So we’ve got a hurricane bearing down on us this weekend.
I have a tendency to downplay them; I grew up in Florida, where we get hit by these things pretty often. All a hurricane is is a lot of rain and wind, and it’s usually no big deal. You get some flooding, some deck chairs flying around, power lines falling, tree branches taking out roofs and car windshields, telephone poles getting knocked over …
Well, okay, it’s kind of a big deal. But the point is we have a hurricane coming!
All I can really say about that is: What can be prevented will be; what can’t be will be dealt with.
In the meantime, the new semester opens on Monday, come hell or high water (whichever happens first), and we will be ready. All the computers are in place with the latest images from Gallaudet Technology Services, the printers are humming along, the copy machines are ready and waiting, our database and e-books are fizzing and sparking away, and the books are as patient as ever.
Not a huge amount of stuff has changed policywise since the Spring semester; loan periods are still 4-6 weeks depending on your status and where in the collection (Deaf or General Stacks) you borrow from. Except for faculty, of course, who get the usual September-January-May due dates for loans from the General Stacks. Films are still 3 days, up to 3 per person borrowed at a time.
We’ve also changed how databases are accessed, hopefully in a clearer way. Check it out for yourself; head to our homepage at library.gallaudet.edu, find the “Find article databases” link in the “Research Help” box, and click on it. Any feedback? E-mail us at library.help@gallaudet.edu or me at james.mccarthy@gallaudet.edu.
We’re also closed this weekend and will be for most of Labor Day weekend next week so you can enjoy a couple of days off from academic obligations before the semester really gets going! Our Thanksgiving hours have also changed, since, for the first time, there won’t be any classes Thanksgiving week. Check out our schedule for more information. If it resembles a Metrobus timetable fed through a shredder, my apologies; holidays can get funky.
Now, I’m going to wrap this up by burying the lede so far down it’d take a dedicated gravedigger to find it: We’re hosting a series of events in September in order to spread more awareness about the Library and the kind of things we offer the population of Gallaudet University, as well as tying in to this year’s Common Theme about freedom of expression. The kicker is that we’re using this as an opportunity to raffle off an iPad 2 and $100 gift certificates to Amazon.com!
Tickets will be available to Gallaudet students only. Sorry, faculty and staff! Nevertheless, here’s our main event page; check it out!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Vlog review of The Magicians
We had an earthquake yesterday! Things are fine here at the Library, although a roll of packing tape fell off a table in my office.
Anyway, this week's vlog, as promised:
The Magicians by Lev Grossman.
Anyway, this week's vlog, as promised:
The Magicians by Lev Grossman.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Summer isn't over yet!
Mea culpa.
It’s been a long, busy week for everyone here at the Gallaudet University Library. The renovation of the former photocopy area proceeds apace; we finally finished it this morning! You can visit our Facebook page to see photos of the progress. All we need now is the new furniture.
Classes are starting just a week from Monday! We’re all suitably terrified but our game faces are on; not only are we doing the usual Library things -- setting up accounts for new students and returning students who’ve lost their ID cards over the summer, making sure all the books are in order, double-checking that our electronic resources haven’t dropped an IP address or two, tweaking our new public computers to make sure all the basics are available for students to use, planning our upcoming events, updating our class presentations, and putting together lesson plans, among many, many other things.
Lesson plans? Yup. I’m teaching a GSR 101 course for brand-new students. They’re so new I don’t think the packaging’s been taken off yet! I did the same thing last Fall, and am looking forward to doing it again -- hopefully with a little more experience and seasoning behind me this time!
Elizabeth Henry, on the other hand, is about to undertake her own big adventure! She’ll be teaching GSR 150: City as Text with Kathleen Wood, a professor from the English department (whom you can see in our Web story -- she appears right around 3:58). We’re all looking forward to seeing the fruits of their collaboration!
In the meantime, things have entered the calm-before-the-storm stage. Arrival Day and orientations for both undergraduate and graduate students are next week, and classes begin the following week. But right now, it’s Friday afternoon, the sun’s out, and there’s a mild breeze.
