Friday, June 24, 2016

InfoKat Discovery adds New Citation Feature


InfoKat Discovery, a great research tool for searching multiple library resources from one interface, adds a new feature called Citation TrailsAccording to Ex Libris, it adds “cited” and “cited by” relations to many articles, and enables users to view these relations by clicking the new citations and cited by links in the brief and full view of an item. From citation lists, users can browse between lists to follow a chain of citations and to learn more about the intended topic. The original title will appear at the top of each citation list to provide context for users. Because the citation lists are not comprehensive and are to be used as an exploratory service, the total number of citations will not appear in the citation lists. For more, please watch the Ex Libris two minute video.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

U.S. Government Publishing Office cites UK Libraries for WPA Preservation Work


Since 2008, UK has been working to preserve and increase accessibility to publications from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) according to the latest Federal Depository Library Program newsletter, Connections. The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO’s) also cited UK Libraries as its newest partner.

UK’s WPA collection dates from the early 1930s to the late 1970s and currently has over 2,600 items that were published by the WPA. As an Association of Southeastern Research Libraries Center of Excellence for the WPA, UK has undertaken a number of actions to preserve and promote WPA material. In addition, UK digitized its collection of over 450 WPA publications from Kentucky and other southeastern states. Highlights from the digital collection include:
  • Federal archives inventories for various states including Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee
  • A publication on commercial fisheries of Georgia
  • A transcript of radio programs on nature in Kentucky
  • A publication on rock drilling from the Maryland WPA
  • A procedures manual on wage rates, hours of work, occupational classifications, and labor policies from 1938.

Sandee McAninch, head of the Federal Depository Unit and Regional Depository Librarian, joined with depository coordinators Marie Concannon and Kristine Stilwell, for a webinar on how to use the WPA Historical Records Survey. Please see UK Libraries WPA Collection for more information.

Stacey Greenwell begins Sabbatical on July 1


Stacey Greenwell, associate dean for Academic Affairs and Research, will be on sabbatical leave for the next six months to complete work on the second edition of “Academic Librarianship,” co-authored with G. Edward Evans. This is one of two texts frequently used for academic libraries’ graduate program courses in library and information science. The book is essentially one about higher education and how the academic library supports the mission of a college or university through its staffing, services, collections, and facilities. Given its practical focus, the second edition will also serve as a handbook for new academic librarians.

During Greenwell’s sabbatical through December 31, her responsibilities will be divided between Shawn Livingston, director of the William T. Young Library (branch libraries and international programs) and Jen Bartlett, head of Reference Services (assessment and information literacy).

Nancy DeMarcus elected Lexington-Bluegrass chapter ARMA International President


Nancy DeMarcus, records manager in the Special Collections Research Center, has been elected to a two-year term as president of the Lexington-Bluegrass chapter of the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA International). Nancy is well known and highly regarded across the campus for her outstanding work in assisting offices with their records management.

SCRC celebrates an Archiving Milestone for the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington Collection


University Archivist Ruth Bryan, director of Technical Services, and Mary Brinkman, historiographer for the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington, completed several years of dedicated work preserving and cataloging Churches and Cathedrals, the first part of the extensive collection housed in the Special Collections Research Center (SCRC).

The work on Churches and Cathedrals began with the survey and inventory of the original 150 boxes donated by the diocese to Special Collections. The “Churches and Cathedrals” records include historic documents and photographs, correspondence, bulletins, registers, newspaper clippings, and objects such as church banners, for 58 individual churches and cathedrals. The next record group to be processed is Bishops and Priests. There are 13 record groups in all.

The collection is available for research in the Breckinridge Research Room on the second floor of the Margaret I. King Library, the home of the Special Collections Research Center.

UPK Title Honored by Army Historical Foundation


The Army Historical Foundation recently recognized outstanding contributions to U.S. Army history that were published in 2015. Among those select works honored by the foundation was "Jacob L. Devers: A General's Life" by University Press of Kentucky (UPK) author James Scott Wheeler which won in the category of biography.

The Army Historical Foundation (AHF) is a member-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of the American soldier. Established in 1983, the foundation funds projects such as educational programs, research, publication of relevant historical materials, and the acquisition and preservation of Army artifacts.

Wheeler's win marks the ninth time a UPK title has won an award from the AHF and fourth win in the biography category. UPK’s previous winners in the category are "Beetle: The Life of Walter Bedell Smith" by D.K.R. Crosswell, "Exposing the Third Reich: Colonel Truman Smith in Hitler’s Germany" by Henry G. Gole, and "Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne" by Douglas V. Mastriano.

For more, please see the UKNow article published June 17.

