What We Do
The Acquisitions Unit acquires, pays for, and makes accessible to patrons new and recurring scholarly resources to advance Purdue’s world-changing research and transformative instruction. Our responsibilities include:

• Order print and electronic resources
• Receive and distribute print resources
• Renew recurring resources with selectors’ input
• Pay invoices for all library resources
• Set up and maintain access to electronic resources
• Set up subscriptions and standing orders
• Manage and track electronic resources licenses
• Collect and analyze data related to our resources
• Troubleshoot access issues of our electronic resources
• Serve as a liaison with vendors and publishers
• Monitor funds and ledgers within Alma
• Provide collections support for 25 selectors

Who We Are
The Acquisitions unit has evolved and will continue to evolve due to the advances of technology, user expectations and changes in collection development. The unit functions as a team of knowledgeable and dedicated staff who work to meet the challenges of new technologies by testing new processes and envisioning ways to improve traditional acquisitions functions. Here is a look at who works in Acquisitions and what their primary focus is:

• Cara Bradford gathers usage statistics for electronic resources, provides collection analysis support, troubleshoots access problems and customizes electronic resources. She conducts overlap analysis, runs cost-per-use reports and provides other standardized usage and financial reports as needed.
• Amanda Grossman oversees the ordering, renewing and paying of journal subscriptions (print and electronic) we have with Ebsco and Harrasowitz, our subscription agents. She makes sure the titles we subscribe to are discoverable and accessible by patrons.
• Diana Grove manages the daily operations of the Acquisitions Unit to ensure that unit goals are met. She coordinates the processing and maintenance of physical and electronic resources, manages the ledgers and funds in Alma, identifies and solves problems related to workflows and communicates new or revised procedures to Libraries staff and faculty.
• Sue Long focuses primarily on ebooks and ebook collections, assuring they are discoverable and accessible by patrons. She processes bibliographic, holding and item records for physical, electronic and digital items owned or licensed by the Libraries. Sue also resolves access issues reported by patrons.
• April Maybee manages our database subscriptions. She orders and renews databases, manages the invoicing/payment process, maintains the Databases A-Z list and troubleshoots database access issues.
• Rachel Moore processes the serial transfer and withdrawal requests, focusing currently on the rightsizing project. Rachel is the resource person for serial holdings and location questions and offers training on processes as needed.
• Jill Stair manages the electronic journal packages we subscribe to directly with publishers. She makes sure the collections we subscribe to or purchase are discoverable and accessible by patrons. She also troubleshoots access issues reported by patrons.
• Libby Wahl processes invoices and credit card statements and assists with the rightsizing project. Libby is a jack-of-all-trades and has provided support on numerous Acquisitions projects over the years.
• Joan Wang oversees monograph ordering and processing for both print and electronic format. She also supervises a student to assist with receiving serials and monographs.
• Electronic Resources Librarian (vacant) will play a critical role in the development, implementation and evolution of strategies and workflows relating to the acquisitions and management of electronic resources. This position will also take the lead role in managing publisher/vendor license negotiations. While this position is a part of the Acquisitions unit, s/he will report directly to the Assistant Dean for Collections and Access.

Where We Are
We are located in Room 370 in Stewart Center. We are here from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can learn more by sending Diana Grove an email at dgrove@purdue.edu if you would like to take a tour of the Unit and meet the staff.

Pictured left to right: Rachel Moore, Sue Long, Jill Stair, Cara Bradford, Amanda Grossman, Joan Wang, April Maybee, Diana Grove. Not Pictured: Libby Wahl.

In my new position as interim associate dean for Academic Affairs, I have the amazing opportunity to see the Libraries from a new perspective. Our Libraries are such a great place with so many great things happening and so many dedicated, hard-working people! One example that comes to mind is that we have been adapting so successfully to the many changes that have happened in recent years.

I’ve also had the opportunity to see how we can become even better. One thing I’ve observed is that we could improve in the ways we communicate with each other. If we do this, it will make the Libraries an even better place to work!

Representatives from each of the categories of staff (RaeLynn Boes for A/P, Dianna Deputy for C/S and Vicki Killion for faculty) and I met with Jon Biggs and Lisa Bittles (HR) to identify some strategies to do this. I’ve discussed it with the members of AdCom, too, but I’d appreciate feedback from all of you. Do you think we have communication problems? If so, what are they? How do you think they can be addressed?
In the meantime, here’s how we would like to start...

