Category: Event

Now on View: “Sandy Rodriguez: To Translate the Unfathomable” Exhibition

Sandy Rodriguez, “Map for the Migrants Captured, Caged and Abused in I.C.E. Detention Centers in So. Califas, 2020-21” (from Codex Rodriguez-Mondragón, 2017- ), 32.5 x 47 inches, hand-processed watercolor on amate paper. Courtesy of Studio Sandy Rodriguez. Collection of Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency.

Douglass Library is proudly hosting “Sandy Rodriguez: To Translate the Unfathomable” in the Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series Galleries. The exhibition will be on view through April 7, 2023.

About the Exhibition

The Rutgers Center for Women in the Arts and Humanities is pleased to announce that renowned artist Sandy Rodriguez has been named the 2022–23 Estelle Lebowitz Endowed Visiting Artist at Rutgers. The Lebowitz program annually brings to the university community and general public the work and ideas of exceptional women artists through solo exhibitions, lectures, and short campus residencies.

Rodriguez’s recent work consists of maps, botanical studies, and figural compositions painted in hand-processed watercolors on amate paper with techniques, forms, and pigments of Mesoamerican manuscripts produced by the Mexica people and other Mexican natives in the first century after the Conquest of Mexico (1519–21). The exhibition is curated by Tatiana Flores, Director of the Center for Women in the Arts and Humanities and Professor of Art History and Latino and Caribbean Studies, and advised by Camilla Townsend, Distinguished Professor of History and Director of the Rutgers Working Group of Hemispheric Indigenous Studies. The exhibition will be Rodriguez’s first solo show on the East Coast and will be accompanied by an online catalog with an essay by Townsend.

Venue Information

The Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series Galleries are located in the Mabel Smith Douglass Library (8 Chapel Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901). The galleries are free and open to the public. Hours are Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Friday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Saturday, 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (by appointment only) and are subject to the university libraries operating schedule. Further information about the exhibition, event RSVP/parking, and accessibility services can be found at cwah.rutgers.edu. Please direct all inquiries to womenart@cwah.rutgers.edu.

About the Program

The Lebowitz program is funded in part by the Estelle Lebowitz Memorial Fund, endowed in 1999 by Professor Joel Lebowitz, Director of the Center for Mathematical Sciences Research, Rutgers University, in honor of his late wife, artist Estelle Lebowitz. Sponsored by the Center for Women in the Arts and Humanities, Department of History, and the Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice. Co-sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies, Department of Art History, Department of Latino and Caribbean Studies, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Institute for Women’s Leadership, Rutgers Advanced Institute for Critical Caribbean Studies, and The Language Center. The Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series is a program of CWAH in partnership with Rutgers University Libraries.

March 1, 2023
Rutgers University Libraries Celebrate Black History Month
The Libraries commemorated Black History Month with webinars, exhibits, and social media posts. Below are some highlights:
- African American History Resources: Julie Still discussed the Libraries’ rich and varied collections in African American history, including print, online indexes and collections, and archival sources.
- Who Was Paul Robeson?: John Powell examined the life of the Rutgers alum and activist for whom Paul Robeson Library is named.
- Underground Railroad Sites of Greater Philadelphia: Bart Everts explored some of the region’s Underground Railroad sites.
- Black History Month Display: Robeson Library featured a display of e-book titles (see below) by and about African Americans from the Libraries’ ProQuest Ebook Central database. Each book cover contained a QR code that viewers could scan to access the title.
- PHL17’s In Focus: John Maxymux discussed Black quarterbacks in the National Football League (NFL) and Super Bowl LVII, which featured two Black starting quarterbacks for the first time in NFL history.
- “History in the Huddle“: Rutgers–Camden interviewed John Maxymuk for their article about the first-ever Super Bowl matchup between two Black starting quarterbacks.
Black History E-book Display at Robeson

Photos courtesy of Rutgers–Camden’s Center for Urban Research and Education (CURE).
February 28, 2023
Save the Date for the Dana Library Celebration

Please save the date for a celebration of the Dana Library Transformation!

Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Time: 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Location: Dana Library, 185 University Ave, Newark, NJ 07102

This is an invitation-only event, so please stay tuned for RSVP information.

