The Web Improvement Team (WIT) is excited to announce some changes coming soon to the Rutgers University Libraries website. Since September, we’ve been speaking with our users (students, faculty, and staff) and analyzing survey and usage data to determine how we can begin to improve our website user experience. We’ve been exploring best practices for user-centered design, content strategy, responsive design, and accessibility. Through one-on-one conversations, focus groups, and data analysis, we have learned more about our users’ essential tasks and resources, pain points in the current design, and user preferences.
Here are some of the takeaways from our first round of user research:
Users are very task-oriented, and generally come to the site knowing what they want; the scope of their use is quite narrow
The current homepage was thought to be too busy and complex
Pages are hard to read, with small text and too much content
Users spend very little time on most pages, and rarely scroll below “the fold”
A relatively small number of resources are especially heavily used (hours, room booking, A-Z database list, ILL, library account)
We based our first round of changes on these findings. Our goals became to:
Surface and prioritize the most frequently used resources and services
Freshen up the look and feel: reduce visual clutter on the homepage, enlarge fonts for sitewide readability
Refine the presentation and content for a few key pages
Minimize initial disruption to lower-level pages
Our overall approach is one of incremental change over radical redesign. Making incremental modifications based on user data ensures that those modifications are genuine improvements (as opposed to change for the sake of change, or change based on guesses or assumptions). If we’re proven wrong, smaller changes are easily reversed or refined. Although change can be uncomfortable at times, a continuous cycle of improvement and evaluation builds a sustainable, usable website that delivers a positive user experience.
You’ll also notice that a lot of things haven’t changed: the red navigation bar, most of the underlying content, the mobile presence. These, too, will change in time, but require considerable user research, usability testing, and content control. There will be opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to get involved in future research.
The new website is expected to be in place by late December, in time to greet students in the new semester.
Stop by our poster at the State of the Libraries if you want to learn more!
Sure, the Libraries play host to a slew of great events throughout the year—but so do other units across the university. Check out what’s in store from other departments in November.
The Rutgers Jewish Film Festival takes place October 29–November 12.
The Rutgers Jewish Film Festival
October 29–November 12
Times and locations vary, Rutgers–New Brunswick
The Rutgers New Jersey Jewish Film Festival showcases dramatic and documentary features from around the world, each of which offers unique insight about Jewish life.
(How) Can Teaching be a Force for Justice? presented by the GSE takes place on November 2.
(How) Can Teaching be a Force for Justice?
Thursday, November 2
Reception 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Lecture 4:30 p.m.
Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers–New Brunswick
The Graduate School of Education cordially invites you to join them to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the GSE. In honor of their anniversary, they are launching the Advancing Excellence and Equity in Education Distinguished Lecture Series. Dr. Deborah Loewenberg Ball, the Willi William H. Payne Collegiate Professor of education at the University of Michigan, and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, the director of TeachingWorks and the current President of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) will give the inaugural lecture on diversity and inclusion in the STEM fields.
Rutgers–Camden’s Conference on Cuba will be open to the public on November 6.
International Conference on Cuba
Monday, November 6
8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Campus Center, Rutgers–Camden
Conference on the Future Directions for a New Cuba: Building Sustainable Partnerships will explore how institutions of higher learning build sustainable public-private partnerships for research and entrepreneurial programs in sustainable agriculture, education, the medical sciences, the arts, and community development. Dignitaries and leading scholars from the University of Havana, San Geronimo University, and the University of Medical Sciences of Havana will discuss research on effective strategies for increased development in Cuba as the country continues to normalize relations with the United States. The first day of this weeklong conference is open to the public, and will feature a 9:30 a.m. keynote address by Ambassador José Ramón Cabañas Rodríguez of the Cuban Mission to the United States.
The Timeless Lessons of Wall Street’s Scandals
Thursday, November 9
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
15 Washington Street, Rutgers–Newark
A timely talk by Diana B. Henriques, New York Times contributing writer and author of A First-Class Catastrophe: The Road to Black Monday in Wall Street Historyand The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust.
In May 2017, HBO released its film-length adaptation of The Wizard of Lies, with Robert De Niro starring in the title role and Ms. Henriques playing herself. The film was nominated for four Emmy awards, including “Best Picture.”
The Rutgers Climate Institute’s symposium will be held on November 15.
