AAQ: Family Interaction and Technology

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

Your inquiry is: what are the best sources for academic information about how modern technologies decrease positive family interactions in the home?

Medicine Hat College Library Services provides many resources that can be employed. The resources include: the online catalogue (OPAC) for locating books and audiovisuals; the databases for locating periodical articles (journal, magazine, and newspaper articles); and the naturally the Internet/Web.

It should be noted that even though we supply the search tools, we do not have all the sources that you need on hand. If you need to acquire materials that are not available via our print or electronic holdings, consider using the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Service. This service can acquire materials for you at a minimum of cost and difficulty. To discover more about the service, click here; and to create an ILL account or begin ordering, click here.

The first stage in your search process is to define your search terms. Terms that you might identify are: family, interactions, and technology – which are derived directly from your proposed thesis. It is wise to develop a list of secondary search terms. The reason we do this is because all people do not think alike, thus if we are not successful with one search we can use our alternative terms to try different searches. Alternate terms we could employ include: relatives, folks, “family unit”, “domestic unit”, and household [alternatives for “family”]; communication, contact, “social interaction”, talk, and interface [alternatives to “interactions”]; and “communication tools”, “cell phones”, machines, computers, television, Internet, ”video games”, etc. [alternatives terms and specific forms of technologies]. If you want to apply a fourth term “decreased positive” (or: negative, harmful, unconstructive, limit, debilitate, weaken, etc.], you could. Once you are ready to search, start with two or three of the terms – one from each category – and add/alternate terms as necessary. The fourth term should be applied as a last resort – only if you have too many results.

A good place to begin is the library’s online catalogue (OPAC) – you can also click “Books and Audiovisuals” on the library’s homepage. We entered: family AND communication, and family AND change (each in a “Basic Search”), which returned several hits. [PLEASE NOTE: The word AND, is used to link terms to narrow our search parameters (i.e., only titles with the words “family” and “communication” will appear).] Notable titles include:

• Family Communication: Cohesion and Change (6th edition; Galvin, Bylund, and Brommel)
• Connections: The Threads That Strengthen a Family (Jane Illsley Clarke)
• 50 Great Tips, Tricks & Techniques to Connect With Your Teen (Debra Hapenny Ciavola)
• Should We Worry about Family Change? (Jane Lewis)
• Family Structure and Social Change (R. C. Davis, Ed.)
• Family Diversity: Continuity and Change in the Contemporary Family (Pauline Irit Erera)
• The Canadian Family in Crisis (John F. Conway)
  

These titles are arguably a more generic discussion of your specific topic, but they might contain information that you are looking for or give you some additional concepts/ideas to consider.

Be aware that other libraries are online and searchable. Click here to search other libraries. Notable links that you should use include: The Alberta Library (TAL), and The National Library of Canada – they have the ability to search over 230 libraries in Alberta and 1,300 libraries across Canada, respectively. If you locate potential sources, use the aforementioned ILL service to acquire the materials. It does not cost you anything to order books.

Other sources to consider are the online databases/periodical indexes. Click here to go to the databases or by clicking “Journal, Magazine, and Newspaper Articles” from the library’s homepage. The best selections to suit your needs would be under the “Sociology” heading. To begin, select the “On Campus” or “At Home” link for the “Sociological Collection” database. If you select the “At Home” link, you will be prompted to enter your student ID number and if your library account is not up-to-date, you will not gain access. Once you are in, select the “Chooses Databases” tab near the top of the page. You will get a list of other databases that we subscribe to from the same company. Select the following databases: Academic Search Complete, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, Communication & Mass Media Complete, Computers & Applied Sciences Complete, Family & Society Studies Worldwide, Humanities International Complete, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, SocINDEX with Full Text, Sociological Collection – each of these databases could return relevant information and you will not have to search each one individually now. Click “Continue” to return to your search. Once you have returned to the main search page, select the “Advanced Search” tab near the top of the page – this page will give you some additional options. Enter your desired search terms and select “peer review” under each of the database titles on the search page – there will be about seven to check. The “peer review” check box will hopefully limit your search to more academic material. Click “Search” to begin and review the results. If the results are not to your satisfaction, select the “Refine Search” tab to enter different terms.

We did a search using: technology AND family AND “social interaction” (the last was entered as a “Subject Term” search). We had a number of results returned, some good and others not so good. Some articles that you might consider include:

• Article 1
• Article 2
• Article 3
• Article 4
• Article 5
• Article 6
• Article 7
• Article 8
• Article 9
• Article 10
  

It should be noted that not all of the listed articles are full-text, so you will need to order some via the ILL service. There are a host of additional database tools that you can employ, so refer to the help pages of a database for additional insight about the resource. You can browse a handout that the library produced by clicking here. Another service that will help you locate periodical articles includes the Find It service. For more details about Find It, click here . Also, take a look at the databases under the Canadian Studies and General/Multidisciplinary headings.

When it comes to Web searching, you want to apply a lot of the same criteria that you use to evaluate journal articles. You want the document to: be well written; display author’s name, credentials, and contact information; updated regularly (or at least original posting date given); hosted/posted on a reputable site/organization; peer reviewed; and well cited/documented. We tend to consider academic institutions and government agencies to be a better than average/reliable sources of information – look for affiliation or sponsor information on any site you review. The University of Alberta has several resources that will help you determine some criteria that you will use to evaluate Web resources. You can find those sources at: http://www.library.ualberta.ca/guides/criticalevaluation/index.cfm, and: http://www.library.ualberta.ca/instruction/science/evalweb.pdf. The latter resource is a list of 20 questions that you should ask yourself when viewing a Web page. Source such as Google Scholar do tend to return a better class of academic material/results, but it is not foolproof and the critical criteria must always be applied.

Thank you again for using the Ask A Question service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free: 1 (866) 282-8394 (Ext. 3867)).

AAQ#: 43885

AAQ: European travel videos...

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring whether or not we have videos for travel/tourism destinations in Europe.

By employing the “Advanced Search” feature in the library’s online catalogue (which you can access by selecting “Books and Audiovisuals” from the library’s homepage (http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library) and then selecting “Advanced Search” under the “Search by:” heading), you will be able to locate such materials.

