Daily Archives: April 17, 2017

Final day to submit University Libraries Awards nominations

Nominations for the University Libraries Awards will be accepted until midnight Monday, April 17, 2017 (today).

All award criteria and nomination forms are available at the Libraries staff and faculty awards page of our intranet. Nominations from previous years may be submitted for consideration in 2017.

Five awards will be presented at the University Libraries Awards celebration on May 11:  the Libraries Diversity Award; Libraries Teaching Award; Margaret Knoll Spangler Oliver Award; Shirley J. Davis Staff Excellence Award; and The University Libraries Award.

Please consider nominating a colleague who makes your job easier or who exemplifies the excellence of one of these awards.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at jaf23@psu.edu if you should have any questions about criteria or the nomination process.

– submitted by Joe Fennewald, Libraries Awards Committee

LAMC projects aim to strengthen culture of assessment

by Steve Borrelli, Library Assessment

For this Focus on Assessment, I want to highlight the work of the Library Assessment and Metrics Council (LAMC). In 2016, the council expanded to 20 members, with four membership slots reserved for colleagues outside of University Park. Presently, the LAMC includes staff and faculty from seven campuses. Together, we’re working on four projects aimed at developing data and assessment skills and perspectives, and at developing an infrastructure to support the assessment needs of the University Libraries.

  • On Friday, April 21, we’ll be hosting researchers from the University of Minnesota, Jan Fransen and Krista Soria. They’re part of a research team that has been successful in connecting library data (checkouts, reference, database use, etc.) to student retention. They’ve also shown how first-year first-time students’ GPA is impacted by library use (check outs, using databases, reference, etc.). They’ll be visiting University Park to discuss their work and to discuss considerations for conducting our own similar analyses. They’ll also be delivering a talk about developing a research agenda. The presentations are open to all and will be available on Mediasite Live. The full schedule for the day is available here.
  • The Assessment Archive will be a place where faculty and staff can submit completed assessment projects, both large- and small-scale, so that others can find and make use of these assessment results. We see this as also having the secondary benefit of providing a central location for those looking for ideas for their assessments. Each project will have a searchable project page describing the project, the submitted materials and results. We anticipate launching this project by the end of July. More information about the Assessment Archive will come soon.
  • Library Data Days is envisioned to be a full-day event providing professional development around the central theme of “using data.” The project is currently in an exploratory stage to gauge interest and develop a loose budget. An interest survey was recently sent out and is available here for anyone interested who may have missed it. The event is tentatively scheduled for Monday, July 10, in University Park.
  • The Library Data Inventory project is aimed at learning what data is collected broadly around the libraries to support decision making. The first phase of the project is looking at the data collected through Desk Tracker. The idea here is to get an understanding of what data is collected consistently across the libraries, then to talk with those using the data in their decision making in order to make recommendations or suggest best practices for recording. The LAMC group working on this has met with representatives from the Desk Tracker Team, and will be touching base as we move forward on the project.

If you have questions about any of these projects, talk with anyone on the LAMC, or contact me directly at sborrelli@psu.edu.

 

Safety in the Libraries

The safety of visitors and employees in all of our libraries is a top priority, and we always are striving to maintain a welcoming and secure environment for all who wish to use our facilities. Our goal is to strike a balance between offering a broad, open-door policy and ensuring a safe, secure environment.

While we are committed to having all people feel welcome, a wide variety of visitor actions can prove disruptive, from loud conversation to argumentative confrontations and abusive language. We are always on the lookout for dangerous conduct.

Continuing our efforts to maintain the University Libraries’ locations as safe and welcoming places, we have begun the installation of both “Take It With You” and “Now You See It, Now You Don’t” signage, both intended to remind everyone not to leave possessions unattended.

To further our goal of a safe and welcoming environment, we have added student patrols during the highest-occupancy hours in Pattee Library and Paterno Library to promote a more protected environment.

