Monthly Archives: April 2015

Jazz Riffs: Breaking Boundaries and Crossing Borders

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The exhibit “Jazz Riffs: Breaking Boundaries and Crossing Borders”, presented by the Arts and Humanities Library and the News and Microforms Library, in the libraries’ Diversity Studies Room, 203 Pattee Library, has been extended and will be on dIsplay until July 1.

The exhibit speaks like a riff in jazz—a short simple melody used for creating more complicated musical patterns. It makes no claim to being all-inclusive; just a one-toe dip in the river of jazz, its music, and the lives of a few of its artists.

Jazz Riffs looks at three major story elements in the history of jazz—GENDER, RACE, and WORLD—focusing on a few musicians or groups from each of these categories.

Each of the three themes in the exhibit include musicians’
stories and their music and goes deeper into the history, music,
biography, film and fiction of jazz found within the rich resources of the University Libraries.

 

Library News: April 13

Dean’s News

By Barbara I. Dewey, dean, University Libraries and Scholarly Communications

Thanks everyone for your participation in the AD search which is ongoing. We are also hosting Dr. Jon E. Cawthorne, dean of Libraries, West Virginia University, who will be speaking at my Dean’s Forum on April 21, at 1:30 p.m., in Foster Auditorium (and on MediaSite Live). The title of his talk is “Beyond Our Walls: The 21st Century West Virginia University Libraries.” He has been at WVU for about one year. During his visit to Penn State he will have meetings with library administrators, Libraries’ strategic planning groups, resident librarians and representatives from the Diversity Committee.

Two of our outstanding librarians received or will be receiving university-wide awards. Dawn Amsberry, associate librarian, Library Learning Services, received the Faculty Diversity Recognition Award given at the 24th Annual Diversity Recognition Event sponsored by the Multicultural Resource Center and the Penn State Alumni Association. Diane Zabel, Louis and Virginia Benzak Librarian and head, Schreyer Business Library, is receiving The President’s Award for Engagement with Students at this week’s 2015 Faculty/Staff Award luncheon. Congratulations to Diane and Dawn.

Speaking of awards – Save the Date for the Libraries Award Reception on May 15, 2:30-3:30 p.m.,  in Foster (award ceremony) and Mann (reception).

WIMT Update: A/B testing on the homepage

by Alex Brown, graduate assistant, Department for Information Technologies

(Brown is a graduate student in the College of Information Sciences and Technology and is a member of the Web Implementation and Management Team, WIMT.)

Over the past couple of weeks, small changes have been made to the interface of the library’s homepage in order to test usability. These small changes are employed through a tool called Optimizely, which tests the changes real-time against an original variation. Results are then analyzed, combined with data from other web analytic technologies, and recommendations are formed.

screenshot of homepage

screenshot of search

The images above show an example of a test that was run. This test removed the border placed around the search box, consequently reducing the size of the search area by about 15,000 square pixels. The findings of this test revealed that user behavior remained stagnant, indicating that a streamlined search area will still attract heavy usage, while freeing up pixel space for other resources.

Experiments in the future will look to further understand user preference for textual display, terminology, and button placement. We are excited to continue to learn more about user behavior so that we can meet the needs of our users, while exceeding expectations.

If you have questions about the website migration project, please email UL-wimt@lists.psu.edu.
To read past articles related to the website migration, go to https://sites.psu.edu/librarynews/category/website-migration-updates/

Hello, how may I help you?

Phone ConversationWhen you receive a call from a patron, you may be the first and only contact that this person may have with our library.  You want our patrons to think of the library staff and faculty as courteous and professional when they call in.

Here are some tips to make sure that a positive first impression stays with our patrons long after the call is completed.

  • Greet the patron – Good morning, good afternoon
  • Identify your location and yourself  – Knowledge Commons, this is John.
  • Ask them what you can do for them – How may I help you?
  • When the call is complete, be sure to ask the patron if there is anything else you can help them with.

Having a smile in your voice will permeate through the phone line.  Your friendliness and helpfulness will shine through.

 

Image Citation:  (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2015, from http://www.alliance911.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/customer-service-rep-on-phone.jpg

Interlibrary Loan Link in a CAT Record Improved

by Barbara Coopey

Since 2012, a link to Interlibrary Loan has been displayed under “Location” in a CAT record depending upon certain circulation status conditions. For example, if the item is checked out to a non-Penn State library, reported missing, department charged, or the material is at the bindery or being repaired. The link This copy unavailable, submit request via Interlibrary Loan directed users to the ILL main page to request a copy through Interlibrary Loan.

