Information Commoner
September 2012
Volume 7, Issue 1
Keeping Library Staff on Common Ground
In This Issue
Announcements
2
At Your Service
2
Department News
3
Brag Box
4
What’s Our Policy?
Strategic Planning: Action Highlight
By Kim Rollins
Goal: The UVU Library will enhance the organization.
Objective 4.2: Review staffing structure and needs by December 2012
Activity: Benchmark staffing and budgets in similar libraries
Activity: Investigate the alignment of current staffing and library needs
Mike and Lesli have been working on the strategic planning goal of comparing our library with UVU’s designated peer institution libraries in terms of staffing size and structure, as well as all other areas. This information will be helpful in informing the UVU administration about the Library’s staffing needs, especially as we approach the PBA process. Along with Mike’s data comparisons, Lesli is looking at staffing structures and processes that might be of interest to us as we grow and improve. Below are a few of these comparisons for your information.
Did you know faculty can now check out books for a whole semester? We recently announced that the faculty loan period for books is now 16 weeks. To renew items, faculty will bring materials to the Circulation Desk, and we will renew them for an additional 16 weeks.
Check out periods remain the same for all other items. If faculty need DVDs or videos for extended classroom use, they can contact Christy for assistance.
Total FTE 12 Month Enrollment
Librarians and Pro-fessional Staff
Librarians/Staff Per 1,000 FTE Students
Other Paid Staff
Student Assistants
Total Staff
Total Staff Per 1,000 Students
UVU
19,267
15
.78
18
13
46
2.39
Comparison Group Average
14,123
22.56
1.67
21.97
14.43
58.96
4.16 2 INFORMATION COMMONER
Announcements
Banned Books Week
September 30 to October 6 is Banned Books Week. Visit the Library’s Facebook page next week as we challenge students to think about why its important to fight for the freedom to read.
Fall Break Hours
The Library will be on limited hours during fall break, from October 11—13.
Halloween Costume Contest
The Library will be holding its annual Halloween costume contest on October 31. We plan on having several special guest appearances. Keep an eye out for more information!
At Your Service
By Lesli Baker
Last spring, I participated in the campus Do Something Great initiative to help improve customer service on campus. Providing outstanding customer service is such an important part of what we do that I am bringing back our At Your Service column in the staff newsletter to share with you ideas from the Do Something Great training.
Creating a service culture takes time and effort. But, how do we know when we have a service culture? Here are a few indicators to help us recognize how we are doing:
People take responsibility.
There are few barriers to communication and action.
People are responsive to the needs of internal and external customers.
People are friendly and courteous toward each other.
Front-line staff frequently ask if they can be of service.
People smile and look like they enjoy their work.
People continuously look for ways to improve.
Staff feel empowered to act.
So how do you think we are doing? Take a moment to reflect on how you are doing on these individually as well as how the library is doing overall. I welcome your input on where and how we can improve!
INFORMATION COMMONER 3
By Mark Stevens
Symphony Upgraded to 4.3.1
As per request from Azucena Aguayo, our Symphony server was recently upgraded to version 4.3.1 (service pack 1) without downtime, or impact to the library community. Azucena’s persistence in this regard keeps us current on the latest release of Symphony, and in this particular case, also permits additional functionality (such as the mass edit capability). Sometime this fall, we plan to also upgrade to 4.3.1, service pack 2. Again we do not expect significant downtime.
Symphony Catalog MARC Extract and Delivery Has Been Automated
The new EDS Discovery Resource requires continual synchronization with the changes that occur within the Symphony catalog. It usually takes about 30 minutes (each day) to manually run the report, format the output, and perform the FTP upload and verification of the quarter GB file. We’ve now created a scheduled script and processes to automatically perform most of these steps each evening. The formatted dump occurs in the afternoon and the FTP upload takes place at 6:00 PM. It appears to take EDS about 48 hours to reflect Symphony catalog changes within the Discovery interface.
Archives ContentDM Server Upgrade Approved
The ContentDM 6.1 application upgrade ran into a dead end because our SUSE Linux operating system license and support is not compatible with Novell. We must change to Red Hat Linux, (or its CentOS clone). Accordingly, we’ve proposed to UVU Library administration that we seize a silver lining from this situation by creating a new, upgraded ContentDM server with much greater amounts of RAM, CPU, and as much as a terabyte of file storage (with automated backups). This will hopefully provide a robust platform for the new video streaming capabilities that ContentDM 6.1 enjoys. Our request has been approved, and we are preparing the request specifications for the new server from UVU Campus IT.
