Have you ever wanted to learn a skill, but haven’t found the time? Interested to learn more about library resources, straight from a librarian? This semester’s workshops at the University Libraries offer numerous opportunities to connect with resources to support your teaching, learning, and research needs.
The workshops — which are offered by the Libraries each semester on a variety of topics — are designed to help attendees learn a new skill, deepen their understanding of a specific topic, or gain exposure to an unfamiliar technology, tool, or technique.
All workshops are available at no charge and are open to Carnegie Mellon University faculty, staff, and students. Virtual and in-person workshops in both Hunt and Sorrells libraries are available. Seating is limited and registration is required.
This semester’s offerings include August 31 and September 11 sessions of STEM Librarian Kristen Scotti’s workshop “Python for All: Democratizing Coding Mastery with AI Chatbot Support.” The training, which Scotti first offered in February 2024, will lead participants through a series of collaborative, hands-on exercises demonstrating AI’s potential as a tool to debug and optimize code. For the first time, Scotti will also offer sessions focused on R, held Monday, August 24 and Friday, September 18. Participants will explore how AI chatbots can be invaluable resources for understanding, writing, and refining code, as well as for facilitating transitions between different coding languages.
For students curious about what treasures live in the University Libraries' Archives & Special Collections, a new workshop will give students a chance to dive into unique holdings like rare books, manuscripts, university records, and other primary sources. Sessions on Tuesday, September 22 and Wednesday, September 30 will walk through what the collections contain, how to search the catalog and finding aids to locate materials, and the steps for accessing items, including how to book an appointment to view materials in person.
Computational Research Librarian Erin Higgins is bringing back her Research Software Engineering series designed to help researchers write better, more sustainable code. The first session on September 8 will equip participants with knowledge of foundational software project management best practices, with following sessions covering writing code and version control, testing, documentation, and long-term maintenance.
Throughout the semester, Arts and Humanities Librarian Kristin Heath will also offer multiple sessions of her "Breathe, Reset, Connect with Your Heart" workshop. Held monthly in a virtual format to increase accessibility throughout campus, this 30-minute workshop shares the power of simple yet effective techniques like breathwork, gentle tapping to increase circulation in the body, and heart-centered meditation.
For a complete list of workshops and to register online, visit library.cmu.edu/workshops. If you’re not able to attend a specific workshop, but would like to learn more about the topic, please feel welcome to contact us. Librarians and subject specialists are also available to schedule additional workshops for classes, or facilitate one-on-one meetings.