Category: Articles

Laura Costello Appointed Director of Strategic Planning and Assessment

Laura Costello was appointed Rutgers University Libraries’ new Director of Strategic Planning and Assessment, effective October 10. Laura came to RUL from Stony Brook University Libraries in 2018 as our Virtual Reference Services Librarian. In 2021, she was promoted to Research and Instruction Services Coordinator. Laura brings to this leadership position a set of skills informed and honed by her responsibilities here at Rutgers and by her previous roles as Head of Research and Emerging Technologies at Stony Brook University and Head of Library Materials and Acquisitions at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Laura has been an integral part of the implementation, administration, and training activities for several of our current data collection platforms, including Alma analytics and Springshare’s LibAnswers and LibInsight. She was also instrumental in the implementation of Leganto. This past year, she stepped in and took on the responsibility for compiling and submitting RUL’s statistical data for the ACRL, ARL, and IPEDS surveys in the absence of a full-time assessment person.

Her interest in assessment is evidenced by her body of scholarship. She has written and presented on library topics such as reference, space programming, and collections with a focus on assessment. A productive scholar, Laura has authored or co-authored three books, seven book chapters, and over 20 peer-reviewed articles and other publications. Laura is currently the managing editor for the Virtual Reference Bibliography and serves as a peer reviewer for Evidence Based Library and Information Practices. Her interest in assessment methods has led her to pursue a Ph.D. in Communication, Information, and Media at Rutgers with a focus on Library and Information Science. She expects to complete her degree in 2024.

Her record of service to the Libraries, the University, and the profession is extensive; the following are some highlights. On the national level, her activities include being a member of the Big Ten Academic Alliance Virtual Reference Peer Group since 2020 and the LITA Assessment & Research Committee since 2016, for which she has served as Vice-Chair and Chair. Laura has been actively engaged in the governance structure and informing Libraries operations as Vice Chair of the Faculty Planning Committee and a member of the RUL Scholarly and Professional Activities Committee.

October 10, 2022
President Holloway Delivers Address to University Senate at Alexander Library

On September 23, 2022, President Jonathan Holloway delivered his address to the University Senate in Alexander Library’s Teleconference Lecture Hall. Members of the Rutgers community were invited to attend the hybrid meeting.

The president spoke about serving and supporting students, recognizing differences, and serving the common good. He emphasized the importance of boosting student success and building a culture of collaboration at Rutgers.

“The more we do this work, the more we become a university where there is an established reputation of listening to and working with all of our constituents,” Holloway said. “Forging this reputation is part and parcel of building the beloved community that I asked us to aspire to become when I started my presidency. I stand by that aspiration and have been excited to see so many different members of the community embrace that ethos and join in the effort to improve this great university.”

Please click this link to read the Rutgers Today article.

The Rutgers University Senate is a universitywide deliberative body consisting of representatives of Rutgers faculty, students, staff, administrators, and alumni.

Photos by Nick Romanenko

September 25, 2022
RUL Affirmation Town Halls 2022
One of the first steps of achieving organizational clarity is establishing a common understanding of who we are, what we do, and what we aspire to achieve. Along with our guiding principles and values, the responses to these fundamental questions would help bring clarity to our organizational identity. To this end, we formed the RUL Affirmation Group consisting of faculty and staff from across the libraries. They were responsible for drafting a mission statement and a statement of aspiration. We are pleased to announce they have completed this important work. Their results were shared during two town halls on July 29, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.:
- Morning Session
- Afternoon Session
September 21, 2022
Author Talk with Joe Pompeo on Infamous New Jersey Cold Case

Rutgers University Libraries Special Collections and University Archives (SC/UA) and the New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance (NJSAA) are pleased to host an author talk with Vanity Fair correspondent and Rutgers University alumnus Joe Pompeo on Thursday, November 10, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. via Zoom. Pompeo will speak about his new book on the notorious Hall-Mills murder case, Blood & Ink: The Scandalous Jazz Age Double Murder That Hooked America on True Crime. Please register at this link or visit libcal.rutgers.edu/event/9365079 for more information.

