Daily Archives: July 22, 2013

Libraries to host Pennsylvania information literacy summit

The University Libraries are hosting the first Pennsylvania Forward Information Literacy Summit, on Wednesday, July 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Foster Auditorium, first floor, Paterno Library. The summit is organized by the Pennsylvania Information Literacy Learning Community, an online group of librarians from K-12 schools, higher education and public libraries, who share their strategies, experiences and best practices in the field of information literacy instruction.

ellysa cahoyEllysa Stern Cahoy (left), Penn State education and behavioral sciences librarian and assistant director of The Pennsylvania Center for the Book, is on the planning team and will be one of the keynote speakers at the event. Cahoy notes, “This event is the first of its kind. Public, school, and academic librarians from across Pennsylvania will come together to strategize on how to maximize students’ ability to find, evaluate and use information. I am honored to be a speaker at this event, and look forward to learning new educational strategies from my state-wide library colleagues.”

“I am so pleased that the Penn State University Libraries can host this exciting summit on Information Literacy in Pennsylvania, and that Library Learning Services can support it,” says Loanne Snavely, head of Library Learning Services. “This summit will provide the groundwork for collaboration and progress between and among libraries of all types in promoting information literacy for Pennsylvanians of all ages,” she adds.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Information Literacy Learning Community, go to https://sites.google.com/site/painfolit/.

iPhone accessibility features you may not know about

By Ryan Johnson, technology training coordinator

There are a few great features in your iPhone accessibility options that everyone can use. To enable any of the features below, go under: Settings -> General> Accessibility.

Read Any Text Out Loud:

1. Head into Settings -> General -> Accessibility.

2. Turn on Speak Selection.

Now, when you select a block of text you’ll get the option to speak it out loud.

Get LED Flashes for Notifications:

1. Head into Settings -> General -> Accessibility.

2. Tap the LED Flash for Alerts button.

Now, when you get a call or other notifications, the LED flash on the backside of your phone will light up.

Enable Custom Gestures with Assistive Touch:

AssistiveTouch is to help people who have problems with the touch screen, and subsequently you can do all kinds of cool stuff with it, including creating your own set of gestures:

1. Turn on AssistiveTouch in Settings-> General Accessibility -> AssistiveTouch.

2. Tap the new icon in the top left corner of your screen.

3. Tap the Favorites button.

4. Tap the + to create a new gesture.

Here is a blog that has a few examples of gestures including making scrolling easy.

Upcoming events

August 1: Book Sale
The University Libraries United Way committee will hold a used book sale on Thursday, August 1, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the Mann Assembly Room, first floor, Paterno Library. Please support this worthy event. Click on this link to view the flyer: Booksale flyer 2013

August 20: Annual Picnic
Please join us for the 23rd Annual University Libraries’ Faculty/Staff Family Picnic, from 5:00 p.m. – sunset, in Sunset Park, Pavilions #1 and #2 (Buffet dinner service to begin at 5:30 p.m.)
MENU: Hamburgers & Hot Dogs with rolls, potato salad, grilled vegetables, freshly cut fruits, and desserts
Please RSVP (by Tue., 8/06/13) using the online form at http://bit.ly/18aUWPp, by visiting the University Libraries’ Picnic page (http://bit.ly/176TOJi), or by printing and sending the form via campus mail to Sandy Confer, 510 Paterno. Sorry, we cannot fund travel expenses for those coming from other campuses, but we promise good fun and fun! We hope to see you there!

September 5: UPLEA Arts Fest

11am-3pm, in the Mann Assembly Room. Registration details coming soon.
Even if you have presented in former shows, please consider participating again. Artists needed in photography, painting, needlecrafts, fiber arts, ceramics and sculpture, wood crafts, jewelry making, culinary arts, performing arts, music and much more. Demonstrations are also welcome and encouraged. So start planning which of your works of art, literature and music you would like to share with your colleagues and friends in the libraries.

Added attractions: Welcome literary giants! This year’s Arts Fest will include a category for literary creations. So if you’re an aspiring writer and you would like to share your works with your colleagues, please consider reserving a space. Time slots will be reserved in Foster Auditorium for you if you would like to present a short piece of your work.

Remote artists: Once again, we are inviting our colleagues at the Commonwealth campuses to submit their art. Faculty and staff of the campuses are encouraged to submit text, photos or audio/video clips of their art which will be presented in a slide show in our virtual artist category.

Pilot of new claims returned process begins

By Stephanie Movahedi-Lankarani

On July 15, the University Libraries began a six-month pilot of a streamlined Claims Returned procedure for library staff who work with materials that patrons believe they have returned to the library. The changes are intended to make the Claims Returned work flow as effective, efficient, and responsive to patron service needs as possible.

Highlights of the new procedure include:

  • All Claims Returned claims are made via the Libraries’ online Claims Returned form at: https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/secure/forms/lendingforms/claimreturned.html
  • Search for materials begins at the location where the patron indicates they returned the item(s)
  • Number of searches and schedule of searches restructured and streamlined to reflect typical found (by staff) or returned (by patron) data
  • Claims Returned staff in Pattee/Paterno Libraries maintain a Claims Returned database and email Search Reports (at 2-days, 1-week, 1-month, and 6-months) to each Branch Library location which has Claims Returned items

In October and November feedback will be formally sought from staff working with the procedure by the Claims Returned Subgroup (a part of Access Services Council) and incorporated into the Claims Returned process. The final version of the procedure will be rolled-out In January 2014.
For questions or more information, contact the Claims Returned Subgroup:
Barb Lessig, Berks Thun Library (bzl1, 610-396-6244)
Stephanie Movahedi-Lankarani, Architecture & Landscape Architecture Library (qum7, 814-863-0511) (Chair)
Amy Pfeffer, Pattee/Paterno Library (amp17, 814-863-2542)

LHR news for July 22

Please join us in welcoming the following new hires:

Part-time:
Jaramy Nope, Commons Services
Ryan Truitte, Inactive Records Center

Wishing the following employees well as they leave us:

7/26/13
Elaine Julian, George T. Harrell Health Sciences Library
Ignacio Sanchez, Music & Media Center

Syracuse professor to present on library assessment

The University Libraries will host Megan Oakleaf of Syracuse University, on Monday, September 16,  for a visit focused on library assessment. Dr. Oakleaf will help us learn more about assessing library services so that we can document the value that we provide to our users. More specific details of her visit will be forthcoming. Please save the date and consider participating in this exciting day. Continue reading