Once you are at the “Advanced Search” page (http://darius.uleth.ca/search~S2/X), select “Subject:” from the first drop box in the form (the drop box will say “Any Field:”), and in the field to the right, type: “description and travel” (you can use quotation marks around the phrase). In the second line, select “Subject:” from the drop box again, and enter the desired destination in the box to the right. To narrow it down to videos, select “FILM/VIDEO” from the “Material Type” drop box – this is second drop box below the text form where you enter your search terms.

A generic search (without a destination term to limit the search), yielded 270 “description and travel” videos – 38 of which are DVDs. Those DVDs, include:

• Passport to Europe: United Kingdom, Ireland (DA 11 P37 2007)
• Cruise Northern Europe (D 965 C78 2003)
• The Algarve, Portugal (DP 526.5 A43 2000)
• Paris (DC 707 P35 2000)
• Greece, Turkey, Israel & Egypt (DF 728 G73 1995)

VHS titles include:

• Istanbul (DR 723 I87 2001)
• Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg and Murmansk (DK 29.2 R87 2000)
• Greek Islands (DF 895 G74 2000)
• Turkey: The enchanted land of Cappadocia (DS 156 C3 T87 1999)
• Notes from Russia: A young woman's video journal (DK 510.29 N67 1999)
• Ireland (DA 978.2 I73 2002)
• Over Ireland (DA 982 O93 1998)
• The Greek Explorer (DF 728 G72 1998)
• Riviera Bound (DC 29.3 R58 1998)
• London (DA 679 L66 1998)
• Exotic Islands Of Europe (D 923 E96 1998)
• Finland & The Baltics (DL 1015.4 F57 1998)
• London City Guide (DA 679 L67 1998)
• Southern Italy (DG 821 S68 1998)
• Paris City Guide (DC 707 P36 1998)
• Southwestern presents... (G 153 T7 v. 1-4)
• Travels in Europe (DL 11.5 T72 1997)
• Travels in Europe (DP 43.2 T72 1997)
• Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily (D 973 C6 1996)
• Iceland and Greenland (DL 315 I25 1996)
• Travels in Europe (DF 728 T72 1995)
• Germany (DD 43 G44 1995)
• Turkey: West coast of Turkey, central Turkey (DR 416 T8 1995)
• Greece, Turkey, Israel & Egypt (DF 728 G73 1995)
• Spain (FC 3067.5 O5 1992)
• Insight: simply the best: Europe, Britain, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Eastern Mediterranean (G 155.5 I5 1991)
• The eastern treasures of Germany (DD 43 E2 1991)
• Travels in Europe (D 923 T72 1991)
• Travels in Europe (DD 43 T72 1991)
• London, England (DA 684.25 L65 1990)
• Voices of Leningrad (DK 552 V6 1990)
• Poland: A Proud Heritage (DK 4037 P6 1989)
• Madeira, Portugal (DP 516 M33 1988)
• Paris, France (DC 29.3 P37 1988)
• Scotland (DA 867.5 S36 1988)
• The turquoise coast via Istanbul (DR 429.4 T87 1988)
• Switzerland now! (DQ 25 I58 1986)
• Greece (DF 728 G7 1985)
• Lisbon, Portugal (DP 516 L57 1985)
• Sunny Canary Islands, Spain & Morocco (D 973 S8)
• Yacht charters in Greece (DF 728 Y3)
• Dubrovnik and Riviera: Welcome to Dubrovnik (DR 396 D83 D83 198?)
• Focus on Ireland (DA 978 I58 1985)
• Fantastic Finland (DK 450.2 I58 1986)
• Europe by train: Relive the past...discover the future (D 907 E9)
• Great Britain by Train (DA 11 G7)

Eurasian countries (Russia and Turkey) were also included in this list of materials. All titles are located in the “Audio Visuals” collection of the Vera Bracken Library (Medicine Hat Campus). Each video’s corresponding call number is in parenthesis following the title of the video.

There are no travel videos located in the Brooks Campus Library; however, you can see the General Services Desk (phone: (403) 362-1690) at that library for direction about how to acquire any of the listed videos.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free: 1 (866) 282-8394 (Ext. 3867)).

AAQ #: 43012

AAQ: Finding target market...

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are asking: “What formula do you use to find target market?”

There does not seem to be any one surefire method of identifying target markets. The most common means of determining target market seems to employ “segmentation”. This process involves breaking down all the market into a variety of gender, cultural, geographic, political, social, and economic groups.

Once you have defined the categories in each group (e.g., Race: Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, etc.; Income: $10,000-20,00/year earners, $20,001-30,000/year earners, etc.; Age: 18-25 year olds; 26-35 year olds, etc.; Sexes: Male, Female, Transgender, etc.) select which category or categories is arguably more inclined to purchase the product – or whom you would like to purchase the product. From the selected segmentations, you would cross reference them and develop a matrix that defines your target market.

It is important to understand that no one product will appeal to all consumers, so the matrix will be different for each product – the best example is the wide variety of vehicle styles and colours that are available. Gone are the days of Henry Ford’s Model T and his assertion that, “Any customer can have a car painted any colour he wants so long as it is black.”

For example (without displaying the full market segmentation), if you were selling $100,000 coupe roadsters you would probably target people:

• making in excess of $100,000/year (because if a person made less, that person might have other priorities)
• males (not to say to say that females would not, but males might be more inclined)
• North American or European markets (because of the well developed road infrastructure and economies in these places, you might not be as concerned about targeting tolower per capita GDP nations such as China or India – despite their high GDPs and populations)
• 25-55 years old (a large spread, because the young hipster with money might “feel the need for speed” and the affluent Baby Boomer might have the disposable income; younger people in school might have other priorities and seniors might not seek the “status” that some seek in owning such vehicles)
• singles or childless couples (families need not apply, these cars are built for two and a baby seat would not fit)
  

Another means might be examining available statistics and trends that currently exist in the market – from the existing data, you might be able to answer, “Who is buying similar products now?” Additionally, the employment of focus groups or polls could also be used in determining what a “target market” is.