Thank you in advance for helping us continue to make our libraries a safe and welcoming place for all.

– submitted by Rick Riccardo, Facilities

Mann Lecture Musings: Steps in Time

by Sandra Stelts, Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts, Special Collections Library

woman showing a dance pose with 18th-century images on the projection screen behind her

The 2017 Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts was given March 30, 2017, by Professor Linda Tomko from the University of California at Riverside, on “Books, Bodies, and Circulations of Dancing in Early 18th-Century France and England” in Foster Auditorium. Photo by Nathan Valchar.

On Thursday, March 30, members of the Foster Auditorium audience found themselves immersed in the time and space of 18th-century stage sets, courts, ballrooms, and dance masters’ studios. We imagined ourselves in corsets and tri-cornered hats, humming tunes from the pages of books, all the while attempting to follow the pathways of the mysterious and, to us, unknowable patterns of lines known as dance notation.

Linda Tomko used illustrations such as this one, from “The Art of Dancing Explained by Reading and Figures” by Kellom Tomlinson, London, 1735, considered to be one of the most beautiful of all dance notation books, in her talk for the 2017 Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture.

Some notation systems are like tiny stick figures that depict gestures; others present an abstract beauty of their own, quite independent of the motion being described. Click on the image to view a high-resolution version in detail.This year’s Mann Lecture celebrated books found in Penn State’s Mary Ann O’Brian Malkin Early Dance Collection (1531–1804), which includes books on the history of European dance, its dancers (both amateur and professional), and on the development of dance notation—the visual dictionaries of dance elements. Systems of dance notation translate human movements into signs that permanently preserve the visual moment—a combination of flowing lines and disciplined gestures. Malkin herself often referred to these mystifying patterns as “chicken scratches,” and it was Tomko’s mission to enliven a number of examples of dance notation by occupying their space and literally “dancing by the book.”

In the 1680s, the ballet teacher Pierre Beauchamp invented a dance notation system for Baroque dancers. His system, known as the Beauchamp-Feuillet notation, was published in 1700 by his student, Raoul-Auger Feuillet, in 1700 as Chorégraphie; ou, l’art de décrire la dance (“Choreography; or, The Art of Describing the Dance”). The system spread rapidly throughout Europe, with English, German, and Spanish versions soon appearing. The notation became so popular at court and among the educated classes that books of collected dances were published annually.

Some notation systems are like tiny stick figures that depict gestures; others present an abstract beauty of their own, quite independent of the motion being described. Click on the image to view the detail in high resolution.

Tomko offered our audience an opportunity to reinvigorate the chicken scratches by first explaining and then demonstrating the intricate footwork and appropriate arm gestures represented in the notation. She guided us through the signs that indicated the steps used in the various dances, including which ones distinguished the male and female dancers. As a historian, dancer, and performer, Tomko is herself an embodier of dances past.

The Mann Lecture is an annual series that honors the late Charley Mann, the first head of the Department of Special Collections who served in that role for more than forty years. Beginning in 2002, the series has featured lively speakers and topics relating to the book arts, including printing, writing, illustration, and book design—anything that might be considered an aspect of the book arts, broadly construed. The series is a fitting tribute to Charley because such talks provide a vibrant forum to learn from the past, as well as a delightful reason to gather together people who share interests in books and bookmaking. The series is funded by the Mary Louise Krumrine Endowment.

We are already excited about the topic and speaker for next year’s Mann Lecture, and we hope you’ll make the series a regular appointment on your calendars.

National Library Week recap, responses

We hope you enjoyed National Library Week! Do you have any stories to share? We invite you to share them in the comments below.

The University Libraries wrapped up its participation in National Library Week (April 9-15) via the rollout of 15 of our first “Libraries Transform” (a.k.a. “Because”) series of promotional statements. The Libraries’ @psulibs social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all saw high rates of engagement; as of 4 p.m. Friday, April 14, we counted week-over-week engagement increases of 21% on Facebook*, 363% on Instagram and 490% on Twitter. Of course, we posted more frequently than during the past week because of the campaign, but overall, it delivered high levels of visibility and positive sentiment for the Libraries.

