Daily Archives: January 23, 2017

Dean’s Doings

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

I recently had the opportunity to meet with Michael Kubit, Penn State’s new Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO). He will report to Provost Jones and Vice President Gray. Mike will be responsible for leading Penn State’s IT operations. When I asked him about his priorities he noted four general areas — developing a shared vision, strengthening a culture of service around IT, optimizing Penn State’s IT resources, and positioning Penn State as a differentiator in such areas as visualization, augmented reality, etc. for teaching and research. He is very excited to work in partnership and collaboration with the Libraries and other entities. He most recently held the position of Deputy Chief Information Officer for Information Technology Services at Case Western Reserve University.

I was also pleased to meet Rich Bundy, Vice President for Development & Alumni Affairs, to discuss library fundraising and the Library Development Board. Rich grew up in State College and his father is our recently retired Blue Band Director, Dr. Bundy. As a history major, he was an avid user of our library and remains enthusiastic about our mission and activities. I gave him a brief tour and he was impressed by the changes.

Provost Jones invited me to join a small contingent of administrators to visit Penn State Mont Alto. We had a fantastic drive to the campus viewing beautiful farms, orchards, and vineyards as well as a comprehensive tour of the historic Mont Alto campus. Provost Jones gave separate town meetings for faculty, staff, and students. I had the opportunity to spend time with our wonderful and hospitable library staff — Lisa White, Head Librarian, Tom Reinsfelder, Reference Librarian, Jonathan Hindman, and Andrea Pritt, both Information Resources & Support Specialists. It was a terrific visit.

Next Dean’s Forum set for Jan. 30

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the Dean’s Forum at 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 30 in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park, or via Mediasite Live.

Dean Barbara I. Dewey will present an impressive list of kudos and the agenda continues with information on a collaboration between THON and the University Libraries presented by the THON Directors, an update on Penn State’s Voluntary Retirement Program, and a presentation by the Big Ten Academic Alliance Geospatial Team.

ProQuest product maintenance set for Jan. 28-29

During the weekend of Jan. 28, product maintenance will be performed worldwide to upgrade ProQuest products. As a result, several of the ProQuest databases to which University Libraries has access will not be available from 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28 through 6:00 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 29.

Affected products include the following research databases:
ProQuest platform (search.proquest.com)
ProQuest Congressional (congressional.proquest.com)
ProQuest Trials
Chadwyck-Healey US databases
Ancestry
Sanborn maps

This maintenance is being performed in order to update the infrastructure, enhance security, and increase the reliability of ProQuest databases. ProQuest notes that dates and times were chosen to minimize the impact to customers; however, it is recognized that this may affect a number of users. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you or your staff.

Thanks very much for your patience during this time.

Questions or concerns should be directed to ul-erhelp@lists.psu.edu. An alert regarding this update is published on the University Library Alerts page.

– submitted by Karen Hackett, I-Tech

Human Library comes to Penn State Feb. 15

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, Pattee Library and Paterno Library will host the first Penn State Human Library. You may be asking yourself, “What is a Human Library?” Imagine a place where readers are able to “check out” a Human “book” and engage that book in “conversations that challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue” (humanlibrary.org). It’s a way for ordinary people to open up and share their experiences with others in a supportive and safe environment.

There are no limits to the people who can participate as books. We all have a story and there are plenty of people out there willing to listen. To see an example of a Human Library experience at Glendale Community College in Arizona, please view this video.

Planning began in July 2016 with members of a variety of campus departments coming together: Adult Learner Programs and Services, Center for Women Students, Counseling and Psychological Services, LGBTQA Student Resource Center, Multicultural Resource Center, Paul Robeson Cultural Center, Penn State Hillel, Schreyer Honors College, University Office of Global Programs and the University Libraries. The first task for the committee was to establish learning goals, objectives, and outcomes for the program. The goal? For participants to further their understanding of, and tolerance for, individuals with experiences different from their own.

If you are interested in participating in the Penn State Human Library as a reader, feel free to sign up with a book here: http://tinyurl.com/human-psulibs.

Learn more about the Human Library experience coming to Penn State by reading the Penn State News article on the upcoming event.

– submitted by Megan Gilpin, Library Learning Services

Exhibit shows how Penn State research influenced popular solar design technique

A new Penn State exhibit in the Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library in the Stuckeman Family Building shows how research at the University in the 1950s influenced a passive solar design technique widely used today. “Research Wrapped in Aesthetics: The Air Wall” will be on display through May 5.

model of the Air Wall Test Building, at one inch to one foot scale

The research team has constructed a ½”=1’ model of the Air Wall Test Building, as well as several computational models, all of which help the researchers analyze different set-ups proposed by Hajjar in 1959 and better understand how this early technology compares to the technology of today.