There is a good deal more to know about developing a scheme that would help you determine what your target market is. To learn more about determining target markets, search the library’s catalogue (http://darius.uleth.ca/search~S2) and use the “Basic Search”. Input a term such as “marketing” or phrases such as “target marketing” or “market segmentation”, and you are bound to discover many titles that are relevant to your needs. You can also use our
business databases (http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library/databases/business.html) to discover journal and magazine articles about this subject.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free: 1 (866) 282-8394 (Ext. 3867)).

AAQ #: 43013

AAQ: Events Between 1973-1981

Hello and thank you for using the Ask A Question service.

Your inquiry is: “What was going on economically, historically, politically, and in business during 1973-1981?”

This is a very broad inquiry and it is not possible for us to deliver a complete answer that will satisfy all of your possible needs via this service. We suggest is using a chronology if you want a broad overview of world events during this time period.

To search for a chronology, go to our homepage > select: Books & Audiovisuals (under the: Search for: header) > select: Basic Keyword (under the Search by: header). Enter the word chronology in the search box, and click the Search button. You will get 90+ hits with this search. You can narrow your search by linking chronology with words such as: business, economy, history, politics, science, Canada, etc. You will link terms by using AND (e.g., chronology AND Canada [Note: capitalization is not required] > this search will locate all titles with the words chronology and Canada in their records – which are presently 14).

Some generic titles that we can recommend include: Timelines of World History (Call #: D 11 T43 2006; Reference Collection), Chronology of World History (Call #: D 11 M44 1999 v. 4; Reference Collection), This Day in Business History: Great Corporate Tales, Commercial Milestones, Colorful Titans, Captivating Quotes, and Calamitous Blunders for Every Day of the Year (Call #: HC 51 F72 2006; Circulating Collection), and The Fitzhenry & Whiteside Book of Canadian Facts and Dates (Call #: FC 24 M94 2005; Reference Collection; greater Canadian content).

Thank you again for using the Ask A Question service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free Phone #: 1 (866) 282-8394 (Ext. 3867)).

AAQ #: 39655

AAQ: Square Footage of Medicine Hat Meat Shops

Hello and thank you for using the Ask A Question service.

Your inquiry is: “How do I find out how many square feet are in all of the meat shops in Medicine Hat?”

There are two methods to collecting this data.

METHOD 1:
The first method is to call each meat shop (which you listed in your initial inquiry) and ask them directly.

METHOD 2:
If you know the building addresses, the second method is to contact the City of Medicine Hat’s Planning, Building and Development Services department. You will need to get permission from that office to browse any available public plans/records for the particular building that the business is located in, so call ahead before you go to their offices.

Thank you again for using the Ask A Question service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free Phone #: 1 (866) 282-8394 (Ext. 3867)).

AAQ #: 39606

Update & AAQ

It has been an extremely hectic few weeks, hence the rarity of my posts. For now, you will have to be content with knowing that I am simply posting my latest AAQ and will be writing my report for the Campus Card Frontier conference that I recently attended. More about everything later.

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Hello and thank you for using the Ask A Question service.

You are inquiring about how to make sure that students, in their learning groups and in the classroom environment, can reach an academic goal.

We cannot give you an absolute solution for this inquiry, since there are many different paths to success, but we can direct you to resources that might assist you in discovering a method that suits your needs.

The first step would be to build a list of keywords that could be used to perform searches. Since we are looking to maximize performance in the student, then we could employ terms such as: student (pupil, learner), education (academics, teaching, instructing, etc.), classroom, goal (performance, achievement, success, maximization, achievement, motivation, etc.), manage (direct, lead, supervise, organize, etc.) and group (team, “group dynamics”, etc.). Please note that our primary terms are listed and followed by alternate terms in parenthesis. We will mix and match these different terms to maximize the possibility of locating the best possible set of resources.

A good place to start would be the library catalogue. You can select Books and Audiovisuals from our homepage, or go to: http://eureka.uleth.ca/search~S2. The best search option to begin with is the Basic Keyword search. If we were to enter the: “classroom and success”, “classroom and achievement”, or “classroom and management” [each in a different search], you are sure to find a number of titles that might assist you in answering your inquiry. To discover more about maximizing success in groups, you might also want to search for titles that are related to managing group dynamics. Though they might be related to business or management fields, the theories/methods could also be applied to the academic setting.

If you need additional resources, you can also employ our large collection of online databases/periodical indexes. These tools will search journal, magazine, and newspaper articles for the latest articles related to your search parameters.

From our homepage, select Journal, Magazine, and Newspaper articles. The best place to start would be the databases under the Education heading – ERIC is the most comprehensive of that list to start. You will need to select the On Campus or At Home link to access the resource – if you are at home, be sure that your library privileges are up-to-date, otherwise access will be denied. Please be aware that ERIC is not the only database you can use, try some of the other education related databases or any of the General/Multidisciplinary databases to maximize your results.

ERIC and other related databases are quite sophisticated and offer many search options. You will want to employ search terms from your previous book search, and apply those same terms to your journal search. We cannot give you a full list of all options that you could employ here, so we recommend that you visit us at the Vera Bracken Library’s Information Desk (or your closest library) for assistance with these resources. Each database will also provide “Help”
pages and some, such as ERIC, will have video tutorials in the help section.

If the article is not available on line, consider using the Interlibrary Loan Service or the Find It services to acquire the article.

Thank you again for using the Ask A Question service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free Phone #: 1 (866) 282-8394 (Ext. 3867)).

AAQ #: 39418

AAQ: Facebook's Revenue

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring about how Facebook makes its money.

Facebook’s primary revenue appears to be from advertising via “Facebook Flyers”, “Facebook Polls”, and banner advertising. You can find more information about these services at: http://www.facebook.com/advertise.php. Additional sources of revenue come from strategic partnerships that Facebook makes with other companies such as Microsoft. You can read the latest press releases from Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/press.php. The company’s Factsheet lists additional investors in the business, though neither the Factsheet nor the Statistics profiles of the company list any financial data.

At present, Facebook is still a privately owned company, and as such, is not obligated to disclose any financial information to the public. The company has not, to our knowledge, released any sort of financial information, so any revenue earnings are speculative – though their recent partnership with Microsoft suggests that the company is valued at $15 billion. Two recent articles from the Wall Street Journal Online suggest that this price/valuation is over inflated: http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2007/10/24/facebooks-stratospheric-earnings-multiple/; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119323518308669856.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).

