February Library Office Notes

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HR NEWS

FACILITIES

EVENTS AND TRAINING



ANNOUNCEMENTS: University Librarian Note

Strategic Planning
I’d like to take this opportunity to write a bit about our strategic planning process, in part because of the unusual approach we’re taking, which is designed to maximize inclusion and idea exploration. Few of us have enthusiasm for planning of any sort, and particularly strategic planning. We’d prefer to be “doing” rather than “planning.” I hope that, through this process, we’ll all feel different about our planning and begin to see that our “planning” is a kind of “doing.” Read more…
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Strategic Planning Update
Lisa Hinchliffe, Coordinator for Strategic Planning

We’re off and running! More than 200 Library employees gathered on Friday, January 9, in the Ballroom of the Alice Campbell Alumni Center for the Library Retreat, which served as the kick-off event for the Library’s strategic planning initiative. A full summary is posted on the Strategic Planning Blog (http://publish.illinois.edu/librarystrategicplanning/2015/01/12/library-retreat-jan9/), including the PowerPoint presentation and a summary of the Dean’s remarks as well as all the discussion prompts. If you were at the retreat, you might have wondered about the ten prompts that you didn’t discuss that day! We are busy compiling and analyzing the input from all of the activities and hope to have the results posted before mid-February at the latest. I’ve also had a chance to review a summary of the results from the retreat feedback survey. An overwhelming majority indicated that the retreat was a good use of time and that they learned something, felt listened to, and look forward to participating in future strategic planning activities. I’m grateful as well for the suggestions for how we might continue to improve the quality of the retreat and the ideas for our spring strategic planning events. Watch LIBNEWS-L for details of upcoming opportunities!
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: University of Illinois Library included in Top 10 Original Catalogers for FY14
In the OCLC Annual Report for FY14, which can be seen at http://www.oclc.org/en-US/annual-report/2014/worldcat.html, the University of Illinois ranked in the top ten for libraries contributing original cataloging records for the year. The Library added 13,642 records during this period. A large number of the records contributed included original cataloging of e-books, foreign language materials, locally digitized items, historical titles from the Library’s College Catalog collections (C. Collection), and titles cataloged by Rare Book & Manuscript Library (RBML) and Content Management Services (CMS) from the Cavagna Collection. Congratulations to the Library’s catalogers for consistently being in the top rankings for originally cataloged materials. For a list of the 13,642 titles (14,909 volumes) originally cataloged and added to OCLC WorldCat for FY14, see the spreadsheet at: https://uofi.box.com/s/xs4v7juk648n2sfmdi2or02ovfhdyq3d
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: ClimateQUAL Survey
This spring the University Library will participate in the ClimateQUAL survey which is administered by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). ClimateQUAL®: Organizational Climate and Diversity Assessment is an assessment of library staff perceptions concerning (a) their library’s commitment to the principles of diversity, (b) organizational policies and procedures, and (c) staff attitudes. It is an online survey with questions designed to understand the impact perceptions have on service quality in a library setting. During January and February, members of the ClimateQUAL Working Group (Cindy Ingold, chair; Jim Cotter, Qiang Jin, Cindy Kelly, Sue Searing, and Jen Yu) are meeting with all library divisions and other units to answer questions about the survey. Information about the ClimateQUAL survey can be found at http://www.library.illinois.edu/assessment/climatequal. We strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to participate in the survey. Please email Cindy Ingold (cingold@illinois.edu) or Cindy Kelly (mokelly@illinois.edu) if you have questions.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: HPNL receives Donations of Historic Newspapers
HPNL has received donations of historic newspapers from the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis, Kansas Historical Society in Topeka, and Brethren Historical Library and Archives in Elgin, Illinois. The collections include miscellaneous World War II era American newspapers (https://i-share.carli.illinois.edu/uiu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&v1=1&BBRecID=7617520) and many rare titles such as the 1877-1916 issues of The Truth Seeker (the world’s oldest freethought publication founded in Paris, Illinois and later relocated to New York City), the 1845-47 issues of The New York Evangelist, and a complete run of United Front News 1970-72 (a unique African-American civil rights newspaper from Cairo, Illinois, held by only six other institutions in North America).
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Illinois Campus Media Census Final Report Released
The Library’s Media Preservation Unit has recently completely and released the final report for its Campus Media Census project. In collaboration with the Center for Multimedia Excellence (CME) the two-phased Media Census attempted to determine the extent of audiovisual holdings across the campus. The study identified 408,492 physical audiovisual assets in 101 campus units, the majority of which represent obsolete or obsolescent “legacy” formats being stored in conditions detrimental to their long-term usability. As a result, this report recommends prioritizing campus-wide planning for a sustainable infrastructure for the efficient, cost-effective preservation of valued media content. The final report, along with related data sets, can be found here:
https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/handle/2142/50106 
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Everyone is a Fundraiser
Scott Koeneman, Assistant Dean of Libraries for Advancement

