Weekly Review

UK Libraries Receives IMLS Grant for Advancing Digital Resources:

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)announced this week a $195,853 grant to UK Libraries. UK Library Technologies and the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History have created an Oral History Metadata Synchronizer (OHMS) tool that allows users to search more easily for specific terms within recorded interviews, and to go to the place in the interview where these terms occur.

The project team which includes Mary Molinaro, Eric Weig and Doug Boyd, will further develop OHMS into an open-source software tool that will develop compatibility with open source content management systems such as OMEKA and KORA, and larger scale commercial systems such as CONTENTdm.

The team will work directly with multiple institutions including Michigan State University, Baylor University, Oklahoma State University and Cleveland State University that employ different content management systems in order to test the different layers of compatibility with OHMS. This tool will enable a wide variety of libraries and archives to enrich the use of digital oral history collections. The project team also will produce multimedia tutorials on the use, installation, and deployment of the OHMS tool.


Bequest Received From Former Librarian Cheryl Jones:

Many of us fondly remember Cheryl Jones, who joined UK Libraries in 1975 as Public Services Librarian in the Law Library, where she worked for the majority of her career, and served as Interim Director on more than one occasion. Later she transferred to Special Collections, where she worked until her retirement in January 2001. Cheryl became interested in preservation and did an internship in Book Preservation at the Yale University Library while on sabbatical in 1982, later serving on and chairing the Preservation Committee in its early days.

Cheryl died this past July and we recently learned that she left a bequest to UK Libraries that has been placed in the Enrichment Fund.


Personnel Changes:

Zachary Hays has been hired for the Inter-Library Loan Technician position in the Medical Center Library.
He has worked as a student assistant in the MCL since 2009 and last year was honored as one of UK Libraries' student assistants of the year. Zach is completing a Sociology degree at UK. He will transfer to his regular staff position on October 10.

Carrie Wallis, Library Technician Senior in Special Formats, Collections and Technical Services Division, has resigned her position. Carrie has been employed with UK Libraries since March 2008 and her last day will be October 7. We thank her for her good work and many contributions to the Little Fine Arts Library and to Special Collections.

Mike Howard in Facilities has given notice of his retirement, after 29 years of service to UK. Before joining UK Libraries 18 years ago, Mike worked in UK Stores and the UK Bookstore. His last day will be January 3, 2012.

As previously announced, we also say good-bye next week to Kathy Franklin who is retiring, and to Cheri Daniels, who is going to the Kentucky Historical Society.

Best wishes and congratulations to you all!


Provost Will Meet with UK Libraries Executive Committee on October 5:

Provost Subbaswamy will join the Executive Committee on Wednesday, October 5 for a lunch meeting in Young Library to discuss UK Libraries initiatives.


UK Archives YouTube Channel:

UK Archives has digitized another historical film, this one featuring President Frank Dickey and offering a glimpse of UK during the late 50’ss and early 60’s: http://ukyarchives.blogspot.com/2011/09/kentuckys-university.html

All of the historical films can be found on UK Archives’ YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukyarchives?blend=12&ob=5

The films were digitized by the MediaPreserve at Preservation Technologies.


Fayette County UK Alumni Club Big Blue Basketball Tip-Off Will Feature Doug Boyd:

UK alumni and friends will tip-off the 2011-12 basketball season with Coach Matthew Mitchell and a trip down Wildcat Memory Lane with Dr. Doug Boyd, director of the UK Libraries Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History. The October 6 event will be held from 6:00-7:30 pm in the King Alumni House. Guests will enjoy a special Big Blue Archive video presentation featuring Kentucky greats including Coach Adolph Rupp, Bill Keightly and Claude Sullivan. Coach Mitchell will get the evening started with updates on UK Hoops!

Cost is $20 for a UK Alumni Association member and $25 for a nonmember and includes admission to the event, hors d'oevres and a chance to win two lower arena UNC vs. UK men's basketball tickets.


Open Access:

Mary Beth Thomson and Terry Birdwhistell met recently with the University Senate Council to discuss promoting open access at UK. This issue will also be the on the agenda of an upcoming Senate Library Committee to discuss a process for campus-wide conversations regarding the move towards open access. Last week Princeton University made a bold move towards open access by requiring their faculty not to give up copyright to publishers. The entire story can be found in the Chronicle:

http://theconversation.edu.au/princeton-goes-open-access-to-stop-staff-handing-all-copyright-to-journals-unless-waiver-granted-3596


Thanks to Mary Molinaro, Judy Sackett, and Deirdre Scaggs for their contributions to the Weekly Review.



Terry Birdwhistell
Dean of Libraries