Archives > IRIS News and Notes March 2003
IRIS
News & Notes March 2003
Dragon
Day 2001
Contents:
Possible
Musical Chairs
University Approves Funds for Next Steps in
Olin/Uris and Annex Planning
Women’s History Month Programs
Three Exhibits
Student Art in the Fine Arts Library
Reuleaux Models Exhibit in Olin/Kroch corridor
CUL Art Show in Uris
CUL Co-Sponsors Study Break with 2005 Class Council
Issues in Scholarly Communication Web site
Search for New South Asia Curator
Staff News
Honors and Awards
Reminder on Internal Grants Submission Deadline
printable
version
March
is a month chockfull of events and celebrations. It’s women’s
history month and below you’ll find a listing of activities in which
the Library is participating. Mardi Gras begins on the 4th; St. Patrick’s
Day is on the 17th. It’s also National Frozen Food Month (where
were you when you consumed your first TV dinner?) 
Rumor
has it that spring officially begins on the 20th but news of this occurrence
usually doesn’t reach Ithaca for another good month after that.
What many Cornellians associate most with March, however, is Dragon Day.
This event has been held each year since 1901 as depicted here. Dragon
Day marks the rivalry between the architecture and engineering students.
We thought you’d like to see a few images
of previous dragons that have been built and burned. Although this year's
Dragon Day is a closely guarded secret, check the quad on March 13th.
Plan accordingly.
Here’s
what's new from the past month.
Possible
musical chairs
IRIS administrators with clipboards in hand have been poking their heads
in and out of various spaces in Olin and Uris over the past month, giving
rise to much speculation. Some of the rumors that have reached my ears
are more inventive than anything I might have dreamed up, so we thought
it a good time to set the record straight. First, it’s important
to note that nothing has been decided. A big concern is, of course, the
cost associated with any potential move. Sarah and Lee have identified
some funds to support possible changes, but once you get started thinking
about new use for various spaces, the price tag soars. We may well end
up scaling back plans to keep within budget. The second point is that
the impulse for considering possible moves is motivated by several goals:
providing more accessible locations for public service functions; relieving
overcrowded conditions; and rationalizing the use of space and staff.
In large measure, these goals under gird the work of the Media Assessment
Task Force, which is reviewing collections, space, and services in Olin,
Uris, Kroch Asia, and RMC. Again, some of these moves may prove too expensive
or they may be inadequate to meet the space needs of the functions to
be performed.
So with these
caveats in mind, here’s what’s under consideration:
- Consolidating
the audio and video collections of Uris, Olin, and Kroch Asia and relocating
them in space adjacent to the microtext unit in Olin. The goal would
be to make these collections more accessible, provide some room for
collection growth, and ensure greater staff coverage to assist readers
using machine-dependent collections. The media collections would occupy
the space currently housing the current newspapers.
- The current
newspapers reading room would move to 101A Olin. This space has long
been earmarked for public service use, and until Kroch opened, it served
as the reading room for Archives and Manuscripts.
- The serials
processing unit that currently occupies that space would move to the
lower level of Olin (location to be determined later).
- The Uris
Media Room would be turned into either a) quiet reading space, b) the
CIT computing lab (currently located in the Tower Room of Uris, which
would then become a quiet reading room), or c) a creative, flexible
space for technology exploration, teaching, and the creation, aggregation,
and organization of multimedia resources.
So that’s
it. When we have more definite information, I’ll pass it along.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, let me know.
University
Approves Funds for Next Steps in Olin/Uris and Annex Planning
Earlier this year, the University approved in two separate meetings funding
to allow the Library to continue its planning for re-conceptualizing Olin
and Uris libraries and to begin to plan for the next Library Annex. Although
we’re still a good way off from being able to break ground, this
is a good step. John Hoffmann supplied the following description of what’s
next in store.
The Boston-based
architectural firm of Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson, and Abbott and the
Ithaca-based engineering firm of Wilson Engineering have just completed
a feasibility study for the renovation of the Olin and Uris Libraries.
The architects have recommended a phased, multi-year, implementation for
the renovation of both buildings. The study has been documented in a report
that incorporates three major components: 1) a programmatic review and
feasibility analysis for an architectural/mechanical/electrical/plumbing
renovation of Olin and Uris Libraries, 2) a feasibility analysis of essential
life safety systems required to bring Olin Library up to current, acceptable
standards, and 3) a conceptual design for the replacement of the 42 year
old HVAC system that currently serves Olin Library. The work of the consultants
incorporates and builds upon past studies to establish programmatic guidelines,
and they also developed phasing scenarios for a very large and complicated
project.