AAQ #: 38146

AAQs - X2

Two AAQs greeted me upon my return, and here they are...

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AAQ 1 - EVENTS PLANNING AND NAICS

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring about how many people spend money on events planning in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and what the NAICCS code for events planning?

Admittedly we are stumped by your first question. We are not sure what you mean by “events planning”. Are you referring to private, public, corporate, or governmental affairs? Are you referring to catering companies, concert promotion, etc.? To our knowledge, there is no statistical source that would tell how many people spend money on events planning in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

We will also assume that you are referring to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) when you are inquiring about an events planning code. Unfortunately we could not find a sufficiently generic term that would encompass “events planning”. For example, “Promoters of arts events, with facilities” has a code of 711311, “Promoters of sports events, with facilities” has a code of 711319, “Promoters, sports events, without facilities” has a code of
711329, “Catering for dining room and banquets” has a code of 72232, and “Wedding planning services” has a code of 81299. All of the aforementioned services technically fall under the broader heading of “events planning”. Perhaps you need to refine your terminology or focus on a specific planning service. To this end, we suggest that you discuss this matter with your instructor.

For more information on the NAICS, refer to the “North American Industry Classification System” book in the Vera Bracken Library’s reference collection – call number: HF 1041.5 N67 2007.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).

AAQ #: 37913

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AAQ 2 - BOOK REVIEWS FOR THE BLACK DONNELLYS BY THOMAS P. KELLEY

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring about how to locate books reviews for “The Black Donnellys” by Thomas P. Kelley.

The library has created a handout to assist you in this very matter. If you go to the Vera Bracken Library’s homepage (www.mhc.ab.ca/library), you will find a link that says “How to Guides & Handouts” – under the “Online Assistance” heading on the right-hand side of the page. Under the “Classroom Handouts” section of this page, you will find a link that says: History 231 – Canada, Origins to 1867. Review this document and follow some of the suggested tips and tricks. There are a number of books, online databases, and websites for you to review in this document. Consider consulting your instructor or a library Information Clerk for assistance.

Additionally, if you are not sure how to write a book review, read the “How to Write a Review” handout for some ideas. This handout is also located on the “How to Guides & Handouts” Web page – under the “Essay Writing Guides” heading.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).

AAQ #: 37920

AAQ - Citing a Telephone Book (APA Style, 5th ed.)

UPDATE (17 February 2012): An update of this entry has been post. Click here for the revised 6th edition version. 

ORIGINAL ENTRY:

This is the latest AAQ that I answered. Unfortunately it is one of those questions that has no absolute answer - as you might read.

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Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring about how to cite a local telephone book.

Given the nature of your program, I am assuming that you will be using the American Psychological Association (APA) system of citation. Unfortunately, the 5th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA Manual) does not specify a means of citing a phone book.

To this end, we can suggest that you use the following information:

AUTHOR: -leave blank-
– Since the author is not explicitly given, use the title instead. The directory (as a whole) is written by many individuals, companies, and organizations – as demonstrated by some of the subsections and advertisements. We do not believe that the Yellow Pages Group can be attributed as the author – though editorial credit could arguably be given to that group.

TITLE: Yellow pages: 2007/2008 Medicine Hat and area [Telephone directory].
– Since this “book” is not a book that has been published in the traditional sense (i.e., providing copyright date, proper title and publisher’s pages), provide the title of the publication (as disjointed as it seems) and display the “medium” in brackets. This description of the medium is not officially noted in the APA Manual, but it should clear up any confusion that might plague your audience – review section 4.12 (p. 228) of the APA Manual for details. The title is italicized, but the descriptor is not.

PUBLICATION DATE: n.d.
– Though we can reasonably assume that it was released in 2007, no explicit copyright date is given, so use “n.d.” for “no date”.

PLACE OF PUBLICATION: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
– The Yellow Pages Group has many offices across Canada, but the Burnaby address is given near the front of the book.

PUBLISHER: Yellow Pages Group.
– This much seems (somewhat) clear.

So your basic reference might be ordered as:

Yellow pages: 2007/2008 Medicine Hat and area [Telephone directory]. (n.d.). Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada: Yellow Pages Group.
– Be mindful of properly employing the hanging indent, double-spacing, and italicization of title.

NOTE: If you use a particular subsection of the book or advisements, etc., then everything we have written thus far, might be thrown out the window. We suggest that you visit the Information Desk of the Vera Bracken Library for further assistance.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).

AAQ#: 37241

AAQ - Medicine Hat Convenience Stores & Gas Stations

The following is my latest response to an "Ask a Question":

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring about how many convenience stores and gas stations there are in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

To find these numbers, we referred to the “Alberta Business Directory” in the Reference Collection of the Vera Bracken Library – call number: HF 5072 A4 A63 2007/08. This directory will list most businesses in Alberta by city or by business category.

We looked up the convenience stores (naturally under the “Convenience Stores” category) and found that there are 15 convenience stores – refer to page 772 of the directory. On page 1299 of the directory, you will discover that there are 29 businesses in Medicine Hat that fall under the category of “Service Stations-Gasoline & Oil”. There is some overlapping between the two lists.

You can also refer to: www.infocanada.ca. This site is the online version of the printed directory, though you might have to pay for some information that you would find for free in the print version.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).

AAQ#:36945

AAQ - Canadian Business Tax

The following is my latest response to an "Ask a Question":

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring about the tax rate for Canadian business.

A good source to check is the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This government body’s website contains a great deal of information about the application of personal and business taxes. There are a couple of sections that you might wish to refer to:

• FOR TAX RATES: CRA homepage > select: All Rates (link under “Key Information” heading) > select: “Corporation Tax Rates” link > This page will display the tax rates for Canadian corporations and small businesses at the federal and most provincial levels – click here to go directly to the tax rates.


• NOTE: From the CRA homepage, consider reviewing the individual sections on small/medium-sized business, and corporations under the “Business” heading. Each section offers greater detail about each type of business size, and potential tax models.
  

