DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT TIPS & 2018TRICKS
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SIMSA Welcome to SIM!
New program? New University? New city?
It doesn’t have to be overwhelming! The School of Information Management Student Association (SIMSA) has created this guide to help you navigate your first few weeks and months at Dalhousie. Use these tips and tricks whether you are new to Dalhousie, Halifax, Nova Scotia, or to Canada.
Ask your fellow classmates, talk to your professors, and don’t be afraid to ask for help! Know that JoAnn Watson, MLIS Program Coordinator, is always there for you as well (p.12). We've been where you are and are happy to help,
SIMSA (Ali, Courtney, Emma, Brian, Amy, Colleen, Jen, and Cassandra) CONTENTS: 2 navigating Dalhousie 3 DalCard 4 ID and logins 5 email & Brightspace 6 websites 7 technology hints – wifi, computers, printing 8 technology – Office 365, Dalsafe 9 libraries 10 study spots 11 other Dal resources – Health Centre & Writing Centre 12 other info - JoAnn, accessibility, important dates 13 Academic Support Series 14 Personal & Professional Development 15 International students 16 welcome to Halifax 17 Halifax - bus, food, gyms 18 Halifax weather 19 fun and free things to do 20 advice from other students
Click me when you find Super important - me! I'm a link! Bookmark me! 1 DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY Learn about navigating around Campus
Start by visiting the Dalhousie website and check out the Current Students link for tons of Dal www.dal.ca Info. You'll find links to your email (myDal), your course pages (Brightspace), the library website, etc. www.dal.ca/current_students.html
INFORMATION FOR NEW STUDENTS
Geared for new undergraduate students, this Dalhousie www.dal.ca/campus_life/orientation. resource has lots of great information to learn about html coming to Dal CAMPUS BUILDINGS OF IMPORTANCE www.dal.ca/campus-maps/building-directory.html
Rowe Building Classroom Locations School of Information Management Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Most classrooms for SIM Mona Campbell Building Computer Lab (4th Floor) Dunn Building Collaborative Health Education Building (CHEB)
Libraries Student Union Building Other Buildings Killam Library Bookstore Dalplex Grad Pad (4th Floor) Tim Horton’s International Student Centre Writing Centre Pete’s to Go Student Health and Wellness Centre Sexton Library Loaded Ladle Law Library The Grawood Commons
CAMPUS MAP
2 DALCARD This card does (almost) everything!
Your DalCard is much more than a Student ID!
Read: "10 Great Things About your DalCard"
HOW TO GET YOUR DALCARD DalCard Office - Howe Hall, 6230 Coburg Road www.dal.ca/campus_life/Dalcard/get- You will need to show a piece of valid government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, your-dalcard.html passport, or national identity card) and sign the DalCard Agreement when picking up your card.
Save time by submitting your photo online in advance (students starting in September only) AFTER YOU GET YOUR DALCARD:
Request swipe card access to the Note: Request to have your BASIS account SIM Common Room (Rowe 4034): activated: Ask the DalCard office to do this for Email Kim ([email protected]). She will you. grant and confirm access
HOW TO USE YOUR DALCARD
Your DalCard is your:
bus pas (with UPass sticker) www.dal.ca/campus_life/Dalcard.html gym pass
library card
access pass to the Common room
printing card
debit card for select places/services
Add funds and manage your account on the website. Note! It's $15 to replace a lost card. 3 IDENTIFICATION AND LOGINS Your Online IDs, logins, passwords
BANNER NUMBER What is a banner number? Your banner number is your student ID number. You can find it on your acceptance letter. It's a good idea to learn ir, or have your DalCard nearby to check it. The number starts with B00 and is sometimes call the "boo" number. NET ID Your Net ID is a unique username that you will use to login to Dalhousie’s online services.You will use your NetID to login to my.dal.ca everything online at Dalhousie: myDal Dal Online Brighspace wifi Computers
To activate your Net ID: Read: Go to my.dal.ca. Click ‘New User?’ and follow the instructions. "What's the Difference Click ‘Activate my NetID’ and follow the instructions. between myDal, Dal Register a password and reset email Online, and Brightspace?"
DAL ONLINE
Your NetID and password will also be used to login to Dal Online— a web portal where you dalonline.dal.ca register for your classes, check your grades, check your payments, get tax info and much more. Log in and get familiar with the system.
