy and security concerns around the newly released Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) 4 Reader.  ADE Reader is a commonly used desktop application for accessing e-books that contain Adobe’s Digital Rights Management (DRM) software.  Adobe DRM is used by many booksellers and online library lending services.
Adobe has confirmed that information about titles protected with Adobe DRM software is being passed to Adobe by the ADE 4 Reader, and in an unencrypted format.   This issue affects ePUB format titles opened in ADE 4 only.  It does not affect DRM-protected titles on Scholars Portal Books, which are available exclusively in PDF.   Initial investigation at Queen’s indicates that we have few if any databases that use Adobe ePUB format, so impact at Queen’s will be limited.
However,users with concerns about the operation of the new ADE 4 Reader may wish to use older versions of the software, which do not communicate reading activity to Adobe.  The ADE 3 Reader does not communicate with Adobe except to validate the license to unlock the DRM protected book.
ADE 3 Reader is available for download at this address: http://www.adobe.com/support/digitaleditions/downloads.html
Users may also choose to use tablet-based reader apps for iOS and Android such as Overdrive or the Bluefire Reader.   These apps can unlock e-books protected with the Adobe DRM but do not communicate reading statistics to Adobe.
OCUL is working on our behalf to pass this concern on to Adobe and to update OCUL members,  More details at:  http://www.ocul.on.ca/node/3325

The Library has been made aware of some privacy and security concerns around the newly released Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) 4 Reader.  ADE Reader is a commonly used desktop application for accessing e-books that contain Adobe’s Digital Rights Management (DRM) software.  Adobe DRM is used by many booksellers and online library lending services.

Adobe has confirmed that information about titles protected with Adobe DRM software is being passed to Adobe by the ADE 4 Reader, and in an unencrypted format.   This issue affects ePUB format titles opened in ADE 4 only.  It does not affect DRM-protected titles on Scholars Portal Books, which are available exclusively in PDF.   Initial investigation at Queen’s indicates that we have few if any databases that use Adobe ePUB format, so impact at Queen’s will be limited.

However, users with concerns about the operation of the new ADE 4 Reader may wish to use older versions of the software, which do not communicate reading activity to Adobe.  The ADE 3 Reader does not communicate with Adobe except to validate the license to unlock the DRM protected book.  ADE 3 Reader is available for download at this address: http://www.adobe.com/support/digitaleditions/downloads.html

Users may also choose to use tablet-based reader apps for iOS and Android such as Overdrive or the Bluefire Reader.   These apps can unlock e-books protected with the Adobe DRM but do not communicate reading statistics to Adobe.

OCUL is working on our behalf to pass this concern on to Adobe and to update OCUL members.  More details at:  More details at: http://www.ocul.on.ca/node/3325

Drone Awareness and Perceptions: A Three Country Study

Posted: October 8th, 2014

From Angus Reid Global, this 2014 study aims to understand awareness and perceptions surrounding the use of drones to identify and collect information in Canada, United States, and United Kingdom. The questions asked individuals whether they had a basic awareness of various Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) applications, as well as assessed support for how they are being used and in what scenarios.

The survey was based on a set of questions developed by the Surveillance Drones Research Team, Surveillance Studies Centre, Queen’s University.

Privacy and Surveillance: February-March 2014 Globalization of Personal Data Follow-up

Posted: August 19th, 2014

Sponsored by Angus Reid Global, this 2014 survey is a follow-up to the 2006 Globalization of Personal Data International Survey on Privacy and Surveillance that queried citizens in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. The study was conducted for the Surveillance Studies Centre at Queen’s University. The 2014 survey provides researchers with the ability to study attitudes related to surveillance and privacy over time.

The 2014 Follow-up survey is a companion survey to the Privacy and Surveillance: June 2012 Globalization of Personal Data Follow-up.

The 2014 dataset is available in QSpace, Dataverse, and <odesi>.

2011 National Household Survey, Individuals File, Released

Posted: August 11th, 2014

The 2011 National Household Survey (NHS), Individuals Public Use Microdata File (PUMF), has been release by Statistics Canada.

The file provides access to non-aggregated and anonymous data for a 2.7% sample of the Canadian population. It contains a comprehensive, social, demographic and economic database about Canada and its people that includes a wealth of information on population characteristics. The geographic identifiers in the file have been limited to provinces and territories as well as metropolitan areas to ensure the anonymity of respondents.

Access to the 2011 NHS Individual PUMF is available from <odesi>.

QRDC Researchers Win Publication Prize

Posted: June 23rd, 2014

Two Queen’s researchers, Mike Kottelenberg and Steve Lehrer, are this year’s recipients of the John Vanderkamp Prize for the best article in Canadian Public Policy, for their research titled: “New Evidence on the Impacts of Access to and Attending Universal Child-Care in Canada” (DOI 10.3138/CPP.39.2.26, 3 Issue, Volume 39, Number 2/June 2013).

This research was conducted in the Queen’s Research Data Centre (QRDC) using Statistics Canada master files.

Data Day: Managing Queen’s University Research Data

Posted: May 15th, 2014

Got Data?

Queen’s University’s first Data Day is an opportunity to meet researchers and data service providers in a shared forum. You will hear from researchers working with diverse data sets, learn more about the recent consultation document, Toward a Policy Framework for Advancing Digital Scholarship in Canada, and how services at Queen’s and beyond can help you preserve and increase the reach of your data.

Monday, May 26, 9-11:30 am

Speaker’s Corner, Stauffer Library

Registration and Program

Managing data

Graphic created by Jørgen Stamp and published under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Denmark License (www.digitalbevaring.dk).

« Previous Entries