Next week, you’ll get a vlog and another update on what to expect if you’re walking through our doors for the first time since last May or, well, ever. We’ll have things like an event schedule, an exciting contest, fresh floor plans, and plenty more!
It’s been a long, busy week for everyone here at the Gallaudet University Library. The renovation of the former photocopy area proceeds apace; we finally finished it this morning! You can visit our Facebook page to see photos of the progress. All we need now is the new furniture.
Classes are starting just a week from Monday! We’re all suitably terrified but our game faces are on; not only are we doing the usual Library things -- setting up accounts for new students and returning students who’ve lost their ID cards over the summer, making sure all the books are in order, double-checking that our electronic resources haven’t dropped an IP address or two, tweaking our new public computers to make sure all the basics are available for students to use, planning our upcoming events, updating our class presentations, and putting together lesson plans, among many, many other things.
Lesson plans? Yup. I’m teaching a GSR 101 course for brand-new students. They’re so new I don’t think the packaging’s been taken off yet! I did the same thing last Fall, and am looking forward to doing it again -- hopefully with a little more experience and seasoning behind me this time!
Elizabeth Henry, on the other hand, is about to undertake her own big adventure! She’ll be teaching GSR 150: City as Text with Kathleen Wood, a professor from the English department (whom you can see in our Web story -- she appears right around 3:58). We’re all looking forward to seeing the fruits of their collaboration!
In the meantime, things have entered the calm-before-the-storm stage. Arrival Day and orientations for both undergraduate and graduate students are next week, and classes begin the following week. But right now, it’s Friday afternoon, the sun’s out, and there’s a mild breeze.
Next week, you’ll get a vlog and another update on what to expect if you’re walking through our doors for the first time since last May or, well, ever. We’ll have things like an event schedule, an exciting contest, fresh floor plans, and plenty more!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Quick updates
A thing or three for today …
First, no vlog this week. There’s just too much to do. August slipped in through the door when I wasn’t looking, and now we’re suddenly three weeks away from the beginning of the Fall semester. However, as a substitute, I offer Thing Number Two:
It’s a nifty little video about the Library! The TV department downstairs (part of Gallaudet Technology Services) worked with us through the nimble hands of Lizzie Sorkin to create this video as a way to sum up what we have to offer the Gallaudet community. Of course, as I mention at the end of the video, there’s lots more we haven’t mentioned!
We try, of course, through this blog, but it’s easy to overlook things you work with every day! Plus, of course, all the stuff we keep adding, changing, updating, expanding, and moving.
Yeah, it’s been a busy summer.
Speaking of which, Thing Number Three is an important thing to know if you’re a regular user of the Library these days: The printers, print-release station, and scanner have all relocated.
Both printers and the print-release station are now all in one place, on a table in the photocopy area, and the scanner’s moved to where Printer 2 used to be. Basically, all the computers usable for normal work in the first-floor public-computer area, as well as all the printing equipment, are together in their own areas.
We’ve done this in order to clear out the low counter that the scanner, one of the printers, and the print-release station used to sit on; that counter’s not long for this world! Per my previous post, we’re having it removed sometime this month. That’ll open everything up and make it all much easier to get to. In the meantime, it’s a New Thing to know about!
That’s all for this week. There are plenty more updates to come later this month; keep an eye out!
First, no vlog this week. There’s just too much to do. August slipped in through the door when I wasn’t looking, and now we’re suddenly three weeks away from the beginning of the Fall semester. However, as a substitute, I offer Thing Number Two:
It’s a nifty little video about the Library! The TV department downstairs (part of Gallaudet Technology Services) worked with us through the nimble hands of Lizzie Sorkin to create this video as a way to sum up what we have to offer the Gallaudet community. Of course, as I mention at the end of the video, there’s lots more we haven’t mentioned!