As I continue to meet and get to know the faculty and staff of the Library, I am regularly told something along the lines of, “I could never do fundraising.”

The reality is, you are all fundraisers, from the staff in the advancement office to the graduate student answering “Ask a librarian” questions on-line. Every one of us has an impact on the faculty, students and members of the public who connect with us. And those impacts directly correlate with giving. Let me give you an example.

I recently met with a retired couple, let’s call them Mr. and Mrs. Jones, who met here as graduate students. They have been regular annual fund donors to the Library and have put the Library in their will. As I do with all donors I meet, I asked them why they invest in the Library. Mrs. Jones told me of one specific incident. She had finished her masters at Harvard and was working on her Ph.D. here. Harvard, she said, was known for their great library, but every time she went to it for help, she would be given minimal advice and pointed in the general direction of what she might be looking for. On her first trip to our library, she came looking for a specific volume, a dissertation. She guessed there might be 12 printed copies in the world. The librarian listened as she explained what she was looking for and asked her about her research.

As Mrs. Jones explained it, “She told me to have a seat and she would see what she could do. I honestly wasn’t expecting much. A few minutes later, out she walks and hands me the very thing I was looking for and a list of other materials I might want to consider. I couldn’t believe it.”

That one incident, that one contact, has stayed with her for more than 60 years. In doing the work you all do every day, you are fundraisers. Thank you.
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HR NEWS: Faculty and AP Searches
Below is a summary of current academic searches as of January 27, 2015 (click on graphic below to enlarge). A more comprehensive listing is sent via LibNews each month.

search_status_february

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HR NEWS: Civil Service Staff Openings

  • Acquisitions – Library Specialist with Chinese Language Requirement – closed
  • Acquisitions – Library Specialist with German/French Language Requirement – continuing interviews
  • CAS – Library Specialist – evenings, waiting on master referral
  • CAS – Library Specialist vacancy closed without hire
  • CMS 50% – Library Specialist – continuing interviews
  • MPAL 50% – Library Assistant – waiting on master referral
  • SSHEL – Library Specialist – evenings, beginning interviews

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HR NEWS: New Employees 

Faculty

  • Melanie Emerson, hired as the Head, Ricker Art and Architecture Library and Art Librarian, will start in her new position on March 1, 2015.

Academic Professional

  • Rebecca Bryant, hired as Visiting Manager for Researcher Information Systems, for the Scholarly Commons, started in her position on December 1, 2014.
  • Crystal Sheu, hired as the E-Learning Specialist (formerly Information Literacy e-Learning Specialist) for the Office of Services, started in her position on December 16, 2014.
  • William Weathers, Web Developer and User Interface Specialist, Library IT, started in his position on January 1, 2015.
  • Krista Gray, Visiting Archival Operations and Reference Specialist for the Illinois Historical and Lincoln Collection, will begin in her new position on February 16, 2015.

Civil Service

  • David Griffiths, Library Specialist, Content Access Management, December 16, 2014

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HR NEWS: Appointment Changes 

  • Due to the resignation of Sarah Shreeves, Karen Hogenboom has assumed the role of Co-coordinator for the Scholarly Commons, effective January 5, 2015.
  • Tom Habing was appointed Interim Director of Library Information Technology. His two year appointment begins January 16, 2015.

