Libraries Strategic Planning Update

BY NANCY HEWISON

Key Dates:

  • Initial meeting: December 8
  • Discussions within libraries, units, and groups: January
  • Second meeting: January 28
  • Report from Dean’s Council on priorities and next steps: mid-February

 

Representation:

  • Dean’s Council
  • Operations Council
  • LCSSAC
  • LAPSAC officers
  • Libraries marketing staff

 

Documents (on Intranet):

  • Assumptions and guiding principles (Dean’s Council)
  • Circulation, ILL, reference, door count, and database data
  • Information generated at January 28 planning session
  • Members of the planning group

 

In December, the Libraries administration convened the Strategic Planning Group to review the Libraries 2006-2011 Strategic Plan and identify areas of focus for the next several years, taking into account our changing environment and the University’s new strategic plan for 2008-2014.

During January, members of the planning group held discussions in their libraries, units, councils, and groups to identify the essential and activities of the Libraries, as well as those that are no longer critical. Discussion topics included what actions libraries and units can take to enhance and further the mission of the Libraries and whether these can be accomplished through re-allocation of resources within a library/unit or between and among libraries and units. The potential impacts of such changes were also considered.

These discussions were informed by a document, prepared by the Dean’s Council, which stated five assumptions that Purdue Libraries and academic research libraries in general will be operating with for the next several years and three guiding principles for the Libraries’ actions.

The planning group also was given data on Libraries circulation, ILL, reference, door count, and database usage over the past several years. This data, as well as a list of the members of the planning group and other pertinent documents are available on the Libraries intranet, following the path from “Units and Departments” to “Administration,” and then looking under “Libraries Strategic Planning – January 2009.”

On January 28, the Libraries Strategic Planning Group met a second time. At this meeting, we:

  • Shared our understandings of the assumptions and guiding principles
  • Posted the actions that had been developed in our units
  • Placed each of the actions under one of the guiding principles
  • Worked in small groups to discuss the actions under the guiding principles and identify ways that actions could be combined or integrated to move the Libraries in the direction of the guiding principles
  • Identified themes and additional relationships among actions
  • Discussed opportunities and challenges in the University and the larger environment (such as constraints in University budgets) which must be considered in Libraries planning.

You’ll find the information which each small group presented to the entire group and the notes from the integrating discussion on the Libraries intranet: Units and Departments> Administration> Libraries Strategic Planning – January 2009

In light of significant changes in the higher education and academic research library environment and constrained resources for the foreseeable future, we’re entering a transition stage in which we’ll define new roles for Libraries faculty and staff, and engage in planning and training for these new roles. As the group of individuals who make up this organization, our ability to implement high-priority actions will be critical to the Libraries’ ability to provide information, learning opportunities, and services that support access, knowledge, and success for the Purdue community and beyond.

Please make time to read through the documents under “Libraries Strategic Planning – January 2009” on the intranet. Talking about the information in your library, unit, or council before the February 26 and 27 All-Staff Meetings will give you a sense of the discussions the planning group has been having, and a chance to think about topics and questions you’d like to bring to the meetings.

Strategic Planning

What's Next?

  • Early February: Dean’s Council sets action priorities, looking at internal and external factors & appropriate order for actions
  • Mid-February: Dean’s Council shares short-term & longer-term priorities with councils, libraries & units
  • February 26 & 27: Dean’s Council presents more information & answers questions at All-Staff Meetings
  • Early March: Heads of libraries, units & councils use Libraries’ action priorities to plan 2009 goals & outcomes for their areas
  • Mid-March: Supervisors & employees incorporate area goals & outcomes into employees’ individual 2009 performance plans
  • Dean monitors & assesses progress toward Libraries’ goals, provides monthly updates to Libraries, & communicates to University about priorities, impact & consistency with University goals

 

Libraries Receives Cernan's Papers

Eugene Cernan EventEugene A. Cernan, a 1956 Purdue graduate and the most recent person to walk on the moon, is donating his personal papers to the Archives and Special Collection flight archives.

“I am extremely proud and honored to be included in the archives of Purdue University with so many people who have contributed so much to our nation,” Cernan said.

Purdue President France Córdova announced Cernan’s donation on the second of a six-stop tour visiting Purdue alumni in regions across the United States. Jim Mullins and Judy Schumaker represented the Libraries at the ceremony held in Houston, Texas, at NASA’s center for U.S. space flight.

Jim accepted the Cernan papers on behalf of the Libraries, and was surprised and pleased when President Córdova asked him to speak extemporaneously about the importance of the papers and the role of Purdue Libraries in serving students and faculty.

