CAMEO | Ask A Librarian |  Site Search | Home

What's New Backfiles [January-June 2004]

June 2004

• 2004 Excellence Award Winners
  Nominated by the members of the campus community, Jean Alexander and Charlotte Trexler are the most recent recipients of the University Libraries' "Excellence" awards. Jean Alexander, a library faculty member and head of Hunt Library Reference, was honored for "Excellence in Forwarding the Instructional and Research Mission of the University," for her work to meet the specialized and growing needs of the Department of Modern Languages. Charlotte Trexler, a library staff member in Hunt Library Circulation, was recognized for "Excellence in Increased Productivity," for her exceptional work to automate fines and billing notices for overdue items. Winners were announced at the annual Library Appreciation Picnic, which was held on June 4 in the Posner Center.
  
  
• DATABASE: PAIS Archive
  Indexes articles, books, conference proceedings, government documents, book chapters, and statistical directories about public affairs. Currently the database covers 1957-1976; periodic updates will add data for 1915-1956. Contemporary public affairs coverage is provided by PAIS International.
  
  
• Film
  Guide to information for academic and recreational purposes.
  
  
• When is Plagiarism Not Cheating?
  Information Ethics Problem of the Month, contributed by Jennifer Erica Sweda. Ms. Sweda is Social Sciences Cataloging Librarian at the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library and Writing Fellow, Writing Across the University Program (Critical Writing Program) at the University of Pennsylvania.
  
  
• Institutional Repositories: Revealing Our Strength
  WHEN: Thursday, June 10, 2004, 3:00-4:30 pm.
  WHERE: Hunt Library instruction classroom, 1st floor
  
  About the webcast
  Institutional repositories (IRs) represent a rapidly growing movement in scholarly communication to collect, preserve, and provide access to the digital resources of scholarly research. In this live, interactive Web presentation you will learn more about IRs and their increasing importance to scholarly communication. By providing you with direct access to hands-on experts, this webcast gives library staff, campus faculty, and administrators an opportunity to explore this topic in a shared learning environment. Rick Johnson, SPARC Enterprise Director, will begin this session with an introduction to the webcast, followed by three panelists who will discuss institutional repositories' benefits, uses, and users. In addition, the panelists will address concerns and answer viewer questions as a means to begin or further discussion on campuses. An ARL/OLMS Webcast. Cosponsored by SPARC and CARL.
  
  Panelists
  * Susan Gibbons, Assistant Dean for Public Services & Collection Development, University of Rochester, River Campus Libraries
  * Daniel Greenstein, Associate Vice Provost for Scholarly Information, University Librarian for Systemwide Library Planning and the California Digital Library (CDL)
  * Kathleen Shearer, Research Associate, Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL)
  
  Target audience
  * College and University faculty and administrators
  * Librarians who want to stay current with developments in scholarly communication, particularly those who work with faculty and researchers
  
  
• Core Competencies and Their Application in Management [PDF]
  Bella Karr Gerlich spoke at a session of the Art Libraries Society of North America 32nd Annual Conference, "Establishing Core Competencies in Art Library and Visual Resources Professions." Gerlich discussed competencies from the management perspective and noted that it could also be referred to as the industry model. Senior management has the responsibility for strategic planning and integrating the core competencies with the organization's goals, structure and culture and can aid management in doing their jobs. Characteristics of successful strategies include a clear understanding of the external environment and an appraisal of the organizations' strengths and weaknesses. Effective management maps the efforts and goals of employees to the vision, mission and goals of the organization or parent organization. Staff are most effective when they are shown how they fit into the big picture. Staff can use the competencies document for self evaluation and even advancement. ARL SPEC Kit #270 also discusses core competencies.
  
  
• DATABASE: Asian American Drama
  Asian American Drama contains the full-text of 186 plays by 35 playwrights. When completed, the database will include more than 250 plays many of which have not been published previously. It is searchable by author, play title, characters, scenes, subjects, years, productions, theatres, and companies. The database also contains playwright biographies, details on productions, theatres and theatrical companies, as well as production photographs, selected playbills and other information related to the plays.
  
  
• Industrial Hygiene Collection
  Guide to specialized collection at Mellon Institute Library.
  

