- Dean’s News
- Events
- Some changes to ‘material type’ for videos in The CAT
- Cahoy articles on information literacy published
- LibQUAL assessment: respond by Jan. 8 if you want to help
- LHR News
- Exhibit explores research collections
- Free seminars in research skills, data management
- Libraries offer $1,250 for undergraduate thesis
- Student Financial Education Center opens this month
- EMS Film Series starts January 15
- Exhibit displays students’ posters celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.
- State College magazine features Pattee and Paterno Libraries
Daily Archives: January 6, 2014
Dean’s News
By Barbara I. Dewey, dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications
Happy New Year! 2014 is starting out with a bang for the University Libraries. We are on the cover of two magazines – State College (http://statecollegemagazine.com/) and The Penn Stater (http://pennstatermag.com/) with featured stories inside. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to these stories and especially to Catherine Grigor for making them happen.
I am pleased to announce that Interim Vice President for Research Neil Sharkey has agreed to place a library representative on the Research Council. Mike Furlough will take on this liaison role providing the Libraries with a seat at this very important table. Likewise Interim Dean of the Graduate School Regina (Jean) Vasilatos-Younken has agreed to have library representation on the Graduate Council Curriculum Committee. Eric Novotny will take on this role that will greatly enhance communication and information flow between the Grad School and the Libraries.
Spring Semester 2014 also brings the opening of two new centers both featuring important campus partnerships in the Pattee and Paterno Library complex. The Student Financial Education Center (SFEC) located in 309 Paterno Library (in the William and Joan Schreyer Business Library) will open later this month and is a partnership with the University Park Undergraduate Association and the University Libraries. Lauren Reiter provided important leadership in getting the center started. Additionally, the Census Research Data Center will open in the Research Hub later in the semester and is a partnership with the Social Sciences Research Institute. Look for more information on this center in the coming weeks.
We are, of course, engaged in strategic planning this semester. Look for opportunities to participate and links to resources as the semester rolls out. I know that we share Provost Jones’ vision to take Penn State to higher levels of excellence, innovation, and knowledge creation to improve the human condition. The library is at the heart of this vision.
Events
January 8, 1:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium and MediaSite Live: Dean’s Forum (view online presentation)
January 14, 10–11 a.m., 315 Pattee Library, west: Introduction to LionSearch
January 15, 10–11 a.m., 302 Paterno Library: LIbrary Research Basics
January 15, 12:15 p.m., EMS Library, 105 Deike: What is One Degree? (film – 50 min.)
Beginning with a visit to Britain’s National Physical Laboratory, the institution tasked with formally defining one degree, the video looks at the atomic aspects of temperature and their fundamental relationship with molecular energy.
January 21, 4 to 6 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library: Grand opening reception of the Student Financial Education Center
Changes to ‘material type’ for online video in The CAT, LionSearch
In response to concerns about the identification and discovery of online (streaming) videos, a change was made in the coding of the Material Type for online videos in The CAT and LionSearch. Instead of assigning the Material Type ONLINE, we are assigning the Material Type VIDEO. On location displays, the Material is now listed as “Video Material”; the Library continues to be “Online Resources” and the Location continues to be “Online Content”. Using the Advanced Search in The CAT, you can retrieve online video using “Video Material” in the Material Type drop-down list. This change also effects LionSearch, where these items display as “Video Recordings”. (As opposed to streaming videos displaying as e-books due to limited mapping options.) This change effected 9,232 items. Thank you, Emily and Binky on behalf of the Discovery and Access Working Team
Cahoy’s articles on information literacy published
Librarian Ellysa Cahoy has had a number of articles published recently that add to the growing body of knowledge on information literacy.
Cahoy, an education and behavioral sciences librarian and assistant director in the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, has two articles published in the latest issue of Communications in Information Literacy. This is a special issue focused on “Rethinking the Standards.”
Her first article is titled “Affective Learning and Personal Information Management: Essential Components of Information Literacy,” and is available online here.
The other article is a transcript of a session Cahoy participated in with Trudi Jacobson and Craig Gibson at the Pennsylvania Information Literacy Summit that was held in summer 2013. The article is titled “Moving Forward: A Discussion on the Revision of the ACRL Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education,” and can be read online here.
