Library Newsletter - April 2010
Vol. 14, No. 3
- Word from the Director
- Library Hours During Final Exams Week
- Updates from the Construction Zone
- NEW FACES IN THE LIBRARY: From the Palmetto State to the Lone Star State
- Kim [Squared]
- NEW LOCATIONS IN THE BASEMENT: Juvenile and Curriculum Collections
- Government Documents are Open for Business
- New Electronic Government Publications
- "Inspired Striders" and the Spring 2010 ASUFit Challenge
- Summer Getaways!
- Lariat List for Recommended Adult Fiction
- Ten Years of Service
- Tom Green County Public Library on WorldCat
Word from the Director
Maurice G. Fortin
Library Director
The 2010 Spring Semester is rapidly coming to a close. The mild weather and abundant (for West Texas) rain certainly transforms our semi-arid environment into a sea of green. Theresa and I just returned from four days in San Antonio. I was attending the Annual Conference of the Texas Library Association. The countryside between here and San Antonio was beautiful with the various shades of green in the fields and trees. Those sights were complemented by the dazzling display of colors from the wild flowers. We can only hope the drought is lessening or mercifully ending.
Since returning last month from our dream vacation in Italy and then again from the conference, I returned to a din of noise, clouds of dust, and crowded spaces in the Library. Progress does continue on the remodeling project for the creation of the Learning Commons. On the next page, Clay Smith, Construction Project Manager with Facilities Planning and Construction, provides details and the status of the work in the Library. I told my staff that if I ever complained about the noise to please remind me that I was the one that argued, pleaded, and asked for this project for nearly five years!! The construction noise, disruptions, elevator breakdowns, lack of study space and computers, and other inconveniences will be very trying for all, but especially for students as they prepare for finals. The Library will extend hours during the weekend before and the week of finals. See the next page for more details. As in previous semesters, the Friends of the Library will be supplying free coffee and cookies (while supplies last each night), beginning on Sunday evening (5/9) and ending on Wednesday evening (5/12). The coffee and cookies will be available in the Media Department in the Basement.
The Texas Library Association’s Annual Conference is the second largest such conference held each year in the United States. Only the conference sponsored by the American Library Association has more attendees and exhibitors. Nearly 8,000 attendees and exhibitors were in San Antonio from April 14th to the 17th. One issue of interest to all academic librarians from state institutions was coping with the budget cuts for FY 10 and 11. Many predicted there will be additional cuts beyond the 5% before the end of this fiscal year. All Texas librarians are awaiting, with more dread than usual, the start of the 2011 legislative session. As in other states, the state of the economy and the power of anti-tax groups will hold the key to either improved prospects or dismal rounds of budget cutting. 
On Friday morning (4/16), Governor Rick Perry made a brief appearance on the exhibits floor. He was autographing copies of his recent book entitled On My Honor. I procured a copy for the Library. Governor Perry was gracious to provide a note to the ASU students and a "Go Rams!" above his signature.
The Library is in the process of filling several vacancies and recently added one new professional position. Susan Elkins, from South Carolina, joined the staff on April 1 as our new librarian working with the electronic (online) serials. See page 3 for more information on Ms. Elkins and her job duties.
Circulation just hired Kimberley Schow to be the Late Night Supervisor. She should be starting work in May. For more information about Ms. Schow, please see page 3.
The Library Media Assistant position became vacant after a retirement in January. After reviewing applications for qualifications and work history, the search committee selected individuals to be invited on campus for interviews. Of these candidates, one name has been selected as the potential new staff member. Pending official approval, the Media Collection will soon have a new employee.
The Reference Unit is currently searching for a new library assistant to work with the department’s Federal and State Documents collections. This position plays a key role in making sure that the Library processes and catalogs our State and Federal documents so that they can be accessed easily by patrons. The library assistant also helps to make sure that day-to-day operations conform to state and federal regulations for depository libraries. The search committee recently selected several candidates to interview. They hope to have someone chosen to fill the position relatively soon.
