December 19, 2007

Dear Sassy: I have a question regarding email attachments. Occasionally when I open a Word or Excel document someone has attached to an email, read it, and want to close it, I get prompted about saving the changes to the document. I always choose not to save changes, even though I did not change anything. What's up with that?
~Resisting Change in River City

Dear Resisting: Ahh, chances are that something did change in the document, you just may have not had an active role in the change. Even just looking at a document can change it according to Word. Think of the different screen sizes, page layouts, print options - just viewing a document will automatically resize it to your designated specifications on your machine.

December 19, 2007

Dear Sassy: Thanks to your recommendation, I regularly use Spybot to look for and remove spyware that may found its way onto my computer. Will I automatically get a reminder to download updates to Spybot, or do I need to look for updates when I use Spybot?
~Shaken, not stirred in the Library

Dear Shaken: Excellent question! Just like with our anti-virus software McAfee, Spybot needs to be updated before using. Sassy does not see an option to automatically download updates so you must Search for Updates, Download and Install them before running Spybot for maximum efficiency.

December 19, 2007

Dear Sassy: A student called asking how to locate the Rosetta Stone database to download languages to learn. Evidently other students have said that they went to the library website and downloaded it ans are using it to learn languages (Spanish, Greek, whatever). I did not find anything in the Databases page or in the Catalog. Is this something new, or was she given the wrong information by her fellow medical students?
~Lost in Translation

Dear Lost: The Rosetta Stone Database is available through the Shreveport public library. You can access it from home via their website using your Public library card.

December 11, 2007

Dear Sassy: HELP!! I had a patron send several print jobs to the printer over a 4 hour time frame and they are not showing up on the GoPrint server. Where are they? Can we still print them?
~Timing out in the Lab

Dear Timing: Whew! Let me think about this one. Currently GoPrint is set to purge all print documents after an hour, so technically they are gone from GoPrint... We can still print them but it is a tedious process. First, Sassy can print off a list from the GoPrint server of all the inactive (deleted) print jobs. Next, using the computer that the patron was on I can scan through the History of the Internet sites that had been visited. With these two lists (inactive print jobs and history from the computer) we can identify the articles that need to be printed off. This is not an easy task nor is something that you should do alone. If this should happen again, please let Sassy know so that I can help the patron. I am going to change the delay on GoPrint to 5 hours. This way patrons will have up to 5 hours to print their print jobs.

November 30, 2007

Dear Sassy: How does one start page numbering in Word with the second page (title page) as page 1? I tried sections unsuccessfully.
~ Lost in Numbering

Dear Lost: This is a great question! This is very handy to know since most people don't want their title page numbered. Open up your Word document, click on View> Header and Footer. This should open up a new toolbar and a dashed line box. Here you can insert page numbers, authors name and date. Hover over each icon and it will identify itself. There is an icon that looks like a page turning in a book - it is the Page Setup icon. Click on it. Click on the Layout tab and locate the Headers and Footers section. Place a check mark next to Different First Page. And click Ok to close the window.

Refer back to the hovering Header and Footer toolbar. The third little icon that looks like a hand holding a # will allow you to Format the page number. Click on this icon. For Page Numbering select to Start at 0. Next click on the # icon to Insert Page Number. This should start with the number 1 on the page following the title page.

November 15, 2007

Dear Sassy: I am working on a multi-paged document in Word. Seems like before I could scroll vertically but I don't have that option anymore. How can I get my scroll back?
~Bringing Scroll Back

Dear Bringing: Very timely question as Sassy had this problem too. Open up your Word document. Click on Tools > Options and the View tab. About 2/3rds of the way down you should see a Print and Web Layout Options. Make sure there is a check mark next to the Vertical Ruler. However, did you notice that "Print View only" notation next to the Vertical Ruler? To verify that you are in Print View click on View and then Print Layout. This should turn on your scroll bar.

November 7, 2007

Dear Sassy: When I open a WORD attachment in my email it shows up in the Reading Layout and I want it to show up in Normal or Print format. I find the Reading format bothersome. I looked at both the Options in Email and Word and can't find why this is defaulting to the Reading Layout. Can you tell me how to fix this????
~No Reading (Layout) for Me Librarian

Dear No Reading: This is a very good question. In fact Sassy's Word documents have been defaulting to the Reading Layout for sometime... and Sassy finds the Reading Layout bothersome as well! So thank you for the question! Open up your Word document through your email just like you have been. This Word document should still be in Reading Layout. In Word click on Tools > Options > General. At the top of this window you should see the option to "Allow starting in Reading Layout" - uncheck this option and OK out of the window. Close your Word document and open it again through your email. It should now open in the Normal format.

November 7, 2007

Dear Sassy: Thanks for setting up my PDA for me! It has been useful for taking notes. Although I noticed this morning that the screen was black... I pushed every button and still no response. Help!
~Back in Black

Dear Back: Sassy is glad that you are finding great joy in taking notes on your PDA. Sounds like you need to "reset" your PDA in order to see the screen. Take out the Stylus and turn your PDA over and look at the back. Do you see a little circular indention? Take your Stylus and press into that indention. That should reset your PDA. Don't worry - you won't lose any of your files and your screen should be back in full color.

October 15, 2007

Dear Sassy: I had a student want to use the Pathology of The Eye cd in the lab. How do I know which computer this cd is loaded onto?
~Eyeless in the Lab

Dear Eyeless: Great question! The Pathology of The Eye cd is one that can be checked out from the Circulation desk but can only be used on certain machines. Sometimes this information is listed in the catalog (and sometimes isn't) but I have also created a website that notes all the oddities for software and hardware in the library. You can also maneuver to the site by going to our home page and clicking on About The Library > Computer Lab and then Productivity Software located in the paragraph. I also updated the Computer Specifications on this page as well. If you notice any software or hardware that needs to be on these lists, please let Sassy know.

October 9, 2007

Dear Sassy: I noticed on Friday and again today that the Internet doesn't look the same on all the computers in the lab. What happened?
~Is it Monday?

Dear Monday: Thanks for bringing this to Sassy's attention! The Internet looks different because there is a different Internet browser to view the web page. A few months ago Internet Explorer 7 came out but our Computer Services folks decided to hold off on installing this program on our campus, and we have remained on Internet Explorer 6. However, over the last few days Computer Services has pushed out IE 7 to our machines. Not everyone has gotten the update yet so be patient. IE 7 is a little different from IE 6, feel free to take the tour and note the changes. If you are comfortable using Mozilla Firefox you will notice that IE 7 has a similar tab feature. If you notice any problems with IE 7 and our databases/ejournals/website please let Sassy know.

October 4, 2007

Dear Sassy: I used to be able to print double sided on the Circulation printer from my office but haven't been able to do so this last week. What happened?
~Perplexed about Duplex

Dear Perplexed: Thanks for bringing this to Sassy's attention! The Stuart's guys were just in and they installed some new software on the machine and that must be why we lost our duplexing capabilities. After a few calls to computer support and networking the machine is back in full force. Please let me know if you experience any other problems.

September 28, 2007

Dear Sassy: How do I open a zip file? I couldn't find the answer in your archive.
~Zippideedoodah

Dear Zippideedoodah: Great question! Thanks for checking the archive first, Sassy is glad to hear that some one refers to the archives when they have questions. In order to open a zip file you will need to have a zip program that will "unzip" the files for you. Sassy would be glad to install this program on your machine, just let me know.