Special thanks to the social media admins who shared the Libraries’ messages on their pages as well, especially the Commonwealth Campus Libraries, and to Hailley Fargo, who has offered to share her Box folder of photos from her trip to the Blissell Library at Penn State New Kensington that show how the library was decorated with several framed Libraries Transform signs. Kudos to the team of Jennifer Gilley, Amy Rustic and Yesenia Figueroa-Lifschitz, who coordinated the library’s displays, including Yesenia’s creative cupcake toppers!

Following are Twitter posts in response to the campaign, which we are sharing here because these messages of appreciation are meant for all of us in the Libraries community. In the interest of time and space, related images haven’t been uploaded, although hyperlinks are active. There also are a few posts of special note to point out. One is from Brazil — our campaign went international! — and another is from the “I Love Libraries” initiative, run by the American Library Association. It was nice to see our national organization taking note of the University Libraries. (ALA also acknowledged our campaign on Instagram.)

Cody Kondratenko (@codykon)
4/8/17, 7:13 PM
As always, ♥️ ya @psulibs pic.twitter.com/NswqDcqUzw

[This post was in response to our “Because the library is the heart of the university” post:]
Schlow Library (@schlowlibrary)
4/9/17, 11:07 AM
We wholeheartedly concur! #NationalLibraryWeek #LibrariesTransform #SeeWhatWeDidThere? ? twitter.com/psulibs/status…

Penn State BW ENVI (@PSUBW_ENVI)
4/9/17, 11:52 AM
We ? the @PSUBrandywine #VairoLibrary – a center of scholarship, collaboration, innovation, and a supportive community for the entire campus

Bethann Rea (@bazani330)
4/9/17, 12:35 PM
PSU Libraries will always be a safe space for research & social activities. Thank you for your dedication to learning! #nationallibraryweek

John Patishnock (@JohnPatishnock)
4/9/17, 9:42 PM
In recognition of National Library Week, here are a couple photos that showcase the heart of #PennState ?⚪️?⚪️??? pic.twitter.com/vNJFEuFFw9

Penn State (@penn_state)
4/10/17, 8:45 AM
Happy #NationalLibraryWeek!

Adriana ??‍? (@Adriana_Lacy)
4/10/17, 3:37 PM
Happy #NationalLibraryWeek to my favorite library, @psulibs! ? pic.twitter.com/rYiW5qBaIz

Schlow Library (@schlowlibrary)
4/11/17, 8:32 AM
We salute all our #LibraryColleagues, wherever they work! #NationalLibraryWorkersDay #NationalLibraryDay #LibrariesTransform

Raise Penn State (@RaisePennState)
4/11/17, 10:15 AM
Happy #NationalLibraryWorkersDay to the dedicated staff of @psulibs! TY for all you do for #PennState libraries serving 3.2 mil visitors/yr! pic.twitter.com/682p8E6ECB

[The following tweet is from the Federal Council of Education Librarianship, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil:]
biblioufsc (@BIBLIO_UFSC)
4/11/17, 11:44 AM
melhor mecanismo de busca na biblioteca 🙂
[Translation: “best search engine in the library” — which was what was displayed in our tweet.] 

Linda Struble (@lms27Linda)
4/11/17, 8:37 AM
Happy National Library Workers Day!! @EngineeringLib @psulibs #NationalLibraryWeek pic.twitter.com/JCen5G0tMe
[Linda, the cupcakes in your photo looked delicious!]

Penn State (@penn_state)
4/11/17, 1:33 PM
A big thank you to all of the library workers at all Penn State campuses. #LibraryWorkersDay @psulibs pic.twitter.com/lZODDiRPtB

Geospatial Ed @ PSU (@PennStateGIS)
4/11/17, 3:24 PM
We love our #geospatial, #geography, and #mapping specialists at the Penn State libraries. Thanks for all your hard work!

