Category: Units

Generative AI Features in Major Databases and Platforms

A new LibGuide provides information about generative AI features that are available to users within the Libraries’ major databases and platforms.

Several platform providers have recently added generative AI features to Rutgers University Libraries’ e-resources. To bring this information together, we created a LibGuide: Generative AI Features in Major Databases & Platforms. This new guide provides information about generative AI features that are available to Rutgers University Libraries users within the Libraries’ major databases and platforms.

The guide is written at a general introductory level and may be used by librarians, students, staff, and faculty. Though it cannot exhaustively cover every aspect of each feature, it gives users the basic information they need to get started. Where possible, it includes links to more extensive tool documentation provided by the platforms. As new features are released and updated, the guide will be updated accordingly. In addition, future announcements about new features and updates will link to the guide.

This is a focused guide that introduces generative AI features currently available within our major databases and platforms; it is intended to be manageable in scope and useful to a broad audience. It does not cover AI features that are unavailable to Rutgers University Libraries users or AI tools that are located outside of the Libraries’ major e-resources. In this changing environment, the guide will be reviewed periodically to ensure the information is accurate and to confirm that this is still the best way of sharing this information.

Rutgers University Libraries faculty and staff are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this guide, consider incorporating these new AI features into their instruction and research, and share it with a broader audience.

August 8, 2025
Facilities Updates Across the Libraries

The second floor of LSM features new Stylex showroom furniture that was donated by the manufacturer.

Multiple libraries are undergoing or have recently completed improvements and repurposing of existing space.

Front door swipe card access is now complete at all eight Rutgers–New Brunswick locations (seven libraries plus the Annex), with the most recent installations (completed in FY25) having occurred at Art, Chang, Carr, Douglass, and Math/Physics Libraries, and at the Library of Science and Medicine. Swipe card access also was installed at the entrances to two spaces in Alexander Library: the Pane Room and the Alexander Hughes Room.

New ADA-compliant door operators have been installed at LSM and at Chang Library.

LSM’s previously unused E Classroom was redesigned as Open Quiet Study space for patrons, providing new study space for at least 20 students. This refresh includes 10 repurposed mobile tables acquired from another Rutgers department at no cost.

The second floor of LSM features new Stylex showroom furniture.This high-end collaborative furniture seating for 16 was donated to the library by the manufacturer.

Robeson Library added a second Zen Den—a mindfulness space for students to destress. Robeson also has removed damaged furniture and repositioned existing furniture on the main floor of the library.

Smith Library’s computer lab has updated technology and has added numerous docking stations in the public areas.

For most of August, the first floor of Alexander Library is undergoing a refresh including new paint, corner rails, carpet, and cove base, as well as wood refinishing, for the circulation desk and surrounding areas. The bathrooms in this section of the building are also being repainted. (The Pane Room and portions of the library’s basement floor received a similar refresh during the last fiscal year.) The Pane Room and Hughes Room will not be available or bookable for the first three weeks of August, and for much of this project, the circulation desk will be moved temporarily to the welcome desk in the lobby.

August 8, 2025
Letter to the Libraries

I am pleased to announce the re-launch of The Agenda, a newsletter first issued in February 1979 to improve internal communication within Rutgers University Libraries. At that time, The Agenda was a weekly printed newsletter, and it has since taken on many revised formats.

Today, of course, we have many more technologies and platforms to keep us connected across campuses – but I firmly believe in the importance of continuing to produce a publication through which we can stay informed as a community and celebrate our successes. From this point forward, The Agenda will publish as an online newsletter once every two months.

This has been and will continue to be a period of great change for Rutgers University Libraries. I mean “great” in multiple senses of the word: huge, remarkable, and excellent.

First, it goes without saying that in our lives and work, we have faced huge changes for many years – whether we are talking about a global pandemic, political and social unrest, rapid technological advancements, or many levels of transitions in leadership – from the Libraries to Rutgers to world leaders. In the past year alone, we have faced a rapid succession of federal orders impacting Rutgers, and Jonathan Holloway, a well-respected and historic president, left the university at the end of June. At Rutgers University Libraries more specifically, we have undergone remarkable changes in moving toward our One Libraries model and a reorganization.

We need to give ourselves space to acknowledge how unsettling all this change can be. This is why, through Engagement Day and a virtual professional development leading up to it, we chose to focus on post-crisis leadership and wellness.