In addition, LOEX Quarterly published an interview with Cahoy discussing affective information literacy, personal archiving and the forthcoming revision of the ACRL information literacy standards. Click on the following link to view and download the PDF of this article: The Quarterly Interview- Ellysa Stern Cahoy.
Reminder: Respond by Jan. 8 if you want to be involved in survey assessment
The Library Assessment and Metrics Council (LAMC) is pleased to announce the creation of a working group to assist the LAMC with the assessment of the recent LibQUAL survey comment responses. Members of this group will assist in the categorization and analysis of our patrons’ responses to the open-ended question regarding library services. Results of this analysis will assist the libraries assessment of currently provided services, while also providing analysis of our users’ service needs compared to the results of our previous LibQUAL surveys.
If you would like to be a part of this working group, please submit a brief statement of interest via email to the LAMC (ul-assessment-council@lists.psu.edu) by Wednesday, January 8, 2014. The first meeting of this working group will occur in late January or early February of next year. The categorization and analysis done by the group should be completed within one month’s time. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the continual assessment initiatives of the University Libraries. Please consider expressing your interest.
Thank you,
The Library Assessment and Metrics Council
https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/groups/assessmentcouncil.html
LHR News: January 6
Please join us in welcoming the following new hires:
Full-time:
1/6/14 William Minter – Senior Book Conservator, Digitization and Preservation
Charlotte Redgate Myers – Reference Librarian, J. Clarence Kelly Library, PS Greater Allegheny
Part-time:
Jessica Showalter – Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library
Adama Wagay – PS Schuylkill Library
FaWishing the following employees well as they leave us:
Best wishes in retirement:
12/20/13 Bill Bishop, Media and Technology Support Services
Attention New PPO Savings Plan members
You will receive several mailings over the next couple of weeks:
- New medical ID cards from Highmark were mail over the break
- Health Savings Account (HSA) debit cards will be mailed to you by Jan. 14., 2014, which you will be able to use as soon as you have funds in your HSA.
- The Penn State contribution of $400 for individual accounts or $800 for family accounts will be deposited into the HSA on approximately January 14 and the first payroll contribution will be taken in the January 30 payroll cycle. Keep in mind that you cannot use the funds from the HSA account until the money is physically in the account.
- Welcome kits from Highmark will be mailed within the first two weeks of January, which will explain the plan in greater detail.
Keep in mind that until the applicable deduction is met, you will pay 100% of the Highmark discounted amount, both for medical and pharmacy services. If you have any questions about the new plan, please contact Highmark Blue Shield directly at 800-914-4384. Continue reading
Exhibition explores research collections
“Exploring Research Collections: A Special Collections Sampler,” an exhibition, is on display January 8–March 7, 2014, in The Eberly Family Special Collections Library, 104 Paterno Library.
Special collections can often be a patchwork quilt of rare books, scarce publications, unique documents, archival materials, and hard to find resources that support and enrich the educational and research missions of a university. This sampling showcases pieces that have been woven together to create a rich tapestry of collections of distinction for Penn State.
Libraries offer free seminars in research skills, citation tools, data management
The University Libraries have scheduled a wide range of free seminars this semester to help students, faculty and staff with their research needs. Classes are available in basic library research skills and the following citation management tools: Zotero, Endnote and Mendeley. Additional introductory level and advanced level classes will be offered in LionSearch, Penn State’s powerful library search engine. In addition, two workshops will be held on data management. The full line up of classes is listed below. More details and registration information are also available from the Libraries’ website: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/classes/research_basics_seminar.html
Libraries offer $1,250 award for outstanding undergraduate thesis
The Penn State University Libraries announce the third annual competition for the Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis. The competition aims to find the best thesis submitted by an undergraduate student in consultation with his or her adviser. The winner will receive an award of $1,250 and second place $750 and third place $500. Undergraduate students graduating in summer 2013, fall 2013, or spring 2014 and from all Penn State locations are eligible for the spring 2014 award.
