Ohio University Libraries News and Events

The Cion Fall Festival of Events kicks off next Wednesday, October 21 with the first of three Common Reader Project sponsored activities.

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Please take a moment to check out the library winners from the Research Expo. There work is exhibited on the second floor near the plasma screens.

The graduate winner was Jessie Truchan for “Genesis of Carbonate lakes on Perennial Siliciclastic Floodplains”

The undergraduate winner was John Schindler for “Go”. It is on display on the 2nd floor plasma screen– Come have a look!

The staff association award, given to a student assistant or staff relative, was awarded to student assistant Animesh Rathore for “Influence of Gender & Ethnicity on ICT Use in Higher Education: A Case of Arts and Social Sciences Students in Universiti Malaya.” Animesh works in CIC.

The librarian’s choice award went to Andrew Crabtree and Mike Deas for their movie “A Little Bit Crooked.” Show times are listed on the poster.

Herman Leonard, a 1947 BFA graduate and world-renowned photographer whose images captured the history and movement of jazz, will speak at Ohio University’s two undergraduate commencement ceremonies this year.

As an undergrad, Mr. Leonard was a photographer, and eventually photo editor for the Athena Yearbook.

His yearbooks and a selection of period photography equipment are on view in the Fine Arts Library, Alden, 3rd floor, through the summer.

CONSCIOUSNESS: FILMS TO CHANGE THE WORLD – THEME THIS WEEK: COFFEE-THE FINALS BEVERAGE
A social and environmental awareness film series sponsored by Alden Library. The last film of this quarter will be shown Sunday, May 17 starting at 6:00 pm. This weeks film is the documentary BLACK GOLD. Consciousness shows films and documentaries that deal with social and environmental justice issues for FREE to students, University faculty and staff, and community members. The film will be preceded by a five minute introduction and followed by a discussion with faculty member Dr. Brad Jokitsh, Dept of Geography. This will give people the opportunity to ask questions and clarify points made by the film as well as offering the opportunity to learn more about the topic.

Refreshments: local, organic and green, will be served!

A rededication ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Vernon R. Alden Library will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 15, in the library.

In addition to a reception, the community rededication will include historic displays, library tours and featured speakers. Former Ohio University president Vernon Alden, the library’s namesake, will be in attendance.

After three years of construction, Alden Library opened in May 1969 to replace the campus’ then-overflowing library, the building known today as Chubb Hall. That year the library held 550,000 volumes, which were moved by staff, students and community members across College Green.

The library that can be seen today was not completed until 1972 when the east and west wings were added to create floors four through seven. Original architectural drawings and archival images of the building can be viewed on the library’s Web site.

Serving the Ohio University campuses and the local community, Alden Library holds nearly 3 million volumes, 46,000 maps and more than 36,000 films, videos and DVDs. Recognized as one of the top research libraries in the country, its Web site has about 7.5 million global visitors annually.

For more information contact Kate Mason at 740-593-2702.

To RSVP for the May 15 event, view our Flickr photo gallery, and a chronology of Alden Library visit http://www.ohioalumni.org/40-alden.

Library Journal has named Ohio University Business Librarian Chad Boeninger to the “Innovators” category of their “Movers & Shakers 2009″ list. Launched in 2002 to identify librarians and others who are ’shaping the future of libraries,’ the list represents a “Who’s Who of creativity and library trends in the field.” Read more about Chad and the other movers and shakers at Library Journal’s website.

The Libraries’ Diversity Committee, as part of the Culture Corner Series, is co-sponsoring (along with the School of Visual Communication), a presentation and book signing on Wednesday, September 17 at Baker Center. The event is at 7:00 pm, in the Baker Center Theater (2nd floor).

Pete Souza, Assistant Professor, School of Visual Communication has just published the book: The Rise of Barack Obama. Souza is a freelance photographer, and has worked as a national photographer for the Chicago Tribune, a freelancer for National Geographic and Life magazines, and as official White House photographer for President Reagan. He will be speaking on the topic of diversity in presidential politics.

The presentation will be followed by a book signing; copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event, courtesy of Little Professor.

