Marisue Taube
“Far Above … the Campaign for Cornell” was publicly announced at a grand celebration in Barton Hall on Trustee Council Weekend, October 27, 2006. Astute librarians and staff know full well we’ve been in “campaign mode” since 2004. So what have we been doing these past two years?
It’s been eleven years since Cornell’s last campaign, “Creating the Future.” Typically, institution-wide campaigns occur every ten years. In the intervening years new academic programs have sprung up; tuition has increased, along with corresponding needs for student aid and graduate fellowships; advances in information, research, and communication technologies have proliferated, making facilities seem to age even faster; and new buildings are planned or in progress. The winds of change have also brought us new leadership—including two new presidents and a host of new trustees, provosts, deans, faculty, and senior administrators. At the same time, new volunteers, friends, and donors have been identified and brought closer to the university.
When Cornell’s trustees set the course for a university-wide campaign, the president, provosts, and deans began planning. First, they identified existing financial pressures. Next, they pinpointed the programs that are key to our operations and meet the educational mission of the university, as well as areas that could be enhanced or buoyed with additional resources. And third, they took a bold step to envision the future: what would take Cornell to its next level of great achievement.
At the same time, fund-raising staff hit the pavement! In anticipation of a campaign goal purported to be in the billions, new donors must be identified, informed, and engaged before they can be asked to support Cornell. Sarah Thomas and I have been doing just that—primarily through traveling to visit our donors and thank them, in person, for their support; and increasing the Library’s visibility by speaking to small and large groups. We’ve visited prospective donors, parents of Cornellians, and alumni whose philanthropic interests may include the Library. Here at home, the quality and frequency of CUL events and publicity has increased. The number of alumni visitors has grown. We make sure Cornell Library is known and appreciated for its unparalleled importance to the quality of Cornell, and we let potential donors know our needs.
Now we’re in the five-year public phase of “Far Above … the Campaign for Cornell.” So, what’s it all about? The university has announced the campaign goal and overarching priorities, and targets and priorities have been approved for each college and unit.
| University Goal: |
$4 billion + |
| University Priorities: |
Students ($640 million)
Faculty and Program Support ($1,885 million)
State-of-the-Art Facilities ($1,175 million)
Unrestricted Support ($300 million) |
| Library Target: |
$60 million |
| Library Priorities: |
Endowed Librarian Positions
Collection Development: endowed acquisition funds and digital library projects
Unrestricted Support
Programs and endowments that support student learning and research
Student Aid: endowed library student worker positions
Programs and endowments that support faculty research, teaching, and scholarly communication |
Next on our agenda is developing a CUL gift table that maps the number of gifts needed in various levels, based on donor feasibility. (Meeting our $60 million target translates to raising $12 million per year, $1 million a month, or roughly $32,877 each day for the next five years!) At the same time, our staff in Library Alumni Affairs and Development are working with the Library Management Team to focus on key priorities in each area and develop supporting material for donor proposals. We will keep CUL and its needs front and center among our development colleagues, donors, alumni, parents, and friends.
What’s your role in the campaign? Everyone on the CUL staff can contribute to our success by continuing your top-notch efforts in all that you do—whether you’re working directly with patrons, adding new records to the catalog, trouble-shooting online access or desktop workstation problems, checking out books or speeding them back to the stacks, welcoming alumni and visitors with a smile and an offer to help them find their way, or ensuring that the libraries are clean, safe, and comfortable. And, of course, we hope you’ll respond quickly to our requests for information or assistance along the way!
As the campaign unfolds, I’ll keep you informed with progress reports in Kaleidoscope. You’re welcome to contact our office or stop by with any questions you have. With your help, we can raise $32,877 a day!
Marisue Taube is Director of Library Alumni Affairs and Development. Contact her at 255-9868 or mt33@cornell.edu.
[Editor’s note: look for an update on the Library Campaign by Marisue’s successor in the April issue of Kaleidoscope.]
