Category Archive for Good News
August 22, 2007
UT Libraries Moving Up in National Rankings
University of Tennessee Libraries are among the top 20 publicly supported university libraries in recent national rankings as updates in services continue to make the library a vital resource on campus.
The Association of Research Libraries ranked UT Libraries 16th out of 68 publicly supported university libraries in the expenditures-focused index, a big jump from 27th in rankings released last year.
ARL ranked UT 31st out of all 113 ARL libraries in the expenditures-focused index, up from 47th.
"The most recent ARL rankings demonstrate the superior quality and excellence of the UT Libraries' collections, innovative services and staff," said Barbara I. Dewey, dean of libraries. "Campus support has ensured strong growth in print and digital collections needed for student and faculty success in teaching, learning and research."
UT Libraries data reported to ARL were a combination of UT Knoxville, Law School, Preston Medical, UT Center for Health Sciences at Memphis and UTSI libraries.
The ARL rankings are for 2005-06 and were released to libraries in July. They will be published in the Chronicle of Higher Education this fall.
The expenditures-focused index is calculated based on total library expenditures, salaries and wages of professional staff, total library materials expenditures and the number of professional plus support staff.
For more information, visit http://www.lib.utk.edu.
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Contact:
Elizabeth Davis, UT Media Relations, (865) 974-5179, elizabeth.davis@tennessee.edu
Posted by Laura Purcell at 09:43 AM in Good News
July 30, 2007
Future Librarians: ScienceLinks Student Profiles
School of Information Sciences students Sonia Sarangthem and Monica Colón-Aguirre discuss their experiences at UT, as part of the IMLS grant-funded ScienceLinks program
Science Links is a two-year scholarship funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the University of Tennessee, awarded to students from underrepresented groups interested in a career in science librarianship. In addition to earning a Master's degree, Science Links scholars will gain practical professional experience by working at the Science Links partner institutions: the University of Tennessee Libraries; the Oak Ridge National Laboratory; the Office of Scientific and Technical Information at the Department of Energy; and Information International Associates. Monica Colón-Aguirre and Sonia Sarangthem have focused their first work practicums at the University of Tennessee Libraries.
Monica Colón-Aguirre
Perhaps Monica Colón-Aguirre was destined to work in a library. As a child, she spent her summers helping her mother, who works in a library. After she finished college, she took a job in the acquisitions department at the Interamerican University in Puerto Rico. It was this job that inspired her to pursue a graduate degree in information sciences.
Colón was pleased to discover the University of Tennessee and Science Links, as the program fits well with her educational background in pharmacy and business.
"I love studying--that's my favorite part," Colón said. "I look forward to class every day," she says, although she is feeling a bit squeezed, taking an ambitious four courses along with her 20-hour work practicum. "Never register for classes when you're feeling optimistic," she said with a smile.
So far, Colón's favorite courses have been Information Access and Retrieval and Information Representation and Organization, what she calls "a little taste of cataloging."
Colón finds that her information sciences coursework is helping to put her library work experience in perspective. "I have a lot of a-ha moments," she said. "I like learning the theory behind the work we do, after having a bit of library work experience. It puts everything in context. It's kind of like 'oh, so that's why we do it that way ..."
Colón is completing her work practicum at UT's Pendergrass Agriculture Veterinary Medicine Library. Her work there includes reference, acquisitions, resource searching, and helping translate PetHealth into Spanish. She admits that adjusting to the reference interview has been a great learning experience.
"At first, I go into panic mode. I wonder, 'how do I look for that?' But then I remember that this isn't a yes or no question that needs to be answered right away. There is time to do research and ask more questions." She especially enjoyed helping a PhD student research diversity in veterinary school programs throughout history.
Colón admits she likes to "think big" when considering her career goals. She hopes to work towards a PhD in information sciences. "I'd like to continue my studies in Knoxville," she said. "I feel comfortable here. I come from a small town, and Knoxville reminds me of that. People here are polite and relaxed."
Sonia Sarangthem
Sonia Sarangthem believes that the future lies in information. This along with her interest in technology led her to pursue a degree in library science.
Sarangthem has a background in math and physics and an undergraduate degree in architecture. With these strengths in hand, UT's ScienceLinks program fit perfectly with her background and professional goals.
She is interested in exploring the challenges posed to digital libraries as well as working in libraries with a science focus. So far, her coursework includes information retrieval, ethics, and science reference, as well as a Web design course. In addition to classes she has completed her practicum assignment working in Reference at Hodges Library and also in the Map Library, where she has worked on projects involving geo-referencing and ArcMap, collection development, and metadata entry.
Sarangthem, who hails from a small town in India, appreciates the calm pace of life in Knoxville and enjoys working in an academic library. She hopes to focus her career working in a digital library.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 10:38 AM in Good News
July 09, 2007
UT Librarian Honored by Pi Beta Phi Fraternity
UT librarian Anne Bridges was inducted as an Honor Initiate of the Pi Beta Phi fraternity for women at their biennial conference in Scottsdale, Arizona in June. Bridges, with UT librarian Ken Wise, was co-principal investigator of the IMLS funded grant project From Pi Beta Phi to Arrowmont: Bringing Education and Economic Development to the Great Smoky Mountains, 1910-2004.
The project's Web site chronicles the highly successful efforts by the members of the fraternity to bring educational opportunities, health care, craft development and marketing to the isolated mountain hamlet of Gatlinburg, beginning in 1912, and continuing to the present via the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. The project, which began in 2002, is available at www.lib.utk.edu/arrowmont.
The digital collection features photographs, images, letters, diaries and scrapbooks as well as a 360-degree interactive art gallery. The Web site also has historical essays that provide context and additional information about the culture and history of Gatlinburg, TN, and an integrated curriculum package for K-8 students. Wise and Bridges presented an overview of their research at the conference's general session on June 25.
At each Pi Beta Phi convention, one woman is invited to join the fraternity as the Honor Initiate in recognition of her service to the Pi Phis. "This is an incredible honor and I am very pleased they selected me," Bridges said.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 01:08 PM in Good News
May 31, 2007
UT Libraries Celebrates Staff with Spirit Awards
For fourteen years, the UT Libraries has recognized the many contributions and talents of its employees with the Library Spirit Awards. The 2007 awards ceremony theme was Library Spirit: Past, Present, and Future. The event was arranged by committee members Hannah Miller, Rebecca Smithey, Micheline Westfall, Greg Womac and co-chairs Connie Steigenga and JoAnne Deeken.
Award winners for 2007 were:
Customer Service Award: Roger Weaver, Library Training
For designing an online training system and setting up automatic email alerts to help library employees keep track of their scheduled training courses.
Good Colleague Award: Nancy Bright and Chris Reynolds, Technical Services
For assisting and arranging care for an infirm coworker.
Personal Achievement Award: Wanda Rosinski, Technical Services
For achieving challenging goals including graduating CEP, beginning a graduate school program, and developing Web skills.
Skill Development Award: Bobbie Doyle-Maher, Pendergrass AgVetMed
For spending many hours in training and consultation to learn to catalog government documents.
Team Work Award: The Media Services Transformation Team: Pauline Bayne, Trisha Brady, Michelle Brannen, Josh Butcher, Andrew Hock, Steve Milewski, Steve Pursiful, Sheila Stephens, Terrel Whitaker and Greg Womac
For planning, creating, and achieving the interim Summer Commons workspace in the Media Center.
Unsung Hero Award: Paul Cummins, LTS and Special Collections/Digital Library Center
For his vigilance and dedication to support and assist. From building Web applications to keeping servers up to date, he is always looking for better ways to do things.
Student Library Assistant Award of Excellence: Michelle Kenley, Volunteer Voices; Dabrielle Myers, Media Services; Jade Sexton, Pendergrass AgVetMed Library; Rosann Wilson, Music Library
Miles 500 Award: Michelle Brannen, the Studio
For creative thinking that improves the libraries efficiency or services to the public, Michelle's idea was to install a CD/DVD vending machine so students can purchase Cds and DVDs to save their work.
UT Library Friends Service Endowment Award: Ellie Read, Reference
For her eagerness to serve UT and her service to undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff.