Holdings

Although this link provided users with an option to request the item via ILL, landing on the main ILL page was confusing. The user needed to restart his/her search in one of the ILL systems or key in the information in an ILLiad request form.
This service has been improved thanks to customized programming by Maryam Kutchemeshgi of I-Tech. The link now takes the user directly to ILLiad where a request form is automatically populated. All the user needs to do is submit the request and ILL staff will obtain the item from another library. If the user is not yet registered in ILLiad, a new registration form will first appear and once the user completes the profile form, the request will be submitted. Since this link went live on March 24, over 250 requests were directed to ILLiad from the CAT.
In addition to the above mentioned link to ILLiad, there are other ILL options in The CAT as well. On the right menu bar in a CAT record, the user can continue his or her original search in the ILL systems WorldCat, E-ZBorrow or Uborrow and place requests.
For more information on changes in The CAT record to encourage users to request from ILL, see https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/access/intranet/catchanges12.html

Zabel to receive President’s Award for Engagement With Students

Diane Zabel, The Louis and Virginia Benzak Business Librarian and head librarian of the William and Joan Schreyer Business Library, is the recipient of the 2015 President’s Award for Engagement with Students. The award is given to a faculty member who goes beyond his or her responsibilities to engage and encourage students in learning. The honorees have made themselves available to interact with students outside class, link students to opportunities and help them build their confidence as learners and potential contributors to society. Read the full story on Penn State News: http://news.psu.edu/story/349102/2015/04/09/academics/zabel-receive-president%E2%80%99s-award-engagement-students

LHR News

submitted by Wendy Stodart

Please join us in welcoming the following new hires:

Full-time:

4/13/15    Jeff Friday  – Systems Administrator (Windows Systems Administrator/Workstation Engineer), I-Tech

Part-time: 

Megan Gray – George T. Harrell Health Sciences Library

 

Leaving:

4/17/15    Marcus Fowler, Development

April Events

April 16, 3 – 4:30 p.m.: Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice, presented by Tad Hershorn, Institute of Jazz Studies, Dana Library, Rutgers University, Newark. This presentation will be in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, in conjunction with the current library exhibit “Jazz Riffs: Breaking Boundaries and Crossing Borders.”

April 20, 2-3 p.m.: “Inch by Inch… Building Institutional Capacity for DH Through Inter- and Trans-disciplinary Collaboration”, presented by digital humanities scholar Orla Murphy of University College Cork, Ireland, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. Open to the public and will be followed by a reception in Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library.

April 21, noon – 1:30 p.m.:“Creepy, Crawly, Crunchy: Can Insects Feed the Future?”
A panel of experts will discuss the use of edible insects to attain greater global food security in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. “Creepy, Crawly, Crunchy: Can Insects Feed the Future?” will focus on insects as a nontraditional livestock, potential barriers to insect rearing and insect eating, or entomophagy, in the developed and developing world. The program is free and open to the public and will also be available for viewing live online.

April 21, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.: Dean’s Forum with speaker Jon E. Cawthorne, dean of Libraries at West Virginia University. Cawthorne will speak about strategic planning and new initiatives at the West Virginia University Libraries. Foster Auditorium or on MediaSite Live

April 22: “What is financial literacy?,” a workshop. 5:30–6:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. In this workshop, Penn State Financial Literacy Manager Dr. Daad Rizk will discuss the skills that students need to acquire. She will present an overview of financial literacy and give specific steps and tips to examine and alter core attitudes and beliefs about money management as a prelude to reaching a successful financial life. Additional details are online at http://bit.ly/1rzz1Jw. Registration is requested at http://bit.ly/1sQ0Zkp

April 23, 10 a.m.: Lan Xue, doctoral student in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, will present “Tourism development and changing identity in rural China,” in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. This indigenous knowledge seminar is free and open to the public and can be viewed online.

April 23, noon–4:00 p.m.: Workshop on Mapping in the Humanities Classroom, 23 Pattee Library. Workshop registration required: http://sites.psu.edu/litmaps/

April 23, 5:00–6:00 p.m.: Reception with speaker Janelle Jenstad, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library. Jenstad is an associate professor of English at the University of Victoria. She directs The Map of Early Modern London (MoEML), a SSHRC-funded project that maps the streets, sites, and significant boundaries of late sixteenth-century and early seventeenth-century London (1560-1640). Registration required: http://sites.psu.edu

April 23, 6:00–7:30 p.m.: a public talk by Janelle Jenstad, “Wayfinding in Shakespeare’s London: MoEML’s Literary GIS and Interactive Map,” in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. No registration is required for this free and open presentation.