Valerie Perry named Special Libraries Association Fellow


Valerie Perry, director of Branch Libraries and head of the Agricultural Information Center, has been named a Special Libraries Association (SLA) Fellow. The SLA Fellowship recognizes mid-career information professionals for their past, present and future service to the association and the profession. No more than five SLA members may be selected for the fellowship each year. 

SLA Fellows are called upon and expected to advise the association's board of directors and alert the membership to issues and trends warranting action. Individuals receiving the honor may use the title “Fellow of the Special Libraries Association.” Perry's SLA Fellowship was conferred during the 2016 SLA Annual Conference, held June 12-14, in Philadelphia.

As much as her colleagues admire her extensive knowledge of agricultural and biological sciences, Perry is equally revered for her outgoing personality and eagerness to help and teach others. She has been honored several times for her many contributions to SLA and the information profession. The Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Division gave her its Distinguished Member Award in 2007, and the Kentucky chapter of SLA honored her with the Kentucky Chapter Professional Award (2007) and the Larry Besant Professional Award (2014).

For more on Valerie Perry and the SLA, please read the  UKNow article published June 22.

Monday, June 20, 2016

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Data Librarian Kristen Briney speaks at UK Libraries


Kristen Briney, Data Librarian at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, presented “Tug of War: Playing the Data Game in Academic Libraries” at UK Libraries on June 13. Her talk wrapped up a semester-long initiative to provide training on data management best practices and services for library faculty and staff who serve as academic liaisons for various departments on campus.

Briney focused her talk on the complexity of developing data services in academic libraries given the rapidly changing research data landscape, which necessarily includes researchers, funding agencies, publishers, universities, data users, and libraries. Briney holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry, and is the author of “Data Management for Researchers: Organize, Maintain and Share Your Data for Research Success.”
The training initiative also included a four day workshop where participants were given an overview of the various aspects of the research data lifecycle with suggestions on ways in which librarians can support researchers throughout the various stages of their research, and heard presentations by campus faculty and staff who deal with research data, either as researchers or service providers. Workshop participants also created a data management plan (DMP) for a research case study using DMPTool, a library resource that is available for UK faculty and students.
The workshop was followed up with a series of brown bags to discuss open educational resources (OER), data management plan resources, and information on grant funder data management mandates and policies.
For more information and contact information for librarians who can help with these topics, please check out the following UK Libraries Research Guides: Research Data Management @ UK and Alternative Textbooks (Open Educational Resources).
Photo ID: Kristen Briney is pictured above with the Research Data Management Workshop Taskforce (left to right) Sarah Stamann, Adrian Ho, Christie Peters, Briney, Robert Shapiro, Carla Cantagallo.

UPK Book Makes Air Force Reading List



Brian D. Laslie’s book, The Air Force Way of War: Training and Tactics after Vietnam published by University Press of Kentucky (UPK), has been selected for the US Air Force Chief of Staff Professional Reading List (2016.) The Air Force Way of War was selected by Gen. Mark Welsh III, along with eight other books, TED Talks, web publications, photographers, videos and journals. 


The CSAF Professional Reading Program was started in 1996 to encourage a shared knowledge and reference base amongst members of the U.S. Air Force — including officers, enlisted members and civilians. The reading lists include inspiring reading material for Air Force members in all stages of their careers. The author, Brian D. Laslie is deputy command historian at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).

NEW UPK BOOK ON THE FORGOTTEN FOUNDER OF SARATOGA RACE COURSE


As the eyes of horse racing enthusiasts worldwide turn to New York and the Belmont Stakes this week, another storied racetrack prepares for its summer meet less than 200 miles north. The Saratoga Race Course owes much of its history to its sometimes forgotten founder, a brawler turned congressman, John Morrissey. From gang member, political muscle and prizefighter to New York state senator, United States congressman and industry leader of the sport of kings — John Morrissey (1831–1878) was all of these and more. 

In "The Notorious John Morrissey: How a Bare-Knuckle Brawler Became a Congressman and Founded Saratoga Race Course," historian and University of Kentucky alumnus James C. Nicholson traces the remarkable rags-to-riches story of one of the most colorful characters in the sport of horse racing. Morrissey began his career as an enforcer for Tammany Hall and rose to become a well-respected businessman who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. In this new book published by University Press of Kentucky (UPK), Nicholson traces Morrissey’s remarkable life while also shedding light on fascinating issues of the era, such as the underground prizefighting economy, the rancorous debate over immigration, and labor laws that protected owners more than workers. He digs deeply into the business of thoroughbred racing and Morrissey’s role as the founder of Saratoga Race Course, the longest continually run thoroughbred track in the United States. 

The track that New York Herald Tribune columnist Red Smith called “The dowager queen of American racing,” however, still stands as a lasting legacy to Morrissey’s place in both American history and the "sport of kings," as well as an emblem of the American dream. The author, James Nicholson, who holds a law degree and doctoral degree in history from UK, is also the author of "The Kentucky Derby: How the Run for the Roses Became America’s Premier Sporting Event" and "Never Say Die: A Kentucky Colt, the Epsom Derby, and the Rise of the Modern Thoroughbred Industry."

