News
and Updates
July 1, 2002
IRIS
Is Launched!
"There
comes a moment when you have to stop revving up the car and shove it into
gear." David Mahoney, Corporate Mogul (and former president of
the Good Humor Corporation)
I am pleased
to report that we have concluded a successful six-month transition and
the IRIS organization is officially launched! Special thanks goes to the
members of the IRIS Transition Team-Pat Schafer (Chair), David Block,
Linda Bryan, Paul Constantine, Lenore Coral, Susan Currie, John Dean,
Carla DeMello, Nancy McGovern, and Nancy Skipper-and to the many members
of the various task forces for their support and hard work.
Much has
been accomplished in this past six months, which I'd like to share with
you. You can also follow our progress on the IRIS communication Web
site. Here you will find links to our vision statement, administrative
structure, announcements, reports, policy statements, and a calendar of
events. Click on the "What's New!" image to view the Library's
New Student Reading Project Web site, designed by Carla DeMello and Lance
Heidig.
Vision
and Mission
The IRIS
vision is to "bring individuals and information together." Our
mission is to serve as a "vital component in the Library's goal of
maintaining its place as the primary information resource for Cornell
University." In fulfilling this mission, our primary focus will be
on users, with the goal of providing high quality content, expanded access,
responsive services, and greater learning opportunities.
Administration
Details on
the IRIS administration, including an org chart, are available on the
IRIS Web site at www.library.cornell.edu/iris/administration.html. Beginning
this month, IRIS administration will be vested in two groups. The 7-member
IRIS Cabinet will provide general oversight to all of IRIS, and deal with
policy development, new initiatives, strategic planning, and CUL system-wide
responsibilities. The IRIS Management Group will consist of the Cabinet
plus the heads, coordinators, asst. directors and representatives of the
various units comprising IRIS. We will meet on a monthly basis to share
information, discuss various initiatives, and develop team-based approaches
to issues/projects.
An IRIS-wide
Responsibilities Group, to be chaired by Susan Currie, will assess the
role, functions, and resources for IRIS-wide support and coordination
in areas such as technology, network administration, budgeting, research,
design, communication, and public programming.
Departures
and Arrivals
Africana
Library
Eric Acree
takes up his duties this week as Africana Librarian. He will be working
closely with David Block and others in developing the World Area Collections
program.
Collection
Development
After twenty-five
years in the Library, David Brumberg will retire, effective August 1,
2002. David was the Director of the New York Historical Resources Center
for the first twelve years of his tenure at Cornell. Since 1989 he has
been full-time in Collection Development, serving as the History Bibliographer.
We will all miss David's expertise, judgment, savvy, and, most of all,
his indefatigable optimism. Conceding that David is irreplaceable, but
recognizing the importance of continued development of the Library's
history collections, I want to announce the following changes in responsibility
and thank those who have agreed to take them on. First, David, himself,
will return to the Library August 16th and manage the US history collections.
Sarah How will assume responsibility for general and British and Commonwealth
history. David Corson will develop the history of science holdings for
the Olin stacks as well as curate the History of Science special collection.
Will Sayers will expand his current responsibilities in French and Italian
language and literature to include history of these areas. And Virginia
Cole, recently PhD'ed in Medieval Studies, will serve as selector for
Medieval history.
Other appointments
in Collection Development include Yoram Szekely who will serve as Interim
Coordinator of Collection Development for Olin and Uris from August 1-
September 30. Martha Hsu will assume responsibility for training and staff
development for new selectors. Fred Muratori will undertake collection
development of Anglo-American literature and Lance Heidig will administer
a special fund to support the New & Noteworthy Books Collection.
Information
Services
Pat Schafer
is assuming the position of Director of Information Services, which
will include Reference Services, Access Services, ILS, and the Fine
Arts and Music Libraries. We will miss Paul Constantine, who is heading
to the University of Washington to become the Associate Director of
Libraries for Research and Instructional Services. During his seven-year
tenure at Cornell, Paul assumed leadership within the Library and nationally,
especially in the area of digital reference services. Under his direction,
Reference Services implemented "Chat" reference service at
Cornell, initiated a collaborative pilot with the University of Washington
to offer live reference service to both universities, and participated
in the Library of Congress' Cooperative Digital Reference Services Project.
While we are losing a Head of Reference Services, we are gaining a valuable
collaborator at the University of Washington. With his departure, Bob
Kibbee and Nancy Skipper will co-chair Reference Services. Three Reference
Assistants-Nicole Brown, Deborah Raftus, and Jennie Abrahamson-are all
leaving to go to graduate school and ultimately plan to become librarians!
They will be missed and we are currently advertising for their replacements.
Carmen Blankinship has been named Access Services Librarian, with responsibility
for Circulation, Reserve, and Media in Olin, Uris, and Fine Arts. Cammie
Hoffmier will report to Carmen for day-to-day operations of the Annex.
