Libraries Strategic Planning UpdateBY NANCY HEWISON
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:
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. What's Next?
Libraries Receives Cernan's Papers Eugene 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 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! 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.
Green TambourineBY JANE KINKUSToday 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
Libraries Implement Shelf-Ready Book Delivery . 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
Off the shelf
Continuing Vacancies
New Hire
Transfer
Promotion
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 Purdue Alumnus, Jan. 20, 2009
UNS Press Release, Feb.3, 2009
Announcements
All Staff Meetings CSSAC Presentation Libraries Distinguished Lecture Archives and Special Collections
Libraries Staff a - Z
MARJORIE BOECKMAN Q. What do you enjoy most about your job and why? Q. How long have you worked in the Libraries and at Purdue? Q. What is one unforgettable experience that has happened to you or your coworkers while working in the library? Q. What’s your favorite book, Web site, movie, or database? Q. Have you been in all the Purdue Libraries? Q. Coffee, tea, water, or soft drink? Q. What do you like to do for fun?
Student Staff
SID XIAO Q. What Library do you work in? Q. Where are you from? Q. What do you like about the Purdue Libraries? Q. What’s your favorite book? Q. If you could add a class to Purdue’s curriculum, what would it be? Q. What’s the best birthday present you’ve received? Q. Do you use Facebook or MySpace? Q. Who would like to meet and have dinner with? Q. What do you do for fun? 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. |