University Library Newsletter Issue 12 September 2011

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From University Librarian Ginny Steel

As summer fog lifts, the sky is blue, and the sun shines brightly, we know fall is arriving.  This is the time every year when we welcome back faculty and students to the campus.  This year is more special than usual now that we have reoccupied all of the McHenry Library building and can seat 1,437 users.  

We are almost moved in, with Special Collections and Archives the last to fully occupy its new area.  That department re-opens in January with the space it has needed for decades finally a reality. Collections that have been stored off-site for nearly twenty years will finally return.

We celebrated the new McHenry Library on September 7th with a festive open house especially for faculty and staff.   The grand re-dedication of McHenry Library takes place Friday, April 27th, 2012 with a series of special gatherings, so mark your calendars!  

During all the work to add to and renovate the McHenry Library building, the business of serving our users did not stop.  In fact, as student and faculty information-seeking behaviors have changed to take advantage of the ever-increasing array of digital information resources, we've re-thought how best to provide services.  With the new quarter you'll find user-centered changes at both buildings of the University Library.  Let me know what you think.

Happy reading,

Ginny Steel
University Librarian
vsteel@ucsc.edu

589The Great Wave of Kanagawa by Hokusai

The Great Wave: Data Deluge or Data Curation?

A Great Minds Discussion

The Great Minds Dinner series, hosted by UCSC Chancellor Blumenthal, had as its June 3rd speaker Robin L. Chandler of the University Library. 

Robin, a librarian and archivist whose experience is deep and broad, serves as the project manager of digitization for the Grateful Dead Archive and administers the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant that makes possible the library's innovative work in creating a socially constructed website, the Grateful Dead Archive Online.

Our audience of very special guests heard Robin speak in the room near the main entrance of McHenry Library that will serve as exhibit space for the treasures of the Grateful Dead Archive. The group then enjoyed dinner and lively conversation at University House, the chancellor's residence.

567

Ms Chandler, shown at left, opened her remarks with reference to the tragic Japanese earthquake and tsunami of March 11th. She went on to compare the tsunami with the flood of data being created by researchers in both the sciences and humanities.  

Among the new sources of data available to the creators and analysts of data sets is the "wisdom of the crowd." Ten days after the tsunami, BBC News published an article about the value of the masses of observational research data that had been generated by non-professionals. The images and videos of the paths of the water published on the Internet will assist scientists in predicting paths of tsunamis as they roll inland.  

The challenge of making such floods of data usable is spurring the creation of new tools-to appraise, manage, preserve, and provide access-that support research. University libraries serve "the club" of professional researchers, as well as the "the crowd" of non-professional experts and the just-plain-curious.  

Ms. Chandler went on to describe how the University Library is partnering with the California Digital Library (part of the UC Office of the President) to take full advantage of hosted digital curation and preservation repository services.  

What does this mean to members of "the club" of professional researchers? Grant dollars fund much of the research at UCSC. When seeking grants from federally funded agencies, UCSC researchers have to submit a data management plan so that funders are assured that the knowledge created will be preserved, organized, and accessible. The University Library provides guidance for faculty regarding not only creating a data management plan, but also about the full suite of data curation services offered via the California Digital Library. 

 878Robin Chandler with Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive and library supporter.

What about "the crowd?" We surely expect members of "the crowd" as well as of "the club" to turn to the Grateful Dead Archive Online website. As Ms. Chandler said, "We will leverage the 'wisdom of the crowd' of Deadheads to create this socially constructed site. Users will be able to tag items, leave comments, and upload images of their own. With the enthusiastic response we anticipate, together we will build theultimate online research collection about the Grateful Dead." 

The socially constructed Grateful Dead Archive Online will support scholarly research, informational queries, and community sharing. Both "the club" and "the crowd" will be served. It will be a digital collection that is managed and preserved to ensure it is always available for access and use.

For her presentation at the Great Minds Dinner, Ms. Chandler drew on presentations delivered at the Webwise Conference held March 11, 2011 in Baltimore, MD. In particular she cites:   

Dr. Joshua Greenberg, Director of the Sloan Foundation's Digital Information Technology and Dissemination of Knowledge Program.

Dr. Fran Berman, Vice President for Research at Rensselaer Polytechnic and co-chair of a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access.

Read more about the University of California's work in digital curation and preservation at the UC Curation Center's site.  

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At the Great Minds Dinner, left to right: Attorneys and Grateful Dead Archive Supporters Dave Marglin and Deborah Malkin were seated together; Library Development Director, Astrid von Soosten, library supporter Sally Graydon, and University Librarian Ginny Steel.