September 27, 2007

Dear Sassy: Help!?! I just had a patron call and was unable to view a html/pdf article in PubMed but I could open it just fine on my machine in the library. The patron is located in the BRI and is accessing PubMed through our website. They are getting an "application error" or a request to pay $30 for the article. What is going on?
~Low on Cash

Dear Low: Yikes! Sassy has had two cases of this problem today! Sounds like you asked the patron all the right questions: they are physically located on campus, are accessing PubMed through our website which assures them our subscriptions and you are able to access the article so we know that we haven't lost access to the title. What Sassy suggests is to clean out the cookies (no, not drown yourself in chocolate chips) on the computer. Open up an Internet browser, at the top click on Tools > Internet Options > General and then click on Delete Cookies. This will not do any damage to the machine, unless you spill milk on the keyboard.

September 19, 2007

Dear Sassy: Do we have SPSS loaded in the computer lab?
~Statistically unsure

Dear Statistically: Sassy just had this question as well. We do not have SPSS loaded on our machines, the program we have in the small lab is SAS. These are two different programs and are not a substitute for each other.

September 19, 2007

Dear Sassy: Last night a high school patron had a CD that she wanted to access. We were unsure if it would work but she put the CD in the drive and the files opened right up. I thought patrons couldn't use CDs in the computer lab... Did something change?
~Lost in the Lab

Dear Lost: This is an excellent question. Nowadays most people use thumb drives to transport their files, however, there are still people using floppy disks as well as CDs. Most CDs we see today are to install programs. When this type of CD is put in the machine, an error message will pop up and not allow installation of files. Some CDs have programs on them but don't try to install anything to the computer - these run just fine on our computers. Whew!! That is a lot to digest! I guess what Sassy wants you to know, is to put the CD in the machine and try it (Sassy has learned this the hard way). If it works great! If not,the patron will have to install the CD on their own machine.

September 4, 2007

Dear Sassy: I received an email from the IRS stating that I was eligible for a tax refund of $109.30. Included in the email was a link to submit my credit card. Why does the IRS need my credit card information? Can't they just send me a paper check?
~Going Shopping

Dear Shopping: Hold on - don't go shopping quite yet. You have received a spam email. Sadly, you have not received a tax refund. Check out the Urban Legends update regarding the IRS spam. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

August 23, 2007

Dear Sassy: I send and receive many emails at work. What is the proper etiquette for emailing?
~Not so Miss Manners

Dear Manners: That is a great question! Sassy receives a lot of email as well so this is a perfect question to address. Sassy found a link for the Emily Post Institute that discusses Netiquette. Netiquette is etiquette for technology. Sassy also found an article that discusses business etiquette. Take a moment to read the articles. But of course, Sassy must put in her own two cents. Remember that email does a poor job of displaying emotion, so be cautious when writing sentences that can be taken multiple ways. Typing in ALL CAPS is hard to read, plus it suggests yelling and quite frankly intimidates Sassy. Use the Reply All button sparingly, we all have a lot of email to wade through... Also, take caution in using the CC and BCC buttons, again we have tons of email.

August 20, 2007

Dear Sassy: What happened to the printer out by the public workstations in the Reference area? Can students no longer print at those computers?
~Hoping to Print

Dear Hoping: You are very observant! Sassy had to "borrow" that printer late Friday afternoon to replace the public printer downstairs. But never fear, the machines in the Reference area can print to the printers in the large computer lab. In fact, the two machines that did print to the missing printer now have all the same privileges as the rest of the machines on this table. Previously that was not the case. Full text searching and access to the networked printers is now available on all machines.

August 1, 2007

Dear Sassy: What is an iPhone? I have heard lots of news about it and the hype surrounding it - but what makes this phone a big deal?
~iLost

Dear iLost: Sassy is excited that you are current with new technology! You may remember when the iPhone came out, the news station was interviewing all the people waiting in line to get it. The iPhone must be a big deal if that many people are that dedicated to wait in line to purchase one. Here is the Wikipedia link that will give you more information about the iPhone. But basically this is a camera, has Internet capabilities, e-mail, iPod (music), YouTube (video), has a touch screen like a PDA - oh and it is also a phone. :) The iPhone is about the same size as a PDA but offers many more functions. Apple makes the iPhone as well as the iPod. This is a new technology and the cost is high, hopefully the cost will decline as the hype fades.

July 18, 2007

Dear Sassy: I tried to assist a medical student in the lab - he needed help logging into the LSUHSC Medical School Curriculum page to get into Grade Book to view his grades. I was able to get there on the Reference desk but not in the lab. Why not? It kept asking me for a user name and password.
~ Dying to see if I Passed!

Dear Passed: Ahh, you have come across a difficulty with having "public" machines on the network. In order for students to log into the Curriculum page and Grade Book the students MUST user their email username/password in the lab. The catch is that they have to precede their username with LSUMC-MASTER\ just like when we log into OVID. For example mine would be username: "lsumc-master\aander" and then my email password. The reason you were able to get into the Curriculum page at the reference desk is because you were logged onto that machine and the Curriculum page used those credentials.

July 16, 2007

Dear Sassy: I was assisting a patron in the lab the other day and the printer kept saying to add paper - but I checked the printer and there was plenty of paper. What was going on?
~ Silly Printer there IS paper

Dear Printer: Oh how Sassy feels your frustration! The printer says to load paper, but all the paper trays are slap full of paper. Argh!! Sometimes what the printer says and what it really means are two different things. Some of the PDF journal articles are not meant to be printed on 8.5 by 11 paper, they want to be printed on A4 paper. If the patron has already sent the job to the printer (they have paid for it) you can follow the instructions on the printer to get it to print on 8.5 by 11 paper. Or you can always come get a member of the Systems department to assist. If the patron has NOT sent the job to the printer (or has more print jobs to go) there is a setting that needs to be changed. Open up the PDF document and click Print. On the Print Window there is an option to "Choose Paper Source by PDF Page Size" uncheck this option! This setting will be remembered the next time the patron prints.

July 16, 2007

Dear Sassy: I heard a rumor about iPods and lightning... Do iPods attract lightning strikes like a tall tree?
~ Ecstatically Waiting

Dear Ecstatic: You know, Sassy has also heard that cell phones also attract lightning strikes. But this appears to be a common myth according to Snopes.com. Cell phones and iPods do not attract lightning strikes but you do not want to have your metal ear buds in your ears during a storm. If you should get struck by lighting with your ear buds in your ears, the electricity from the storm combined with the metal in your iPod/cable/ear buds will serve as a conductor and allow the electricity to penetrate your body. This does not sound good and most likely will require a trip to the emergency room. It is better to be safe than sorry, don't listen to your iPod or plug into your cell phone during a storm.

Armadillo Pins

Sassy just wants to remind everyone that SCC/MLA chapter pins and Armadillo pins can now be purchased online at: http://www.sccmla.org/fundraising/order.htm. So order yours today!

July 10, 2007

Dear Sassy: I created a PowerPoint presentation and ran the spell checker, but I still noticed some misspelled words - especially in the headings. How do I catch those errors?
~ Can't Spell

Dear Spell: Of course you can spell! Sometimes Sassy's fingers don't type as fast as her brain thinks, or maybe it is the other way around... Anyway, there is a fix for your spelling errors. Sassy is guessing that your headings in your presentation are in all CAPS. Spell checker by default does not check words in all CAPS. To activate this feature click on Tools > Options > Spelling and Style. You will need to uncheck the "Ignore Words in Uppercase." Run the spell checker again and this should catch the misspelled words in all caps. On a side note, this also works in Word.