New Book from UPK on US Involvement in Cambodia Attracting International Attention


William J. Rust’s fourth book on the origins of US intervention in Southeast Asia, Eisenhower and Cambodia: Diplomacy, Covert Action, and the Origins of the Second Indochina War, has just been published by University Press of Kentucky and is already attracting international attention. Within days of the book’s release, articles on it appeared in the two largest English-language newspapers in Cambodia, The Phnom Penh Post and The Cambodia Daily:


In his latest book, Rust outlines the case for CIA involvement in the failed attempt to overthrow neutralist prime minister Prince Norodom Sihanouk in 1959, presenting new information and analysis about the origins and role of the US government in the botched coup. According to the Phnom Penh Post, “Current US Embassy spokesman Jay Raman had this to say about Rust’s findings: ‘We’re pleased to hear that more information about that era has been made available for use by scholars and researchers, but we don’t have any comment on specific allegations in the book.’”

William J. Rust, a former journalist and communications consultant, is the author of Kennedy in Vietnam: American Vietnam Policy, 1960-1963; Before the Quagmire: American Intervention in Laos, 1954-1961; and So Much to Lose: John F. Kennedy and American Policy in Laos

Deb Weis joins UK Libraries

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Deb Weis, former Editor in Chief of the highly regarded Odyssey magazine and director of the UK Research Communications office for 10 years, has begun working part-time as the interim marketing director. Deb retired from UK a year ago after serving in several positions including marketing communications director for the Commercialization and Economic Development office and director of iNET, the Innovation Network for Entrepreneurial Thinking. She continues to serve as director of UK’s annual Venture Challenge competition for student entrepreneurs.

Deb will focus on preparing the next issue of Discover, serve as editor for Bird’s Eye View, and assist with UK Libraries’ social media. Her work station is in the dean’s office. Contact Deb at debweis@uky.edu or 859-338-0751.

Welcome Deb!

UK Libraries hosts eBUG 2016

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Julene Jones, head of Database Integrity, chaired the annual Ex Libris Bluegrass Users Group (eBUG) 2016 meeting at UK Libraries on June 10. 

Thirty eight attendees from four states heard presentations from Ex Libris and ELUNA representatives, as well as a keynote address titled “Think BIGGER: Amplifying Librarianship with State-of-the-Art Technology” by Carl Grant, associate dean of Knowledge Services and Chief Technology Officer at the University of Oklahoma. Grant was previously the chief librarian and president of Ex Libris North America.  See http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ebug_newsletter for more information.

UK Libraries Faculty and Staff attend 2016 Ohio Valley Group of Technical Services Librarians Conference

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Seven faculty and staff, including two presenters and a graduate assistant, represented UK Libraries at the annual Ohio Valley Group of Technical Services Librarians Conference, themed “Building Bridges in Technical Services,” in Louisville, May 25-27.

Those in attendance included:
-- Lynne Bowman, director of Cataloging and Database Integrity for the Medical Center Library
-- Julene Jones, head of Database Integrity
-- Kathryn Lybarger, head of Cataloging and Metadata
-- Kate Seago, director of Acquisitions
-- Marsha Seaman, director of Cataloging and

Database Integrity
-- Sarah Stamann, graduate assistant
--Mary Beth Thomson, senior associate dean.
Sarah Stamann, this year’s conference scholarship recipient, is currently a graduate assistant in the Science Library. Next year, Sarah will move to Cataloging and Metadata. Congratulations Sarah!
Kathryn Lybarger presented “Have You Heard of #Mashcat? (You Can #mashcat Too!).” #Mashcat, which began as a library event held in Cambridge in 2012, brought together catalogers, developers, and others interested in the creation and manipulation of library catalog data.

More recently, a loose community of similar individuals has formed under the #mashcat banner, organizing online chats (via Twitter and Slack), webinars, and in-person conference sessions. 

Mary Beth Thomson presented “International Strategies for Collections.” As the scope of programs offered by universities continues to change and expand, librarians and faculty look to provide access to informational resources required to support the curriculum and research of the institution. For many libraries this means an increasing focus on the international strategies for collections. Mary Beth discussed the potential impact of a university’s international strategies on a library’s collection development priorities, access to electronic resources, and cataloging.
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Friday, June 17, 2016

Carrie Moore leaves UK Libraries



Carrie Moore, business services manager in Finance and Administration, has accepted a position at the University of Cincinnati as an accountant in the College of Medicine Operations and Administration division. Her last day will be July 8.

Please join me in thanking Carrie for all of her contributions and service to UK Libraries.