 

A New Level of Commitment:

Serving Today's UCSC Community

by Elizabeth Cowell, Associate University Librarian and Lettie Bennett, Associate Director Library Development 

We are living in a time of rapid change for libraries: change brought on by evolving technologies and by fiscal realities. 

At the University Library we are transforming the library into a more narrowly defined set of primarily digital collections and services. In light of rapid increases in the amount of information available online, changing user expectations, evolving use patterns, and University of California system-wide initiatives, we are moving forward more quickly than anticipated in our transition into a heavily digital library.

824What does this mean to you, our users and supporters?   

For faculty, students and staff this means that the library IS wherever you are.  

All the locally created and commercially licensed digital content paid for by your University Library is as close as your computer or hand-held device. Although the Visual Resource Center (a source of images used in instruction and research) is now available by appointment only, today ARTstor, the largest single source of licensed content available for teaching and research in art and art history, is accessed online via a subscription. Its one million images support teaching and learning across all UC campuses, as well as at campuses around the world.   

Another example of our commitment to meeting your needs is our increased efforts in digitizing the most intensively used materials in the Map Collection, thus making them available outside library opening hours. Maps of Santa Cruz County are among those now being digitized. Rare and unique materials formerly housed in the Map Room of the Science & Engineering Library are moving to Special Collections and Archives at McHenry Library. Many materials will remain in their current location as a self-service collection.

Academic libraries around the country, including the UCSC University Library, are merging most services into a single location or desk. Whether it is getting your library card, handling an inter-library loan request, seeking research assistance, or getting tech help, the Library Services Desk is the place to go. At this desk you'll find well-trained people who will meet your needs, or refer you to those who can.

At McHenry Library, now a 210,000 square-foot space seating 1,437 users, there are three service desks-at the 2nd floor entrance, at the ground floor David Kirk Media Center, and at Special Collections and Archives on the 3rd floor. When you plan a trip to McHenry Library, it is best to check on the hours of service for those departments, since hours for the David Kirk Media Center and for Special Collections and Archives are shorter than those for the entire building. At the Science & Engineering Library, more work remains before we implement the single service desk. Our planning is underway, though, so there will be progress to report in the coming months.

Research assistance and instruction services continue to be provided, but no longer on a just-in-case basis, but rather on a just-in-time basis.  Research assistance is available via email and chat (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). In-person assistance is available during limited weekday hours at McHenry's 2nd floor Library Services Desk and at the Science & Engineering Library.  

What do all these changes mean to alumnae, community members, and other library supporters? 

You can be proud of the library that nurtured you as a student, supported you as a faculty member, and enriches your life as a Friend of the Library or a member of the Library Circle of Advocates. You can be reassured as the parent of a UCSC student that the University Library continues to anticipate and meet your student's needs. The library is steadfastly committed to providing the best research and learning environment possible.

In a time of radical change brought about by technological advances and a much-changed fiscal outlook, your University Library is adapting by making necessary and forward-focused changes. There are some for whom these changes are difficult. This is surely understandable. However, with your input and help, your University Library will remain a strong and vital center for the exploration of ideas and creation of knowledge. 

 

234 Years861

No library could accomplish what our University Library has accomplished without the hearts and minds of the people who work for and in it. Next time you find just the right title for your research or recreational reading, please think of the people who have made and continue to make the UCSC University Library the rich resource it is.

More than 234 years! That's the total number of years of service given by the seven library employees who retired this summer. Here's a tiny bit about each person's contributions, based on interviews with them and their managers and colleagues:

Paul Machlis

For more than 37 years, Paul, pictured above with Margaret Gordon, who retired in 2008 as Director of Library Development, used his considerable skill and knowledge as a bibliographer to build the library's collection, and like all the library bibliographers he helped staff the Reference Desk, where he assisted students, faculty, and community members with their questions.

Paul, who studied Sanskrit, recounts this story of helping a trusting library patron: "The patron told me that he had been given a name by his guru a year before, but had never liked it. He wondered if I could give him some ideas for a new name, one that meant 'happiness.' I came back with three or four possibilities; he really liked the sound of one of them, and off he went. It seemed to me a mark of the trust people put in librarians that he didn't doubt for a moment that the words I gave him really did mean 'happiness' (which they did)."

Theresa French

Teri is full of laughter that infects all around her. While keeping us entertained, she used her talent for unraveling complicated matters to master the complexities of the serial publications collection. In her more than 35 years at UCSC Teri helped implement enormous improvements in serials management.

763Margie Tuzzi

A bundle of energy with a terrific sense of humor and a protective streak, Margie, shown here with her husband, Vince, has been a tireless advocate for keeping the collection in good repair during her more than 28 years of service. Always a good friend and co-worker to her teammates in Preservation and throughout the library, Margie was and is a fascinating person.