The consultants’
recommendations prioritize and compartmentalize the numerous projects
that are necessary to bring Olin and Uris into the 21st century. Listed
below are four design and construction phases that would, we hope, be
undertaken over the course of the next six to ten years.
- Olin
Life-Safety Improvements and Olin Stack Tower Renovation
Installation of fire suppression/fire detection systems, replacement
of Olin’s HVAC system, installation of power/data for faculty
studies and graduate carrels, and basic architectural renovations for
the studies, carrels and graduate reading rooms, floors 3 through 8.
In the interest of limiting disruption and realizing economies of scale,
work would proceed floor-by-floor, beginning with the necessary mechanical
and electrical infrastructures.
- Transforming
the Library Annex from Warehouse to Information Service Center and Library
of Record
Construction of a high-bay collection storage facility and a staff processing/service
center.
- Olin
Life-Safety Improvements and Olin Lower Level Renovation
Installation of fire suppression/fire detection systems, replacement
of Olin’s 42-year old HVAC system, significant electrical and
telecommunication upgrades, and architectural renovations, floors B2
through 2.
- Uris
Library Renovation and Olin/Uris Connecting Link
Renovation of the historic Uris Library in a manner that recaptures
many of the original design features, and the construction of an underground
connector between Olin and Uris. The connector will incorporate SBRA’s
concept of “the street” of services, complete with shared
circulation center, an information commons, electronic bibliographic
teaching resources and a café.
Although the University has not given approval for this multi-million
dollar project, they have approved funding to allow the Library to embark
on the schematic design for Phases A and B, as listed above. These design
phases will further develop design scenarios that will better define
the project, identify the areas of greatest need, and allow for more
accurate cost estimates. It is anticipated that this design phase will
take a year to complete. During that time the Library will enlist the
help of students, faculty, and staff to assist in the development of
this very important project. Please stay tuned for periodic updates.
—John Hoffmann
Women’s
History Month Programs
There will be a number of lectures in honor of women’s history this
month and a workshop on March 11 on “Doing Women’s History:
An Informal Workshop for Students,” which is co-sponsored by the
Library. The workshop will include a panel discussion by Cornell women
historians on the “delights and frustrations” of archival
research. This will be followed by “Hot Topics and Great Resources,”
featuring ten specialists from four Cornell libraries discussing interesting
documentary collections at Cornell.
Lectures
in honor of women’s history month include:
March 6, Kathryn Kish Sklar, “Florence Kelley and the Link
Between Women’s College Educations and Their Reform Activism, 1880-1920”
March 11, Faye E. Dudden, “Rethinking the Foremothers:
Sex, Politics, and Women’s Rights in 1860”
March 24, Mary Beth Norton, “The Tawny Devil, the Minister,
and the Girls from Casco: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis in the Context of
the Maine Indian Wars”
Also in celebration
of women’s history month, the Cornell University Library Committee
on Cultural Events, chaired by Barbara Eden and Lance Heidig,
is sponsoring a performance of Women’s Works, Thursday, March 13
from 4:00-5:00pm in the Kinkeldey Room of Uris Library. The group is dedicated
to presenting music and poetry written by women. Group members include
Carol Buckley (IRIS Access Services), Kristen Park,
and Ruth Roland. The accompanist is William Cowdery.
Three
Exhibits Featured this Month
Fine
Arts Library Exhibit of Student Art
The Fine Arts Library is offering an exhibit of BFA student work. Ten
recently completed paintings are exhibited throughout the first floor
of the library and will be up through the end of the semester. Artists
are in their final year of studies at Cornell, and are working with Professor
Carl Ostendarp. Stop by the reference or circulation desks to ask for
a printed guide to the exhibit. You may want to plan your visit to coincide
with the annual tour of the Fine Arts Library, for new or interested staff,
which will be held on Thursday, March 20th at 10:00 am.
