IRIS Management Group Quarterly Reports
October 2005
Collections:
Annex: Lead by John Marmora, 146 presses of the “flats” (designated as +++ and or folios) on the 8th floor in Olin have been moved to Annex in August. Close to 260 boxes of old Asia newspapers have been moved from Olin to Annex as well. All of them have been accessioned by Cammie’s staff and are ready for request.
Catherwood Library: Completing preparations for moving 14, 000 volumes to the Annex. We must identify the volumes and vacate the third floor renovated space at Catherwood by end of December 05 so that this area can be converted to surge space. Faculty will have offices on that third floor during renovation of the faculty wing at Ives which begins July 06.
Collections, Reference, Instruction & Outreach (CRIO): New fiscal year began with several new selector assignments, as reported at the last IMG. Olin Selectors have been working on the fall Annex move, vetting lists of ceased serials (in July) and low-circulation monographs (in September) to determine which should stay on site and which can go to the Annex. A review of the stacks for rare and medium-rare materials is proceeding in tandem with the Annex move. Collection development staff and student workers continued work on the project to locate books in Olin stacks that have been reported missing. Searching in Olin is now mostly complete ~20% of the missing titles have been found. There is another project underway to determine whether materials received last year on the Yankee approval plan equal the output of publishers in the plan for CUL’s profiles. Selectors are involved in a CUL campaign to inform faculty about prospects for using Dspace as an open access repository and to raise awareness about how this relates to broader scholarly communications issues of concern to the library. Reference staff finished review of Annex pick lists for the Z’s and selected other call numbers of interest to reference – ceased serials list and list of noncirculated monographs, 1931-1960 – ahead of schedule. Added online versions of twenty major multivolume subject encyclopedias (Scribner, Macmillan, St James Press titles in Gale Virtual Reference Library), circa $12,000. Collection training sessions ongoing.
Echols: End-of-year accessions of many microfilms and microfiche, mainly of serials. This included an enormous batch of newspapers from Borneo which arrived in mid-September.
Fine Arts Library: Received one smallish gift collection (Kammen) and one rather large gift collection (Parsons).Rush ordered many items for Fall Reserves.
Hotel / Management: We have added Thomson One to the Library Gateway. This new interface brings together content from several Thomson products. It includes content from sources that previously were only available on computer in Management. We will be moving some Hotel and Management subscriptions to e-only this year.
John Henrik Clarke Africana Library: Since July 2005, Africana Library has added 127 monographs and 20 videos to its collection.
Music Library: We have a trial subscription to the Naxos Music Library, an online collection of music on the Naxos label and some other independent labels, until October 31. (Go to http://Cornell.NaxosMusicLibrary.com) After a trial to the Alexander Street Press music databases, we decided not to subscribe at this time. Three valuable old tapes of a concert recorded here in 1954 were given to the Music Library. They are recordings of the Cornell Orchestra and the Sage Chapel Choir performing Ralph Vaughan Williams’ music, conducted by the composer. The electronic specialist on the faculty will transfer the tapes to playable CD’s.
Facilities:
Annex: The construction of the 3 new modules added to the Annex is expected to be completed in the first week of Oct. Following the hand-over, the commissioner hired by the University will begin the inspection. It is projected that the building will be occupancy ready in the 3rd week of Oct.
Asia Collections: The final work on the Kroch sprinkler replacement project ended September 23rd.
Catherwood Library: Two breakout rooms on the first floor, part of the renovated space in Catherwood, will be closed to the public while an effort is made to sound proof that area more adequately. Sound from these group study rooms leaks into the silent reading area, disturbing those who prefer to work with a minimum of background noise. The demand for use of these breakout rooms has increased since we opened this renovated space back in October 02.
Collections, Reference, Instruction & Outreach [CRIO]: We acquired new hardware and software in (CL)3. The additions are primarily for music production in connection with the game design class. All the new material was provided by the professor teaching the game design class. We took preliminary steps in setting up a workstation in the ETC area with wheelchair access and a suite of assistive support software provided by the Students Disabilities Services office.
Fine Arts Library: Repairs to Sibley roof will begin on Monday, October 3. Scaffolding will be erected on N. side, E. wing of Sibley. FAL’s third floor may be quite noisy due to the amount of work, which is expected to continue through December.
Hotel / Management: We are finalizing pick lists for both Management (ceased, cancelled periodicals) and Hotel (older monographs and ceased, cancelled periodicals.) Management replaced three public computers. Thanks to Desktop services.