Blood & Ink was published by William Morrow this month, marking the 100th anniversary of the double murder of Reverend Edward Hall, rector of St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in New Brunswick, and Eleanor Mills, a singer in the church choir, who were reputedly having a scandalous affair. Their bodies were discovered artfully posed on a notorious lovers’ lane on the border of New Brunswick and Somerset. Edward Hall’s wife, Frances, who was related to the wealthy Johnson family, and Eleanor Mills’ husband Jim were early suspects in the case. The bungled investigation by the police took years and failed to bring any criminals to justice. The much-anticipated trial featured eccentric characters such as Jane Gibson, a pig farmer who came forward with a purported eyewitness account of the murder, at one point testifying from a stretcher brought into the courtroom. As well as investigating the fascinating details of the case, Pompeo shows how the rise of New York tabloid journalism and the resulting wars between papers of the 1920s kept the story alive. In an epilogue, Pompeo suggests his own theories on the still-unsolved case.

Joe Pompeo (photo by New Moon Photography)

In his well-researched book, Pompeo used the Hall-Mills Collection, as well as the Wallace Conover Papers and the Stevens family letters from SC/UA. This presentation forms part of SC/UA’s Research Salon series, which features researchers who have used SC/UA’s resources in their work. It is co-sponsored by the New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance.

Over the years, many authors have tried to solve the case, including famed attorney William Kunstler, whose The Minister and the Choir Singer: The Hall-Mills Murder Case (1964) attributed the murders to the Ku Klux Klan. Another theory was offered by former dean Mary S. Hartman, who lived in Frances Hall’s house, now the residence of the Douglass Dean, in “The Hall-Mills Murder Case: The Most Fascinating Un-solved Homicide in America,” The Journal of the Rutgers University Libraries, 1984. The case has also inspired novels and plays, most recently Thou Shall Not, performed at St. John the Evangelist Church by Thinkery & Verse. Blood & Ink is unique in placing the case in the context of the rise of tabloid journalism and the popularity of true crime in the 1920s.

Joe Pompeo is a correspondent at Vanity Fair who previously worked at publications including Politico and The New York Observer. His writing has also appeared in The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, the Columbia Journalism Review, and many other outlets. He lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with his wife and children.

September 20, 2022
RUL Announces Launch of Library Mobile App

Rutgers University Libraries is pleased to announce the launch of Library Mobile, an innovative app designed to enhance the Rutgers community’s library experience. The new app delivers seamless integration with the Libraries’ vast resources and services, providing an intuitive interface with personalized content.

Library Mobile can be downloaded at libraries.rutgers.edu/app and is available for iOS and Android. After logging in with their Rutgers NetID, users can quickly access hours, study space reservations, course reading lists, and research assistance. The feature-rich app also allows users to conveniently search for content, manage their accounts, and stay up to date with library events.

Rutgers is proud to be the first North American institution to release the Library Mobile app, developed in partnership with Ex Libris, a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions for higher education and research. Feedback submitted through the app helps the Libraries to improve not only the app but also the resources and services it provides.

September 12, 2022
Collective Yearning: Black Women Artists from the Zimmerli Art Museum

“The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles,” 1996, Color lithograph, Image and Sheet: 22 9/16 × 30 1/16 inches, Collection of Judith K. Brodsky. Gift of the @brodskycenteratpafa. ©2022 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, Courtesy ACA Galleries, NY.

Collective Yearning: Black Women Artists from the Zimmerli Art Museum is on view through December 14, 2022, at Douglass Library and the Zimmerli Art Museum.

Featuring prints, photographs, and multimedia artworks, this exhibition is the first time the university has conducted a comprehensive and methodical review of its holdings of art by Black women artists. Many of the artists have ties to New Jersey, New York City, and Philadelphia, ranging from canonical figures such as Rutgers faculty and artists Emma Amos and Kara Walker to emerging artists Nona Faustine, Atisha Fordyce, and Daonne Huff. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Amber Wiley, Assistant Professor, Art History, Rutgers University, and her students Jasmine Daria Cannon, Kyle b. co., Helen Gao, Grace Lynne Haynes, Emily Hu, Grace Kim, Desiree Morales, Michael Randall, and Audrey Roclore.

