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2022 Summer Research Laboratory

A guide for Summer Research Laboratory participants at the University of Illinois Library. It contains information on virtual services, events, access to digital resources, and research technologies.

IAS Library-Specific Research Technologies

As many scholars will be using the IAS Library as a veritable "home base" during the course of the Summer Research Lab, it will be helpful to know what technologies are available on-site for scholars to utilize. The following list of technologies and descriptions is designed to give scholars a quick view of what technologies are available at the IAS Library, their purpose, and how many iterations of these technologies are available for use. 

  • 2 ScanPro 2000 Microfiche/Microfilm/Opaque Card and Micro- Card Reader and Scanners: The IAS Library currently has access to two ScanPro 2000 Scanners. These machines allow researchers to efficiently read, scan, and duplicate library materials found on microfiche, microfilm, opaque card, and micro-card formats  
  • 1 KIC Knowledge Imaging Center: The KIC Knowledge Imaging Center is a top-of-the-line scanner that allows for highly detailed, preservation-quality scanning of text and photograph-based materials. Editing capabilities and wireless/USB transfer of scanned materials are also able to be carried out on the KIC scanner, allowing for a highly-flexible and intuitive scanning experience for researchers. 
  • 1 Canon Flatbed Scanner: The Canon Flatbed Scanner is located next to the wired desktops in the main reading space of the IAS library. This scanner is optimized for scanning individual documents, photographs, and other non-bound materials. 
  • 4 Wired Desktops: The main reading space of the IAS Library has four wired desktops able to be utilized by patrons without access to portable technologies. These desktops are connected directly to the campus network, which allows for the complete use of all online library services and the streamlined retrieval of print requests from the IAS Library's public printers. 
  • 1 HP Printer: The IAS Library's HP Printer is the main hub for all print jobs that are requested from the wired desktops described above. Patrons can send black-and-white and color print jobs to this printer, which will be authenticated and authorized by the workers staffing the IAS Library's circulation desk. 
  • Wi-Fi: The IAS Library provides access to the campus-wide "IllinoisNet" Wi-Fi network. This network can be accessed through the patron's NetID and Password (which will be established at the beginning of the SRL) and be used as the primary Wi-Fi network on all cellphones, laptops, tablets, etc., while on campus. 

Citation Management Tools

Zotero

Zotero is a free citation management software plug in for Mozilla Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. It enables users to collect, manage, and cite research from all types of sources. It is easy to use, lives in your web browser where you do your work, and it is free! Zotero allows you to attach pdfs, notes, images and screenshots to your citations, to organize them into collections for different projects, and to create bibliographies using Word or OpenOffice.

Zotero detects when a book, article, or other resource is being viewed and, with a mouse click, finds and saves the full reference information to a local file. If the source is an online article or web page, Zotero can optionally store a local copy of the source. Users can then add notes, tags, and their own metadata through the in-browser interface. Selections of the local reference library data can later be exported as formatted bibliographies.

Because it is a Firefox add-on, it automatically updates itself periodically to work with new online sources and new bibliographic styles.

To use Zotero, you can either download Zotero browser extension, or Zotero Standalone, which runs as a separate application but plugs into your choice of browser. Downloading Zotero includes the plugins for Word and OpenOffice.

For more help, see this official Zotero Guide or the Zotero LibGuide.

ARJ File Format

ARJ is a file archiver that compresses files into a disk space saving archive. It is fast, reliable, and has a rich set of features which include Windows 9x, Millenium long filename support, file version management, data damage protection, ANSI escape sequence display handler, configurable command options, multiple volume archives (archives that span diskettes) and much more.

For example: the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation uses ARJ file format to store/publish statistical information.  Researchers can view and download ARJ file archiver here.

DjVu Plug-in

DjVu (pronounced "déjà vu") is a digital document format with advanced compression technology and high performance value. DjVu allows for the distribution of very high resolution images of scanned documents, digital documents, and photographs on the Internet and on DVD . DjVu viewers are available for the web browser, the desktop, and other mobile devices.

Researchers can view and download Djvu Browser Plug-ins here.  Note: Djvu browser plug-in for Windows / Macs. 

There are number of online resources that require DjVu browser plug-in.  For example: Russkii Biograficheskii Slovar' [A. A. Polovtsova, Elektronnaia reprintnaia versiia] and Entsiklopedicheskii slovar' Brokgauza i Efrona (v 86 tomakh).