The exhibit will include images and documents from Penn State’s libraries and archives, as well as a newly built model, all showing how Penn State faculty were among the first to explore solar design techniques intended to make the new
glass buildings more comfortable and efficient.

The current exhibit is the result of
research by an interdisciplinary team of Penn State faculty and graduate students who, in 2015, rediscovered the story of
the Air Wall when California architect
Mark Hajjar, William Hajjar’s son, gifted
his father’s architectural records to Penn State’s Special Collections Library.

The Raymond A. Bowers Program for Excellence in Design and Construction
of the Built Environment has funded the research into the history of the Air Wall
and development of computer
simulations.

Ute Poerschke, associate professor of architecture and leader of this project, was joined by research team members Henry Pisciotta, arts and architecture librarian, Moses Ling, associate professor of architectural engineering, David Goldberg, practitioner instructor in landscape architecture, Laurin Goad, doctoral candidate in art history, Mahyar Hadighi and Mina Rahimian, doctoral candidates in architecture, and Anthony Vischansky and Marie McKenna, both 2016 master of architecture graduates.

Read the entire Penn State News article about this exhibit online.

Getting to Know You: Binh Le

by Tracy Reilly and Jennifer Cywinski

If you want to talk about library science with someone, you might choose a person with extensive experience like Binh Le. He’s had more than 25 years in the field. Between him and his wife, Christine, they combine for more than 50 years of experience! As Le says, “The library Gods have been very good to us,” and he just might be right!

Originally from Vietnam, Binh started out in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as a busboy at a Chinese restaurant in the late 1970s, which was his very first job. Fast forward to 2017 and you’ll find him working at Penn State Abington as an associate librarian and is a liaison to the Division of Social Sciences. Some of his responsibilities include coordinating reference and library services for ELS and international students. Binh is a member of the American Library Association, he is on the board for the Library and Education Foundation for Vietnam (LEAF-VN), and he is also very active in the Association of College and Research Libraries.

Binh doesn’t have any pets, but he has plenty of critters that live in his backyard including deer, foxes, raccoons, and lots of birds, but no bears … yet!

When Binh is not working, he enjoys being active in the outdoors doing activities such as skiing, hiking, walking, cycling, playing tennis, and, of course, he loves to travel.

Binh says that his favorite thing about working at Penn State is “working with colleagues in various disciplines and campuses/colleges.”

Inside Access: Interlibrary Loan Shipping Task Force: A cost savings initiative

by Carolyn Muse, Interlibrary Loan

The Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Shipping Task Force Committee was charged in August 2016 to reduce duplicate packages being shipped to the same institution on the same day. The members of this committee are: Bernie Whitehill (Chair), Tracy Deitrich, Carolyn Muse, Alissa Mann, Tracie Wickersham, and Jennifer Funk. This was a good time to examine ILL’s shipping practices since ILL recently moved shipping of all packages under the IDS (Interlibrary Delivery Service of Pennsylvania) Nationwide Shipping Initiative. The Initiative allows us, as an IDS member, to mail materials via IDS to libraries regardless if the library is an IDS member. The yearly IDS member fee is based on the number of packages sent the previous year. Reducing the number of packages shipped per day should result in overall IDS shipping cost savings.

The task force evaluated methods to improve distribution of out-going mail loads, reduce the number of duplicate packages, and to help ensure that packages adhere to a 30 lb. weight limit, an IDS restriction. The committee collaborated with Receiving Room staff to assign out-going ILL mail on separate carts, e.g. Big Ten, IDS and Commonwealth Campus Libraries (CCL), and designated specific pick-up times to suit the Receiving Room’s schedule.

The Interlibrary Loan Department and Receiving Room finalized the current out-going mail pick-up times in October:

Morning (~ 9:00 a.m.) —
First Class/International/UPS and materials with letter codes (e.g. CLU, TXA).
Afternoon (~1:00 p.m.) —
First Class, DSL-Carlisle and IDS materials with number codes (e.g. IDS 189 corresponds with University of Pennsylvania).
Afternoon (~2:00 p.m.) — Big Ten materials (formerly CIC).