Library Communications Update
Ellen Marsh
DCAPS. RMC. LSD. PSA. GIS. DRS. CRIO. The dazzling array of acronyms I encountered during my first weeks at the Library soon began to tell a much bigger story–the story of how the Library is full of surprises. If anyone had told me a few months ago that the Library was a multi-layered, exciting place to work, I would have questioned their sanity. After all, what is there to know about a library except that it has books, right? But in just a few days, I found that the lines between library, computer lab, coffee shop, and social gathering place had blurred; that the work conducted in Cornell’s Libraries is innovative and leading-edge, with “digital” the word of the day; that almost the entire world of knowledge can be delivered to your desktop--and what isn’t available today may be available tomorrow; and that the librarians of today are not the stern librarians you may remember from grade school (you recall that “look” and the fingers to their lips). Perhaps the biggest surprise of all was that Sarah Thomas announced she was leaving CUL the Friday before I began my new job!
Library Communications is a work in progress, but we are comprised of dedicated professionals who are committed to the common goal of showcasing the Library’s many “surprises.” We are located in 213 Olin--the first time that the group is together in one place. As we move forward, we welcome your input. We cannot succeed without knowing what you are doing and what your needs are--whether it is events, services, activities, lectures, or just general communications to a target group. Please consider Library Communications an active partner in your efforts--one that is ready to actively engage in presenting CUL to the world. There are several ways you can contact us:
You may already know some members of the communications team; however, here is more about us individually, in no particular order.
Ellen Marsh
Ellen joined the Library in early November as communications director. She came from the ILR School where she worked for ten years in marketing and communications, first for several Extension programs and then more broadly promoting the school’s various activities and accomplishments. Ellen’s Cornell experience also includes organizing an international conference for 700 high-energy physicists. Previously, she worked at American Demographics magazine where she was marketing manager for conferences, seminars, and a monthly newsletter. She was also once the cover “model” for the magazine, which was an illustration made from a photograph depicting Ellen as a fortune teller leaning over a coffin looking into a crystal ball which had a goldfish in it … don’t ask.
Ellen lives in King Ferry (population 1,202) on the east side of Cayuga Lake in a circa 1860, twelve-room house with her husband Bill, two teenage sons, Billy (college sophomore) and Jeremy (high school sophomore and proud owner of his learner’s permit), Shetland Sheepdog, two cats, and two parakeets (FREE to a good home). Most of her spare time in recent years was consumed by traveling the East Coast and Canada with her older son’s hockey team, and more recently spending Saturdays at her younger son’s wrestling tournaments. Ellen is a familiar sight walking with her dog around the “country block” (four miles) and rolling hills of King Ferry.
Carla DeMello
Carla DeMello is the publications and graphic design manager for Library Communications. She was born in San Diego, moved all over California while growing up, and ended up in Philadelphia the second she turned eighteen because she liked the seasons (having no clue what "winter" meant). She loves Ithaca (although less in the winter) but her heart lies in the Pacific Northwest where she's never actually been.
She completed an intensive four-year apprenticeship in pottery--which she later taught--and graphic design at the Rochester Folk Art Guild while cooking for hundreds several times a week, gave birth to three of her kids, and learned that when cows stay fenced in it isn't because of anything you do.
Carla moved to Ithaca fifteen years ago, and while her kids were little she supplemented the family income making necklaces with tiny handcrafted, painted clay beads strung in custom themes (e.g. rain forest, mythological creatures, or New York State birds) and with freelance illustration and graphic design before coming to Cornell in 1999. In 2003, she was stunned to learn she was going to have another child (how DOES it happen?) but is now head over heels in love with her three-year-old wild child, Julian. Her oldest, Travis, an exceptional artist, is a fine arts major at The University of the Arts; Sam is a senior at IHS and thinking about a career in programming or anything that will make a lot of money; and Audrey (her original wild child) is a freshman at LACS and is a passionate photographer with plans to direct films in her future. There is no color that is not represented in their house.
Chris Philipp
As staff writer and editor in Library Communications, Chris writes press releases, the Focus column for the Chronicle, and copy for articles, brochures, and the Web.
Originally from Maryland, Chris and her husband have a blue crab flag flying in front of their house on Mitchell Street. As a lifelong avoider of all types of physical exertion, Chris astounded her friends and family by completing the Marine Corps Marathon in October. She has also developed a fondness for sea kayaking and is reevaluating her position of fun exercise as an oxymoron.
