The Agenda - Faculty and Staff Newsletter

Category: Smith Library

  • Promoting Well-Being Through Crocheting and Knitting

    Collage of images depicting people working with yarn and a close-up of a pumpkin craft
    Joyful Collégialité through Crocheting and Knitting, a monthly initiative at Smith Library, is funded by the Rutgers Health Joy at Work Mini-Grant Program.

    George F. Smith Library of the Health Sciences has successfully hosted four open crochet/knit gatherings in collaboration with the NJMS Crochet and Knitting Club, with a strong turnout of 36 participants, including New Jersey Medical School students, faculty, and staff. This monthly initiative, Joyful Collégialité through Crocheting and Knitting, is funded by the Rutgers Health Joy at Work Mini-Grant Program, which aims to promote a culture of well-being in the workplace, fostering belonging, human connection, and collegial support.

    Participation in the events has surpassed expectations, and the waiting list continues to grow. While the project is scheduled to conclude in March 2026, the Smith Library team remains committed to continuing the program well beyond the grant period.

    The workshops offer group and one-on-one skill-building opportunities for beginners and experienced crafters, creating an enthusiastic and engaging environment. Instructors Chun Yen Chen and Purvi Shakelly, both NJMS students, and Ermira Mitre, a library technician in Access Services at Smith Library, prepare pattern handouts and offer hands-on guidance. In addition, library technology, including OkidCam and SmartBoard, enhances live demonstrations of crocheting techniques through large-screen displays of stitching and pattern techniques, ensuring clear visual learning for all participants.

    The creative projects these workshops undertake are both joyful and skill building, ranging from seasonal items (e.g., pumpkins and holiday-themed coasters) to detailed, three-dimensional anatomical pieces (e.g., hearts and blood cells). The instructors also have incorporated a brief Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping practice to begin each session, sending calming signals to the nervous system and promoting a relaxing atmosphere for crocheting sessions.

    Survey responses highlight the program’s positive impact: reduced stress levels, increased joy through creative expression, and strengthened interpersonal connections. Participants consistently describe the workshops as restorative, uplifting, and community-building.

    Overall, this initiative has contributed to a more supportive campus environment and reflects the library’s ongoing commitment to promoting well-being, creativity, and collegial engagement across the Rutgers Health community.

  • 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.

  • 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.