[The following website is an initiative of the American Library Association:]
Ilovelibraries.org (@ILoveLibraries) 
4/11/17, 3:26 PM
Indeed. #LibrariesTransform #NationalLibraryWeek
twitter.com/psulibs/status…

PSU Press (@PSUPress)
4/11/17, 3:49 PM
Wishing all our colleagues in the @psulibs system a happy #nationallibraryworkersday!

Penn State Online (@PSUWorldCampus)
4/11/17, 8:05 PM
We ? the librarians who help our students access #PennState resources no matter where they are! #NationalLibraryWeek

Donna Quadri-Felitti (@DrDonnaQuadri)
4/11/17, 9:26 PM
#LibraryWorkersDay thank you @psulibs

Schlow Library (@schlowlibrary)
4/12/17, 5:39 AM
Celebrate #NationalLibraryWeek at your favorite libraries! #AccessEqualsOpportunity #LibrariesTransform @ALALibrary @psulibs pic.twitter.com/V1FR4opuDh

Schlow Library (@schlowlibrary)
4/14/17, 8:33 AM
We wholeheartedly concur! ?? twitter.com/psulibs/status…

We would love to hear responses from you! Did any of our visitors wish you a happy Library Week or Library Workers Day? We invite you to post about your experiences in the comments below.

Finally, in response to employees’ requests, a PDF containing 17 print-friendly, letter-size versions of this first series of the promotional campaign’s signs is now available for download and individual printing by Libraries employees. The PDF is linked at the bottom of the Public Relations and Marketing (PRaM) department’s intranet page. (PRaM recommends the use of heavy-bond paper or card stock, especially for ink jet printers, as the design may cause ink to bleed through 20 lb. paper.)

*Considering that our first National Poetry Month video, courtesy of internationally renowned children’s poet/anthologist and Libraries donor Lee Bennett Hopkins, was posted April 3, Facebook engagement during National Library Week was nearly impossible to beat. As of Friday afternoon, April 14, his video has received a Libraries page record-high organic post reach of 3,854 with 1,711 views and 242 reactions — including 160 likes, 37 “loves” and 27 shares. (That’s a feat, especially because our page has 1,898 likes.) If you haven’t seen it yet, we encourage you to view Lee’s recitation of his well-loved poem “Good Books, Good Times” (closed-captioned, requires Facebook login) recorded in his home in Florida, courtesy of our Director of Development Nicki Hendrix. Thank you, Nicki! Lee’s second video, also in honor of National Poetry Month, will be shared on our Facebook page soon.

‘Henry Pisciotta: My Research is Your Research’ April 18-20

vividly colorized interlocking books in a circular structure

image by Henry Pisciotta

“Henry Pisciotta: My Research is Your Research” will be on display in the Borland Project Space (125 Borland) from Tuesday, April 18, through Thursday, April 20. Visitors can meet with Henry from 1:30­ to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Assisting with other people’s research is part of College of Arts and Architecture Librarian Henry Pisciotta’s job. In this three-day working research residency, Pisciotta invites faculty, staff and students to visit him in the Borland Project Space to talk about research problems they may be having. He will have equipment and resources on hand to help visitors pursue their work.

Also on display will be posters summarizing Pisciotta’s own publications on topics such as institutional critique by artists of the University Libraries, a statistical analysis of art publishing from university presses, and a systematic study of the use of digital images for teaching.

Pisciotta invites researchers who cannot make it to the Borland Project Space to phone (814-865-6778) or tweet (@HenryPisciotta) in their questions during his residency.