The last book Chris read was, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? These days her intellectual development is at the same level of her children, ages three and five. Pastimes include finger painting, playing junior Scrabble, and assembling picture puzzles of 35 pieces or less. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication from American University and has more than a decade of experience in newspapers and nonprofits.
Lynn Bertoia
Lynn is the administrative manager for Library Communications, and actually began supporting the new department back in January 2005 when she resided in Library Administration. Her responsibilities include supporting the director; fielding inquiries from visitors, students, and CU staff; coordinating the distribution of Library publications; soliciting information from CUL units; and helping to plan the numerous special projects the communications team oversees.
Lynn came to the Library in May of 1996 as the administrative assistant for the office of Olin/Kroch/Uris Library, working for David Corson and Pat Schafer. In 2002, she moved to the office of Library Administration where she enjoyed meeting visitors outside the CUL community, including many international guests.
Before coming to the Library, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Windsor, Ontario, and attended Southern Illinois University as a graduate student in the School of Art and Design. Lynn and her husband Roberto have three daughters. She enjoys painting, scientific illustration, figure skating, and gardening, but this coming spring, Lynn looks forward to spending most of her free time planning graduation celebrations and her daughter’s wedding.
CJ Lance
CJ is the events planner for Library Communications. For twelve years, CJ was the administrative manager of the Division of Rare Books and Manuscripts, and some of you may have had a chance to meet her whenever she was released from the depths of Kroch Library.
Originally from Dryden, New York, CJ grew up with Cornell as her "back yard." Her father was a professor of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. After graduation and a dozen years in New York City, CJ returned to Ithaca and began working at Cornell. She has one daughter, Sandrine, who has been nicknamed "Minnie me" because of the resemblance between her and her mother. Occasionally, bending those nuisance Child Labor Laws, you will see "Minnie me" accompanying her Mom at work--she's very helpful at special events.
CJ is working on her Master’s degree in Anthropology. In her spare time, she tackles any and all projects on her house in Spencer earning her the not-to-be-envied label of weekend warrior. She secretly wishes to become anointed as a "Toolbelt Diva." The results of these manic efforts are nice to see but the effect on the body is not pretty, and you can find her moaning on the couch clutching a bottle of Ibuprophen on Sunday night.
Jenn Colt-Demaree
Jenn Colt-Demaree is the department's Web communications manager. Originally from upstate New York, Jenn isn't afraid of a good Ithaca winter, although she fondly remembers warmer years spent in Virginia and South Carolina.
After graduating from Hamilton College, Jenn worked in professional theater. After deciding that she actually likes money, Jenn attended the University of South Carolina and earned her Master's degree in mass communications. She then worked in advertising until the birth of her first son, Emerson.
Jenn took three years off after Emerson's birth before coming to Cornell. (The promise of computers, books, and coffee all in one building was just too much for her to resist.) Jenn gave birth to her second son, Ian, last April and now appreciates the cafe even more. She lives in Ithaca's Fall Creek neighborhood. When she isn't at work she enjoys traipsing around downtown with her boys, visiting the Sciencenter, walking at Sapsucker woods, and voraciously reading science fiction.
Unit in the Spotlight: Library Communications 
First Row (left to right): CJ Lance, Chris Phillip. Second Row (left to right): Jenn Colt-Demaree, Lynn Bertoia, Ellen Marsh, Carla DeMello
United Way 2006
Sarah Thomas
A year ago last summer I received a phone call from Charlie Walcott, Dean of the Faculty, asking me if I could do him a favor. “Sure, Charlie,” I responded cheerfully. "What is it?” “Chair the United Way Campaign for Cornell in 2006-2007,” Charlie answered. I drew in my breath for a nanosecond and replied: “Of course.” Although I needed another project like a hole in the head, I couldn’t say no. The United Way helps so many people and is an important part of community service.
My family wasn’t particularly philanthropic, but the little town I lived in was rich in generosity to people in trouble. There weren’t formal human services agencies that I was aware of, but churches and neighbors looked after children when their mothers were in the hospital, took boys without fathers to the Rotary Father-Son banquets, and left fresh-baked bread at the door when there was a death in the family. Today we live in a world where health and human services make it possible for all those in need, not just those blessed with kind friends and neighbors, to receive help.