July 2, 2007

Dear Sassy: I received a distribution list via email. Is there a way to save this to my Contacts in Outlook or do I have to enter in all the names/email address to my Contacts?
~Missing my Contacts

Dear Contacts: Hmm, Sassy had to work on this one to figure it out. So thanks for sending me the question. At first Sassy kept trying to "save" the distribution list and then "import" into the Contacts. This is absolutely wrong! What you will want to do is to open up the attachment of the distribution list from your email. Next, click on File > Copy to Folder and choose your Contact Folder. This will save the distribution list into your Contacts. Now you can open up your Contacts Folder and you should see your new distribution list.

June 29, 2007

Dear Sassy: I have been receiving a lot of e-cards in my inbox lately. They say that they are from a "family member" but I don't recognize any of the sites listed to click on. Do you think these are spam?
~ It's not my Birthday

Dear Birthday: Sassy is glad that you asked this question. This IS spam that can compromise your system. Do not click on the link! There have been several emails sent from "E-cards.com" and "Netfuncards.com". As always if it looks suspicious it normally is suspicious.

PhD

I have been accepted to the PhD program in Library Science at TWU to begin this fall. Sassy won't be going anywhere as she is too expensive and thus will continue her day job.

June 22, 2007

Sassy has been asked to participate in the 2008 SCC Dallas invitation. Here is a link to their blog: http://sccmla.org/blogs/scc2008lac/invitation/. So stay tuned to learn more about the exciting SCC Annual Meeting to be held in Dallas next year. Also don't forget to schedule your hotel arrangements for Albuquerque for October.

June 22, 2007

Dear Sassy: On some blogs, I see an icon labeled "Del.icio.us It." What is the purpose of this icon? Why would Sassy it to her blog?
~ Is it really Delicious?

Dear Really: Sassy does apologize for not responding sooner. Sassy just created a del.icio.us account ~ not that there is anything posted there... Del.icio.us is a way to store your Internet bookmarks out on the web. This means that if you (or anyone else) needed to access your bookmarks no matter where you are or what computer you are using, you would be able to access them. The del.icio.us software will need to be installed on your computer and has an icon that looks like this: and will be placed on your Internet browser. On Sassy's blog there is a list of my favorite links. Sassy does now have a del.icio.us account but hasn't added anything quite yet. However, you can look at Kerri's del.icio.us page at: http://del.icio.us/kchris56/ to give you an idea of what it looks like.

June 6, 2007

Dear Sassy: I typed up my email message on my computer but I can't find the "send" button. What happened? Where did it go?
~ Starting to panic

Dear Starting: Don't panic! You can easily fix this problem. Since you already have a new mail message open you can click on View, Toolbars and make sure Standard is checked. Sassy is guessing that it was unchecked. After you select Standard your Send button (and many others) should reappear.

MLA

Hope everyone is enjoying reading the MLA blog while Sassy is away...

May 14, 2007

Dear Sassy: How can I tell if a website is secure?
~Probably lacking Security

Dear Probably: Great question! You can never be too secure when you are online! Shoot, you can never be too secure when you are off line! If you look up in the address bar you frequently will see: "http://" but if the site is secure you will see: "https://" The "s" designates that the site is a secure one. Also another identifying factor is the little padlock on the bottom right hand side of your internet browser window. If you would like to be extra, and I mean extra, cautious you can double click on the padlock to gain additional information on the security certificate.

MLA

This is not an ordinary Sassy post but wanted everyone to have a chance to read the Ask Sassy Systems... poster that will be presented at MLA. This will be Sassy's first trip to Philadelphia and first trip to MLA.

May 10, 2007

Dear Sassy: I just received an email with several word attachments. Is there a way to save all the attachments in one fell swoop?
~The Thane of Fife

Dear Thane: Interesting Macbeth tie in - very impressive! In order to save all the attachments in one fell swoop you will first need to open up the email message. Next click on File and then Save attachments. This will open a window in which you can designate a location in order to save the attachments. Do know that this method does NOT save the email but only the attachments.

May 10, 2007

Dear Sassy: I accidentally installed Internet Explorer 7 on my machine. Oops! How do I remove it and go back to IE6?
~Help me back to IE6

Dear IE6: Not a problem! You will find removing IE7 to be an easy task. Simply click on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs. Find "Windows Internet Explorer 7" and click Remove. This will require a reboot of your machine so make sure all files have been saved. Once your machine is restarted IE6 will have returned. Voilà!

May 4, 2007

Dear Sassy: I found an Excel document out on the web that I would like to send in an email to a colleague. How would I do that? I opened the document but can't find it to send as an attachment.
~TGIF

Dear TGIF: Sassy agrees Thank Goodness It's Friday! From your question Sassy knows you are almost there, you just need to save the file to your computer first. When you open a document (excel or word, etc.) from the web you must save it to your computer in order to send it in an email as an attachment. Just make sure you save the file in a memorable location.

Sassy has an addendum: Yikes! Looks like Sassy was mistaken. It appears that some individuals have the a toolbar at the top of the document and can send the document via email through this application.

May 3, 2007

Dear Sassy: I have noticed the Start menu looks different at the Reference desk vs. my office machine. How can I change this menu on my office machine?
~Just a Little Distraught

Dear Distraught: No worries! This is a feature that you can adjust according to your own tastes. Just Right click on Start and click on Properties. A window will pop up where you can select the Start Menu tab. You are provided two options at this point: Start Menu and Classic Start Menu. When you click the radio button next to each one, a graphic will appear and you can then Customize each menu. With either selection you can control what items are on your Start Menu. Once you have made your selection Click Apply and then Ok.

April 30, 2007

Dear Sassy: Every time I open Outlook I get an error message saying that I am missing a scanemal.dll file and that I might be out of memory. I've attached a picture of the error message below. How do I fix this problem?
~Happy Monday












Dear Happy: Thanks for including an image of the error. The complete error message really helps Sassy to determine what is going on with your machine. There is an "add-in" with Outlook that is trying to talk to McAfee, so what we need to do is to disable this communication. Open up Outlook, click Tools and then Options. Find the Other tab and click Advanced Options and then click on Add-In Manager. Click to clear the Exchange Scan check box and then click Ok to apply. This should solve your error message.

April 26, 2007

Dear Sassy: Where did the term "jewel" come from in relation to the jewel cases that house cds?
~Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

Dear Diamonds: Sassy must agree that diamonds are a girl's best friend, but sadly the term "jewel" in jewel cases does not refer to that kind of gemstone. According to Wikipedia, the meaning is derived from a watchmakers' use of "jewel" and generically refers to a polished bearing used in a mechanism. High quality watches and clocks use gemstones as bearings for their low friction proportion. Not that Sassy would know much about watches, as she can't keep a battery working so she doesn't wear a watch. But back on track regarding the jewel cases... If you look at a jewel case you will notice that there are plastic bearings (in its hinges) when you open/close the case, hence the term "jewel" case.

April 26, 2007

Dear Sassy: I have a Google toolbar that suddenly added a button I do not want. The button is for the Rolling Stone website. How do I remove this?
~Gathering no Moss in Shreveport

Dear Gathering: Glad to hear that you are keeping busy! Sassy had to download Google toolbar in order to assist you with your question. In order to change the settings for the Google toolbar you first need to have your internet browser open. In the Google toolbar there is a search box with a letter "G" and a down arrow. Click on this down arrow and then click on Manage. A new window will open up with some Toolbar options. Click on the Buttons tab. In this window you can add/remove buttons to your toolbar. If you would like to investigate other button options for your Google toolbar, visit this website: http://toolbar.google.com/buttons/gallery.