As part of the Friends of the Libraries Annual meeting, Gladys Bailin, Distinguished Professor, Emerita of Dance and former Nikolais modern dancer, will be speaking on the Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection titled: Dance: Revisited and Revealed. The manuscript collection housed in the Robert E. & Jean R. Mahn Center at Alden Library documents the careers of these two Modern Dance legends.

Please join us for the presentation on Friday, May 30, 2008 from 3-4 p.m., in Room 319, Alden Library for a lively talk on the liveliest art. Light refreshments will be served.

Gladys Bailin was the director of the Ohio University School of Dance from 1983-95. A member of the faculty since 1972, she came to Athens, Ohio from New York City where she was active in the dance field as a performer, choreographer and teacher.Gladys was an original member of the Nikolais Dance Theater and the Murray Louis Dance Company, and later a member of the Don Redlich Dance Company. She toured nationally and internationally from 1955-70.

She received four Choreography Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, two choreography commissions from the Ohio Arts Council and has been honored by the University and Distinguished Professor Awards from Ohio University. She is also the recipient of the Ohio Dance Arts Award for the advancement of the art form.

She remains active in the dance field as a teacher, choreographer, program reviewer /evaluator and an avid advocate of dance training.

The Alden Library will host a retirement reception in honor of Marine Dillon, Cheryl Ewing, Paulette Hodges, Gary Hunt, Lars Lutton, Barry Scott, and Norma Wagner from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, in the Leisure Reading area on the fourth floor of Alden Library.  Music and refreshments will be provided.

Happy Holidays! In the spirit of the season, Ohio University’s Alden Library is granting a pardon to those who have overdue library material.

If you have an overdue library item, simply return it (in good condition) between December 4 and 10 and the fine/fee associated with the late return of that item will be waived. You may return the items:
a) In person to the Circulation Services Desk of Alden Library.
[If you choose this option, please consider bringing a nonperishable food item for donation to the local food bank.]
b) To any OhioLINK library or associated book drop
[If you choose this option, please alert us with an email to talbert@ohio.edu and note the title of the item(s) being returned, the name of the borrower, the library to which you returned the item, the date of the return.]
c) Via the mail:

Why are we doing this? It’s simple. We want our books back and we want you back as a library patron in good standing; and after January 1, 2006, we will begin referral of delinquent accounts to a collection agency.

Please take this opportunity to clean house, clear your record and cancel a debt. It may be a once in a lifetime offer. No doubt, it will be a great way to start the New Year!

John Lamborn
Assistant Dean for Public Services
Ohio University Libraries

Students working part-time are integral to the University Libraries’ operations. They do a variety of tasks, such as tracking materials ordered and received, scanning journal articles for electronic use, answering information queries, creating web pages, repairing damaged items, planning book displays, book check-out, and shelving of materials.

The Libraries recently honored its student employees during a cookout held on the north terrace of Alden Library, with seating in Wolfe Gardens. Many of the student employees in attendance also received door prizes.

“The Library’s ‘Student Employee Recognition Day’ is held annually to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of student employees,” said Annette Talbert, who works in circulation and stacks management. “We cannot reward them with money and we all know food is the next best thing for college students on a limited budget,” Talbert said.

The time clocked by student employees enables the Libraries to operate 100 hours a week, to maintain collections, and to provide their many services. Student employees play a vital role in the library. “We do not have the full-time staff to accommodate these services without the assistance of our student employees,” Talbert said.

The day of recognition is an opportunity for all library staff to acknowledge and say “thank you” for the service of student employees. ##

Susan Foster-Harper joins the staff of the Health Sciences Library, housed on the third floor of Alden Library, early in January 2004. Ms. Foster-Harper brings to Ohio University nearly twenty years experience working in health information positions in both medical and library facilities. Ms. Foster-Harper received her Master of Library Science degree from the University of Kentucky.

Most recently she held the position of Instructor at the University of Charleston (WVA), where she provided reference assistance and library instruction. Additionally, she served as a liaison between the Health Sciences faculty and Library and maintained the Library’s Website. Her interests in information technologies, learning communities, and service to distance learners will be useful in the future planning initiatives of the Health Sciences Library.