A document titled “The Canadian Tax Advantage” (originally posted in January 2002, and updated on January 25, 2007) outlines current and proposed corporate tax rate comparisons between Canada and United States. The document makes mention of the distinction between large/medium-sized businesses versus small businesses and the rates that each pays. Additionally, a business’s investment in research and development will act as a tax credit – effectively offsetting some of the tax on capital gains. Some of the tax rates in this document might be out of date, since some of the rates were adjusted in April and July of 2007.

Admittedly, we are not experts in the application and interpretation of Canadian taxation rules. If you do not find sufficient data from the CRA website, consider consulting a chartered/professional accountant. There are a great number of nuances to Canadian tax applications/laws that these professionals would be more familiar with.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).

AAQ#:36804

AAQ - Retrieving a Journal Article Online

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring about how retrieve a journal article that is online from a Medicine Hat College Library Services database resource. There are several different methods to accomplishing this task. Despite this wordy explanation, it is a fairly intuitive process (though not without pitfalls) and there is assistance from the library’s Information Desk.

It should be noted that many of these functions are only available to registered patrons of the Vera Bracken or Brooks campus libraries. The resources are available to staff and students from on campus and at home, but the general public can only access the resources from on campus. You will have to check with Library Services (403-529-3867) to ensure that your privileges are up-to-date and applicable to your search needs.

Given your initial question, we are assuming that you have an article/citation in mind.

METHOD 1 – Article at Database Level

From the library’s main webpage (http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library):

1. Select the “Journal, Magazine, and Newspaper Articles” link.
2. Select the appropriate subject heading and the title of the database that you used that you used to perform your initial search. [NOTE: Select the appropriate “On Campus” or “At Home” link. The “At Home” link only works for staff and students – not community users.]
3. Locate the article that you initially found.
4. Once you have located the article, check to see if it says “Full Text”, “Full Text HTML”, “Full Text PDF”, or “Linked Full Text” – or anything else to that effect (in some cases icons might be present). If so, then the article is simply a click away – select either the HTML or PDF link to access the complete article.

METHOD 2 – Find It (in databases)

1. Perform the same steps that you did in METHOD 1 up to step 4.
2. If you do not see a link that says “Full Text”, then look for an icon that says “Find It” and click on it.
3. The Find It service tries to connect you from one database without the article to another database with the article (despite being from a different company).
4. A new window/tab will open and present you with a number of options. If the article is present in another database that the library subscribes to, it will present the name of the database under the “Find It Online” heading (all you have to do is click on the database name (opening another window/tab), login (applicable to staff and students off campus only), and read the article). Other wise, you will see under the “Find It at Another Library” heading, click on the “Request document via Interlibrary Loan Service” link and login. Hopefully the interlibrary loan request form will fill itself out – requiring you to login with a user name and campus ID combination. [NOTE: There is a cost of $.10/page for students and $.25/page for community users to order the article in – it usually takes 7-14 days to get article to the library via this method.]

METHOD 3 – Citation Linker (if you have a citation already)

From the library’s main webpage (http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library):

1. Select the “Journal, Magazine, and Newspaper Articles” link.
2. Select the “Citation Linker” link – under the “MHC Library Journal Holdings” heading near the top right-hand side of the page.
3. A new window (or tab) will open and then it is a matter of filling in the blanks. Provide as much detail as possible, noting that periodical title and ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) are among the most critical – capitalization does not matter. Once you have entered the data, click the “Find It” button.
4. If it is available online via our resources, it should present you with a list of online databases that have the article. Once you select a suitable database, click on its title.
5. Another window/tab will open that prompts you to login – again only staff/students can access this off campus will up-to-date accounts, community members will be denied access.
6. In perfect world, you should be taken directly to the article. If not, you might be taken to the journal’s online holdings. Locating the article should be a few clicks away – select the year, volume, and issue where available and select the article title from the list. [NOTE: This will differ depending on the database you enter, but they are all fairly similar to access at this level.]

METHOD 4 – Interlibrary Loan Request (ILL; if you have a citation already)

If you have exhausted all other methods of online access and still want the article, you will have to retrieve it via interlibrary loan (ILL). If you know what you want to order, navigate to: http://eureka.uleth.ca/screens/illreq_s2.html, and place your order. If you need more information about the service, go to: http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library/interlibraryloans.html. ILL is available to all patrons, but costs might be incurred – it depends on what type of patron you are (i.e., community member, staff, or student).

Though it might seem daunting at first glance, it really does get easier as you become more experienced with this type of online resource. Additionally, learning these services (their benefits and quirks) are necessary in the pursuit of modern academics. The contemporary online tools are still faster that using old print methods.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).

AAQ#:30632

AAQ - Databases & Learning Difficulties in Children

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are seeking alternative search terms, methods, or database resources that can assist you in locating journal articles related to difficulties that children have learning to reading. If possible, we suggest that you visit the Vera Bracken Library in person, but we can try and help you fill in some blanks in the meantime. Admittedly, your home institution has a deeper resource well than our own, but we will try to answer your inquiry in a more universal context.

You have developed a good list of terms, but we might be able to broaden them further. Our initial keywords are: children, reading, and difficulties. For children, we can use terms and phrases such as: child*, kid*, adolescent*, youth*, juvenile*, etc. You could also try specifying specific age categories/groups as well (i.e., “age 5”, “6 years old”, “grade 1”, preschool, kindergarten, etc.).

You might notice the asterisk (*) symbol trailing some words (or incomplete words) in the previous paragraph. The * (and sometimes a question mark (?)) is often used in search truncation. The idea is to broaden your search as much as possible with this system. So when you enter:”child*”, the database will locate variations such as: child, children, child’s, childhood, childlike, etc. This could potentially save you a lot of time searching for variant terms.

Additionally, you could use a Boolean operator such as OR to locate terms that are alike. For example, you could enter: (child* OR kid* OR adolescent*) [between parenthesis] and most databases will be able to understand this search logic. Again, the idea is to make shorter work of all your search terms.

Phrase searching is also important; by encapsulating two or more words between quotation marks, most search engines (i.e., library catalogues, databases, and Web searches (e.g., Google, Yahoo, etc.)) will look for those word groupings. Some search engine (such as EBSCOhost databases) assume phrase searching if AND, OR, and NOT (Boolean Operators) are not used between words.