April 18, 2007

Dear Sassy: I received an error message on my computer stating that my virtual memory was low. Am I really losing my memory (on my computer not in real life)?
~Memory Loss

Dear Memory: Sassy is guessing that the error message also said that Windows was fixing the problem. If you have received this error message once - don't worry. Like Windows said, it fixed the problem. However, if you have received this message several times it could be a problem with Windows. First, we should make sure that your hard drive isn't too full. To do this, Right click on Start, Left click on Explore, locate the drive that you want to check (in this case it is the Local Disk C:), Right click on Local Disk C:, and Left click on Properties. This will open a new window with a graph as well as text noting your free space vs. used space.

If the amount of free space is under 10%, you will need to clean up your computer a bit. You can utilize the Disk Cleanup button on this screen to gather more free space. You could also delete old files - or move them to the libfilesbackup machine.

If the amount of free space isn't the problem, it could be just a setting in Windows that needs to be altered. On your desktop is an icon for My Computer. Right click on My Computer, Left click on Properties, Click on the Advanced tab at the top, find the Performance section and click Settings, Click Advanced, in the Virtual Memory section click Change, look for the System Managed Size option and select it if it isn't selected. With this change you will need to restart your system for it to be in effect plus it should end all the warnings.

April 18, 2007

Dear Sassy: I have to tell you I L-O-V-E your blog! I’ve got a real puzzler for you this time. I recently completed a project, and would like to gather all the various information on the project, including emails I have placed in personal folders, word documents, spreadsheets, etc. together in to one folder. Can you advise me on the best way to accomplish this? Where would you locate such a folder?
~ Ready to fold in Forbing

Dear Forbing: Excellent question! This question caused Sassy to test a few things before answering. Sassy would L-O-V-E to assist you in organizing your files. First, you need to know where you are saving your files (word documents, excel spreadsheets), most times these files are saved in the generic My Documents (or My Files) folder. If you don't know how to tell where your files are being saved - open up the file, and click Save As. This will open up a new window in which you can determine where the file is being saved.

Let's create a new folder in My Documents and place all the related files into that folder.

Here are the steps: Open My Documents. <If you are unsure how to get to My Documents: Right click on Start, (left) click on Explore. This will open up a new window. You should see a folder called My Documents (or whatever folder you save your documents to) on the left hand side.> Here you can right click within this window and click New and click Folder. Name the folder appropriately. Within this window you should be able to drag and drop your related files.

Now to get the emails to this newly created folder... Sassy hopes that you already have a personal folder set up with the emails that you want to put in this folder. Click on the personal folder that you want to incorporate into your folder in My Documents. You will want to Select All (CTRL A) and Copy (CTRL C) the emails. Once you have the emails copied then you will open your folder in My Documents and Paste (CTRL V). If your emails are spread throughout your Outlook, you will need to individually copy and paste the emails into this folder.

Whew, Sassy thinks this was the longest post ever. Sassy needs to go home early...

April 11, 2007

Dear Sassy: Why have the latest Ask Sassy Systems... emails been kinda plain? I mean, what happened to the snazzy new graphic of Sassy?
~ Missing the Graphic

Dear Missing: You have been paying very good attention to the latest Sassy emails, great job! Since this blog was created changes have been in the works for Sassy. Not only is Sassy able to publish to this blog, but I can also push out emails to the library faculty and staff with each new posting on the blog. Sadly the emails come from the blog software and aren't really that pretty. But at the bottom of each email is a link that will take you to the graphical blog. Plus all the previous Sassy articles are posted to the blog and it is searchable. It is available at http://sassysystems.blogspot.com.

April 10, 2007

Dear Sassy: What is a firewall? I hear about it all the time, I just don't know what it is.
~ Just call me the Fireman, that's my name

Dear Fireman: This is a great question! There are several uses for the word firewall. For instance, did you know that your car has a firewall? It is located between the engine of your car and the driver. Its purpose is to protect the driver in case of an explosion or other dangerous malfunction the engine might encounter. But Sassy is guessing that the "firewall" you are asking about is not in your Honda. A computer firewall separates one computer from the other computers on the other side of the "wall." Firewalls help limit computer viruses and spam email, and serve as a filter to the Internet. A firewall can either be hardware or software based. Basically a firewall will let you perform regular Internet surfing while making sure that individuals on the Internet can not access your files on your machine. So in a sense, both types of firewalls protect the end user; however, Sassy hopes that your computer will not explode nor have a dangerous malfunction.

March 29, 2007

Dear Sassy: In my Yahoo email account (from home, of course) I tried to add text to the end of a forwarded message. However, when I clicked Forward, a new window opens with the message "Note: forwarded message attached." I didn't want the message to be sent as an attachment. How can I make sure the text is in the body of an email versus an attachment?
~Linda was Left Hanging

Dear Linda: Sassy wonders if this problem has occurred in the past or if this is a new problem? Are you able to forward some emails, but not others? Hmm, Sassy doesn't normally answer a question with more questions but I am trying to understand more of the problem.

Sassy is guessing that the email file size is too big and possibly is a setting in your email account that emails over a certain size are automatically sent as attachments. You might try looking for that setting, although Sassy would have to test a yahoo account as I don't have one...

However, a quick work around would be to copy the email text and create a new message with this text. This way you can be certain that your text is in the body of the email versus an attachment.

March 28, 2007

Dear Sassy: When are we going to upgrade to Windows Vista? I've seen the advertisements on television and the new Vista looks pretty cool.
~Here Vista, Vista, Vista

Dear Vista: At this time the library does not have plans on upgrading to Windows Vista. In fact, Sassy doesn't think that LSUHSC has implemented Vista. I believe it is still in a test phase. If/when Vista is approved for release on our campus, the library will not really see a change. Most of our machines (as well as 80% of all machines in use today) are not Vista capable. Possibly WAY in the future newly purchased machines for the library will be equipped with Vista.

March 19, 2007

Dear Sassy: I had a patron in the computer lab experience problems when trying to reply/forward in their web mail. When she would click on "reply" a blank window would come up and then vanish. This also happened when she clicked on "forward." How do we reply/forward using the web mail in the computer lab?
~No Communications in the Lab

Dear Communications: The computer "thinks" that the new window to reply/forward is a popup window and kills it before it has a chance to open completely. This occurrence happens when browsing the Internet as well. In order to view the "popup" window we must out think the computer. Well, really we just need to override this feature - we must take back control! We do that by holding down the Ctrl key and then clicking on reply or forward. This will allow the window to open.

March 19, 2007

Dear Sassy: I need to print an Excel document I received in an e-mail. I have printed it and it all comes out on one page—which I cannot read. What do I need to do? Thanks!
~Printing not in Paradise

Dear Printing: This a great question where the answer can be applied to printing from all different mediums. First open up the document that you are trying to print. Go to File > Print Preview. This should give you an idea of what the document will look like before printing. Once you are in the Print Preview you should have some choices at the top of the window. Click on Setup. This will bring up the Page Setup menu. Carefully review the selections that are chosen on this page. Verify that the scaling of the page is correct. Or maybe you need to change the orientation of the page - portrait versus landscape. Once you have made your changes, click Ok. This will immediately activate your changes in the Print Preview screen. If your document looks good, go ahead and click Print. If you need to make some more changes, click back on Setup.

March 14, 2007

Dear Sassy: I just noticed that my clock on my computer has not updated for the Daylight Saving Time change. How do I get back on time?
~Running late because of DST

Dear Running: What a timely question! On our work computers we should have all the necessary updates that would adjust our clocks for DST. But you can double check just to be sure. Open up an Internet browser, click on Tools, Windows Update. And run the Custom updates. This will let you see what you are going to download/update prior to doing so.

If you have all the updates (except for IE7) we need to verify a setting on your computer. Click on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Date and Time. Once this window opens, click on the Time Zone tab and make sure the box is checked next to Automatically Adjust Clock for Daylight Saving Changes. Once you check this box, your clock should correct itself.

