It’s the time of year when protecting yourself is of the utmost concern. It’s cold out, so you have to protect yourself from the weather. You’re spending lots of time in close proximity of others, so you should probably get a flu shot (it’s not too late to get one if you haven’t yet). Most of the local pharmacies can get you covered with little to no money down, depending on your health care coverage. Either way, make sure to wash your hands well, and often, with antibacterial soap.

Just as important as protecting yourself from disease and the elements, you need to make sure you’re protecting your computer and personal devices from viruses and corruption. The Help@Ames desk, located on the library’s entry level, can give you a FREE copy of McAfee AntiVirus for your personal laptop or computer. McAfee is rated as one of the better antivirus softwares, according to PC Magazine. In addition to installing McAfee for free, Help@Ames can also facilitate a virus scan, should you suspect any malware or bad files on your computer.

In addition to protecting your devices with antivirus software, make sure you’re also using the strongest possible passwords for your various accounts. If you use the same password for banking, email, interlibrary loan, and social media you’re probably setting yourself up for failure. Access to your IWU Gmail, myIWU, Moodle, and wifi are all regulated by the same system. Consider taking a minute and updating your password to something unique from other passwords, taking care to make it as strong as possible. To update your password, go to passchange.iwu.edu and use the following rules to make it as strong as possible. You should probably do this for all of your accounts every once in a while.

As a caveat, if you suspect your computer or phone has been comprimised by a virus, don’t use that computer to update your passwords! Use another secure terminal to do so, while Help@Ames gets you set up with virus scans and new antivirus software. And remember – Information Technology will NEVER ask you for your password or personal information in an email, so DON’T respond to these kinds of requests.

Password Rules

It’s important to make sure that your password is strong. If someone else can guess it, or if you ever share it with anyone, that person can log in as you and wreak havoc in your name. Here are some tips for choosing a good password that nobody will be likely to guess:

• Use at least eight characters. A shorter password can be guessed in almost no time at all. All passwords at Illinois Wesleyan must be at least seven characters, but longer is better.
• Use different types of characters. A password that consists only of lowercase letters is easiest to enter, but it’s also one of the first things a password cracker might try. All passwords at Illinois Wesleyan must include at least one digit. Your password should also contain a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters. Symbols are a great idea, too.

 

Ahh, Mondays. And today, the first in a whole semester of Mondays. Campus covered in a soft blanket of snow, at least the temperatures are above 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s an exciting week in the library, as we really push things into gear for the semester. If you haven’t already, check out our IDEA WALL, located across from the Help@Ames Desk. Grab a star and share one of your New Year’s Resolutions with the campus. We want to fill the wall and see what everyone is doing – maybe you’ll get some ideas.

While you’re at the desk, check out our newest team member – WiFi, the Help@Ames Beta Fish. Feedings occur everyday around noon, so come and catch the show!

Instruction Lab, Room 129

• Tuesday, 10am – Spanish 101
• Tuesday, 1pm – Spanish 101
• Wednesday, 8, 9, 10am, 1pm – Spanish 201
• Wednesday, 2pm – Sociology 492
• Wednesday, 3:30pm – OU Training
• Thursday, 10:50am – Psychology 351
• Thursday, 1:10pm – English 344
• Friday, 8am – Hispanic Studies 280

Meeting Room 214

• Tuesday, 4:30pm – Star Literacy
• Wednesday, 1pm – Workflow Meeting
• Wednesday, 2pm – CUPP
• Thursday, 1pm – CUPP
• Thursday, 4:30pm – Star Literacy

Beckman Auditorium

• Monday, 1pm – English, Literature of the Iraq War
• Tuesday, 8am – Nursing Pre-Clinical Lectures
• Tuesday, 7pm – International Politics of East Asia
• Wednesday, 4pm – Admissions
• Thursday, 8am – Nursing Pre-Clinical Lectures
• Thursday, 7pm – International Film Series

It’s a bit cold outside (as if you needed a reminder). Check out some of these HOT titles from our Popular Reading Collection on the Entry Level.

Burned – Covert CIA ops officer Vanessa Pierson has dedicated her career to capturing one man: Bhoot, the world’s most notorious nuclear arms dealer. That mission has been impeded by the murders of her assets, who were betrayed by a mole within her own agency…Check out the book to read more.