Additional terms that you can employ in place of reading are: read*, literacy, cognition, “cognitive development”, “mental development”, comprehen*, understand*, education*, etc. Terms that we can employ for difficulties include: disability*, problem*, hard, hardship*, hinder*, trouble*, etc. These terms could be used in a more general search. Also consider focusing your search on specific conditions such as: dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, “auditory processing disorder”, etc.

Additional phrases and terms that you could use are: “learning disabilities”, “reading disability”, “language disorders”, “school children”, “short-term memory”, “literacy interventions”, “neurological disorders”, or “child development”.

It will be important to mix and match terms from each of the three categories. Start simple, using one word at a time. Add and substitute additional terms as desired. You will be sure to get more diverse results lists by doing so. If you want to focus on geographic locales, consider using terms such as: canada, alberta, united states, north america, etc. [NOTE: Capitalization of proper nouns is not necessary.]

Since you are familiar with EBSCO databases, we can offer the following suggestion to save you some time. Once you are in one of their databases, select the “Choose Databases” tab near the top of the page. Once you are in there, you can select whichever databases will best suit your particular search by selecting each database’s associated checkbox and clicking “Continue” (at the top and bottom of the list) to proceed. From the EBSCO resources available from the Vera Bracken Library (Medicine Hat College) we selected: Academic Search Complete (big brother of Academic Search Premier), ERIC, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, Humanities International Complete, and Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection – the U of L will naturally have more available. You will return to your search window, at which point we selected the “Advanced Search” tab near the top of the page.

In the “Advanced Search” window, we filled out the form as follows: SEARCH BOX 1: child*; SEARCH BOX 2: (literacy or read*); SEARCH BOX 3: difficult*; selected the “Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals” checkboxes under each database’s heading (if available); select the “Also search for synonyms and plurals” checkbox (under the “Expand your search to:” heading near the bottom of the page; NOTE: the additional expanded search options). If you click the “Search” button, you should retrieve over 3,800 abstracts/citations. How relevant they are will vary, so select the “Relevance” option under the “Sort by:” drop-box at the top of the results list. Hopefully the more relevant articles will appear closer to the top.

View the articles and redo the search as desired. If you need the articles “here and now”, select the “Full Text” option at he initial search page. If you do this, you will not have to look any farther than the databases to locate articles. If you need articles ordered in, consider using your home library’s Interlibrary Loan Service (http://www.uleth.ca/lib/borrowing/display.asp?PageID=51). Medicine Hat College and the Medicine Hat Public Library also offer this service, but you might have to pay additional fees to retrieve this information. Medicine Hat College Library Services does have some advanced tools that you can take advantage of (which are not offered by the local public library) but you will have to be on campus to take advantage of them. Ask the Information Desk about the “Find It” service (“Find It” is analogous to the U of L’s “Find Full Text” icon link that you might see in some of their ESBSCO databases).

Additional databases that you use (other than those provided by EBSCO) include: CBCA Education & ProQuest Education Journals, Project MUSE, OmniFile Full Text, Mega Edition, Academic OneFile, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). All of these are available in the Vera Bracken Library at Medicine Hat College.

There are probably some additional tips and tricks that we can offer, but this should be sufficient to get you started. Please consider visiting the Vera Bracken Library (http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library/) at the Medicine Hat College campus for additional assistance, or try these tips in available databases offered by the U of L. Many of the other major database vendors (Gale, ProQuest, and Wilson) offer excellent resources that offer similar functionality to EBSCO, even if they appear slightly different.

For future reference, please do not type your name in the “Ask A Question” box. This is to protect your privacy.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken (Medicine Hat College) Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free #: 1 (866) 282-8394 ext. 3867).

AAQ#: 31601

AAQ - Conception with Tubaligation & Partial Hysterectomy

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring whether or not a woman who has had a tubaligation and a partial hysterectomy can conceive.

Unfortunately we are not medical experts and cannot offer any authoritative advice or interpretation in such matters. We suggest that you consult a medical doctor, nurse or medi-clinic in your area.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken (Medicine Hat College) Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free #: 1 (866) 282-8394 ext. 3867).

AAQ#: 33242

AAQ Coordinators’ Meeting Report

The following is my report from the Ask A Question Coordinators’ Meeting that was held in Edmonton, Alberta on June 22, 2007 at the Greenwood Inn. I was there in my capacity as the Acting AAQ Coordinator for Medicine Hat College Library Services.

After the initial call to order, some of the following things were discussed:

STATISITICS. Since its re-launch in October 2006, there has been a significant increase in the volume of questions being submitted. From January to May 20007, there was an increase of 102%. The numbers for the specific service groups were broken down as follows: (a) post-secondary questions – up 45%, and (b) public libraries – up 105%. Of the latter group, there was a 13% increase in Alberta-based questions, and 181% in “Guest” questions (all of those from outside Alberta). 36% of the guest questions were referred to similar services in the home region of the questioner.

STUDENTS & VOLUNTEERS. The students in the Information Management and Library Technology program at Grant MacEwan College (GMC) participated in Ask A Question. The 29 students were tasked to complete 1 question per week over a 10-week period. Some were keener than others and a total of 361 questions were answered.

Twenty-two students at the University of Alberta’s (U of A) School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) also participated. They were tasked to complete 3 questions over as many months. This group answered fifty-seven questions.

Some of the students were hoping to continue their participation in the program, but it was not possible at this time for everyone to continue. SLIS students were allowed to continue, but their supervisor would still monitor them. The experience was positive for the service and students, with one notable exception. [One student took exception to the feedback and their reaction was less than positive – that particular issue was referred back to the instructor.]

POLICY MODIFICATIONS & REMINDERS. We were all reminded about the importance of safeguarding our patrons’ person information – we are not to archive questions (make information publicly accessible) that contain names of individuals or other personal details. Some of the other issues include: inclusion of licensed information in answers (we are not to copy/paste information from databases into our answers), and referrals (whenever possible, refer non-Alberta-based questions to similar regional services). [There are a variety on tools built into the AAQ management system, including “canned” answers and links to related regional services.]

