April Library Office Notes

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

HR NEWS

EVENTS AND TRAINING


ANNOUNCEMENTS: University Librarian Note
I was pleased to receive the recommendations from the Inclusion in Governance Task Force, and pleased that LCP, LSSC, and EC have embraced the recommendations, including a process for shaping a new governance mechanism. As you’ll see here, I am enthusiastic about this new direction for our library. Read more…
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Library Building Project Update – 4/1/2022
Tom Teper, Associate Dean for Collections and Technical Services

Project Meetings for March 2022

During the month of March, representatives from the University Library, University Administration, and Facilities and Services met with members of our Architecture/Engineering (A/E) Team on March 2nd, 7th, and 31st. These meetings included:  reviews of progress on the design development; meetings to discuss directions on interior design, security needs, division of responsibilities (e.g., which entities are responsible for maintenance costs for various things within the building), and construction management.

Project-Related Meetings Scheduled for April 2022 (as of 3/31/2022)

The following meetings include both scheduled project meetings (with project designation of U20118) as well as additional meetings that involve select representatives of the A/E, F&S, and University Library.

  • 4/6/2022 – U20118 UGL Redevelopment – WJE/Ratio Meeting

Other Activities

As noted, the University Library, F&S, and other campus partners have been working with Wiss, Jenney, Elsesnor (WJE) on the site analysis. We anticipate receiving their preliminary report in early April and sharing the outcomes more broadly in the coming weeks. More information about WJE’s work is located here: https://www.library.illinois.edu/specialcollectionsbuilding/news/.

Personnel within the Library held some preliminary discussions centered on pursuing a grant opportunity that would off-set some project costs. Further information will be forthcoming if this develops. The anticipated submission date is in early Fall 2022.

Efforts to barcode and improve inventory management continued over the last month. The Special Collections Division is continuing work related to their opening exhibit.

Proposed Project Schedule

The kick-off meeting included a review of the proposed project schedule from the point that “conceptualization” began on July 21, 2021 through what is called “substantial completion” of construction work. Those dates in the future become increasingly speculative. At present, the schedule is as follows:

  • Conceptualization
    07/21/2021 work session
    08/12/2021 submission date
    08/26/2021 est. Concept review meeting
  • Schematic Design
    11/09/2021 submission date
    11/23/2021 est. SD review meeting
  • Design Development
    01/22/2022 submission date
    02/04/2022 est. DD review meeting-BOT Preparation
  • Construction Documents 50%
    03/31/2022 submission date
    4/14/2022 est. 50% CD review meeting
  • Construction Documents 95%
    07/04/2022 submission date
    07/18/ 2022 est. 95% CD review meeting
    08/18/2022 100% CD completion
  • Bidding/Award
    08/18/2022 Advertise for Bids
    08/25/2022 Pre-bid /Pre-pricing meeting
    09/30/2022 Bid Opening – To be confirmed
    01/04/2023 Notice Proceed
  • Board of Trustees approval (required on if individual contract is over $2,500,000.)
  • Construction –Start/End *
    01/05/2023 – 05/29/2024

Communications

The Senate Committee on the Library and the University Library will co-host another open town hall-style discussion on April 27th, 2022. Tom Teper will provide an update on the building project’s current status. David Ward and Sara Holder will present on efforts associated with integrating services from the Undergraduate Library into other units throughout the library.

As announced earlier this week, the project video produced by the Advancement and Communications was posted on the Campaign to Transform the University Library website and here: https://go.library.illinois.edu/NextPageVideo.
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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Image of Research Competition

Image of Research is an annual multidisciplinary competition celebrating the diversity and breadth of graduate student research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It is organized by the Scholarly Commons and the Graduate College. The 2022 competition is supported by a gift to the Scholarly Commons from Mrs. Mardell J. O’Brien.  Thirty semifinalists were chosen by an interdisciplinary panel who judged entries on 1) connection between image, text and research, 2) originality, and 3) visual impact.