I support the United Way as a means of giving back to my community. I’ll admit that I’ve sometimes donated to specific organizations in defiance–Planned Parenthood, for example, or the Ithaca Boy Scouts, where my son was an Eagle Scout–but that’s the beauty of the United Way–you can express your personal beliefs but still be part of the collective. And the groups to which I have given have written a personal thank-you to me, so I know they have received my donations.
At Cornell there is a seasoned team of efficient and good-hearted souls who do the work of the United Way. These include staff from the University Business Service Center, Campus Life, Office of Human Resources, Communications, Government and Community Relations, Accounting, Theory Center, Union, Student, and Retiree representatives, as well as vice presidents of the university. Division deputies coordinate the collection of donations and stand ready to answer questions from their co-workers about the United Way Campaign. They also send a thank you to people who pledge and give. Elizabeth Teskey has served as the Library’s division deputy for many years. She’s exemplary in this role, balancing enthusiasm and tact, and giving selflessly of her time to achieve one of the highest participation rates of any large unit on campus. Thanks to the Law Library, we are able to enjoy her leadership.
This year the Library is approaching its goal steadily. To date we have received $14,000 in contributions and pledges, and we have a participation rate of 21.57%. We’re shooting for a participation rate of 25% before the campaign concludes in February.
It’s been a rewarding experience for me to be part of Cornell’s United Way Campaign. I’ve gotten to know some super Cornell good citizens and I feel a sense of pride about my colleagues across the university each week when I see the new totals for contributions. Most of all, I know that Tompkins County is going to be a healthier and better place as a result of our combined efforts.
Sarah Thomas is the Chair for the 2006 Cornell United Way campaign.
CUL Staff Recommended Books: An Eclectic List of Serious, Funny, Practical, Topical, and Thoughtful Books
Sophia House (Children of the Last Days) by Michael D. O'Brien
Hardcover: 488 pages
Publisher: Ignatius Press, 2005
$24.95
This Book is actually a "prequel" to Michael O'Brien's novel, Father Elijah: an Apocalypse, but don't let that put you off. This fabulous book is set in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. Pawel Tarnowski, a bookseller, gives refuge to David Schäfer, a Jewish youth who has escaped from the ghetto, and hides him in the attic of his book shop. Throughout the winter of 1942-43, haunted by the looming threat of discovery, they discuss good and evil, sin and redemption, literature and philosophy, and their respective religious views of reality. More than that, Pawel must deal with a spiritual/moral battle in his own soul as he has to deal with the traumas of his past and his own conflicting sexuality. It is a fascinating exploration of morality and spirituality, drama and history. I highly recommend it.
~ George Kozak, Digital Media Group, Information Technology and Technical Services
Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2006, $22.95
Paper: 304 pages
St. Martin’s Griffin, Feb. 2007, $12.95
Holmes on the Range--a fun, witty mystery set in the old West with a cowboy detective who tries to follow in the footsteps of his idol Sherlock Holmes. "Sherlockians, western fans, and mystery lovers who enjoy their whodunits leavened with humor should all be delighted by Hockensmith's captivating debut, which features Montana cowboys and brothers Gustav and Otto Amlingmeyer (better known as Old Red and Big Red, respectively).... The melding of genres will remind some of the late Bill DeAndrea's western Nero Wolfe pastiches, while the skillful plotting and characterization augur well for the sequel." [From Publishers Weekly, quoted on Amazon.com.]
~ Virginia Cole, CRIO, Public Services and Assessment
Living with Kids and Dogs ... Without Losing Your Mind by Colleen Pelar
Paper: 176 pages
Publisher: C&R Publishing, 2005
$16.95
Whether you have a puppy on your holiday wish list, or just want to help keep peace at home with your dog and young residents or visitors, this book will help. Ms. Pelar, a professional dog trainer and mother, has created an easy-to-read guide that shows real understanding of how dogs and kids of all ages relate and gives practical advice on preventing accidents. From newborn to teenager, there are training tips and ideas on how to strengthen the human-canine bond. Busy parents will benefit from the summary tip lists at the end of each chapter. This would also be a helpful read for teens who babysit for families with dogs.