April 29, 2-3 pm: Research Data Working Group Kick-Off and Planning Meeting, 126A Paterno (Adobe Connect at https://meeting.psu.edu/rdwg/, audio 866-636-8004). All faculty and staff welcome! More information about the group is available at http://tinyurl.com/psuRDWG.

** Also see “Training and Enrichment Opportunities” for additional staff events.

Undergraduate scholarship application due May 1

Librarians and staff at all campuses, please share this information about Libraries scholarships: Are you an undergraduate student with an interest in library and information science? Consider applying for a University Libraries scholarship. The Libraries offer a number of awards annually to outstanding Penn State undergraduates who are considering pursuing a master’s degree in library and information science. The scholarships are intended to help with current school costs.

If you’ve never thought about a career in library and information science before, you may not be aware of the wide range of opportunities that exist in this field, including working with academic, business, or public organizations, and in teaching and research.

The deadline for submission of the scholarship application is Friday, May 1. Details about each award, application details and an application form are available online.www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/scholarships.html. For more information, contact Sandy Confer at 814-863-3665 or slb3@psu.edu.

Data Learning Center offers one-on-one help with statistics, geospatial research

The University Libraries’ Data Learning Center now offers a suite of services for Penn State students, staff, and faculty seeking help with statistical or GIS-related research. One service that users may find particularly useful is the individualized consultation session, where students, staff and faculty can receive one-on-one help with their data from a specialist in the Libraries, tailored to their needs.

GIS specialist Tara LaLonde says this service is unique on campus, as it is available to undergraduates, graduates, staff, and faculty from any major. “We are open to all students from all disciplines, and our services are free,” she says. “Students come to us at various stages of their research—some are just starting out and need ideas on how to use data, for example, in their honors thesis. Others are at the later stages of their research, and maybe need help with a particular tool, or an analysis technique,” she adds.

To book an initial consultation, email datalearning@psu.edu or complete the online form athttp://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/researchhub/datalearningcenter/appointment.html.  “Include some information about what you need help with in the booking process. Bring your data with you to the initial meeting and you can log in to one of our computers and we can take a look at it with you,” says LaLonde. If an individual also needs help finding data, the Data Learning Center can assist with the discovery of data. The computers in the Data Learning Center have many of the popular statistical packages installed, including SPSS, R, Stata and Minitab, as well as ArcGIS and open source software like QGIS. LaLonde notes that an individual may have a number of follow up meetings over the course of a semester.

The Data Learning Center is located in 208, Paterno Library. It is separate from the main library floor and provides a quiet, private environment for consultations. The center is staffed by a social sciences librarian, geospatial services librarian, statistical information specialist, GIS specialist, graduate statistical consultant and undergraduate interns. Other services the team offers are workshops, a lab in which to conduct data research, instruction, data resources and virtual consultations. In addition, the Data Learning Center team can create lessons tailored to a particular class and provide instruction on site. To contact the team, email datalearning@psu.edu, or call 814-865-4861. Visit the website athttp://tinyurl.com/psu-dlc.

Panel to discuss insects as a human food source

A panel of experts will discuss the use of edible insects to attain greater global food security, on April 21, from noon to 1:30 p.m., in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. “Creepy, Crawly, Crunchy: Can Insects Feed the Future?” will focus on insects as a nontraditional livestock, potential barriers to insect rearing and insect eating, or entomophagy, in the developed and developing world. The program is free and open to the public and will also be available for viewing live online.

The panelists are Robert Anderson, founder of Sustainable Strategies LLC and advisor to the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Florence Dunkel, associate professor in the College of Agriculture at Montana State University; Dorothy Blair, former Penn State assistant professor of nutrition and Alyssa Chilton, a Penn State sensory scientist in the Department of Food Science.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), an estimated 805 million people around the globe are chronically undernourished. Projections of food requirements and population growth suggest that we need to increase current food production by 70 percent by 2050 in order to keep up with human demand.  Rearing insects as livestock could be a way to address a critical food shortage in the future.

This program is sponsored by the University Libraries, the Interinstitutional Center for Indigenous Knowledge, the Ecology Institute, the Department of Biology and the Department of Food Science. For more information or if you anticipate needing accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Amy Paster, alp4@psu.edu / 814-865-3708, in advance of your participation.

National Library Workers Day: Submit a STAR!

