ANNOUNCEMENTS
- University Librarian Note
- Library Building Project Update
- Illinois Value Proposition Conversation Cafés
- Cheers for Peers
- Did You Know? A Monthly Factoid from Library Assessment
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Update
- Collection Development Committee Notes
- Content Access Policy & Technology Meeting Minutes
- Recognizing Excellence
FACILITIES NEWS
BUSINESS NEWS
HR NEWS
EVENTS AND TRAINING
- Staff Events Calendar
- Library Committee of Academic and Civil Service Professionals (LPC) Spring Forum (February 13)
- The Education of Things: How British Children’s Books and Toys Taught Science and Manufacturing, 1762–1860 (February 20)
- Book Club and Craft Night (February 20, 28)
- Fair Use Week Gameshow (February 27)
ANNOUNCEMENTS: University Librarian Note
We are in the thick of our annual budget report process, which also means that I and other members of the senior administrative team have been spending a lot of time talking with you about your annual reports, statistics, needs, and future aspirations. Budget reports are always slightly odd creatures, where we both talk about our tremendous achievements, but also note where we might be at risk of failing to meet the university’s expectations. We certainly have many achievements to be proud of, and let’s be hopeful that there is a sense of shared responsibility around the ways the university helps us meet our academic mission. Of course, budget season is local, too, so many thanks to all of you who are working on your GA and hourly wage requests. Speaking as someone who started their career running the reserve room, and hiring, training, and scheduling a lot of student employees, I know what a big job that is. Read more…
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Library Building Project Update – 02/01/2024
Tom Teper, Associate University Librarian for Collections and Technical Services | Project Manager, Library Building Project
General Update
It has been a while since LON included a general update about the status of the creation of the Archives and Special Collections Building. In late summer, the final revisions were completed on our 100% drawings, and the university posted the final documents for competitive bid. Unfortunately, the bids received exceeded the funds available for construction. Due to a combination of factors including material and labor escalation, many projects on campus faced the same problem. For our project, this triggered a process called Value Engineering, in which the architects/engineers, F&S personnel, and library personnel review the plans and identified items that can be changed or omitted to save funding without negatively impacting project objectives. Over the last six months, the project team diligently worked to identify and verify the feasibility of changes. Our architect/engineer submitted 95% drawings on January 31, 2024. Over the next month, the documents will be reviewed and revised to develop a set of 100% drawings that will be used for a new competitive bid process currently planned for mid-March 2024. Assuming success, the final project authorization will be submitted to the Board of Trustees in July 2024, with construction starting during Fall 2024.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Illinois Value Proposition Conversation Cafés
What do you care about most as an employee? Illinois Human Resources (IHR) is offering Illinois Value Proposition Conversation Cafés which run from now until February 24, 2024. This opportunity is open to all employees on the Urbana-Champaign campus. Participation is optional. Visit here or scan the QR code above.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Cheers for Peers
To view the full Cheers for Peers submissions please view the Growing People blog.
Library Human Resources is happy to announce this month’s Cheers for Peers submissions. The following Library employees have been cheered by their peers:
- Christina Bonse
- Jake Culbertson
- Hanna Lafond-Hyman
- Xavier Sanchez
- Yao-Ming Tuan
- Leon Wilson
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Did You Know? A Monthly Factoid from Library Assessment
One of the noted strengths in the FY2023’s Unit Annual Reports was increased evidence of DEIA initiatives in the Library. In fact, we found a total of 103 reported activities and projects with the aim of cultivating an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within the Library and for the communities we serve. That is a 47% increase from the 70 activities we found for FY2021 in our February 2022 factoid.
Since then the Library established five “pillars” as lenses through which to focus its DEIA efforts: Research & Scholarship, Outreach & Engagement, Recruitment & Retention, Development & Training, and Collections. The treemap above represents the 103 DEIA activities categorized by the pillars, which a color corresponding to each one and smaller sections for the general types of activities found within the category.
The activity count only includes those recorded in the Unit Annual Reports and does not comprehensively represent the Library’s DEIA efforts, and many activities supported more than one pillar but were assigned to the one they contributed to most for the chart.
Research and Scholarship was the most strongly represented with 35% of recorded activities primarily supporting inclusive access to and contributions to the Library’s scholarly resources.
Collection development remains a key area of DEIA activity, represented by 28% of activities. Units drew on DEIA Gap Fill funding and other sources to acquire new material for DEIA related areas of study and worked to improve discoverability of works by underrepresented groups in existing collections.
The graduate assistants among the Library’s units contributed significantly to DEIA initiatives, with 18% of recorded activities being credited to their efforts. They showed a creative streak as making research guides, digital content, and presentations were their most common activities.
Graphic created and text written by Gabriel Foster, Library Assessment Graduate Assistant. Thanks to Victor Jones, Jr. for feedback and insight into the Library’s DEIA activities and philosophy
For more information about the Library Service Satisfaction Surveys, please contact Library Assessment (assessment@library.illinois.edu).
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Update
Victor Jones, Jr., Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Additional dates for the DEIA Education Workshop Series this spring are forthcoming.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Collection Development Committee Notes
The most recent meeting minutes of the CDC are posted at:
https://www.library.illinois.edu/staff/committee/collection-development-committee/
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/
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.