Since the last issue of the Newsletter, and the reason for these vacancies and interviews, two long-term staff members retired and another staff member left for the edge of the Llano Estacado. Irma Haney, Library Assistant in the Media Collection, and Diana Aguero, Library Assistant in Circulation, retired after twenty or more years working for ASU and the Library. Kristi Wink, Office Coordinator, also left in January to be with her family. Her husband acquired a veterinary clinic in Post, Texas. The Library promoted Kimberly Wirth from her position as Library Assistant for documents to the Office Coordinator position. See page 3 for more information about Mrs. Wirth.
Throughout the summer months, Library staff members will be completing the ordering of last-minute requests for library materials and preparing for the reopening of the First Floor and operations of the Learning Commons. As more departments strengthen and increase their online programs, Library staff members will work with various faculty members to assess holdings and online resources to support existing and new online courses and degree programs.
Elsewhere, you will read more about staff members (new and otherwise), new locations for collections, new electronic documents, a new service from TLA (for adult readers), and information on some summer reading possibilities.
Library Hours During Final Exams Week
The Porter Henderson Library staff would like to express appreciation to the ASU community for your patience and understanding during the Spring 2010 semester, as we have all endured the inconvenience of construction. We are pleased to announce the following hours of operation for the week of final exams (*indicates extended hours):
- *Saturday, May 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- *Sunday, May 9, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- *Monday, May 10, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- *Tuesday, May 11, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- *Wednesday, May 12, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- Thursday, May 13, from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Friday, May 14, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The Friends of the West Texas Collection and Porter Henderson Library will once again provide coffee and cookies for ASU students for four of those evenings, May 9-12. These refreshments will be served in the Media Collection, in the Library’s Basement, from about 7:00 p.m. until the supply runs out.
Updates from the Construction Zone
Clay Smith
Construction Project Manager, Facilities Planning & Construction
Construction work associated with the Porter Henderson Library Learning Commons project is progressing as scheduled.
The following summarizes the work performed since the start of the spring semester. The abatement and interior demolition work is complete on the Basement, First Floor, and Second Floor levels. The contractor is very near completion of the renovated areas at the Basement and Second Floor levels. Installation of new shelving in the Basement and relocation of existing shelving from the First Floor to the Basement and Second Floor levels is complete. Exterior work complete so far includes demolition of concrete and site excavation at the northwest corner of the building.
Work on the First Floor level, which comprises the majority of the renovation project, begins with completion of work on the Basement and Second Floor levels and will continue throughout the remainder of the spring and summer. Partial demolition of the First Floor exterior wall at the northwest and southwest corners of the library building is planned with the renovation. The northwest corner of the building becomes the new entrance to the Library. The southwest corner of the building becomes a new instructional literacy space. The existing entrance on the west side of the building becomes a new caf� to serve the Library. The First Floor renovation includes a new circulation and IT desk, research area, group study areas, offices, and service support spaces for the Library Learning Commons. In addition, the First Floor renovation includes installation of new information technology and multimedia infrastructure and equipment. The renovation project includes new furniture as well.
The Porter Henderson Library Learning Commons Renovation project is scheduled to be complete by the end of September 2010.
NEW FACES IN THE LIBRARY
From the Palmetto State to the Lone Star State
In late March, Susan Elkins made the nearly 1,300 mile drive from Columbia, South Carolina, to San Angelo to become the new "Librarian, Electronic Serials" at Angelo State University. She writes, "I will be working with a talented Technical Services team at the Porter Henderson Library and I am excited to learn more about electronic journals and access to the online subscriptions."
Ms. Elkins has a bachelor’s degree in history from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and received her MILS from the University of South Carolina. For the last several years she has worked in the Finance Department at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina, where she worked with several large databases and theretrieval of financial information, skills that will be put to good use in her new position at Angelo State.
Users of "Fulltext Periodicals" on the Library tab in RamPort are already seeing the results of her first few weeks on the job. She has been learning how to use the knowledgebase in Serials Solutions to update links and add titles. (This database populates the information seen in Fulltext Periodicals.) She has been adding links for our online subscriptions, especially if there is no other online access showing in RamPort, and updating the information that is available on Open Access web sites..
Ms. Elkins said, "I am excited to work with the numerous titles that are available online and be a part of a university. As an avid reader, I always want to learn new things and expand my knowledge. What better place to work than a university library."