OneSearch Discovery Layer Training
Both onsite and online training for the new UVU Library Discovery Layer will be made available in the coming weeks. A meeting will be held during the week of September 24 to find specific dates and times. In the meantime, please let us know of suggestions, bugs, etc. that you have encountered while conducting searches.
Libstats Knowledge Base Server
A project has been created with Campus IT to investigate the establishment of a new reference knowledge capture database called Libstats. Once the server is approved and created by Campus IT, the new application is intended to help us capture and organize questions that are asked by patrons so the answers can be referenced by subsequent reference librarians. Trevor Young (of the Emerging Technologies Committee) has provided the information we needed to pursue this project based on his past professional contacts.
News from Systems 4 INFORMATION COMMONER
News from Access Services
A Pager’s Tale
By Tony Jaskowick
Need a reserve book?
But the one copy is out…
We can now page you.
Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Scholastics, there existed a Library staffed by many helpful and happy people. These people desired only to help their patrons and visitors to the fullest of their abilities. But sometimes, sadness would befall them as the titles requested by the patrons (titles of great power known as the Reserve Textbooks) would be checked out and the patron making the request wouldn’t have time to wait by the desk for the book to return.
This continued for many ages until, one day, a strange star fell from the sky. When the Library workers gathered around the debris of the wreckage, they were amazed to see alien technology strewn about. The village elders were called and a council convened. Many questions were asked but no answers were found until a voice from the ether spoke to the Access Services Mystic. The voice said that the devices were a gift from the literary gods and that the Library was to use the technology to enhance the patron service. The mystic, who was the leader of the workers, decreed that these new alien devices would be used to alert the patrons as to when the reserve books were returned. It was believed that this would alleviate some of the sadness that occurred at those times of peril.
And now a translation for those of you that didn’t care for the story: The circulation suite now has a paging system for notifying patrons that a reserve textbook they want has been returned.
News from ERES
By Alan Stephens
Visiting with faculty members during faculty convocation has paid off big dividends for Electronic Reserve. Since August, I’ve added 104 new videos for streaming, including material from 16 professors who have never used the streaming service before. I’ve also posted 60 student projects for Behavioral Science and Biology classes and more than 100 performance critiques for ten different dance classes.
With the new semester upon us I thought it would be a good idea to review the password formats for Electronic Reserve. There are two types of ERES passwords: the basic course password, which is used for the majority of ERES pages, and the password for the Nursing Department’s videos.
Continued on next page.
BRAG BOX
Archives Wins Grant!
The Sutherland Archives was recently awarded a $10,000 grant to digitize UVU’s student newspaper. INFORMATION COMMONER 5
By Themselves
Markus Aedo
I'm currently a senior, majoring in digital media with an emphasis in cinema production. I would like to pursue a career in video journalism and make documentaries and movies. I was born in the circus and traveled for most of my childhood. Other interests and hobbies I have include traveling, watching movies, cooking, and getting to know more about the strange and bizarre.
Roxana Boyer
I'm from Peru and have been here for two years. This is my third semester. I am majoring in social work. I didn’t study English in my country, but I love this language. So for this reason need to learn more English. I have a seven year old daughter. We came to the US for a better life. I am a single mom. I am very thankful that this country opened its arms.
Continued on next page.
New Library Aide Introductions
Continued from previous page.
The basic format is the instructor’s last name followed by the department abbreviation and course number all entered in lower case. For instructors with hyphenated last names just use the portion of the name before the hyphen.
Examples:
The password for Archaeology 1100 taught by Alex Stecker would be steckerarch1100.
For Anthropology 107G taught by Gwen Anderson the password would be andersonanth107g.
And finally the password for Angie Banchero-Kelleher’s Dance 4150 class the password would be bancherodanc4150.
The nursing videos are a special case. Due to licensing agreements, students may only get the course password for the nursing videos from their instructors so if someone asks for the password for the Taylor Skills or obstetrical nursing videos you will have to tell him/her to talk to his/her instructor.
