Monthly Archives: July 2015

Library News: July 27

IT Strategies minutes

IT Strategies minutes: https://www.libraries.psu.edu/content/psul/groups/itstrat/intranet/itstrat070715.html

Reminder: Workflows password change required on August 3

Submitted by Ryan Johnson, technology training coordinator

In response to the Penn State Internal Audit recommendations of 11/2014, we are required to force password changes to core systems annually. The first system on our schedule is Sirsi/Dynix.

On Monday, August 3, 2015, 1:00am: All Symphony PINs for library employee logins to Workflows will expire.

Employees will reset PINs on their next working day by going to:

https://cat.libraries.psu.edu/htdocs-ssl/pin_change_details.html

PIN Guidelines

You will not be able to reuse an old PIN
Do not use the same password that you use for your Penn State Access Account

If you will be out of the office on August 3 please don’t worry, you can go to this site any time to do the PIN reset.

If you choose to reset your pin before August 3, 2015 you will still be required to reset on August 3.

SUPERVISORS: Please share this with your part time employees who may not be on a library mailing list.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact I-Tech at any time.

Events: July 27

August 4, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.: Dean’s Forum, Foster Auditorium and via Media Site Live. Joe Salem, associate dean for Learning, Undergraduate Services and Commonwealth Campus Libraries, will present. Also, Anne Langely, associate dean for Research, Collections and Scholarly Communications will be introduced.

August 6, noon – 1 p.m.: Travel Research Award presentation by Angelique Szymanek, from SUNY Binghamton, Mann Assembly Room. Szymanek will highlight her research using the Judy Chicago Art Education Collection. Her dissertation, “Representations of Rape in Visual Culture,” focuses on the relationship between feminist art production and the anti-rape movement in the U.S. throughout the 1970s.

August 14, August 14, 2:00-3:30 p.m.: From Roman Centurions to Academic Researchers: Integrating Traditional Scientific Knowledge of Bordeaux Wines, Foster Auditorium and MediaSite Live. Learn how vintners and scientists have worked with the wine industry to maintain and improve the quality of the Bordeaux wines, in this presentation by Serge Delrot, University of Bordeaux professor of plant physiology and French National Institute for Agronomical Research director. This seminar is organized by the Interinstitutional Center for Indigenous Knowledge and the University Libraries. Full story next week.

August 26, noon – 1 p.m.: Travel Research Award presentation by Albert M. Petska Eighth Air Force Archives winner David Cain, of the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library and the University of East Anglia, England, Mann Assembly Room. Cain will highlight his research on the social interaction of the 8th USAAF with local people in the East of England between 1942 – 1945.

August 27, noon – 1 p.m.: Travel Research Award presentations by Helen F. Faust Women Writers award winner Amanda Stuckey, from the College of William & Mary, and Dorothy Foehr Huck award winner Bob Hodges, of the University of Washington, Mann Assembly Room. Stuckey will talk about her research on bodily behavior in the nineteenth-century boy book. Hodges will talk about his use of the library’s collection of 19th and 20th century utopian literature for his dissertation “Figurations of Modernity in Antebellum U. S. Romances.”

$25 processing fee eliminated from Automated Lost Billing

Announcement by Ann Snowman, head of Access Services

Beginning 08/04/2015, the $25 processing fee will no longer be assessed for materials marked lost through the automated lost billing process (i.e. Assumed Lost report). The standard lost fee of $125 will remain.

Which materials are affected by this?
Only those materials that are marked lost through the automated lost billing process. Staff should continue to assess the $25 processing fee for any materials that are marked lost using the Mark Item Lost wizard, such as recalled materials, overdue course reserves, videos or any other materials that accrue hourly or daily fees or that do not have a default lost price.

Why was this change made?
The Fee Review Committee recommended this change last spring to simplify bills and bill processing. Currently, most $25 fees assessed through the automated billing process are cancelled by library staff when materials are returned. Eliminating this fee eliminates this manual process.

This change also better targets the $25 processing fee toward those materials that genuinely require manual staff processing, such as materials accruing overdue fees or anything not marked lost through the Assumed Lost report.

Are there any other changes to procedure?
Because we’re eliminating the $25 processing fee from Workflows defaults, it will no longer appear in the Processing fee field when marking materials lost using the Mark Item Lost wizard. Staff will need to key $25 into the processing fee field when marking materials lost manually.

If you have any other questions about this change, please use the Ask the SirsiDynix Circulation-Reserves Expert Team form at:
https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/secure/forms/access_forms/circ_reserves_expert_team.html

Green Tips

Q: How can I participate in the Libraries Adopt-a-Highway program?
A: You’re in luck! Volunteers (family and friends are welcome) will be meeting this Saturday, August 1, to pick up trash and make our little stretch of Buffalo Run Road look gorgeous again. Contact Paige Andrew, pga2@psu.edu, for information on when and where to meet.