Rutgers Climate Symposium 2017: Climate Change and Cities
November 15, 2017
8:15 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Livingston Student Center, Rutgers–New Brunswick
This one-day symposium is intended to stimulate interaction and collaboration among the community of natural and social science researchers and university students interested in climate change who are from institutions in the greater New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia region. Over 200 attendees representing more than 20 research institutions in our region participate annually. Talks are centered on the symposium theme. The poster session invites abstracts on climate change scholarship and are not restricted to the theme. There is no fee to attend but registration is required.
R. David Lankes will present about the future of library and information science at Alexander Library (and online!) November 15.
Claiming Victory and Moving On – MI Colloquium by R. David Lankes
The rise of information as an idea and discipline since World War II has been driven by the belief that information underlies, and can change, just about every other discipline and industry. When every industry is an information industry, what is left in library and information science? Lankes will lay out a new emerging world view based not on data, or information, but knowledge and meaning. He will talk about the necessity to shift the narrative in libraries and iSchools and propose an agenda focused on communities and the common good. Free and open to the public, no RSVP required.
Imagining Research, Researching Imagination
November 16, 2017
4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Writers House, Rutgers–Camden
Novelist Janet Benton, author of Lilli de Jong, and Janet Golden, professor of history, Rutgers–Camden, come together to explore the ways imagination and research inform the writing of both fiction and history, drawing on their mutual interest in the history of mothers and infants. Books will be for sale following the conversation. Admission is free but please RSVP.
Join the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of NY for a special fireside chat on November 29.
Prospects for the National and Regional Economy: Federal Reserve Bank of New York Fireside Chat
Rutgers University School of Arts and Sciences and Department of Economics invites local and regional business leaders to join us for a discussion with William C. Dudley, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Light breakfast, networking, presentation, discussion, and Q&A.
Tom Clareson, senior consultant for digital and preservation services at LYRASIS, presents at the Disaster Planning and Recovery Workshop.
On October 17, Anthony Timek and I attended part one of a two-part Disaster Planning and Recovery Workshop sponsored by the New Jersey Cultural Alliance for Response (NJCAR). NJCAR is a new alliance that is comprised of a network of organizations, associations, agencies, and individuals dedicated to safeguarding the State’s cultural heritage.
The full-day event was presented by Tom Clareson, senior consultant for digital and preservation services at LYRASIS, the nation’s largest library and cultural heritage network. He talked about the importance of evaluating collections ahead of time and generally knowing the types and value of the materials an organization owns. Clareson laid out a comprehensive disaster plan that includes:
The group conducts a facilities assessment of Old Town Village.
A communication plan
Emergency procedures
Facilities plans
Resources lists
Holding priorities
Insurance information
Response procedures
Evacuation plans
As part of an exercise, the group completed a thorough facilities assessment of East Jersey’s Old Town Village, who hosted the event. This included evaluating major areas of the grounds including architecture, drainage, protection from fire and water, the HVAC system, security and more. This kind of assessment identifies vulnerabilities and proposes ways to mitigate them. Part two of the workshop will be held in late November and will cover recovery and hands-on training with damaged materials.
The Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) issued a call for participation in its new Mentoring Program earlier this year. I submitted a mentor application because I have enjoyed serving as a mentor at Rutgers and welcomed the opportunity to work with ALCTS’ early career librarians—who are amazing! I’m a proponent of mentorship opportunities since they are mutually beneficial to both parties and I’ve personally benefitted from past mentoring relationships. Here’s how the experience has been so far.
Background of the ALCTS Mentoring Program
The program resulted from the work of the ALCTS Leadership and Development Committee’s Mentoring Subcommittee, and runs from June 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018. The call for participation sought applications from those interested in serving as a mentor or mentee—or both.
The program’s goal are to
develop strong leadership in the areas of librarianship covered by ALCTS (acquisitions, cataloging and metadata, collection management, continuing resources, and preservation and reformatting),
support ALCTS members in developing professional skills,
cultivate leadership and involvement in ALCTS,
provide networking opportunities, and
expand members’ professional learning circles.
The Requirements for Mentors and Mentees
The first cohort of mentors and mentees consists of 41 pairs of librarians who are working with assigned program liaisons. The program is fairly formal. Matches were based on mentees’ expressed interests and each pair must complete a mentoring agreement form that addresses matters such as expectations, including how much time will be committed to the relationship and how often and in what mode(s) the pair will communicate. The mentor and mentee were required to develop three goals and detail how the mentor can best assist the mentee in achieving those goals. The pairs are also required to participate in an online training program at the beginning of their mentoring relationship.
