I am excited to introduce the latest innovation in the HKUST Library: a heatmap that shows the temperature across various areas of the library. Imagine this: you are looking for a quiet corner to dive into your studies, but you want to avoid areas that might be too cold or too warm. With our temperature heatmap, you can easily see which parts of the library are more comfortable for you. This project was developed by our student helper, Jessie Lou (Year 3, BSc in Data Science and Technology) in the 2023/24 summer semester. We are grateful for her contributions! The library listened to users' feedback that we collected from LibQUAL survey, about Library users’ concerns about the temperature. I am also glad to leverage technology to improve your library experience. We hope you find this new tool helpful. Please open the links below to try it and see the project details. Library Temperature Heatmap (Beta): https://lbapps.hkust.edu.hk/heatmap/index.html For more details, implementation method, and source code, please visit the Digital Scholarship DS CoLab website: https://library.hkust.edu.hk/ds/project/s001/ Terry Yip Librarian (Systems & Digital Services) lbterry@ust.hk

Earlier this month we introduced seven new SciTech books authored by HKUST researchers. In this post, we feature the twelve new books in the fields of business, humanities and social sciences.

Hi everyone! Our Library has a wide range of romance films, and I have chosen over 70 amazing titles for you to enjoy. While streaming is popular, there’s something really special about watching DVDs that I think you will appreciate. Plus, we have DVD drives available for loan if you need one! Here are some of my all-time favorites: Begin Again: A touching story about finding new directions and creativity, with a great soundtrack. If you like this film, don’t miss “Once” by the same director, John Carney. Though its visuals might not be the best, the story is genuine and deeply moving! La La Land: Dive into the bright world of dreams and love in this beautiful musical. The music really impressed me when I saw it in theaters! Love Story: A classic film that tells a touching tale of love overcoming obstacles.

If you have ever been to one of the congregation ceremonies at HKUST, you might be wondering ─ what is that long stick the procession leader is carrying? A staff of some sort, perhaps, but what is it for? Despite its unconventional appearance, this is the University’s ceremonial mace. Most universities have a ceremonial mace displayed on formal occasions like congregations, and HKUST is no exception. Ours is unique in two ways. It is longer than traditional ceremonial maces, measuring over 1.5 meters and weighing in at over 15 kg (35 pounds) ─ as heavy as a small child! And it sports a sleek and modern design that features our university’s emblem, much unlike the ornate designs used by monarchies or other older universities.     Left: A close highlight of the HKUST mace, HKUST Library Right: Chancellor’s mace, figure of Louis XIV, of Saint-Louis at the Palais du Tau, G. Garitan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons   Where did maces come from? Why do they appear in university ceremonies?

In recent years, the number of retracted journal articles has been on the rise. A study published by Nature in 2023 revealed that more than 10,000 research papers were retracted that year—a record high1.