4 EMAIL AND BRIGHTSPACE
MY DAL (DAL EMAIL) myDal is the website you will use to access your Dal email account. You can also access useful things, such as OneDrive, my.dal.ca Brightspace, and MyCareer.
It is very important to check this email account as this is only account that you will receive information from the University. You must use your Dal email when emailing anyone at/for Dal. SIGNING UP FOR EMAIL
Step 1: Know your Dal ID number Step 2: Activate your NetID Now that you have your NetID and password, you can access your Dalhousie email account by logging into MyDal.
Create a personalized dal.ca email address (with your name instead of your NetID).
It's highly recommended to forward your email to your Dal email.
How to forward your email from a personal account to your Dal email: 1. Login to your email provider (such as Gmail or Outlook) 2. Click “Settings” (Gmail) or “Options” (Outlook) 3. Click “Forwarding and POP/IMAP” (Gmail) or “Forwarding” (Outlook) 4. Type in your Dalhousie email https://aliasmanagement.dal.ca/ BRIGHTSPACE Brightspace is where you find all of your course information, and it's important to become familiar with it. Anything to do with your specific courses is in this online tool. dal.brightspace.com
You'll find a module for each course, and most professors use to to upload the syllabus, assignments, projects, and quizzes.
Professors expect you to use Brightspace to upload your completed assignments, and they expect you to check it often.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW TO USE BRIGHTSPACE 5 WEBSITES Where to turn online
Bookmark these websites! SIM WEBSITE
The SIM website is your first stop for SIM www.dal.ca/sim Information. Find info about your program, contact information, class schedules, syllabi, info about practicums, and more.
EVENTS CALENDAR Be sure to check this calendar often! www.dal.ca/faculty/management/sch All SIM-related events will be listed here, and ool-of-information- it's important to know what's upcoming. You'll find Academic Support Series, Personal & management/news- Professional Development Series, lectures, events/events.html meetings, conferences, and more!
SIMSA WEBSITE Visit the SIMSA (School of Information Management Student Association) website to simsa.dsu.dal.ca/ learn how to get involved in the student life of SIM. On the website you will find details about the current members, recruitment opportunities, orientation details, a calendar of upcoming events, minutes from past meetings, links to follow us on our social media platforms and more! It is helpful to bookmark this page to stay up- to-date throughout the school year.
6 TECHNOLOGY HINTS Getting online WIFI You can use your personal computer on campus with HOW TO CONNECT TO WIFI access to WiFi in any building on campus. To use any computer, you will need to sign in with your NetID & wireless.dal.ca/ password. To gain secure wireless network access for any of your devices, locate the Dal-WPA2 network, enter your NetID & password, and click “Remember this network” if you would like to be automatically connected to the network when you are on campus in the future. libraries.dal.ca/hours- COMPUTERS locations/workspaces/learning- Where to find computers to use: commons.html The most convenient computer labs for SIM students are located in the Kenneth C Rowe Management building (4001) or in the Killam Memorial Library.
Learning Commons: The Dunn, Killam, MacRae and Sexton libraries each have a Learning Commons.
The Kellogg Library Learning Commons (KLLC) is located in the Collaborative Health Education Building (CHEB).
There is one additional Learning Commons adjacent to the Life Sciences Centre, the Wallace McCain Learning Commons (WMLC). PRINTERS Printers are located in Learning Commons! And in the computer lab in ROWE 4001. libraries.dal.ca/services/photocopy ing-printing.html Check the link for more info - cost, where, how!
Make sure you have money on your DalCard before you print!
PRINTING FROM YOUR LAPTOP: WEBPRINT If you are a current Dalhousie student, staff or faculty member, you can use your laptop to print to a printer pay4print.its.dal.ca/user at a Dalhousie Library. This is called WebPrint. Note: This only works on the Dal Campus. 6
7 TECHNOLOGY HINTS
OFFICE 365 You have access to the Microsoft Office suite of software. Access it through myDal. You can also www.dal.ca/dept/its/o365.html download the software on up to 5 computers or access the online versions. It includes: Outlook! Word! PowerPoint! Publisher! Excel! and OneDrive! ONEDRIVE
OneDrive is cloud storage from Microsoft. Store your files, photos, and projects here. It's super handy to save your schoolwork on OneDrive. Set up autosave on Microsoft Word to never worry about losing your work again. DALSAFE APP
A free app with great features that can be especially helpful in the winter months when Dal sometimes closes due to weather. You can also use this app to contact Dal Security, report Lost and Found items, and even open your phone’s flashlight. Also great are the “Working Alone” feature (use it if you’re on campus working late) and the “Mobile Blue Light Safe Walk” features (let a friend or Dal Security know you’re walking home alone so they can watch your progress to make sure you get home safe)! DALALERT TEXT SERVICE
A text-messaging service for quick and important Dal news like closures and cancellations. DalAlert FAQ Subscribe here 8 LIBRARIES How to use the library
Visit the library for books, research assistance, to grab a sub or coffee, book a study room, visit the Writing Center, study in the Grad Pad, or to meet friends.
