Monthly Archives: April 2013

Inside Access: What’s new at the Annex?

By Ann Snowman

As the University Libraries begin to implement the recommendations of the Space Consultants and the Collections Retention Policy Working Group, there is renewed interest in the collection and staff activity at our annex. To better understand the role of the annex and the annex staff, the Access Services Department recently formulated an administrative overview to help us organize our efforts and focus on our priorities.

Read all About the Annex here: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/annex/abouttheannex.html

Start thinking about Library Clean-Up Day now!

Submitted by Cathy O’Connell for the Green Team

Library Clean-Up Day isn’t until August, but it’s never too soon to start thinking about it. As the spring semester ends, take the time to look around your office and start collecting unused items to donate to Clean-Up Day. Don’t forget your electronic files as well! The official date is still to be determined, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a head start. Start your gathering early and make your space cleaner and greener.

If you have things you’d like to get rid of before Clean-Up Day, you can post items Libraries’ Green Exchange, a free-cycle type exchange for workplace items that are no longer used.

Follow the University Libraries Green Team on Facebook!

New features in CMS Version 5.6 (part 3)

By Ryan Johnson, technology training coordinator

The CMS Development Team will be releasing a new version of the CMS, CQ5.6, in May. Before the release, I will be reviewing some of the new changes that will be available.

Last week I discussed the new Responsive Design Preview that will be available in the author environment. This week I will look at some of the new features available with Assets and the Digital Asset Manager.

Continue reading

LHR News: April 29 to May 5

Please join us in welcoming the following new hires:

Full-time

5/1/13 Jessica Karp – production assistant, Penn State Press
Alissa Zawoyski – information resources and services specialist, Special Collections

Part-time

Paige Arthur – Arts and Humanities Library
Laura Brown – Arts and Humanities Library
Rebecca Roth – Penn State Great Valley Library

Wishing the following employees well as they leave us:

4/30/13 Tom Sekerak, Facilities

New features in CMS Version 5.6 (Part 2)

By Ryan Johnson, technology training coordinator

The CMS Development Team will be releasing a new version of the CMS, CQ5.6, in May. Before the release, I will be reviewing some of the new changes that will be available.

Last week I discussed the new search features available in the Website and Digital consoles. This week I will highlight the new Responsive Design Preview that will be available in the Author environment.

Continue reading

CAT Helps updated

Thanks to the hard work of the CAT Helps Team (Vicki Brightbill, Maryam Kutchemeshqi, Glenn Masuchika, Jason Reuscher and Sylvia Owiny), all of our CAT Helps have been updated! These help pages have been moved into the CMS to make it easier to keep them current for our users and all include the Library H3lp chat widget and Library Learning Services contact information so our patrons can get assistance more easily! Please take a look at the updated Helps – your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Again, many thanks to our CAT Helps Team,

Emily Rimland and Binky Lush, Discovery and Access Steering Team

Databases offer a clinical reference tool for physicians and nurses

DynaMed database, a clinical reference tool for physicians, and Nursing Reference Center, a rich resource for nursing professionals, can now be accessed by all Penn Staters with an access id thanks to the University Libraries’ collaborative purchases with the Harrell Library at Hershey. The databases can be accessed at http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/databases.html and selecting each by name. Continue reading

Library of Congress approves continuation of the Pennsylvania Center for the Book

The Pennsylvania Center for the Book (PCFB), hosted by Penn State’s University Libraries, will continue operation for the next three years per approval of affiliate status by The Library of Congress Center for the Book (LC CFB) in Washington, D.C.

John Y. Cole, director of the LC CFB, noted, “I urge my Library of Congress colleagues to take a good look at PCFB’s website at http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/, for ideas and example about how LC can learn and be inspired by prospering state center activities, including educational outreach; preschool family literacy programming and storytelling; poetry for all ages; graphic novels; and resource links to projects for Letters about Literature, the state center network, and national and international book and literary prizes and awards.” Continue reading

Libraries expand hours and services for finals

Penn State University Libraries are expanding hours and services to help students with end of the semester research and finals study needs.

Offering more than 490,000 square feet of space to accommodate more than 2,100 public seats, Pattee and Paterno Libraries are open for 24-hour service, beginning 10 a.m., April 28 to 2 a.m., May 2. Continue reading

Wall Street Journal available in Proquest Historical Journals

Proquest Historical Newspapers now offers access to issues of the Wall Street Journal, spanning from 1889 to 1995. Penn Staters with an access id and Alumni Association members can access this database by visiting the University Libraries’ homepage on the “Databases by Title (A-Z)” page at www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/databases.html.

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Popular ‘stress reliever’ event is back

This year again, Penn State’s University Libraries are going out of their way to offer students at University Park ways to relieve stress during finals. From Sunday, April 28 to Wednesday, May 1, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, students can enjoy free beverages and snacks (coffee, hot tea, bottled water, and granola bars) plus chair massages by local massage therapists Jen Spence and Katie Parisou. Continue reading

Events: April 22 – 28

MediaTech Technology Expo
April 22, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dean’s Hall, Penn Stater Conference Center

LionSearch Assessment Forum
April 24, 2:30pm,
Foster Auditorium and Media Site Live.
LionSearch Assessment Team (Linda Musser, Amy Rustic, Alan Shay, Jaime Jamison and Binky Lush) will present the results of the recent LionSearch Survey, discuss data being collected for the assessment and outline the report. Second half of the forum will be for the audience to pose questions and offer feedback.

ICIK Seminar: Bringing Indigenous Knowledge of the People of Rural Africa into the Academy
April 24, noon to 1:30 p.m., Foster Aud. and online

SoLa: Louisiana Water Stories (62 min) (Last film of the semester)
April 24, noon, EMS Library, 105 Deike. How the exploitation of southern Louisiana’s natural resources compromised the resiliency of its ecology and culture.

Save the date:

Elsevier Forum, Tuesday, April 30, 10-11 a.m., Foster Auditorium (and MediaSite). Penn State’s current contract with Elsevier for e-journals ends in 2013. A small group has been gathering data on usage of Elsevier titles, who at Penn State serves on editorial boards of Elsevier journals, and other factors. Some of the highlights of these data will be shared at the Forum but we also want to get input from you. Please join us to share your thoughts or simply come and be dazzled by data!