You can see this year’s semifinalists at the online exhibition now, and in person in Room 220 (Scholarly Commons) in the Main Library.  Please vote for your favorites by April 12 to determine the People’s Choice winner.  On Wednesday, April 13, we will announce awards for First Prize ($500), Second Prize ($300), Third Prize ($200), Honorable Mention ($100), and the People’s Choice Award ($100).
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: “Campaign to Transform the University Library: the Next Page of the Campus Story” Video
The Office of Advancement invites you to view its new video:
https://go.library.illinois.edu/NextPageVideo

This video has been added to the Campaign to Transform the University Library website and will be shared out widely in the coming weeks (including the Library’s social media channels).

A big thank you to everyone involved in making this video possible, including all of the actors and essential behind-the-scenes contributors.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Annual Library Walking Challenge Starts April 4
Do you need an excuse to get moving after a long winter and pandemic? Are you eager for a little friendly competition?

The Library Wellness Committee is pleased to bring you the 2022 Library Walking Challenge!

Starting Monday, April 4th through Sunday, May 1st you can participate in the Annual Library Walking Challenge!

The Library will once again be working together to walk to different places.  This year we will be walking four national scenic trails.  Participants, who have turned in their weekly steps on time for all four weeks, will receive a fabulous prize.

Rules and Procedures:

  1. Register as an individual or select a team of members from the Library. Students that work in your unit are welcome to join. Think of a team name and decide on a Team Captain.  The Captain or the individual will E-MAIL Walk@Library.illinois.edu the team name and the names of all team members by 5pm on April 4th.  If you would like to be assigned a team please note that on your registration.
  2. Wear a tracker every day from April 4th to May 1st, and record your steps on your calendar, through online tools, or calculate your steps using an app for your phone. Here are some walking route planner and app examples.
  3. On Monday morning each week, enter your steps in the online form that will be emailed to you.  Please try to stay with these deadlines so that we can send out results in a timely manner.
  4. Once we receive all of the numbers for the week, we will send out a list of all of the individual and team averages and total steps.  Try to increase your average each week!

If you have a tracking device such as a Fitbit or an app on your phone please use that to track your steps. If you do not have a activity tracker, the Library (courtesy of John Wilkin) will provide participants with a pedometer but supplies are limited.   Participants, who have registered for the walking challenge and need a pedometer should email Walk@library.illinois.edu beginning, Monday, March 28.

AT THE END…

For Teams and Individuals:

At the end of the four weeks, we’ll calculate the total average steps of each team over the course of the 4 weeks. Certificates will be awarded to the top team.  Top individuals not on a winning team will also receive a certificate. Teams and individuals who did not place in the top will be reviewed for the highest change in steps over the 4 weeks. The team and individual that improve the most will also receive certificates.  The team and the individual with the highest average, of course, will have bragging rights for the next year!

Everyone who turns in their steps on time for all four weeks will be eligible for a prize (courtesy of Dean Wilkin) if we meet our Library goal of walking the distance of all four trails.  We will have a time set aside in May to hand out our prize.  If we all start walking we can meet our challenge!

If you have any questions or concerns, please E-MAIL Walk@library.illinois.edu or contact a committee member.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Did You Know? A Monthly Factoid from Library Assessment
As a follow-up from our Return of the WiFi factoid of November 2021, Wi-Fi usage is on the rise from where it was in Spring 2021. Usage statistics like Wi-Fi tend to be lower in spring semesters than fall semesters generally. However, even though there were less Wi-Fi sessions this past Spring, more time in total was spent on the Wi-Fi, transferring more bytes than in Fall semester! All data represents use during Sweeps Weeks (as opposed to the whole semester).

Image and text created by Lindsay Taylor (Library Assessment Graduate Assistant). The data analysis and visualization of Wi-Fi usage would not be possible without assistance provided by Library IT and Chuck Hayes and Uros Marjanovic at Technology Services.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Task Force Meeting Minutes
Minutes from past DEIA Task Force meetings are online on the Task Force web page.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Collection Development Committee Notes
The most recent meetings minutes of the CDC are posted at:
https://www.library.illinois.edu/staff/committee/collection-development-committee/
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Content Access Policy & Technology Meeting Minutes
The meeting minutes of CAPT (including workgroup reports) are posted at:
https://www.library.illinois.edu/staff/committee/content-access-policy-technology-capt/
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Recognizing Excellence