Although Ms. Elkins has a history degree, she asks, "Please be patient with me as I adjust to life in West Texas. My knowledge of Texas history and geography is severely limited."
Kim [Squared]
If you call the Library and ask to speak to Kim, do not be surprised if someone asks you, "Which Kim?"
On February 1, Kimberly Wirth moved from Government Documents to the Director’s Office to become the new Office Coordinator. Mrs. Wirth comes to this position with fourteen years of experience working as an Office Manager and ten years of experience working in libraries. She hopes the combination of management skills and library experience will make her a good fit for the Office Coordinator position. Until her replacement in Government Documents is hired, she is still wearing her old hat as Government Documents Assistant, continuing to process newly-received items, and helping to keep the Library’s depository operation in compliance with federal and state regulations. She and her can-do attitude will be missed in Documents, but is welcomed in the Director’s Office.
Meanwhile, Access Services will welcome Kimberly Schow to the position of Late Night Supervisor, effective May 1. Ms. Schow received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from ASU in May 2008. She began her employment in Access Services as a Student Assistant and has nearly two years of experience in the Library. She has also been accepted as a student in the UNT Library and Information Science program, where she will pursue her master’s degree online.
NEW LOCATIONS IN THE BASEMENT:
Juvenile and Curriculum Collections
Earlier this semester contractors completed remodeling the southwest corner of the Basement, the new home for the Juvenile and Curriculum Collections. Both groups of books were moved from their temporary locations in front of the central elevator in the Basement to their new "digs."
Government Documents are Open for Business
As part of the Library’s Learning Commons renovation, the Government Documents collections have joined the Juvenile and Curriculum Collections in the Basement, in separate corners. Documents are in the southeast corner, near Media. Library staff worked with a firm called the Idea Group who did a spectacular job of moving and re-configuring shelving and then physically moving the US and Texas documents.
The Government Documents area is now a roomy and comfortable one for study and research. We have moved the microfilm cabinets to create a space for tables for students to use for study, as well as a display case that will highlight interesting and unusual government publications.
Eventually, a public access computer in the area will allow students and community members to search for electronic documents online without venturing to a computer lab on another floor. By the time the renovation is completed, we will have documents staff members working in an office adjacent to the documents area who should be able to help you find items that you need.
New Electronic Government Publications
Reiley Noe
Reference/Government Information Librarian
The Government Printing Office has been very aggressive in digitizing US government documents over the past couple of years, and because of this the Porter Henderson Library has "acquired" some interesting electronic documents. You can access these from a link within a catalog record in RamCat or through the Fulltext Periodicals channel on the Library tab in RamPort.
Some types of documents now available electronically include:
- Economic serials from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (FRBD). We have added 35 new electronic serial titles that are published by the Dallas branch of the Fed that discuss the national, regional and Texas economy. These 35 new titles will appear in the Fulltext Periodicals channel. These include, among others:
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- Agricultural Survey, a breakdown of the economic impact of the agricultural sector for the Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana region,
- Southwest Economy, a look at economic issues affecting the region, and
- Economic Letter, a discussion of recent economic developments in the region.
- Department of Education research. Several agencies that are part of the Department of Education have digitized versions of various studies and research dealing with K-12 and postsecondary education. A few examples include:
- Centers for Disease Control videos. The CDC has created several short videos aimed at the layperson discussing a variety of public health issues. Most are relatively short (less than 5 minutes) and can be streamed from a link in a catalog record in RamCat. Examples include:
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- Finding a Balance, which discusses childhood obesity,
- Yoga and Older Adults,
- Why Older Adults Should Exercise, and
- Tips for Kids: Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
- High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analyses. The DEA has developed extensive analysis of the drug distribution networks of particular cities and regions in the US. These discuss the types of drugs most commonly used and distributed the influence and types of organized criminal groups involved in trafficking in each particular region. One example is:
- Adoption information from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families. Adopting a child, whether domestically or internationally, is a very complex process. These documents developed by an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services give valuable insight about adoption for people considering adopting a child. Some titles include:
- Agricultural Research Service reports on ongoing agricultural research. We have links to information about several ongoing, multi-year agricultural studies. These often include a bibliography of current publications written by the researchers and links to related research. Also, you will find annual reports that summarize research being done in a particular area by different groups on particular agricultural topics. Some examples are:
- National Institute of Standards and Technology documents. We are obtaining some network- and computer security-related documents from the NIST. One example is:
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- Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals (Click on the "draft-nistir-76211.pdf" document).