IDS daily shipping reports were analyzed for one week in March and July, and then for each week in October and November. The data from March and July were pilot studies to compare a heavy work day for spring semester versus a slow work day during summer session II. The data from October and November were analyzed more in depth to determine any differences in package weights and duplicate packages. After implementing the current shipping methods in October:

Total duplicate instances decreased by 44 percent / CCL duplicate instances decreased
by 49 percent.
The occurrence of combined packages totaling over 30 lbs. decreased by 31percent. CCL packages totaling over 30 lbs. decreased by 40 percent.

Duplicate packages will not be completely eliminated due to other departments contributing to the daily out-going mail loads; however, Interlibrary Loan will continue the current shipping protocols in place and evaluate if any changes are needed.

‘Stand for State’ offers workshop Jan. 26

Penn State’s bystander intervention program, Stand for State, offers tools built around the 3 D’s — direct, distract and delegate — for stepping in when others are threatened.

Faculty and staff are invited to participate in the three-hour version of the student workshop, which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Jan. 26, in 233A HUB-Robeson Center. Coffee and tea service will be provided. Participants can register by Jan. 23 at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0b4aadaf2ca4f85-stand2.

Attendees will:

Learn warning signs of sexual and relationship violence
Learn how to safely and effectively practice to interrupt and defuse potentially risky situations
Consider values in regards to personal responsibility to intervene;

More info is available in this Penn State News story.

– submitted by Carmen Gass, User Training Services

Cato-2 Annex served as training site for K9 units

On Monday Jan. 9, the Penn State University Library Cato-2 Annex served as a training location for K9 Units consisting of one officer from the Penn State University Police and seven Pennsylvania State Police Troopers. The Annex provided a new environment for the K9 Dogs with lots of space to do their training.

The Annex is always honored and proud to collaborate with our emergency services personnel that play an important role in efforts to protect citizens and solve crimes.

– submitted by Verne Neff, Collection Maintenance, Annex

Responding thoughtfully

Communication is key to providing great customer service. When people listen supportively through Clarification, Reflection, Advising, and Probing, they will respond thoughtfully.

Cutting Edge Communication training videos are designed to provoke discussion and response. Contemporary, fast paced, short, character driven, sitcom-style comedies, these courses take an innovative approach to reaching today’s learners.

Watch this video and see how the group learns to respond thoughtfully.

– submitted by Carmen Gass, User Training Services

LHR News: 2017 Personal holiday hours

Full-time employees should add eight hours of personal holiday time (for 2017) when submitting the January attendance records at the end of this month. This is done on the accruals page that comes up when you click “Submit.”

New employees must wait until they have completed their first two full months of employment before they may add in the 2017 personal holiday time. Please keep in mind, if not used, the
personal holiday shall be carried over into the next calendar year but not thereafter.

Tech Tip: How to find your phone number on Android and iOS

by Ryan Johnson, I-Tech

Hopefully you know your own cell phone number, however there may be times you need to look up the number of the phone you are using or trying to return a lost phone.

On iOS, you can quickly see your number in two ways:

Open up the Phone app, then tab the Contacts tab at the bottom of the screen and your number appears right at the top.
Another way is to head to Settings -> Phone and look for My Number.

On Android, the process varies a bit thanks to hardware manufacturer differences. However, one of these ways should work:

Try tapping the Contacts app and look for the Me entry at the top of the list. You won’t find this on every phone, so you can utilize another method.
Browse to Settings -> About phone/device -> Status. You might see the number listed here. If not, tap the SIM status entry to open another menu. Scroll down a bit here and you should see My phone number.

Now you can easily find the number of any Android or iOS phone if you ever forget them!

LHR News: Jan. 23

Please join us in welcoming the following new hires:

Part-time:
Hyeo Heo – Welcome Desk, Knowledge Commons
Hope Wilson – Interlibrary Loan Lending
Siddharth Yelwanda – Commons Services

Events: Jan. 23

Spring 2017

Through Tuesday, Feb. 28: Poster Exhibit: University Libraries Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, posters designed by Penn State students for 32nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration poster design competition, Pattee Library, Central Lobby (mall entrance), University Park.

Through Friday, August 30, 2017: “100 Years of the Pulitzers: Celebrating Our Humanity,” exhibit, Arts and Humanities Library operating hours, Diversity Studies Room, 203 Patee Library, University Park.

Through Friday, May 5: “From the Trenches: The Great War in Sepia” exhibit, spring semester hours, Special Collections Library, 104 Paterno Library, University Park.

Through Friday, May 5: “Research Wrapped in Aesthetics: The Air Wall,” documentary exhibit, spring operating hours, Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library, 111 Stuckeman Family Building, University Park.

