Library Services
- Refreshed Databases A-Z page listing hundreds of online research resources: In addition to a new look and feel, users can expect clearer and more standardized database descriptions that are easier to skim to find what they need. View all the databases alphabetically, search for a database by title or keyword, or filter for databases by subject or type of content.
- Successful pilot of Meescan for self checkout: This summer, we successfully piloted the use of the Meescan app, which allows users to check out circulating materials using the Meescan kiosks or the Meescan app on their Android or iOS devices. Kiosks can be found in Room 303 of the Modular buildings and the Art and Music Libraries. This self-service option increases convenience for users.
- New hours in the Modulars: We have made minor adjustments to the service hours in the modulars based on the use of these services during the Spring semester. This Fall we will close the Service Desk at 7 PM on Fridays and open at 10 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. Please plan your ILL and reserve material pickups accordingly. You can consult our calendar of hours for detailed information.
Note that the open areas of the Modular buildings will be accessible to everyone using swipe access until 10 PM on Fridays and from 8:30 AM on Saturdays and Sundays.
Sakai upgraded. Wellesley upgraded Sakai on July 17, 2024. Sakai 23 offers enhancements to many tools, improves accessibility, and fixes bugs. The most noticeable change is a revised interface on the main page, placing course sites and tools all on the left side. Previously known as “favorites”, sites you’ve selected now are called “pinned” and appear on the left. For more information, please see our Sakai documentation.
Running Windows software on a web browser on a Mac or Chromebook. Apporto is a software we have licensed that allows Mac and Chromebook users to run Windows software right from their web browser. For example, a student might need to borrow a Chromebook temporarily and through Apporto they can access a full Windows desktop with our standard academic software, such as ArcGIS Pro, Matlab, SPSS, etc. See our Apporto documentation or contact the Instructional Technology team to learn more: askit@wellesley.edu
Poll Everywhere is an online polling tool, available to faculty and staff for engaging participants in immediate responses to questions. This replaces the functionality of clickers. Poll Everywhere has a wide range of poll types, including less common ones like word cloud, clickable images, rank order, etc. Learn more about Poll Everywhere at Wellesley.
Computing Support
Keep your devices healthy and safe by staying up to date!
- Mac users: Update your macOS to the latest update within your OS version.
- Windows users: If you are not ready to update to Windows 11, run all available Windows updates for Windows 10.
Microsoft Office 2021
As a reminder, Microsoft Office 2019 is no longer supported on Macs as of October 10, 2023. Since it is an unsupported software, no one running it is getting any security updates and therefore we strongly suggest that you upgrade to Office 2021 as soon as possible.
While Windows users of Office 2019 will continue to have security support through October 14, 2025, Microsoft has stopped providing feature updates, so we encourage you to also upgrade to Office 2021 for newer features and consistency of document versions across campus.
Some new features in Office 2021.
Only Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications will be installed with this Office 2021 upgrade. If you require other Office apps, email the Help Desk at helpdesk@wellesley.edu for assistance.
Windows 10 support will cease on October 14, 2025
Microsoft will stop providing support for Windows 10 as of October 14, 2025, and at that time they will stop providing security updates. All classrooms and labs have already been updated to Windows 11. Faculty and staff computers are already being migrated from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Our team will be reaching out to faculty members still on Windows 10 to assist with upgrading to Windows 11. Please visit the Windows 11 webpage for more information and self-guided instructions for those who would like to do the upgrade to Windows 11 yourself. We would like to strongly encourage you to do this on your personally owned devices also and not wait.
Bitlocker to replace PGP to fully encrypt the disks in College provided computers running Windows OS
All Windows computers that LTS provides for faculty and staff have disk encryption turned on. This provides protection for the data stored in the disk. If your computer is stolen and someone tries to access data on the disk directly, they only see the encrypted data and not the raw data. We have been using a software called PGP to encrypt the disk which is no longer supported.