We will kick off our “effective workplace communication” initiative at the October all-staff meetings. Jon Biggs (HR) will give us an exercise to do that will help us understand our individual communication styles and preferences. Then, supervisors will have an opportunity to attend training on addressing workplace communication practices as part of performance goals and evaluations. INSIDe will have brief articles about workplace communication with tips, suggested readings, websites or videos (contributors are welcome!). You might talk about these with your work unit. Lastly, we’d like to organize two training programs each year about improving workplace communication.

Now, what I’d like to ask of you...

• Please commit to improving workplace communication. We can always improve!
• Participate in the exercise during the all-staff meeting. It will be a fun way to begin thinking about this.
• Let me know if there are particular issues that you think need to be addressed. Some of the topics I’ve heard about are: knowing when to talk to someone in-person rather than by email, how to disagree, the importance of speaking up, internal customer service, the importance of listening, “email escalation,” and inappropriate emails.
• Let me know if you know of any good resources for improving workplace communication.

I hope to hear from you! My email is sweiner@purdue.edu or you can send me an Outlook invitation to meet in-person.

The Graduate Research Information Program (GRIP) is well underway for fall 2016! For nearly two years, the GRIP Committee has been actively at work to meet the needs of graduate students from all over campus. Our initiative has grown to include nearly one dozen independently designed workshops and sessions from almost 10 different library faculty members. In spring 2016, we began a multi-semester needs assessment plan to gather input and insight from Master’s and doctoral students from all over campus. With the findings, we will tailor our program even more to meet their needs. The first of many focus groups revealed areas of exploration and in the near future will include academic writing support and advanced help with research productivity. And this semester’s focus groups may reveal even more.

How can you be a part? There are three ways to help: 1) by spreading the word about what we are and what we do 2) by contributing to the calendar with your expertise and 3) help us plan and make GRIP even better. We look to offer the best of the library to the graduate students of Purdue University, and with your help and support, we are well on our way.

Visit our website for more information at http://guides.lib.purdue.edu/grip or contact a GRIP committee member with suggestions and questions: Nastasha Johnson, Hal Kirkwood, Catherine Fraser-Riehle, Clarence Maybee, Line Pouchard, David Zwicky and Pete Pascuzzi.

Purdue University Libraries proudly co-sponsored International Data Week that recently took place Sept. 11-17 in Denver, Colorado. The Libraries were well-represented in the week's events that included two conferences, SciDataCon 2016 and the 8th Plenary Meeting of the Research Data Alliance (RDA), plus the International Data Forum. Pictured left to right are Heather Howard, Marianne Stowell Bracke, Kendall Roark, Line Pouchard, Michael Witt, Bethany McGowan, David Zwicky, Sandi Caldrone, Mike Zentner (ITaP), and Pete Pascuzzi. For more about the week's events, visit http://www.internationaldataweek.org. Purdue Libraries is a founding organizational member of the RDA.

Cindy Yeoman was hired in July 2001 by Operations Coordinator Diana Lorton in Humanities, Social Science and Education Library (HSSE) as a library assistant III to help with training HSSE student workers. It wasn’t long before Cindy was promoted to a student supervisor, a role she has served in and developed ever since to meet the ever-changing needs of the HSSE Library. Just a few of Cindy’s numerous accomplishments are completion of the ACE program, service as vice-chair and chair of CSSAC, the development of an online student training manual, and the creation of the ALMA Training Manual that was used Libraries-wide as well as by Ex Libris to develop manuals for their other customers.

Cindy’s dedication, initiative and thoroughness has assisted all of us in many ways. She is the coordinator of the best student parties around! She organizes food for over 40 which is enjoyed by all of HSSE staff every semester! Her attention to detail has benefited all of us: she created the HSSE How to Manual, the individual unit student budget spreadsheet, trained and assisted other student supervisors, worked with the Libraries Business and Administration Offices to streamline the student hiring process, plus coordinated the ever-constant shifting of the large collection of books, periodicals and government documents in HSSE Library. Cindy’s coordination and supervision of student workers to complete these endless projects is astounding and will be missed! She has also worked diligently over the past several months to share her knowledge and expertise with the HSSEB student supervisors to ensure our future success.