Most of the videos on ERES as well as a handful of documents have their own password. So, for a student to be able to view one of these items she will need to have the course password and the password for the item. As is the case with the course passwords for the nursing videos, students must get those passwords from their instructors. 6 INFORMATION COMMONER
Continued from previous page.
Whitney Collins
I want to major in dance here at UVU. I am a freshman this year and I am taking 18 credits! I work 20 hours a week on top of this crazy, yet awesome, schedule! I love to dance. I have trained in: jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, modern, Hip-Hop, high school drill team, and a little bit of tap. I want to become more educated in modern, ballet, and even learn some ballroom. I dream of becoming a professional choreographer.
Ben Gines
I'm from a small Idaho town called Wendell, which is near Twin Falls if anyone knows where that is. I recently transferred from Utah State to finish my degree in electrical automation and robotics. Afterwards, I plan on getting an MBA. I served a mission in Hong Kong where I learned Mandarin and Cantonese and fell in love with the Chinese culture. I enjoy sports of almost any kind, as well as the outdoors. And that's me.
Chad Harward
I am a freshman studying nursing so I still have a long ways to go. I currently live in American Fork with my wife and our five kids. I love to fish, hunt, and camp. I also like to mountain bike when I am able. I have done a lot of traveling for my past work and the military.
Gregory Hodgson
I'm a CS major seeking a BS in CS emphasis. That is an anomaly because I have fairly good interpersonal communication skills. I was formerly a garbage man here in Orem for many years and before that I did a lot of different types of construction work. I also worked at Pioneer Book. I mostly am interested in technical things such as electronics, but I also love physical activity such as sports. I channel this mostly by running because it doesn't require much but time. I have run a marathon and a handful of half marathons. I am married and my wife is a school teacher. I proudly hail from the south side of the city of Phoenix, AZ.
Antonio Zuta
This is my third semester and I am studying emergency services trying to be a paramedic. I have been married for three years, but no kids yet. I like to read a lot of books and listen to music, and also enjoy photography. I am originally from Lima, Peru, and, of course, I speak Spanish . By Christy Cathro Goodnight
Heather and I will be out of town attending the National Media Market from Monday, October 1 through Thursday, October 4. The Media office will be closed at this time because we currently do not have a work study student. The second floor is already hopping with fall students. If you need help finding anything, feel free to swing by LI 214 and grab one of us to help you. The media viewing rooms are listed in the group study rooms scheduling software, just as a reminder, so students can schedule them in advance.
21st Century Media Donation Policy
Big news! We will no longer accept VHS donations of any kind. We are doing this for many reasons, but mainly because students in the 21st century just do not own VHS players and have no use for such antiquated technology. Thus, we will no longer accept them because our community no longer wants them either. There are VHS players available for check out at the first floor Circulation Desk, but the odds are incredibly low that a student will go through the trouble to check out a player just to watch an old VHS movie. New films are no longer being produced on VHS. VHS, in a way, could be looked at now as a vehicle for historical study (vhs), like music cassette tapes before them. They are technology that has been long surpassed in both quality and quantity. We are adjusting our collection development policy to reflect these changes. Grow with us into the 21st century and help us leave VHS in the past!
INFORMATION COMMONER 7
News from Media
News from Technical Services
By Keith Rowley
Again “busy” is the best way to describe how things are in Technical Services. Orders for this new fiscal year are being entered as fast as possible.
Because of the big batches of orders at the end of spring, cataloging had a massive amount of books to catalog this last summer. Fortunately the flood has slowed way down so other things can get done. We are again working on donations, which haven’t slowed down any. Look for the book sale of not needed donated books to happen soon.
The latest Safari ebook update brings us from 3,760 to 5,062 titles.
Shuyi fractured a bone in her right foot so she will be wearing a walking cast for the next little while. Hopefully she’ll be all better soon.
EDITORIAL INFORMATION
The Information Commoner is an internal communication tool published once a month by and for the Utah Valley University Library staff. Input from all library staff is encouraged.
The deadline for information submittal is the third Friday of each month. Send information to Lesli via email.
By Sarah Rice
Introducing!
Serials is very happy to introduce two new library aides beginning this fall semester, Jimmy Hall and Melissa Memmott.
