This past July, as part of a reorganization, I moved into my new role as Director for Information Resources. Most of you know me as the person who handled our contract and licenses for electronic resources. While I am still involved with our licenses and contracts, it’s at a much reduced level. In my new role, I oversee the four units that make up the newly formed Information Resources division: Acquisitions, Metadata Services, Digital Programs and Access Services (formerly ILL).

What do these units have in common? They play a critical role in providing access to scholarly research materials, whether it’s an electronic ebook, a journal article, a rare manuscript, streaming video, a scanned copy of an old bulletin or a print book borrowed from another library. While each unit is distinct in its role in how these materials are made available, they strive to (1) ensure resources are discoverable in Primo and other access points by faculty, staff and students, and (2) facilitate access to or obtain scholarly research materials for faculty, staff and students, whether Purdue-owned or borrowed.

How exactly does this happen? I’ve outlined each unit’s contribution in the role of increasing and improving access to scholarly research materials:

• Acquisitions orders, receives and processes print and electronic resources. Staff work on bibliographic and holdings records, set up access to electronic resources and ensure resources show up in our discovery layer and other access points. Diana Grove, Acquisitions Supervisor, and Anna Seiffert, Electronic Resources Manager, oversee the work of this unit.
  

• Metadata Services creates metadata and assigns controlled vocabularies to print and digital collections, making them discoverable by patrons. Original cataloging is also provided for circulating print and audiovisual materials and for rare materials owned by Archives and Special Collections. Good, accurate metadata increases the discovery of scholarly research materials. Patty Glasson, Head of Metadata Services, oversees the work of this unit.
  

• Digital Programs digitizes significant physical collections, organizes the resulting images, provides OCR and works with Metadata Services to create appropriate metadata before uploading the images and corresponding metadata to eArchives. Access to these collections is available to entire scholarly community, not just Purdue-affiliated patrons. Cliff Harrison, Operations Manager for Digital Programs, oversees the work of this unit.
  

• Access Services obtains research material not owned by the Purdue University Libraries for Purdue faculty, staff and students. Research materials are made available by pick-up or delivery. Amy Winks, Operations Manager, oversees the work of this unit.

This by no means quantifies all of the important work each of these four units provides to the Libraries – that list would be entirely too long for this article! – but it does provide a snapshot of sorts to illustrate the relationship of how a resource goes from being a “thing” we acquire or own to a resource that is searched for, found, accessed and ultimately used.

The end of the semester is approaching, and Purdue University Libraries will once again be extending hours in four of our libraries: Engineering (ENGR) and Hicks (HICKS) libraries will be open 24-hours beginning Sunday, December 6. Humanities, Social Sciences and Education (HSSE) and Parrish libraries will extend hours Friday, Saturday and Finals week. All other libraries will remain open normal hours. 

This schedule will have participating libraries open for many additional hours, and staff are needed to help cover some of the extended hours. No reference experience is required. Training in circulation, building and emergency procedures, and food and drink policies will be provided if necessary. Typically, shifts are scheduled to allow for maximum coverage.

ENGR: Seeking staff from throughout Purdue Libraries, contact Amanda Gill, gill3@purdue.edu.
Mon.–Fri. Midnight–8 a.m., Fri. 6 p.m.–Sat. 11 a.m., and Sat. 5 p.m.–Sun 11 a.m.

Hicks: Seeking staff from throughout Purdue Libraries, contact RaeLynn Boes, rboes@purdue.edu.
Mon.–Fri. 2–7 a.m., Fri. 6 p.m.–Sat. 1 p.m., and Sat. 6 p.m.–Sun 1 p.m.

HSSE: Seeking HSSE staff and faculty — work with RaeLynn Boes to cover extended hours.

Parrish: Seeking Parrish staff and faculty — work with RaeLynn Boes to cover extended hours.

If you wish to participate or have questions, please send an email with your availability by Monday, Nov. 16 to Amanda Gill for ENGR or RaeLynn Boes for Hicks.

A combination of overtime and flex scheduling is possible, consistent with the pay period and supervisor’s permission. Biweekly staff and monthly non-exempt staff members who work hours in excess of 40 in a workweek (Monday through Sunday) will be paid time-and-a-half. No employee may work more than 16 hours (regular and overtime) in a 24-hour period. The maximum overtime an employee may work in any workweek is 20 hours. Monthly exempt staff and faculty could adjust their schedules as appropriate.

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped keep the Libraries open in the past and to new volunteers who are able to contribute a few hours of time at the end of this semester. This greatly appreciated initiative would not be possible without your help!

Materials currently on display in Archives and Special Collections feature the art and research of Aldo Giorgini, who was a professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue from 1968 until the 1990s. Giorgini was well regarded for his technical expertise in fluid mechanics and engineering mathematics. In the 1970s, he began to combine this knowledge with his background in the visual arts, and emerged as a significant figure in the computer arts movement. The materials on display include the bold, geometric prints that were created by Giorgini on Purdue’s mainframe computer. Also exhibited are photographs, correspondence and research materials that document Giorgini’s activities as both a scientist and artist.