February 28, 2023
IJS Partners with NJPAC to Host Monthly Jazz Jam Sessions at Clement’s Place

Jazz Jam Sessions at Clement’s Place (courtesy of Gregory Burrus)

The Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS) is partnering with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) to host “Jazz Jam Sessions” at Clement’s Place. Sessions are held on the third Thursday of each month. The 10-month performance series runs from September 2022 through June 2023.

Jazz Jam Sessions is directed by pianist and bandleader James Austin Jr. and feature some of the Garden State’s finest jazz musicians. Musicians and singers of all levels are encouraged to jam and improvise with the professional band throughout the night.

Admission is free, but guests must RSVP to attend. For more information, please visit this link. Follow IJS on Facebook to watch live streams of the jam sessions and on Eventbrite to stay up to date with the latest performances.

Upcoming Schedule

• Thursday, March 16, 2023: RSVP
• Thursday, April 20, 2023: RSVP
• Thursday, May 18, 2023: RSVP
• Thursday, June 15, 2023: RSVP

February 27, 2023
Libraries Celebrate Love Data Week

Love Data Week is an international celebration of data. Every year during the week of Valentine’s Day, institutions and others interested in data host and participate in local data-related events. The Libraries have been promoting the event since 2016. Laura Palumbo, chemistry and physics librarian/science data specialist at the Library of Science and Medicine, organized the effort to showcase the Libraries’ data workshops. Since this year’s theme was “Data: Agent of Change,” Laura posted a list of data resources about social justice issues on the Speaking of STEM blog.

Please visit this link to read more about the Libraries’ Love Data Week celebration.

February 26, 2023
2023 Louis Faugères Bishop III Lecture: “Researching the Underground Railroad in the Digital Age” by Professor Graham Hodges

Professor Graham Hodges (courtesy of Colgate University)

Professor Graham Hodges, the George Dorland Langdon Jr. Professor of History and Africana Studies at Colgate University, will deliver the 2023 Louis Faugères Bishop III Lecture, “Researching the Underground Railroad in the Digital Age,” on Thursday, March 23, at 4:00 p.m. This year’s lecture will be held online. Please register at this link.

Professor Hodges is the author of numerous books, including several related to African Americans in New Jersey. He is the author of Black New Jersey, 1664 to the Present Day (Rutgers University Press, 2019), Pretends to Be Free: Runaway Slave Advertisements from Colonial and Revolutionary New York and New Jersey (Fordham University Press, 2019), Root and Branch: African Americans in New York and East Jersey, 1613–1863 (The University of North Carolina Press, 1999), and Slavery and Freedom in the Rural North: African Americans in Monmouth County, New Jersey, 1660–1865 (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1997). He has directed eight National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminars (for teachers) on abolitionism and the Underground Railroad.

The Bishop Lectures feature diverse topics on book and manuscript collecting, printing history, and the use of rare books and manuscripts. The series is named in memory of Louis Faugères Bishop Jr.’s son, a prominent cardiologist and book lover who helped build one of the excellent New York private libraries at the New York Racquet Club. Although he was a Yale University alumnus, Dr. Bishop had close family ties to Rutgers and New Brunswick—Bishop House and Bishop Place on the College Avenue campus were named after his ancestors. Dr. Bishop attended the first Bishop Lecture in 1985 but sadly died the following year.

February 22, 2023
Health Sciences Libraries Co-host World Cancer Day Event with the Global Health Institute

On February 4, Health Sciences Libraries collaborated with Rutgers Global Health Institute to c0-host the 2023 World Cancer Day Recognition Event at Robert Wood Johnson Library. The two organizations also partnered on an “End Cancer” book billboard in observance of the day to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. Snacks, refreshments, and giveaways were provided.

The 2023 World Cancer Day Recognition Event flyer.

Health Sciences Libraries staff collaborated with the Global Health Institute to create the “End Cancer” book billboard in RWJ Library.

The “End Cancer” book billboard in RWJ Library.

Heath Sciences Libraries partnered with the Rutgers Global Health Institute to raise awareness about cancer.

RWJ Library displayed medical books from the past and present to educate attendees about cancer.

Rutgers University Libraries swag.

February 6, 2023
Yini Zhu Retires after 26 Years of Service at Smith Library

Yini Zhu, Managing Librarian and Acting Associate Director at the George F. Smith Library of the Health Sciences, retired on January 1, 2023.