May 2004

• Adele Barsh and Donna Beck honored by Special Libraries Association, Pittsburgh Chapter
  Adele Barsh received the Inaugural 2004 Technology Award from Special Libraries Association's Pittsburgh Chapter for her work in creating a Directory of Special Libraries in the Pittsburgh Region Vicinity, at <http://www.sla.org/chapter/cpit/dirpages/intro.html>. The directory provides contact and collection holdings information representing chapter member organizations. Corporate, government, law, medical and newspaper libraries are included, as well as archives and academic libraries with special collections. Adele has been a library faculty member in the Hunt Library reference department since 1997. She is the liaison for Business and Economics (Tepper School).

  
  
  
  Donna Beck received the 2004 Student Conference Stipend Award from the SLA Pittsburgh Chapter. This award, which recognizes scholarship and interest in special librarianship, is a travel stipend to attend the next Special Libraries Association annual conference (Nashville, TN, June 5-10, 2004). Donna earned her Master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Library and Information Science in 2004. She has been a member of the University Libraries' acquisitions department since 1999.
  
  
  
  

• Posner Center Dedication
  
• On Monday, May 17, the Posner Center, a spectacular new library facility and university meeting venue, will be dedicated by Chairman of the Board of Trustees David Shapira, President Jared Cohon, Dean of University Libraries Gloriana St. Clair, Executive Director of the Posner Fine Arts Foundation Anne Molloy, and Emeritus Life Trustee Henry Posner Jr., in the company of trustees and other invited guests.
  
  
  A gift of Henry and Helen Posner Jr. in memory of his parents, Henry and Ida Posner Sr., the Posner Center is located between the College of Fine Arts and the Tepper School of Business. The 11,400 square-foot building, designed by WTW Architects, will house rare and historic books and art objects collected by Mr. and Mrs. Posner Sr. Beginning with a special exhibit designed for the dedication by Rick Landesberg Associates, the Posner Center will feature ongoing exhibits from the collection.
  
  The center's meeting room has been designed as the primary meeting venue for the Board of Trustees, but will be also available to the Faculty Senate, Staff Council, student government, advisory boards and similar groups, as well as for meetings requiring videoconferencing and sophisticated technology. Requests for use of the Posner Center should be directed to the President's Office.
  
  The center will be open as a library facility from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning Tuesday, June 1. Expanded hours are anticipated by the beginning of the fall term. [Story from Carnegie Mellon 8.5x11 News, May 6, 2004]
  
  
• Students enjoy finals study breaks
  Mrs. Cyert provided well-appreciated "study breaks" in each of the libraries during finals, May 2004. Students responded via note cards to Mrs. Cyert, who asked: "What was your favorite course this year, or who was your favorite instructor?"

April 2004

• Kathy Bossick recognized by MCS
  Kathy Bossick, a support staff member at Mellon Institute Library, has received a monetary award and certificate from Mellon College of Science. The MCS "Special Award" acknowledges a staff member or team from outside MCS who has given special service to the college. Criteria for the honor include job performance, commitment, attitude, team worker, and achievements. Kathy was nominated by a graduate student in chemistry, with the support of other chemistry students and faculty. Congratulations, Kathy!
  
  
• Joan Stein honored with award
  Joan Stein, head of Access Services for the University Libraries, has been awarded the 2004 Virginia Boucher-OCLC Distinguished Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Librarian Award by the American Library Association. The award recognizes Ms. Stein's outstanding professional achievement, leadership and contributions to interlibrary loan and document delivery at the national level. The award is named for Virginia Boucher, professor emeritus at the university of Colorado-Boulder and former ILL librarian whose significant contributions and leadership enhanced the field of interlibrary loan. The monetary award and citation are donated by OCLC, Online Computer Library Center. The award is administered by the Management and Operation of User Services Section (MOUSS) of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). more
  
  
  
• Call for Nominations!
  Members of the Carnegie Mellon community are invited to nominate library faculty or staff for EXCELLENCE in any of the following categories: Satisfying Customers, Increased Productivity, Library Citizenship, Forwarding Instruction and Research, or Innovation. Awards will be announced at the annual Library Appreciation Party in early summer.
  