These items were donated by his son, Mass Giorgini, to the Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center, in conjunction with the publication of Giorgini’s biography, Cybernethisms: Aldo Giorgini"s Computer Art Legacy, by Esteban García and published by the Purdue University Press.

The Brian Lamb School of Communication, the College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University Libraries and Purdue University Press recently hosted a reception in Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center to celebrate the publication of Phillip K. Tompkins’ book, Managing Risk and Complexity through Open Communication and Teamwork.

Tompkins is well known in the field of communication and beyond because of his long and exciting career as professor, researcher, literary critic and author. After achieving his PhD in organizational communication from Purdue University in 1962, Tompkins was a consultant to NASA working under the legendary Wernher von Braun during the development of the Saturn V (the “moon rocket”). Throughout his career as a professor, he maintained productive research programs at Wayne State University, Kent State University, the University at Albany, Purdue University and the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has continued this record since his retirement in 1998, producing three books with the most recent being Managing Risk and Complexity through Open Communication and Teamwork. In his book, Tompkins presents a powerful theory of open communication and teamwork. This unites a range of communication practices and principles that have proven to combat risk and complexity in organizations. The Book was published and is available through Purdue University Press: http://www.thepress.purdue.edu/titles/managing-risk-and-complexity-through-open-communication-and-teamwork.

During his visit to campus, an oral interview was conducted by Tracy Grimm and a tour of the Archives and Special Collections was provided with Sammie Morris, University archivist and head, ASC.

Josephine Moesi, visiting scholar and Librarian, met with Purdue Libraries faculty and administrative professional staff to share her experiences setting up a library for the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana. Her visit also included meeting with Libraries staff and Aviation Technology faculty to learn about practices in library management, services and resources that would be helpful for her to share with her colleagues at Africa.

The Hicks Undergraduate Library is currently hosting an exhibition from the Indiana Historical Society titled, Freedom: A History of U.S. The exhibit documents and illustrates the importance of people and events that trace the evolving principle of freedom from the nation’s founding until 1968. The exhibition features personal letters, documents and broadsides from the Gilder Lehrman Collection and invites visitors to read the words and see the images of men and women who arrived in this land by choice or in chains and forged the nation.
                                                                                                                                
Among the highlights are a rare 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence, a secretly printed draft and official copy of the US Constitution, Lincoln’s handwritten notes of speeches and letters by leading figures such as Frederick Douglas, Susan B. Anthony and others. The exhibit will be on display in the Hicks Undergraduate Library through November 6.

Ayn Reineke
Secretary
Libraries Administration

Hello! I’m Ayn Reineke, the new Secretary V in Libraries Administration and your friendly first-point-of-contact in the Dean’s Office. My primary duties include providing administrative support to Associate Deans Paul Bracke and Tomalee Doan, handling walk-in, phone and email inquiries, conference room scheduling, agenda and meeting prep, Dean’s Office travel requests and expense reports, and lending a hand in any task that eases the workload of the associate deans and faculty.

I was born in Los Angeles, CA, raised in Sandusky, OH, and spent the last twelve years in Ann Arbor, MI. I attended the University of Michigan, where I graduated cum laude with a degree in English Language and Literature. Upon graduation, I worked in the Anthropology Department at the University of Michigan as an office services coordinator, and later, as the executive secretary to the Associate and Assistant Deans of Undergraduate Education in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. I am delighted to bring my creativity, patience and enthusiasm to Purdue University!

I am a prolific novelist and sewing enthusiast. Whenever I find myself grappling with a difficult plot point, I put down my laptop and work on a dress or a costume until I figure it out. If you see me wearing something new, I probably have writer’s block. I love comics, alternative rock music, watching Game of Thrones, Victorian literature, Frozen, bright colors, and all things vintage. On my lunch breaks, I can usually be found geeking out at Von’s. I am brand new to the Lafayette area and still learning all the wonderful things to do here, so any suggestions are encouraged!

If you’d like to say hello, I can be found waving from my desk in 278C STEW, or reached by phone or email at 49-42900 and areineke@purdue.edu, respectively.

Chili Cook-Off in Parrish

Parrish Library staff held their second annual chili cook-off on October 20. After sampling and voting, patrons of the library were happily surprised by being invited to finish off all of the wonderful entries. Varieties included: Bison, Venison, Turkey, Chicken, 3-Bean, Beef and Sausage, and Taco chili.

Chili Award Winners
Most Original — Ilana Stonebraker
Most Spicy — Tie between Mary Dugan and Tomalee Doan
Best Tasting — Tie between Hal Kirkwood and RaeLynn Boes
Most Traditional — Tomalee Doan