Please share your award, recognition, or grant! To initiate a request for publicity, employees (or their supervisors) should submit this Awards/Recognitions/Grants Publicity Request Form.
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HR NEWS: Filled Positions

  • Andrew Hunt – Library IT Specialist – Library IT – 3/28/2022

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HR NEWS: Departures

  • Hannah Brauer – Library Advancement – 2/27/2022
  • Wendy Mintz – Library Administration – 3/11/2022
  • Spencer Keralis – Scholarly Communication & Publishing – 3/15/2022
  • Karen Hogenboom – Scholarly Commons – 3/31/2022
  • Diane Griswell – Communications Library – 4/8/2022
  • Elonda Towns – Acquisitions & Cataloging Services – 5/31/2022

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HR NEWS: Vacancies

  • Library Specialist – Music and Performing Arts Library – Interviews concluded 3/30/2022
  • SR Audio, Video, and Emerging Technology Specialist (ITTA) – Library IT – Interviewing soon
  • Facility Operations Coordinator – Facilities – Interviewing soon
  • Grants & Contracts Coordinator – BHRSC – Interviewing soon
  • Multi-level Application Integration Developer – Library IT – Email screenings
  • Coordinator, Grainger Engineering IDEA Laboratory (ITTA) – Grainger Engineering Library Information Center – Email screenings
  • Accountant II – BHRSC – Posting soon

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HR NEWS: Searches in Progress

  • Classics Librarian – Literature and Languages Library, FAC – Marek Sroka, Chair
    Kick-off held October 5, 2021. EC approved JD. Job live on the job board. Job closed January 3, 2022. Phone screenings scheduled for Feb 10, Feb 14, and Feb 15. Final interviews are scheduled for March 30, April 5, 6, 7, and 19.
  • Head, Grainger Engineering Librarian – Grainger Engineering Library Information Center, FAC – Chris Wiley, Chair
    Kick-off held November 15, 2021. EC approved PD. Job live on the job board with an extended closing date of February 17, 2022. Phone screenings March 22, 23, and 30.
  • Visiting Archives and Literary Manuscript Specialist – Rarebook & Manuscript Library, AP – Caroline Szylowicz, Chair
    Kick-off held January 27, 2022. Awaiting EC approved PD. PD with IHR for approval.
  • Program Director – Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, AP
    Kick-off held February 22, 2022 Awaiting EC approved PD. PD with IHR for approval.
  • Assistant/Associate Director of Advancement – Library Advancement, AP
    Kick-off schedule for March 28, 2022.
  • Visiting Residency Librarian (Three positions), FAC – Carissa Phillips, Chair
    Kick-off scheduled for March 23, 2022

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HR NEWS: In Memoriam 

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Staff Events Calendar
To see the most up-to-date staff events calendar, please visit https://uiuc.libcal.com/calendar/staff.
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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Hub Training
Link for all sessions: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/84378677162?pwd=ZlM0anY4ZUI4STdBZ1J4K1hxdlI3dz09

Please contact Sara Holder at sholder@illinois.edu if you have any questions.

  • Government Information in Reference
    March 29 at 2 PM and April 1 at 3 PM

Description: The federal, state, local, and international government entities produce a massive amount of information on a wide range of subjects that can be used for research in various academic disciplines as well as non-academic activities. This workshop will give an overview of major government resources particularly needed for library reference work and introduce best strategies for navigating them.
Learning outcomes: Participants will understand which online and print government resources are available and how they can be used to address library reference questions.
Who should attend: New session – strongly encouraged for everyone
Instructor(s): Sanga Sung

  • Versions of the Version of Record: Preprint Servers, Author Manuscripts, and More!
    April 12 at 2 PM and April 15 at 3 PM

Description: Increasingly, almost every journal article that is published (Version of Record) has another version — or multiple — that is freely available. Preprint servers, institutional repositories, ResearchGate, unpaywall, etc. are all important resources for helping users find copies that serve temporarily or completely instead of the publisher version when the library is not a subscriber.
Learning outcomes: Participants will be able to… describe the different journal article versions and their relationships to the version of record; develop a search strategy to locate alternatives to the version or record; articulate the benefits and caveats of using alternative versions.
Who should attend: New session – strongly encouraged for everyone
Instructor(s): Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe