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HR NEWS: Separations

  • Sarah L. Shreeves, Coordinator IDEALS, Co-coordinator, Scholarly Commons and Associate Professor, resigned effective January 5, 2015.

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HR NEWS: Weather 
We are now in the throes of winter and as the weather changes, employees are reminded that Weather-Related Information and FAQs are located on the Staff Human Resources website, shr.illinois.edu.
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HR NEWS: University Library Awards and Recognitions
The Committee for the University Library Awards and Recognitions is will be announcing nomination guidelines and deadline for the 2014-2015 Outstanding Undergraduate Student Employee. Watch LibNews for the announcement!!
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FACILITIES: Project Information
Please visit the Office of Library Facilities webpage for project information (under Facilities–>Project Information). http://www.library.illinois.edu/administration/facilities/
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EVENTS AND TRAINING: A Distinguished Past: Celebrating African American History in Early Champaign County

DistinguishedPast
“A Distinguished Past: Celebrating African American History in Early Champaign County” will be held Wednesday February 11th at 6:00 pm at the Douglass Branch Library, 504 E. Grove Street in Champaign. The event will feature speakers, exhibits, and refreshments. Join the Student Life and Culture Archives at the University of Illinois and the Champaign County Historical Archives for an exploration of early African American history through stories of the first black female students at the University of Illinois, pioneers in Homer, and early black soldiers in the county. Speakers include:

Tamara Hoff, University of Illinois Doctoral Candidate in Education
Ray Cunningham, Mayor of Homer, Illinois
Barbara Oehlschlaeger-Garvey, Director of the Museum of the Grand Prairie

For more information, call 217-333-7841 or visit archives.library.illinois.edu/slc.
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EVENTS AND TRAINING: A Nation in Tears: 150 Years After Lincoln’s Death

Lincoln
150 years has passed since the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. To mark this milestone, the Rare Book & Manuscript Library will host an exhibition curated by John Hoffmann, head of the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections at the University Library. The exhibition, A Nation in Tears: 150 Years After Lincoln’s Death, will open on Lincoln’s birthday and close on the anniversary of the day of the President’s burial in Springfield, Illinois.
The exhibition will be previewed at the February 11, 3 p.m. meeting of the No. 44 Society, with remarks by John Hoffmann. All are invited.
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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Crochet Corner
New activity in the Library, open to the public!

Would you like to learn how to crochet?
Do you have question or a problem with a crochet project you are working on?
Or maybe you would like to take a break and work on a project while chatting with others?

Then we have the event for you! Gil Witte will be hosting Crochet Corner twice a month (one weekday and one Saturday) in 106 Main Library. Anyone is welcome to stop by.

Dates are:
Wednesday, 11:30-1:30, February 18
Saturday, 1-4pm, February 21
Wednesday, 11:30-1:30, March 18
Wednesday, 11:30-1:30, April 15
Saturday, 1-4pm, April 18
Wednesday, 11:30-1:30, May 13

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Chair Yoga Breaks Continue in February
Feeling sleepy, stressed, sad, or sickly? Any or all of the above? Take some time for yourself to breathe deep, relax, and rejuvenate. During these 30-minute chair yoga breaks, we will focus on pranayama (yogic breathing) techniques that directly affect the parasympathetic nervous system, triggering the healing “relaxation response.” Yoga literally means “union,” so we will use this breath in connection with gentle movements and stretches to unify body and mind and to cultivate a state of calm, focused awareness. No yoga experience necessary, just bring you, an open mind, and perhaps a friend!

Christine Janak is a certified RYT-200 yoga instructor.

Tuesdays and Thursday, 11:00-11:30
Room 106 Main Library across from the Business Office

Register on the Staff Calendar:
http://www.library.illinois.edu/calendar/staff/
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Would you like to see a Questions section in LON? If you have a library-related question and would like to see it answered in an upcoming issue, please send it to hmurphy@illinois.edu. Perhaps the answer will benefit the entire LON readership!

If you would like to submit content for the March issue of Library Office Notes, please submit it to John Wilkin, Sue Searing, Beth Sandore, or Tom Teper by Wednesday, February 18, 2015.