Thank you, Cindy, for everything that you have done for Purdue University Libraries over the last 15 years! We will miss your warmth, strength and respect for all.

Dot Lanzalotto joined the Purdue University Libraries June 1, 1977, in Periodicals Checking. In January 1978, she transferred to the Libraries Audio Visual Center in Stewart Center as the shipping clerk, mailing out media (16mm films, videocassettes, slide sets, etc.) for classroom instruction and to campus and outside users. In 1982, she moved into the newly constructed Hicks Undergraduate Library where she continued to serve as the shipping clerk while taking on new responsibilities in Book Storage, renamed in 2005 to Hicks Repository (HKRP).

Over the last 39 years, Dot’s responsibilities grew but her dedication to the Libraries never faltered. As the structure of the Film Library changed, so did her role as the shipping clerk with her promotion as lead retrieval and management resource staff in HKRP. She also served as HKRP’s student supervisor, monograph specialist, monograph archival assistant, safety ergonomics representative and compact shelving sub-committee convener.

Dot loved handling the old books and developed a keen eye for recognizing the historical value of several items. “Dot has been instrumental in helping identify and preserve rare items in the Repositories — valuable rare books, historical Purdue-produced films, and other odds and ends. She even helped by discovering a 1498 incunable (book from the era of the “cradle of printing”), which is now known to be the Libraries oldest book and is being preserved and made accessible in ASC,” said Sammie Morris, university archivist and head, ASC Division.

Dot took a very active role in the Libraries and the Purdue community. As a member of CSSAC, she served as vice-chair, liaison for Purdue Child Care Program, member of the Grants and Scholarships and Purdue Activity Committees. She was a member of the Council on the Status of Women (Gender Equity and Purdue Childcare expansion need.) In 1982, the Purdue President’s Council commissioned her to create a needlework scene of historic Purdue buildings for President and Mrs. Hansen’s art collection at Westwood. Mrs. Hansen invited Dot to lunch and a tour of their collection in appreciation for her creative needlework and talent.

For Libraries, she served as a member on United Way, LCSSAC, Development Needs Task Force, Infrastructure and Communications Improvement Committee, Equity Adjustment Committee, Organizational Meetings for All Action Teams, Safety and Ergonomic Committee and was actively involved in many Libraries events and social activities including organizer of the Libraries Arts & Craft Show held during the Annual Staff Recognition event.

Dot was one of two staff members who received the first-ever Joseph M. Dagnese Award in 1993. “That award was given to her then in recognition of the outstanding service and collegiality that she was known to provide to our students and faculty. Through the intervening years, that commitment has never wavered,” said Jim Mullins, dean of Libraries.

There is no one who worked harder to make sure our patrons had what they needed. She did it with kindness and always with a smile. She mentored many student staff members with sincerity and concern. She continues to be one of the Libraries’ biggest cheerleaders and she will be greatly missed. Thank you, Dot, for your dedication, your professionalism and the joy you shared with all of us. Best wishes for all the happiness you deserve in your retirement.

Dear Colleagues,

I am very grateful for the opportunity to have worked as the Director of Strategic Communications for the Purdue University Libraries for the last few years. It has been a challenging and rewarding experience. Thank you to everyone for all your support and collaboration on so many initiatives. I am especially grateful to Elaine Bahler, Teresa Brown, Ashley Hutchcraft and Kathryn Dilworth for their constant support and teamwork with so many projects. Thank you to everyone in the Libraries for all you do. I truly wish you all the best in the future.

Sincerely,
Shannon Walker

Since 2005, Purdue University Libraries has participated in celebrating Constitution Day on campus with an exhibit of banned books. In the photo, Ann O'Donnell and Kay Schurr point out some of the banned books included in this year's display to an interested attendee. Thank you to all the volunteers who help make this a successful annual event.

LCSSAC 2016 FALL PICNIC HIGHLIGHTS

Many staff members, their friends and families enjoyed an exceptionally nice evening at the recent LCSSAC Fall Picnic. All had a great time visiting and meeting new colleagues while enjoying excellent food. Many thanks to all who participated and a special thanks to LCSSAC for organizing the event and to our barbecue chefs, Dan Rotello, Roger Strater and Allen Bol.