Article in Wired magazine about Google's search algorithm

If you have ever wondered how Google manages to consistently retrieve such relevant results, this month's Wired magazine lifts the lid. The article illustrates how important the words you enter into the search box actually are "a rock is a rock. It’s also a stone, and it could be a boulder. Spell it “rokc” and it’s still a rock. But put “little” in front of it and it’s the capital of Arkansas. Which is not an ark. Unless Noah is around". It pays to think about the search terms you use, especially with Google, where it is being used to find information on every topic imaginable.

Levy, Steven. How Google's algorithm rules the web. Wired 2010, March. Published online 22 Feb 2010. The article is available online at www.wired.com/magazine/2010/02/ff_google_algorithm/all/1.

Library & Archives Service Staff Survey

This is an opportunity for all staff to provide feedback on the services we provide and would appreciate it if you could take some time to complete our survey.

Your feedback will help us form our strategy for the next 5 year.

Library & Archives Service Student Survey

The Library would welcome your feedback on the services we provide and would appreciate it if you could take some time to complete our survey.

All entries are anonymous and this will help us plan our services for now and for the future.

Changes to the Library Laptop Loan Scheme

From Monday 22nd February, in response to feedback received at the Enquiries Desk, the Library Laptop Loan Scheme will be operating slightly differently.

In order to ensure a steady rotation of fully-charged laptops throughout the day, laptops will be loaned out to registered users for use within the Library in fixed two-hour time slots. Laptops may be taken out at any time during the time slot, but must be returned by the end of the current session. Library staff will advise you what time the laptop is due for return when they loan it to you.

The new system should guarantee that 7 fully-charged laptops are available for loan at the start of each two-hour time slot. As before, laptops are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

Web of Knowledge - Maintenance this Sunday, February 21st 2010 beginning 14.00hrs

Thomson Reuters have sent out the following message:
Please be advised that Thomson Reuters will be performing maintenance to the ISI Web of Knowledge, EndNote Web and Researcher ID this coming Sunday, February 21st, 2010 beginning 14.00 GMT (9:00 AM EST). During this time, there will be disruption of service and access to these products. We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause.

Wartime diets at home and abroad - collections from the LSHTM nutrition archive

An exhibition displaying archive material from the School's nutrition collection is being held in the library.

The material looks at wartime diets at home and abroad, focusing on Ministry of Food literature and surveys and prisoner of war diets in the Far East.

For further information on the nutrition collection, please see the nutrition project webpage at: http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/library/archives/nutritionproject.html

Library e-resources: support for teaching & research @ e-library, 19 Feb, 1-2pm

The amount of academic information available electronically is increasing each year. It's not just databases and journals which are available online, the Library now provides other types of information in electronic format, such as:

• online reading lists (does your module have an ORC?)
• images (via PhotoLibrary)
• e-reports
• e-books
• online reference works
• help and user-guides

Come along to the drop-in session in the e-library where Library & Archives Service staff will be on hand to provide advice, answer queries and demonstrate the wide range of e-resources which are now available.

The e-resources session will take place on Friday 19th February from 1-2pm in the e-library (ground floor of the South Courtyard, next to the Manson Lecture Theatre).

Gems from the Collections - malaria

Staff and students are invited to have a closer look at the wonderful historical collections that are held at the School. On Wednesday 17th February, between 12 and 2pm in the e-library on the ground floor of the South Courtyard, the Library & Archives Service is holding a 'Gems from the Collections - Malaria' session where staff will be available to show you some of the rare and unique documents, artefacts and books that we hold relating to malaria. Material on show will include:
· The notebook where Sir Ronald Ross made his discovery of the mosquito transmission of malaria
· The box used to transport malaria infected mosquitoes from Italy to London for an experiment by Sir Patrick Manson in 1901
· Material from an expedition to East Africa by School staff to study malaria in the 1930s
· Material from the collections of School staff who worked on malaria including Draper, Garnham, Gillett, Leeson, Lumsden, MacDonald, Macfie, Marshall, Shute, Watson and Wilcocks
· Maps relating to the study of malaria

We will also be displaying some of our rare books and journal articles on all aspects of malaria, including

• Torti, F. Therapeutice specialis ad febres quasdam perniciosas,[Special treatment for certain harmful fevers] Modena, 1712.
• de Blegny, Nicolas. Le remede anglois pour la guerison des fievres [The English remedy for the curing of fevers] 1682.
• Laveran, A. Traite des fievres palustres avec la description des microbes du paludisme. 1884
• Grassi, GB Studi di uno zoologo sulla malaria. Roma, V.Salviucci, 1900.
• Ross, R. On some peculiar pigmented cells found in two mosquitos fed on malarial blood. BMJ 1897; 2: 1786-8.

There is no need to make an appointment, just drop in and see us in the e-library and find out more about the School's historical collections.

For further information, please contact Victoria Cranna, Archivist & Records Manager.

Want to borrow from another library?

Members of the School can join many UK university libraries (including libraries within the University of London) as borrowers via the SCONUL Access Scheme. All you need to do is pop into the Library here at LSHTM with your School ID card and register at the Enquiries Desk. We'll then give you a SCONUL Access card, which you can use to join any participating library in the country.

Estates Works Affecting The Library, Saturday 6th February

This Saturday Estates staff will be carrying out essential work within the School, which will include some work adjacent to the Keppel St lift on the first floor landing outside the Library. We will keep the doors closed to minimise the noise transfer, but there will inevitably be some disruption. Estates apologise for any inconvenience to Library users caused by these works.