For more information, visit the Borland Project Space website: http://borlandprojectspace.psu.edu/

For more information on Henry Pisciotta’s research projects, read an article about the “Air Wall” article: http://bit.ly/2jlkzoS

Bednar Internship presentations for Maps & Geospatial April 27

Maps & Geospatial personnel have been working with three Bednar interns this academic year and we invite you to join us to learn more about their work and offer them support as they practice their professional presentation skills from 2-3:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 27 for their Bednar Internship Presentations in 403 Paterno Library. In addition to maps and geospatial resources, intern work has made use of library resources such as Ancestry.com, digitized student directories from The Eberly Family Special Collections Library and Social Sciences electronic resources.

Connor Henderson’s (Geography, 2017) project uses Sanborn fire insurance maps and United States census records to explore the spatial arrangement of residential housing in State College, Pennsylvania, in the years 1920 and 1930. One of the final products is an interactive online map that can be used by patrons interested in conducting social science or ancestral research. Additionally, the project serves as an instructional resource for researchers interested in doing similar work on their own by explaining the methods of georeferencing, data cleaning, and analysis used and explaining how Library resources can be utilized for such a project.

Jack Swab’s (Geography/History, 2017) project examines the dynamics of Penn State student housing during the 1919-1920 and 1929-1930 academic years. Student Directory scans from Special Collections were run through ABBYY FineReader OCR, converting the image into editable text, and thus allowing it to be tied into the Maps Library’s Historic Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps Collection. After organizing and cleaning the data, the student records were tied to individual building footprints, enabling the student records to be searchable by both name and location, allowing access to the collection for gemologists and history buffs. Moreover, the project also highlighted changes in the built environment of State College and dynamics in the socio-geographic student housing preferences.

Ben Carlsen (Geography, 2017) performed an inventory of the libraries’ collection of digital geographic data resources, and investigated ways that the collection could be made more accessible to and usable by library patrons. Ben will be discussing methods for importing historic TIGER/Line boundary and transportation data from the 1990 census into modern GIS systems, and potential ways that this historic resource may be put to use by library patrons.

– submitted by Heather Ross, Donald W. Hamer Maps Library, Social Sciences Library

De-Stress Fest at University Park April 30-May 2

promotional graphic for De-Stress Fest April 30-May at the University Park Library locations.Fun and relaxing activities during “De-Stress Fest” at the University Park campus will help students reduce stress as they study for finals and complete papers and projects. From 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday, April 30-May 2, students can stop in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, and enjoy free coffee and snacks or stretch their minds with a quick game and mental break.

The first-floor lobbies of Pattee Library and Paterno Library will have bean-bag toss boards, Wii games and puzzles available for students all day throughout finals week. During the De-Stress Fest hours from 3-8 p.m. in the Mann Assembly Room, art therapy and classic games allow students to relieve stress during this busy week. In addition to those study break activities, HealthWorks will offer a De-Stress Zone with brain massage music, biofeedback programs and stress management workbooks from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Branch library locations at University Park also will offer snacks and relaxing activities for students. The Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library will provide origami projects and puzzles all day Tuesday-Thursday, April 25-27, with snacks and drinks offered from 7-9 p.m. The Fletcher L. Byrom Earth and Mineral Sciences Library will offer puzzles and other study-break activities as well as apples and snacks, while supplies last, each day Sunday, April 30, through Thursday, May 4.

Bring your own cup and enjoy snacks and drinks from 6-7 p.m. at the Engineering Library Sunday-Wednesday, April 30-May 3, and from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday-Wednesday, May 1-3. With newly configured group workspaces, the Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library will have snacks and drinks available all day, while supplies last, Monday-Thursday, May 1-4, with puzzles and other activities for study breaks.

An 8.5×11 downloadable PDF for this event is available to print or share with colleagues and organizations.