“Great” change also can mean “excellent” change. Our reorganization and One Libraries focus will help us work smarter and serve our communities better. We also can look forward to the opportunities presented by new leadership as President William F. Tate IV ushers Rutgers into its next chapter, and as Tonya Smith-Jackson takes over as chancellor of Rutgers University–Newark, effective August 1. Multiple new leaders, faculty, and staff members have recently joined us or taken on new roles at Rutgers University Libraries. I encourage you to read about them on the Faculty and Staff News page.

I hope you enjoy this new issue and iteration of The Agenda. Your thoughts on future content for this publication are always welcome! Please send your ideas to Lara De Meo Hoyt at lara.hoyt@rutgers.edu.

August 8, 2025
Strong Showing at ALA Conference

Megan Lotts installed a “Lil’ Zine Vending Machine” in the ALA Connect Lounge.

Rutgers University Libraries were well represented at the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, held in Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Convention Center from June 26 to June 30. In a preview article, American Libraries Magazine characterized the theme of the conference as follows:

“As the Association – and the nation – approach monumental anniversaries, library workers will reaffirm and celebrate what it means to run institutions foundational to democracy, equity, and civic discourse. Many sessions in this year’s program reflect the issues currently weighing on the profession, such as intellectual freedom, access, advocacy, and funding.”

Here are the Rutgers University Libraries faculty who presented at ALA:

Katie Anderson, reference and instruction librarian based at Robeson Library, was part of a panel discussion on AI Ethics and the Library. The session was highlighted in articles covering the conference by Publishers Weekly and by the Library Journal.

Maria Deptula, health sciences collections librarian, and Mina Ghajar, education and research librarian, both based at Smith Library, presented their poster, Open Access & Transformative Agreements – Awareness, Perception, Experience.

Ann Marie Latini, head of access services at Robeson Library, and Zara Wilkinson, reference and instruction librarian based at Robeson Library, presented their poster, Night at the Museum: Curating a Museum Pass Program at an Academic Library.

Megan Lotts, art librarian based at the Art Library, installed a “Lil’ Zine Vending Machine” in the ALA Connect Lounge. Publishers Weekly wrote about the zine vending machine and quoted Lotts in its event coverage. Lotts is the author of The Playful Library: Building Environments for Learning and Creativity (ALA Editions, September 2024).

Julia Maxwell, who was a social sciences librarian based at Alexander Library until June 30, co-presented a poster, Public Libraries & Older Adults: An Evidence-Based Annotated Bibliography for Social Workers & Librarians. Her co-presenter was Marybeth Baisden, a graduate assistant in the School of Social Work.

Sungmin Park, resource description librarian based at TSB, co-presented a poster, Uncovering Systemic Bias in Library of Congress Subject Headings: A Comprehensive Study on Gendered Headings. Her co-presenter was Yuji Tosaka, assistant director in the library at The College of New Jersey.

Li Sun, continuing resources and Asian languages catalog librarian based at TSB, presented her poster, Automating the Management of Cataloging Records with AI.

Sonia Yaco, digital initiatives librarian based at Alexander Library, was part of a panel presentation, Old Pages, New Tricks: AI-Powered Discovery and Instruction in Special Collections.

August 8, 2025
‘One Libraries’ Engagement Day Focused on Well-Being

Engagement Day was held on May 30 at Livingston Student Center.

On Friday, May 30, more than 100 Rutgers University Libraries faculty and staff gathered for the Libraries’ first organization-wide Engagement Day. The full-day, in-person event was held at Rutgers University–New Brunswick’s Livingston Student Center. All library locations were closed for the day.

Professional Development Focused on Well-being

Engagement Day featured two professional development sessions focused on emotional and psychological well-being. The first was held virtually, earlier in the week. On May 27, Ralph Gigliotti, assistant vice president for organizational leadership in University Academic Affairs, led a virtual talk framed by his book, Post-Crisis Leadership: Resilience, Renewal, and Reinvention in the Aftermath of Disruption.

Then, the morning of May 30 featured an interactive two-hour wellness session provided by ScarletWell, a holistic wellness initiative dedicated to bolstering the health and wellness of Rutgers–New Brunswick students, faculty, and staff. The session introduced participants to the Pause, Breathe, Move, and Nourish framework—an accessible approach to integrating self-care into daily life. Components of the session included guided meditation, reflective activities, group discussion, and movement. The presenters were Dr. Amy B. Spagnolo, senior program coordinator for ScarletWell and former associate professor in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling at Rutgers School of Health Professions; psychologist and mindfulness expert Patrick Connelly; and Peggy Swarbrick, director of ScarletWell and a professor in the Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology’s Applied Psychology Department and director of ScarletWell.