Wednesday, Jan. 25: M.G. Whiting Award Winner presentation, with Annie Marcinek, noon-1 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Wednesday, Jan. 25: Trauma Informed Services in the Library: Understanding and Serving our Community, webinar presentation by Elissa Hardy, 3-4 p.m., W23 Pattee Library, University Park, and via desktop (account creation required, contact Carmen Gass for the link).

Wednesday, Jan. 25: “The Politics of Struggle: The National Council of Indigenous Peoples in Mexico,“ 4-5 p.m., presentation by Maria Muñoz, Susquehanna University, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Thursday, Jan. 26: TEAM Library, 2-3:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library & Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday, Jan. 27: Coffee with Carmen: Diversity Component, noon-1 p.m., with speakers Alia Gant, Jose Guerrero and Athena Jackson, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday, Jan. 27: Making $ense with Digital Badges, noon-1 p.m., Lori Lysiak and Lauren Reiter will speak about Penn State’s digital badge initiative, Room 202 Eiche, Robert E. Eiche Library, Altoona.

Monday, Jan. 30: Dean’s Forum, 10 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Thursday, Feb. 2: Dealing with Difficult People, 10-11 a.m., webinar.

Thursday, Feb. 2: Discovery Day Open Forum, 3-4 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Monday-Friday, Feb. 6-17: Blind Date with a Book, Franklin Atrium, W106 Pattee Library, University Park.

Tuesday, Feb. 7: Canvas UX Team presentation, 10:30 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Thursday, Feb. 9: Getting to Know SimplyMap, Social Explorer, and PolicyMap, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Donald W. Hamer Maps Library, W13 Pattee Library, University Park, and Adobe Connect.

Friday, Feb. 10: The Galapagos Challenge: Stewardship in an Evolving Socio-ecological System, presentation by William Durham, 4-5 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Tuesday, Feb. 14: Centre County Reads: Panel discussion of Stacey Lee’s “Under a Painted Sky,” 4-5:30 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, Feb. 15: Tech Update, by Libraries I-Tech staff, 10-11 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, and Mediasite Live.

Wednesday, Feb. 15: Human Library, 1-7 p.m., multiple locations at University Park.

Wednesday, Feb. 15: “Studying African Indigenous Knowledge for Improved Health and Biodiversity,” with Abderrahim Ouarghidi and Bronwen Powell, 3-4 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Thursday, Feb. 16: Getting to Know GIS: GIS Literacy, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Donald W. Hamer Maps Library, W13 Pattee Library, University Park, and Adobe Connect.

Friday, Feb. 17: Harrell Health Sciences Library Research and Learning Commons dedication, ribbon cutting and open house, noon-5 p.m., Harrell Health Sciences Library Research and Learning Commons, Hershey. Space is limited for keynote address and ribbon cutting ceremony. Please RSVP by Feb. 10.

Wednesday, Feb. 22: Coffee with Carmen: Morgan Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, Feb. 22: Dean Dewey’s Annual Open House, 2-3 p.m., 510 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, Feb. 23: TEAM Library, 2-3:30 p.m., with Moses Davis, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, Feb. 23: Introduction to ArcGIS Online, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Donald W. Hamer Maps Library, W13 Pattee Library, University Park, and Adobe Connect.

Saturday, Feb. 25: One-day workshop on Indigenous Knowledge, with Abderrahim Ouarghidi and Bronwen Powell, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., location TBA, University Park. RSVP to Mark Mattson at mam1196@psu.edu.

Sunday-Saturday, March 5-11: Spring break, no classes.

Monday, March 20: Edible Book Contest judging, noon-1:00 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, March 23: TEAM Library, 2-3:30 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, March 30: Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts, “Books, Bodies, and Circulations of Dancing in Early 18th-Century France and England,” by Linda Tomko, 4:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday-Saturday, April 7-8: Boundaries of the Human in the Age of the Life Sciences Capstone Conference, presentations by ten renowned scholars, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park. Register by March 17.

Tuesday, April 18: Tech Update, by Libraries I-Tech staff, 2-3 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, and Mediasite Live.

Wednesday, April 19: Poetry Slam, 7-9 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: 2017 Public Poetry Contest winners public reading, 7:30-8:30 p.m.,
Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday, April 28: Last day of spring classes.

Sunday-Tuesday, April 30-May 2: DeStress Fest, 3-8 p.m, University Park library locations.

Monday-Friday, May 1-5: Final exams.

Friday-Sunday, May 5-7: Spring commencement weekend, most campuses.

Tuesday, May 9: COP Workshop, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Please submit event information to Public Relations and Marketing via the Library News submission form.