Friday, April 29, 2011

Weekly Review

Information Literacy Committee Appointed:

With the increasing importance of information literacy instruction and assessment, UK Libraries has established a permanent committee to help coordinate library instruction activities

The Information Literacy Committee is charged with coordinating the planning, development, and promotion of the UK Libraries information literacy program. The committee will:

• Lead development of instructional materials, activities, and classes which support information literacy competencies at all academic levels and in varying formats;

• Develop and implement information literacy training materials and activities for Library faculty and staff;

• Provide campus librarians and library staff with a forum to share information, ideas, techniques, and instructional materials;

• Coordinate assessment of library instruction throughout UK Libraries, including collecting data, organizing results, and developing reports; and

• Participate in the development of UK Libraries information literacy policies.

I am pleased to announce the members of the committee:

• Debbie Sharp, Chair

• Valerie Perry

• Sara Abdmishani Price

• Sarah Vaughn

• Chris Worland


ASERL Partners with Duke University as Host Organization:

For several months, members of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) have been considering the benefits of locating ASERL’s office within a member library to provide staff with ongoing, day-to-day contact with the people and issues research libraries encounter. At their Spring 2011 Annual Meeting, ASERL’s Board and membership agreed to partner with Duke University (Durham, NC) to serve as ASERL’s new host organization. ASERL’s Executive Director will be located at Duke University effective July 1, 2011.

“ASERL continues to grow and provide tremendous benefits to its member libraries,” commented Sarah Michalak, ASERL Board President and University Librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “We believe moving ASERL’s staff inside a research library will greatly enhance our ability to provide pragmatic, innovative programming for the future.”

John Ulmschneider, ASERL’s Immediate Past President and University Librarian at Virginia Commonwealth University, added, “ASERL members are excited about this move, but also embrace our long-standing fruitful relationship with LYRASIS. SOLINET and LYRASIS have been key supporters of ASERL’s growth, and we look forward to new opportunities for partnering with LYRASIS in the future.”

Founded in 1956, the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries is the largest regional academic library cooperative in the country, with 38 members in ten states. ASERL operates numerous projects designed to foster a high standard of library excellence through inter-institutional resource sharing and other collaborative efforts. By working together, ASERL members continue to provide and maintain top quality resources and services for the students, faculty, and citizens of their respective communities. More information about ASERL can be found at www.aserl.org.


New Roles for Research Libraries: Digital Curation for Preservation—Webcast Video Online

Watch this recent ARL webcast hosted by Tyler Walters of Virginia Tech, featuring a panel composed of Martha Anderson of the Library of Congress/NDIIPP, Jeremy York of HathiTrust, Oya Rieger of Cornell, and Trisha Cruse of the California Digital Library... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrys17cfg-c


No Room for Books:

University of Denver's plan to remove 80 percent of volumes from its library upsets some professors and renews debate over how best to store and share information:

http://insidehighered.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=ed1d2ff123b6b83dd97022f88&id=a245aa32c9&e=471a76421e


Congratulations to Recipients of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Service:

Each year UK Libraries recognizes three staff members who have made exemplary contributions. This year’s recipients, Jeff Rion, Rick Garrett, and Kevin Campbell, represent the talent, creativity, and dedication that is essential to making UK Libraries successful. Thank you again for all that you do for UK Libraries!


Thanks to Stacey Greenwell for her contribution to the Weekly Review.


UK Libraries Weekly Review is also available as a blog: http://uklibrariesbirdseye.blogspot.com/


Terry Birdwhistell
Dean of Libraries

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Weekly Review

More highlights from the KLA/SLA Spring Conference:

In addition to the participants mentioned last week, other UK Libraries involvement at the conference included Alison Steedman, former Agriculture Information Center graduate intern, and Jackie Hawes, AIC’s current graduate intern, giving presentations at the conference: Managing Your Online Image and More Than a Library, More Than a Writing Center: Noel Studio for Academic Creativity at Eastern Kentucky University.