Q: After we’ve typed labels, where should we recycle the empty label sheet?
A: These go in Mixed Paper and Newspaper or Mixed Office Paper depending on which of these two bins your area has.

LHR News: July 27

Please join us in welcoming the following new hires:

Part-time:
Dylan Bathurst – Media and Technology Support Services

Wishing the following employees well as they leave us:
Tierney Lyons – Worthington Scranton Campus Library
Rachel Smith – Diversity Resident Librarian, University Park
Patience Simmonds – John M. Lilley Library, Behrend College
Lee Ann Nolan – Fletcher L. Byrom Earth and Mineral Sciences Library
Penny Huffman – William and Joan Schreyer Business Library
Tim Pyatt – Special Collections Library

University Collaboration Suite (UCS) software upgrade August 1

On Saturday, August 1, 2015, during an extended maintenance window (5:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.), Information Technology Services (ITS) will upgrade the software supporting the University Collaboration Suite (UCS) to Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS) version 8.6.0 Patch 3. This software upgrade will address many bug fixes and feature enhancements.

Members of the University community utilizing UCS will not be able to send or receive e-mail and/or calendar appointments while the upgrade is occurring.

No messages will be lost during the upgrade. When the upgrade is complete all queued messages will be processed.

Enhancements and bug fixes addressed in ZCS version 8.6.0 Patch 3 include:

Calendar:
Drag and drop of recurring all day event functions correctly
Editor displays all attendees present in an invite
Chrome: Client no longer hangs if you scroll-up the vertical scrollbar from reminder dialog
When modifying a recurring appointment, custom repeat now shows correct values.

Web Client:
Ability to create new calendar on shared mailbox
Fixed issued causing conversations to display as flagged when no individual messages are flagged
In-Reply-to contains the parent message-id, no longer causing broken thread on some mail clients
Inline images display during reply/forward compose
Compose mail works properly in IE-8 if “Contacts” tab is disabled
Ability to paste image from clipboard
In compose, ability to tab into body area functions properly

UCS Resources

UCS Training Page: https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/itech/training/intranet/ucs.html

Zimbra version 8.6.0 Release Notes:
https://files.zimbra.com/website/docs/8.6/ZCS_860_NE_ReleaseNotes_UpgradeInst.pdf

Zimbra version 8.6.0 Patch 3 Release Notes:
https://files.zimbra.com/website/docs/8.6/ZCS_860_Patch3_ReleaseNotes.pdf

Questions or technical support:
https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/intranet/itrequest.html

Service may be affected starting on August 1, 2015 at 5:00 a.m.. The estimated time of resolution is August 1, 2015 at 3:00 p.m.

For more information, please contact IT Service Desk (ITServiceDesk@psu.edu).

For the most current information regarding this alert, please see http://alerts.its.psu.edu/alert-3613.

Microgrant deadline approaching: staff, faculty, apply now!

There are only a few days left to apply for an Innovation Microgrant! The deadline is 5 p.m., Friday, July 31. The Microgrant program is designed to support small projects that foster innovation in support of University Libraries strategic initiatives. This program is open to all faculty and staff and collaboration among colleagues is highly encouraged.

Microgrant funds may be used for a wide range of activities, projects, or events, including (but not limited to) speakers, facilitators, trainers, consultants, part-time assistance or other personnel, services, equipment and software. To view reports from previous awards, go to https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/admin/microgrant-program/intranet/awards-reports.html

If you need more information or have any questions about your proposal, please contact the Microgrant committee at ul-microgrants@lists.psu.edu.

Library News: July 20

LibGuides Update: How should my guide look?

Not sure what your guide should look like? Please take a look at this example guide, for some guidance.

The question of links to other guides has come up: will links to other guides need to be changed as those guides change? The answer is “No!” During the transition, and until the landing page is changed, redirect links will be created to all guides. That means if, if in a new guide, you link to an old guide, that link will continue to work! Keep in mind that, eventually, these links will need to be updated to the LibGuides version, but for the transition, old links will continue to work!

Reminder that campus LibGuides training will be held Tuesday, July 28, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., at Berks (lunch is provided): Register here. Please register by July 21. — Amanda Clossen and Helen Smith

Password change required on August 3

Submitted by Ryan Johnson, technology training coordinator

In response to the Penn State Internal Audit recommendations of 11/2014, we are required to force password changes to core systems annually. The first system on our schedule is Sirsi/Dynix.

On Monday, August 3, 2015, 1:00am: All Symphony PINs for library employee logins to Workflows will expire.

Employees will reset PINs on their next working day by going to:

https://cat.libraries.psu.edu/htdocs-ssl/pin_change_details.html

PIN Guidelines

You will not be able to reuse an old PIN
Do not use the same password that you use for your Penn State Access Account

If you will be out of the office on August 3 please don’t worry, you can go to this site any time to do the PIN reset.