There are 5 libraries and 2 learning commons at Dal!
Check locations here: hours.library.dal.ca/
This is "The Killam" aka Killam Memorial Library BORROW LIBRARY BOOKS You can register online or in person. Registration requires your Dal student ID, Dal libraries.dal.ca/ email, phone number
Having an active library card means you can borrow from any library in Novanet
LIBRARY WEBSITE HOW TO SEARCH NOVANET Become familiar with the library website - CATALOGUE it's a valuable tool you need to know how to use! libraries.dal.ca/find/Novanet.h tml RESEARCH Novanet Search: Books & eBooks TUTORIAL VIDEOS Articles & Journals Databases libraries.dal.ca/help/onli Subject Guides ne-tutorials.html Research assistance LiveHelp (chat with a real librarian online) WHAT IS NOVANET? It's a group of Nova Scotian university and community college libraries. Through Novanet, users can tap into the library resources of the other post-secondary institutions in the province 9 STUDY SPOTS
LIBRARIES / COMMONS / STUDY SPACES
In addition to study desks and quiet spaces, each library at Dal has a Learning Commons. Check out the locations, types, and technology available (to print those assignments) on the Learning Commons site.
In addition to the libraries, there are study spots in different buildings around campus open to all students:
International Centre, 1246 LeMarchant Street, Suite 1200 Student Union Building Atrium, 6136 University Avenue, First Floor LeMarchant Place Atrium, 1246 LeMarchant Street, First Floor
You can also book a study room for study or group work click here
SIM COMMON ROOM
The SIM Common Room (Rowe 4034) is your home away from home!
It's a study spot, a group meeting place, a soft spot to lounge. There is a little kitchenette with fridge, sink, microwave, and kettle. There's also a mini library!
You'll find your fellow students hanging out in here all day long!
Access the Common Room with your DalCard. See Kim Humes if you have any problems! GRAD PAD
The Graduate Student Space, located on the 4th floor of the Killam Memorial Library, is for dal.ca/faculty/gradstudies/currents the use of all Dalhousie University graduate tudents/space.html students. It is accessible by the use of a valid Dalhousie graduate student ID card.
The area has both social and quiet study space, as well as a bookable Seminar Room (12 person capacity) and two bookable Group Study rooms (6 person capacity). The Graduate Student Space is open during regular Killam Library building hours, in general closing at 11:45pm.
10 OTHER DAL RESOURCES
HEALTH Need health or medical help? Visit the Student Health and Wellness Center
2nd floor, LeMarchant Place www.dal.ca/campus_life/health-and- 1246 LeMarchant Street wellness/services-support/student- health-and-wellness.html registered nurses an advanced practice nurse TIP! doctors Health Centre: to see a counsellor you have social workers to do a “walk in” appointment where they will assess you and decide whether or not to put a psychiatrist you on the wait list for regular counselling. counsellors It’s best to go in September if you think it’s registered psychologists something you’ll need because it’s less busy health promotion expertise before the stress hits
WRITING CENTER Writing Centre Killam Library www.dal.ca/campus_life/academic- Ground Floor Learning Commons, rm. support/writing-and-study- G40C skills.html 6225 University Avenue Phone: 902-494-1963 [email protected]
Offers one-on-one service to assist with your writing. There are lots of papers to write in your MLIS degree, and its important to be able to write clearly and effectively.
“Whether it's assistance with class assignments, CVs, journal articles, theses, or dissertations, we offer a number of services specifically for graduate students."
