Category: Articles

Nita Mukherjee Retires after Nearly 40 Years of Service

After almost 40 years of dedicated service to the New Brunswick Libraries, Nita Mukherjee retired on August 1, 2022.

Over the last 30+ years, Nita worked at multiple locations across Rutgers University, Rutgers University Libraries (RUL), and New Brunswick Libraries (NBL). She started her career at Rutgers in 1982, working in the Data Control Department in the Administrative Services Building (ASB) on the Busch campus. In the mid-1980s, she joined the Circulation Department of the Douglass Library to start her career with RUL/NBL. During her time with RUL/NBL, Nita contributed greatly to the work at Copy Cataloging in the Library Technical Services Building (TSB), the Libraries Annex Access Services, Alexander Library Access Services, and Douglass Library Access Services. Finally, in 2008, she began her time managing the Chang Science Library on the Cook campus.

Nita is retiring as Branch Coordinator for the Stephen and Lucy Chang Science Library, a site she managed for the past 14 years. She made the Chang Library a warm and inviting location for students, faculty, and staff. She worked with countless undergraduate students over the years, both in her role as the site’s Student Coordinator and as the first contact at the circulation desk onsite. Nita thrived when helping students and faculty, bringing a mix of compassion, professionalism, and dedication to her work to these interactions.

Nita and her husband of 46 years, Arun, plan to continue living in the area. She looks forward to spending time with her family, her two daughters with careers in law and medicine, and her five grandchildren. She will devote more time to traveling, volunteering, and two of her long-standing passions: gardening and reading.

August 1, 2022
OAT Program Update
Rutgers University Libraries is pleased to announce the latest OAT Authoring Awards recipients:
- Vanessa LoBue (Newark)
- Ines Rauschenbach (New Brunswick)
- Sherry Cirignano (New Brunswick)
Awards are $3,500 each and will be funded, respectively, by RUL–Newark, and RUL-New Brunswick.

As of July 2022, Rutgers University Libraries have issued 183 Open and Affordable Textbooks (OAT) Awards to Rutgers faculty, saving students approximately $6.25 million. Additionally, in 2021 and 2022 the Libraries provided Authoring Awards for the creation and development of a completely new Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook. For more information, please visit libraries.rutgers.edu/teaching-support/open-and-affordable-textbooks-program.
July 31, 2022
Ex Libris Implementation Team Update – September 2022
The Ex Libris Implementation Team provides regular updates to inform the Rutgers University Libraries (RUL) community of its activities and accomplishments, which benefit RUL and our user community.

Primo

Primo (aka “QuickSearch”) marked its 5th anniversary this year and continues to be one of the most heavily used library services, ending FY22 with over 2.2 million searches, 1.7 million record views, and 1 million full-text downloads. This year’s enhancements included the addition of ebook license information, search and indexing improvements, integration of the library link resolver with EndNote, improved error reporting, and various bug fixes. Enhancements for the coming year include persistent login, improved deduping, linked data enrichment, and improved collection discovery.

Notable statistics for FY22 include:
- 2 million searches
- 7 million record views
- 1 million downloads
- 450 support requests
Esploro

Last year, the Libraries launched a new and improved version of SOAR (Scholarly Open Access at Rutgers) that’s powered by Esploro. Esploro improves and extends the Libraries’ ability to capture and manage institutional research output using automated data harvesting and machine learning techniques. SOAR staff imported over 22,000 new research assets via smart harvesting and accepted over 500 faculty deposits. Planned enhancements for the coming year include a redesigned research portal, enhanced ORCID integration, and implementation of public researcher profiles.

Notable statistics for FY22:
- 22,000 assets ingested
- 56,000 record views
- 62,000 downloads
- 100 support requests
Alma

A pilot project to expedite the cataloging of donated books was conducted using two donations, the International Youth Literature Collection (IYLC) and the Tanner Collection. Two hundred ten IYLC donated titles were added to Alma, and 61 donated items were added for the Tanner gift. The pilot will be refined based on feedback from key stakeholders and is a work in progress. The goal is to expand the workflow to include other donations from across RUL.