We try, of course, through this blog, but it’s easy to overlook things you work with every day! Plus, of course, all the stuff we keep adding, changing, updating, expanding, and moving.
Yeah, it’s been a busy summer.
Speaking of which, Thing Number Three is an important thing to know if you’re a regular user of the Library these days: The printers, print-release station, and scanner have all relocated.
Both printers and the print-release station are now all in one place, on a table in the photocopy area, and the scanner’s moved to where Printer 2 used to be. Basically, all the computers usable for normal work in the first-floor public-computer area, as well as all the printing equipment, are together in their own areas.
We’ve done this in order to clear out the low counter that the scanner, one of the printers, and the print-release station used to sit on; that counter’s not long for this world! Per my previous post, we’re having it removed sometime this month. That’ll open everything up and make it all much easier to get to. In the meantime, it’s a New Thing to know about!
That’s all for this week. There are plenty more updates to come later this month; keep an eye out!
Friday, July 29, 2011
We've been busy!
It’s been a while since I posted an update!
The collection shift is over. Since then, we’ve been working on other things while the Archives expansion continues.
1) New computers. Most of our public computers in the open area on the first floor have been replaced with brand-new computers and super-delish widescreen monitors. They’re pretty, but are considerably larger than our old computers, so we’ve been …
2) Clearing space. We’ve relocated the microform readers from their old space between the public computers and DVD area to the seating area by the emergency exit immediately across the atrium from the Service Desk. It makes more sense when you see it, instead of going by how I’m trying to describe it. The upshot is that we’ve opened up that space between the public computers and DVDs and added …
3) New lights. One oddity we’ve fully recognized for years is that one of the most heavily-trafficked areas in the Library is pretty poorly-lit! It’s like entering a cave once you pass the public computers on your way to the DVDs. One major reason for the gloom is that the leaks we’ve historically had in that area have made it difficult to add any electrical equipment; another one is all the exposed ductwork, which makes positioning pretty awkward. In recent years, though, things have been relatively dry, and moving the microform readers gave us more options for light placement, which we immediately exploited. It’s nice and bright there now, which is good, because we’re getting ready for …
4) New furniture. Because the new computers are so large, and because we’re working on a reconfiguration of that part of the first floor in general, we’ve decided to add more working space there. There will soon be new tables in that area which will let us spread the public computers out a little more and add more elbow room for you to work, whether alone with a lot of stuff, or in groups sharing a single computer. If you think that sounds cramped, think again because we’re actually undertaking a …
5) Small renovation. One space constraint we have in the open public-computer area on the first floor is a low counter that encloses the photocopy area. We’ve used it for years as sort of a throwaway space for equipment that doesn’t quite fit with the rest of our public computers -- like the scanner and printer workstations that are there now -- so it’s fairly convenient, but it definitely limits everyone’s options on how to use the space. So we’re getting rid of it and opening up the whole area! This will allow us to add a …
6) Seating area and printing center. We’ve ordered new couches and chairs for the photocopy area; the copiers will be moved to the railing on the other side of the public-computer area, overlooking the General Stacks in the basement. That way, there’s a nice space for people to relax, drink some coffee, put their feet up, do some work, or socialize right next to our most popular computers. We’re also going to set up both of our printers and the job-release station there, so there’s no need to try to figure out which printer is which and where your paper will come up -- it’ll all be in the same place! In the meantime, the scanner will join the public computers on the newly-added computer tables. That’s not all, because we’re also ordering couches for a new …
7) Quiet study room. The 1404 computer lab will become something more accommodating to students who want to study quietly on an individual basis, but need access to a computer, which isn’t available (yet!) in the study rooms downstairs (it’s on our list). We’re adding more comfortable seating and table space to the room, and plan to figure out ways to keep the area free from both visual and aural noise so you can focus on your work in peace. There’ll be plants and stuff.
That’s it for the more noticeable changes, I think. We’ve gotten rid of the videophone in the Deaf Library Study Center (the computer lab with DVD players and the giant TV), mostly because nobody seemed to use it, and we thought we could use the space to add another computer.