764Molly Jaffe

Beloved by generations of student assistants for her clear and consistent guidance and warm heart, among the many contributions Molly made over more than 33 years was managing the accurate shelving of a collection topping one million volumes—no small task!  She is shown here with University Librarian Ginny Steel. 

Barbro Lindblom765

Like many staff members, Barbro worked with exceptional student assistants during her more than 26 years with the library. She comments, "The most satisfying aspect of my job was writing letters of recommendation and answering calls for references for students who had worked with us, and subsequently learning that they got hired into the job they wanted."  In the photo at the left, Barbro is flanked by librarians Sarah Lindsey and Kerry Scott. 

766Nadine McGuire

Nadine, whose photo is to the right, is remembered not only for her excellent work standard but also for her wit and geographic and cultural knowledge. Her willingness to "tell it like it is"—complete with a New York edge and a dash of Irish embellishment—kept us laughing. In her almost 34 years in Technical Services, Nadine helped usher 500,000 books into our library. Thank you, Nadine.

And, finally, with 40 years of service to the University Library,

Kathleen Hardin

Over her years of working with visual resources, Kathleen emerged as a national leader in the field through her activities in the Visual Resources Association.

Kathleen's work has been crucial to successful teaching. Through her outstanding contributions to ARTstor and the UC Image Service she literally made a visible difference to the scholarly community. The images that she helped make accessible via her knowledgeable cataloging have been seen by thousands of students, giving them insights into other cultures and time periods. Her service has truly enriched their education.

Kathleen's kindness and openheartedness to UCSC students must be mentioned. She and her husband Dane welcomed many of them to Santa Cruz as freshmen, and hosted homesick ones over lonely holidays. As graduates of UCSC's first "pioneer" class, they hold firmly to the university's founding principles and commitment to education and service.

All of us who benefit from the UCSC Library owe a debt of gratitude to these people. Happy Retirement to All!

Let's Celebrate Now

Have you remembered the UCSC University Library in your will? If so, we'd like to know so that we can celebrate your generosity now. Don't be shy! Your gift intention can be as public or as private as you want.

Contact Astrid von Soosten at avs@ucsc.edu or 831-459-5870

 

Exhibits and Events

Attics of our Lives

McHenry Library, Dead Central   

Saturday, November 5th, 7 - 10 p.m.  

J666oin Archivist Nicholas Meriwether and fellow Deadheads at a special, one night only exhibit marking the public debut of the Grateful Dead Archive at UCSC.

Guests will be treated to superb local food, wine, and live music as they experience the exhibit, meet old and new friends, and mingle with special guests, including legendary poster artist Stanley Mouse, who has designed an original, limited edition poster commemorating the event. Guests will receive a copy of the keepsake poster, along with a numbered, limited edition hardbound book documenting this inaugural exhibit.

Tickets available at: events.ucsc.edu/attics  (Do not miss the hilarious video about how to spot a Deadhead.) 

Contact Marcus Frost for more information: 831-502-7274

Morton Marcus Memorial Poetry Reading

UCSC Music Recital Hall

Sunday, November 20th, 3 p.m.    

667This year the featured poet is US Poet Laureate and 2011 Pulitzer Prize winner Kay Ryan. The event honors poet, teacher, and film critic Morton Marcus whose poetry archive is housed in Special Collections. The University Library is co-sponsor of this event. 

A selection of material from the Archive will be on display in Special Collections before and after Kay Ryan's reading. Ms. Ryan will be signing her books at the event.

 

 

Re-Dedication of McHenry Library 

Friday, April 27th, 2012.

Save the Date!  We'll celebrate the re-dedication of McHenry Library.  

 

SIDEBAR

Global Village Cafe

Berry Garcia, anyone? That's a smoothie offered at the new Global Village Cafe at McHenry Library.  It is one of several Grateful Dead - inspired menu items. The cafe provides the UCSC community and visitors fresh, local, organic cuisine...and coffee!

 

Connect with us on Facebook and stay up-to-date on library activities and news. 

 

SUPPORT the UCSC Library! 

Contact Astrid von Soosten, Director, Library Development, with your questions regarding supporting the UCSC Library.   831-459-5870. 

 

 

Editor:  Lettie Bennett, Associate Director of Library Development

Contributors:  Ginny Steel, Elizabeth Cowell, Robin Chandler, Lettie Bennett

Photo of students and pink chairs by Elise H. Mahoney

Photo of Morton Marcus by Jana Marcus

All photos not otherwise attributed are by Lettie Bennett

Proofing: Mark Engel

Special thanks to Suzanne Flanders, Library Office Manager