"Inspired Striders" and the Spring 2010 ASUFit Challenge
A "job well done" goes out to the members of the Library’s own “Inspired Striders” team, one of a few teams to take home the gold in the Spring 2010 ASUFit challenge. Our team placed fifth with regards to the total number of minutes exercised, but our score was high enough for us to win gold medals. Our warmest congratulations and heartfelt thank you to the following individuals, whose hard work, sweat, blisters, and bruises allowed the team to achieve such high results:
| Antonella Ward (Team Captain) | Lindsey Mahaffey |
| Margaret Alexander | Reiley Noe |
| Suzanne Campbell | Bill Ott |
| Sylvia Davila | Lynette Ott |
| Maurice Fortin | Carina Sturgeon |
| Gloria Hummingbird | Clinton Sturm |
| Matt Hummingbird | Shannon Sturm |
| Robert K. Hummingbird | Dennis Ward |
| Robert W. Hummingbird | Sharon Weber |
| Janet Lannom | Kim Wirth |
Summer Getaways!
Need a break this summer? Can’t afford the time or money for a trip outside the San Angelo vicinity? The Porter Henderson Library may have a solution! While concentrating on scholarly titles, the Library does offer a selection of popular reading materials. Many New York Times Best Sellers are available in Roscoe’s Reading Room on the Second Floor of the Library. In this same area you can also peruse the Library’s newest titles, both non-fiction and fiction, that are displayed on the New Books Shelves. To find popular titles acquired prior to the very latest acquisitions, search the Library’s online catalog, RamCat, by Title or Author.
For the exponentially growing group of graphic novel fans, the Library makes available a quality selection of these materials. Primarily located in the PN6727 call number area in both the Main and Juvenile Collections, one can also find materials in this genre by performing a Subject search in RamCat for the phrase graphic novels, as well as by Title or Author.
And if you are looking for videos, the Media Collection offers a wide selection of materials for your critical and/or leisurely viewing. Specific films can be searched for by Title in RamCat, or one can browse the Library’s popular movies by performing a Subject search for feature films. If desired, the results can then be sorted by Publication Date Descending to find the newest titles.
Lariat List for Recommended Adult Fiction
Need a suggestion for a new title to read? The Texas Library Association has announced the Lariat List consisting of recommended adult fiction. Consisting of 25 titles that have been vetted and selected by 13 adult services librarians from across the state, the list includes popular best sellers as well as genre fiction. The list for 2010 can be found at http://new.txla.org/lariat-list, and the Library does plan on acquiring selected titles from the list. If you would like to suggest one of these titles for acquisition, please e-mail us at library@angelo.edu.
Ten Years of Service
Congratulations to two members of the staff, Mark Allan, Head of Library Reference Services, and Janetta Paschal, Head of Library Technical Services, who received their Ten Year Service Awards on April 27, 2010. Ms. Paschal began her current tenure with the Library in August, 1999, as the Governments Documents/Reference Librarian. Mr. Allan joined the staff in September of that year as Head of Reference.
Tom Green County Public Library on WorldCat
Finally, we’ll include a plug for our library colleagues at the Tom Green County Public Library.
If you are a user of the OCLC FirstSearch database, WorldCat, or its library interface, WorldCat.org, you can now see Tom Green County Public Library’s (TGCPL) holdings. Their information is only updated monthly so you won’t find whether or not they have the latest bestsellers right away.
Before this development, if our users were interested in whether or not the public library had a title that this Library did not, we had to connect directly to their local online catalog (TomCat). But, now we can see in these OCLC services if TGCPL owns a title. FirstSearch/WorldCat is available using the link on the Library tab in RamPort. WorldCat.org is available at http://www.worldcat.org/. While both OCLC services will tell you if the public library owns a title, only WorldCat.org provides a link to the library’s information such as call number and availability.