~ Kris Alpi, Weill Cornell Medical College Library
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
Paper: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkeley Publishing Group, Perigee Trade, 1999
$15.95
Last year, before my daughter's birth, my wife must have read at least a dozen books about pregnancy and childbirth. This book is one of the best, and is one that we have given as a gift to friends who are expecting a child.
Mann Library has a copy if you want to read before you buy (RG 525.G51375 1999).
~ Keith Jenkins, Mann Library
The Law in Shambles by Thomas Geoghegan
Paper: 152 pages
Publisher: Prickly Paradigm Press, 2005
$10.00
Have you ever felt disenfranchised during an election campaign because you don’t live in a “battleground state”? Or because your legislative district(s) is so gerrymandered? Do you sometimes feel alienated and insecure in today’s political and economic environment? This little book (literally little) will fire you up and then propose some solutions. For example, some states are working on legislation that would require their Presidential Electors to vote for Presidential candidates in the same proportion that the electorate in their states voted, rather than the present “winner takes all” requirement.
Spend a few minutes with this book and get excited about real change for our country. The Law Library has a copy if you want to read before you buy (KF382.G46 2005).
~ Marybeth Michelson-Thiery, Engineering Library
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Paper: 448 pages
Publisher: Washington Square Press, Reprint Ed. 2005
$14.00
Here is a book that I just loved because the characters came to life for me! It has controversy, a love story and suspense! "Anna was genetically engineered to be a perfect match for her cancer-ridden older sister. Since birth, the 13-year-old has donated platelets, blood, her umbilical cord, and bone marrow as part of her family's struggle to lengthen Kate's life. Anna is now being considered as a kidney donor in a last-ditch attempt to save her 16-year-old sister." [From School Library Journal, Susan H. Woodcock, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA, quoted on Amazon.com.]
Olin Library has a copy if you want to read before you buy (PS3566.I372 M9 2004).
~ Melody Padgett, Engineering Library
Fighting Back: Living Life Beyond Ourselves by Deena, L. Burnett, with Anthony F. Giombetti.
Paper: 252 pages
Publisher: Advantage Inspirational, 2006
$14.99
Deena Burnett, widow of Flight 93 hero Tom Burnett, relates how she fought back to find purpose and joy in her life again, after her husband was killed on 9/11. Deena uses the actions of the passengers of Flight 93 and her own life as examples to re-define our concept of heroism and demonstrate the power of everyday heroes who do the right thing at the right time, no matter how big or small. Fighting Back is encouraging, touching, and remarkable.
~ Bob Willits, Acquisitions, Information Technology and Technical Services
Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble by Lester R. Brown
Paper: 352 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton, Exp. & Updated Ed. 2006, $17.00
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton, Rev. Ed. 2006, $29.50
This would be good for anyone on your list who’s fretting about the social, political, and ecological state of the world. The author, highly respected, presents well-researched and documented arguments warning of global political, social, and ecological disaster if we continue on Plan A (business as usual). The latter part of the book, also well-documented, explains Plan B 2.0: how we can take action to prevent the disaster. For example, to reforest the earth, stabilize water tables, provide universal primary education, improve public health, and achieve a long list of other social and environmental goals, would take an annual investment from the developed countries of $161 billion total (not each). This amount is only one sixth of the annual military expenditures of these countries. It can be done if we have the will and if we start within the next few years; and some national and state governments around the world have already started.
Mann Library has a copy if you want to read before you buy (HC79.E5 B7595 2006).
~ Marybeth Michelson-Thiery, Engineering Library
And one more book, Kaleidoscope’s pick:
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
Thanks to Lance Heidig who recently brought to our attention a special book selected for the Olin Library New & Noteworthy Book Shelves. Library Lion was written by former Library employee and Cornell graduate, Michelle Knudsen, the author of a number of children's books. Mikki dedicated this work to our late friend and co-worker, Carol Buckley: "In loving memory of Carol J. Buckley, shining star of the Cornell University Library, who always had room in her heart for a new friend. We miss you. M. K." There is also a signed copy of this book, donated to the Library by the author, in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections.