March 13, 2007

Dear Sassy: I am creating a PowerPoint presentation and would like to use screen captures of web pages. What would be the best way to accomplish this?
~Screen Captured via the Web

Dear Screen: Hmmm, Sassy had to test this one out first before responding. First, open up your Internet browser to the web page that you would like in your presentation. On your keyboard locate the F11 key and press it. This will maximize your viewing area for the web page. Next, press the ALT key and the Print Screen key at the same time. This will capture the active window. Open up your PowerPoint presentation and paste (Ctrl V) the screen capture into a blank slide. If you need to crop any of the image in your PowerPoint slide you can Right click on the image and click on Format Picture. To return your web page viewing area back to its normal state, press the F11 key again.

March 6, 2007

Dear Sassy: How do I get rid of the little window that pops up to remind me to clean up my desktop by running the "Desktop Wizard"? I don't use this function; I keep my desktop fairly clean.
~ Little Miss Merry Maid

Dear Merry: Sassy understands your frustration of being reminded to clear off "unused items on your desktop." If something is on Sassy's desktop, then it needs to stay there. Ok, right click on your Desktop. This will bring up a new window called Display Properties. Click on the Desktop tab at the top and then click on Customize Desktop. At the bottom of this new window will be a section labeled Desktop Cleanup. If you uncheck this option, the reminder window will go away. Happy cleaning!

March 6, 2007

Dear Sassy: I'm embarrased to ask this, but if I specify Norton anti-virus to run when "idle" does that mean my computer has to be connected to the Internet through my isp provider or, that my computer has to just be turned on? If it just has to be turned on, then how do I know Norton is running and when it is finished so I can turn off my computer? (Dial-up blocks telephone calls).
~ To be continued...

Dear Continued: Good follow up question! When the computer is "idle" it just means that it isn't running any programs, being idle doesn't have anything to do with Internet connectivity. For Norton to update its virus definitions, your computer must be connected to the Internet. Now, once your machine has the new definitions, you can disconnect from the Internet and run the Norton software to scan your machine.

From the past questions regarding Norton and your Internet use, it may benefit you more to complete all of your work on your machine and then manually update the Norton definitions, disconnect from the Internet and run the Norton scan software (in that order). When you manually run the software there should be a window showing the progress of the scan. This window will also be an indicator on when Norton is finished scanning so that you can shut down your machine.

March 5, 2007

Dear Sassy: I still have a few more questions regarding my anti-virus software. Can I specify when it runs? It seems to slow down my dial-up connection even slower. Can I check my email before it starts running, and then leave my computer on to do the Norton scan when I'm done working?
~Part deux on Anti-virus

Dear Deux: Keep the questions coming! Sassy wants to make sure that you have all the information you need to keep you and your machine happy. You can specify when the anti-virus software will run. Sassy does not have Norton installed, but you should be able to open up the program (Norton) to look to find where you can define options. With McAfee (like on our work machines) click Start > Programs > Network Associates > VirusScan Console. Once this opens you can specify when it will run as well as when the program will update.

For your home machine, instead of defining a time in which to update/run your software you may want to designate a time frame. In McAfee there are a few alternative choices you can make: At System Startup (where you can place a delay) or When Idle. If you select one of these options, this will guarantee that your machine will update on a regular basis (since your machine will be on) and hopefully not slow down your Internet connection too much.

March 5, 2007

Dear Sassy: How important is it to update my Norton Virus software annually on my home computer? It requires an annual fee of about $35.00. I have spybot search and destroy as well as automatic updates from various MS software products.
~ Frugal at home

Dear Frugal: If you get on the Internet at all on your home machine then you need an anti-virus software such as Norton or McAfee. The $35 annual investment for Norton is minimal compared to the damage viruses can inflict on your computer. Perhaps re-registering your software occurs on an annual basis but you need to update your software on a daily basis (or however frequently you get on your home computer). Sassy is sure that is what you meant, but did want to clarify.

March 2, 2007

Dear Sassy: Is it possible to alphabetize my list of favorites in Internet Explorer?
~ A to Z in IE

Dear A to Z: Why of course you can! Normally favorites are listed in chronological order. Meaning that the most recent favorite that you added is at the very bottom of the list. To alphabetize your favorites in Internet Explorer (and in Mozilla Firefox) click on your Favorites tab and Right click anywhere in the list. Select Sort by Name. This will place all of your folders at the top of the list with all your links below - all in alphabetical order.

This also brings up the point of naming your Favorites. When you click to add a website as one of your Favorites you can change the default name to something more descriptive. This is a good idea and will help you find what you are looking for faster.

February 23, 2007

Dear Sassy: I can't seem to send email from my laptop wirelessly. What is the problem?
~ Unplugged with no email

Dear Unplugged: This is a great question! It seems so obvious that we should be able to send email using Outlook on our laptops. However, there is a catch with Outlook (at our institution.) In order to send and receive emails on your laptop you MUST be connected via an Ethernet cable. You can login to the web version of Outlook and send/receive email on your laptop wirelessly. But if you use the regular version of Outlook you must be connected to the Internet via an Ethernet cable.

February 22, 2007

Dear Sassy: I need your continued help with Excel. Now, I want to know if I can force the text to wrap in select cells. When I hit the enter button at the desired spot, the text is deleted instead. What magic button will force the text to wrap?
~Often Clueless

Dear Clueless: You have come so far in mastering Excel, don't give up now! First you need to open up your Excel spreadsheet. Highlight the desired text by clicking on the cell or column that you want the text to wrap. Right click. Choose Format Cells. A new window will open and choose Alignment from the top tabs. In the middle of the box you will see Text Control. Place a checkmark next to Wrap text. And click Ok. Your text should be wrapped.

February 20, 2007

Dear Sassy: I am unable to log onto my laptop in the library. Can you tell me what is going on?
~ Logged out via Wireless

Dear Logged: This is a great question! This is a problem that several individuals have asked Sassy about. When you log onto your laptop, it remembers your LSUMC username/password. So, if you should change your password on your desktop, your laptop doesn’t know the new password. You must plug in the Ethernet cable for the laptop to recognize the new password and let you login. After you have logged in once with the new password you should be able to access the internet wirelessly.

These steps will work with our everyday patrons ~ people who have an LSUMC account. It will not work with visitor’s laptops since they do not have an LSUMC account.

Dear Sassy: What is a blog? Does the library have a blog? How would I access it?
~ Want to blog in the library

Dear Blog: A blog (weblog) is a web based publication that can be written in a journal format and is usually in reverse chronological order. You can find blogs on just about any subject ~ from dogs to science fiction to academia. In fact, Sassy has her own blog. You can find it at: http://sassysystems.blogspot.com/. It is a work in progress...

Sassy’s blog is searchable and has identifying labels after every post. You can also leave comments to each post.

You will need a blog feeder (reader) to stay current with reading of your blogs. You can subscribe as many blogs as you want and read them all at the same place (reader). This eliminates having to go to many different websites. Sassy uses http://www.bloglines.com/ to view all of her blogs. Please let me know and Sassy can help you create an account.

February 5, 2007

Dear Sassy: Are our computers able to convert Microsoft Works (.wps) files into a format readable by Microsoft Word? If not, can a converter be installed?
~ Would like to Convert

Dear Convert: Sassy is SO glad that you have requested a converter for our computers. Not everyone uses Microsoft Word, and sometimes Sassy forgets to include the Works users. Sassy has added a converter to the 3 networked machines out in the Reference area. You should be able to open the .wps document by going through Word.