View the full schedule for De-Stress Fest activities at all University Park library locations:

Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library
(First floor, Stuckeman Family Building)
Tuesday-Thursday, April 25-27

Pattee Library and Paterno Library
3-8 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday, April 30-May 2
Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library

  • Free coffee and snacks
  • Art therapy

4-6 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday, April 30-May 2
HealthWorks De-Stress Zone

  • Brain massage music, biofeedback programs and stress management workbooks

Paterno Library Lobby

  • Puzzles (all day)

Pattee Library Lobby, Central

  • Wii games and bean bag toss (all day)

Fletcher L. Byrom Earth and Mineral Sciences Library
(first floor, Deike Building)
Sunday-Thursday, April 30-May 4

Engineering Library (third floor, Hammond Building)
Sunday-Wednesday, April 30-May 3 — (all day)

  • Puzzles, coloring, origami and other activities

Sunday, April 30 — 6-7 p.m.

  • Snacks and drinks (please bring your own cup)

Monday-Wednesday, May 1-3 — 10-11 a.m. and 6-7 p.m.

  • Snacks and drinks (please bring your own cup)

Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library (second floor, Davey Lab)
Monday-Thursday, May 1-4

  • Apples and snacks (all day, while supplies last)
  • Puzzles and other activities

For more information about De-Stress Fest or for questions about accommodations for this event, contact Megan Gilpin at 814-867-0069 or mcg13@psu.edu.

Participate in International Write-In April 23

promotional graphic for April 23 International Write-In

Calling all writers! On Sunday, April 23, join the University Libraries, the Learning Center and Graduate Writing Center for our second International Write-In at University Park.

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to join a community of writers and get words on the page! We will be hosting two sessions (3:30-7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.-midnight) in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park. Registered writers will have access to writing spaces, writing tutors, librarians, snacks, coffee, tea, and free pizza. Sign up today at tinyurl.com/psuwritein.

Interested in providing librarian support for the event? Contact Hailley Fargo at hmf14@psu.edu for more information.

An 8.5×11 downloadable PDF for this event is available to print or share with colleagues and organizations. Those participating in or helping with the Write-In are invited to use the hashtag #IntlWriteIn and tag @psulibs to share their thoughts about the event on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

– submitted by Hailley Fargo, Knowledge Commons

Monograph acquisition training resource site for customers

Over the course of the last year, members of the Monograph Acquisitions unit of Acquisitions Services have endeavored to create an internal customer service training resources page. It is our desire to provide resources that will enable Collection Development faculty and staff to access information that will make their processes to add material to the Penn State University Libraries collections more effective.

“Training” is categorized into three topics:

  • Centralized Technical Services – documents related to Workflows Acquisitions
  • GOBI – documents that walk customers through Gobi topics such as creating peers, notifications, emailing folders
  • How To – documents to provide information on how to submit order requests for various firm order formats

Go to Acquisitions Services Department Training at https://staff.libraries.psu.edu/acquisitions-services/training.

If you have any questions, or if there is a topic/process that you would like added, please contact Heather Benner, Budget Analyst/Acquisitions Supervisor at hab3@lists.psu.edu.

– submitted by Heather Benner, Acquisitions

Inside Access: Looking for answers? Ask the experts

by Ann Snowman, Access Services

Looking for answers? Ask the experts:
Contact UL-SIRSI-CIRC-RESERVE@LISTS.PSU.EDU with questions about Circulation and Course Reserves functions in WorkFlows.

Contact UL-BCATEAM@LISTS.PSU.EDU for information about running circulation or collection management reports.

Contact Greg Berky, Billing Specialist at gtb2@psul.edu with questions about bills, invoices, collection agency, and payroll deduction.

For questions of policy, standard practices, and management of circulation and course reserves, contact Chris Holobar, Manager Lending & Reserve Services, jch4@psu.edu or Ann Snowman, Head, Access Services, ams32@psu.edu.

The year with Team Library

It’s been an interesting year for Team Library. We had engaging conversations, exciting simulations and learned more about how we can work better together as a team. Moses Davis, Director of the Multicultural Resource Center, was definitely a highlight and we are very appreciative of the time he spent with us!

