The Agenda - Faculty and Staff Newsletter

Category: News

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

    Sandy Rodriguez artwork.
    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.

  • Rutgers Joins the BTAA Geoportal

    Early map of New Brunswick, NJ.
    Early map of New Brunswick, NJ.

    Rutgers University–New Brunswick is the newest member of the Big Ten Academic Alliance Geospatial Information Network (BTAA-GIN). As of Fall 2022, the Rutgers–New Brunswick Libraries have contributed 4,576 new records to the BTAA Geoportal (collection record | browse link). These records come from the previously digitized “Maps of New Jersey” collection, which spans over 300 years of the state’s development from geographic, geologic, political, environmental, and historical perspectives. This digital collection is drawn from multiple repositories, including Rutgers Special Collections and University Archives, the New Jersey Environmental Digital Library, and several public library partners of the New Jersey Digital Highway.

    Included in the Rutgers collection are some rare and unique items from Special Collections and University Archives, such as this “Early Map of New Brunswick,” which Francesca Giannetti, digital humanities librarian at Rutgers University Libraries, often uses in her mapping workshops to invite discussion about the similarities and differences with Google Maps, with which familiarity can generally be assumed. The comparison surfaces the ahistoricity of Google’s interface as well as its slightly different prioritization of markers for commercial interests over public institutions and churches. Less frequently noticed is the fact that north is actually to the right in the historical map. Probing the reasons why New Brunswick might have been positioned above the Raritan River can be used as an invitation to examine the motivations and ideological underpinnings behind other cartographic conventions, such as meridians and projections.

    The Libraries’ participation in the BTAA Geoportal will help increase exposure to the Rutgers cartographic and GIS collections and open the geospatial door to the state of New Jersey. To better serve their users, the Libraries are gradually updating older JPEG presentation files with IIIF-compatible pyramidal TIFFs.

    Special thanks are owed to Karen Majewicz, Melinda Kernik, and members of the BTAA-GIN Metadata Committee for their assistance with data cleanup, the addition of bounding boxes, and IIIF troubleshooting. The metadata and digital library work of many Libraries employees is now visible in the BTAA Geoportal, including that of Rhonda Marker, Isaiah Beard, Chad Mills, Al King, and Sue Oldenburg.

  • Rutgers University Libraries Celebrate Black History Month

    RUL Black History Month 2023 sign.

    The Libraries commemorated Black History Month with webinars, exhibits, and social media posts. Below are some highlights:

    Black History E-book Display at Robeson

    Photos courtesy of Rutgers–Camden’s Center for Urban Research and Education (CURE).

    Black History Month Display at Robeson 1 - Credit CURE

    Black History Month Display at Robeson 2 - Credit CURE

    Black History Month Display at Robeson 3 - Credit CURE

    Black History Month Display at Robeson 4 - Credit CURE

  • UL Letter to the Libraries – January–February 2023

    As we continue settling into 2023, I am excited to reiterate our three-phase plan for the Libraries’ organizational realignment, what we have accomplished to date, and the work that lies ahead of us. During Phase I, we agreed upon a new leadership structure to best position us for success. This decision was informed by the October 2022 town halls, where many of you shared your ideas and perspectives and when the online voting results were revealed. This process established two Libraries administrative positions: Assistant Vice President for Research and Learning Services and Associate Vice President for Campus Libraries. We have engaged the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller to lead our recruitment efforts and will shortly embark on a nationwide search for this critical position. The person in this role will provide focused day-to-day support for the AULs and work directly with them to identify synergies across the Libraries’ large and diverse geographical footprint.

    Phase II will focus on determining the functional areas and services reporting up through each AVP position. As one example, additional conversations are needed to identify where RUL’s distinctive collections and archives most appropriately fit under this leadership hierarchy. As always, our priority is to ensure our services directly align with and are nimble enough to meet the evolving needs of our users across the university. Phase III will follow and emphasize our workforce organization across the Libraries system. We expect to complete Phase III in early 2024.

    The realignment process requires careful deliberation, along with your steady engagement. By maximizing and leveraging our considerable human, intellectual, digital, and physical resources as one Libraries, we can more efficiently provide the vital and dynamic services expected of a 21st-century academic library. As we move into the next phases of this process, I encourage you to continue sharing your thoughts by contacting me directly or through the VP/UL anonymous comment form.

  • 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.

    Dana Library Transformation Celebration poster.

  • IJS Partners with NJPAC to Host Monthly Jazz Jam Sessions at Clement’s Place

    Clement's Place Jazz Jam Sessions (courtesy of Gregory Burrus).
    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

  • Libraries Celebrate Love Data Week

    RUL Love Data Week 2023

    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.

  • New Social Media Pages

    RUL social media.

    To help the Rutgers community stay connected with the Libraries, we established two new accounts (LinkedIn and Mastodon) and replaced an old one (Facebook). Please follow and share the social media accounts below to spread the word about our exceptional resources and services!

    New! Facebook: facebook.com/RULibraries (Facebook deactivated our old page without a clear explanation)
    New! LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/rutgerslibraries
    New! Mastodon: mastodon.social/@rutgerslibraries
    Twitter: twitter.com/RULibraries
    Instagram: instagram.com/rutgerslibraries
    YouTube: youtube.com/c/RutgersLibraries

  • 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.

    2023 World Cancer Day flyer.
    The 2023 World Cancer Day Recognition Event flyer.
    RWJ Library's "End-Cancer" book billboard.
    Health Sciences Libraries staff collaborated with the Global Health Institute to create the “End Cancer” book billboard in RWJ Library.
    2023 World Cancer Day flyer.
    The “End Cancer” book billboard in RWJ Library.
    World Cancer Day at RWJ Library.
    Heath Sciences Libraries partnered with the Rutgers Global Health Institute to raise awareness about cancer.
    World Cancer Day at RWJ Library.
    RWJ Library displayed medical books from the past and present to educate attendees about cancer.
    World Cancer Day at RWJ Library.
    Rutgers University Libraries swag.

  • Libraries Launch Queer Newark Oral History Project

    Queer Newark Oral History Project

    Rutgers University Libraries is pleased to announce the launch of the Queer Newark Oral History Project (QNOHP). QNOHP is a community-based and community-directed interdisciplinary initiative supported by Rutgers University–Newark. Queer Newark interviews LGBTQ and gender non-conforming people in Newark. We collect, catalog, and transcribe these oral histories to make their stories accessible to everyone, including researchers, students, and artists. Queer Newark also digitizes and preserves papers and artifacts about Newark’s LGBTQ history at Rutgers–Newark. Please visit this link to browse this collection.

    Work on the project took place over the spring and summer of 2022 in a collaboration between staff at Dana Library and the Libraries’ Central Applications and Development Team. QNOHP involved a partnership with the Department of History at Rutgers–Newark and received a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission to complete the work of transcribing and editing recorded oral histories. At their outset, the QNOHP and Newark Black Newspapers Collection projects were supported greatly by work performed by the late Krista White, digital scholarship and pedagogies librarian at Dana Library.