Campus Updates

[alana]

Please share campus updates using this thread!

[Tina Kiernan]

The move towards a Learning Commons continues at Dutchess Community College: combining the Ritz Library, the Writing Center, Peer Tutoring, Math & Science Center, Office of Accommodative Services, Testing Services, and CSTEP. 

Over the summer, the Library staff itself will focus on revitalizing our library guides, tying together LibAnswers and Reference Analytics, and weeding of our Main collection.  The spring saw the Ritz Library withdraw over a thousand volumes (about 450 titles) from Reference, led by Assistant Librarian Tom Trinchera.

Assistant Librarian Rich Kovarovic is creating a Zine collection and Assistant Librarian Tina Kiernan, in conjunction with Acting Director of Mental and Physical Health, Diana Kiernan (no relation), is assembling a Wellness collection for the new wellness room located in the Ritz Library. 

[jenndevito]

Sandra Stelter has joined the Stony Brook University Libraries team as an Instructional Support Associate in Access & User Services. She comes with more than nine years of experience in academic library, notably at the University of Cologne (Germany). Sandra holds a Master’s degree in Medieval and Modern History from the University of Cologne and a diploma in Cultural Management from the Academy of Administration and Economics.

The Stony Brook University Special Collections & University Archives was awarded the Kate Wheeler Strong Memorial Award by the Three Village Historical Society, recognizing the department’s contribution towards fostering interest in the local history of the area.

The University Libraries is a member of the second cohort of Ithaka S&R’s Building Campus Strategies for Data Support Services initiative. https://sr.ithaka.org/blog/building-campus-strategies-for-data-support-services-project-kicks-off/

A new art lecture series is available online. The Art of Relationships is sponsored by the University Libraries and the Pollock-Krasner House & Study Center. The first three lectures are available on YouTube and registration information for upcoming lectures can be found here: https://library.stonybrook.edu/2023/05/30/the-art-of-relationships-lecture-series/

[AprilDavies]

The search for a new E-Resources Librarian continues. Our first attempt was unsuccessful so the position has been revised and will be posted soon.

[Rebecca Hewitt]

After a national search, SUNY Poly's Cayan Library has a new director - me! 

The SUNYLA Excellence in Scholarship Award committee has completed its work for 2023 and award winners will be announced at the Annual Meeting on Thursday June 15th. 
I want to congratulate all the scholars and creatives who were nominated for the award, thank the nominators, and express my appreciation for committee members Chrissy O'Grady (New Paltz), David Schuster (Binghamton), and Louise Charbonneau (Mohawk Valley CC). 

SUNYLA members, keep creating good work and we will keep recognizing it!

 - Rebecca Hewitt

[Chrissy O'Grady]

STL held many successful end of the semester events. The Dean’s Office organized a Celebration of Faculty Authors on March 7th that included a book display and reception. The Dean’s Office replicated the faculty author display at the President's inauguration festival on April 19th. The Digital Scholarship Center hosted several events including mapping week, podcasting week, and their first Digital Scholarship Speaker Series. The library hosted their fourth Virtual Poem in Your Pocket Celebration in April which included an in-person celebration. The virtual celebration showcased over 100 original poems submitted by the campus community and the in-person celebration included poetry reading and writing. Lastly, we participated in campus stressbusters events during finals week with breakfast and button making.

On May 23, Kim Alessi (Circulation Library Clerk) was one of five employees awarded the Presidential Award for Exemplary Performance in Classified Services for 2022-2023. Alessi is recognized for providing exceptional service in meeting student needs, supporting faculty and consistently volunteering to take on additional responsibilities within the Library. Most notably, she leads the way in making student employees feel competent and empowered in their roles, and her contributions contribute to the Library’s reputation as a student-centered space on campus. Congrats Kim!

We are all deep in summer projects including scholarship, weeding, planning for the next AY, and taking well-deserved vacations.

[jireland]

MV Libraries are doing well. We're still getting used to our extended space without the reference collection and bound periodicals on the Utica campus. Still dealing with the new noise levels with more group study areas. Our engineering students are a rambunctious crowd.

