The Agenda - Faculty and Staff Newsletter

Author: Jessica Pellien

  • Schedule of important events and upcoming dates

    Please check your calendar and save the dates for these important upcoming events. More information will be circulated as we have it available.

    Rutgers Day (4/29/17)

    New Brunswick – Voorhees Mall, College Avenue Campus; math department table.

    The Rutgers Day New Brunswick committee is looking for loans and donations of the following items:

    • Army blankets (clean, but fair condition with holes would be ok)
    • Childrens’ books (especially those dealing with resolving conflicts)

    If you have something you could share with them or would like to work at the Voorhees tent, please contact Stacey Carton or Tara Kelley.

    RBHS – Busch Campus. Please check in with Pam Hargwood or Peggy Drekker if you can work at Rutgers Day.

    Camden – Busch Campus. Please check in with Monique Whittle or Zara Wilkinson if you can work at Rutgers Day.

    Newark – Busch Campus. Please check in with Tad Hershorn if you can work at Rutgers Day.

    **Remember you have to also discuss working at Rutgers Day with your supervisor. Time worked must be compensated and cannot fall into overtime.

    Spring Town Hall (5/23/17)

    Our speakers will be in the Dana Room at Dana Library in Newark with teleconference to the following locations:

    • Camden, Robeson Library, Room 290
    • RBHS Newark, Smith Library, Room C916
    • New Brunswick, Cook Campus Center, Multipurpose Room BC

    Please RSVP so we can make sure we have enough refreshments at each location.

    Faculty & Staff Appreciation Picnic (September-ish)

    Yes! The Rutgers 250 celebration was a lot of fun, so we are planning to hold another staff appreciation event this fall. We’ll circulate a date for this as soon as we can. We have something pretty fun planned for the event and hope to have more to share soon.

    State of the Libraries (12/6/17)

    The 2017 State of the Libraries will be held at the College Avenue Student Center and will, once again, have a poster presentation. More information will be available soon, but we encourage everyone to discuss possible poster ideas with their supervisors and director/AUL.

    We are also happy to announce that the video from our 2016 State of the Libraries is now available here.

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  • New SCUA Exhibit: “Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken!”: The Great War in New Jersey

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    From the western front to the home front, the experiences of New Jerseyans will be on display at Special Collections and University Archives through one-of-a-kind documents, photographs, and artifacts. The exhibit, curated by Flora Boros, opens March 9 with a reception and a Bishop Lecture by Dr. Virginia A. Dilkes on her father’s combat experiences. Everyone is invited to attend, but please RSVP to events@libraries.rutgers.edu.

    About the exhibit:

    New Jersey played an important role in World War I. Not only did the Garden State make significant financial, industrial, military, and psychological contributions from the outset of the bloody conflict, but it would ultimately provide 72,946 recruits and 46,960 volunteers, with an additional over 20,000 serving by the War’s end. In total, 3,836 New Jerseyans were lost to combat, accident, or disease.

    “Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken!”: The Great War in New Jersey (on display March 9 – September 2017, Alexander Library, 169 College Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ) focuses on the individual experiences of these Jersey doughboys and servicewomen who bravely went “Over There,” and the families and neighbors who remained behind, “Over Here.”

    The exhibit takes its name from Commander in Chief John J. Pershing who—predicting a swift resolution to the deadlocked western front—promised his men that they would be home by Christmas of 1917. His patented promise of “Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken!” became a national rallying cry for the nearly 1.8 million Americans that passed through Hoboken on their way to the European battlefront.

    Split into two parts, the exhibit begins with “Over There,” featuring rare watercolors by Swiss artist Gustave A. Wendt, artist Lute Pease’s political cartoons for the Newark Evening News, soldiers’ frontline diaries, letters from the Rutgers College War Service Bureau, trench newspapers, albums and scrapbooks from servicemen and servicewomen, and a complete French gas mask kit. Continuing with “Over Here,” the exhibit features a homemade service flag hung in a Branchburg family’s window, volunteer armbands, the John A. Roebling’s Sons’ patented torpedo nets, memorabilia from Camp Merritt, and posters from our Liberty Bond Poster Collection.