Resources:
The time and effort that the Mentoring Subcommittee devoted to developing the program is evident through the resources they’ve made available, particularly the LibGuide (http://alcts.libguides.com/mentoring). Additionally, the program is based on a Mentoring Framework developed by the 2015 ALA Emerging Leaders. The program consists of four components for the matched pairs: planning, connecting, advancing, and transitioning.
What’s It Like?
I was thrilled to be selected for the program and very excited to learn with whom I had been paired. I’m also honored to be part of the program’s inaugural cohort. As instructed by our mentoring liaison, I reached out to my mentee right away with an email and we scheduled a phone call for later that week. We were both excited at the prospect of working together.
Our initial conversation included completing the mentoring agreement, setting three goals, and deciding how often we would communicate with each other. One of my mentee’s goals is to become more involved with publishing. She has some solid ideas, but has not had a chance to follow up on them and welcomed guidance. We typically talk two times a month, and she will share with me the manuscript of a paper on which she is working. Our formal relationship ends in April, which feels as though it’s quickly approaching. The last part of our relationship will be to determine next steps, and I anticipate that while this is the end of one phase of our relationship, it won’t be the end.
My Takeaways
In my experience, mentoring is a mutually beneficial experience. In addition to guidance and advice I have provided to others, I, in turn, have learned things from mentees, which has helped me to develop my professional skills. For those who doubt the effectiveness of mentoring, consider this: Audrey J. Murrell, author of “Five Key Steps for Effective Mentoring Relationships,” indicates that research has shown that those individuals who have been mentored report higher salaries, more frequent promotions, greater job satisfaction, and are less likely to leave their jobs.
Congratulations to Yingting Zhang whose application for the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries’ Data Scholarship has been accepted. The award will support Yingting’s participation in the Research Data Access and Preservation Summit next year in Chicago. We look forward to hearing Yingting’s report from the conference!
Fight the Flu. Get Your Shot!
Don’t forget that Occupational Health will be providing flu shots for employees on Wednesday, October 4 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Pane Room of Alexander Library.
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s—The Artists’ Bookmobile!
Peter and Donna Thomas return to Rutgers with their Artists’ Bookmobile on October 4.
Rutgers University Libraries and art librarian Megan Lotts are delighted to welcome Peter and Donna Thomas and their traveling Artists’ Bookmobile back to Rutgers. Peter and Donna are known for their workshops in paper and book arts. Visit the Artists’ Bookmobile—a self-contained exhibit of book arts—and learn how they make their books. Join in a book arts sing along at 3 p.m. featuring a ukulele book.
The Bookmobile will be parked outside Alexander Library on October 4 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. See you there!
Carr is Cutting the Ribbon
Join us on Tuesday, October 17 at 10 a.m. as we dedicate the James Dickson Carr Library in honor of Rutgers University’s first African American graduate. The program includes remarks by Rutgers–New Brunswick chancellor Debasish Dutta, an exhibit of materials about Carr and the history of the former Kilmer Library, as well as a reception. Please register to attend at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/carr-library-dedication-ceremony-registration-38281939311.
#RutgersDana50 Kicks Off on a High Note
Dana Library kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration with a birthday bash during Rutgers–Newark’s Fall Fest in September. The festivities included cupcakes and a live performance by hip-hop/jazz fusion band Nickel and Dime OPS. Check out a clip of the band courtesy of @RUNewark_Dana on Twitter.
Thomas V. Papathomas, director of the Rutgers Laboratory of Vision Research, visited the Library of Science and Medicine last week for a special presentation on optical illusions, how our minds process perspective, and even how illusions can be used as accurate measures of schizophrenia.
Aiding the Relief Effort in Puerto Rico
Alexander and Dana Libraries hosted open data editathons last week in response to the Red Cross’s request for geospatial data to help with their relief operations on the island. Participants mapped from pre-hurricane imagery to give those involved in the relief efforts an operating picture of the island before the storm made impact. Kudos to our colleagues Francesca Giannetti and Krista White for their part in bringing this program together so quickly!
Native Arts Expert Visits Alexander Library on September 19
Join the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission and Rutgers University Libraries at Rutgers–New Brunswick in welcoming John Haworth, senior executive emeritus of the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, as he shares his knowledge about cultural and arts issues impacting Native Americans, including key museum practices, repatriation, and social change. For more information, visit our events page.