The ArchivesSpace Users Working Group was reinstated in July. They are working to establish local practices and standards for finding aids across all RUL archives and are using the ArchivesSpace plug-in tools for subject and name authority access. This initiative is led by Melissa De Fino, and group members include representatives from IIS, SC/UA, IJS, Smith Library, Robeson Library, and SMLR.

A sustainable method to track withdrawn serial titles for the BTAA Shared Print Repository was developed by CTS, HMU, and IIS using Alma’s statistical notes feature. This information will be available in Alma Analytics in perpetuity.

CTS and IIS personnel are working with SC/UA to improve the configuration of SC/UA locations and related changes in support of the SC/UA Migration Project for resources located in remote storage due to damage from Hurricane Ida.

A new and innovative process is being developed for scores cataloging to meet a need in an area where expertise is currently lacking in CTS due to the departure of the music cataloger. The process is being developed in collaboration with Backstage Library Works.

A total of 474 support requests were handled in response to queries and requests sent to the Cataloging Queue.

Library Mobile

The Library Mobile team is excitedly preparing for the Fall 2022 launch of our new student app. We encourage everyone to check out the tour on RUL’s YouTube channel and to download instructions so that you can start using the app.

Rapido

We’ve been working with Ex Libris on the implementation of Rapido, a resource-sharing platform that’s integrated with Alma and QuickSearch. Rapido will provide our patrons with a streamlined requesting experience, allowing them to search for and request all materials from within QuickSearch. Patrons will no longer need to log into and search multiple platforms. If the material isn’t available from RUL, background configurations will allow Rapido to source the requested materials using our existing sources via OCLC and ReShare as well as our new Rapido partners.
July 30, 2022
Dr. Consuella Askew Named Vice President for University Libraries and University Librarian

President Jonathan Holloway and Executive Vice President Prabhas Moghe make historic appointment for new leader of Rutgers University Libraries

Rutgers University has selected Dr. Consuella Askew as its new Vice President for University Libraries and University Librarian. On July 18, 2022, she became Rutgers’ 15th University Librarian and the first person of color in the institution’s 256-year history to hold the position.

“President Holloway and I believe that under Dr. Askew’s leadership, Rutgers is well suited to chart a strategic direction for Rutgers University Libraries, especially with a view to closely aligning the libraries to enhance the goals of academic units,” Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Prabhas Moghe said. “A part of this work will involve centering the Libraries at the heart of our community and our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; optimizing the Libraries’ collections, personnel, and services to enrich the teaching, learning, and research that occur across the University; establishing organizational coherence across the Libraries; and developing a strategic plan—all values that President Holloway has articulated.”

Rutgers University Libraries is a core component of the University’s academic mission. The Libraries’ faculty and staff provide access to vast and unique resources, archives, and expertise to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, advance faculty and student teaching and research, and empower student success. Rutgers University Libraries rank among the nation’s top research libraries with more than five million volumes, over one million digital resources, and 26 integrated libraries, centers, and reading rooms throughout Rutgers campuses and chancellor-led units.

Leading the Way to Library Excellence

Askew brings to Rutgers a rich set of experiences and a library career that spans nearly 30 years. She is a forward-looking academician who has served as Interim Vice President for University Libraries and University Librarian since May 2021. In her previous role as the Associate University Librarian for Rutgers–Newark, Askew led Dana Library through a strategic planning process, a multimillion-dollar renovation, and an organizational restructuring to encourage innovation, community engagement, and operational excellence.

A Commitment to Higher Education

Prior to Rutgers, Askew worked in various educational settings, such as public schools, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), community colleges, and private and public institutions. Askew served as the Associate Dean for Public Services at Florida International University Libraries and held leadership positions at the City University of New York (CUNY), where she was appointed the inaugural Chief Librarian for the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. She was also a member of the research and development team that created LibQUAL+ for the Association of Research Libraries. This industry-standard tool is used to assess user perceptions of library service quality and has been adopted by over 1,300 libraries worldwide, including Rutgers. An active contributor to the academic libraries profession, Askew serves on the executive board of the HBCU Libraries Alliance and the editorial board for the award-winning journal portal: Libraries and the Academy. Askew has published and presented widely on cultivating library leadership, developing a culture of library assessment, and adapting library services to meet evolving user needs.