  Award Nomination (form) Nominations must be received by May 14.
  Previous Achievement Award Winners, 1999-2003 These employees are ineligible for nomination in 2004.
  Library Awards Program and Procedures
  
  
• National Library Workers Day, April 20
  Libraries work because we do! Take advantage of library resources and celebrate the work of library faculty & staff in the university community. [http://www.ala-apa.org/nlwd/NLWDsampleproclamation.doc]
  
  
• Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week, April 5-9
  Thank you, and best wishes from the University Libraries! [National Association of Graduate-Professional Students]

March 2004

• Town Meeting on Institutional Repositories
  According to a recent EDUCAUSE report, "institutional repositories will become a significant focus of most higher education institutions within three years." Building on the grass-roots practice among faculty of posting their research online - where it is likely to be cited five times as often as traditional print journal literature - institutional repositories are touted as a strategic response to opportunities afforded by a digital networked environment and to systemic problems in the scholarly journal system. Is this hype or hope? How would an institutional repository work at Carnegie Mellon? Carnegie Mellon Faculty Senate and the University Libraries will host a Town Meeting to discuss these questions: Tuesday, April 13, 4:30-6 p.m., Peter McKenna Room, UC.
  
  
• Nobel Laureate's Papers to be Digitized
  The university has received the papers of Nobel Laureate Clifford Glenwood Shull (S'37) as a gift from the Shull family, and the University Archives has received $8,000 from the American Institute of Physics to preserve and catalog the collection for research use. The Shull family will fund digitization to put the Clifford Shull Collection online in full-text -- as the Heinz, Newell and Simon archival collections are available today.
  
  In 1994 Shull and Canadian physicist Bertram N. Brockhouse received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their individual work with neutron-scattering techniques. Shull died in March 2001. "The scientific papers of Clifford Shull are a real treasure to have at Carnegie Mellon. Even a brief look at part of the collection gives one an appreciation of the combination of careful, intensive work and clearly stated insights that are essential components of Shull's Nobel Prize-winning research," said Fred Gilman, professor and head of the department of physics. more
  
  
• Internship Opportunity
  The Posner Fine Arts Foundation Internship Program funds two Carnegie Mellon University students to study the Posner Memorial Collection and prepare exhibits each year. Stipend: $2475. The Summer 2004 internship application deadline is April 1, 2004. The Fall 2004 internship application deadline is June 1, 2004. Each student completes a one-semester internship of 15 hours per week spent researching and creating an exhibit in collaboration with faculty and/or librarians. The internship, open to undergraduates and graduate students, is available as a non-credit/credit program. Students who wish to earn academic credit must gain permission from their academic department and/or school before the internship begins. Each intern should have a faculty advisor.

February 2004

• Using Other Libraries FAQ
  Everything you need to know about using other libraries but were afraid to ask. Prepared by Jason Bugg and Jean Alexander on behalf of the library's Public Services Council.
  
  
• ICPSR Summer Program 2004
  The Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research offers a comprehensive, integrated program of studies in research design, statistics, data analysis, and social methodology. Basic training is offered, along with opportunities for advanced work in specialized areas. Carnegie Mellon is an ICPSR member (lower fees apply). Popular workshops fill up quickly, and application for some workshops is competitive. Complete information on course offerings, course descriptions, fees, and a secure online registration form are available at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/training/summer/index.html. To apply for travel funds or if you have any questions about the ICPSR summer program, please contact social sciences librarian Paul Neuhaus, at 268-6116 or neuhaus@andrew.cmu.edu.
  
  
• DATABASE: Classical Music Library is the world's first classical music collection for libraries. It is a complete collection of recordings with a supplementary reference database, enabling patrons to listen to music both on campus or at home (by accessing the service via the library's secure system remotely) while simultaneously searching and browsing the Classical reference database. Content partners include Hyperion, Vox, Vanguard, Arabesque, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sanctuary and many other respected labels. *Please note: Flash Player 6 is required for all systems (Mac and PC).* The library currently has a 3-simultaneous user license to this product. If you are unable to access it, please try again later or contact Kristin Heath, Music & Catalog Librarian, kheath@andrew.cmu.edu, if problems persist.
  