Sorenson also renovated their public videophone booths by the men’s restroom on the first floor; they’re now in spiffy permanent enclosures which are a big improvement over the temporary partitions that had been there for years.
And of course, we can’t help but mention, once again, the collection shift. Not only did the General Stacks move around (with the very nice side effect of making the children’s books, graphic novels, and literature much easier to find! See me for more information), but we also relocated the General Periodicals (both popular magazines and academic publications), Reference (encyclopedias and the like), and the Deaf VHS collection (just a few stacks over).
We’ll have a few opportunities in September for first-timers and lifers alike to get to know the Library a little better. In the meantime, if you’re returning this fall, whether student or faculty, and are a little mixed up, please don’t be shy about asking any of the librarians you see! We’re always happy to help point people in the right direction. Same goes for anyone who’s new to Gallaudet this fall.
Or even if you’ve just dropped by to be nosy. Really.
The collection shift is over. Since then, we’ve been working on other things while the Archives expansion continues.
1) New computers. Most of our public computers in the open area on the first floor have been replaced with brand-new computers and super-delish widescreen monitors. They’re pretty, but are considerably larger than our old computers, so we’ve been …
2) Clearing space. We’ve relocated the microform readers from their old space between the public computers and DVD area to the seating area by the emergency exit immediately across the atrium from the Service Desk. It makes more sense when you see it, instead of going by how I’m trying to describe it. The upshot is that we’ve opened up that space between the public computers and DVDs and added …
3) New lights. One oddity we’ve fully recognized for years is that one of the most heavily-trafficked areas in the Library is pretty poorly-lit! It’s like entering a cave once you pass the public computers on your way to the DVDs. One major reason for the gloom is that the leaks we’ve historically had in that area have made it difficult to add any electrical equipment; another one is all the exposed ductwork, which makes positioning pretty awkward. In recent years, though, things have been relatively dry, and moving the microform readers gave us more options for light placement, which we immediately exploited. It’s nice and bright there now, which is good, because we’re getting ready for …
4) New furniture. Because the new computers are so large, and because we’re working on a reconfiguration of that part of the first floor in general, we’ve decided to add more working space there. There will soon be new tables in that area which will let us spread the public computers out a little more and add more elbow room for you to work, whether alone with a lot of stuff, or in groups sharing a single computer. If you think that sounds cramped, think again because we’re actually undertaking a …
5) Small renovation. One space constraint we have in the open public-computer area on the first floor is a low counter that encloses the photocopy area. We’ve used it for years as sort of a throwaway space for equipment that doesn’t quite fit with the rest of our public computers -- like the scanner and printer workstations that are there now -- so it’s fairly convenient, but it definitely limits everyone’s options on how to use the space. So we’re getting rid of it and opening up the whole area! This will allow us to add a …
6) Seating area and printing center. We’ve ordered new couches and chairs for the photocopy area; the copiers will be moved to the railing on the other side of the public-computer area, overlooking the General Stacks in the basement. That way, there’s a nice space for people to relax, drink some coffee, put their feet up, do some work, or socialize right next to our most popular computers. We’re also going to set up both of our printers and the job-release station there, so there’s no need to try to figure out which printer is which and where your paper will come up -- it’ll all be in the same place! In the meantime, the scanner will join the public computers on the newly-added computer tables. That’s not all, because we’re also ordering couches for a new …
7) Quiet study room. The 1404 computer lab will become something more accommodating to students who want to study quietly on an individual basis, but need access to a computer, which isn’t available (yet!) in the study rooms downstairs (it’s on our list). We’re adding more comfortable seating and table space to the room, and plan to figure out ways to keep the area free from both visual and aural noise so you can focus on your work in peace. There’ll be plants and stuff.
That’s it for the more noticeable changes, I think. We’ve gotten rid of the videophone in the Deaf Library Study Center (the computer lab with DVD players and the giant TV), mostly because nobody seemed to use it, and we thought we could use the space to add another computer.