Jimmy originates from the small retirement town of Sequim, WA. He moved to Orem to attend UVU fall 2010 and is majoring in communication in journalism and minoring in cinema studies. Playing guitar, writing, and watching any and all movies are a few of his hobbies. His career goal is to write for the web on entertainment such as movies, music, and technology.
Melissa is a also a communications major. She has an associate’s degree from Snow College where she studied theater arts. When she's not studying, she likes to play the harp, take care of her niece and nephew, and watch Once Upon A Time. She enjoys working with the Serials department and is looking forward to being here the rest of the year.
Law Collection Project Completed
As you are aware, the law collection was moved from the compact shelving to the short periodical shelving behind the current periodical collection. The volumes were physically relocated and also required a change in home location in the Symphony record. Serials has completed a project changing the home location of each of these volumes from Compact to Law, to reflect their new location. A special thanks to KJ who worked so hard to complete this project.
Damaged Items
Please send any and all mutilated or damaged items to Serials for repair. Please do not repair monographs or periodicals yourself. We have noticed items being sent to us for repairs after having been repaired with scotch tape or other methods. This can actually cause more damage to the item. Due to binding requirements and repair processes, we must repair items using specific methods. Items needing repair should be brought to my desk.
Staff Leave
I will continue to be on partial maternity leave until the end of the year.
8 INFORMATION COMMONER
News from Serials By Annie Smith
This month the Library’s site changed radically. We’re the first site on campus to adopt the new University template, and Web Development Services designed a brand new look for our pages.
The new homepage prominently features our newest research tool, OneSearch. OneSearch is our name for EBSCO’s Discovery Service, one the major players in federated and aggregated searching. It allows users to search all but a very small portion of the Library’s materials from one interface.
We’ve already started using OneSearch in our instruction workshops with students. Personally, I’ve already seen the benefits of OneSearch. We can get students actively searching much more quickly than we could before, when we would help students select the right databases for their search. Because OneSearch allows students to find staggering amounts of information about their topics, we have been spending more time showing students how to use the database’s filters to refine their searches.
With the dramatic change the homepage and the arrival of OneSearch, I have seen more questions at the reference desk about how to locate individual databases for more advanced searching. To get to them, users need to click on the Articles tab on the homepage and you’ll see the old drop down menu with the list of subjects and the link to the complete list of databases.
OneSearch, while it does mean changes for how we teach and how we answer research questions, is a step forward for doing research. Instead of searching databases and the catalog separately, students will see their expectations of one stop searching realized. After all, how many of us have heard students wish that our databases were more like Google? OneSearch is our answer to that question.
INFORMATION COMMONER 9
News from Reference/Instruction
OneSearch can sometimes bring back millions of results. News from the George Sutherland Archives
By Catherine McIntyre
We were awarded an LSTA grant for $10,000 to digitize the UVU Student newspaper back to 1966. Archives also received a mini-grant from the Utah State Historical Records Administration Board (USHRAB) to pay for materials preservation and repair training for Aimee Bastarache and Sarah Rice.
We are hosting a small exhibit of archive materials that reflect the U.S. Constitution in action. This is in honor of Constitution Week.
October is National Archives Month. We will be hosting a collection of items symbolizing the “Old West,” many of them on loan from Dr. Roger Blomquist, an adjunct history professor on campus.
We will have a new intern starting on September 25. Her name is Ligia Quiroz and she is a major in history. She will be helping me with several projects and with other tasks as needed.
Brent, Aimee, and I participated in a panel discussion with Mike and Trevor Young as part of the 25th Annual Ethics Week Forums. Our discussion, called “Burning Books: Ethical Dilemmas in Today’s Libraries,” dealt with difficult decisions that libraries have to make regarding weeding, format choices (digital versus analog), duration and preservation of digital formats, what materials deserve archiving, and purchasing (or not) controversial materials.
Archives and Digitization
Aimee created a small preservation/repair lab in the Archives work room with materials she purchased through the grant she was awarded from the Utah State Historical Records Administration Board (USHRAB)
Brent created a small studio in the Archives work room in which we will conduct oral history interviews. It has sound-proofing, special green-and black-screens, and moveable lighting.
10 INFORMATION COMMONER
Utah Valley University Library Collection
