Campus Updates

[alana]

Please share campus updates using this discussion thread. Thank you!

[Violet Price]

Downstate Health Sciences University
Mohamed F. Hussain - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our colleague and friend Mohamed F. Hussain affectionately known to all as MoH. MoH served The Medical Research Library of Brooklyn for 34 years in numerous positions and as Interim Director, Library Services until his transition on August 8, 2024, his birthday.  We will miss his leadership, wisdom and smile.

Violet O. Price - has been appointed to serve as Interim Director, Library Services. 

[Kate Brent]

Van Wagenen Library at SUNY Cobleskill has seen some changes over the summer:
   • Our instruction librarian, Freya Gibbon, left us for another position.
   • The Career Development office has moved back into the building as part of the Learning Commons initiative.
   • The Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Gary Morris, has moved into an office in the building, and the Library now reports to him.
   • The Online Education office has moved out of the building.
More updates in the October newsletter.

[Michelle Bowers]

Amy Slutzky is retiring from her role as Research & Instruction Librarian later this month. Amy has been deeply involved in so many programs and projects in her 12 years here and we’ll miss her tremendously, but are extremely grateful for all her contributions over the years.

We are currently hiring for two Research & Instruction Librarians (one is a liaison to the College of Graduate Studies and Research, and the other to the College of Health Professions). The search committee will be reviewing applications soon, so please share if you know someone who might be interested.

Access Services has kicked off the fall semester with a few new programs, including the “How-To Half Hour”: 15-20 minute micro-classes where volunteers teach students a practical, hands-on skill they can then use to make them a better student, learn a hobby, or make life a little easier. Our first one was “How to organize your student life”, with Access Services Librarian Laura Benjamin partnering with a second year student, Estelle Khairallah, to introduce some particularly helpful library resources, and organizational tips and tricks including email inbox management. It’ll be followed later this month with “How to battle test anxiety.”

[Jocelyn Ireland]

MVCC Libraries kicked off the semester with our annual POP! into the Library campaign. Claire Ehrlich posted signs around campus and shared posts across media channels encouraging students to visit the library. We had a variety of "pop" themed treats including popcorn, blow pops, cake pops, pop rocks, and ring pops. A prize drawing was held to win a college drawstring bag filled with back-to-school necessities and a $10 Amazon gift card.

The Utica campus library is using a whiteboard as an interactive display in the front lobby with "take one/leave one" inspirational quotes/motivational messages on post-its.

The FT librarians worked together to compose a faculty newsletter to share updates. A digital copy can be viewed at: https://mvcc.libguides.com/faculty/newsletter (it's 6 pages - you have to use the arrows to flip the page).

Jocelyn Ireland in the course of her involvement with the Center for Inclusive Teaching Excellence (CITE) Advisory Board created a new website for the group. A new noteworthy feature is a searchable database of teaching practices for faculty to explore. It can be visited at https://www.mvcc.edu/teaching/. The goal is to grow the database by gathering best teaching practices used at MVCC.

MVCC Librarians were active presenters in the latest MVCC Institute in August. Milo Cameron presented on Book Bans. Claire and Jocelyn presented with Dr. Dina Radeljas and Dr. Shahida Dar on changes in AI and guided a discussion of AI in the classroom. Ireland also presented with other CITE board members about updates to CITE and the new website.

[cfishner]

Steve Dixon retired in August after 17 years at Delhi (and a few P/T years at Cobleskill). We are going to miss him, but wish him all the best as he now gets to enjoy all the baseball games he can find 

SUNY Delhi welcomes Kate Medina as our newest Librarian, she started in August as a Student Success Librarian.

The Resnick Library has participated in multiple orientation and early semester events for students including a Resource Fair and a School Supplies Give-a-Way hosted by our Peer Educators. We will have our annual Open House on the 19th in collaboration with the Academic Achievement Center as well, where there will be many snacks and a raffle drawing for several prizes including a new TV.

Planning is underway for our 5th annual LibraryCon to take place at the end of October.

The library and academic achievement center are embarking on a project to explore moving to a Learning Commons model, including a possible building remodel within the next several years.

-Carrie Fishner, Delegate

[kstanwicks]

The President's Office held a reception yesterday (9/12) to unveil our recently refreshed Presidents Reading Room. We now have portraits of all of UAlbany's Presidents hanging in this room, along with photos of our distinguished faculty, and a graphic timeline of UAlbany's history from a Normal School to an R1 University.

The University Libraries completed our search for a Director of the Division of Academic Success. We are pleased to welcome Setareh Keshmiripour to the University Libraries later this month. Ms. Keshmiripour is currently the Head of Access Services at the University of North Texas.

We are partnering with the Albany Public Library (APL) this September for library card signup month. Librarians from APL are tabling in the University Library every Wednesday to sign up UAlbany students for APL cards.

[Dana Laird]

SUNY Brockport welcomes Alicia Marrese as Head of Access Services Librarian. She started over the summer.

The current Drake Library building turns 50 this year! The library is planning several events to celebrate this in conjunction with our award as RRLC Library of the Year which we received in the spring.

[esimmon4]

GCC Administration Changes
GCC has hired our former Provost as our new President, Dr. Craig Lamb, after the retirement of Dr. James Sunser in May.
And earlier this month, the new Vice President of Academic Affairs/Provost was announced: Dr. Kathleen Landy, who comes to us from Cornell University’s Center for Teaching Innovation where she is the Associate Director for Assessment and Evaluation.

New this Fall in the Library -
The Learning Center (tutoring) is now co-located within the library. Our lower lounge area adjacent to our classroom, in addition to our classroom, has been renovated with new carpeting, furniture, and removal of periodicals shelving. The transition is still being completed as far as technology and furnishings in renovated spaces.

LTI completed for Course Guides in Brightspace
To provide as much support to online and campus center students as we do our on-campus students, quicker and easier access to Library Resources in Brightspace is now available via a link in the top navigation menu of each course. Now Library hours, a link to databases, and a link to a customized subject area course guide with relevant library materials, links, tutorials, etc. is available with a single click.

[CynthiaMc]

SUNY JCC has appointed Dr. Laura Parmenter as interim Director of the Learning Commons. She is overseeing the libraries as well as The Learning Center, Accessibility Services, an Online Education.

We are down to one librarian--me--on the Jamestown Campus.

Looking forward to our Banned Books Read Out! on Sept. 24.

[Chrissy O'Grady]

SUNY New Paltz

We have been experiencing more flooding/mold/water issues in the library which resulted in the move of several librarians and staff members to a temporary work area. The campus faculty/staff study room was relocated to allow for this move. It's unclear how long campus will need to address the building issues.

Emma Zwickel started yesterday as Evening/Weekend Supervisor (Library Clerk 1). Emma previously worked in the library's Circulation, Interlibrary Loan, and Information Literacy & Research units as a student employee and graduated from New Paltz in May 2023. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in information science.

Starting this semester the Center for Student Success will offer learning support services two days a week in the library.