  • Names and dates and places—oh my!: helping patrons with genealogical research questions
    April 19 at 2 PM and April 22 at 3 PM

Description: This session will provide an introduction to public-facing genealogical research resources, including Heritage Quest Online and HPNL’s Genealogy Resources LibGuide, as well as internal staff resources, such as the Reflib How-to entry in the Main/UGL Reference Hub wiki. It would also equip staff with some straightforward steps to help demystify and respond to family history related questions.
Learning outcomes: Participants will be able to: 1. Analyze genealogy related reference questions, as a first step in searching for appropriate resources to consult or refer to. 2. Locate resource(s) in the Library, and/or outside of Library, that may be helpful when responding to genealogical research requests.
Who should attend: New session – strongly encouraged for everyone
Instructor(s): Wendy Gregory
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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Engineering Change in Libraries: A Pathway for Meaningful Action
The aim of Engineering Change in Libraries is to understand the Other and mobilize our libraries to provide more effective and equitable services and programs to underserved communities. Inspired by Dr. Agnes Kaposi, a catalyst for change and 31st Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture, Engineering Change is organized into two components: (1) the lecture (setting the context) and (2) a two-session workshop for library staff and stakeholders to engineer change in libraries in a process of understanding the Other and planning globally to create change locally.

THE LECTURE

An engineer of change, Dr. Agnes Kaposi (Engineer, Educator, Holocaust survivor, Author of “Yellow Star-Red Star”, recipient of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire), and 31st Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecturer), brings nearly a century of perspective as she tells her life story and the role of information as a source of power/control resulting in otherness, exclusion, propaganda, dislocation, as well as transformation in engineering change. A conversation, moderated by Dr. Valerie J. Matsumoto (George and Sakaye Aratani Endowed Chair on the Japanese American Incarceration, Redress, and Community, UCLA), connects Dr. Kaposi’s experiences with those of other marginalized and dislocated groups worldwide, such as Japanese Americans, to identify similarities and differences across time and locations, in order to understand the Other and rethink some of the most pressing issues that libraries face in promoting equitable communities in our information-intensive and networked society. The 31st Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture took place on November 8, 2021. Watch recording at https://mediaspace.illinois.edu/media/t/1_ms3b4hao.

THE WORKSHOP

Engineer change in libraries in an international workshop to learn and plan globally to create change locally. Library staff and stakeholders are invited to attend a two-session workshop to understand the Other by learning from each other’s experiences and challenges, connect as a community of practice, engineer meaningful action, and implement the solution while supporting each other in their journeys to engineer real change in their libraries and communities.

Each interactive workshop, a pathway/process to engineer change in libraries, focuses on a specific area of action. It is presented in two 1.5-hour sessions, with the second session occurring two months following the first one, and virtual open consultation hours midway. The first session begins with a speaker introducing the topic; followed by group discussion of local experiences, brainstorming, and prioritizing an issue to be addressed; then collectively, participants develop an action plan that they will apply at their library. During a two-month period participants implement their action plan locally and have an opportunity to ask questions and obtain input midway through the process. After two months, the participants reconvene in the second session as a community of practice to reflect and improve on their action plan, as needed.

To understand the need to engineer change from one story of the Other/persecuted, participants are encouraged to listen to the recording of the Lecture.

WHO should attend?

  • Library personnel, particularly those with responsibilities for public libraries, community libraries, school or academic libraries
  • Educators, researchers and students in university departments of librarianship and cognate disciplines
  • Library trustees, friends and volunteers
  • Government officials, policy makers, and others responsible for libraries
  • Library stakeholders

HOW LONG are the workshops?

  • 1.5 hours per virtual workshop session
  • Each workshop is made up of 2 sessions, two months apart, with optional virtual open consultation midway

WHEN are the workshops, and WHAT is the focus of action?