Yini was hired in 1997 as the Microcomputer/Media Librarian at UMDNJ’s Smith Library. Her interest and expertise in using technology led her to successfully pursue a master’s in biomedical informatics from the then UMDNJ – School of Health Related Professions. In 2004, she was promoted to Managing Librarian and Head of Access Services, a position she maintained through the merger of UMDNJ and Rutgers. In this role, she managed the circulation, interlibrary loan, media, and technical support teams and services at Smith Library. Most recently, Yini was named Interim Associate Director and co-lead of the Health Sciences Libraries this past September.

Yini has led the Access Services staff through many changes and challenges, including migrating to ExLibris and ALMA, sunsetting Loansome Doc, migrating workstations from CORE to RAD, and pivoting services to accommodate remote instruction to support RBHS during the pandemic. She has expertly represented the Health Sciences Libraries on the Fulfilment Team; the Resource Sharing Team; the Web Improvement, Web Redesign, and Web Teams; the Google Books group; and so many more. She enjoyed teaching and training Access Services staff on workflows and procedures using a variety of platforms, including ExLibris, SpringShare, Canvas, and Kaltura. She served as the Health Sciences Libraries expert on Leganto, providing instruction and troubleshooting to faculty and academic departments throughout RBHS.

Yini is a longstanding member of the Medical Library Association (MLA) and the New York-New Jersey Chapter of the Medical Library Association. She served on the Medical Informatics Section of MLA since 2014. She has presented at the Access Services conference, VALE annual conference, RUL State of the Libraries, the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, and Medical Library Association annual meetings. In 2015, Yini was awarded a health information awareness grant by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. As PI, she designed an outreach program, SHARE the Info: Spread Health Awareness with Resources and Education. In 2001, she received the outstanding service award from the NY/NJ chapter of the MLA.

Prior to her time at UMDNJ, Yini held various roles and positions at Wayne Public Library, Bergen Academy and Bergen Technical School, Highland Park Library, and the East Asian Library at Rutgers University, to name a few!

Yini’s vast experience, positive attitude, and collegial spirit will be sorely missed. We thank her for her many years of service and tireless commitment to the Health Sciences Libraries and our constituencies.

We know Yini will enjoy this next chapter and fill it with family, travel, and time for herself. We offer our congratulations and wish her the very best.

February 1, 2023
Libraries Host Finals Week Stressbusters

Rutgers University Libraries hosted numerous stressbuster events to help students destress during finals week. Students enjoyed copious free snacks and activities during their study breaks.

Finals week stressbusters promotional graphic.

Bags with delicious treats were given away at Alexander Library throughout finals week.

Free snack packs sign.

Library Mobile swag on the Alexander Library lobby table during finals week.

Dana Library participated in Rutgers–Newark’s annual Destress Fest at the Paul Robeson Campus Center.

Students engage with Dana Library staff during RU–N’s Destress Fest.

Dana Library staff offered button-making activities at RU–N’s Destress Fest.

Dana Library staff make buttons at RU–N’s Destress Fest.

A panoramic view of RU–N’s Destress Fest in the Paul Robeson Campus Center.

Students gather in the Dana Libary Café for stressbuster activities.

Students enjoy stressbuster activities in the Dana Libary Café.

Sign for the DIY Sculpture and Stained Glass Party at Dana Library.

Library Mobile swag table at Dana Library.

Health Sciences Libraries’ “Cookies, Cocoa, and Coffee” stressbuster promotional graphic.

Health Sciences Libraries staff await students at the “Cookies, Cocoa, and Coffee” stressbuster at Smith Library.

Health Sciences students enjoy the “Cookies, Cocoa, and Coffee” stressbuster at Smith Library.

The “Cookies, Cocoa, and Coffee” stressbuster setup.

Robeson Library stressbuster ad.

Robeson Library’s “Pajamapalooza” stressbuster.

Robeson Library staff at their table for the “Pajamapalooza” stressbuster.

Robeson Library staff with the prize wheel at the “Pajamapalooza” stressbuster.

Gizmo dresses up as a reindeer during Robeson Library’s “Woof Wednesday” event.

Marly helps students destress during Robeson Library’s “Woof Wednesday” event.

December 23, 2022
Collection Acquisitions Department Holiday Party

On December 22, members from the Collection Acquisitions department gathered to celebrate the holidays and their accomplishments over the past year. We were happy to see so many smiling faces!

December 22, 2022