If you choose to reset your pin before August 3, 2015 you will still be required to reset on August 3.

SUPERVISORS: Please share this with your part time employees who may not be on a library mailing list.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact I-Tech at any time.

Simmonds to retire on July 31

Submitted by Russ Hall, John M. Lilley Library, Penn State Erie, the Behrend College

Patience Simmonds will be retiring from Penn State Behrend on July 31, 2015. Simmonds started as a part-time librarian in 1992 back when the library was still in the Reed Union Building. She became a full-time librarian the next year. Simmonds moved to the tenure track in 1999 and was promoted to associate librarian and tenured in 2005. She provided reference service and taught many library instruction sessions for thousands of students over the years.

Simmonds…active supporter of student organizations

Simmonds helped the students establish the Organization of African Students, which later became known as OACS Organization of African and Caribbean Students. This was in addition to her role as a faculty advisor and her close work with Andy Herrera, director of Behrend’s Educational Equity and Diversity Office, to support student organization activities. She also collected books and computers for Africa and organized campus-wide book donation programs. Her plans for retirement are to, “take it one day at a time. Be thankful and be joyful and healthy, and spend time with my children, grandchildren, and family and friends.”

Apply now for an Innovation Microgrant

Just two weeks remain to apply to the University Libraries’ Innovation Microgrant Program and I wanted to reach out to everyone within the Penn State Libraries to let you know there is still time to apply for funding (the official deadline for applications this year is August 1).

Innovation can happen anywhere within the Libraries, and I encourage everyone to peruse the details of this program and consider applying: https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/admin/microgrant-program.html

Any questions you might have can be sent to me directly or to the Innovation Microgrant Program Review Committee at: ul-microgrants@lists.psu.edu — Jason Reuscher, chair, Innovation Microgrant Program Review Committee (2015-2016)

Events: July 20

July 27, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.: “Budgeting Fundamentals” workshop, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library. Presenter Daad Rizk, Penn State financial literacy manager, simplifies budgeting in just five steps that are easy to follow, and shares simple strategies to evaluate and better manage your finances — including tips on handling debt and setting short- and long-term goals using the SMART model. Online registration is requested; please visit http://bit.ly/1flgvTJ to reserve a space. Additional information is available at the MoneyCounts link.

Libraries exhibit honors nuclear facility’s six decades of education, research

It’s common knowledge for Penn Staters that the University is a global leader in science, technology and engineering; historical markers across the University Park campus, and others, indicate where Penn State students, faculty, staff and alumni have made great leaps forward in innovation. What many don’t realize is that Penn State also is home to the longest-running university nuclear reactor in America.

“Penn State Power: 60 Years of the Radiation Science and Engineering Center” — on display July 8-Aug. 19 in Sidewater Commons in Pattee and Paterno Libraries — honors the center’s longstanding reputation for nuclear energy education, research and service. Read the full story on Penn State News.

Libraries exhibit ‘Journey to Inclusion: Voting Rights in America’ on display

As Election Day 2016 approaches, a majority of the approximately 250 million U.S. citizens over the age of 18 are eligible to vote — regardless of their race or skin color, ancestry, sex, education, income, literacy, religion, English language skills, previous incarceration or disability — but this has not always been the case. The University Libraries exhibit “Journey to Inclusion: Voting Rights in America” in the Diversity Studies Room, 203 Pattee Library, on display through July 6, 2016, reflects on nearly 240 years of voting rights history in the United States.

The history of voting rights in the U.S. begins with a very small group of citizens in the newly formed nation and has grown to include nearly every U.S. citizen. Skipping the intervening years, it looks like a straight and easy journey, headed invariably toward inclusion. In truth, it was a mixed journey, full of setbacks and roadblocks, hard-won victories and leaps forward. It was never guaranteed. Along the way there were heroes, “villains” and people who truly thought their ideas of who should decide who should vote were the correct ones.

In five years, on Aug. 18, 2020, Americans will witness the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which, after a long, hard fight, gave U.S. women the right to vote. The years 2014 and 2015 mark the 50th anniversary of “Freedom Summer” and the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the “March from Selma to Montgomery” and the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The challenges are not necessarily over.

This exhibit offers snapshots and postcards from across the years. It bows to the classifications history has given groups of people, since this is how they were known then and, for the most part, how they are known now. Along the back wall hang the names of some of the main groups affected along this journey. “Voting booths” in the center of the room offer timelines and expand on some of the journey’s major milestones.

The exhibit highlights a very small sampling of the rich and varied resources on U.S. voting rights, citizenship, immigration, government, history, sociology, politics, and law available through the University Libraries. For help finding these resources and others, please ask at any Reference Desk.

Alexander named to national university press leadership group

Penn State University Press Director Patrick Alexander has been invited to serve a three-year term on the Association of American University Presses (AAUP) board of directors. Read the full story on Penn State News.