IRIS Accounting and Administrative Support: Olin 213 layout is being reviewed by CUL Facilities. This is done to accommodate Tiffany Howe and Rachel Brill.
John Henrik Clarke Africana Library: Africana Library has hired a record high 9 student workers for the fall semester. Africana Library is still in the process of conducting a stack inventory. To date the inventory is completed through LB 3013.The Africana Library took part in the Africana Center’s Academic Program Review by writing a narrative of the library, and being interviewed by the outside review committee.
Music Library: The Music Library now has, for the first time, a Vendacard printer connected to one of our computers.
Preservation and Collection Maintenance: Serials Prep and Microform Staff moved from B19 Olin temporary Offices. Will be moving soon into B40 (the old desktop services office). Reorganized conservation lab in Olin. Re-arrangement of rooms. B-32 is now part of conservation and contains room devoted to gold tooling (formally B-39 c). Staff computers are also in this room. B-39c is now being used by John Marmora’s group.
Services:
Annex: Annex went live with Library-to-Library delivery this week. With this service, patrons will be able to pick up books sent from campus libraries at the Annex. Based on the observation, Annex feels this convenience will be especially welcomed by faculty members. The project to move close to 1-million volumes is scheduled to begin on Oct. 24th. More than 2,000 volumes a day will be transported from campus libraries to the Annex. During this move Annex will remain open for business. Users can request materials for delivery or access the on-site reading room as usual. Freshly moved books will be available for service 48 hours after they leave the library stacks.
Asia Collections: On Wednesday, Sept. 14th, we held the first “Introduction to the Asia Collections for New and Continuing Graduate Students.” 6 people attended (4 visiting scholars, 2 graduate students – 3 with an interest in North Korea, 1 in China, 2 in SEA)
Catherwood Library: The ILR Extension Division has been restructured along eight thematic program areas. We are considering reorganizing a portion of our web site along these eight broad categories to make it easier for ILR Extension Division staff to locate content relevant to their areas of expertise. We are also continuing to provide support for staff in the Extension Division in the context of this new restructuring.
Collections, Reference, Instruction & Outreach [CRIO]: Service hours in Olin & Uris were selectively reduced, due to a 30 hour cut in reference assistant lines. Our ability to provide instruction support has been decreased, also due to the reduction, although the need for support is increasing. Instruction is off to its best start ever. Last year the department conducted 320 total instructional sessions, which was the most on record. So far this year we are 36% ahead of last year. As of September 30th we will have conducted 82 sessions so far this Fall. We have also seen an increase in the variety of classes we are being asked to do. In a number of cases we are also doing multiple sessions for the same class. Olin, Kroch, and Uris collection development and reference staff welcomed new graduate students in the humanities and social sciences at a reception in the Libe Cafe on August 23rd. Approximately 100 people were in attendance. Select IRIS reference staff also participated in three key outreach events -- The Campus Services Event at Barton Hall on August 19, the New Graduate Student Resources Fair on August 21 in the Statler Atrium and the Library Technology Fair.
Fine Arts Library: Helped host 1.5 day visit of four ARTstor representatives, organizing faculty focus groups, one-on-one training sessions, a general overview and a train the trainer session so that faculty and staff could learn more about this exciting and multi-functional new resource.
Hotel / Management: Hotel has a request for duplex netprinting. Hotel IT is looking into adding this capability. Fall instruction is in full swing for Management and Hotel.
IRIS Accounting and Administrative Support: Mary Arsenault and Tiffany Howe have been working on IRIS 4705 accounts analysis and prepared the ground work for the carry-overs from last FY. Currently, the IRIS Accounting Support is working on permanent student wage transfer from Kroch Asia to LTS, resulted from the Technical Services integration. Discussions on student wages took place with various unit heads.
Held the first IRIS Financial Management Network meeting. The goal is to get all key IRIS staff members together who handle various financial management tasks to share best practices and problem solving.
Faculty study’s renewal continues. There are 10 people on the waiting list who need to be accommodated.
LCD monitors for IRIS are being installed in various IRIS units. This year IRIS received 28 of them from Desktop Services. IRIS can expect about 25 of them next year.
John Henrik Clarke Africana Library: In collaboration with the Africana Center the library taken on the responsibility of videotaping events sponsor by the Center. The Center has provided the library with a new Sony Digital Video Camera Recorder (CCR-VX2100 Handycam), Manfrotto tripod, and Epson Stylus Photo (R300 Series). In addition, the Center has provided the library with a student worker to videotape the events and to process the tapes for our collection. To date there are eight scheduled events for the fall 2005 semester.