Dear Sassy: I overheard someone talking about “defragging” their machine. What is defragging and should I be doing it?
~ Defragged in the Library

Dear Defragged: Ahh, to defrag or not to defrag – that is the question… Defragging is a good thing, but let me explain a little about the process. Disk defragmenter is a System Tool on your machine. This application rearranges the files that are stored on your hard drive so that they are lumped together instead of spread apart. This process can increase the speed of your machine. You can access it by clicking on Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. Once you click on Disk Defragmenter you will have a colorful graph on display. By reading the legend you can determine just how defragmented your files are. If you click Analyze, your machine will perform a quick scan and tell you if your machine needs defragging or not. If your machine does need defragging, try to start the process when you will not need your computer – like at lunch. Defragging can be time consuming depending on the amount of files that need to be moved. Normally after the initial defrag the following defrags will be quicker. Defragging can be done on a monthly or bimonthly basis.

January 22, 2007

Dear Sassy: I know that my personal folders in my email do not count against my allotted email space. But what about items in the Sent folder and the Recycle Bin? Do these items count against me?
~ Lost in Syracuse

Dear Lost: Great job on remembering that personal folders DO NOT count against your allotted email space. Unfortunately, items in the Sent folder and the Recycle Bin do count against your space. Don’t forget that items in your Inbox and your Drafts count as well. So every now and then you need to clean out your email folders. If you can’t bear to delete it, put it in a personal folder.


Dear Sassy: I can’t seem to log into one of the machines in the computer lab. I am using the username/password that is on the screen: username “WKS23” and password “public” plus the domain is set to “LSUMC-MASTER.” What am I doing wrong?
~ Locked Out in the Computer Lab

Dear Locked Out: Sassy is SO glad that you are trying to keep all the machines up and running in the computer lab. Sometimes patrons log out of the computers. Not that they are required too, it just sometimes happens. If you have tried the correct username/password and domain combination on the machine and are unable to log in, please let a member of Systems know. Just like on your own machine, if 3 unsuccessful attempts have been made at logging on to the machine it locks down and requires resetting from Computer Services.

January 8, 2007

Dear Sassy: I tried to update and run the Spybot program that you installed on my PC but it keeps giving me an error message “Bad CheckSum.” How do I fix this problem?
~ Spybot with Errors

Dear Spybot: Sassy is SO glad that you are active in keeping spyware off of your computer by updating and running Spybot! Sassy tried to update Spybot and received the same error message that you did. Spybot has come out with a new version (1.4) that must be installed in order to keep up with the new spyware out there. Let Sassy know if you have Spybot so that I can update your program to 1.4.

For those of you that don’t have Spybot on your machine – we need to get this program on your computer. Spybot is a program that eliminates spyware on your machine. Spyware is a type of software that is installed on a computer (usually without the users consent) that tracks information about the user. All of this activity occurs in the background and can slow down the performance of your computer. Sometimes spyware is attached to a valid program that is installed on a computer. Sassy could go on and on about spyware, so if you would like to read more view the wikipedia entry on spyware.

Spyware is not something to be afraid of, we just need to remove it.


Dear Sassy: I’ve noticed less of the brown webpage timeouts recently. Has something changed?
~ Less timeouts in the Library

Dear Timeouts: Great question! We had been experiencing a lot of trouble with the internet before the holidays. Librarians couldn’t get to valid websites to perform research. During the holidays networking has made a few adjustments that should eliminate the brown screen webpage that indicated internet congestion. If you should get the internet congestion error, please let me know and I will inform networking.

December 18, 2006

Dear Sassy: Can you tell me where the USB ports are on the public computers? We have a lot of patrons trying to use their thumb drives but I don’t know where they should plug them in.
~ Searching for the USB

Dear Searching: This is an excellent question! Sassy can’t tell you the number of times I have seen people with their thumb drive in hand (no pun intended) looking a little puzzled trying to find the USB port.

The USB ports on the machines in the computer labs are a little tricky to find. And for that we must thank Dell for their creative placement of the USB port.

There are two USB port locations on the machines. The first is on the front. If you notice most of the machines are missing the gray Dell flap on the front of the machines – under this flap is where you will find 2 USB ports. This flap does have a hinge on the top and can angle up out of the way. The ports are set at an angle and really the best way to insert the thumb drive is to really get down there (yes on the floor) so that you can see what you are doing and insert the thumb drive.

The additional 4 USB ports on the machines are located on the back. You can find these ports close to the mouse and keyboard (green and purple) wires. These USB ports work better for some styles of thumb drives – especially odd sized ones and those on key rings.

Oh – and another tip regarding thumb drives… If a patron is having problems getting the computer to “recognize” their thumb drive – have them insert it into another port (front vs. back.)


Dear Sassy: I have some handouts that I would like to give out at my next class. They are in color but I don’t have a color printer … do we have any way of printing those in color?
~ I’m dreaming of color printouts

Dear Dreaming: This question is perfectly timed with the installation of the networked color printer at the Reference Desk! How did you time that SO well?! If you would like to be able to print to this color printer, just let Sassy know and I can get that set up for you. And just a reminder… as with all printing (especially color) we must be respectful in what we print. The color toner cartridges are VERY expensive, so we must only print in color when absolutely necessary.

December 4, 2006

Dear Sassy: During the “Geeks Bearing Gifts” class Michelle talked about making sure our computers were up to date on the anti virus software. How do we check that?
~ Anti Virus in the Cold Weather

Dear Anti Virus: This is a very good question, Sassy is SO glad that you are in tune with keeping your computer safe. First let me explain a little about the functions of the anti virus software. For our purposes there are two important aspects to remember regarding McAfee (our anti virus software.) One is that viruses are always popping up so new definitions are made to block those viruses.

So this makes it very important to Update your McAfee so that it has all the new definitions. And two, after your McAfee is updated, it is also very important to Run the software. Both of these steps go hand in hand, and Sassy can go on and on about their importance… so update and run

Most, if not all, of our machines update and then run on a daily basis. To check to see when your machine is scheduled Click on Start >> Programs >> Network Associates >> VirusScan Console. This will open up a new window where you should see AutoUpdate and Scan. You can change the schedule by double clicking on each feature. Let Sassy know if you run into any problems, I would be glad to assist.


Dear Sassy: I was attempting to perform a search in PubMed, and received the message below. What does this mean?

Bad Gateway!
The proxy server received an invalid response from an upstream server. If you think this is a server error, please contact the webmaster.
Error 502
~ Hating the Bad Gateway in Caddo

Dear Hating: Wow, it appears by your signature that you have a lot of frustration. Maybe you need to get a cheeseburger from Herby K’s? Never fear, this really isn’t as bad of an error message as it appears. Let me explain what it means. The 502 Bad Gateway error is an HTTP status code that means that one server received an invalid response from another server that it was accessing while attempting to load the web page.

Whew! And now the jargon free explanation is that there was a connection problem between the two servers. The best thing to do is to try to access PubMed again by clicking Refresh. If you are still experiencing problems accessing this page, you may want to contact the webmaster at the address listed on the error page and advise them of the error message you received. Most importantly this error message does NOT mean there is anything wrong with your machine or the internet connection.

November 13, 2006

Dear Sassy: It seems that every time I open my email I get a reminder to change my password. It is good to be reminded, however, it occurs daily counting down from 14 days. Help?! Is there someway to get out of all these reminders?
~ Remind me Less

Dear Remind: Sassy agrees that a good reminder can help get tasks done, however, a bad reminder can hinder productivity and can seem quite annoying. Sassy can change the amount of days that you are reminded to change your password. It will take less than 2 minutes to change. Just let me know and I will be glad to shorten your list of reminders.


