Library Notes

In this second post in an ongoing series about the organizational changes coming to the MSU Libraries, we focus on two areas: Timeframe: Because the annual work plans for both library faculty and staff members follow the calendar year, the target date for implementing the team-based approach has been pushed back to January 1, 2020. This revised target implementation date will provide us all more time to establish the various teams to which most employees will belong, to undertake initial…

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At last week’s Missouri Conference on History in Kansas City, Tracie Gieselman-Holthaus spoke on how seemingly unrelated collections can be used to understand and interpret historical events. Using materials from the Ozarks Jewish Archives (OJA) and the Ozarks Lesbian and Gay Archives (OLGA), Tracie discussed the Interfaith AIDS Network, a community-wide faith-based organization. This group provided support to the AIDS Project Springfield (now AIDS Project of the Ozarks) during a tumultuous time in Springfield’s history. The Interfaith AIDS Network came…

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The MSU Office of Assessment awarded Rachel Besara on behalf of the MSU Libraries a $500 assessment grant to enable a team of 5 employees, 2 of which were student workers, to attend a Workshop on Using Student-Led Focus Groups to Gather and Make Sense of Assessment Evidence. The library trainees will focus on how to use student-researchers to better understand aspects of undergraduates’ library behaviors and use. Congratulations, and we look forward to the report from Lindsey Taggart, Paige…

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On Tuesday, March 26, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time, the Innovative Educators group will offer a webinar focusing on “First-Year Students and Libraries: Assessing the Impact of Information Literacy.” The MSU Center for Academic Success and Transition (CAST) and the MSU Libraries have partnered to make this webinar available to MSU faculty and staff. More details and specific instructions for accessing the webinar will be coming soon. Overview of the Webinar Both community college and four year…

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The MSU Libraries has begun the process of undergoing some organizational changes. We are moving away from a unit-based organization to one that is team-based. Each team will focus on one of the 42 principal activities of the MSU Libraries. Nearly all full-time employees — faculty and staff — will belong to several teams. The target date to begin implementing this new organizational structure is July 1, 2019. All employees will receive training and support for the principal activities with…

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Since being introduced into Duane G. Meyer Library several years ago, diner booths have proven to be very popular with library users, especially students. We currently have clusters of diner booths in the Main Lobby, on the Lower Level near the compact shelving, and on the Second Level under the skylight. An area on the west side of the Second Level is being prepared to accommodate six more diner booths. No installation date has been set, but the work should…

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Anne Baker, head of Special Collections and a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Library Science at Missouri State University, recently was elected to the Board of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. Anne’s interest in the Association is both personal and professional.  She has been a member of the Association for over fifteen years, plus Special Collections has worked with the Association to preserve the oral histories collected by their members. Anne is looking forward to being part of the Association’s efforts to…

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Stephanie Matthews, the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at the MSU Foundation, has become the primary communication contact between the MSU Libraries and the Foundation. Stephanie was the lead author of the recent, success grant application to the Sunderland Foundation, which will enable us to renovate Library 101, the large auditorium-style classroom off of the main lobby of Duane G. Meyer Library. Stephanie replaces Karl Schmidt, who has served the Libraries well for several years as communication contact. Karl…

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As the online version of a two-volume, 2011 edition, the Encyclopedia of Pollution is designed to address all aspects of pollution and the global impact on the environment in a single source. Containing more than 300 entries and essays, it uses the most current scientific data to explain the different types of pollutants, including properties, production, uses, environmental release and fate, adverse health response to exposure, and environmental regulations on human exposure. It provides the scientific background on the water,…

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