Students must submit an online application, have a statement of support submitted by a Penn State faculty member, and provide a copy of their final thesis. The competition includes a review of the submitted theses by a faculty jury and an oral presentation by the students chosen as finalists.
Student Financial Education Center opens in Paterno Library during Financial Education Week
A partnership between UPUA (the University Park Undergraduate Association) and the University Libraries has created the Student Financial Education Center (SFEC) to provide student-to-student financial educational resources and presentations. The SFEC is staffed by Peer Educators, students who have been trained in specific areas of personal finance (budgeting, credit cards and student loans), who work one-on-one with students to improve and sustain financial literacy at Penn State.
Students, faculty and staff are invited to a grand opening reception to promote the services of the center on Tuesday, January 21, 4 to 6 p.m., in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library.
The SFEC, located in 309 Paterno Library, in the William and Joan Schreyer Business Library, will begin accepting walk in or appointments on Monday, January 27. Hours vary each semester, and are posted along with other information at pennstateupua.com/SFEC. Continue reading
Free earth and environment film series starts January 15
The Earth and Mineral Sciences Library’s Spring Film Series kicks off on January 15 with “What Is One Degree,” a look at temperature and molecular energy. Films are shown every Wednesday at 12:15 p.m., in 105 Deike Building and are free and open to the public. Note: Due to renovations, some films will be shown in the Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum, 16 Deike Building. Call 814-865-9517. For more information, visit http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/emsl/aboutus/filmseries.html.
If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Linda Musser at 814-863-7073 or lrm4@psu.edu in advance of the film screening.
The schedule is as follows:
Jan. 15: What is One Degree? (50 min.)
Beginning with a visit to Britain’s National Physical Laboratory, the institution tasked with formally defining one degree, the video looks at the atomic aspects of temperature and their fundamental relationship with molecular energy.
Jan 22: Science Under Attack: Has the public lost faith in scientists? (52 min.)
The consensus of the world’s science academies is that climate change is real, and that it’s caused by human activity. Why, then, do so many people doubt these findings?
Jan 29: Secret Life of Ice (49 min.)
Ice may be one of the strangest substances in the world. Full of contradictions, it is powerful enough to shatter rock but can melt in the blink of an eye; it is transparent, yet can glow with color. Continue reading
Exhibit displays Martin Luther King Jr. student posters
“Celebrating Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr. Day and Black History Month,” an exhibit featuring posters designed by Penn State students in the University’s 29th annual MLK poster competition, is on display in the entry lobby of Pattee Library, January 6 through February 28, 2014. This year’s theme is Reflect on Yesterday, Experience Today, Transform Tomorrow.
The winning poster was designed by Jake Nicolella, a senior graphic design major.
The student posters were created in Professor Lanny Sommese’s GD 400, Time and Sequence course. This annual exercise for Sommese’s students exposes them to real-world design with a fixed deadline and client and prescribed project specifications. It also gets the students involved in a public service project—something that is very important to Sommese.
The display illustrates a variety of approaches to this year’s theme and demonstrates the abilities of Penn State design students.
Judges from the commemorations planning committee selected as the winning poster, the design by Jake Nicolella, a senior graphic design major at Penn State. His poster features three sets of birds on lines—the first set with black and white birds separated, the next set with black and white birds integrated and the final set with multi-colored birds and some on wing. Nicolella’s design has been duplicated on buttons and posters to be distributed for Penn State’s 2014 MLK celebration.
For more information or if you anticipate needing accessibility accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please call Catherine Grigor, University Libraries, at 814-863-4240.
State College magazine features Pattee and Paterno Libraries
The local magazine, “State College,” January issue cover story features Pattee and Paterno Libraries—What’s in it for you? The eight page spread, written by Robyn Passante and photographed by Matt Fern with the cover photo by Libraries staff member Wilson Hutton, concludes that Penn State’s University Libraries have lots to offer residents, including books, newspapers, movies, educational kits for children and so much more.
The magazine is available for free throughout State College and the Centre Region. Excerpts and photos from the article can be viewed at http://statecollegemagazine.com/. This site also includes subscription information for home delivery to keep abreast with what is happening in the Centre Region.