FRIDAY FUN: An Oscar-Winning Short Film!

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Special Collections Turns 50!

Special Collections turns 50 this year!

Join the celebration at an open house on February 28 from 4-6 pm in the Special Collections reading room. A reception with refreshments begins at 4:00.

At 4:30, four Special Collections librarians will give fast-paced Pecha Kucha presentations about our University Archives, Vermontiana, and Rare Books collections. A variety of items from the collections will also be on display.

In the spring of 1962, librarians in UVM’s new Guy W. Bailey Library unveiled the new Special Collections Department, under the direction of its first head librarian, John L. Buechler. Special Collections brought together Vermont research materials, formerly housed in the Fleming Museum’s Wilbur Room, and rare book collections, formerly housed in the Billings Library. For the first time, these materials—and the specialized attention they required—were combined in one department with a special educational and research mission.

Five decades have brought tremendous growth in the Department’s collections and services. Gifts, purchases, and transfers from the general library collection have more than doubled the Rare Book collection, while historical manuscript materials expanded from a few hundred linear shelf-feet in 1962 to more than 9,000 in 2012. Special Collections has become a vital teaching resource in a variety of disciplines, and the leading library for Vermont research. Librarians in Special Collections are dedicated to serving the University community as well as users around Vermont and the world.

The event is open to the public. For more information, call 656-2138 or email uvmsc@uvm.edu

Leap Day Bake-Off

Greetings everyone! Welcome to the last few days of February, one of which is an extra day---Feb. 29.

FACTOID: Leap Years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the sun. It takes the Earth approximately 365.242199 days (a tropical year) to circle once around the Sun. However, the Gregorian calendar has only 365 days in a year, so if we didn't add a day on February 29 nearly every 4 years, we would lose almost six hours off our calendar every year. After only 100 years, our calendar would be off by approximately 24 days! Continue reading on Examiner.com

In honor of our extra day, the Dean's Office invites all libraries' employees to participate in a bake-off celebration at 2 p.m. on Feb. 29 in the B/H Staff Lounge. (We have fantastic bakers here!) The Dean's Office will provide coffee and tea. Get your best recipes ready, and start cooking.

Universal Design Lab: What Happens in There?

By Michele Patenaude

What's going on in the Universal Design Technology Lab on the second floor of Bailey/Howe?

Come find out on Wednesday, February 22 from Noon to 1 p.m. in the B/H Dean's Conference room (accessible through the Dean's Office, B/H first floor). Bring your lunch!

And what is Universal Design anyway?

Nick Hall and his colleagues at the Universal Design Technology Lab (UDTL) will talk about their work and the services they offer to students, staff, and faculty with disabilities such as blindness and low vision, hearing loss, mobility impairments dyslexia, and ADHD. Learn all about the adaptive and assistive technologies----software and hardware----that are available at the lab.

Please join us for this interesting presentation and learn more about your library!

Friday Fun: The Joy of Books

As found by Susan Mower and worth sharing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SKVcQnyEIT8

Happy Retirement Andrea

...and many many thanks for all your years of great company and service to your colleagues. You will be missed. And keep wearing mismatched shoes----it suits your delightful self!


--With admiration from us all.

Dean's Council Minutes: January 17, 2012

I. JSTOR

Liaisons will review the JSTOR website and start formulating communications with faculty once everything is in place. A letter will go to faculty at beginning of February, and the deadline for feedback is prior to spring break. Mara will make “heads-up” phone calls to those who may need more direct contact regarding JSTOR.

II. Collection Management

Birdie, Marianne and Paul are reviewing the vacant position, previously occupied by Tina, and trying to determine what kind of changes should be made. They will share their findings with the Dean’s Council at next meeting.

III. Presidential Candidates

Open fora begin Thursday. Alison is taking questions for the faculty panel.

IV. New Employee Orientation Packet

The Council was asked to give feedback to Nancy about the new employee orientation packet.

V. PRIMO/SFX

PRIMO is expected to have a Beta site up by mid semester. Publicity push would then begin in spring. Talk about catalog being classic but going to new interface in fall. SFX is alive and well. The troubleshooting group will receive EX LIBRIS training at the end of the month.

VI. Learning Commons

We are close to having a final report from the architects on the feasibility study.

VII. Special Collections

Special Collections will have a special birthday party in February to celebrate 50 years. The event will include a PechaKucha-style presentation of materials. Other events are forthcoming, as well. Special Collections has new policies on security.

VIII. Open Searches

There are three open staff positions: one Library Support Generalist and two Library Support Senior. Two are now closed to applications and interviews will commence post haste.

IX. Capital Campaign

All submissions have been made. Selene is undertaking an “environmental scan” of libraries’ assessment to get a better sense of what’s happening in each area and what commonalities are.

X. TIF Fund Proposals

Paul and Aaron submitted several requests for funding from the student technology fee, including increased group study spaces, and 50 replacement computers.

XI. Web Advisory Group

The Web Advisory Group is on hold, except in case of emergencies, while people are tied up in PRIMO/SFX.

XII. Tech Update

All the computers have been re-imaged, and we have a number of new printers for patrons. E-copy scanners can be found in the café, Reserves and second floor of B/H, as well as one in Dana.

XIII. VNDP

Birdie and Tom have prepared the grant proposal for Phase II, and should learn the outcome in June or July.

XIV. Institutional Repository

A general proposal report has been submitted to Mara about projects.

XV. DANA

Donna O’Malley is on sabbatical. The search for a business manager to replace (the irreplaceable) Andrea, who is retiring after many years of great service to UVM and the Libraries, will commence. Also, a search to fill the open faculty line (Angie Chapple-Sokol) will begin as well. In other news, Dana has created electronic/print study guides to enhance the medical students’ preparations for board exams.