Upcoming IFLA Conference News

Birdie will be giving a talk with Émilie Paquin, currently media librarian at Radio Canada in Montréal, formerly a library student intern at Bailey/Howe, at the IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations) satellite preconference and 1st International Conference of the International Association of Francophone Librarians and Documentalists (AIFBD), which will be held at the Grande Bibliothèque du Québec, Montréal, Aug. 3-6.

http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla74/satellite-en.htm#14
http://www.aifbd.org/congres/conferenciers.htm

The talk, to be given in French, is entitled, "Entre tradition et modernité : les transformations structurelles et procédurales d'une bibliothèque universitaire."

Previews of the submitted text and Powerpoint (still in progress) will be available in conference proceedings. Previews are available at
http://www.uvm.edu/~bmaclenn/AIFBD/

Bailey/Howe Construction and Design Updates

General Notes

• A fire alarm went off yesterday in Bailey/Howe and the sound was different than it had been previously. Employees and patrons did not recognize the sound, and many did not evacuate. A fire drill is needed, and will be pursued.

The Third Floor

• The Writing in the Disciplines (WID) Space construction is on schedule. UVM’s Department of Facilities Design and Construction has been leading the efforts with Scott’s onsite assistance. The rough outline is in place, and the plumbers have done their work. Lighting won’t arrive until the end of August. Temporary lights will be installed until then. The construction is scheduled to be complete August 15^th with the new Director, Susanmarie Harrington, arriving on the 18^th. The CTL Commons area also will be finished by then.

• The third-floor book shift, between the WID and CDI spaces, is on schedule, as well. It should be completed by Aug.1, at which time the shelving will come out (Aug. 4-8) and abatement will begin (Aug. 11-15). Access to CDI will be nonexistent during the abatement week. Soft seating will be ordered to fill the area after the carpet is installed the last week in August.

The Second Floor

• New wood chairs (with a 10-year guarantee) have replaced the old decrepit chairs from the late seventies. The chairs match new wooden carrels which will arrive in mid August.

• The amount of space use for current issues in periodicals could be reduced by getting vertical displays with back issue space underneath. Long-term planning for the floor will commence, in the context of strategic planning for the entire facility.

• The major book moving project is complete. Some clean up needs to be done in LRA. There are 801 feet of linear space left at the Williston site. Scott is looking into costs for expansion there.

The Main Floor

• Reference abatement is scheduled to be complete by Friday. Once two rounds of air testing are complete, the tent will come down. Carpeting and painting will begin on July 28. The painters will work very early in the morning. There will be full access to the area for staff and patrons. After all the work is finished, custodial services will perform a thorough post-construction cleaning. Scott believes that the library is entering a new phase of custodial care, as promised by that department.

• Information and Instruction Services is considering experimenting with keeping the reference desk in its current (abatement-induced) space for the fall semester. A few infrastructure problems will need to be addressed in order to make this work: dim lighting, network connections, noise, signage, traffic flow, and relocating the ready-reference materials. The former space of the reference desk could be used for additional computer stations during the fall, but would be available to reference if they decide to move the desk back.

• The classroom work was pushed back due to campus demands on Department of Facilities Design and Construction.

• Changes to the B/H entry have also been pushed back and may take place during winter break. Custodians and local flooring vendors are looking at various flooring products that are both green and cleanable. A lot of criteria must be met before a decision can be made. (For example, cork was a choice, but it wouldn’t hold up to book carts.) The new entry will have improved “walk off” zones to decrease the amount of salt and dirt coming inside B/H.

The Ground Floor

• Another viewing bay has been added to the existing three bays in media. New chairs have replaced the old worn ones in the bays.

Examples of Learning or Info Commons

Mentioned in the "Info Commons: 101" Webcast yesterday, were these models of Information or Learning Commons. We thought everyone might like to see some of the best examples out there, at least according to the webcast expert.

The long wide shot without people is from the Hardin Medical Library at the University of Iowa. The wide picture with numerous students is from the Montesquieu Learning Center in the Netherlands. And the aerial photo was taken at the Learning Commons at North Carolina State. For more NC State photos, follow this link:
http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/learningcommons/images.php

Info Commons 101 Webcast: Tuesday, July 22 @ 2 p.m.

All libraries colleagues are invited to attend a special webcast lecture, "Information Commons 101: Principles and Good Practices," on Tuesday, July 22 in the Dean's Conference Room. The session runs from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

The webcast, which is sponsored by ALA and hosted by Joan Lippincott of the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), will explore:

* Visions and goals for information commons
* Linking the information commons to learning
* Elements of an information commons
* Campus partners
* Staffing
* Understanding collaboration in an information commons setting
* "Quick fixes" while waiting for construction/renovation
* Assessment of an information commons

More information about the session can be found at http://www.acrl.org/ala/acrl/acrlproftools/infocommons101.cfm

Joan K. Lippincott has provided leadership for programs such as New Learning Communities, Assessment of the Networked Environment, Working Together, and collaborative facilities and learning spaces. She has written articles and made presentations on such topics as networked information, learning spaces, collaboration among professional groups, assessment, and teaching and learning in the networked environment. Her chapter on “Net Generation Students and Libraries” in an EDUCAUSE book on Educating the Net Gen www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen/ has received wide distribution. She is past chair of the editorial board of College & Research Libraries News and is on the board of the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD).

Farewell Toni

Today, the UVM Libraries say goodbye to a wonderful colleague--one of our best workers, friends and caption writers. In fact, on the eve of Toni Fortini's departure, we invite everyone to write a caption for this picture in honor of her.

The Uncommon Denominators

Here are your award-winning colleagues! The Delmar Janes Staff Excellence awards this year go to Susan Mower and Scott Miller. The Faculty Excellence in Educational Mission Award goes to Peter Spitzform. The recipient of the Faculty Excellence in Research Award is Karl Bridges. Details on the party, and cake, to come!

What Happened Here?

In honor of our short week and holiday weekend,
it's time to have a little photographic fun. Caption, anyone?