Dean's Award: Betty Painter, Technical Services
For dedicating her career to serving the library and the research community
The UT Libraries Spirit Awards would not be possible without the support from our dean, Barbara Dewey, interim associate dean, Jill Keally, and interim assistant dean, Pauline Bayne and from the generosity of private donors whose gifts make cash awards possible.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 03:46 PM in Good News
April 16, 2007
Libraries Offers Extended Hours During Exams
Final exams are closer than you think, and the UT Libraries are making it easier to get your work done during the last crunch of the semester by offering extended hours.
Hodges Library will be open 24-hours beginning April 30 through midnight May 8. The Music Library will be open until 11 p.m. April 30-May 3 and the Ag-Vet Med Library will be open until midnight April 30-May 7.
More information about hours is available at www.lib.utk.edu/hours.
After midnight, Hodges Library will reserve the Studio and Media Center as well as the first and third floors for quiet study. Group study spaces are available in the Commons and on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors.
The Pendergrass AgVetMed Library will offer a "doodle table" for those who need a creative break from their study sessions.
The libraries will also coordinate with the T: Late Nite & Link transportation services so students can get to and from the libraries safely for their nighttime study sessions. For more information about the T, visit www.ridethet.com.
The University Libraries first offered extended hours during finals in spring 2006, and offered 24-hours during finals in Hodges in fall 2006. The libraries saw a 30% increase in traffic compared to library usage in spring 2006 and fall 2005 exam periods. In fall 2006, there was a 40% increase of library use from 12 midnight-7:30 a.m. during the extended hours.
Please be sure to tell us what you think of the extended hours! There will be a suggestion box available at the Melrose Avenue circulation desk to collect comments.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 04:16 PM in Announcements, Good News
April 12, 2007
Library employee receives Chancellor's Honor Award
Steve Milewski, library supervisor of the Media Services unit, was honored on April 11th at the Chancellor's Honors banquet with the Extraordinary Service to the University award.
Steve joined Media Services in 1986 as a student assistant, and returned to school in 1988, taking undergraduate courses while working full time. He completed a BA in history in 2001, and graduated with an MS in information science in 2006.
Media Services oversees more than 11,000 titles in VHS, DVD and laserdisc, which are viewed by more than 107,000 students and faculty each year.
Steve's commitment to the university leads to the smooth functioning of his unit, which is central to the cinema studies program and vital to the faculty members who make use of audio-visual materials in their teaching.
The Chancellor's Honors Banquet is held each spring to recognize students, faculty, staff and friends of the university for their extraordinary achievements.
The 2007 ceremony was held April 11 at the University Center. More than 200 students, faculty, staff and organizations were honored.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 09:20 AM in Good News
February 18, 2007
UT Libraries Featured in American Libraries
The UT Libraries is featured prominently in the February 2007 issue of American Libraries, the premier publication about libraries in the United States, published by the American Library Association. The article, "Each One, Teach One: Staff Exchanges in Historically Black Schools," explores a professional exchange program between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the Association of Southern Research Libraries (ASERL). The program was funded by a $20,000 grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation.
UT Libraries was one of five libraries chosen by ASERL to participate in the exchange program. UT was chosen due to its expertise in digital libraries, collection management and institutional repositories.
UT librarians Barbara Dewey, dean of libraries; Jill Keally, interim associate dean; and Linda Phillips, head of collection development and management, are interviewed in the article. Evelyn Council, associate director for collection development at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, discusses her experiences at UT as part of the exchange.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 08:28 PM in Good News
February 05, 2007
Discover Valentine's Day @ the UT Libraries
Documenting Love with Government Documents, Online
Fight off the winter doldrums with some interesting facts and statistics about Valentine's Day, from the Government Documents department at the UT Libraries:
- Candy is dandy! How much candy do Americans eat each year? Where are the most romantic-sounding places in America? The U.S. Census Bureau answers these questions and more.
- Love is in the air, and in the mail--This year's love stamp features the Hershey's Kiss, from the U.S. Postal Service.
- Crack the Valentine's mystery America's Library traces the history of celebrating Valentine's Day from ancient times to today.
- Roses are red, violets are blue, See nature's color code for flowers from the Department of Agriculture.
- Love means never saying goodbye, even in a long distance relationship. Here are some tips for long-distance relationship success from the Department of State.
- Looking for a Libido Lift? The Facts about Aphrodisiacs from the US Food and Drug Administration.
- Jungle Love? Animals at the National Zoo get in the mood for Valentine's Day.
- Love Potion #9. Read about the use of mercury in casting love spells in a report from the Environmental Protection Agency.
More information about government documents is available at http://www.lib.utk.edu/govdoc/, AskUsNow!, or by contacting Janette Prescod, Periodicals/Documents and Microforms Librarian.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 01:19 PM in Good News
January 11, 2007
Take a (new) seat!
Hodges Library features Commons, Media Center updates
The Commons and Media Center in Hodges Library have some new changes to kick off the New Year.
In the Commons, there are 18 new desktop computers as well as new chairs, desks and lighting. In Commons 220, new artwork is on the walls, thanks to a contribution from the Chancellor's Office.
Also new in the Commons is a new SMART Sympodium for the Practice Presentation Room, an interactive SMART board for the Martha L. King group study room, and a mobile codec videoconferencing system that can be used in either room.
For more information on the Commons, visit commons.utk.edu
The Media Center has also made changes, providing table-seating near its entrance. The area is designed for hands-on use of Media Center equipment.
Many more changes are in store for the Commons and the Libraries! Stay tuned for more information.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 11:38 AM in Commons, Good News, Library Facility Updates
January 10, 2007
UT Libraries Purchase Major German Language Collection from Corvey Libary
University of Tennessee is the only North American library to own this collection
The University of Tennessee Libraries is pleased to announce the acquisition of a major German language collection: Fürstliche Bibliothek Corvey--Sachliteratur, a microfiche facsimile edition of 1,084 non-fiction titles from the Princely Library at Corvey. To visit the collection, click here: http://www.lib.utk.edu/refs/corvey/corvey.html
The Corvey Library is one of the most important private libraries in Germany and considered to be an outstanding monument of European book culture. The Library's collection of 73,000 volumes dates from the late 18th and 19th centuries, and consists of belles lettres and non-fiction in German, French, and English. The non-fiction titles draw primarily on the fields of history and geography, but also reflect the natural sciences, economics, philosophy and theology.
The collection was purchased at the request of the UT German Studies faculty in the summer of 2006 for $26,298.00. The purchase was funded by the Lindsay Young Library Endowment, and supports the interdisciplinary focus of the 2006-07 research seminar on modern Germany and Central Europe under the auspices of the University of Tennessee Humanities Initiative. As the only North American library that owns this collection, UT Libraries presents an abundant source of otherwise unavailable resources for all who study the interdisciplinary field of German Studies in the context of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Fürstliche Bibliothek Corvey--Sachliteratur is available for use in the Documents and Microforms area on the first floor of UT's Hodges Library. The collection will be featured at the first German research seminar session of the spring semester on Wednesday, January 17, 2007. The program will begin at 4:00 p.m. in the Faculty Lounge, Room 258, on the second floor of Hodges Library.
For more information, contact Molly Royse, Humanities Coordinator for UT Libraries, at 974-3652 or mroyse@utk.edu.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 10:35 AM in Good News
November 17, 2006
UT Libraries Brings a World of Music to Students and Faculty
Expansion of audio streaming services at UT Libraries
Access to a world of music--from classical to classic film scores-- is now available to University of Tennessee students, faculty and staff thanks to the university libraries. Thousands of music recordings are available now that the libraries has expanded its audio streaming services.
"Want to listen to a Mozart symphony, Appalachian dulcimer music, folk songs of Woody Guthrie, Portuguese Fado, or Tuvan throat singing? These databases have you covered," Mark Puente, Music Library resident librarian, said. "A vast array of genres and styles from many countries and traditions are represented," Puente continued.
The expanded services include access to the Classical Music Library and Naxos Music Library, large databases that contain classical, jazz, and music from film and stage, among other categories of music; Smithsonian Global Sound, which provides an array of musical genres including folk songs, jazz, world music, as well as spoken recordings of children's stories, and speeches by important historical figures; and African-American Song, one of the most heavily used databases, which focuses on African-American artists and composers, featuring jazz, blues, gospel, and spoken narratives. In the past, only a limited number of patrons could use these databases simultaneously, but now unlimited users can access the databases at once.