Welcome Days Events Return to Libraries in New Brunswick
The Libraries at Rutgers–New Brunswick will host fun events for new and returning students during Welcome Days again this semester. A preliminary schedule is below—stay tuned for information on more activities!
September 6 & 7, 2 p.m. Cookies and coffee at Douglass Library.
September 7, 1–2 p.m. Popcorn on the steps of the Art Library and Zimmerli Museum
September 7, 2–3 p.m. Snack break at Carr Library
September 12, 2–3 p.m. Snack break at Carr Library
September 26, 1:30–2:30 p.m. Snack break at Alexander Library
Student Publications on Display at Rutgers–Camden
Relive the rich history of student art and literary magazines at Rutgers with By Ourselves: Rutgers Student Literary Journals 1923–2017, a joint exhibition of the Robeson Library and the Rutgers–Camden Writers House from September 1 through October 31. Spanning nearly a century and two campuses, this exhibition highlights the creativity and initiative of Rutgers students through Quintessence, The Anthologist, and other publications. Are you a former student editor or do you remember your name in these pages? Share your memories on social media with the hashtag #ByOurselves.
WWI Exhibit Extended through September 22
Special Collections and University Archives’ exhibit “Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken!”: New Jersey in the Great Warhas been extended through September 22. Featuring one-of-a-kind documents, photographs, and artifacts reflecting the wartime experiences of New Jerseyans both at home and abroad, this display is a must-see for Garden State history buffs and WWI aficionados alike. Don’t miss out on your last chance to view it!
Mimi Smith on Display at Douglass Library
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Douglass Residential College, the work of renowned feminist artist and Rutgers graduate Mimi Smith will be on display at Douglass Library from September 5 through December 15. Embodying the relationship between everyday life, intimacy, anxiety, and time, Smith’s works include clothing made from plastic and steel wool, traditionally rendered drawings, drawings made from knotted thread and tape measures, clocks, and knitted sculptures. Mark your calendars for Smith’s October 24 lecture and learn more about the exhibit on our website.
Fall Data Workshop Series
This fall, Data librarian Ryan Womack will offer a series of workshops on statistical software and data at both Alexander Library and the Library of Science and Medicine. The topics include “Introduction to SPSS, Strata, and SAS”; “Introduction to R”; “Data Visualization in R”; and “Reproducible Research.” For more information, visit the Research Data Management Services webpage.
ROCK New Brunswick Weekend Kicks Off with New Brunswick Music Scene Archive Panel
The New Brunswick Music Scene Archive in Special Collections and University Archives will kick off Hub City Sounds’ ROCK New Brunswick music festival weekend on September 8 with a discussion panel featuring Dennis Diken of The Smithereens, Sharief Hobley of Sharief in Burgundy, Makin Waves columnist Bob Makin, Audrey Rose of The Wichts, and Spina Records’ Andrew Spina. Interested in attending? RSVP on Facebook!
Art Library Celebrates Banned Books Week
With support from a Freedom to Read Foundation grant, the Art Library will host a number of programs celebrating Banned Books Week from September 24 to September 30. The activities will provide students, faculty and staff, and community members the opportunity to explore the ideas of intellectual freedom, censorship, and banned books by creating and displaying original art. To learn more or get involved, visit the Banned Books Week LibGuide or contact art librarian Megan Lotts.
Dana Library Turns 50!
John Cotton Dana Library will commemorate its 50th anniversary with a host of free events and activities throughout the academic year. Exhibits showcasing the history of the library and its namesake as well as a birthday party during Rutgers–Newark’s Fall Fest will highlight the fall schedule. A number of guest speakers will visit the library to share their wisdom throughout the spring semester, and the year will culminate with a special event on Rutgers Day. Additional details are forthcoming, so stay tuned to our website for the latest on the #RutgersDana50 celebration.
A glowing review of Ron Jantz’s book Managing Creativity: The Innovative Research Library (ACRL, 2016) was recently penned for the Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship by Kathy Hughes of Montclair State University. In her review, Hughes notes:
This book’s very valuable contribution lies in the fact that the author takes what has been written about creativity in other organizational types, explains how it relates to the research library and offers thought provoking arguments for the increasing need for libraries (organizations that are not traditionally thought of as innovative) to think creatively. He offers solid suggestions for how this might be achieved and much appreciated hope for the future of the research library.
This book is a must read for leaders who care about the health of their organizations.
Kudos to Ron for the continued success of his book!