Sorenson also renovated their public videophone booths by the men’s restroom on the first floor; they’re now in spiffy permanent enclosures which are a big improvement over the temporary partitions that had been there for years.
And of course, we can’t help but mention, once again, the collection shift. Not only did the General Stacks move around (with the very nice side effect of making the children’s books, graphic novels, and literature much easier to find! See me for more information), but we also relocated the General Periodicals (both popular magazines and academic publications), Reference (encyclopedias and the like), and the Deaf VHS collection (just a few stacks over).
We’ll have a few opportunities in September for first-timers and lifers alike to get to know the Library a little better. In the meantime, if you’re returning this fall, whether student or faculty, and are a little mixed up, please don’t be shy about asking any of the librarians you see! We’re always happy to help point people in the right direction. Same goes for anyone who’s new to Gallaudet this fall.
Or even if you’ve just dropped by to be nosy. Really.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Vlog review of Gay Power
Gay Power: An American Revolution by David Eisenbach.
Error of note: Rock Hudson's AIDS treatment didn't commence until 1985, not 1983 as mentioned in this video.Friday, July 15, 2011
Patrick's conference report!
It's time for another Friday treat: A conference report from one of my fellow librarians, Patrick Oberholtzer!
Patrick joined our director, Sarah Hamrick (see her report here), in New Orleans a few weeks ago to attend the American Library Association's massive annual conference, learn new things, and just have fun.
As you'll see, he managed to accomplish all three!
Once a year, librarians from across the country gather together for the American Library Association’s Annual Conference. This year, fellow Gallaudet librarian Sarah Hamrick and I travelled to a city known as “the Big Easy” -- New Orleans.
The conference of some 20,000 librarians offers something for just about every interest, from technology to library architecture. With so many librarians attending, you need a pretty big place for the conference, and that’s why I found myself in the massive Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The building seems to go forever (from the front door to one of their rooms was over a mile!). There are programs with expert speakers on just about every facet of librarianship; committees that discuss everything from emerging technologies to social media and public services. There is also a very large exhibit hall where you can give the latest gadgets a whirl, talk to authors and publishers, test out the latest library furniture, and enter drawings for iPads that are won by a lucky few. I spoke with the very interesting author of a book about Nazis in Hollywood in the 1930s, Hollywood Agent Provocateur. I didn’t know about that!
As you make your way around the very crowded conference center, with rivers of people going every which way, it is very easy to get lost or at least feel like you are up a creek without a paddle. After carefully studying conference center maps and signs, I made my way to one room and mercifully ran into two old friends. I asked them what programs they were attending. In fact, I ask everyone that question, because I always seem to learn about a good event that I missed. The sheer size and scope of the three-day convention produces a lot of energy, enthusiasm and, of course, new ideas.
At Gallaudet University, the librarians do a variety of work and wear many hats. One of those hats is instruction and thus, we are teachers, too. One thing I have noticed over many years is that teachers love to give out handouts, lots of them. Let’s face it: handouts can be as dull as dishwater and often are not read. At one of the instruction programs I attended, librarians were demonstrating and discussing a much more visual way to do handouts, using Comic Life2. Comic Life permits you to create a graphic story – like a comic book -- using pictures, drawings, cam shots, and photos. You can add captions or speech balloons as needed. The result is a beautiful handout that is more visually driven than plain text.
We hear a lot about Web 2.0 and libraries are using many of these technologies to market our services. The Gallaudet Library already makes good use of everything from video logs and blogs to instant messaging and e-mail. Still, we feel there is more we can do and that is why “the marketing unprogram” got my attention. In that presentation, I heard about one public library director who told his staff to increase library card registration 50% in one year “or else.” One solution the staff came up with was to ride the city buses all day distributing handouts. Sure enough, registration and library use statistics jumped immediately. I sure wouldn’t have thought of that!