Students and faculty of the School of Music have long enjoyed using these downloadable services, but students in every major will find the contents of these databases useful for both scholarly and personal use. Audio clips from these databases provide glimpses of the political, historical, and sociological record, as well as great music. Users have the option of downloading many of the tracks (for about 99¢ per song) and importing them into iTunes, loading them onto their MP3 players, or burning CDs. Students can use tracks when creating multi-media projects, videos, or to find musical excerpts to accompany presentations. The databases also include additional information about performers and musical selections, advanced searching and browsing features, themed collections, and the ability listen to or create personal play lists.
In the digital age, librarians are constantly seeking ways to expand the library walls and to bring resources and information directly to the university community. Online streaming audio databases bring music from across the globe that can be accessed 24 hours a day directly to the patron. The university libraries hopes that this service will help students, faculty and staff experience a variety of musical styles from all across the globe.
For more information, please contact
Chris Durman
Librarian for Public Services, Music Library
(865)974-7542
cdurman@utk.edu
or
Mark Puente
Resident Librarian, Music Library
(865)974-3474
mpuente@utk.edu
Posted by Laura Purcell at 02:33 PM in Good News
November 14, 2006
UT Libraries Dean Elected to ARL Board of Directors
Barbara Dewey to serve on the Association of Research Libraries' governing board
Barbara Dewey, Dean of Libraries at the University of Tennessee, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Research Libraries at their October membership meeting.
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 123 research libraries in North America. Its mission is to influence the changing environment of scholarly communication and the public policies that affect research libraries and the diverse communities they serve. ARL pursues this mission by advancing the goals of its member research libraries, providing leadership in public and information policy to the scholarly and higher education communities, fostering the exchange of ideas and expertise, and shaping a future environment that leverages its interests with those of allied organizations.
The Board is the governing body of the Association and represents the interest of ARL member libraries in directing the business of the Association, including establishing operating policies, budgets, and fiscal control; modifying the ARL mission and objectives; and representing ARL to the community.
"I am honored to serve on the Association of Research Libraries' Board of Directors and pleased that the University of Tennessee Libraries' achievements are being recognized at the highest professional level," Dewey said.
The University of Tennessee Libraries were ranked 27th out of 68 public research libraries in the U.S. and Canada, and 45th among all ARL-affiliated research institutions in 2005. ARL also noted that UT had the fifth largest increase in total expenditures that year, about a 55 percent increase since the 1998-99 academic year.
The University of Tennessee Libraries supports more than 20,000 undergraduates and 6,000 graduate students enrolled in 400 academic programs in 15 schools and colleges. The university libraries offers reference and instructional services, public and cultural programs, technological and media resources, subject liaisons in a variety of disciplines and promotes information literacy.
For more information about ARL, visit their Web site at http://www.arl.org.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 08:40 AM in Good News
September 01, 2006
When is that book due? Library accounts now easier to manage
University of Tennessee Libraries accounts are now easier to manage! To check on a book's due date, to renew a book, or make a request, you can log into the "My Account" feature on the library's catalog with your NetID and password.
Previously, students, staff and faculty had to enter the 14-digit barcode at the bottom of their identification cards.
The "My Account" feature on the libraries' catalog allows you to see what materials you have checked out and their due dates, allows you to put hold requests on certain items, and lets you see which items you may have overdue.
For more information, click on "My Account" at www.lib.utk.edu/catalog.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 12:40 PM in Good News
August 21, 2006
UT Librarian a True "Vol"
UT Librarian Felicia Felder Hoehne was honored by Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale on July 25 at the rededication of Spring Place Park in East Knoxville. Hoehne was the lead Park Vols volunteer for the park, and Mayor Ragsdale presented her with a bench commemorating her contributions to the park's redevelopment.
She is pictured left with Mayor Ragsdale and members of Caring Kids park volunteers.
In 1969, Hoehne was the first librarian of African descent hired by the University of Tennessee. As a reference librarian, Hoehne has assisted countless students and faculty in their research. She has also has pursued important research projects of her own, such as Tennessee Authors Past and Present and the George Washington Carver DVD project.
Hoehne has a distinguished record of community service and is a strong advocate of human rights and the rights of children. In 1997, she co-founded Linking Librarians with At-Risk Students (LARKS), a program designed to mentor inner-city male youth. She has also volunteered with the Kerbela Shrine Circus Fund Project, Habitat for Humanity, the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, the Center for Neighborhood Development and the Knoxville Opera Company, among many other organizations.
In 2003, Hoehne was recognized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission with the Harold B. Love Jr. Outstanding Community Involvement Award and UT's Volunteer Spirit Award. In April 2006, she was presented with the University of Tennessee Hardy Liston Symbol of Hope Award for promoting cultural diversity and enhancing the university's educational mission.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 01:34 PM in Good News
July 11, 2006
Russian Librarians Visit UT Libraries
Emerging Russian leaders study American libraries
Five librarians from diverse areas of the Russian Federation visited the University of Tennessee Libraries on July 11 and 13, 2006, as part of the Open World Program. The Open World Program is designed to give emerging Russian leaders a firsthand look at American democracy and civil society. The program also aims to promote understanding and create friendships between the two nations.
The visiting librarians included:
Svetlana Alenkova, a federal government official responsible for libraries throughout Russia.
Irina Arkhipova, deputy director of the Chelyabinsk Region Youth Library Resource Center.
Larisa Degteva, head of program development at the Lipetsk Region Children's Library.
Saida Kasuyeva, head of user relations at the Khasavyurt City Central Library.
Irina Kuznetsova, head librarian at Samara State Technical University.
Each U.S visit focuses on a theme that relates to the participants' professional or civic work. More than 10,000 emerging Russian leaders and professionals have participated in the program. The Open World Program is the first and only exchange program in the U.S. legislative branch. Established in 1999, the program is headquartered at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit www.openworld.gov for more information.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 02:00 PM in Good News
July 09, 2006
UT Libraries Participate in Leadership Exchange Program
Libraries will host HBCU Librarian
The University of Tennessee Libraries is one of five libraries chosen by the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) to participate in a pilot exchange program in June and July of 2006. Funded by a $20,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon foundation, the exchange program will provide librarians from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) an opportunity to investigate issues of strategic importance to their institutions and gain perspectives on leadership from the host institutions. The exchange also aspires to foster additional collaboration between ASERL and HBCU libraries.
UT Libraries was selected for the exchange due to its expertise in digital libraries, collection management and institutional repositories. The libraries will host Evelyn Council, Associate Director of Collection Development at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.
"I look forward to learning how cutting edge programs, such as the institutional repository and digital press, went from vision to practical implementation," Council said. "I also hope to observe successful examples of enhancing library visibility, developing programs, improving functionality and enhancing collections," she continued.
"The Leadership Exchange is a great opportunity to work closely with colleagues at HBCU libraries, and it is an honor for UT to be selected," Barbara Dewey, Dean of Libraries, said.
Ms. Council will visit UT from July 10 through July 21.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 03:32 PM in Good News
July 05, 2006
Find Something FUN to Read at the Library
UT Libraries launches new leisure reading collection
Looking for something FUN to read? Look no further than the UT Libraries. With romantic love stories, popular prizewinners, gripping mysteries and edge-of-your seat thrillers, the libraries new leisure reading collection is the perfect answer to that "what to read?" question.
"Students often ask us where books for fun, recreational reading are located. This collection is a response to that," Teresa Berry, science librarian and leisure reading collection curator, said.
The collection is located on the first floor of Hodges Library in the Jack E. Reese Galleria near the Documents and Microforms room. There are three hundred volumes of recently published and bestselling fiction and nonfiction; authors include Danielle Steele, Scott Turow, Malcom Gladwell, and Anna Quindlen. The collection is leased from MacNaughton Books, which provides many circulation-ready materials for public libraries. New titles will be added to the collection each month as older titles cycle out. Many popular titles are also included in the UT Libraries' permanent collections.
Books from the leisure reading collection are listed in the online catalog. The books are available for 28-day checkout and can be delivered to faculty with Library Express. This is the pilot phase of the project, and continuation depends on funding. For more information, click here to visit the Leisure Reading Collection web site.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 12:11 PM in Good News
June 19, 2006
UT Libraries Career Employee Program Celebrates New Graduates
The Career Employee Program (CEP) at the UT Libraries celebrated its newest graduates last week: Seth Jordan, Linda Flynn, Jayne Rogers and Wanda Rosinski.