 

 

 

Raging Heat – In New York Times Bestselling author Richard Castle’s newest novel, an illegal immigrant falls from the sky and NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat’s investigation into his death quickly captures the imagination of her boyfriend the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Jameson Rook. When he decides to work the case with Heat as his next big story, Nikki is at first happy to have him ride along…Check out the book to read more.

 

 

 

Burn – At last, Detective Michael Bennett and his family are coming home to New York City. Thanks to Bennett, the ruthless crime lord whose vengeful mission forced the Bennett family into hiding has been brought down for good…Check out the book to read more.

 

 

 

 

All summaries from Amazon.com.

Have you seen our IDEA WALL yet? Located just across from the Help@Ames desk, we’re featuring a rotating, interactive exhibit throughout the spring semester. Based on the Oak Park Public Library’s Idea Box, this space provides a new and dynamic space where the IWU community can come together to share ideas, tinker, experiment, and play. Each month we’ll have a different theme, starting with January – What’s Your New Year’s Resolution?

Every year, millions of Americans make resolutions for the new year, a tradition which can be traced back to ancient times.

“The ancient Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts.

The Romans began each year by making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named.

In the Medieval era, the knights took the “peacock vow” at the end of the Christmas season each year to re-affirm their commitment to chivalry.

At watchnight services, many Christians prepare for the year ahead by praying and making these resolutions.

There are other religious parallels to this tradition. During Judaism’s New Year, Rosh Hashanah, through the High Holidays and culminating in Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), one is to reflect upon one’s wrongdoings over the year and both seek and offer forgiveness. People may act similarly during the Catholic fasting period of Lent, though the motive behind this holiday is more of sacrifice than of responsibility, in fact the practice of New Year’s resolutions partially came from the Lenten sacrifices. The concept, regardless of creed, is to reflect upon self-improvement annually.”

For the month of January, share your new year’s resolutions with the rest of the IWU community.

Welcome to 2015 and the spring semester! Are you prepared?

Did you get a new mobile device or laptop for Christmas? Make sure you stop by Help@Ames if you need help configuring your access to IWU wifi. Help@Ames can also help you download Office 365 (a product available to you for free as an IWU faculty, staff, or student).

Are all of the appropriate courses showing up in Moodle? Are you having any trouble adding/dropping courses? Any problems logging into your IWU Gmail? If you’re having any problems with any of these services, your passwords might be out of sync. Go to passchange.iwu.edu and create a new password. Make sure you choose one that’s as strong as possible. Try logging into those services again and see if the new password is working. If you’re still having trouble, stop by Help@Ames or call us at 3900.

If you’re having any other problems with technology, whether it be logging into any services, using a campus computer, downloading software, stop by Help@Ames, call us at 3900, OR…use our online help request form! It’s new and shiny, so don’t be surprised if things look different.

Speaking of 2015 and technology, did you realize that Marty McFly traveled to 2015 in Back to the Future: Part II? Check out this article on what film makers got right and wrong about their predictions for 2015.

Welcome back to IWU everyone! Everyone in Ames Library is rested up and ready for 2015 – are you? Things aren’t too busy this week, as we get ready to jump into push it into high gear. We resume normal hours on Wednesday, January 7th, but we’ll be open from 8-4:30 on Monday and Tuesday.

While you’re getting settled back into a routine, stop by the Help@Ames desk to share your New Year’s Resolution. The tradition of making resolutions for the new year supposedly goes back 4,000 years to the Babylonians. Every year, millions of Americans make resolutions – to exercise more, to read more, to eat better…you name it someone’s tried it. Recent studies suggest success rates are varied, but there are steps you can take to be more successful. One of those steps includes sharing your resolutions with others, so we want you to stop by Help@Ames and share your resolutions with the IWU community. Grab a star and tell us how you’ll be making 2015 different.

Beckman Auditorium, Thursday – Madame Bovary (1991, France) will be presented by Associate Professor of French and Italian Languages and Literatures and Co-Director of International Studies Scott Sheridan.

Instruction Lab

• Tuesday, 10am – Spring Orientation
• Thursday, 9am – School of Nursing, RN exam

Meeting Room, 214

• Wednesday, 2pm – CUPP
• Thursday, 1pm – CUPP
• Thursday, 4:30pm – Star Literacy

Beckman Auditorium

• Tuesday, 8am – Spring Orientation
• Thursday, 7pm – International Film Series