Library Notes

A recently completed collaborative project is “Our Food: Our Stories,” an oral history series containing sixteen interviews that seeks to preserve experiences of Ozarks farmers and the rich Ozarks agricultural heritage. Interviews have been collected from a diverse group of farmers across the region with particular emphasis on the stories of indigenous people, as well as immigrants, veterans, those who are underserved, the socially disadvantaged, individuals of color, as well as beginning and seasoned farmers. This project is a collaboration…

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On Friday, June 7, 2024 and Saturday, June 8, 2024, the Ozarks Studies Institute, an ongoing initiative of the Missouri State University Libraries, will serve as a vendor at the 30th annual Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival in West Plains, MO. The OSI booth will have books and magazines for sale at a table underneath a canopy. Funded partially by the Missouri Arts Council and the Missouri Folk Arts Program, the festival, which began in 1994, exists to acknowledge talented…

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Staff from the Missouri State University Libraries will be at PrideFest this upcoming Saturday representing the Ozarks Lesbian and Gay Archives (OLGA). This collection works to document the LGBTQ+ community in our region. Among the holdings are photographs, oral histories, records of organizations, and scrapbooks. Shown here are Tracie Gieselman France and Jeffrey Lawson as they practice putting up the new tent that will keep us out of the sun (and possibly the rain!). This tent and other outreach materials…

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The full-time staff in the Meyer Testing Center (Sue McCrory, Kevin Wilson, Amy Hankins, and Scott Fischer) all recently completed and passed the National College Testing Association (NCTA) Proctor Certification exam.   Attaining the NCTA Proctor Certification furthers the professional development of testing staff working in educational institutions and the private sector, helps to ensure the preservation and relevance of exam content for all stakeholders including test vendors, sponsors, and examinees, provides opportunities for new proctoring training that is non-specific…

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Special Collections and Archives, part of the Missouri State University Libraries, is excited to share a new display with the community! Water Sources in the Ozarks: Protecting, Improving, and Promoting Awareness features selected items from archival collections documenting the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, the James River Basin Partnership, and historic photographs featuring streams and rivers in the Ozarks Region. This exhibit focuses on two organizations working to protect the region’s watershed: the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks and the…

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The Spring/Summer 2024 edition of OzarksWatch Magazine is fresh off the press! This volume’s theme is Ozark Treasures. This unique issue is a smorgasbord of stories. Inside, you’ll find articles on everything from music to visual art, sports, photography, history, and much more. The issue is complete with 7 book reviews in the back.  “All this, and more are just out there waiting, and we’re not sure that everyone knows that. So we decided  to give you a sample of…

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This month, Ozarks Public Television’s Gregory Holman sat down with Bob Kipfer, one of the authors of Saving Bull Creek, to discuss the newest book from the Ozarks Studies Institute at Missouri State University. The 25-minute segment aired on OPT’s Sense of Community on May 16. Kipfer talked with the host about several topics ranging from his collaboration with co-author Loring Bullard to his property on the creek, conservation of the environment, the history of the peoples, flora, and fauna…

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Karen Durden, a Library Associate I in the Missouri State University Libraries, has completed MSU’s University Staff Ambassadors (USA) program as a valued member of the 2024 cohort. As Karen reflects on the experience: “Being part of the USA Program has been a wonderful experience. I have always been curious to understand what happens in other areas of the University and see behind the scenes. It has been good to meet staff from other areas and catch a glimpse of…

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Decades of dedication to documenting the Ozarks region led Gordon McCann to Columbia on May 19, where he was recognized as a Living Traditions Sustainer Fellow by the Missouri Folk Arts Program.    The award, now in only its second year, honors individuals “and their deep-rooted contributions to traditional arts within their vibrant Missouri communities,” notes information on the MFAP’s website.    Gordon McCann has long lived this reality. McCann, nearly 93, has spent much of his life working to…

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One facet of MSU’s CAP (Continuous Agility Process) initiative focuses on Open Educational Resources (OER), and Tracy Stout, a library science faculty member of the Missouri State University Libraries, is providing local and statewide leadership on this initiative. The Academic Affairs CAP is a systematic, ongoing process that keeps academic affairs fresh, relevant and market-savvy. As part of a learning and growing organization, the process is designed to be continuous and agile. The April 30, 2024 CAP report to the MSU…

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