Askew holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Spelman College and a master’s degree in library and information studies from the University of North Carolina. She earned her doctoral degree in higher education from Florida International University. She is also an alumna of multiple prestigious library leadership programs, including UCLA’s Library Senior Fellows Program, the longest-standing formal leadership development program for librarians in the country.

July 25, 2022
Institute of Jazz Studies Publishes 200th Finding Aid

The Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS) is excited to announce that it published its 200th finding aid on the Archives and Special Collections at Rutgers website. For many decades, the IJS’s world-renowned collections had many access tools and inventories ranging from spreadsheets to typed lists on binders, reflecting the evolution of archival description over the past 60 years. Since installing ArchivesSpace (the engine behind the website) and having a central location for finding aids on the website, Rutgers University Libraries is moving towards facilitating researchers’ use of all the unique collections that make our libraries shine. This tool allows the user to search across all finding aids within the Institute.

“A long time in the making, publishing the 200th finding aid to ArchivesSpace is a great milestone for the Institute,” said IJS Metadata Archivist Diane Biunno, who works behind the scenes to update the finding aids. “I am proud to have been part of the collaborative effort at IJS to improve the discoverability of and access to our archival holdings.”

These access tools are a mix of some legacy “old-fashioned” finding aids and newly created ones. The work that went into making this happen was a team effort first started by IJS Archivist Elizabeth Surles. In 2014, she developed and led a collections-wide survey to ascertain the collections’ provenance and pin down exact locations for different materials. Building on this work, the IJS now has intellectual and physical control of the collections under its care and is looking ahead to growing our descriptive footprint. These 200 finding aids are only the tip of the iceberg, as the IJS continues to create access tools for holdings such as the William “Count” Basie and Mary Lou Williams papers, two of its most robust and extensive collections.

July 16, 2022
On Exhibit at Robeson Library: “Underground Railroad Sites of Greater Philadelphia”

Underground Railroad Sites of Greater Philadelphia is a new exhibit at the Robeson Library in Camden features notable Underground Railroad sites in the Philadelphia region, including The Peter Mott House in Lawnside, Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia, and several locations along the newly created Upper Darby Underground Railroad Walking Trail in Delaware County.

The Underground Railroad was a network of pathways, homes, churches, and other structures where abolitionists like William Still assisted Black freedom seekers on their route north to free lands. The Philadelphia region was often the first stop in free territory for people escaping the horrors of slavery. The City of Philadelphia and surrounding communities in South Jersey and Pennsylvania are home to several sites that once served as safe harbors for self-liberated Black people, who were considered fugitives under United States law.

Curated by Robeson librarians John Powell and Bart Everts (who worked on the Upper Darby Trail as a member of the Township’s Historical Commission), this exhibit gives insight into the struggles of the 19th century and the role of allyship under systemic oppression.

Underground Railroad Sites of Greater Philadelphia is on display until September 26, 2022. For a complete list of the region’s Underground Railroad sites and related library resources, please visit our Underground Railroad Sites of Greater Philadelphia research guide at libguides.rutgers.edu/urrphl.

Photos by John Powell

July 12, 2022
Maggie Harris-Clark Retires after 50 Years of Service

Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway with Maggie Harris-Clark at the 2022 Rutgers Staff Service Recognition Reception in the President’s Tent on Bishop Place (photo by Nick Romanenko/Rutgers University)

After an extraordinary 50 years of service to the John Cotton Dana Library, Maggie Harris-Clark retired on July 1, 2022.