CEP offers non-exempt employees an opportunity to learn more about librarianship and the field of information science. Participants must have worked for the libraries for at least three years in order to be eligible for the program. The application process is selective and competitive--applicants must write an essay outlining his or her interest in the program and submit two recommendations from library employees.
Throughout the program, participants take college courses in information science, attend workshops, publish papers and book reviews, present at professional conferences, and complete other scholarly accomplishments. CEP participants are expected to complete this work outside of their normal working hours and have only two years in order to finish the program
"This is the best experience I've had since I began working here," Jayne Rogers, a staff member in Collection Development, said. "I've learned so much," Rogers continued.
"This program really pushes you out of your comfort zone, but in a good way," Linda Flynn, a staff member in the Business Office, said. "Thanks to this program, I've taken my first graduate level classes, presented at the Tennessee Library Association conference in Nashville, and published two book reviews. Overall, it has been a very rewarding experience," Flynn said.
Upon successful completion of the program, participants receive a $2000 salary increase.
CEP began in 1999 as a way for the libraries to identify and develop career staff. The rigorous program offers a process for recognizing and rewarding staff for their commitment to the libraries and the university. The first successful CEP graduate was honored in 2001.
New classes of CEP participants are formed every two years. The class of 2006-2008 includes Sandra Allen, Michelle Brannen, Jeff French and Rebecca Smithey.
For more information, visit the CEP exhibit that is currently on display outside the Lindsay Young Auditorium on the first floor of Hodges Library or visit their Web site.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 04:28 PM in Good News
Culture Corner Explores The Caribbean
Take a trip to the islands ... at the library!
The Summer 2006 theme of UT Libraries' Culture Corner is the people, places, and things that make up the diversity of the Caribbean islands.
Available resources at the UT Libraries about Caribbean culture include books available for checkout, electronic books and journals, videos and DVDs, reference materials, music and agriculture and veterinary science materials.
Each semester, the Culture Corner showcases the libraries' collections on a particular theme related to diversity. Located just outside the Reference room on the first floor of the John C. Hodges Library, the Culture corner is a cozy nook that has become a popular study area and meeting place.
For more information about the Culture Corner, contact Kawanna Bright, 974-4566.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 12:43 PM in Good News
June 14, 2006
Illinois Man Gives UT the Gift of History
The University of Tennessee has received a unique and valuable gift that traces the school's roots back to 1870. The donor has no link to the university -- just an accidental receipt of a document
which most historians thought no longer existed.
Robert J. Wegener of McHenry, Ill., is an engineer with a passion for historical and antique documents. Nearly 20 years ago, he bought a box to add to his collection at an Illinois store for approximately a dollar.
"The document was folded up into several other papers," said Wegener. "It just looked like a really great piece of history, so I pulled it out and had it framed."
That piece of history was a key document in UT's establishment as a state land grant institution. The document, dated 1870, is the original bill of sale for land in which proceeds were given to the state of Tennessee to establish Tennessee's land grant university. The document was the result of the 1862 Morrill Act, legislation signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln that established colleges to teach agricultural and mechanical arts as well as classics, liberal arts and sciences. Tennessee, as a member of the Confederacy during the Civil War, was unable to take advantage of the Morrill Act until 1869.
Participating states were granted 30,000 acres of land for each of their representatives and senators to be sold as an endowment for the support of higher education. More than 17 million acres of land were sold, resulting in about $7 million for participating states. Tennessee's grant of $396,000 was allocated to East Tennessee University, which would later become the University of Tennessee.
"Adding agriculture and mechanical arts was a significant change to the university curriculum," said Aaron Purcell, university archivist. "Because of its land grant status, the university created many new majors and programs, such as the Institute of Agriculture and College of Engineering. Teaching these practical courses helped bring the university into the modern era."
Although designated as Tennessee's land grant university in 1869, the university evolved for the next decade through the provisions set forth in the Morrill Act. By 1879, it had solidified agricultural and mechanical programs and established medical and dental program affiliations across the state. Poised for growth, the university was renamed the University of Tennessee in that same year.
Several years after having the document framed, Wegener saw a television documentary on land grant universities that illustrated the significance of what he had over his mantle. After a series of telephone calls, Wegener offered the document to UT at no charge. He's asked for nothing in return.
"This document doesn't really belong to me, it belongs to the state of Tennessee," he said.
UT President John Petersen said the document is an invaluable gift to the university.
"This document places real meaning on the goals our forefathers sought to accomplish with the land grant institutions. These universities have allowed millions of people access to higher education and played a key role in developing America's economy," Petersen said. "Mr. Wegener's generosity gives us that rare opportunity to own a piece of our own history, and we are grateful."
Wegener said he's honored to give the document to UT.
"The true strength of any society lies in the ability to educate all its people," he said. Wegener is an alumnus of Southern Illinois University.
"The establishment of UT as a land grant institution was a fundamental element in the future of the education, economy and welfare in the state of Tennessee," said Chancellor Loren Crabtree. "This special gift which demonstrates the university's leadership role in the development of our state will be enjoyed and appreciated for years to come."
"Mr. Wegener's gift ensures that this important historical document will be preserved and made available to current and future generations of Tennesseans," said Barbara Dewey, dean of UT libraries.
Wegener said he believes the document was in Illinois because many similar papers were stored in a federal building in Kansas, which later burned. So it is likely that any duplicates of this paper were destroyed, he said.
UT does not have any similar 19th century federal land grant papers in its archives, said Purcell. The archivist said it is in excellent condition and will become part of UT's special collections.
The document will be on display from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Hoskins Library, in the lobby of the special collections library, which is located on the second floor.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 11:14 AM in Good News
June 08, 2006
UT Libraries Classes for June
Save time and energy by taking one of our helpful library instruction classes!
LIBRARY RESEARCH: THE BASICS
Bring your research questions, papers and projects to get help finding library materials and using the information you find.
Wednesday, June 14 10:30 a.m - 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, June 20 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Monday, June 26 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: 211 Hodges Library (InfoLab)
Click here to register.
EndNote: BIBLIOGRAPHIC MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
Don't spend hours typing that bibliography! Learn to use EndNote software, which helps organize references and inserts citations into documents.
Tuesday, June 20 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location 211 Hodges Library (InfoLab)
Click here to register.
ACCESSING DATA FROM THE INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH DATA ARCHIVES
Learn about the world's largest archives for social science and research data. This class will cover searching the archives, viewing and downloading information, and creating SPSS data sets.
Tuesday, June 27 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location 211 Hodges Library (InfoLab)
Click here to register.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 03:05 PM in Good News
June 02, 2006
Art Exhibit Takes on New Dimension
UT Libraries Arrowmont grant project showcases interactive art gallery
Fine art pieces from the Arrowmont School for Arts and Crafts can now be examined, inspected, spun and swiveled from the comfort of your computer. A digital art gallery that provides 360-degree views of art objects was recently unveiled as part of the University of Tennessee Libraries' digital project From Pi Beta Phi to Arrowmont: Bringing Education and Economic Development to the Great Smoky Mountains, 1910-2004. Click here to visit the gallery Web page.
To date twenty art pieces, which include sculptures, vases, baskets, and teapots, are included in the online exhibit. Kate Stepp, the project's digital coordinator, and Chip Hays, a student digitization assistant, created the 360-degree views through a painstaking process. They placed the art objects on a rotating pedestal and then photographed them with a high-resolution digital camera at every ten degrees. The photographs were compiled into a Quicktime file, which allows them to be examined from different angles.
"There are very few people who have used the technology in this way, and we think we are the first library to use it in a digitization grant," Anne Bridges, UT librarian and co-principal investigator for the grant, said. The details of creating the 360-degree gallery are compiled a nearly 80-page manual that explains the process. Click here to go to the manual on the gallery Web page.
"This exhibit helps highlight the distinctive nature of the Arrowmont arts," Bridges said. "The clarity and detail of the images is great--they almost come off the screen."
When complete, the collection will comprise 30 art pieces. The 360-degree image gallery complements other components of the Arrowmont digital research collection, which include historical photographs, scrapbooks, letters and essays about the Pi Beta Phi Settlement School and the School of Arts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
From Pi Beta Phi to Arrowmont: Bringing Education and Economic Development to the Great Smoky Mountains, 1910-2004 was made possible by a National Leadership Grant for research and demonstration from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Learn more about IMLS.