Music Library: The Music Department is hosting a professor from Tulane who needed a place to live and work. His daughter, who was an architecture student at Tulane, is also here, continuing her studies at Cornell.
Olin/Kroch/Uris Access Services: Although the service was available for several years, for the first time a class is using audio streaming for reserves at Uris. The lectures of Professor Lowi for Government are available on his reserve list.
Preservation and Collection Maintenance: Conservation unit participated in the training of the Native American interns (IMLS grant).
Research and Assessment Services: For Assessment Services, this quarter featured the Annual Statistical Report data gathering and compilation. The electronic version will be posted by the start of October; the printed version in a somewhat different format will follow. We are reviewing the status of the File Format Media Migration Pilot Service.
Staff
Annex: The Moving Project are hiring several term-appointment staff to carry out the move. These staff members will be supervised by Cammie Hoffmier and John Marmora.
Catherwood Library: We have developed, and will shortly implement, a course web site which will be used to train student assistants working at our three main contact points in the library. The content covers the types of questions students encounter in Access Services as well as when they are on the reference desk. This is part of an effort to help student assistants at Catherwood acquire the knowledge they need to be effective in both answering questions and making appropriate referrals.
Collections, Reference, Instruction & Outreach [CRIO]: The search for the new Director of CRIO has been launched. Virginia Cole won a stipend from ACRL to attend the Frankfurt Book Fair. Paul McMillin left for a new position in Washington state in August. Lance Heidig added a new role as visual resources liaison. Sarah How expanded her position in Fine Arts Library reference and special projects; she will no longer be working at the Olin reference desk. Lynn Thitchener was promoted into a librarian position and will be managing our reference assistants. Thad Dickinson will be working at the Olin reference desk two hours per week. Megan Perez left for library school in north Carolina in July. Gaby Castro Gessner was promoted into a Reference Specialist position and will be managing our student information assistants. Clay Chiment is now in a ¾ time reference assistant position. A full time reference assistant was hired: Nicole Margirier, who has previous experience from the Engineering Library. Randi Kepecs began a half-time position as a reference assistant. We are in the process of filling a half-time administrative assistant position.
Fine Arts Library: On Sept. 15, Sarah How began a new assignment, working 9 hrs./week at the FAL. Sarah will spend 4 hrs./week at the FAL reference desk. Sarah will also work on several projects, including assessing and building the FAL’s Native American Art collection and building several web pages to add depth to the FAL site. Lance Heidig also began a new assignment that will have a direct impact on the FAL’s services. Lance is spending 6 hrs./week to help assess and develop an instruction program related to digital images. Lance is also working with the Luna-support team to help improve both the visibility and access to Cornell’s multiple digital image resources. Will Parker began a longer term assignment, splitting his hours 17/22, Olin/FAL (respectively). Evening Supervisor, Matt Klein, added seven hours a week to his schedule to work on several projects including an FAL book sale, improved signage, and a student shelving experiment.
Hotel / Management: Linda Beins has mounted a display in Hotel on new faculty publications. Hotel reference team is in the process of updating web subject guides.
IRIS Accounting and Administrative Support: Kim LaMorte left IRIS Accounting and Administrative Support to become an evening supervisor in Access Services. Tiffany Howe was hired as IRIS Assistant Accounts Coordinator, filling the position vacated by Sara Spoonhower. Rachel Brill is hired as IRIS Administrative Assistant, filling the half-time line vacated by Kim. Rachel will start on Oct. 3rd.
John Henrik Clarke Africana Library: Former Senior Night Supervisor Sylvia Nyana has accepted the position of Social Sciences Librarian, specializing in African-American and Ethnic Studies at the University Park Campus of The Pennsylvania State University Libraries. Her last day of employment was August 31, 2005. Saah Nue Quigee, formerly of the CU Law Library, has replaced Ms. Nyana. His first day of employment was September 1, 2005.
Olin/Kroch/Uris Access Services: New staff:
Michelle Hubbell
Michelle Nair
Aaron Nye
Kim LaMorte
Promotions:
Duane Edwards to Network Administrator
Darla Critchfield to Student Supervisor
Preservation and Collection Maintenance: Interviews conducted for conservation technician and Annex moving staff. Offers will be made this week
Other
Research and Assessment Services: We offered the Digital Preservation Management workshop in July. For the OAIS team, we completed extracting requirements extracted from the OAIS reference model. For a complete update on the work of the OAIS implementation team, see the updated website. We published the August issue of RLG DigiNews.