    The exhibit includes loans of 29th “Blue and Gray” Division artifacts and souvenirs from the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey, wartime medical supplies from the Johnson & Johnson Archives, and postcards from the Special Collections of the George F. Smith Library of the Health Sciences at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.

    On March 9, Special Collections and University Archives will open the exhibit with a reception and lecture by Dr. Virginia A. Dilkes who will present “Through the Eyes of a WWI Combat Engineer,” based on her father’s experiences during the war. This event is open to the public and begins at 6:00 p.m. at Alexander Library (169 College Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ).

    This exhibit is part of a series of events around New Jersey to commemorate this anniversary. For a complete list, check here. Additional events will take place at the Libraries throughout the year including a WWI poetry reading during National Poetry month on April 18 and an additional exhibit in Paul Robeson Library at Rutgers University–Camden.

  • SC&I Wide Career Expo – March 20

    We just received an invitation to participate in the SC&I Wide Career Expo on Monday, March 20 from 6-9 p.m. The Expo will be located in the College Avenue Student Center and refreshments will be provided. There is no fee for participating in the Expo.

    This year they will feature two unique spaces for library, company and organizational representatives.

    One space will feature Archival, Academic, Information Technology, Informatics, Data Analytics, School and Public Library representatives to network and discuss careers with our students and alums.

    The second adjacent space for representatives in the industries related to Communication, Journalism and Media Studies.

    This event will also kick-off a new collaboration between SC&I, Rutgers University Career Services, and the Rutgers University Alumni Association called, “The Road to Communication and Media”. The goal of the program is to connect students with alumni in their desired communication and media career fields.

    RSVP to the SC&I WIDE CAREER EXPO at this website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sci-wide-career-expo-exhibitor-rsvp-tickets-30497099646

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  • Rutgers Day – April 29, 2017

    Rutgers Day will take place on Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Just like last year, events will take place on all campuses and the Libraries will be well represented. This year, the Libraries have formed local Rutgers Day committees who have been busily planning for the day.

    How you can help:

    • Sign up to help at the booths/tables for a shift (usually 2 hours, but you’re welcome to stay for longer!).**
    • Donate good condition children’s books—check with organizers who have wish lists to fit their themes.
    • Donate or loan other items as needed (electrical cords and tablecloths were mentioned at our most recent meeting, but there may be other items. Check with your organizers).
    • Sign up to help with set up and break down of the booth/displays.**
    • Check in with your local Rutgers Day organizer.
      • RBHS– Peggy Dreker, Pam Hargwood
      • Camden: Monique Whittle, Zara Wilkinson
      • Newark: Tad Hershorn
      • New Brunswick: Stacey Carton, Tara Kelley
    • Post Rutgers Day flyers and card booklets at work or in other locations.
    • Join the fun – plan to attend Rutgers Day and stop by the booths/tables to say “hi.”

    **IMPORTANT:  This is not unpaid volunteer time. Time worked at Rutgers Day must be approved by your supervisor.

     

    Here’s what is planned for the day!

    New Brunswick Libraries is 3D printing Rutgers dog tags to promote the WWI Anniversary and Exhibit. Weather permitting, the 3D printer will be on-hand for demos, too.

    Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Libraries @ Busch Campus

    Fishing for Quality Health Information
    Cast your line for tips on staying healthy, answer wellness trivia, or learn where to catch dependable health information on the web.

     

    Rutgers-Camden, Robeson Library

    Lights, Camera… Read!
    Whether you’re learning your ABCs or getting your PhD, the library can help make you a star. Create a button or get your face painted, then take a walk by our red carpet selfie station and smile for the paparazzi.

     

    Rutgers-Newark, Dana Library

    Staying Informed in the 21st Century
    Get tips on identifying fake news, test your knowledge of current events, or learn how to get involved in public affairs with help from the Dana Library.

     

    Rutgers-Newark, Institute of Jazz Studies

    Swing into the Institute of Jazz Studies
    Tour the world’s largest jazz archive, listen to a jazz oral history, or learn about our 50th anniversary exhibition.

     

    Rutgers-New Brunswick Libraries @ Math department

    Fun Facts about the Libraries
    Sharpen your mind with a brain game or take an instant “shelfie” while learning about the libraries at Rutgers.