From Pi Beta Phi to Arrowmont is just one of the many digital collections available at the University of Tennessee Libraries. These collections provide open access to materials of scholarly, cultural and historical significance to academics, scholars, researchers, educators, students and citizens of Tennessee. The University of Tennessee Libraries is a member of the Digital Library Federation. Click here to visit the digital collections at the University of Tennessee Libraries.
For additional information about the institutions participating in From Pi Beta Phi to Arrowmont: Bringing Education and Economic Development to the Great Smoky Mountains, 1910-2004 visit these home pages:
Pi Beta Phi Elementary School
Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts
Great Smoky Mountains Regional Project
University of Tennessee Libraries Arrowmont Project
Posted by Laura Purcell at 12:18 PM in Good News
May 01, 2006
Fun Run Helps Libraries Get Ready for the World
GSS library fundraiser proceeds to support international/intercultural collections
Library materials are crucial to graduate-level study and research, which is why the Graduate Student Senate initiated the "Love Your Libraries" 5k Fun Run. This year marked the 14th anniversary of this important charity race.
The race raised $5,200 for the purchase of library materials. The proceeds will be earmarked for materials that support UT's Ready for the World international/intercultural initiatives.
The race began at 8:30 am on Saturday, February 25. 133 of 170 runners competed in the 3.1 mile course through the heart of UT's campus. Overall winners (with times) were Joseph Goetz (16:26), Simon Rea (17:37), and Kyle Saari (18:39) for the men's and Tere Stouffer (17:57), Anne Victoria (22:14), and Eleanor McDonough (23:08) for the women's. Masters were Glen Farr and Susan Thompson; grandmasters were Bob Griffith and Cindy Spangler.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 04:32 PM in Good News
February 06, 2006
UT Libraries Celebrates Student Employees
Student Library Assistants are The Heart of the Libraries
To thank Student Library Assistants (SLAs) for their hard work and dedicated service, the UT Libraries is hosting its fourth Student Appreciation Celebration. The event's theme this year is "You are the Heart of the Libraries."
"This year's theme was chosen because the event is scheduled so close to Valentine's Day, but also because of the genuine appreciation that we have for our students," Mark Puente, Minority Librarian Resident and one of the event's organizers, said. "It really is an appropriate theme, because SLAs contribute significantly to both the operations and the spirit of the libraries," Puente said.
The UT Libraries employs nearly 150 SLAs, which means that support from students makes up nearly 45% of the libraries' workforce. Students perform many essential services, on the front lines by staffing service desks and helping patrons, and behind the scenes by organizing collections and updating library media.
Nine students who have worked in the libraries for two or more years will earn a special recognition. A book from the libraries' collection bookplated in their honor. The libraries are pleased to commemorate the students' service with this lasting tribute.
The event will occur on Thursday, February 16th from 2:30-4:00 pm in the Staff Lounge of Hodges Library.
Students interested in working at the UT Libraries can find job postings outside the Personnel and Procurement office, room 630 of Hodges Library, or by visiting their Web site.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 09:17 AM in Good News
October 06, 2005
University of Tennessee Libraries Wins Prestigious IMLS Grant
A $928,080 Grant Will Help Digitize Tennessee's Important Historical Legacy
The most notable figures in Tennessee’s history might be Davy Crockett and Presidents Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, and James K. Polk. But the state’s rich history, from the earliest pioneers of the frontier days to the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement, tells a story that is both uniquely Tennessee and uniquely American.
Thanks to a $928,080 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the University of Tennessee Libraries can begin a $1.8 million project called “Growth of Democracy in Tennessee,” which will build a free Web site of 10,000 historically significant items from across the state. This Web site will be integrated into Tennessee’s K-12 history curriculum and can also be used by other educators, students, scholars, and the general public.
Materials for the Web site will be chosen from repositories across the state. The University of Tennessee as well as the grant’s nine partner institutions, Middle Tennessee State University, the Knox County Public Library, the East Tennessee Historical Society, the Tennessee State Library and Archives, the University of Memphis, the Memphis and Shelby County Public Library, Tennessee State University, Vanderbilt University, and the Brentwood Public Library, will gather materials from their collections and from smaller libraries, archives, and historical societies across Tennessee. In the process of gathering and scanning historical materials, project leaders will provide participating institutions with training, support, and grant resources. These scanned materials will be part of he Volunteer Voices initiative, sponsored by TENN-SHARE, and searchable through its Web site at, http://www.volunteervoices.org.
“Documenting the past two hundred years of Tennessee’s cultural, social, political, and intellectual history is no small feat,” Aaron Purcell, Interim Assistant Head of Special Collections at UT and one of the grant’s principal investigators, said. “By using documents from institutions across the state we can provide access to materials that many people wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to see. By gathering materials from smaller repositories, we hope to provide local ties to larger historical periods that may seem very distant or foreign. A student in Maury County, for example, will be able to see how their hometown played a significant role in Tennessee’s history,” Purcell said.
The University of Tennessee Libraries was one of only 11 institutions nationwide to receive an IMLS National Leadership Grant award that is specifically designed to build digital resources. It represents the Libraries’ largest grant award from a Federal agency for this kind of digitization project.
Contact:
Aaron Purcell, University of Tennessee Libraries, 865-974-3674, purcell@email.lib.utk.edu
Eileen Maxwell, Institute of Museum and Library Services, 202-606-8339, emaxwell@imls.gov
Posted by Martha Rudolph at 09:52 AM in Good News
September 22, 2005
UT Libraries Welcomes New Minority Librarian Residents
Shantel Agnew, LaVerne Gray, and Mark Puente recently joined the faculty of the UT Libraries as Minority Librarian Residents. The residency program, which began in 2003, was created to attract recent library school graduates from underrepresented groups to a career in academic librarianship.
As part of the program, residents will spend the next two years working closely with librarians to develop skills and career paths, cultivate collegial relationships with faculty outside the library, participate in committees, and become involved in professional associations. In the first year, residents will do professional rotations within the libraries; in the second year, they will focus on one area and complete a specialized project.
"I've been very impressed by the level of support I've received at the UT Libraries," Mark Puente said. Puente, who has undergraduate and graduate degrees in music, earned his Masters of Library Science at the University of Arizona and has worked at the University of North Texas and other fine arts libraries. He hopes to gain more technical training during his residency, and is interested in exploring professional research possibilities.
"I'm looking forward to gaining practical work experience as well as the opportunity to publish and present research," LaVerne Gray said. Gray earned her Masters of Library and Information Science from Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. A former Peace Corps volunteer in the Ivory Coast and Togo, Gray has a background in child development and educational psychology. She hopes to work on digitization and metadata projects, and is also interested in instructional services.
"I really look forward to making the most of this wonderful opportunity," Shantel Agnew said. Agnew has worked in mass media arts and earned her Masters of Science in Information Sciences from the University of Tennessee. She wants to incorporate her media experience into her library work, and plans to spend some of her residency working in The Studio, a multi-media design and resource center.
"The Minority Librarian Residency program is a model for increasing diversity at UT and in our nation's academic libraries," Barbara Dewey, Dean of Libraries, said. The residency program also strengthens programs and services at the UT Libraries while promoting diversity and creating a more welcoming environment for students.
The University of Tennessee Libraries supports more than 20,000 undergraduate and 6,000 graduate students enrolled in 400 academic programs. The libraries offer reference and instructional services, public and cultural programs, technical and media resources and subject specialists in a variety of areas, and also promotes information literacy.
For more information about diversity at the University of Tennessee Libraries and the Minority Librarian Residency program, please visit our Diversity Web site.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 11:22 AM in Good News
August 24, 2005
It's Coming ... It's Coming ... It's Here! The Libraries and OIT Open The Commons
A Synthesis of Research and Technology Resources is Now Available in One Location
It's every student's worst nightmare: you have a problem, but you'll spend hours wandering around campus trying to find a solution. Perhaps your NetID login isn't working. Or that new wireless card you bought makes your laptop do funky things. Or maybe you've been slammed with a research project that's due in a couple of days, and you don't know where to begin. The last thing you want to do is be shuffled all over campus, from office to office, feeling foolish and spending half a day trying to get your problems solved.