“Our expanding flight archives now include some of the key individuals (Armstrong, Earhart, Johnson) and events in flight history,” said Jim. “These archives also show Purdue’s significance in the advancement of flight. We have 22 Purdue graduates who have gone on to be astronauts, and we want to build our flight archives to reflect the University’s rich history and contributions to air travel and space flight.”

After the ceremony, several alumni who had worked in the libraries ranging from 2-30 years ago approached Jim and expressed gratitude for their experiences in the libraries at Purdue.

“These gifts are the product of months, even years of hard work by our staff in Archives and Advancement, and by coordinating with these larger University events we are able to bring stories of the Libraries’ many successes to a much larger audience of friends and alumni,” said Jim.

A portion of the trip to Texas was also spent meeting with potential and current Libraries donors. “It is always an honor to meet so many distinguished people, share in their successes, and hear about their memories of Purdue including their time spent in the library while they were students. I truly enjoy representing the Purdue Libraries,” said Jim.

 

 

Student PULSE & Scholarship Awards

Libraries Student Scholarships/Awards
McCaw/Viton Scholarships - $2500 each
PULSE Award – two $500
Application/Supervisor Recommendation
Deadline – February 15, 2009

Libraries/Press student employees are encouraged to apply for these scholarships/awards provided they meet the appropriate qualifications. Please see http://www.lib.purdue.edu/adv/pulsescholar for details about criteria and instructions for applying. A link is also posted on the Libraries homepage in the News & Announcements section.

 

 

Repository Deselection is Complete!

HKRP Deselection

On January 28, 2009, the two-year deselection project, headed by Mary Aagard, came to an end as the final book was boxed up to be sent to Gifts & Exchange.

The serial deselection project began in January 2007 as a way to weed out the low use serials held in the Hicks Repository. Over the past two years, Mary, with the help of Michelle Ogden and Allen Bol, deselected and removed a total of 36,571 volumes, freeing up 4,892 feet of shelving in the repository.
 
Some volumes were sent to the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne, Indiana University, and the Center for Research Libraries to fill gaps in their collections. However, a majority of the titles were sent to Gifts and Exchange or were recycled.

 

 

Green Tambourine

BY JANE KINKUS

Jane Kinkus

Today I’d like to talk about compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). By now it’s pretty well known that CFLs are big energy savers. And while CFLs may be more expensive than incandescent bulbs, they tend to last a lot longer. But did you know that CFLs (and fluorescent tubes) contain a bit of mercury, which is very poisonous and bad for the environment? If you accidentally break a CFL in your home, take care when you clean it up; the amount of mercury in one CFL is probably not hazardous to your health, but there are precautions you should take. The Environmental Protection Agency has published a fact sheet on mercury and compact fluorescents that includes detailed instructions for cleaning up a broken CFL.

Disposing of spent CFLs is not yet as easy as buying them. I checked West Lafayette’s recycling web page and found no mention of CFLs. However, Home Depot has instituted a program where customers can bring in used CFLs and give them to any cashier for disposal. And some Walmart stores have had CFL recycling days. Ikea stores also collect used CFLs, so if you’re going on a shopping trip to Chicago or Cincinnati, take your used CFLs with you!

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

 

 

Apply Now for CSSAC Grants for Employees & Dependents
CSSAC LogoThe Clerical and Service Staff Advisory Committee (CSSAC) is accepting applications for employee and dependent grants. The grants help recipients attend classes at Purdue. Guidelines and requirements for applying for the grants are available at the CSSAC Web site: www.purdue.edu/cssac. The deadline for applying for grants is March 2.

 

 

Libraries Implement Shelf-Ready Book Delivery

.
LC Book & Pat Kantner

The inaugural shipment of shelf-ready books with Library of Congress classification numbers are arriving.  Pat Kantner, head ITRS operations, holds one of the first books received.

contents
  • Cernan Papers
  • Student Scholarships & Awards
  • Deselection Process Completed
  • Green Tambourine
  • LC Books Begin to Arrive
  • Libraries in the News
  • Announcements
  • Libraries Staff A - Z
  • Student Staff

 

Off the shelf

Continuing Vacancies

  • Business Office/Human Resources Office
    Account Clerk IV (.50FTE) and HR Clerk IV (.50FTE)
    (University posting #0900039)
  • Archives and Special Collections Digital Collections Coordinator (University posting #0801592)
  • ITRS Network Systems Administrator (University posting #0801442)

New Hire

  • Adrienne Leitner, Secretary IV, University Copyright Office, 1/26/09

Transfer

  • Terri Sims, Business Office to Mechanical Engineering, 1/23/09

Promotion

  • Elaine Bahler, Secretary V, Advancement Office.