Libraries have traditionally used e-mail to advertise various library functions. The rub is: how do you know if anyone reads those e-mails? Well, a public library in Connecticut came up with a solution: a software program called Constant Contact. You collect e-mail addresses, write the copy for your event or program, and send it to Constant Contact which, as if by magic, creates a nifty professional notice and emails it to everyone on your list. Here’s the crackerjack part: You can find out how many of the e-mails were opened!
New Orleans is a fun city and a pretty good place for a conference. The French Quarter is a lively place of shops, bars, restaurants and lots and lots of music. It is chock full of history, complete with haunted houses and hotels. If you find yourself in the French Quarter, take a hike and check it out. It really does look like parts of Paris.
Patrick
Patrick joined our director, Sarah Hamrick (see her report here), in New Orleans a few weeks ago to attend the American Library Association's massive annual conference, learn new things, and just have fun.
As you'll see, he managed to accomplish all three!
Once a year, librarians from across the country gather together for the American Library Association’s Annual Conference. This year, fellow Gallaudet librarian Sarah Hamrick and I travelled to a city known as “the Big Easy” -- New Orleans.
The conference of some 20,000 librarians offers something for just about every interest, from technology to library architecture. With so many librarians attending, you need a pretty big place for the conference, and that’s why I found myself in the massive Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The building seems to go forever (from the front door to one of their rooms was over a mile!). There are programs with expert speakers on just about every facet of librarianship; committees that discuss everything from emerging technologies to social media and public services. There is also a very large exhibit hall where you can give the latest gadgets a whirl, talk to authors and publishers, test out the latest library furniture, and enter drawings for iPads that are won by a lucky few. I spoke with the very interesting author of a book about Nazis in Hollywood in the 1930s, Hollywood Agent Provocateur. I didn’t know about that!
As you make your way around the very crowded conference center, with rivers of people going every which way, it is very easy to get lost or at least feel like you are up a creek without a paddle. After carefully studying conference center maps and signs, I made my way to one room and mercifully ran into two old friends. I asked them what programs they were attending. In fact, I ask everyone that question, because I always seem to learn about a good event that I missed. The sheer size and scope of the three-day convention produces a lot of energy, enthusiasm and, of course, new ideas.
At Gallaudet University, the librarians do a variety of work and wear many hats. One of those hats is instruction and thus, we are teachers, too. One thing I have noticed over many years is that teachers love to give out handouts, lots of them. Let’s face it: handouts can be as dull as dishwater and often are not read. At one of the instruction programs I attended, librarians were demonstrating and discussing a much more visual way to do handouts, using Comic Life2. Comic Life permits you to create a graphic story – like a comic book -- using pictures, drawings, cam shots, and photos. You can add captions or speech balloons as needed. The result is a beautiful handout that is more visually driven than plain text.
We hear a lot about Web 2.0 and libraries are using many of these technologies to market our services. The Gallaudet Library already makes good use of everything from video logs and blogs to instant messaging and e-mail. Still, we feel there is more we can do and that is why “the marketing unprogram” got my attention. In that presentation, I heard about one public library director who told his staff to increase library card registration 50% in one year “or else.” One solution the staff came up with was to ride the city buses all day distributing handouts. Sure enough, registration and library use statistics jumped immediately. I sure wouldn’t have thought of that!
Libraries have traditionally used e-mail to advertise various library functions. The rub is: how do you know if anyone reads those e-mails? Well, a public library in Connecticut came up with a solution: a software program called Constant Contact. You collect e-mail addresses, write the copy for your event or program, and send it to Constant Contact which, as if by magic, creates a nifty professional notice and emails it to everyone on your list. Here’s the crackerjack part: You can find out how many of the e-mails were opened!
New Orleans is a fun city and a pretty good place for a conference. The French Quarter is a lively place of shops, bars, restaurants and lots and lots of music. It is chock full of history, complete with haunted houses and hotels. If you find yourself in the French Quarter, take a hike and check it out. It really does look like parts of Paris.
Patrick
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
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