     

    Rutgers-New Brunswick Libraries @ Voorhees Mall

    What’s “Special” about the Libraries? NJ and the Great War
    Calling all doughboys and doughgirls! Learn about the centennial of World War I through Rutgers’ Special Collections and University Archives, then 3D print your own souvenir dog tag.

     

     

     

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  • Cabinet 2016 Accomplishments At-a-Glance

    2016 was a busy year for us all, including Cabinet where we met 32 times. Sometimes it may seem like we’re moving slowly and our projects can occasionally get lost in the wash of minutes and meetings (seriously, how many weeks did we spend on necessary work of shaping our priorities!). But we accomplished a lot this year on behalf of all our colleagues.

    Please have a look at at-a-glance document for a sense of just how much we tackled. This isn’t even a complete list of our agenda items, but it gives you a sense of just how far we’ve come.

     

     

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  • You never know who is listening

    Our librarians are out there every year, making presentations, leading panels, writing articles – and it really does make a difference. Sometimes it’s a contribution to the field and sometimes the impact is much more personal.

    In 2010, Connie Wu gave a talk in titled: “From a Patent Examiner to an Academic Librarian,” at Life Beyond Patent Information Session of International Patent Information User Group 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, DC.  Six years have now passed, but she received the following letter in January:

    Hi Connie,

    I am a fellow PIUG member.   I just wanted to let you know how much you inspired me when you gave a talk at a PIUG meeting about being a librarian.   I think that was in 2009 or 2010.   I was so inspired that I enrolled in Kent State University’s program in 2010.   Since I work full-time at LexisNexis, it took me 6 years to complete the program plus an additional program in Information Architecture.   I graduated from Kent State on December 16, 2016 with a dual MLIS and M.Sc. in Information Architecture degree.

    Thanks very much!   I hope to thank you in person someday.

    The un-named Sender is a Global Content and Project Specialist for Copyright,  E-Commerce,  Patent,  Trademark, Trade Secret at LexisNexis.

    Way to go, Connie!

  • Interview with Megan Lotts about Art Library Coloring Books

    Interview with Megan Lotts about Art Library Coloring Books

    During the Fall 2016 semester, the Art Library distributed a unique coloring book to introduce students to the library’s services and spaces. Drawing on her fine art and graphic design skills, Megan Lotts illustrated and wrote the Art Library Coloring Book to connect in a creative and fun way with students and to educate individuals about the resources and possibilities available at the Art Library. I touched base with Megan about the inspiration behind this project and the response so far.

    Jessica Pellien: What inspired you to start this project?

    Megan Lotts: There are several reasons I undertook this project: I’m always looking for ways to connect with the departments that I liaise, and 3/4 of the individuals that I liaise to are makers, so this is a great way to connect with them. I’ve also been researching a fair amount about play and how to incorporate playing educational experiences inside and outside of the classroom. I would also say that I LOVE to color. I’m an only child, so I’ve spent a lot of time coloring, making, etc. And lastly, I’m tired of hearing students talk about how boring their one shot bibliography session was. I’ve never heard anyone walk away from a library session saying, man life is going to be great now that I know to use the EBSCOhost database. I believe it’s important to share in a conceptual way what the libraries are about & what can happen in a library.

    JP: What was the process like to create the coloring book?

    ML: I came up with an idea of what I thought patrons should know about the Art Library. Then I began making drawings, based on the space. After the initial drawings I worked with a variety of individuals, including faculty, students, and staff at Rutgers, as well as colleagues from other universities to fine tune the coloring book. I also worked with New Brunswick libraries administration to get approval and funding for the project and with the communications department on proofreading and the placement of the Libraries’ logo.

    JP: How did your background in art help you?

    ML: I’ve been an artist for over 20 years, trained as a painter, but I would consider myself a conceptual or installation artist, because I generally make site specific works, or conceptual projects that engage the user. In the case of the Art Library coloring book, the viewer or participant add the color to the artworks.

    JP: Did this project require any special skills or resources?

    ML: I used, pen, paper, and when needed I referred to images of the library I had taken or to the physical space. To put the book together, I used Microsoft publisher, because that was a program that I knew the Libraries’ printing department would be able to work with.

    JP: How did you promote the coloring book to your users?

