Holiday Message

BY JIM MULLINS

This holiday season we are facing challenges that our nation hasn’t seen in decades, and while our tendency may be to focus on the financial crisis, this is a special opportunity to reconnect with the many things we treasure in life. It is a time to share memories with family, to relax with friends, to seek ways to help those who are less fortunate. 

We, who work in the library field, play a very important role in provision of information at any time, but in times of crisis, our role is heightened as people turn to libraries for enhanced reasons. A recent National Public Radio (NPR) news story focused on how use of public libraries, nationwide, has greatly increased as people seek a sense of stability as well as assistance with job searches, access to the internet, or,  a short respite with a good book or DVD. For we who work in academic libraries, the story is similar as our students and faculty turn to us for assistance with their learning and discovery goals, but also, as they seek assistance from us in new ways.

I thank you most sincerely for your dedication to our students and faculty this year – I am sure you made a great difference in their lives. Kathy and I wish you and your family a holiday filled with memories and warmth.

LC Made Easy

LC Easy is now available for all Libraries staff and students to access. This software will help users learn the basics of the Library of Congress classification system: how call numbers are constructed and how to shelve/organize books according to this classification scheme
. 
To access LC Easy:

1. Click on the link (provided below, although it is also available on the Staff Development intranet space)
2. Click on the Citrix Client under available options.
3. When prompted to open with Citrix ICA Client Engine, click OK (Firefox) or Open (I.E.).
4. The ICA Connect Center dialogue box will open – click OK.
5. Once Citrix has loaded, you will then need to log on using your Career Account username and password (this is what you use when logging into Outlook for your email).

Link to LC Easy: http://purl.lib.purdue.edu/db/lceasy
This link is also on the Staff Development & Training intranet space and will remain there for future use (http://intranet.lib.purdue.edu/display/STAFFDEV/Home).

Students Appreciate Extended Library Hours

Nima Zahedi (junior in management), Sachin Khare (junior in engineering), and Ian Pfeiffer (junior in management) study for final exams in the Hicks Undergraduate Library during the Libraries extended hours December 5 – 20, 2008.

Nima says, “I haven’t been to bed all night and I came here from the Management library when they closed at 2:00 a.m. to continue to study. I like coming to the library because there are no distractions here; my dorm room isn’t very good for staying focused.”

Ian says, “I come to the library to study because it’s a good place to find classmates who are studying for the same exam and the tables and comfortable chairs make it easier to study in groups.”

Sachin echoes Ian’s comments, “There’s enough space here to spread out and do our work rather than being crammed in our small dorm rooms.  I really appreciate the extended hours and the environment that the libraries provide for the students who are already stressed out.  It’s just more comfortable here.”

All three students were tired but thankful to have the libraries as a place to study, find support, and relax a little before heading out for their final economics exam.

Graduating Seniors Honored

These graduating seniors were recognized by Dean Mullins for their dedicated service to the Purdue Libraries.

BRITTANY ACKERSON, VETM; ALANA CLARK, HSSE; ANKIT DHAWAN, UGRL; CLAUDIA HONG, VETM; MANAV JAIN, ENGR; BRITTANY KOGER, UGRL; CORBIT WHITE, AUX

Books will be ordered in each student's area of study and placed in the coordinating library. Each book will bear a name plate honoring that student.

Purdue University has established an Emergency Warning Notification System to quickly communicate emergency messages. As part of a multi-layered approach for communicating information in the event of a public safety emergency, Purdue has added an opt-in text message system.

Staff and students may optionally provide a cell phone number that may be used for emergency notification. List your cell phone number that you would likely carry with you while on campus. Parents, friends, and other concerned people may enter their information via the eAlert option at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/mail.html, which registers them to an emergency notification email list.

To sign up, go to www.purdue.edu/securepurdue click on “Change My Emergency Contact Number” icon, enter your career account and password, and then enter your cell phone number in the space provided.

Because the career account houses the most up to date information about the status of a student, staff or faculty person, that is the mechanism Purdue will use to enter the data and store it. Only cell phone numbers of faculty, staff and students currently at the University will be stored for use.

Text messages to your cell phone will ONLY be sent in the event of a public safety emergency or a well publicized test of the emergency notification's systems. This information will be used for NO OTHER PURPOSE. Depending on your cell phone plan, there may be a charge to you for receiving these text messages. Please consider providing this information so we have options for contacting you in the unlikely event of such an emergency.

Brown Bag Seminars for January 2009

Brown Bags are held the first and third Wednesdays of the month from noon – 1:00 p.m. in the HSSE Conference Room.

January 7, 2009
“Investigating Data Curation Proles Across Multiple Research Disciplines”
with Scott Brandt, Jake Carlson, Michael Witt, and Deborah Leiter

January 12, 2009
“An Analysis of Legal Content in LIS Programs”
with Donna Ferullo

January 21, 2009
“Career Wiki”
with George Bergstrom and Mary Dugan

For a complete list visit the Libraries intranet, http://intranet.lib.purdue.edu/display/LFC/seminar.

New Faculty & Staff

LIBBY WAHL, HSSE

I recently joined the Purdue Libraries staff as a half-time library assistant IV in Government Documents. I am enjoying the variety of work and the diversity of environment that this job involves; it keeps my mind active. The staff here has been great. I appreciate their willingness to teach me the ropes.

In my time away from work I enjoy reading, studying physical fitness and nutritional eating, traveling, and spending time with or assisting family and friends. I live in Lafayette and have three children in college; my husband is employed at Caterpillar. My office is located in HSSE, room 242 and I can be reached at 496-6587 or lawahl@purdue.edu.

Marianne Stowell Bracke (LIFE) suggests a couple of web sites devoted to frugality, and frugal tactics often overlap with green efforts. The first is a blog penned by The Frugal Girl (http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/), a 30 year old mother of four. Frugal Girl offers practical tips such as how to save money at the grocery store, raising kids frugally (take note, all you Libraries expectant parents!), and some DIY tips such as how to make your own yogurt without any fancy gadgets. I could go on, but I’ll leave it to the reader to explore on her/his own.

The Non-consumer Advocate (http://thenonconsumeradvocate.wordpress.com/) is a blog by Katy Wolk-Stanley, who is trying to observe “The Compact” (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thecompact/), a global movement to stop buying new stuff in favor of buying used or buying less. The Non-consumer Advocate shares her experiences with striving to use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without, and has some great tips for frugal gift giving.

The blog format of both these sites encourages comments from and conversation among readers.

Best wishes to all Libraries staff and their families for a healthy, safe, and sane holiday season from the Green Tambourine!

Send your green tips for the office or home to Jane Kinkus at jkinkus@purdue.edu .

Archives and Special Collections Making Progress

Libraries staff were provided with guided tours on December 15, 2008 of the new Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center.

The new Archives & Special Collections space will be open to the public when classes commence on January 12, 2009. Grand opening events are being planned for April 2009 to coincide with Purdue's Gala Week.