Artists: Emma Amos, Chakaia Booker, Barbara Bullock, Elizabeth Catlett, Nona Faustine, Atisha Fordyce, Nefertiti Goodman, Daonne Huff, Margo Humphrey, Stefanie Jackson, Carmen Cartiness Johnson, Nadine DeLawrence Maine, Nell Painter, Howardena Pindell, Faith Ringgold, Betye Saar, Lorna Simpson, Shinique Smith, Renée Stout, Sharon E. Sutton (FAIA), Mickalene Thomas, Kara Walker, Bisa Washington, and Carrie Mae Weems

Main Exhibition

Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series Galleries, Douglass Library
8 Chapel Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; weekends by appointment only. Hours are subject to the university libraries operating schedule.
Admission: Free and open to the public*

*Student tour guides, trained under the direction of student curator Kyle b. co. as part of the Douglass Faculty Fellows Program, will take place in the Douglass Library (Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series Galleries) through December 9 during the following times: Monday–Thursday, 4:00–6:00 p.m., and Friday, 4:30-6:00 p.m. No reservation is required for a tour, but if you would like to schedule a tour outside of the scheduled times, please email kco@mgsa.rutgers.edu to inquire. Availability of tour guides is limited outside of the set tour times.

Satellite Exhibition

Focus Gallery, Zimmerli Art Museum
71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday, 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Thursday, 11:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday.
Admission: Free and open to the public
Website: zimmerli.rutgers.edu

A series of special events with guest speakers, panel discussions, and roundtables will be held on November 9. For more details and to view the schedule, please visit zimmerli.rutgers.edu.

This exhibition is sponsored by the Center for Women in the Arts and Humanities and the Zimmerli Art Museum. Funding was provided by Douglass Residential College, the Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice, and an anonymous donation. Co-sponsored by the Institute for Women’s Leadership. The Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series is a program of CWAH in partnership with Rutgers University Libraries.

September 10, 2022
Consuella Askew’s First Letter to the Libraries

I am honored and excited to be appointed Rutgers’ 15th University Librarian. One of the most gratifying aspects of this role is the opportunity to witness your skills and talents in action at the Libraries. Your loyalty to RUL is admirable, and your determination to work with grace and dignity and in the university’s best interests is inspiring.

This letter for The Agenda comes at a time of evolution and opportunity. We continue our initiatives designed to address your concerns about RUL’s organizational clarity, culture, and communication. The RUL Affirmation group has worked diligently to define our aspirations and reframe our mission statement. They are incorporating your input from their recent town halls into final statements that will provide a common framework from which we can springboard. We are close to formally establishing the Staff Advisory Committee (SAC), which will serve as a counterpart to the Faculty Planning Committee. Thanks to the stellar work of the SAC Planning Task Force, bylaws have been drafted and are undergoing final revisions. Once that is completed, the task force will focus on stewarding the adoption of the bylaws and conducting the committee’s initial elections process. The goal is to have the SAC up and running by year’s end. We are also reviewing the Libraries’ organizational structure and how our core services are best delivered. We want to ensure we offer comprehensive student and research support across the university’s broad footprint in the most efficient and responsive manner possible.

We aspire to be the intellectual and creative center of the Rutgers community and recognized as essential to the university’s academic mission. It is a noble and obtainable goal. The future holds great promise if we continue to work smart, act with intent, listen to our colleagues and constituents, and pivot to meet the needs of today’s dynamic academic environment.

Since my arrival at RUL, I have been impressed by your ability to imagine and implement creative solutions, often in the midst of change. While things continually evolve, I know your willingness and desire to collaborate and meet challenges with intelligence and good humor will serve us well. I look forward to us working together for the benefit of the faculty, students, and staff of Rutgers University and the broader New Jersey community.