Tuesday, April 14 is National Library Workers Day. Why not take a moment to express your appreciation for the great job your staff is doing or acknowledge your coworkers for their contributions? One way to do that is to submit a STAR. Nominate someone and watch the Star Cloud grow! — Ann Snowman

National Library Week 2015 celebrations

NLW15LibraryNewsBlog

National Library Week, an annual observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country, will be held from April 12 to 18, 2015. This is a time to recognize the importance of libraries in our communities, schools and higher education institutions and celebrate and support the vital contributions they make. This year’s theme is “Unlimited Opportunities @ Your Library.”

To celebrate National Library Week, the University Libraries homepage revolving carousel will feature a slide show of photos submitted by employees. Thank you for your submissions! We’ve also asked Penn State students, faculty and staff to share their thoughts about the Libraries on social media. Please join in and tweet @psulibs, or post on Instagram, using this hashtag: #wearepsulibs. The social media posts will be aggregated and appear on this page:http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/social.html. Our twitter feed will run on the homepage during this week.

 

The University Libraries’ Job Enrichment Program

Are you interested in learning new job skills that can help you prepare for future job opportunities? How about broadening your understanding of how the Libraries work so that you can better understand the impact of your job? The University Libraries’ Job Enrichment Program was established fifteen years ago to provide opportunities to learn new skills and gain knowledge through work experience in units other than your regular job.
Job Enrichment assignments typically involve working in another unit within the Libraries to learn about another job for a short time each week for several months. Assignments may involve performing a specific job, such as working a shift at a Welcome Desk or Reference Desk, or may be more project-oriented, such as working on a report or helping solve a specific problem. The Job Enrichment Program is structured for flexibility to allow you to pursue your interests – all that is required is mutual agreement between you, your supervisor, and the supervisor in the enrichment unit.
All full-time employees are eligible to participate in Job Enrichment assignments. Talk to your immediate supervisor to start exploring development opportunities and your interests. Getting your supervisor’s approval is the first step. Keep in mind, there may be a variety of reasons that your supervisor isn’t able to agree to a job enrichment assignment at the current time. Work priorities, departmental staffing, and the number of other employees in the unit already involved in job enrichment are some of the factors that need to be considered. Once approved, your supervisor can then facilitate discussions with supervisors in other units where assignments may be beneficial. After a Job Enrichment assignment is identified, you’ll formalize the job enrichment experience by completing an Agreement for Job Enrichment form. See Libraries’ HR guideline UL-HRG-02 for further details and a link to the Agreement form.
Job Enrichment experiences can be a great way to learn more about other units, to understand Library processes that feed your regular work or that use your output, or to better understand and experience the mission of the University Libraries. If you have questions, please contact Rob Harris, Human Resources Manager.

Have a recycling question?

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Have a recycling question?
You are not alone.  The UL Green Committee gets a fair number of recycling questions.  Many are repeat questions.  In order to share the information with you, the Green Committee has set up Green Tips.
Submit your recycling questions to the Green Committee  at (ul-green-committee@lists.psu.edu) and we will:
1. Send out the question and answer to ul-ulibs with the subject:  Green Tips
2. Compile Green Tips questions and answers and post them in the Library News blog
3. Post questions and answers on the Green Committee’s webpages,http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/greenteam.html, and social media
Sincerely,
the UL Green Committee

First Ever Teaching and Learning Baseline Assessment Survey

The Strategic Plan Working Group on Teaching and Learning has been charged with implementing the Teaching and Learning portion of the strategic plan, and our first step in doing so will be to gather quantitative information to develop a profile of the teaching and learning activities we already perform. This will allow us to develop an action plan for the future. We will gather this information via an online survey that will be sent to Unit Heads on Monday, April 13th.

Unit Heads will distribute copies of the survey to all the Librarians and staff who do instruction in their units, then they will gather the data, compile it, and submit it via the online survey. Please do your best to answer the questions and use your best judgment about how your activities fit in to the definitions we have come up with. Our goal is merely to create a picture of what we do and identify how we can best move forward to implement our goals.

We realize that the quantitative nature of this survey leaves out many important components such as assessment of effectiveness, but it is just a beginning.

A copy of the survey in Word document form can be found on the Strategic Plan Intranet at:
https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/groups/intranet/strat_plan_groups.html
(Scroll all the way to the bottom)
Please contact Jennifer Gilley (jrg15@psu.edu) with any questions.

•Jennifer Gilley, (Chair) Head Librarian, Penn State New Kensington
•Dawn Amsberry, Reference Librarian, Library Learning Services
•Megan Gilpin, Outreach Coordinator, Library Learning Services
•Lauren Reiter, Business Liaison Librarian
•Sandy Stelts, Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts
•Alessia Zanin-Yost, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Penn State Altoona