IRIS Photos

IRIS News and Notes, August 2002


Contents:

Facilities and Services
Public Programming
Food, Drink, and Cell Phone Use
Extended Hours in Olin
Looking for Volunteers
Launch of Digital Projects and Initiatives Web site
Other

Aside from enjoying summer vacations, we've been busy getting ready for the new school year. Here's some of the particulars:

Facilities and Services

Olin: The new counter for the Circulation desk will be installed beginning August 12. With its installation, we'll be able to accommodate an information service point at the west end of the circ desk, which will be staffed at all times to provide quick directional and referral information. Staff assigned there will also support circulation service functions in between information queries.

The new Olin Reference Desk will most likely be installed by mid-September. Reference Services staff members have waited patiently for 18 years for a reference desk specifically designed for their use!

In order to minimize noise levels on the first floor of Olin, we will be looking to develop the space outside Libe Café as a quiet reading/browsing area. The space will be used for exhibits (see below) and perhaps as a place to highlight incoming or special focus books. John Barradas is developing some alternative plans for this space, but look for something new—even if it's temporary—by the end of August.

Uris: Plans are underway to open a Uris Café, providing a coffee and gathering place in Uris. The Café will be located on the 8th level where the student lounge currently is and will include extra seating in the space now occupied by the Creation Stations. The Creation Stations will move temporarily to the small office behind the reference desk in Uris, and later in the semester to the Kirby Room Alcove.

We are also planning to consolidate the Laptop Program in Uris Library and to increase the number of laptops available. The laptops will be for use in both Uris and Olin. We are also investigating the use of Voyager to enable patrons to place holds on laptops when they are all out on loan. We hope this will address some of the complaints from patrons who have been unable to use the laptops.

Public Programming

One of the big efforts has focused on the New Student Reading Program. You should be seeing copies of the Frankenstein poster popping up in various libraries and other locations on campus, including the huge one to be hung near the 14 Day Book collection (which, on August 19 will be re-christened New & Noteworthy Books). Lance Heidig has curated a display entitled "Frankenstein: Images of a Monster" that occupies the three cases outside the Libe Café. Katherine Reagan is planning a small Frankenstein exhibition in RMC as well in which will be displayed the Library's first edition of the book and other related materials. Check out the latest updates to the Library website on Frankenstein. Finally, many Library staff members (by last count 26) have volunteered to be small group facilitators for the New Student Book Project.

Food, Drink, and Cell Phone Use

Believing that first impressions are often lasting, we plan a strong beginning-of-semester campaign to curb the use of uncovered cups or food in the library. We'll also be designating approved Cell Phone Zones—in the two cafés, the elevator lobby on each floor in Olin, in the stairwells, near public phones, and the entrances to Olin and Uris. All other areas will be designated cell-phone free. I'm asking staff again to exercise vigilance in curbing abuses and steering offenders to approved locations. Look for new signs—perhaps featuring our favorite Monster—in the weeks to come.

Extended Hours in Olin
The fall semester will see Olin Library open until midnight Sunday-Thursday. We're also looking into ways to keep the Library open until 9:00 PM on Friday nights and will be investigating extending hours at critical points during the semester as well.

Looking for Volunteers To Offer Orientation Tours on Saturday, August 24
New students will be arriving on campus when the dorms open in several weeks, and the Reference Staff are planning orientation tours on August 22nd and 23rd. Both Olin and Uris will be open on Saturday afternoon as well, and we're looking for volunteers who could lead tours of the buildings for incoming students and their parents. I'm hoping we could offer tours at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00. Any takers? Please get in touch with Sara Spoonhower (sjs38@cornell.edu) who will be coordinating this.

Launch of Digital Projects and Initiatives Web site
Click here or on the "What's New!" image to view a new Web site that brings together information on the growing array of CUL digital initiatives. Here you will find links to digital content, projects, current research, and critical resources. This is a work in progress, so please suggest links to other resources, projects, and the like.

Other
Rapid progress is being made on redesigning the Library Gateway home page, which should go live (knock wood) on August 15.

The IRIS Web site has been updated with a new link to technology support. Technical support is being coordinated centrally within IRIS to ensure consistent and stable assistance as well as to manage special projects. This link offers information on handling computer/network problems, public computing, and a listing of staff who can help.

Finally, you may recall that Joseph Branin, Director of the Ohio State Libraries, visited CUL earlier this summer to give us some advice on new directions in collection development. I thought you might be interested in his report, which is now available on the reports page. Comments on his observations would be most welcome.

August is here and the new term is just around the corner. In the midst of gearing up, take time as well to enjoy the dog days of summer!

Anne