September 9, 2022
Health Sciences Libraries Publish Inaugural Issue of “Impact”
Rutgers Health Sciences Libraries (HSL) is pleased to announce the inaugural issue of Impact, its new monthly e-newsletter. Please visit go.rutgers.edu/xn910gjj to read the latest HSL news, events, and features:
- Save Time: Make an Appointment!
- Medical Education Review Blog Celebrates 10th Birthday with 300th Post
- Quick Access to PubMed and UpToDate
The next issue will reveal exciting news about EMBASE. Subscribe today to get Impact delivered to your inbox!
September 8, 2022
Celebration of Scholarship 2022
Celebration of Scholarship at New Brunswick Libraries highlights and celebrates the accomplishments of Rutgers University–New Brunswick authors and creators. At this event, 2020–2022 published books, book chapters, journal articles, recordings, and more will be displayed in physical and virtual spaces at the library. With this celebration, we salute scholarly accomplishments across the wide range of disciplines at Rutgers–New Brunswick.

The 2022 Celebration of Scholarship will take place at the Douglass Library on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Submit your scholarship
- Register to attend the event
For more information, please visit the Celebration of Scholarship site.

The co-sponsors who have made this celebration possible are the Margery Somers Foster Center, Rutgers Global, and Rutgers University Press.

Share your scholarship and celebrate with us!
September 2, 2022
James “Jim” Robinson Retires after 36 Years

By Elena Schneider and Luke Sangiamo

James “Jim” Robinson retired from Rutgers University on September 1, 2022. Jim has been an essential member of Rutgers University Libraries for over 36 years, so he will be greatly missed. We have all benefited from his dedicated service, detailed knowledge, and wonderful sense of humor.

Jim in his familiar black attire, July 2022 (photo by Dennis Mark/Rutgers University Libraries).

Jim began his career at Rutgers in 1986, briefly working at the physical plant warehouse and quickly transitioning to the libraries a few months later. Having family already working at the libraries (Jim’s mother worked in the processing department for Technical Services), pursuing a career at Rutgers was a natural step. He quickly considered his coworkers to be more like family than just other employees, and he developed a deep passion for the labor movement and student political organization. Pursuing a degree while working at the university, Jim developed an interest in Architectural Historic Preservation. Beginning at Rutgers, Jim later attended Bucks County Community College, which operated one of the top Historic Preservation programs, obtaining his degree in 1999.

His career at Rutgers brought him to join Special Collections & University Archives for six years, applying his interest in Historic Preservation to managing the logistics of our most unique collections. He later joined the New Brunswick Libraries’ Shipping and Receiving Department—serving in an indispensable role for years to come. At Shipping, Jim developed close relationships with many of our faculty and staff across all library locations while serving as a core member on the front line of maintaining our day-to-day operations. After the Return to Rutgers plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jim was one of the first employees to return to our buildings five days per week, visiting each building daily and providing a pivotal service enabling the strength of our recovery. Both remotely and after returning, he contributed to our digital newsletter each week—his weekly song playlist was an early step in reconnecting our community to each other.

An example of Jim’s eclectic song playlists, which colleagues enjoyed during the pandemic.

Outside of work, Jim has a strong passion for music, being classically trained in multiple instruments for over 35 years and having produced and promoted a music series for over two decades. In retirement, Jim plans to utilize his experience to continue being a tour manager for musicians around the globe, working with various artists through the hundreds of relationships he has built through the years. He plans to devote more of his time to his love of music and supporting those in the industry, both new and experienced artists alike.

Jim also plans on volunteering at The Raptor Trust, an organization that provides care for injured birds of prey and education to the public. Being passionate about the outdoors and wildlife, he also plans to spend time at The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, one of his favorite locations for bird watching and to quietly enjoy his love for reading and books. If he discovers more “free time” after embracing his wide variety of interests, he has discussed working part-time at a bookstore or a public library.

Jim in the NBL delivery van, his “second office.”

We thank Jim for everything he brought to Rutgers and shared with our community. We will miss Jim’s dedication, historical knowledge, humor, and excellent music recommendations. We wish him the best in his future endeavors and are excited to see the next steps he takes on his journey.

September 1, 2022