Dear Sassy: I have heard other people using a “Print Screen” feature. Can you tell me more about it and how to do it?
~ Capture less on the Monitor

Dear Capture: Fabulous question! There are many joys to using Print Screen. The “Print Screen” feature takes a snapshot of your monitor screen. This is very useful when creating handouts for a class or developing a step-by-step instruction manual. Print Screen is very easy to use and master. First take a good look at your keyboard. Somewhere close to the top right should be a button that says “Print Screen” – it may be one of your function keys. To activate the Print Screen all you do is 1st have the window open that you want copied and 2nd press the Print Screen button. To view your screen capture open up a word document and Paste your capture. You should have a full view of your screen at this time.

But what if you are working in several windows and only want one single window copied? Ahh, Sassy just learned this handy dandy trick last week. Hold down the Alt key while pressing down the Print Screen button. This will only copy the active window.

As always, if you would like a member of the Systems Department to assist you with this or any other problem, please let us know.

October 30, 2006

Dear Sassy: I saw the new release for Internet Explorer 7 on the Shreveport E-announcements page. According to the announcement we are NOT supposed to download this update. I currently have the little yellow shield down in the bottom right hand corner of my screen that says I have updates to install. Can I install these or does it have Internet Explorer 7?
~ IE 7 updates in Question

Dear IE 7: Sassy is impressed that you are receiving your E-announcements and reading them! Great job! Currently you don’t have anything to worry about regarding Internet Explorer 7. We at LSUHSC-S are not installing this product at this time.


Dear Sassy: I was helping a patron the other day using the printers in the lab. One of the printers had gone down and was not working. Even though there was a sign directing the user to print to the lone working printer, they accidentally sent their print job to the non-working printer. The patron had already released the print job from the release station and paid for it. What do I do now? Does the patron need to reprint their print job and pay for it again?
~ Broke down in Printer land

Dear Broke: Oh how Sassy knows your pain! Please let me know anytime a patron has done this. It can be very frustrating for the staff and for the patron who has already paid for their print job and they can’t get it to print. Sassy can redirect the print job using the GoPrint software and send their print job to a working printer. This is a fast process and keeps the patron from having to pay twice for their print job.

October 10, 2006

Dear Sassy: I found an article in PubMed but there isn’t a LSUHSC-S icon on the PubMed screen. The e-journal is listed on our e-journals page and my article falls between the years of coverage. Why isn’t there an icon in PubMed and who should I contact?
~ Icon missing in the Library

Dear Icon: This is a great question but not necessarily an easy one to answer. There can be several reasons that the icon in PubMed is missing. Not all of the journals and/or publishers are listed in LinkOut, which feeds our holdings into PubMed. So therefore if the journal and/or publisher is not listed then our icon will not be present. Make sense?

Plus Ebsco likes to control its own PubMed icons. When our holdings change through Ebsco, they are responsible for updating LinkOut. Also when our holdings change with other publishers there is a delay in getting PubMed updated. Sometimes we are notified by the publisher about these changes but other times we aren’t so lucky..

Now as far as who you are to contact when you come across a record in PubMed that should have our LSUHSC-S icon… that lucky individual is our own Montie’ Dobbins. Applause… Applause… Hmm, Sassy may owe Montie’ chocolate for this announcement. But seriously just send Montie’ an email with the e-journal title, year and if possible the PMID. The more you send her the more informed she will be in tackling the problem.


Dear Sassy: I have noticed the Reach Out and Read donation box by the Circulation desk. I know that we can place books in this box for the ROR but how would I make a monetary donation?
~ Dollars for ROR

Dear Dollars: Thanks for the question, this is a little off topic for Sassy but still very pertinent to the Library. I spoke with resident ROR Queen Kerri Christopher for guidance in answering your question. She suggested filling out the United Way Donation slip that was included with your payroll stub and marking 51. LSUHSC-S Reach Out and Read Program as the recipient of your gift. You can designate a one time or a continuous gift.

September 25, 2006

Dear Sassy: Isn’t there some trick for finding old emails when I can’t remember which folder I put it in? Ways to search by subject or by sender? I seem to spend a lot of time looking through e-mails for the one I need.
~ Still searching in Shreveport

Dear Searching: Ahh… Sassy is full of tricks up her sleeve. This is a great question, anything Sassy can do to help streamline your workflow please ask! With your email (Outlook) open click on Tools and Find. This should bring up a toolbar at the top of your email folder in which you can enter terms to search.

You can choose the specific folder if you know it or you can search all mail folders. You can enter in subject, sender or a search term from the body of the email. Click Find Now to begin your search. You will receive a lot of false hits but it will help greatly narrow down the correct email in which you are searching for.

Incidentally you can also Sort your emails by sender, subject and received date. At the top of your inbox click From to sort alphabetically by sender, click Subject to sort by subject, and so on.


Dear Sassy: I have noticed that you type in a password on your machine when you have been away from your office. Why do you lock down your machine and should I?
~ Lockless in the Library

Dear Lockless: Wow! You are very observant! Sassy locks down her machine as a security measure. If someone were to access her computer while she had stepped out of her office they could not get past the password screen. If Sassy forgot to lock down her machine, her email could be accessed as well as all the files that she has on her machine. It is a very good practice to lock down your machine when you step away.

Just hit Ctrl, Alt and Delete to bring up the Security Screen. Click Lock Computer. Your machine is now locked down and will require your password to open up. This password is the same one that you log onto your machine with. Locking your computer will not affect any of the files or programs that you were working on. Everything will remain open until you close it down.

September 11, 2006

Dear Sassy: I noticed that when I put in the thumb drive that you gave me for Disaster Planning, it has your name. How did you do that?
~ Nameless in the Library

Dear Nameless: Ah ha! That is where Sassy’s missing thumb drive is! Just kidding. It is a good practice to “name” your thumb drives for identification. More to identify the thumb drive (if you have more than one) and not really to identify the owner if the thumb drive should be lost.

With the thumb drive inserted into your machine:
Right click on Start
Click on Explore
Scroll down until you find the thumb drive listed
Right click on the thumb drive
Click Rename
Type in the name you wish


Dear Sassy: I have heard the phrase “drag and drop” from several different people. What exactly does that mean and how would I use it?
~ Dragging and dropping on Kings hwy

Dear Dragging: Great question! There is more than one meaning for the phrase “drag and drop.” One version of drag and drop is a JavaScript element that allows resizing of images on the web. Another version of drag and drop is a method to move or copy files. Sassy is betting that the second version is the one you would like to know about.

Here are the directions for dragging and dropping files:
Press, and hold down, the left button on the mouse, to "grab" the file,
"Drag" the file/cursor to the desired location,
"Drop" the file by releasing the button.
And there you have “Drag and Drop” as another method for moving or copying files/folders.

August 28, 2006

Dear Sassy: I have seen on the news laptops spontaneously catching on fire. Are we at any risk?
~ Fire hazard in the Library

Dear Fire: Great job keeping up with the news! Just recently Apple began a recall on its batteries; previously it was Dell that implemented a recall. In the library, 99% of our laptops are Dell. In fact, all of the laptops that are used for teaching are Dell. Sassy has checked all of our laptops and we only have one that is listed in the recall. We are in the process of obtaining a new battery for that machine. So you are quite safe from flammable laptop batteries in the library.