Maggie began working at Rutgers University in January 1972. It was a cold and clear day. The temperature eventually climbed to 34 degrees, from a low of 10 degrees. William T. Cahill was governor of New Jersey, and Kenneth A. Gibson was Mayor of Newark, the first African American Mayor of Newark. Edward Bloustein was president of Rutgers University, and Horace Depodwin was Acting Provost, succeeded by James Young, the first Provost of Rutgers-Newark. Thomas Shaughnessy was the director of Dana Library. Maggie would work with several more directors: Eugene Neely (1981), Lynn Mullins (1987), Mark Winston (2008), and Consuella Askew (2015), as well as several interim directors (most recently, Jeanne Boyle and Rhonda Marker). Maggie also served under 10 University Librarians/Interim University Librarians.

Maggie in her Dana Library office, ca. 2009

Initially, Maggie worked at the Rutgers Law Library (Newark) in the Government Documents Department in a grant-funded position for six months. She then spent another six months at Dana Library in the Technical Services Department before Dr. Shaughnessy hired Maggie full time. Maggie worked for another long-time Dana Library employee, Madeline DeSantis, to maintain the card catalog and the shelf list. At that time, the library was using physical library cards to charge out books, but progress took over and advanced to using keypunch cards. Maggie transferred to the Circulation Department to work in course reserves for almost 10 years under the supervision of Mrs. Mann. About 20 years ago, Maggie was promoted to a Library Supervisor position in Circulation. Maggie is retiring as the head of Access Services at Dana Library. She has successfully navigated many changes from implementing the first automated circulation system through our current Ex Libris products. She has represented Dana Library on many cross-campus groups, including the Fulfillment Working Group.

Although Maggie spent all her years at Rutgers on the Newark campus, she could be counted on to participate in Libraries-wide events. She has many friends throughout the Libraries who will miss her irrepressible optimism and kindness.

Reflecting on her five decades at the university, Maggie fondly said, “Rutgers was my home away from home. I enjoyed working with my colleagues to advance the Libraries’ mission and to ensure our faculty and students received excellent service.”

Maggie in the Dana Library’s new third-floor open study space, June 2022 (photo by Dennis Mark/Rutgers University Libraries)

This past June, President Jonathan Holloway and the university honored Maggie at the Rutgers Staff Service Recognition Reception. “I very much appreciated the recognition and respect,” Maggie remarked. “It’s wonderful knowing that I made a difference in the Rutgers community.”

In retirement, Maggie plans to continue being active in her church and the Eastern Star. Her pastor has already announced her expanded role to the congregation. She has many plans for volunteer work and is looking forward to doing more at home. She is especially looking forward to the birth of her first great-grandchild in August. As busy as she will be, Maggie promises to keep up with her friends at Rutgers.

We wish Maggie a long and happy retirement and express our warmest appreciation for her many years of steadfast service to Dana Library and Rutgers University.

July 6, 2022
Ermira Mitre Publishes Second Collection of Poetry, “LOTUS”

Ermira Mitre, a Library Technician at Smith Library, published her second poetry collection in May. Written in Albanian, LOTUS was featured at a book launch in Ermira’s hometown of Durrës, Albania, and a book fair in Kosovo.

Local writers, poets, and poetry enthusiasts attended the book launch organized by Ermira’s publisher and the Durrës public library. Several writers critiqued LOTUS, and four poets read from the book. A local news station’s segment about the event can be viewed at youtube.com/watch?v=hkqJAU0NpgY.

Ermira Mitre is a bilingual poet, essayist, and translator. Her poetry has appeared in various international and national poetry anthologies and journals, including Jerry Jazz Musician, Red Wheelbarrow Poets Journals, THE POET Anthology Series, Live Encounters, Kistrech Poetry Festival, Mediterranean Poetry, and Montclair Write Group. She published her first book of poetry, Soul’s Gravity, in Albanian and translated the fiction novel The King’s Shadow from Albanian into English. Currently, Ermira is writing her first English poetry collection, Blooming as a Sacred Lotus, as well as a bilingual anthology (English and Albanian).