To view all Purdue job postings visit the Purdue employment page. If you have additional questions, contact Tom Haworth, 494-2903.

 

Libraries in the news

Journal & Courier, Jan. 19, 2009
Next Purdue freshmen to get shared experience

UNS Press Release, Jan. 14, 2009
Purdue professor's book selected for inaugural common reading program

UNS Press Release, Jan. 16, 2009
Eugene Cernan, most recent to walk on moon, donating papers to Purdue

Purdue Today, Jan. 9, 2009
Appointments and Promotions (Tomalee Doan)

Purdue Alumnus, Jan. 20, 2009 
Purdue Ink – Purdue Press books featured on page 63

Inside Purdue, Jan. 30, 2009

  • Astronaut alumnus Cernan donating papers to Purdue
  • Michael Solomon celebrates 30 years
  • Common reading plan to start with memoir by English professor

UNS Press Release, Feb.3, 2009
Purdue librarian develops, teaches class in community

 

Announcements

All Staff Meetings
Thursday, February 26, 2009
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
UGRL B848
or
Friday, February 27, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
UGRL B848

CSSAC Presentation
February 20, 2009
11:00 a.m. - Noon
UGRL G959
Contac Elaine Bahler with questions

Libraries Distinguished Lecture
Nobel Laureate Robert Laughlin
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Fowler Hall
7:30 p.m.

Archives and Special Collections
"Artifacts of Tradition"
Monday - Friday
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
through March 31, 2009

 

Libraries Staff a - Z

Marjorie BoeckmanMARJORIE BOECKMAN
InterLibrary Loan Assistant

Q.  What do you enjoy most about your job and why? 
A.  You would think this job could be monotonous, but it is not. There are unique and funny happenings every day; either with titles that are requested or the subject matter being studied. It also is a job with detail and variety, and I like that.

Q.  How long have you worked in the Libraries and at Purdue? 
A.  I have worked for Purdue 13 ½ years and the Libraries for 13 years.

Q. What is one unforgettable experience that has happened to you or your coworkers while working in the library? 
A.  Finding a bat in one of our mail tubs one morning when we came to work. It lay so still we all thought that it should be dead, but it was not. It took off and flew around the room and out into the HSSE library when I touched it. Someone contacted the Animal Control department and two men showed up with a net and heavy gloves to catch the bat and release it to the outside world. We have seen another bat since that time.

Q.  What’s your favorite book, Web site, movie, or database?
A.  The Matrix is one of my favorite movies. Science fiction is my favorite genre of book to read.

Q.  Have you been in all the Purdue Libraries?
A.  Yes, I have visited every library, including the three that are no longer with us.

Q.  Coffee, tea, water, or soft drink?
A.  Coffee, no way. Dr. Pepper is my soft drink. Tea and water are also okay.

Q.  What do you like to do for fun?
A.  I love movies, but I also like to read and crochet. Cross-country skiing and sledding are great fun this time of year, especially with all the snow we have had this year.

 

Student Staff

Sid XiaoSID XIAO
Junior
Aero/Astro Engineer

Q.  What Library do you work in?
A.  Earth & Atmospheric Science

Q.  Where are you from?
A.  Chicago; China before that.

Q.  What do you like about the Purdue Libraries?
A.  For employees, the libraries offer very flexible hours that I can fit around my schedule. They have a very good working environment where I can work and study at the same time. The librarians are very nice and helpful, and they care about your education, so if you had to study for a final or something they’ll let you take the day off.

Q.  What’s your favorite book?
A.  Forrester, C.S. ,  Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies plus all the other Hornblower books.

Q.  If you could add a class to Purdue’s curriculum, what would it be?
A.  Designated Lunch Hour 101. It would be a 3 credit hour class that meets every day at 12:30 p.m.

Q.  What’s the best birthday present you’ve received?
A.  $2000 check

Q.  Do you use Facebook or MySpace?
A.  Facebook

Q.  Who would like to meet and have dinner with?
A.  Buddha.

Q.  What do you do for fun?
A.  I have lots of hobbies. Right now I’m into amateur photography. In the summer I like to go sailing.

If you are interested in featuring one of your student assistants, please contact Teresa Brown at tmabrown@purdue.edu

 

Copy Deadline

Copy for the next issue is due by February 16, 2009. Send to tmabrown@purdue.edu.