  
• DATABASE: Conference Board's Business Knowledge Research contains full-text research reports from 1998 to date on current issues in business management and U.S. and global economics, including business education, business ethics, business forecasts, communications, diversity, e-business, finance, human resources, information technology, knowledge management, leadership, marketing, operations, performance measurement, quality, strategy, taxation and work life. Economics material includes U.S. and global economic indicators, and analysis and forecasts of regional, national, and international economic conditions. Includes these publications: Research Reports, Executive Action, StraightTalk, Across the Board.
  
  
• Check out the new DVDs!
  Hunt Library now has movies on DVD that you can check out, thanks to a generous gift from Virginia Wright Schatz, Music 1943. On February 4, students, faculty and staff turned out for a reception to thank Mrs. Schatz and celebrate the collection.
  
  Carnegie Mellon students selected the titles, which are listed in the library catalog (select "Complex Search" and search by Item Type "Recreational DVDs").
  
  DVDs circulate for 3 days and may be checked out from the Video Collection, Hunt Library, Lower Level. Hours: Monday-Thursday 8 am-11 pm, Friday 8 am-5 pm, Saturday noon-5 pm, Sunday noon-11 pm. Current Carnegie Mellon ID is required.
  
  

January 2004

• DATABASE: EServer TC Library is a noncommercial index of technical communication resources. Based at Iowa State University, the TC Library is an attempt to provide a hybrid between a traditional index and a web portal; one that indexes peer-reviewed scholarly work as well as some popular and practitioners' resources that our editors consider important to the field. The EServer is a free service that indexes both public and subscriber-only works. At present we index over 5,500 works (representing the writings of more than 2,500 authors). We _never_ charge anyone for access to anything we provide. We provide abstracts to works published elsewhere, and link to them, and we fervently hope that some readers will have free access through their university library's subscription to the service (as happens with many universities and some publishing sites, such as those from many journal publishers, the ACM Portal or IEEE Explore). The EServer was founded at Carnegie Mellon University in 1990, and we've worked closely with librarians to develop our system since we launched in 2001, and would like to see libraries -- facing the serials crisis -- work with us to develop viable noncommercial alternatives more accessible to patrons. [Geoffrey Sauer, Director, Eserver.org]
  
  
• New Online Tool Helps Library Users
  A grant from a local foundation and research & development work by the University Libraries have produced a new online tool that helps Carnegie Mellon users select appropriate starting points for library research. Christopher Kellen headed the multi-year effort to develop the Automated Resource Finder (ARF), now available in beta version.
  
  Users interact with ARF by making certain selections, and ARF responds with likely places to start research online. ARF also has features like a journal title look-up that are handy when you need to find a specific item. ARF is designed to assist undergraduate students who may be completely unfamiliar with library resources, infrequent library users, or anyone who needs to do research in an unfamiliar subject area.
  
  Enhancements will be made over time based on user feedback. You may comment via ARF or contact Jean Alexander, Head, Reference Services, jeana@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-6809.
  

• CM Web Portal
  The first iteration of the Carnegie Mellon Web Portal is available to students, faculty and staff at http://my.cmu.edu/ It is a work in progress. A fully functional portal, as envisioned by planners, will be years in the making and will continue to evolve. In the near term, the portal interface will be made available to alumni, prospective students, parents, and others.
  
  The university portal is intended to provide a personalized, customizable, integrated interface to all aspects of life at Carnegie Mellon, and to other resources that users might select or add as bookmarks. User feedback is necessary to help guide portal development. Take an active role and comment about things you like, things you don't like, and things you would like to see in the portal.
  
  The University Libraries are among the so-called "early adopters" of the portal concept and technology. Since mid-2002, we have participated in planning, software selection, design and preliminary content implementation (available on the Academics tab), including a Cameo search interface. We look forward to continued development of the portal as a means to focus information and services for library users.
  
  
• The Ethics of Data Collection and Storage
  Information Ethics Problem of the Month, contributed by Paul Neuhaus, Social Sciences Librarian, Hunt Library.
  
  
• Martin Luther King Day at Carnegie Mellon

  
  

  What's New Backfiles:

  • January-June 2007
  • July-December 2006
  • January-June 2006
  • July-December 2005
  • January-June 2005
  • July-December 2004
  • January-June 2004
  • July-December 2003
  • January-June 2003