Now, thanks to a collaboration between the UT Libraries and the Office of Information Technology (OIT), some of the most frequently used library and technology resources are available in one location, called the Commons, located on the second floor of Hodges Library.
Perhaps you'll notice first the friendly Commons consultants sitting at the large service desk. Here students can check out books and get reference assistance and computer lab help, as well as computer help desk support, such as installing wireless cards and spyware protection. The Commons also offers help with statistical analysis, evening Digital Media Service drop-off, and book retrieval during late-night hours when the libraries' other floors are closed.
"The Commons is a place that is defined by student needs," Barbara Dewey, Dean of Libraries, said. "Students today have many group and collaborative project assignments and need access to technology, as well as inspiring places for individual, contemplative study. We hope the Commons can fulfill all these needs," Dewey said.
"By bringing so many resources into one common area, we hope to make students' lives a little easier," Brice Bible, Assistant Vice President for OIT, said.
Currently, the Commons offers more than forty computers with over sixty different software packages, as well as loaner laptops, scanners, and laser printing capabilities. In addition to the consultant and computer services, the Commons has both group and individual study areas and a large presentation practice room, where students can rehearse their power point and other spoken presentations.
The Commons also offers access to the libraries' Media Center and Studio, where students can view items in the video collection, begin a desktop publishing or multi media project, or borrow a still or video digital camera.
Because students' work hours often defy the norm, the Commons is open 24-hours from noon on Sunday to midnight on Friday, when classes are in session.
The Commons is intended to be a multi-phased project. Future additions to the area may include more group study and work areas, multi-media and video conferencing capabilities, additional computer workstations, an information kiosk and new media suites.
"We invite students to come discover the Commons resources for themselves, and to let us know what kinds of resources they’d like to see in the future," Bible said.
For more information, visit the Commons Web site.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 12:10 PM in Good News
August 17, 2005
What's at Hodges Library? Take a Tour and Find Out!
Get ahead this semester by taking a Hodges Library tour before classes start.
Tours are held:
Thursday August 18 at 4 p.m.
Friday, August 19 at 3 p.m.
Saturday, August 20 at 2 p.m.
Monday, August 22 at 3 p.m.
Tuesday, August 23 at 11 a.m.
Joining a tour is easy. Meet at the Hodges Library Melrose Avenue entrance (2nd floor, at the Welcome Center near the main circulation desk and before Starbuks) right at tour time. The tour is just 45 minutes long and will provide an overview of library services.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 02:43 PM in Good News
August 01, 2005
UT Receives Grant to Educate Librarians for the 21st Century
Scientific and technological research is crucial to the advancement and betterment of society; however there is a shortage of librarians trained to work specifically with scientists. Thanks to a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the University of Tennessee hopes to solve that problem with a new librarian training program called Science Links.
IMLS awarded the University of Tennessee a $632,249 grant as part of their Librarians for the 21st Century initiative, created to help recruit and educate the next generation of librarians. Bill Robinson, Associate Professor in UT’s School of Information Sciences, and Jill Keally, Assistant Dean of the University Libraries, are co-principal investigators for the project.
The grant funds UT's Science Links program, where qualified students will receive full scholarships to earn a master's degree through the UT School of Information Sciences. Special emphasis will be placed on recruiting candidates from traditionally black colleges and universities. Students will take courses specifically designed to train librarians to assist in scientific and technological research. Students will also gain practical job experience by working at the UT Libraries, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the Department of Energy's Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI), and Information International Associates (IIa).
"The School of Information Sciences is extremely proud to be a partner in the Science Links project, which targets populations underrepresented in the profession and at the same time addresses the deepening shortage of science and technology librarians. Situated in an ideal environment rich in technological research and development, the students recruited to this two-year educational program will benefit from exposure to 'real-world' experience serving scholars, researchers and others associated with science and technology. A special aim of Science Links is to provide the library and information education community with a model for educating subject specialist librarians," Ed Cortez, Director and Professor of the UT School of Information Studies, said.
"This is a model program that addresses a well-documented shortage of librarians, especially those with science backgrounds," Barbara Dewey, Dean of UT Libraries, said. "UT is uniquely qualified to educate science librarians, thanks to the first-class scientific research facilities located in East Tennessee. There is a special way that librarians interact with scientists in order to meet their research needs, and by gaining experience at places like ORNL and OSTI, these recent library school graduates will have unparalleled job experience along with their professional degree training," Dewey continued.
UT is one of only 37 schools to be awarded grant monies in this IMLS program from a pool of nearly 90 applicants.
"Librarianship is absolutely critical to the nation's education infrastructure. There is a strong correlation between good school libraries and student academic achievement. Public librarians help their communities increase literacy rates, provide top-notch after school programs, and even assist local residents in finding jobs. And in this digital age, library science professionals are more important than ever. Anyone who has had the experience of searching for information on the World Wide Web and had over 10,000 references returned would agree," Robert S. Martin, Director of IMLS, said.
The current shortage of school library media specialists, library school faculty, and librarians working in underserved communities underscores a looming crisis in librarianship as fewer faculty are being prepared to educate new librarians and a greater number of professional positions are going unfilled. Additionally, a large percentage of library directors and other senior librarians are expected to retire in the next twenty years. Consequently, the shortage of professional librarians, especially of those in leadership positions, is likely to increase.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent Federal grant-making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities.
The University of Tennessee supports more than 20,000 undergraduate and 6,000 graduate students in 400 academic programs in 15 schools and colleges, including nearly 200 students in the School of Information Sciences.
For more information about the University of Tennessee's School of Information Sciences, please visit their Web site.
For more information about the UT Libraries, please visit their Web site.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 11:13 AM in Good News
June 13, 2005
UT Libraries Ranks Among Top Libraries in the Nation
A recent study has ranked the University of Tennessee Libraries among the top research libraries in the nation.
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) ranked UT Libraries third in the Southeastern Conference, 27th out of 68 public research university libraries in the U.S. and Canada, and 45th among all 113 ARL-affiliated research institutions.
This is a significant rise for UT from the year before, when UT was 32nd among public research institutions and 53rd overall.
The report also noted that UT had the fifth largest increase in total expenditures, about 55 percent since the 1998-99 academic year.
"An excellent library is an essential component of a first-rate research university," UT Knoxville Chancellor Loren Crabtree said. "At the University of Tennessee, we are proud to have one of our nation's finest university libraries and we are committed to building and supporting this excellence at the core of our learning community."
Eight SEC schools made the list, including Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, LSU, Auburn and Alabama.
The top five ARL libraries are Harvard, Yale, University of Toronto, University of California-Berkeley and the University of California-Los Angeles.
"We are very proud to be in the top 50 of this elite group," UT Libraries Dean Barbara Dewey said. "Having the consistent support of the university is crucial to our success."
ARL considers five key factors in compiling its rankings each year: total number of volumes held, gross number of volumes added, number of subscriptions to current journals, magazines, newspapers and other periodicals, total expenditures and the number of professional and support staff.
The University of Tennessee Libraries supports more than 20,000 undergraduate and 6,000 graduate students enrolled in 400 academic programs in 15 schools and colleges.
UT Libraries offers reference and instructional services, public and cultural programs, technological and media resources, subject liaisons in a variety of disciplines, and promote information literacy.
For more information about the UT Libraries, visit their Web page.
The Association of Research Libraries was founded in 1932 in order to influence the changing environment of scholarly communication and the public policies that affect research libraries and the communities they serve. For more information, visit their Web page.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 09:03 AM in Good News
May 20, 2005
Dean of Libraries Barbara Dewey elected to serve as SOLINET delegate to OCLC
Barbara Dewey, Dean of Libraries at the University of Tennessee since 2000, will represent academic libraries in the Southeastern U.S. and the Carribean and assist with improving access to the world's information.
Dewey was among those elected to the Southeastern Library Network (SOLINET) delegation to the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) Members Council at SOLINET's Annual Membership Meeting this May in Atlanta. SOLINET is a network of 2,600 libraries that works to strengthen libraries and the communities they support. OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to information worldwide and reducing information costs.
In explaining the significance of the SOLINET delegation to the OCLC Members Council, Dewey said, "SOLINET has some of the most innovative libraries in the world, and we play an instrumental role in guiding OCLC towards the most effective programs to support our faculty, students, patrons, and staff as we make dramatic changes in the way we acquire and access information resources." Dewey is Chair of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Diversity Committee, President of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL), and member of the Board of the New Media Consortium.