LTS has chosen Bitlocker Drive Encryption from Microsoft to replace PGP from Symantec. We are in the process of migrating all the College provided Windows computers to Bitlocker and we will be contacting those who have not yet been converted to complete this in the Fall. Replacing PGP with Bitlocker requires an LTS staff member to set it up for every individual device because of its complexity. Our team will be reaching out to faculty and staff members who have Windows computers to schedule a time to install Bitlocker.
LTS and the Copy Center will support the MFD (Multi Functional Devices) in Academic and Administrative Departments
The fleet of MFD Printers around campus used by faculty and staff will be supported jointly by LTS and the CopyCenter. So far, LTS was not involved in supporting these devices. Copy Center will continue to manage toner replacements and will take all printer related questions initially and escalate/transfer to LTS as needed. Most of this transition will be transparent to the community with the exception of this one minor change. If you have any issues or questions with the MFD printers, please email mfd@wellesley.edu.
Updating office and phone locations : It is important that you check your office and phone information is up to date in the online directory. If you find it needs to be corrected, you can access this form to make updates directly from that page.
LTS Project Requests : If you are exploring or planning to purchase or license technologies for your departmental or work-related use, it is important that you check with LTS first. There are many reasons for this.
- We generally get better volume pricing and we have already completed formalities with several vendors to gain tax free status, so we do not pay sales tax.
- LTS has been charged with ensuring information security and compliance standards across the College, so we need to look at the software solutions you are considering to make sure that they meet our standards. Please note that, the risk involved is the same regardless of the cost of a solution, so this type of due diligence is important for all of us.
- The solution you are looking at may already be licensed by LTS or others on campus (that we are aware of) and we can suggest adding on to existing licenses. This reduces the time needed to evaluate contracts etc.
- We may also suggest a way to solve your problem with existing technologies, which you may not be aware of.
This requires some planning and building sufficient time for us to review the solutions. You can submit a Technology Project Request Form by providing the necessary details. We will respond to such requests within a week.
In general, the earlier in the process you involve us, the better it is. Our role is to work with you in choosing the best solution at a lower cost that is also the most secure.
Phishing Test: This is a reminder that we will be conducting a phishing test sometime during the fall. Of course we will not tell you exactly when 🙂
Cybersecurity Awareness Training: If you have not completed the SANS Security Awareness Training, we strongly recommend you doing this soon. Here are the instructions for employees, as well as, students.
Reminder about our services while Clapp Library is undergoing renovation
- Special Collections offers classroom visits on the 5th floor of the Davis Museum. Over 1000 items from our collections have been retained on campus to support teaching and learning. Faculty: if you wish to schedule a classroom visit for Fall 2024, please complete this form by 5pm on Friday, August 30, 2024 to ensure that your request can be accommodated. All requests submitted after that date will be accommodated only if resources allow.
- The Wellesley College Archives offers classroom visits, student org visits, and Community research visits in its temporary location in Room M100 of the Modular Buildings. Please complete this form if you wish to schedule a visit. Note that many of our materials are being stored offsite, so please arrange your visit well in advance in the event that materials need to be recalled.
- Although most of our general collections are currently stored offsite, our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service has been highly effective at meeting the needs of the Community for articles, book chapters, and print books. ILL materials can be requested online; physical items can be picked up in Room M103 of the Modulars during open hours.
- As always, you can submit a Purchase Request and library staff will review it for possible addition to the general collections.
- Our print and video e-reserves services are also available. All Art and Music reserves are still in their respective libraries, and all Clapp print reserves are held in Room 103 of the Modular buildings. Please see here for additional information.
- Research and Instruction Librarians are available for classroom instruction and consultations. Contact them via askus@wellesley.edu or the Subject Specialists
- Send any questions to askus@wellesley.edu or contact your Subject Specialists for assistance.
- For classroom emergencies please call the Computing Help Desk at x4357 during Help Desk hours.