SERVICE COMMITTEE. This is the working committee that oversees the AAQ service. It is composed of the Chair (TAL’s AAQ manager), and 4 reps (2 from the public library sector, and 2 from post-secondary). There is currently a vacancy in one of the post-secondary positions. AAQ is not my first love and my position is merely as acting-coordinator, though it is tempting.

2007 AAQ WORK PLAN OVERVIEW. AAQ will continue to refine and review: answering procedures, customer satisfaction, policies, and surveys. One project that was on the horizon was an instant messenger (IM) style of AAQ. It did not appear as though there were many interested parties at the table, though MHC Library Services is launching its own service in the Fall of 2007. AAQ will continue to try and employ the services of students from GMC and the U of A.

WEBSITES. We reviewed the website and some of its features – particularly, how it assists administrators/facilitators in answering questions. MHC staff did have training in this area a few weeks prior, so it should be relatively fresh in our minds. The main things for us to remember were the aforementioned canned/template responses, and the list of referrals to similar services (http://del.icio.us/aaq).

PRESENTATIONS. We had presentations from two organizations – the Centre for Suicide Prevention and the Kids Help Phone. Both groups presented us with information packages and resources that we can employ. Fortunately we are, as a post-secondary institution, somewhat insulated from some of the more difficult social issues that public libraries have to deal with. The public libraries have been known to get some rather sensitive questions related to abuse, suicide, and other legal and medical matters. AAQ does have policies in place with regards to dealing with such matters. If such a case were to be entered into our queue, we should refer them to the AAQ coordinator/administrator – typically they will be left to TAL’s Virtual Reference Librarian to deal with.

ITEMS FOR DECISION/DISCUSSION. This portion of the meeting was dedicated to an assortment of housekeeping duties. Some of the issues discussed included: our social responsibility, branding, staffing, and system upgrades.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. The issue of the increased question volume was raised again. AAQ currently receives as more than 800+ questions per month. The volume is almost too much – a consequence of its own success. The service was meant for Alberta citizens, but there is a significant amount of traffic coming from India and the Middle East. Whenever possible external questions are referred to regional services that perform a similar AAQ function. [We are able to determine location based on IP address or postal code.] There were more than 1,400 referrals in the 6 months prior to this meeting. There was also discussion about blocking IP addresses from areas – something I rejected, because I have answered legitimate questions from out-of-province patrons related to Medicine Hat College. With the exception of one individual, it was agreed that referrals were the best course of action. [The contrary person felt that we -- as Albertans, in the richest province, in one of the most prosperous nations -- should serve the world’s interest. This was quickly kiboshed by others that were already overwhelmed with AAQs.] This led directly to the next issue, which was…

• BRANDING. AAQ is a strong, but generic brand. It was felt by some that it was not strongly, or implicitly, targeting Albertans. This leaves us open to international inquiries. It was motioned that it be rebranded as “Alberta Ask A Question”, or something to that effect. The idea is to create a stronger brand that more directly targets Albertans – our primary market/responsibility.
  
  
• SYSTEM UPGRADES. Several staffers from TAL’s technical team were present to hear suggestions from coordinators about desire upgrades. Some of the suggested upgrades included: better cross-browser compatibility, single interface for answering questions, maximize use of screen space, spell checker, spam protection, formatting control, ability to attach files, and “do not archive” option on multiple pages.
  
  
• STAFFING. TAL has been faced with some shortages in the technical arena, but has hired several new talents – including a user interface specialist. All present technical staffers were very positive and receptive to suggestions.

ADJOURNMENT. The meeting was adjourned shortly afterward and we were thanked for our time. A package containing AAQ bookmarks was distributed to each coordinator – there were enough for each staffer that currently participates in AAQ at MHC Library Services.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to make inquires of me. You can read more about AAQ by visiting:

• Ask A Question Service
• Ask A Question Service Committee
• AAQ @ del.icio.us
• Referrals to Other Libraries
  

AAQ Coordinators Meeting

I am off to Edmonton tomorrow for the AAQ Coordinators Meeting. For two days I will be living that jet setting librarian lifestyle. I am not looking forward to the 5:45 AM takeoff time.

AAQ - Bylaw Enforcement Officer Salaries

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring about the salary of a bylaw enforcement officer. We will attempt to answer this question posthaste.

If you were inquiring about the wage for an officer in Medicine Hat, a call to the city’s Human Resources department would clear this up. Their website can be found at: http://www.city.medicine-hat.ab.ca/City%20Government/Departments/Human%20Resources/. We took the necessary steps and contacted them on your behalf.

According to their office, bylaw enforcement officers are known as “Community Peace Officers” in the city. Those officers are in Range 20 of the CUPE Local 46 Collective Agreement pay scale (http://www.city.medicine-hat.ab.ca/City%20Government/Departments/Human%20Resources/CUPECollectiveAgreement.pdf). This means that, as of 18 January 2007, they will start at a wage of $24.50/hour and that will increase to $26.72/hour once they have reach 4000 hours of service.

For more general information about bylaw enforcement officers, you can locate a career profile at: http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfile&format=html&OCCPRO_ID=71003113. This article (produced by the Government of Alberta) documents things such as duties, educational requirements, employment/advancement, and salary. You will find that salaries range between $20,100 and $86,500 per year. The average salary was $43,500. All numbers are according to the “2005 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey”.

You can locate print versions of various career profiles in the Vera Bracken Library’s Reference Collection. The “Occupational Information Monographs” have the call number: HF 5381 O22 (Vols. 1-3).

A similar online resource can be found at: http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo.

If you are looking for more local information though, feel free to contact the employer and make inquiries of their Human Resources department. Good luck.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken (Medicine Hat College) Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free #: 1 (866) 282-8394 ext. 3867).

AAQ#: 33092

AAQ - Child and Youth Care Counselor Program Requirements

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

You are inquiring about what requirements are necessary to enter the “Child and Youth Care Counselor” diploma program at the Medicine Hat College as a mature student.

To meet the minimum admission requirements of this program as mature student, you must: have a minimum of 60% in English Language Arts (ELA) 30-1 or ELA 30-2, and you must have one 30-level academic subject (including Applied Math 30). This information is from page 15 of the MHC Calendar 2007/2008.