FACILITIES NEWS: Facilities Update
Tim Newman, Assistant Dean of Libraries for Facilities
For a complete list of projects in planning and construction, please
see wordpress.library.illinois.edu/staff/facilities.
BUSINESS NEWS: Tips for Traveling on a T-Card
Kim Johnson, Associate Director Fisc Operations – Lr Associate
Tips for traveling on a T-Card (either yours or arranged travel by the Business Office or Unit T-card holder)
- Domestic Travel Insurance is not an expense that the University will pay or reimburse
- Upon arriving at a hotel that was paid by a University T-Card, please put your personal credit card on file for incidental expenses such as room service.
- Seat upgrades or seat assignment fees cannot be paid or reimbursed
- While using rideshare, such as Uber and Lyft, ensure you are using the basic service, as the University will not pay for upgraded services. If at the time of booking the basic service is not available, take screenshots as documentation to what was available at the needed times to submit with your receipts.
- Using Union Station St. Louis Hotel by Hilton in St. Louis. We have had multiple issues with this hotel, both with using university credit cards and reimbursement. Please contact the Business Office for alternative lodgings.
Any of these expenses on a T-Card will result in personal reimbursement to the University via a check.
- Mandissa (Mandi) Arlain – Visiting Social Sciences Librarian – Social Sciences, Health, & Education Library – 1/2/2024
- Katherine Ashcraft – Visiting Central Asia Reference Specialist – International and Area Studies Library – 1/2/2024
- Diana Eynon – World Languages Cataloging Coordinator – Acquisitions & Cataloging Services – 1/2/2024
- Tesfaye Wolde-Medhin – Library Specialist – Acquisitions & Cataloging Services – 2/29/2024
HR NEWS: Civil Service Vacancies
- Library Specialist (Midnight – 8 AM) – Grainger Engineering Library Information Center – Interviews soon
- Senior Library Specialist – Ricker Library of Architecture & Art – Interviews soon
- Marketing Specialist – Communications – closes 1/22/2024
- Associate Infrastructure Specialist/Infrastructure Specialist – Library IT – Posting soon
EVENTS AND TRAINING: Staff Events Calendar
To see the most up-to-date staff events calendar, please visit uiuc.libcal.com/calendar/staff.
EVENTS AND TRAINING: Library Committee of Academic and Civil Service Professionals (LCP) Spring Forum
Tuesday, February 13 at 1:00 pm
The Library Committee of Academic and Civil Service Professionals (LCP) is holding a Spring Forum! Come hear updates from LCP and the Council of Academic Professionals (campus level committee), in addition to what your colleagues are doing across the Library.
Please register whether you’re planning to attend remotely or in person so we can plan what snacks to have available.
See you there! Registration: https://uiuc.libcal.com/event/11699772
EVENTS AND TRAINING: The Education of Things: How British Children’s Books and Toys Taught Science and Manufacturing, 1762–1860
February 20 from 3-5 pm
Join the RBML for a presentation by Professor Elizabeth Massa Hoiem (iSchool, University of Illinois). By the close of the eighteenth century, learning to read and write became closely associated with learning about the material world, and a vast array of games and books from the era taught children how to comprehend the physical world of “things.” Hoiem reveals the class politics behind the playful literature, toys, and learning aids created to teach reading alongside science, technology, and economics. She argues that with the rise of manufacturing, skills such as tinkering, observation, and experimentation became essential new literacies for an industrial economy. As work was repositioned as play, wealthy children were encouraged to do tasks in the classroom that poor children performed for wages, while working-class children honed skills that would be crucial to their social advancement as adults. This talk includes many images, followed by examples from the RBML displayed in the reading room. This public event is free and open to all, and refreshments will be served.
EVENTS AND TRAINING: Book Club and Craft Night
Laura Poulosky, Residence Hall Librarian
February 20 and 28
Our spring semester hours will be Monday through Friday (12-7 pm). We’re planning some fun outreach events for the month of February:
- Book Club – From Here by Luma Mufleh | Tues., Feb. 20th
Co-sponsored with the Honors LLC, get a free copy of the book when you sign up to attend, while supplies last! Contact Laura Poulosky at l-poulo@illinois-edu to sign up.
ISR Room 93 – 6:30-7:30 pm
- Craft Night and Paint & Sip | Wed., Feb. 28th
Join us for a fun, relaxing craft & snacks—free and open to all U of I students!
ISR 94AB – 5:00-7:00 pm
For any questions, please contact Laura Poulosky at l-poulo@illinois.edu.
EVENTS AND TRAINING: Fair Use Week Gameshow
February 27 at 6:00 pm
Join us for an interactive Fair Use Gameshow to celebrate Fair Use Week. Your host, Sara Benson will be joined by an all-star panel including Kyle Courtney (Harvard), Sandra Enimil (Yale), and Pia Hunter (UIUC Law).
Register for free at https://go.illinois.edu/fairuseweek
If you would like to submit content for the March issue of Library Office Notes, please submit it to Heather Murphy or Tom Teper by Friday, February 16, 2024.