Online Help - Writing Centre Resource Guide
11 OTHER DAL RESOURCES
Assorted Info that doesn't fit anywhere else! JOANN WATSON GET INVOLVED WITH SIM
MLIS Program Coordinator There are lots of ways to get involved with First port of call for complicated questions, your school! university navigation, questions and/or concerns about your experience at Dalhousie University, There are several student groups, including: student welfare and academic welfare issues. JoAnn’s office is a safe space to raise confidential, or private issues. SIMSA (School of Information Management Student Association) JoAnn is also runs INFO 0590 Practicum. Information without Borders Conference (the annual student-led ACCESSIBILITY IM conference)
Dal has an Advising and Access Services SIMConnect (a mentorship program Centre where the advising team works with that matches students with mentors students who require accessibility and from the community) accommodation services. Contact the advisors as soon as possible to ensure your needs are addressed and met. DJIM (Dalhousie Journal of Interdisciplinary Management - a IMPORTANT DATES AT DAL peer-reviewd journal by Dalhousie graduate students in all areas of for 2018-2019 management.)
ACA/CAPAL/SLA (Association of Canadian Archivists/Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians/Special Libraries Association)
READ: There are also committees you can join as a part of SIM Governance; Learn more about Dal -- such as MLIS Curriculum Committee, “23 things every Dal student should know" or the Student Council .
12 ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERIES
The Academic Support Series is a set of workshops designed to supplement MLIS students' academic study in practical ways and provide a space outside the classroom for students to collect research advice and real-world tips about libraries. It introduces the many resources and services Lindsay McNiff will be your available to MLIS students through the Dal Libraries. You will learn lots of valuable skills. instuctor for this series.
FALL SCHEDULE
APA Citation (*Required) www.dal.ca/faculty/management/schoo Sept 10th, 2018 2:30-4:00pm l-of-information- Rowe 1007 management/faculty-staff/sim- subject-librarian.html Tools & Strategies for Group Work
Sept 26th, 2018 12:00-1:30pm Killam 2902
Academic Writing Oct 17th, 2018 12:00-1:30pm Rowe 4001
Effective Class & Conference Presentations Nov 7th, 2018 12:00-1:30pm Rowe 3089
Easy Excel (with Julie Marcoux) Nov 22nd, 2018 12:00-2:00pm Rowe 3080
13 PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PPD)
Management Career Services
The PPD sessions help you gain an edge in your career.
Please register via myCareer (log into MyDal, look for myCareer in the Quick Links section).
Sessions are facilitated by Management Career Services Team Members including Robert Wooden, Acting Director
FALL SCHEDULE
Resumes for IM Professionals Sept 27th, 2018 12:00-1:30 www.dal.ca/faculty/management/schoo Rowe 3089 l-of-information-management/news- events/PPD.html Cover Letter Success October 3rd, 2018 12:00pm-1:30pm Rowe 2068
Making Career Connections October 24th, 2018 from 12:00pm-1:30pm Room 2068 CAREER DISCOVERY TOUR ‑ TORONTO Leveraging the Power of LinkedIn November 1st, 2018 12:00pm-1:30pm www.dal.ca/faculty/management/manage Rowe 2068 ment-career-
services/Prospective_Students/Career Career Discovery Tour Prep Session _Development/Corporate_Tours/MLIS_Ca November 20th, 2018 12:00-2:00pm reer_Discovery.html Rowe 2068
Career Discovery Tour Tuesday, December 11th - Wednesday, December 12th, 2018 Toronto, ON
14 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
1246 LeMarchant St, Suite 1200, P.O. Box 15000 Halifax, Nova Scotia www.dal.ca/campus_life/internationa International Centre - Located in LeMarchant Place, l-centre.html we welcome you to use the centre during office hours to study, use the kitchen, play our piano or have a game of ping pong! To speak to an advisor, drop in or call 902.494.1566 to book an appointment.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CONTACT PERSON TO HELP
ORIENTATION Talk to Laura Little (MLIS Returning student) for help, information, or to chat! Her Student Orientation August 27-31 role is to support you during the academic year. STUDENT INFORMATION
Click here for the Dalhousie International Student website INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CHECKLIST www.dal.ca/campus_life/international -centre/inbound_exchange/new- student-checklist.html
ESL HELP
Do you need help to improve your English writing, speaking, and listening skills? www.dal.ca/campus_life/internationa
l-centre/current-students/english- Take an ESL workshop Get writing support as-a-second-language.html Practice speaking English Get involved in Campus life
15 WELCOME TO HALIFAX!
Halifax is a small city with a big heart! LINKS: It is young (with 3 Universities), fun (with hundreds of bars and restaurants), and Wikipedia friendly (small-city charm)!
Discover Halifax Halifax is also known as HRM (Halifax Regional Municipality), and it is is the Halifax.ca - city capital of the Canadian province of Nova government site Scotia. The Population is about 315,000.