The college calendar is free and you can get a copy from the Vera Bracken Library at the Medicine Hat campus. If you do not have a high school diploma or need to make further inquiries, contact the Dean of Students/Registrar at (403) 529-3821 [long distance: 1 (866) 282-8394, ext. 3821], or the Coordinator, Admissions and Advising at (403) 529-3825 [long distance: 1 (866) 282-8394, ext. 3825]. Either of these departments will be happy to assist you.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).

AAQ#: 31641

AAQ - Community Memberships/Priveleges

Hooray! An easy AAQ...

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

Your question is: What are requirements for use of the college library and take-out privileges?

Currently the Vera Bracken (Medicine Hat) and Brooks Campus Libraries do not have a membership fee for community patrons. To become a registered patron with borrowing privileges, you need to see the Circulation Desk and present legal photo identification (i.e., driver’s license, etc.) with a local address (Medicine Hat or Brooks).

Community members have near equivalent borrowing privileges to staff and students. You can borrow most items with the notable exceptions of current periodicals, Curriculum (Education) Collection materials, and Reference Collection materials. Other notable privileges that you do not have include access to online databases (from home) and The Alberta Library (TAL) Card. For more information about TAL Cards, go to: http://www.thealbertalibrary.ab.ca/viewPosting.asp?postingID=16.

Books (Circulating and Paperbacks Collections) can be borrowed for three weeks and renewed twice more for three weeks if there is no hold placed on the item. This gives you up to 9 weeks with any book. Audiovisual and Periodical Back Issues can be borrowed for one week at a time and renewed twice more for one week – so you can have those items for a maximum of 3 weeks if no hold is placed on the item.

If you need further information about Medicine Hat College Library Services, visit our website at: http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library/. For information about the Medicine Hat Public Library, visit their website at: http://www.mhpl.info/.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken Library (Local Phone #: (403) 529-3867); Toll Free Phone #: 1-866-282-8394,Ext. 3867).

AAQ#: 31853

Ask A Question - WiFi Configuration

Here is the latest Ask A Question (AAQ) that I answered:

Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.

Your question is: “How does one configure a wireless modum [sic. modem] to a mobile Notebook”? This is not a question that can easily be answered. For this question, we will assume that you are using a Windows-based computer (since they comprise 92-97% of the world market) with a built-in WiFi card (available in most computers under 3 years old).

There are many types of computer configurations that employ various hardware and software schemes, and just as many wireless network hardware and software schemes. Another consideration is whether you are referring to a WiFi connection that employs the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n standards of accessing a wireless local area network (LAN) or if you mean a wireless modem connection (those connections that are made through conventional cellular phone networks). The latter of the two mentioned methods is becoming more common as cellular providers now have specialized cards or phones that allow you to access cellular modem networks. It must be kept in mind that the following description is merely one way (and arguably the easiest) of establishing a standard WiFi connection (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n). We will not consider Bluetooth connectivity, since it is impractical/uncommon for Web browsing and e-mail access over a LAN.

If you are connecting by means of the WiFi access method to an LAN, we can address an easy method via Windows XP. That method would be to: (a) ensure that the wireless card is on; (b) look for an icon in your Task Bar’s tool tray that looks like a computer with three arcs radiating from it (it will appear with a red “x” if no connection is established (the “x” will disappear once a connection is established) – right click on this icon and select “View Available Wireless Networks”; (c) in the “Wireless Network Connection” window [that should have opened], select the “Refresh network list” option in the left-hand column; (d) select the wireless network that you want to connect to from the “Choose a wireless network” pane of the window, and click the “Connect” button. You should be prompted to login to the network (if encryption is available) or be given a warning that the network is unsecured (from a network where encryption is not available). Once the connection is established, the network that you selected to connect to should be displayed in the “Choose a wireless network” pane with its associated signal strength. You should now be able to peruse the Web or retrieve e-mail as desired. Select the “Disconnect” button (in the “Wireless Network Connection” window) when you want to terminate the connection.

If you cannot find the icon in the tool tray, you can view available WiFi connections by going to: Start (Task Bar; remembering to turn the WiFi card on beforehand) > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Network Connections [opens the “Network Connections” window]. Double click on the “Wireless Network Connection” icon that will open the “Wireless Network Connection” window. Proceed from step (c) in the previous paragraph to establish the connection.

This was one simple method of connecting using Windows’s built-in tools. Some laptops will provide additional proprietary vendor tools for establishing WiFi connections. If you cannot establish a connection, consult with your owner’s manual or use the vendor’s customer service support line. If you are using a cellular-based network to establish your connection, consult with the owner’s manual or the cellular provider’s support services.

There might be many reasons why you might have difficulty accessing a wireless network. Some of those reasons include: (a) password protection (WEP or WPA encryption will prevent you from having unfettered access to a network); (b) weak signal or signal interference; (c) incompatible standards; (d) unregistered Media Access Control (MAC) address – some networks require that you register you computer’s unique identity with them prior to connecting, even if you have a username and password set; and/or (e) network firewalls might also restrict access. These are some of the cases that you might encounter.

If you are connecting to an encrypted network, you will have to consult with the network’s administrators to establish a connection (i.e., register MAC address, and receive a username and password set). The previous method only discusses unencrypted networks.

Macs (Apple computers) connect in a similar fashion though it varies from Mac OS X.1-4. Consult the manuals that are provided with your Mac to establish a WiFi connection. The manuals are generally very easy to navigate and understand.

Whether you are using a Mac, Windows, or Linux-based machine, consult with the owner’s manuals or the operating system’s built-in help pages. Additional service should be provided by your computer’s retailer or the vendor. For further resources, consider consulting your local library’s online catalogue and use terms such as: computer, pc, windows, apple, macintosh, linux, mac(s); and pair them with terms such as: wifi, “network connection(s)”, “wireless networks”, etc. You will locate many basic and advanced resources that deal with the subject of establishing wireless connections from your laptop computer. You can find the Vera Bracken Library’s online catalogue at: http://eureka.uleth.ca/search~S2.

In closing, neither the library nor Computer Services provides support for personal equipment. We will not configure or modify your personal equipment for use on the campus’s WiFi networks.

Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).