Dear Sassy: In some emails that I receive, there is a standard looking name and address down at the bottom of the email. Do they type that information every time? Surely there is an easier way.
~ Surely on Kings Highway

Dear Surely: You have come to the right place! Of course there is an easier way to incorporate a “signature” into your emails. The name and address at the bottom of the emails is called a signature. To add a signature to your emails open up your Microsoft Outlook. Click on the top toolbar Tool > Options and then the Mail Format tab. The third section is where you can add a signature. Click on Signatures… and then New. Type the information that you would like included in your emails in the box. When you are done, click Finish. If you are satisfied with the Preview of your signature click Ok, if not, click Edit. Click the drop down menu next to Signature for New Messages and highlight your new signature. You can also choose to have the same signature (or different one) for replies and forwards. Once you have made your selections click Ok. To test, click on New message to begin composing a message your new signature should now be at the bottom of your message.

August 14, 2006

Dear Sassy: I have some personal folders set up in my email ~ do those count against my allotted email space? And besides, how would I know how much space I am taking up except when I get the “over the limit” emails from Computer Services?
~ Running out of Space in Shreveport

Dear Running: These are some great questions! Personal folders help organize the plethora of emails that Sassy gets. In fact, most of Sassy’s email is routed to a personal folder of some sort. These do not count against my allotted space on the network. Personal folders are saved on each individual computer.

Now, want to know how to avoid those emails from Computer Services? Unless you have a lot of email, and I am talking about A LOT, you really shouldn’t be receiving those emails anymore. Back in January Computer Services doubled the amount of space we have allotted to our email to 100 MB. If you are curious to see how much space your email is taking up… Open up your Microsoft Outlook program and in your Folder list Right click on Outlook Today - [your last name, first name] and then Click on Properties. This will open a new screen with the General Tab selected Click on Folder size… at the top there should be a Total size listed as well as a break down of each folder size underneath. The total size of Sassy’s email is 37235 KB or 37.235 MB (1000 KB = 1 MB).


Dear Sassy: Sometimes after using a laptop or my regular desktop computer I Logoff versus Shutting Down. Does that matter, I mean what is the difference? They both log me off of the computer.
~ Logging off in the Library

Dear Logging: Ahh… Sassy is SO glad that you have submitted this question. Sassy has noticed that some of the laptops have lost their charge due to not being Shut Down. If you use a laptop please go ahead and choose Shut Down from the Start menu. This option will completely turn off the machine. If you should choose Logoff from the Start menu this will indeed log you off of the computer, but it is still on and functioning. And if you physically close the laptop it will go into Sleep mode… where the machine is not quite on but then not off either. Sleep mode will drain the battery of a laptop.

Now for your desktop station you can either Logoff or Shut Down. If this machine is publicly used like the Reference Desk or Circulation Desk machines, you probably will just log off so that the next user can just Log on to begin using the machine. However, if your machine is used solely by you, or you are the last user on a public machine, you can just Shut Down the machine when you leave for the day.

July 10, 2006

Dear Sassy: In PubMed, what does the filter “Link to Full Text” mean? When I perform a search and use this limit I get journals that we don’t have a subscription and requests money for viewing the article.
~ Full Text but not free in Shreveport

Dear Full Text: This is an amazing question, this one stumped Sassy (and several other brilliant minds). After a lengthy call to PubMed I have got some answers for you. You performed a search in PubMed and added the limit “Links to Full Text.”

What this limit is referring to is ALL full text, not necessarily full text that we have a subscription for. The “Full Text” phrase that is used here also includes the Publisher since technically they do offer “Full Text” we may just not subscribe to it.

If you are wanting your search results to consist of “Full Text” articles that we (LSUHSC-S) have a subscription to you will need to include this line in your search strategy: AND loprovlsuhsclib [filter].


Dear Sassy: I noticed in the computer lab a workstation that did not have all the links or icons on the desktop like it should, nor could it send jobs to the printer. What was going on?
~ Linkless on Kings hwy

Dear Linkless: Sometimes users log on to the workstations using their username and password. When that happens, they do not have access to the printers and some of the icons. If you come across a machine like this, just log off and log back on as the workstation. The usernames and passwords of each workstation are listed on the login screen.
As always, if you would like a member of the Systems Department to assist you with this or any other problem, please let us know.

June 26, 2006

Dear Sassy: Sometimes when I am typing a name or address in the “To:” field in my Outlook email – name(s) automatically come up. Is there a way to delete those?
~ Nameless in LA

Dear Nameless: What a great question! Occasionally Sassy has sent an email to the wrong person due to misclicking on those automatic selections. How embarrassing for Sassy! However, there is a quick fix for to avoid this embarrassment. While you are typing a name or address in the “To:” field if there are other names that begin with the same letter sequence you will receive an option to select one.

If you would like to delete one or all of these options, use the arrow key on your keyboard to select the one you would like to delete and press “Delete” on your keyboard. Remember, deleting this entry from this window will not delete the name/address from your Address Book.


Dear Sassy: In a previous column you talked about the difference between Windows updates and Office updates. I didn’t understand exactly what you were talking about. I mean, my computer is set to automatically update – I shouldn’t have to do anything else regarding updating … right?
~ Confused in the Library

Dear Confused: Sassy appreciates your honesty with being confused about a previous entry. Please at anytime if something doesn’t make sense let Sassy know (sometimes Sassy gets off her medication). Since Microsoft is in both of the names (Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office) Sassy can definitely see how it would be confusing. Your computer is set to automatically update Windows. This is the operating system for your machine – the big cheese – the big kahuna – where the rubber meets the road… Whew! The Office updates are for your Office products: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Office is a “Family” of programs that when placed on your computer will need updates just like we discussed with Adobe Acrobat. Please refer to a previous column for explicit instructions on updating Office. Even though both of these entities are Microsoft based, they require separate updating. Windows updates automatically while Office requires manual intervention. Sassy hopes that this helped to clarify any confusion that you may have had regarding Microsoft Windows vs. Office, if it didn’t please let me know.

As always, if you would like a member of the Systems Department to assist you with this or any other problem, please let us know.

June 5, 2006

Dear Sassy: Thanks for the reminder to back up my files on the “libfilesbackup” server! I just tried to access the backup server by using the link that you placed on my desktop but I receive an error message when I click on the link. I guess I messed up my link – can you come fix it for me?
~ Broken link on Kings Hwy

Dear Broken: Sassy is so glad that you are trying to back up your files onto the “libfilesbackup” server! Do not worry – you did not mess up your computer. Sassy has complete confidence in you!

If you are receiving error messages regarding the “libfilesbackup” server, then something has gone awry with the server – not with your computer. Sometimes when there is a blip in the electrical power (or just because the server wants a break) it needs to be rebooted. Once the backup server is rebooted you should have no problems accessing it via the link that is on your desktop. Do please let the Systems Department know when you are unable to access the backup server and we can reboot the server.


Dear Sassy: Occasionally when I look at a pdf file, a lot of Adobe Acrobat update options appear. These range from Adobe 3.17912839 to Adobe Exercise-a-rama! How do I determine which updates to select? Should I choose 6.0, 6.1, and 7.0? Help!
~ Trapped on the High wire

Dear Trapped: Great question! Sassy can tell that you are an observant computer user. Sassy is interested in learning what version of Adobe Acrobat Reader you are using. If you are using anything below version 7.0 you will want to update your Reader. In fact, that may be one of your updates that keeps popping up (critical updates are marked with an *asterisk.) If it is not listed, you will want to uninstall the Reader that you have and reinstall the newest version at http://www.adobe.com. Once you have the newest Reader you will want to install the critical updates and then use your own judgment for the other updates. There is normally a description listed that will aid in your decision. Sassy isn’t so sure about the “Adobe Exercise-a-rama” update… As always, if you would like a member of the Systems Department to assist you with this or any other problem, please let us know.