    ML: All total, we printed 500 booklets and we also purchased small crayon packets which I labeled with stickers. We hosted a free, public pop-up making event in October at which we handed out coloring books and crayons. We also had some snacks to further entice people to participate. We encouraged users to share their coloring with us on social media, using the hashtag #RutgersColoring. We posted pages from coloring books, as well. Rutgers Today made a video about the coloring book and there were a lot of positive responses on social media from other Rutgers and library groups.

    JP: How has the response been so far?

    ML: I work in a very organic fashion and I never assume that a project I undertake will have a positive impact. However, I can report, that since I started this project I have had nothing but positive feedback from faculty, staff, and students. Many individuals have indicated they would like a similar coloring book for their library or campus department and have asked me how they would go about making one.

    If you have a unique project to share, please let us know. We’d love to feature it in an upcoming issue of The Agenda.

  • 2016-2018 Priorities Handout now available

    2016-2018 Priorities Handout now available

    Right click this image to download a PDF of the Priorities Handout.

    Following the example of University of Maryland Libraries and other academic peers, we have designed a visually appealing handout for our 2016-2018 Priorities. The handout is available to the public as a PDF on our Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan page.

     

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  • Quick Takes on Events & News – December 2016

    Quick Takes on Events & News – December 2016

    ccdc-social-media-card

    Cambridge Structural Database Workshop Summary

    The New Brunswick Libraries Data Outreach Team held a successful workshop for students and faculty on Data Management Services available through the Libraries, and introduced users to the Cambridge Structural Database, a database of crystal structures curated by the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC). The workshop took place at the Library of Science and Medicine, and was attended by students and faculty from the Chemistry and Chemical Biology department, the Center for Integrative Proteomics Research, several Engineering departments, and the School of Pharmacy. Presentations were given by Dr. Amy Sarjeant, a crystallographer and Education and Outreach Manager for the CCDC, and Laura Palumbo, who represented the NBL Data Outreach Team. The workshop was a collaboration between the New Brunswick Libraries and the CCDC, who generously provided lunch for the attendees. Feedback from the session was positive, with attendees citing new knowledge of the Libraries data services and resources.

    library map
    What Library is this?

    New Up-to-date Maps for Every Library

    Thanks to some incredible teamwork led by Robert Krack, designer Mary Ann Koruth, Devin Gingery, Soo Lee, and Sam McDonald,  we now have online maps for every Rutgers library available on both our main website and our mobile site. Access these maps at http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/maps_directions.

     

    In Case You Missed It…

    What an exciting and energizing time to be a librarian with the swearing-in of Dr. Patty Brennan as Director of the National Library of Medicine and the subsequent swearing-in of Dr. Carla Hayden as the Librarian of Congress earlier this fall.  If you weren’t able to view the ceremonies live, the archived versions of the webcasts are available here.

    Dr. Patty Brennan – https://videocast.nih.gov/Summary.asp?File=19851&bhcp=1

    Dr. Carla Hayden – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvNuPcftWYE

  • Thank You for a Terrific #RutgersGivingDay

    Thanks to all of your efforts and support, the Libraries greatly exceeded our goals for Giving Day this year. Last year, we had 22 donors and our goal this year was to slightly more than double this with 50 donors. We blew our goal out of the water with 134 donors and the Libraries are on the Top Ten leaderboards for both Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-New Brunswick. We raised a total of $13,375.00. Here are the specifics for each location:

    #11 – RBHS Libraries, 6 donations, $300.00

    #12 – Camden Libraries, 10 donations, $170.00

    #7 – Newark Libraries, 18 donations, $1433.00

    #9 – New Brunswick Libraries, 100 donations, $11,472.00

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    This banner ran on Instagram on Giving Day.

    The figures above may shift slightly as the Foundation does their final accounting, but clearly, we did a great job!

    Thank you to everyone who took time to set up donation computer stations or to sit at tables and solicit support sheets and donations in their libraries. I hope you all had a chance to see the fantastic social media campaign we ran on Twitter, using many photos of our real students and colleagues sounding off on matters most to them. Matt Badessa also created our first Instagram banner/photo grid.

    If you have photos of Giving Day at your location, send them to jessica.pellien@rutgers.edu and I’ll add them to the slideshow!

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