July 1, 2022
RUL Acquires Volumes I and II of National Theatre Collection Database

Photo courtesy of Alexander Street

Rutgers University Libraries are pleased to announce their acquisition of Volumes I and II of the National Theatre Collection. This collection contains 50 high-definition streaming videos of live theatre productions by the U.K.’s National Theatre, accompanied by archival materials such as prompt scripts and costume designs. It includes both productions of new works by contemporary playwrights and new productions of classic plays, including Greek theatre, works by Shakespeare, and 20th-century classics. These new productions feature contemporary settings, diverse casts and production staff, and modern applications of enduring social issues. Productions feature major directors and actors as well as emerging talent. Rutgers permanently owns the entire contents of Volumes I and II of this collection.

June 27, 2022
Roberta “Bobbie” Tipton Retires after 37 Years of Service

Bobbie Tipton in Alexander Library, August 2022 (photo by Dennis Mark/Rutgers University Libraries)

Roberta “Bobbie” Tipton retired from her position as business librarian at Dana Library, effective July 1, 2022.

Bobbie started at Dana Library in 1985, hired as a reference librarian (business). Before coming to Rutgers, she began her library career as a medical librarian at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey, and as a corporate librarian at the Hayden Publishing Company. She is that rare breed that maintained her core responsibility to business librarianship throughout her 37-year career at Rutgers. In 1994, Bobbie added liaison responsibilities for the School of Public Affairs and Administration. Following Ann Watkins’ retirement, she provided library support for Rutgers University–Newark’s nursing program. She is a co-liaison to the Honors Living-Learning Community. She added to her business credentials by earning her MBA from the Graduate School of Management (Rutgers–Newark) in 1993.

Bobbie Tipton assisting a student.

Over the years, Bobbie mentored and worked alongside business librarian colleagues Ka-Neng Au, Wen-Hua Ren, and Jonathan Torres. She has authored and co-authored numerous articles and book chapters. Her latest article, “Statewide Access to Business Databases: States, Libraries and Support for Small Business,” co-authored with Ka-Neng Au, was published in Journal of Business and Finance Librarianship in August 2021. She has been a frequent presenter at various conferences, including Virtual Academic Library Environment (VALE), New Jersey Library Association (NJLA), and Special Libraries Association. At the last in-person NJLA conference in 2019, Bobbie presented as part of a panel along with two other Dana colleagues on the topic, “Focusing Student Engagement with Graded Assignments,” She received the NJLA/College and University Section Research Award twice, once in 1991 and again in 2018.

Bobbie has served in state and national professional associations and others, including the boldly named BRASS (Business Reference and Services Section) of the American Library Association, where she is currently a member of the Business Information Sources Committee. Her service to Rutgers includes faculty committees, campus committees (Newark Pandemic Flu Planning Committee, 2007–2009), and search committees. She is a member of the Collections Strategy Task Force and, until recently, served on the Advisory Committee on Appointments and Promotions. It is only coincidental—but in keeping with her dedication—that Bobbie’s last day in the office was spent interviewing a library faculty candidate as a search committee member for the Criminal Justice Librarian position.

From left: Bobbie Tipton, Bonnie Fong, the late Krista White, and Minglu Wang celebrate their New Jersey Library Association Research Award in April 2017.

Above all else, Bobbie thrives when she helps students and faculty. She is the author of many research guides—and the heir to almost as many; the count is up to 145 active LibGuides. She produced short videos to introduce and guide users through some of these videos. She has been a regular presence at the Dana Library Reference Desk and on the Ask a Librarian schedule. She provided uncounted instruction sessions to Rutgers Business School and School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) classes and the Writing Program at Rutgers–Newark.

Bobbie’s delightful humor brightened our libraries and meeting rooms. It will not surprise many that she compiled “Humor and Work: A Selected Bibliography” for The U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D* Librarian (1994). She has been an indefatigable librarian, devoted to student success, and generous to her colleagues. Bobbie will bring all these qualities to her continued work with learners of English as a second language in her community.

June 1, 2022