The Agenda - Faculty and Staff Newsletter

Category: Department

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Yini Zhu Retires after 26 Years of Service at Smith Library

    Yini Zhu

    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.

  • Rutgers University Libraries Welcome Dr. Tajah Ebram as Black Studies Librarian

    Tajah Ebram
    Dr. Tajah Ebram

    Rutgers University Libraries and the Black Bibliography Project (BBP) are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Tajah Ebram as Black Studies Librarian. In addition to supporting faculty and students working in Black studies, Dr. Ebram will serve as the Rutgers lead for the BBP, which seeks to revitalize the practice of bibliography for African American literary and cultural studies. She will be based in Alexander Library, collaborating across the campus and with BBP colleagues at Yale University.

    Dr. Ebram received her PhD in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in 20th-century Black literary and cultural studies, with a focus on Black radicalisms. Her dissertation was an interdisciplinary cultural history of the MOVE Organization. Dr. Ebram comes to us from Haverford College, where she taught courses on Black Philadelphia, race and ecology, and Black feminisms and the carceral state. She brings additional expertise in cultural geography, public humanities, and digital humanities.

    Please join us in welcoming Dr. Ebram to the Rutgers community.

  • Spring 2023 Workshops

    RUL spring 2023 workshops.

    Want to learn a new skill or refresh an existing one? Enroll in our free workshops today at libraries.rutgers.edu/workshops!

    Rutgers University Libraries’ spring 2023 workshops feature instructors, presenters, and subject-matter experts from our Camden, Newark, New Brunswick, and Health Sciences libraries. Our workshops are open to all members of the Rutgers community and offer instruction in:

    • Topics such as the digital humanities, data science, health sciences, Black history, library research, research papers, citation management, career development, digital privacy, software training, the Open and Affordable Textbooks Program, and more.
    • Research tools and methods such as Python, R, GIS, CINAHL, NVivo, data visualization, data management plans, systematic reviews, and more.

    Most of these workshops will be held online; several offer hybrid options. Please check back often as new workshops are added throughout the semester.

  • SOAR Staff Acknowledged in Cancer Research Communications Journal

    Rutgers University Libraries’ SOAR staff received a published acknowledgment in the January 2023* issue of Cancer Research Communications. Kudos to Geoff Wood, metadata librarian for Scholarly Communication and Collections, for helping author David Axelrod archive the supplementary data for his article in SOAR. We are pleased to see the Libraries recognized for their contributions to faculty research.

    Cancer Research Communications Journal Cover - 010923

    Cancer Research Communications Journal - SOAR Acknowledgment - 010923

    *Cockrell, C. and D.E. Axelrod. (2023). Combination chemotherapy of multidrug-resistant early-stage colon cancer: determining optimal dose schedules by high-performance computer simulation. Cancer Research Communications, 3: 21-30. https://doi.org/10.1158/2767-9764.CRC-22-0271

    About Cancer Research Communications

    Cancer Research Communications is an open-access peer-reviewed journal encompassing the full spectrum of cancer research.

    About SOAR

    SOAR (Scholarly Open Access at Rutgers) has been developed as a convenient website where Rutgers scholars can deposit their work and access further information about open access. Rutgers authors deposit legal copies of scholarly articles into SOAR at the time of the article’s final acceptance for publication, at no cost to them, making scholarship freely accessible to readers and researchers worldwide on the Internet. SOAR staff will research all permissions for you at the time of deposit. SOAR is crawled by Google and ensures access over time. Once it’s deposited, you’ll receive a permanent link for your article that you can use on your website, CV, courseware, and for social networking.