  • Inaugural Workshop on Dislocation
    Feb 15, 8:00-9:30 am CT session 1
    March 15, 8:00-9:30 am CT open consultation
    April 19, 8:00-9:30 am CT session 2
    FREE registration <click here> for Inaugural Workshop on Dislocation.
  • Workshop on Propaganda
    March 1, 4:00-5:30 pm CT session 1
    April 5, 4:00-5:30 pm CT open consultation
    May 3, 4:00-5:30 pm CT session 2
    FREE registration <click here> for Workshop on Propaganda.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Accessibility & Teaching Workshop
April 4 at 10AM

Come learn about incorporating accessibility best practices into your instruction! This session will provide both an overview of accessibility best practices and practical ways to approach accessibility in different teaching contexts. Attendees will leave with an understanding of the basics of accessibility and their importance in instruction from JJ Pionke and ways to incorporate accessibility best practices for both in-person and online instruction from Evie Cordell and Alex Deeke. Everyone interested in instruction and accessibility is welcome to this session, including GAs!

If you have any questions about the workshop, please email Evie Cordell or Alex Deeke.

Recommended reading and Zoom information was shared via LibNews email from Alexander Deeke on March 7.
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EVENTS AND TRAINING: CARLI Professional Development Alliance Events

  • The Evolving Library School Curriculum
    April 5 at 1 PM
    In the last few years, library schools have reevaluated their offerings to ensure that a graduate level education aligns with the skills needed for the field. It requires striking a balance between the theories that underpin our profession and what it all looks like in practice. These changes may involve opening up more choices, allowing students to pick specialized tracks. In some cases, it may involve getting rid of some required courses altogether. Panelists from four library schools across the country will share what they have done to adapt their curriculum and what it means for the future of the profession.
    Please register for this event.
  • Learnabout: Google Forms
    April 11 at 4 PM
    Need to create a survey? Registration form? Attendance? Want to create a feedback form? Google forms is an easy-to-use and versatile tool for creating web forms. This webinar will give the basics and some of the more useful features of this tool.
    Register for this event.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: AI Infodemic Reading Group
This semester, we will explore the evolving relationship between library work and technology in a broader culture of surveillance. Participants will engage with ongoing debates from across the field of librarianship on patron privacy, library analytics, and professional legitimization in the face of pressure to collect increasingly more data on library use and users.

Location for all meetings: Main Library 428

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Funk ACES Library Panel Presentation – Food Insecurity
April 13 at 3 PM

We are pleased to announce that Funk ACES Library will host our fourth Solving the World’s Challenges panel on Wednesday, April 13th.

Solving the World’s Challenges: Food Insecurity

Three experts from across campus (Caitlin Kownacki, Illinois Extension; Esther Ngumbi, Entomology and African American Studies; Merin Oleschuk, Human Development & Family Studies) will each discuss their work related to food insecurity and respond to questions from attendees. Their work includes development of the Find Food IL community food map, research on how social inequalities shape the food labor and consumption of vulnerable individuals and families, and efforts to address food insecurity on university campuses and internationally. Dr. Roberta Johnson Killeen, First Lady at the University of Illinois, will serve as guest moderator.

This panel presentation will be an opportunity for people to come together with the Funk ACES Library to learn about and discuss food insecurity initiatives and research lead by members of our campus community.

Panelists

  • Caitlin Kownacki, Extension Specialist of Evaluation, Illinois Extension
  • Esther Ngumbi, Assistant Professor, Entomology and African American Studies
  • Merin Oleschuk, Assistant Professor, Human Development & Family Studies

Guest Moderator

  • Roberta Johnson Killeen, First Lady, University of Illinois

This virtual event is free and open to the public. Live-transcription will be available and the event will be recorded.

For more details, visit our Solving the World’s Challenges Panel Presentation Exhibit or learn about our past panel events.

Register here for the event: https://tinyurl.com/2p97bkbx
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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Hangout
April 26 at 11AM

Please see the email (with a Zoom link) from Lucretia Williams via LIB-NEWS. Complete and submit the Library Hangout Suggestion and Volunteer Form if you have a topic to share.
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If you would like to submit content for the May issue of Library Office Notes, please submit it to Heather Murphy or Tom Teper by April 22, 2022.