Here are the complete election results from SOLINET:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Carol Pitts Diedrichs, Dean of Libraries, University of Kentucky
William Miller, Director of Libraries, Florida Atlantic University
Delegation to OCLC MEMBERS COUNCIL
Barbara Dewey, Dean of Libraries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
John Ulmschneider, University Librarian, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries
Lamar Veatch, State Librarian, Georgia Public Library Service
In addition, the Board of Directors elected the following OFFICERS
Chair, James Nelson, State Librarian and Commissioner, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives
Vice Chair: Robert Vaughan, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
Secretary/Treasurer: Pat Pickard, DeKalb County Public Schools, GA.
Founded in 1973, SOLINET is a non-profit membership organization serving more than 2600 libraries of all types and sizes in ten Southeastern states and the Caribbean. Primary programs are OCLC Services, Preservation & Access, Electronic Databases, Library Products, Digital Services, Educational Services, and Consulting. For further information, click here to visit the SOLINET Web site.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 04:29 PM in Good News
May 10, 2005
UT College Catalogs Digital Project Receives Award
Digital course catalogs help university to better serve students
A recent yearlong collaboration among the Office of the University Registrar, the University of Tennessee Libraries and the Office of Creative Services made an essential publication for the UT community easily accessible, and has yielded a notable campus accolade - the UT Employee Team Excellence Award.
"Providing this service to our users is yet another way we strive to carry out our Service Philosophy - 'providing the highest quality service to all patrons, and equitable access to information in print and electronic resources,'" Barbara Dewey, Dean of University Libraries, said. "This award is truly an honor to our team members and our libraries."
The project to digitize the UT undergraduate and graduate college catalogs began in mid-2003 and took a year to complete, from the first steps of determining the ownership of the catalogs to the final posting of the documents. The key aspect of the project was devising a method of converting existing catalogs into PDFs, which can be viewed online with Adobe Acrobat Reader. Now, all users of the catalog can access any undergraduate or graduate catalog from 1994 to the present. The team plans to digitize all catalogs published and is currently in the process of doing so.
According to Arwen Hutt, metadata librarian at University Libraries, this project was identified as a timely, practical function. There was a pressing deadline to get the materials online, and she says the feature is "not fancy," but a large amount of material was placed online quickly and efficiently. One useful component of the technology is optical character recognition (OCR), which allows users to scan for specific words within a large PDF. Another helpful element is the "breaking up" of the large PDFs into smaller sections.
College catalogs serve as an important point of reference for past, current and future students; advisers; staff in the Registrar's Office; Reference librarians and the University archivist. These catalogs are the key to fulfilling major requirements, whether to find substitutions or to define the next steps for the semester. According to statistics from the Digital Library Center, the catalogs have received more than 100,000 hits between January and April 2005, indicating the popularity of this service.
"We're excited that something worthwhile for our users and a perfect example of what collaboration really is has been recognized," Linda Phillips, head of Collection Development and Management, said. "All parties had a similar vision and mission, so everything just came together."
The UT Team Excellence Award is given to employees who have worked together to achieve outstanding performance and results. One award is given in the spring and one in the fall. Chancellor Loren Crabtree gave this semester's awards on Friday, May 13, 2005 at the Employee Team Excellence Award Breakfast.
"It really is the writing that sets apart one entry from another," Cindy Reynolds, chair of the Positive Recognition committee, said. "If we feel like we’re there and can 'see' and understand what's going on, it's a winning entry. This is extremely competitive and nominations are always excellent. This was a very hard decision."
The University Libraries Digital Library Center (DLC) creates unique and valuable digital collections to support research and teaching. The DLC proved durable access to digital content through the establishment of best practices and standards. More information about the DLC is available at http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/dlc. For more information about University Catalogs Online, contact the Office of the University Registrar at 865-974-2101 or University Libraries Reference and Instructional Services at 865-974-4171.
Posted by at 02:26 PM in Good News
April 06, 2005
One Stop at the Library -- From Initial Research to Finished Product
More of the software students need is now available on library workstations. Microsoft Office has been added to all library computers with NetID access.
Everything students need to complete an assignment, from initial research to finished product, is readily available in the library. Reference tools, digital resources, network access -- and now students' favorite software applications -- are all available on one desktop.
After students complete their research, they can type a term paper in Word, organize and analyze data in Excel, and design a classroom presentation in Powerpoint without leaving the library.
An additional 165 workstations in the Hodges, Map, and Music libraries are now configured with Microsoft Office 2003 Pro. Workstations at the Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine Library (where there is less access to computer labs than on the main campus) have included Microsoft Office for some time, and it has been very popular with students.
Helping students integrate these applications into a seamless workflow is just one more way the UT Libraries support the needs of the 21st century student.
Posted by Martha Rudolph at 03:25 PM in Good News, Library Facility Updates
March 09, 2005
Staying Updated: Using the University Libraries News Channels
Welcome! The UT Libraries are now offering News Channels to help keep you informed about our events and resources.
There are two ways to stary informed using our News Channels:
1. Bookmark our News Channels and visit back often
or
2. Add our News Channels to your news reader.
What is a news reader? (sometimes also called news aggregators, RSS readers, feed readers, or readers)
Readers are software or web-based applications that allow you to select and read many websites using a common interface. Instead of having to visit each site individually, you can read all of the sites that you have selected in one convenient format.
How do I get a news reader?
There are many free readers that can be found at Web Compendium.
What is a blog?
A blog, or weblog, is a regularly updated website that lists its entries in reverse chronological order and offers a way to syndicate the site though feeds.
What are feeds? (sometimes also called news feeds, xml feeds, RSS Feeds, or RSS)
Feeds are an XML versions of blog posts that can be read by Readers. Feeds are respresented by the orange xml button, a RSS button, or possibly text that says "Syndicate this Site" or "RSS Feed".
How do I add a blog to my news reader?
With most news readers, feeds can be added by dragging and dropping the XML button, RSS button, or the "Syndicate this Site" link into your Reader.
How do I start my own blog?
The UT Libraries use software from Moveable Type, which is modestly priced for educational institutions. However, there are many free blog hosting services that you may wish to investigate, with the most popular being Blogger. Many other blog hosting services are listed at Web Compendium.
Posted by admin at 05:17 PM in Good News
February 18, 2005
Libraries to celebrate students for dedicated support
Full-time staff consider student assistants 'invaluable'
At least one of every three times a patron is assisted at University Libraries, he or she comes in contact with the heart of library service - the student library assistants (SLAs). On behalf of UT Libraries, the Diversity Committee will host the third Student Appreciation Celebration to recognize the dedication and hard work of SLAs on Wednesday, Feb. 23 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Staff Lounge, Room 646 of John C. Hodges Library. The event is open to all library staff and student employees; refreshments will be provided.
Of the 450 faculty and staff at University Libraries, 150 are students. Students are responsible for serving library patrons on the frontline, tending to or organizing items in the library collections or maintaining and updating the libraries media and publications. Many of the full-time staff and faculty regard the student staff members as a vital part of the library - maintaining the level of high-quality service patrons expect.
"We couldn't run our department without our SLAs," Sheila Stephens, Media Center library specialist, said. "They keep us going and provide so much support for the services we offer - scheduling rooms, helping patrons with tapes and films. They're invaluable to us."
This is the third year of the celebration, which was originally intended to be bi-annual. However, the impact the event makes on the staff as a whole, as well as the students, was the impetus for changing the event to a yearly one, Thura Mack, Training Librarian, said.
"This is a tradition we really want to hold on to and continue to nurture," Mack said. "The celebration is such a multi-faceted enriching experience for, not only our students, but the entire library community - student patrons, faculty and staff."
Barbara Dewey, Dean of Libraries, will present certificates to the 24 students who have given two or more years of service to the library at 3 p.m.
"This event honors student library assistants who have been here for two years, but the celebration is open to all students," Nathalie Hirstov, event organizer and Catalog Librarian, said. "It’s important to recognize staff for what they do, especially the students, who may not get paid very well, but have many responsibilities."
Students who have contributed two or more years to the libraries were asked to select a favorite book from the collection. Their service will then be commemorated with a personalized embossed bookplate in their selected item. The personalized books will be on display during the celebration.