Assisting the Conference Planning Committee were Alex Grigg (Lexmark Library) who served as Treasurer and Valerie Perry (AIC) who secured sponsors and exhibitors.


Retirement:

Pat Wilson, Director of Digital Scholarship, will be retiring from UK Libraries effective January 3, 2012. She joined UK Libraries' faculty in 1989 as Public Services Librarian in the Agriculture Library. Since that time she has provided valuable service to UK Libraries in a number of assignments, including Engineering Librarian, Distance Learning Librarian, and Associate Dean for Access Services. During the remainder of her time with UK Libraries, Pat will continue to build support for and increase content in UKnowledge.


Tracy Campbell Named Hallum Professor of History:

Dr. Tracy Campbell, Professor of History and Co-Director of UK Libraries Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Research Center has been selected by his colleagues as the History Department’s Hallum Professor for the next two years. The Hallum Professorship was made possible by a bequest of Theodore and Alice Hallum.


United Way:

Paula Hickner has volunteered to serve again this year on the UK United Way Cabinet representing UK Libraries. Thank you Paula!


Recommended Reading:

7 Things You Should Know About the Modern Learning Commons, from EDUCAUSE Publications http://www.educause.edu/Resources/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAbouttheMo/227141
New Nation of Nations Exhibit Installed in Young Library Today:


Claire McCann:

Claire McCann, an archivist at UK Libraries for 41 years, died this past week. Claire earned her Master of Library Science degree from UK in 1963 and served as the Curator of Manuscripts in Special Collections until her retirement in 2004.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kentucky/obituary.aspx?n=claire-mccann&pid=150402903#ixzz1KHRGklNq


Civil War Exhibit Opens in Special Collections:

"'Our only hope was in Kentucky': The Civil War Sesquicentennial," exhibit opened in the Great Hall of the Margaret I. King Building yesterday. The exhibit, which runs through October, documents the lives of individual soldiers as well as women, divided families, publishing, and the development of photographic processes in Kentucky, using material from UK Libraries’ rare book, manuscript, photograph and oral history collections.

"'Our only hope was in Kentucky'" was curated by Access Archivist Katie Henningsen, Curator of Books Jim Birchfield, and Oral History Collection Coordinator Sara Abdmishani Price, with assistance from Mark Wetherington, Sarah Piester, Courtney Murphy, Hannah Osborne, Lewis Warden and Jason Flahardy.

http://uknow.uky.edu/content/civil-war-remembered-sesquicentennial-exhibit


Thanks to Stacey Greenwell and Judy Sackett for their contributions to the Weekly Review.

Terry Birdwhistell
Dean of Libraries

Friday, April 15, 2011

Weekly Review

UK Librarians Attend Conferences:

Several UK Librarians attended the 2011 Joint Spring Conference of the Kentucky Library Association (KLA) Academic Library Section, the KLA Special Library Section, and the Special Library Association Kentucky Chapter held this week at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park.  The theme of this year’s conference was “Kickin’ It Up A Notch: Improving Our Professional Image.”  Jennifer Bartlett, Head of Reference Services in the William T. Young Library spoke at the conference on the topic, “’But You’re Not REAL Faculty!’: The Issue of Librarian Image on the College Campus.”

Meanwhile, librarians from the Medical Center Library participated in the 2011 Keeneland Conference sponsored by UK’s Center for Public Health Systems & Services Research (CPHSSR).  MCL prepared an exhibit highlighting their services for the over 300 attendees from across the United States.

It was announced during the conference that the UK College of Public Health will be the new National Coordinating Center for Public Health Systems and Services Research.  The announcement was made by Debra Perez, Senior Program Officer in Research and Evaluation at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.


Historical Marker Dedicated:  http://www.uky.edu/Development/news/morgan_marker.htm

On Monday UK dedicated its 17th historical marker in memory of Thomas Hunt Morgan, an 1886 UK graduate and pioneering geneticist who discovered the basic mechanisms of heredity and won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1933. 