A few thoughts from the participants include:

  • “I like engaging conversations about difficult topics and this provided the ideal setting. The six sessions supported a comfort level for discussing ideas. This is what I enjoyed the most about the program.”
  • “The exercises and videos were excellent. It was a safe haven for expressing concerns and brainstorming about possible solutions. I came away with many ideas for improving situations at work and better serving patrons.”
  • “It was great to be able to work with and interact with the group because it was people who I would not normally have the opportunity to work with. I really felt like through these sessions, we were really able to have our voices heard. I want to give a HUGE thank you to Carmen for organizing Team Library, and I hope this is a program that will continue on!”

Team Library was successful in strengthening the network amongst service providers and laying the foundation for greater collaboration. I would like to personally thank all of the participants for their openness and honesty during our sessions. I look forward to hosting similar events in the future!

– submitted by Carmen Gass, User Training Services

University Libraries Adopt-a-Highway garbage pickup

Penn Department of Transportation adopt-a-highway sign for Penn State University LibrariesThe morning of Saturday, April 8 started out cold but sunny with bright blue skies. By the time the six intrepid volunteers gathered at Penn State’s Special Services Building at 9 a.m., the temperature was in the mid-30s. Thankfully, what wind there was on the light side, at least for the beginning of our work.

As is usual, the first Libraries Adopt-a-Highway garbage pickup along Highway 550/Buffalo Run Road netted a heavy load, in about an hour and fifteen minutes we gathered eight bags of garbage in total. Admittedly, two of those bags we cannot take credit for – very sadly someone either stopped and dumped them out of their vehicle or slowed and tossed them out. We were the lucky ones to have to pick them up and make sure they ended up with our own 6 bags’ worth at the end of the day. Credit for lugging those two extra bags goes to Rob and Debbie Harris.

By the time we were completing our work both the temps and the wind were picking up, but all of us enjoyed the beautiful rural scenery (including visits from the cows!) as well as the weather. As usual, the best part of finishing this work is the feeling of satisfaction that a two-mile stretch of local highway is at least temporarily clean of trash!

With the first of four garbage pickup days completed, we have three Adopt-a-Highway events remaining in 2017. Look for the usual email CfVs (Call for Volunteers) a couple of weeks ahead of each impending date. Thanks go to fellow Libraries colleagues (and one wife): Rob and Debbie Harris, Mary Derstein, Cindy Spotts, Rose Carter, and leader Paige Andrew.

– submitted by Paige Andrew, Libraries Adopt-a-Highway Effort

Reminder: Tech Update April 18

Please join us either in person or on Mediasite Live for our next Tech Update from 2-3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18 in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library.

The agenda includes:

  • Windows 10 – Update on the Libraries moving to Windows 10
  • ServiceNow – Advantages to end users of having moved to our new helpdesk system.
  • New Systems – Updates or overviews of the following new systems.
    • LibCal
    • Budget Request System

If you cannot participate in person please join us via Mediasite Live: http://live.libraries.psu.edu/. Once you have logged in, click “I-Tech” on the left navigation bar in the Mediasite catalog.

– submitted by Melody Gehlbach, I-Tech

Tech Tip: Chat services available at Penn State

by Ryan Johnson, I-Tech

With AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)  no longer supporting the use of the AIM buddy list in its new version, you may be looking for a new chat client.  Below are some options to consider moving forward:

Slack

screenshot of slack application channels listing

Slack is an increasingly popular and easy to use communication tool that is currently used at Penn State and by various groups in the Libraries.  Slack allows you to send messages directly to one or a small group of individuals, share files, and set up notifications.

To get started, sign up at Slack.com and join the PSU-Libraries group or create your own team to communicate. For further information on creating a team please contact I-Tech via the Libraries Helpdesk.

Yammer

Yammer offers chat services for all Penn State Employees.  Users can setup Yammer Groups to collaborate at the libraries and also chat with other Penn State staff.  For example, the Welcome desks currently are using Yammer to communicate within their group.  More information on Yammer at Penn State can be found here: http://yammer.psu.edu/first_steps/.