NovaScotia.com Lots of great info!
Read about 'DalSpeak' and learn Dalhousie: "Life in Halifax" some words you might hear at Dal
16 HALIFAX
BUS Public transit in Halifax is by bus - the system is halifax.ca/transit call Halifax Transit.
BUS APPS Your DalCard works as a bus pass if you are a full-time Dal student. Make sure you have the UPass bus sticker on your DalCard.
Google Maps Transit Transit 360 Apps are the best way to see the bus schedule
There are paper maps too! or call the departures line at 902-480-8000.
GROCERY STORES & FOOD Find a restaurant Sobeys: Every Tuesday there is a 10% discount The Coast Food + Drink Reviews for students (bring your DalCard and you'll need an AirMiles card too) Yelp restaurant reviews
Superstore: Also has 10% off on Tuesdays, bring Discover Halifax Restaurant info DalCard Pete's Fine Foods: fancier grocery store downtown, great produce, lunch, and smoothies. There's a Petes-to-Go in the SUB
Farmer's Markets: Click here for info on 7 markets
GYMS A membership to the Dalhousie gym - DalPlex - is included in your tuition. Dalplex Info
Other gyms in the city are Fit4Less, GoodLife Fitness, Fitness FX, and the Canada Games Center
17 HALIFAX
WEATHER Halifax’s climate is less severe than might be expected. This is a result of its location on the shores of the Halifax Climate Atlantic Ocean. Winter temperatures are higher and summer temperatures are lower than those encountered in towns farther inland.
Halifax has an eastern-maritime climate, with a short, warm summer and a cold winter. Disturbed, changeable weather is common throughout the year. Snow depths of greater than 1 cm are seen on about 85 days each year in Halifax.
click here to see average temperatures in Halifax
PREPARING FOR WINTER READ: How Do I Prepare Winter clothing: For My First Winter in dress in layers a warm coat is a must Canada buy winter boots with good grips hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves READ: DAL BLOG Student Ask a Nova Scotian what to expect, and Life: "Surviving Winter in where to buy winter clothing. Canada "
18 HALIFAX
FUN THINGS TO DO Halifax is a social city with lots happening! See the following links for up-to-date info The Coast is a free weekly paper that includes events, music, news, arts and culture, and lots of activies in Halifax. Festivals & Events link Trip Advisor: Things to Do in Halifax Movie Theatres -- Cineplex
FREE FREE FREE There's lots of free things to do. Visit the public library (Halifax Central Library is on Spring Garden Road), visit the Halifax Public Gardens, stroll along the boardwalk, read a book on Citadel Hill, skate on the Oval in winter, etc.
Top 10 Free Things to Do in Halifax
50 Free or Affordable Things to Do in Halifax
Top 20 Things to Do in Halifax on Any Budget: Travel Guide
5 Free Cultural Acitivies Top 10 Free Things to Do in Halifax
Free stuff Kijiji (online classifieds) free page Craigslist free stuff
19 TIPS FROM RETURNING STUDENTS
Parking at Dal in the General lots is FREE after 4:30 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends! Program info: some courses are only CAMPUS PARKING INFO HERE offered every second year, so pay attention to that info when you are choosing your courses. Bring a reusable water bottle and fill it up at a bottle filling station. (There's one on the first floor of Rowe, one in the SUB, and several in the Killam)
"Don’t let people intimidate you by how ahead they seem [in your "The University Club Pub (the bottom classes]- it isn’t a race, ... MWB is a floor) is open to everyone and has good lot of work but not terrible, time cheap food and drinks! It also has cozy management is key, it’s a ton of chairs and space to read/work. And on work but it’s not necessarily hard - you just have to be able to manage the last Thursday of every month, there your time." is usually a special with free buffet-style appetizers with the purchase of a drink."
"Let the first years know that if they need to reduce their course load "Free bikes rentals (at the Dal Bike Centre) up that's its okay it happens and like to 4-6 days a week depending on the season. said above its not a race. Family members can use it once the student has introduced them." Also, to not be afraid of meeting with DAL BIKE CENTRE the professor, or intimated by them
because they're super helpful." There is a food bank and fr ee food at the SUB daily. Look for the Loaded Ladle for free Make an appt to meet with JoAnn - lunch. she's here to help!
At the Black Student Advising Centre there is support for all students of "Don't be afraid to ask for help!" African descent. There is free photocopying for Black students.
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