Afternoon of Team Building

The afternoon of Engagement Day featured a variety of team building options. Hourly Tai Chi lessons on Livingston Lawn were offered by John Gaddy of John Gaddy’s Karate and Boxing Studio in High Bridge. Inside, the Rutgers University Libraries Major Events Committee provided both organized and self-paced activities, including Bingo, balloon race games, trivia, raffles, giant Jenga, Tetris Tumble, board games, and coloring.

Game prizes were generously donated by the Rutgers University Libraries unit heads: Consuella Askew, Abbey DiPaolo, Regina Koury, Caroline Muglia, Tony Nguyen, and Amanda Clay Powers.

Raffle prizes were a variety of Rutgers swag items provided by units from throughout the university.

August 8, 2025
Rutgers Joins the BTAA Geoportal

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.

February 28, 2023
Rutgers University Libraries Celebrate Black History Month
The Libraries commemorated Black History Month with webinars, exhibits, and social media posts. Below are some highlights:
- African American History Resources: Julie Still discussed the Libraries’ rich and varied collections in African American history, including print, online indexes and collections, and archival sources.
- Who Was Paul Robeson?: John Powell examined the life of the Rutgers alum and activist for whom Paul Robeson Library is named.
- Underground Railroad Sites of Greater Philadelphia: Bart Everts explored some of the region’s Underground Railroad sites.
- Black History Month Display: Robeson Library featured a display of e-book titles (see below) by and about African Americans from the Libraries’ ProQuest Ebook Central database. Each book cover contained a QR code that viewers could scan to access the title.
- PHL17’s In Focus: John Maxymux discussed Black quarterbacks in the National Football League (NFL) and Super Bowl LVII, which featured two Black starting quarterbacks for the first time in NFL history.
- “History in the Huddle“: Rutgers–Camden interviewed John Maxymuk for their article about the first-ever Super Bowl matchup between two Black starting quarterbacks.
Black History E-book Display at Robeson

Photos courtesy of Rutgers–Camden’s Center for Urban Research and Education (CURE).
February 28, 2023
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.

February 28, 2023
Libraries Host Finals Week Stressbusters

Rutgers University Libraries hosted numerous stressbuster events to help students destress during finals week. Students enjoyed copious free snacks and activities during their study breaks.

Finals week stressbusters promotional graphic.

Bags with delicious treats were given away at Alexander Library throughout finals week.

Free snack packs sign.

Library Mobile swag on the Alexander Library lobby table during finals week.

Dana Library participated in Rutgers–Newark’s annual Destress Fest at the Paul Robeson Campus Center.

Students engage with Dana Library staff during RU–N’s Destress Fest.

Dana Library staff offered button-making activities at RU–N’s Destress Fest.

Dana Library staff make buttons at RU–N’s Destress Fest.

A panoramic view of RU–N’s Destress Fest in the Paul Robeson Campus Center.

Students gather in the Dana Libary Café for stressbuster activities.

Students enjoy stressbuster activities in the Dana Libary Café.

Sign for the DIY Sculpture and Stained Glass Party at Dana Library.

Library Mobile swag table at Dana Library.

Health Sciences Libraries’ “Cookies, Cocoa, and Coffee” stressbuster promotional graphic.

Health Sciences Libraries staff await students at the “Cookies, Cocoa, and Coffee” stressbuster at Smith Library.

Health Sciences students enjoy the “Cookies, Cocoa, and Coffee” stressbuster at Smith Library.

The “Cookies, Cocoa, and Coffee” stressbuster setup.

Robeson Library stressbuster ad.

Robeson Library’s “Pajamapalooza” stressbuster.

Robeson Library staff at their table for the “Pajamapalooza” stressbuster.

Robeson Library staff with the prize wheel at the “Pajamapalooza” stressbuster.

Gizmo dresses up as a reindeer during Robeson Library’s “Woof Wednesday” event.

Marly helps students destress during Robeson Library’s “Woof Wednesday” event.

December 23, 2022
RWJ Library’s Holiday Book Tree and Book Billboard

Health Sciences Libraries staff and students rang in the holidays with a festive book tree and book billboard in RWJ Library.

December 22, 2022