Jabber
Jabber is a service that allows for real-time communication via the XMPP protocol. All that is needed to use Jabber is a Penn State Access Account and a local chat client (like Adium or Pidgin) configured to support Jabber.

Penn State’s Jabber service allows people with a valid Penn State Access Account to activate their own Jabber account. Their Jabber screen name is their Access Account user ID (userid@chat.psu.edu), and their password is their Penn State Access Account password.

Below is a list of resources and supported clients to get you started:

Supported Clients
Adium Configuration
Messages Configuration
Pidgen Configuration

Events: April 17

Spring 2017

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.

Through Sunday, July 30, “The Painted Photograph: Selections from the B. & H. Henisch Photo-History Collection,” hours of operation, Paterno Family Reading Room, 201A Pattee Library, University Park.

Through Wednesday, August 9, 2017: “Plastics: Knowledge and Information Taking Shape” exhibit, Pattee Library operating hours, Sidewater Commons and central entrance, Pattee Library, 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.

Monday, April 17: “A Vision of Excellence,” an open discussion on the Pulitzer Prize, its founder, history, and legacy, hour-long discussion with panelists Pembroke Childs, Alia Gant, Jose Guerrero, Jeff Knapp and Nonny Schlotzhauer followed by an optional tour, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. discussion; 12:30-1 p.m. tour, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday-Thursday, April 18-20: “My Research is Your Research,” with Henry Pisciotta, 1:30-5 p.m. each day, Borland Project Space, Borland 125, University Park.

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

Tuesday, April 18: “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap” documentary, sponsored by the Libraries Diversity Committee, 7-9 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 19: Space planning brown bag session, Libraries’ Space Steering Committee open discussion and Q & A, noon-1 p.m., 510A Paterno Library, University Park

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

Thursday, April 20: Beyond the Database Demo: Information Literacy Instruction at the Foundational Level, 11 a.m.-noon, 211A Pattee Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: Resiliency: Secrets of Successful Employees, presentation by Don Page, 2-3 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Thursday, April 20: Earth Day Marigold Giveaway, by the University Libraries Green Committee, 2-4 p.m., Franklin Atrium, Pattee Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: “An Evening of Pennsylvania Poets” 2017 Public Poetry Contest winners public reading, 7:30-9:30 p.m., hosted by the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday, April 21: Open Coffee Hour with University of Minnesota guests Jan Fransen and Krista Soria, 9-10 a.m., Dean’s Conference Room, 510A Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday, April 21: “Collecting, Analyzing, and Responding to Data at the University of Minnesota: Using Library Data to Improve the Student Experience,” presentation by Jan Fransen and Krista Soria of the University of Minnesota, 10:15-11:15 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Friday, April 21: Discovery — Tell Us What you Think, Discovery Solutions Working Group Brown Bag, 1 -2:30 p.m., Dean’s Conference Foom, 510A Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday, April 21: “Developing a Research Agenda,” presentation by Jan Fransen and Krista Soria of the University of Minnesota, 1:15-2:15 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Sunday, April 23: International Write-In, 3:30 p.m.-midnight, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 26: Financial Literacy Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.,
Black Box Theater, Slusser/Bayzick Building, Hazleton.

Wednesday, April 26: Conversations with Carmen: Religious and Spiritual Life at Penn State, with guest speaker Bob Smith of the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center/Eisenhower Chapel, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 26: Discovery — Tell Us What you Think, Discovery Solutions Working Group Brown Bag, noon-1:30 p.m., Dean’s Conference Foom, 510A Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday, April 28: Last day of spring classes.

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

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

Wednesday, May 3: Docunight, documentary screening of a film about, around, or in Iran, or made by Iranians, 7 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, May 4: Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Award Public, Oral Defense, three award finalists, 3:30-5 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

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

UPCOMING SCHEDULES:   Maymester & Summer 2017

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