Instruction
We are
actively recruiting for a Director for the newly constituted Department
of Instruction-the position description is posted on our Web site. Erla
Heyns will chair the search committee; the rest of the committee membership
is being finalized. Lance Heidig and Tony Cosgrave will serve as Instruction
Librarians in this new department.
Web Librarian
I am pleased
to announce that Maureen Morris has been appointed the Web Librarian
for CUL. In addition to her Reference duties, Maureen will be devoting
her time to implementing the recommendations of the Gateway Redesign
Committee Report. She will be assisted by Carrie Benedict and Greg Hunt
within IRIS and will chair the Gateway Redesign Implementation Committee.
Other Changes
It is with
great regret that we say goodbye to Lynn Bertoia, who will become the
Administrative Assistant for CUL Administration in Room 201 Olin. Lynn
will be sorely missed for her hard work, patience, artistic talents,
and perseverance-especially when it comes to setting up meetings with
lots of players and busy schedules. We will be hiring a new Administrative
Assistant for IRIS Admin. In the meantime, we welcome Greg Hunt, who
will divide his time between IRIS and Library Administration. He will
provide technical support for the Wason and South Asia collections and
for the Gateway Redesign Implementation Committee.
So Where
Did They Move to?
Keen observers
will note that IRIS staffers have been switching offices lately. Here's
the scorecard:
John Dean
and Susan Currie have switched offices. John is now located in 101 E,
Susan is in 215.
Mary Arsenault
is sharing an office with Marie Powers in 101C Olin.
Sam Hultzman
has moved to the Olin Circulation Office.
Linda Miller,
Special Projects Librarian in Preservation and Collection Maintenance,
will move into an office next to Barbara Eden, the Associate Director
of the Department, in B32.
Carmen Blankinship,
Access Services Librarian, will move into Linda's old office in 101D.
Chris Bucko
has moved from 213 to 215 Olin to assume her duties as Coordinator of
Technology and Finance.
Carla DeMello
and Kimberly Gazzo have moved to 213 Olin as Design Coordinator and Design
Assistant respectively.
Bill Kehoe
is on loan from D-LIT for the next year to work on Project Prism. He will
be moving to the Research Department in 215 Olin this week.
Bob Kibbee
will move into Paul Constantine's office in 106.
Lance Heidig
will move into Bob's office.
Ida Martinez,
the incoming Library Fellow, will begin her rotation in Reference and
will move into Lance's office.
New IRIS
Committees
Committee
on Cultural Events
Barbara Eden
and Lance Heidig will chair this new committee, which will work in cooperation
with the Rare and Manuscripts Collection and the Public Affairs Department
in coordinating exhibits on Olin First Floor and public and cultural events
in Olin, Uris, and Kroch. The Committee will also coordinate the New &
Noteworthy Books Collection. An N&N group has already been meeting
to plan a revitalized program and prepare for the New Student Reading
Initiative. Members of the N&N group include:
Lance Heidig
(chair)
Carole Atkinson
Joel Copenhagen
Carla DeMello (ex officio)
Linda Miller
Thomas Riker
Other members of the Committee on Cultural Events will be appointed
shortly.
IRIS Public
Computing Committee
This committee
will meet on a regular basis to address any technical issues, new programs,
or software that affects public services in IRIS. This group will work
with D-LIT and other units within CUL as needed for public computing issues.
Committee members include:
Tony Cosgrave
(chair)
Susan Currie
Oliver Habicht
Rick Lightbody
Lenore Coral
Thomas Hahn
Carmen Blankinship
IRIS Technical
Committee
Technical
support will be coordinated centrally within IRIS to ensure consistent,
stable frontline technical assistance as well as to manage special projects.
The Committee will be responsible for networking, backup solutions, inventory,
purchase and disposal of equipment and software, security, and liaison
with Desktop Services and local technical support providers. Committee
members include:
Susan Currie
(chair)
Chris Bucko
Rick Lightbody
Carrie Benedict
Chuck Raniewicz
Nancy McGovern (ex officio)
Tony Cosgrave (representing IRIS Public Computing Committee)
Reports and
Updates
The IRIS
Web site provides links to a growing number of reports. Already posted
is
- Joseph
Branin's PowerPoint presentation, "From Collection Development
to Collection Management to Knowledge Management: The Evolving Nature
of Collections Work in Research Libraries"
- Christian
Boissonnas' "Report on Collection Development"
- The IRIS
Transition Team's Technology Task Force Final Report. Stay tuned for
more.
Each month
we will bring you additional updates and highlights of moves, renovations,
and new programs within IRIS. And as always, please let us know if you
have any questions or comments. We look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks, Anne
Anne
R. Kenney
Assistant University Librarian
Instruction, Research, and Information Services
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