We will be doing an inventory project over the summer. We were hoping to use hand held scanners that have been collecting dust, but they don't work.

Jocelyn Ireland received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Librarianship. Aiko Kane received the Chancellor's Award in Classified Service.

All in all it's been a great semester and looking forward to an even better Fall.

[kstanwicks]

Organizational & Personnel Updates: Deborah Bernnard, Director of the Division of Public Services, retired on May 10. The Libraries has made progress on our reorganization. Jane Kessler's title changed to Director of the Division of Academic Success. This new division is made up of the Collection Development, Special Collections, Preservation, Reference Services, and Information Literacy departments. Kabel Stanwicks was appointed Director for the Division of Collections and Discovery. This new division is made up of the Access Services, Acquisitions Services, and Resource Management Departments. Jeff Goldstein was appointed Interim Head of Access Services.

Conference Presentations: Two of our librarians presented at the ACRL Conference in Pittsburgh this year. Angela Hackstadt gave a presentation titled, Forging the future: Connecting research to communities; Camille Chesley gave a presentation titled Presumed Competent: Forging a Path to Care and Equity in the Tenure and Promotion Process, with her research partners (Tarida Anantachai and Jamia Williams). Kabel Stanwicks presented a paper, Finding Harmony: Social Tags and Name Authority Records in the Popular Music Domain, with his research partner (Hemalata Iyer) at the ASIS&T Mid-Year Conference in April.

The University Libraries is participating in the next cohort of Ithaka S&R’s  Data Services initiative.

We are partnering with a number of campus groups this summer. We are reconfiguring space in the University Library first floor to make room for the University's Tutoring Center, and we are working with Disability Access and Inclusion Student Services to provide alternative testing space for students. These new spaces will be ready to welcome students this fall.

AI Presentation: Alison Hosier, Elaine Lasda, Kabel Stanwicks, and Kathleen Flynn presented a webinar on UAlbany's AI initiative, AI in Libraries, and AI in LIS education. The presentation was attended by over 100 librarians across New York State. Presentation slides and recording are available online: https://libguides.library.albany.edu/c.php?g=1318632&p=9702663.

[mbeechey]

MCC Libraries Associate Director, Alice Wilson, partnered with English faculty to host the Celebration of Learning within the LVG Library.  This is an event included as part of the college's Scholars' Day. This is the second year that students were able to share their work/research in various subjects including business, art, and English in an informal, science fair-like atmosphere.  It was very successful and we are looking forward to hosting this event next year with even more students!

The libraries recently learned of available funding to continue our semester-long laptop loaner program which will allow us to continue this service for the upcoming academic year.  We continue to partner with ESL/Strong Foundations to loan their laptops each semester.

Over the summer we are emarking on a collection inventory (the first for me!), as well as reconfiguring some of our library spaces to add "Zoom stations" for students needing semi-private spaces for online classes.

[Michelle Bowers]

Upstate has been interviewing its top candidates for the Head of Archives position. The search committee hopes to have a decision soon.

Construction continues on the library’s roof replacement project, which should be wrapping up by the end of June. We’re also heading into another small renovation project, this time on the library foyer and its connection to other departments/offices nearby.

Sarah Lawler and Olivia Tsistinas successfully hosted the 2nd Annual Health Literacy Conference this week, jointly hosted by the Upstate Health Sciences Library and Health@CLRC. This year’s event focused on maternal mortality and graphic medicine, and was well-attended.

Michelle Bowers partnered with colleagues in the IMT Research Technology Core and Research Administration departments to deliver a presentation on NIH sharing requirements and Upstate repositories, focusing on both SOAR and Figshare (newly purchased by Upstate).

Laura Benjamin and Elise DeAndrea coordinated Upstate’s employee art exhibit as part of the larger CNY Arts event, On My Own Time. After the exhibit ended this month, CNY Arts judges visited the library to select some pieces for inclusion in a larger exhibit at the Everson Museum of Art.