Deirdre Scaggs, Associate Dean for Special Collections, serves on the historical marker committee and spoke at the marker dedication ceremony.  Faculty and staff in the Archives suggest marker topics and provide the historical research for the text of each marker.


New U of L Dean Will Visit UK on May 25:

Bob Fox, the new Dean of Libraries at the University of Louisville will be here on Monday, April 25th.  He will attend the UK Libraries Faculty meeting that afternoon which will be followed by a reception in his honor.


UK Libraries National Advisory Board Annual Dinner:

Over 100 friends of UK Libraries attended the National Advisory Board’s Annual Dinner on Thursday at the Signature Club.  Provost Kumble Subbaswamy attended and spoke to the group.  The UK Libraries Medallion for Intellectual Achievement was presented to Adalin Wichman.  Gail Kennedy presented an overview of her life and career and Doug Boyd produced a brief video interview with Ms. Wichman. 

The featured speaker, Dr. Eric Moyen, discussed his new biography of UK’s third president, Frank L. McVey, with particular focus on President McVey’s efforts in building the Margaret I. King Library during the Great Depression.

Gail Hart completed her two-year term as president of the Advisory Board.  Brenda Lampton is the new Advisory Board president and Harvie Wilkinson is vice-president.

 

Tribute to President Todd:

The Student Government Association paid tribute to President and Mrs. Todd at a ceremony this past Tuesday in the Main Building.  I was asked to provide an overview of the Todd administration.  If you missed it and are interested here is the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWMIiPBHqLw


Thanks to Janet Stith for her contribution to the Weekly Review.

 

Terry Birdwhistell

Dean of Libraries

 

Artist Adalin Wichman Honored by UK Libraries

Acclaimed Kentucky artist Adalin Wichman was the recipient of the 2011 University of Kentucky Libraries Award for Intellectual Achievement and was honored April 13, 2011 at the UK Libraries National Advisory Board Annual Dinner. Featured speaker for the evening was Eric Moyen, author of biography of UK President Frank McVey published by University Press of Kentucky







Friday, April 8, 2011

Weekly Review

Mary Molinaro on Panel with NEH Chairman:

Jim Leach, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities visited UK and Lexington this week. During a panel discussion on civil discourse with Chairman Leach in the Lucille Little Fine Arts Library, Mary Molinaro spoke about the importance of libraries in providing information to citizens so that they can make more informed decisions.

Grants from NEH over the past twenty years have been very important to the growth and development of UK Libraries. An NEH challenge grant in the late 1980s to “Pack the Stacks” and build our collections began the fundraising efforts that ultimately resulted in the new William T. Young Library and the Young Endowment.

More recently NEH grants have provided the necessary funds for UK Libraries to begin digitizing Kentucky’s historic newspapers.


Chinese Librarians Have Busy First Week at UK Libraries:

Dr. Pi Jiezheng and Mr. Kou Yuantao, visiting scholars from China’s National Agricultural Library, completed a busy first week of activities with UK Libraries. If you have not met Pi and Kou I hope you will take the opportunity during their visit. Thanks to Toni Greider for arranging and coordinating the visit.


Clements Fellow Featured at RCTF Celebration:

Mark Wetherington, the Earle C. Clements Graduate Fellow in Special Collections discussed his work at a recent celebration of the Research Challenge Trust Fund RCTF). RCTF allowed UK to match private gifts with state funds to create endowed chairs, professorships, and graduate fellowships. The Clements Fellowship was made possible by a gift from Bess and Tyler Abell. Bess, a UK graduate and daughter of former Governor and United States Senator Earle C. Clements, lives in Potomac, Maryland and is also a member of UK Libraries National Advisory Board.


Richard Maiti To Begin New Assignment:

Richard Maiti, who joined UK Libraries in November 2010, has accepted a new Server Administrator/Programmer I position with Digital Library Services in Library Technologies. He will begin his new assignment on May 1.