Receiving Recognition Overseas
Congratulations are in order to our colleagues Judit Ward and William Bejarano, formerly of the Center of Alcohol Studies Library, whose factsheet on bibliotherapy was published to the Knowledge Hub of the United Kingdom’s Society for the Study of Addiction in July. The article is based on their hands-on experience developing Reading for Recovery (R4R), a resource geared towards those interested in bibliotherapy, or guided reading, for substance use problems. Founded in 1884, the society supports the communication of scientific knowledge about dependence on alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs, and publishes the world’s oldest addiction journal, Addiction.
A Warm Welcome
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 8 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. as Shared User Services hosts a welcome reception for our new web services librarian Amy Kimura. The reception will take place in the area outside the Teleconference Lecture Hall on the fourth floor of Alexander Library. Shared User Services will provide snacks and beverages. Join us as we welcome Amy to Rutgers!
Lunch with a Side of Research Metrics
The Research and Scholarly Environment Working Group is organizing a brown bag workshop on research metrics for you in case you are asked by users for help on measuring their research impact. The workshop will be held on Thursday, September 14, from 12 to 1 p.m. and again on Monday, September 18 from 1 to 2 p.m. for those who missed the first session. Both will be conducted in the Pane Room at Alexander Library.
A Libraries Luau
Don’t forget to RSVP for the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Picnic! Join us on Thursday, August 17 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Rutgers Gardens Log Cabin and Pavilion for fun and games, music, and a delicious BBQ style menu with plenty of healthy and vegan-friendly options. Best of all, this year’s picnic is luau-themed, so get ready to celebrate Hawaiian style!
Celebrating Ella on Her Centennial
Ella Fitzgerald, 1979. Photo: Tad Hershorn.
Save the following dates as our colleagues at the Institute of Jazz Studies host curated listening sessions celebrating Ella Fitzgerald on her centennial:
Thursday, September 14, 6–8 p.m., led by archivist Elizabeth Surles
Thursday, December 7, 6–8 p.m., led by executive director Wayne Winborne
These events are the second and third of a three-part series that was kicked off by archivist Tad Hershorn in July.
New Resources for a New Semester
Just in time for the fall semester, several new resources were announced since the last issue of the Agenda:
BMJ Case Reports is the largest collection of case reports available online, containing more than 13,500 articles. A case report is defined as a detailed report of the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of an individual patient.
Encyclopedia of Social Work is a continually updated online resource maintained by the National Association of Social Workers and Oxford University Press. It includes over 700 articles on topics from international issues to ethical standards, more than 200 biographies on key figures in social work history, and references and links to supplemental resources.
Symptom Media is an online mental health education and training film library that contains over 300 mental health simulations including DSM 5 and ICD guided films and assessment tools. It provides visual guideposts to help students and practitioners better understand what a particular diagnosis looks like and provides points of reference for cross comparisons and differentiations between diagnoses.
Roberta Tipton, Bonnie L. Fong, Krista White and Minglu Wang (l to r).
Librarians Bonnie L. Fong, Minglu Wang, Krista White, and Roberta Tipton were presented the 2017 ACRL-NJ/NJLA CUS Research Award for their article, “Assessing and Serving the Workshop Needs of Graduate Students,” (The Journal of Academic Librarianship) during the NJLA Conference in April 2017.
Each year, the Research Committee of the NJLA College and University Section (CUS) and the ACRL New Jersey Chapter selects the best published research completed by a New Jersey librarian during the past year for this honor. Fong, Wang, White, and Tipton’s journal article was one of two winners in 2017. Their research determined which workshop topics graduate students in the humanities, science, and social science disciplines are most interested in, and what their preferences are for workshop formats, times, and communication. What made their study unique was the comparison of student and graduate program director viewpoints on topic importance. In addition, they compared and contrasted Master’s and doctoral student training needs.
The John Cotton Dana Library and other Rutgers University-Newark campus units are already using the research results as they develop workshops and other services to more fully support graduate students’ research, grant, career, teaching, and technology training requirements.
The New Brunswick Libraries announced their schedule of #Stressbusters events for the spring exam period. Highlights include a photo booth at the Math/Physics Library, button making at the Art Library, and pet therapy sessions at Alexander, Douglass, Kilmer, and LSM.
MARAC Spring 2017 was held April 20–22 in Newark.
Don’t despair if you happened to miss out on the recent Mid Atlantic Regional Archives Conference in Newark, as Tara Maharjan put together a comprehensive Storify of the event (titled Adaptable Archives: Redefine, Repurpose, and Renew) that’s the next best thing to having been there in person.
