Friday, January 20, 2012


Women and Philanthropy Gift Will Support Student Internship:

The UK Women & Philanthropy Network has provided a scholarship to UK Libraries Special Collections in the amount of $4,576 to support Deirdre Scaggs’ proposal for a Women & Philanthropy Internship.  The internship will provide a Library and Information Science (LIS) graduate student first-hand experience with archival collections. 


The breadth of the women’s holdings in Special Collections covers an important period in American and southern history - not only for women, but for adult and children's education, health, and politics.  There is not a similar comprehensive body of research presently available within Kentucky.  While each of these collections is individually significant, the collections together create an invaluable and comprehensive window to the progressive era in the south. 


Access to these materials will most certainly fill a critical gap in southern women's history.  The study of women's roles in southern history spans class, culture, race, national identity, and politics.  While these stories have often been underrepresented in past historical studies, current researchers seek out these types of collections for study. Making primary sources from Kentucky southern women reformers, innovators, and leaders available to researchers will provide much needed material for future dissertations, articles and books.


Second ASERL/TRLN Partnership Announced:

The membership of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) recently voted unanimously to support the “Intellectual Property Strategy for Digitization of Modern Manuscript Collections and Archival Record Groups” developed by the Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN).  This strategy provides a clear, reasonable process for research libraries to rely upon as they move large portions of their archival collections available online. This is also the second partnership between ASERL and TRLN in as many months, further strengthening the bonds between the two organizations. 


The TRLN Intellectual Property Rights Strategy for Digitization of Modern Manuscript Collections and Archival Record Groups can be found at http://www.trln.org/IPRights.pdf


Elizabeth Rader Gift:

UK Libraries lost a great friend two years ago with the passing of Elizabeth Rader.  But thanks to a generous estate gift her legacy of philanthropy will be felt into the next decade and beyond.


Elizabeth Gillis Huckle Rader was the granddaughter of Ezra L. Gillis, UK Registrar and Professor of Education (1910 – 1937).  Gillis played a key role in establishing the current University Archives and Records Program.  In 1937, the Bureau of Source Materials in Higher Education was placed administratively under the University President's office and the directorship of retiring University Registrar, Ezra Gillis. 


It was created for the purpose of collecting and preserving source materials relating to and documenting the history of the University of Kentucky, as well as other institutions of higher education, public and private elementary and secondary schools, and education in general in the State. As its focus in time narrowed to the University, building its collection, as it did, upon a nucleus of Registrar's Office records, the Bureau came to serve as a de facto archive of the university.  Upon relinquishing his directorial responsibilities in 1956, Gillis recommended, and the Board of Trustees approved, the change in name of the unit to "University and Educational Archives."

Elizabeth Rader was a generous and dedicated supporter of UK Libraries and its mission.  Through the creation of a Charitable Lead Unitrust, Ms. Rader’s estate will make an annual contribution for the next ten years to the Special Collections Development Fund.  Those funds will be used to make collections documenting the University of Kentucky accessible to students, faculty and researchers.


All-Staff Meeting:

This week the UK Libraries Staff Advisory Council hosted the first all-staff meeting of the year.  Staff received updates on staff issues from SAC Chair Daniel Nass.  University Senate faculty member Stephanie Aken reported on a task force reviewing evaluation forms on campus.

I shared the latest news I have regarding the anticipated budget reductions and thanked staff members for their hard work on behalf of UK Libraries.  We will continue to explore ways to provide opportunities for the advancement of all UK Libraries staff.

UK Fact Book Available:

Dr. Roger P. Sugarman, Director of Institutional Research, announced this week the availability of the 2011-12 UK Fact Book:  http://www.uky.edu/IRPE/fast_facts/fact_booklet/fact_booklet1112.pdf
 Highlights of this fact book include:
  • A record high headcount of 28,094 students, the fourth straight year of increased enrollments 
  • An historical high for the most doctoral students enrolled in professional practice programs
  • Records set for the most African-American students (1,499), international students (412), and out-of-state students (4,203) enrolled at the undergraduate level
  • The most academically prepared first-year class on record, presenting a 3.63 high school GPA and an average ACT score of 25.4
  • Four consecutive years of retention rates exceeding 80%
  • Research and development expenditures for FY 2010 amounted to $359,944 million, including $171,528 million in federally financed expenditures


Personnel:

In February, Carolyn Sears will join the financial services staff in the Dean’s Office on the first floor of the William T. Young Library.  This move will allow increased collaboration among financial services staff and facilitate backup roles and cross-training in essential tasks.  Previously, Carolyn’s position has been located in the Collection Management Department of the Collections & Technical Services Division.  She will continue to work closely with CTS staff as her duties require.  Her colleagues in CTS are grateful to Carolyn for her contributions over the years and wish her the best in her new situation.


Nunn Center Teams Up With OutrageUs to Fight Stalking:

As the nation remembers stalking victims at National Stalking Awareness Month events presented this January, the University of Kentucky Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History and OutrageUs are launching The Stalking Project, a series of videos and other resources meant to educate and put a spotlight on one of the nation's most misunderstood areas of partner violence.



Thanks to John Burger, Greg Casey, and Deirdre Scaggs for their contributions to this week’s review.

Also available as a blog:  http://uklibrariesbirdseye.blogspot.com/     

Terry Birdwhistell
Dean of Libraries


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