Reuleaux
Models Exhibit 
As part of
the National Science Digital Library and with support from the National
Science Foundation, Cornell University Library is building a digital collection
of mechanical models for teaching the principles of kinematics—the
geometry of pure motion. The core holdings come from the Reuleaux Collection
of Mechanisms and Machines, an important collection of 220 19th century
machine elements held by Cornell’s Sibley School of Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering. Nine pieces from the Reuleaux Collection will go
on display in Cornell’s Kroch Library corridor in March and will
be on view through June 2003. Information about the project and a sample
of the materials and services that will be available can be found at Explore
Cornell, a Web magazine dedicated to Cornell research and instruction
projects: http://explore.cornell.edu/.
CUL
Art Show
The Annual
Cornell University Library Staff Art Show will be held Monday, March 24,
2003 from 2:00-4:00pm in the Uris Library Cocktail Lounge. If you are
interested in submitting your work, contact Barbara Eden.
CUL Co-Sponsors
Study Break with the 2005 Class Council
Pre-lims are now underway and the libraries are packed with students
studying for them. To provide some relief from the grind, the Library
will be co-sponsoring a study break on March 11 from 9pm to 11pm in the
Uris Tower Café. There will be free coffee and food, board games,
and other stress relievers. In addition, videos will be shown from 9:30-11
in the Media Classroom in 310 Uris.
Issues
in Scholarly Communication Web Site
A new Website,
assembled by Ross Atkinson, with advice from CDExec, has been developed
to address the challenges and opportunities associated with changes in
scholarly communication. The site is divided into six areas: the problem,
the reasons, the solutions, the Elsevier subscription, key issues, and
links on scholarly communication. The site is intended as a reference
for selectors and faculty as discussions begin this semester about the
2003/04 materials budget and the Elsevier subscription.
Search
for New South Asia Curator
With the pending retirement of Ved Kayastha in July, we
are gearing up to find his successor as Curator of the South Asia Collection.
The Library will be establishing a search committee in the very near future
and job postings have been sent to various print and electronic publications.
The new curator will manage the collections and services for a diverse
community of students, faculty, and other scholars working on India, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. She or he will work closely with colleagues
in the Wason and Echols Collections and with other members of the World
Area Collections department under the general direction of David Block.
Applications are requested by April 15, 2003. For more information on
the search process, contact Susan Markowitz.
Staff
News
Chris Bucko, IRIS Coordinator for Technology and Finance,
will be away in March on military duty in Naples, Italy. In her absence,
Valerie Jacoski will extend her hours (9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Monday
- Friday) to help with IT support. Valerie, along with Rick Lightbody
and Joe Richardson, will be monitoring the IRIS technology support
listserv and responding to IT trouble calls. Valerie will also be the
liaison with IRIS units for the 2003 Capital Equipment Inventory and will
chair the IRIS Local IT Support Providers' monthly meeting on March 13,
2003. Craig Mains will serve as interim chair of the IRIS Sign
Committee during Chris’ absence and Kim LaMorte will coordinate
software licenses for software such as PC Anywhere, Dreamweaver, etc.
Rick Lightbody, in coordination with Desktop Services, will coordinate
software licenses for Windows 2000 upgrades and record keeping. And in
preparation for the new Network usage-based billing (NUBB), which
becomes effective July 1, 2003, the IRIS IT Technology
Support Web page has been updated. More on this new billing system
is forthcoming.
There are
two new faces in Wason. Xian(Shien) Wu has been named an electronic
resource specialist to build and expand the Wason electronic resources
collection. Youngoak Bond has been hired halftime as the Korean
searcher, responsible for Korean acquisitions, invoicing, and vendor communications.
Ms. Bond is not new to Olin, having worked on authority file projects
in CTS in the past.
Erica
Olsen, a December graduate of the University of Michigan library
school, has joined the Research Department as the Digital Research Fellow,
a new one-year grant-funded position. She will be working primarily on
the NSF-funded Project Prism and the NEH-funded Digital Preservation Management
Workshop series, as well as contributing to other initiatives.
Honors
and Awards
David
Block recently spent two weeks in La Paz, lecturing to graduate students
at the University of San Andres. At the end of his stay, David was named
a corresponding member of the Colegio Nacional de Historiadores Bolivianos
and was presented with the association’s decoration, the Willka
de Oro (Golden Sun), shown here.
Reminder
on Internal Grants Deadline
I recall signing
a significant number of proposal notification forms for IRIS staff and
just wanted to remind you that the deadline for submitting the final proposal
is March 17, 2003.
That’s
it for this month. As always, drop me a line if there’s something
on your mind.
Anne
