Library Notes

On January 1, 2019 the MSU Libraries had 48 full-time employees. We have several positions that are currently unfilled, with at least one search getting underway. Thirty-five (73%, up from 69% in FY14) of our full-time employees are females, and thirteen (27%) are males. In FY19 four of the six highest-paid employees are females, compared to just one of the top six in FY14. In FY14 the average (mean) salary of female full-time employees of the MSU Libraries was $39,072….

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Meyer Library Special Collections & Archives is now home to a first edition copy of Cindy: A Romance of the Ozarks, by Rose Wilder Lane. Lane is the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder. Published in 1928, this work precedes Lane’s successful novels Let the Hurricane Roar and Free Land as well as her mother’s celebrated Little House series. Prior to writing Cindy, Rose had written biographies of Art Smith, Charlie Chaplin, Henry Ford, and Herbert Hoover, a couple of non-fiction travel books, and several…

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The Historic Springfield Collection (M 26) in Meyer Library’s Special Collections and Archives contains photographs of properties and publications created or collected by the not-for-profit corporation named Historic Springfield. The corporation formed in 1999 to promote the preservation of Springfield’s “cultural resources” and provide historic consultation throughout the community. Historic Springfield aspired to demonstrate historical preservation through the restoration of The Mosher House on East Walnut Street as the Living History House Museum. The bulk of the collection consists of photographs of…

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To encourage recycling, and by extension reduce the amount of trash generated from public spaces, Meyer Library is conducting a trial of two sets of new recycling and trash containers. Each set consists of one paper, one bottle/can, and one trash container. For the trial Meyer Library chose Rubbermaid Untouchable 23 gallon containers with lids. The trash container is black with a square-holed lid. The paper recycling container is blue with a narrow slot while the bottle/can container is green…

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Please help us celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of the Springfield AARI (African American Read In) in 2019! Save the date of Friday, February 1, 2019 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm to attend the Opening Reception for the showing of the “Telling a People’s Story:  African-American Children’s Illustrated Literature Traveling Exhibit” at The Library Center on S. Campbell Avenue for an evening of songs, dramatic readings, games, and other festivities. The reception will begin several months of events in conjunction with the…

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Lindsey Taggart, an assistant professor and Director of Resource Management and Discovery in the MSU Libraries, was awarded an ACRL 2019 Early Career Scholarship. The scholarship includes registration and a travel stipend to participate in this year’s ACRLConference, to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, April 10-13. Lindsey is also the winner of the 2019 ER&L First Timer Award. The award covers registration and lodging for the Electronic Resources & Libraries conference in Austin, Texas, March 3-6. Congratulations, Lindsey!

In December of 2018, Bill and Virginia Darr donated $13,000 to the MSU Libraries. Their generosity was in response to a one-page wishlist of items that had been inserted into the annual progress and highlights report that the MSU Libraries mailed last fall to friends and supporters of the Libraries. These funds will be used in the following manner: $1,000 to enhance the Pillars of Public Affairs Collection $1,500 to purchase two Cricut Maker die-cutting machines, enabling MSU students, faculty,…

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Outreach is an important component of the public affairs mission of the MSU Libraries. Many faculty and staff members of the MSU Libraries engage in outreach activities on a continuing basis. For instance, on Monday Dean Tom Peters gave a talk about the Weaver Brothers, Elviry, and the Home Folks during the monthly luncheon gathering organized and sponsored by the Music Monday of the Ozarks group. Approximately 40 members of the public attended, including several descendants of the Weaver family…

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