Several new exhibits opened across the Libraries this past month:
At Paul Robeson Library, There’s a Run in My Tights: Classic Comic Book Covers from the Golden Age and Beyond is on display through May 4. This display, which opened in advance of the 2017 Camden Comic Con, highlights superheroes such as Bat Girl, Aquaman, Luke Cage and the X-Men, as well as villains like Cat Woman and misunderstood monsters like Werewolf By Night.
A group exhibition of works by students in the Women, Gender, and Creativity House of Douglass Residential College is on display now at Douglass Library. Students in this community explore topics of gender, sexuality, identity, creativity, perception, and visual communication of women in the arts. The exhibition highlights the self-portraits, sculptures, video performances, and written works produced by the student artists during the course of the academic year. It closes on May 1, so be sure to check this one out while you can.
Finally, many new resources were announced in April:
The Andrew Hill Collection at the Institute of Jazz Studies contains the papers, music, and audiovisual recordings of acclaimed pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator Andrew Hill (1931–2007). The collection was processed as part of the 2016 Jazz Archives Fellows residency.
Attitude Check (vol. 1 no. 1, 1969) via Independent Voices.
JAMAevidence provides guides to the systematic consideration of validity, importance, and applicability of problems and outcomes in health care. It consists of three textbooks, user tools, and forms useful to the critical appraisal process. See more in our deep dive.
Academic Video Online Premium provides access to over 50,000 videos from reputable producers such as BBC and PBS, mostly on the subjects of social sciences, American history/American studies, music and performing arts, science and engineering, and health sciences.
Independent Voices is a full-text database of alternative press periodicals published in the U.S. in the second half of the 20th century. It includes publications like Aegis (1978-87), Death Ship Times (Fat Albert’s) (1972-74), The Feminist Voice (1971-72), Meatball (1969-71), Off Our Backs (1970-76), The People’s Voice (1980-1983), San Francisco Good Times (1969-72), Up from the Bottom (1971-74), Where It’s At (1968-70), the Yardbird Reader (1972-76), and Zeitgeist (1965-69), among dozens of others.
Rutgers University Libraries are cosponsoring two high-profile events in New Brunswick this month:
Alice Aycock: Selected Works Douglass Dean’s Colloquia: Conversations
In partnership with Jacquelyn Litt, dean of Douglass Residential College, the Libraries are delighted to welcome Rutgers alumna Alice Aycock to the Douglass Dean’s Colloquia: Conversations with Extraordinary Women on April 6, 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the Kathleen W. Ludwig Global Village Living Learning Center. RSVP here.
Joy Reid “Truth and Consequences: What We Know and Why It Matters” Senator Wynona Lipman Chair in Women’s Political Leadership
The Libraries are proud to partner with the Center for American Women and Politics and others to welcome Joy Reid, national correspondent and host of AM Joy on MSNBC to Rutgers University-New Brunswick on April 4 at 7 p.m. at the Douglass Student Center. RSVP is required. See website for details.
Two WWI-themed exhibits opened last month:
Camden, World War I & the New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Robeson Library
This exhibit relates the history of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation (or New York Ship for short), an American shipbuilding company that operated from 1899 to 1968, ultimately completing more than 500 vessels for the United States Navy, the United States Merchant Marine, the United States Coast Guard, and other maritime concerns.
“Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken!”: New Jersey in the Great War at SCUA in Alexander Library
This exhibit 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 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.
Journal of the Rutgers University Libraries – Vol 68(2) now available
The second part of the Journal of the Rutgers University Libraries’ special issue on the 250th anniversary of Rutgers University is now available. Entitled “From the Revolutionary War to the 21st Century,” this issue completes the discussion of Rutgers’ early history begun in “The Life and Times of Henry Rutgers” and turns its focus to the present day. David Fowler contributes the second and third installations of “Benevolent Patriot: The Life and Times of Henry Rutgers,” the most comprehensive biographical investigation of the university’s namesake to date. Additional articles explore the early history of Livingston College and the history of the Rutgers University Police Department from its roots as a parking authority to its current status as a professional law enforcement agency.
WWI Poetry Reading – April 18
Mary Ann Koruth designed beautiful broadsides like this for the exhibit.
Michael Joseph is planning a WWI poetry reading event for April 18 to complement the themes and poetry included in the “Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken!”. If you are interested in attending or participating in the event, please check in with Michael.