"When students graduate and are no longer SLAs, they will always be remembered for their contribution through the bookplates," Hirstov said. "This is a way to recognize their commitment; very often over half their college careers are spent at the library."
Posted by at 04:32 PM in Good News
February 03, 2005
DART Machine Installed at Hodges, Ag-Vet Med Libraries
Students can now add funds to their All-Star accounts with ease
Purchasing frustrations will ease considerably with the installation of two new DART machines at John C. Hodges and Pendergrass Agriculture Veterinary Medicine Libraries.
Debit Access Retail Terminals, or DART, machines allow students to make cash deposits to their All-Star accounts. These accounds can be used for Pay-for-Print or for purchases at Starbucks or the Bookstore. AllStar monies can also be at the University Center, laundry services in University Housing, campus vending machines and to pay for a parking lot hang-tag or parking citations.
"We are very pleased to be able to provide this convenient service to students, faculty, and staff," Jill Keally, Assistant Dean of Libraries, said. "The Cyber Cafe has very late hours, and the Ag-Vet Med Library provides a central location for the machine on the Ag campus."
Pay-for-Print deducts 2 cents per image from a student’s All-Star account, and students can also add money via the Volcard Web page, with their credit cards, over the phone at (865) 974-3430 with credit card information, or in person at the Volcard Office at 472 South Stadium Hall. DART machines only accept $1, $5 and $10 bills.
In Hodges Library, the DART machine is located in the Cyber Cafe, next to Starbucks; the machine in the Ag-Vet Med Library is the only one servicing the Ag campus. There are 14 other DART machines located on campus and in off-campus apartment residences.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 03:41 PM in Good News, Library Facility Updates
January 24, 2005
UT Libraries Seek Applicants for Minority Librarian Residency Program
Successful program seeks new residents
Building on the success of its first program, which was launched in 2003, the UT Libraries is looking for three new candidates for the two-year residency program. The new residency candidates will begin employment in the fall of 2005. The purpose of the program is to attract recent library school graduates from underrepresented groups to a challenging and rewarding career in academic librarianship.
Successful candidates will serve as residents for two years and may be eligible for permanent employment as faculty upon completion of the program. Residents will work closely with librarians to develop skills and career plans, develop collegial relationships with faculty outside the library, participate in library committees, and become involved with professional associations.
Residents will work in several areas of the library and will take part in a variety of initiatives and projects.
For more information about program and the Libraries’ commitment to diversity, potential applicants are encouraged to visit the following web sites:
UT Libraries' Diversity Committee
Minority Residency Program and detailed vacancy announcement
Diversity Librarians' Network, developed and maintained by current UT Libraries' residents.
Candidates are also welcome to contact the current residents at residents@lib.utk.edu to learn more about the program and ask questions.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 05:27 PM in Good News
November 29, 2004
2003-2004 Library Development Review Hot Off the Press
From fiction to fact, from the Civil War to the Secret City, the 2003-2004 Library Development Review has an article for everyone.
The 2002-2003 Library Development Review received a Best in Show Award for fundraising publications from the Southeastern Library Association; the 2003-04 issue features local history, memorabilia and donor biographies.
While most people are unaware of the impact the Civil War had on Tennessee, the University Libraries have obtained several collections of artifacts, letters and photographs from the War Between the States. Many local images, such as the photographs on the front and back covers, are available online through the Library of Congress American Memory online project .
Click here for the .pdf version.
For those interested in a fictionalized tale from the Civil War period, Knoxville native David Madden has donated many of his papers, including an unpublished section of his 1996 novel Sharpshooter, which is centered on the torching of Confederate supporter Dr. J.G.M. Ramsey's home by a Union soldier. Regrettably, more than 4,000 volumes of Tennessee history were destroyed in the fire; however, other Ramsey papers are available in Special Collections.
Many important local and university figures are spotlighted in the Review and in University Libraries Special Collections. Dr. Milton Klein, an avid collector of historical items and an inspiration to many Volunteers, gave birth to the collection of UT history and authored Volunteer Moments in 1996. Howard H. Baker, Jr., former Tennessee senator and current ambassador to Japan, recently commissioned a call for political archival materials to be exhibited in the Howard H. Baker, Jr. Center for Public Policy.
The history of the University of Tennessee and the world of opera collide in the Margaret Graeme Canning Collection, featuring memorabilia and scrapbooks from the Hoskins and Canning families as well as UT. The mystery of the “Secret City” of Oak Ridge during the time of the Manhattan Project is unlocked in the papers of civic leader Eugene Joyce; the Joyce Collection was added to Special Collections in late 2003.
The Review also highlights the diverse services of The Studio, a center for digitizing, editing and distribution of multimedia projects. In addition, more than $7,000 raised in the annual Love Your Libraries 5K Run & Fun Walk was donated toward the proliferation of online projects at University Libraries.
The Library Development Review, which promotes recent acquisitions and highlights donors, is available online (click here for the .pdf version) or a printed copy can be requested from the Library Development Office by calling 865-974-0037.
Posted by Laura Purcell at 03:35 PM in Good News
November 27, 2004
UT Libraries Awarded Prestigious IMLS Grant
Funds will help preserve history of education and arts literacy in the Smokies
In 1910, the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women worked to open the first school to serve the families in and around Gatlinburg. Thanks to a nearly quarter-million dollar grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Science (IMLS), this important story about the history of education and arts literacy in the Smokies will be preserved and accessible to all.
The project, From Pi Beta Phi to Arrowmont: Bringing Education and Economic Development to the Great Smoky Mountains, 1910-2004, will create a web site with a fully-searchable online archives of selected letters, diaries, photographs and other materials that document the history of the Pi Beta Phi Settlement School and the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Principal investigators Ken Wise and Anne Bridges, UT librarians, will work to complete the project with David Willard, director of the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and Glenn Bogart, principal of the Pi Beta Phi Elementary School in Gatlinburg, TN.
The grant project complements two ongoing endeavors at the UT Libraries, the Digital Library Center and the Great Smoky Mountain Regional Project. "We see this grant as a way to bring information about the Smokies to the broader public," Anne Bridges, a principal investigator on the grant, said. "Promoting the history of the area will give both local citizens and thousands of visitors an opportunity to look beyond the present-day Smokies and appreciate how the region has developed."
Long before Gatlinburg became a bustling tourist town, the mountain hamlet and the people who lived there were somewhat isolated from the world around them. "This grant will provide the financial resources and opportunities to research the colorful and significant history that we have in Gatlinburg," Glenn Bogart, principal of the Pi Beta Phi Elementary School, said. The grant will also work to develop instructional units based on the web site, so that the information can be fully integrated into classroom lessons. Being knowledgeable about the past, says Bogart, "will improve the quality of life in Gatlinburg as well as provide an impetus for continued economic prosperity."
The Pi Beta Phi School began integrating arts education into their curriculum in 1945. In 1960, when the Sevier County Board of Education assumed control of education for children in the area, the fraternity changed the focus of the school to fine arts and crafts education, founding the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
The Arrowmont School attracts a diverse group of students, from professional artists to novices, who travel from all over the country to attend classes. "This school has impacted so many people in the community," David Willard, director of the Arrowmont School, said. "We have a significant story to tell, and this project is a great way for us to let the world know about it."
"This grant will not only help tell an important story, but it also helps illustrate the role of the emerging virtual library," Barbara Dewey, Dean of Libraries at UT, said. "The collaborations of the UT Libraries, the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and the Pi Beta Phi Elementary School are an amazing example of sharing unique resources and expertise," she said.
"National Leadership Grants of IMLS help museums and libraries excel as learning institutions that support the needs of a nation of learners," Robert Martin, Director of the IMLS, said. "The grants we make today reflect an understanding of current issues in the library field and suggest creative solutions through the application of technology, creative collaboration, data collection, and projects that seek a better understanding of the informational needs of library users."
Library National Leadership Grants for Research and Demonstration encourage strong proposals for research in library and information science and for demonstration projects to test potential solutions to problems in real-world situations. National Leadership Grant projects provide creative solutions to issues of national importance and provide leadership for other organizations to emulate. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, is an independent federal grant-making agency that is dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities. Learn more about IMLS.
For additional information about the participating institutions, visit these home pages:
Pi Beta Phi Elementary School
Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts
Great Smoky Mountains Regional Project
University of Tennessee Libraries Arrowmont Project
Posted by Laura Purcell at 04:12 PM in Good News