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen, Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Hardcover: 48 pages
Candlewick Press, 2006
$15.99
From the Candlewick catalog:
Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how. Michelle Knudsen's disarming story, illustrated by the matchless Kevin Hawkes in an expressive timeless style, will win over even the most ardent of rule keepers. An affectionate storybook tribute to that truly wonderful place: the library.
People News
Welcome
Christiana Diamond is the new administrative assistant in the Echols South East Asia Collection. Christi comes to us most recently from Friday Harbor, Washington where she worked as collections curator at The Whale Museum. Christi also worked for a number of years at the Multnomah County Library in Portland, Oregon. She has a Master’s degree in social work from San Diego State University, San Diego, CA and a BA in psychology from Pitzer College, Claremont, CA.
Eileen Heeran is the new assistant curator of Rare Books in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections. Eileen has an MLS from Simmons College in Boston and comes to Cornell from the University of Michigan where she worked in the Library's special collections department.
Matthew Kibbee is a new public services assistant in O/K/U Collection Maintenance and is working on the Large Scale Digitization project. Matt recently graduated from Tufts University where he earned a BA in English literature and also worked as a library assistant.
Mary Beth Martini Lyons is the new administrative manager of Information Technology and Technical Services (ITTS, the formerly separate divisions of Digital Library and Information Technologies and Library Technical Services). Mary Beth sits just inside the double doors of the remodeled suite of offices in 504 Olin. Mary Beth comes to us from Austin, Texas where she worked for fourteen years and was manager of Operations and Finance at the Center for Health Training.
Peter Magnus is the new IT support assistant in Desktop Services. He has a BS in computer information systems from Empire State College. Pete comes to us from Ti-Ahwaga Community Players where he worked as an operations coordinator. Pete also started his own business in 2004, offering Web site design, maintenance, and computer repair.
Ellen Marsh is the new director of Library Communications. Ellen was previously the marketing and communications manager for the ILR School where she worked for ten years. She has an AAS degree from SUNY Cobleskill in business.
Amy Mosher is a new public services assistant in O/K/U Collection Maintenance and is working on the Large Scale Digitization project. She has a degree in Liberal Arts from Corning Community College. Amy previously worked as a public services assistant at the Marion County Public Library System in Ocala, Florida.
Natalya Pikulik is a new public services assistant in Library Technical Services. She has an MS in civil engineering from the Rail Road Engineering Institute in Kharkov, Ukraine. She comes to us from the Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES where she did systems work for their Sirsi system as well as batch processing of OCLC records.
Joanna Swafford is a new technical services assistant in Database Management Services. Annie is a recent graduate of Wellesley College with a double major in music and English. She started to work on the Harris Collection Inventory/Barcoding Project this month and her work place is in the Library Annex.
Jacob Weiskoff is the new consultant advisor in Digital Library and Information Technologies (DLIT). He has a BA from Ithaca College in computer science. Jacob provides support for arXiv and comes to us most recently from the CBORD Group.
Elizabeth Yates, a graduate student in her final semester at Pratt Institute, is interning this fall in the Weill Cornell Medical Library. Elizabeth is developing skills in Information Services and working on a Web site project, and she will be with us through December.
Li-ren Zheng is the new Curator of the Wason Collection on East Asia. He also serves as the General Secretary of the World Confederation of Institutes and Libraries for Overseas Chinese Studies. He comes to us from Ohio University Library where he was Curator of the Dr. Shao You-Bao Overseas Chinese Documentation and Research Center and East Asian bibliographer. Dr. Zheng is no stranger to Ithaca, having received his Ph.D. in history from Cornell in 1997 and having worked in the Library as a senior records assistant in CTS and bibliography compiler for the Wason and Echols Collections.
Promotions/Transfers
Don Fenton has been promoted to Supervisor of Facilities II in the Shipping and Receiving Unit.
Peter Martinez has transferred to Database Management Services and is the new Technical Services Assistant IV.
Announcements
New Photography Editor for Kaleidoscope
Welcome to Cynthia Lange, our new photography editor. Cynthia joins a small but dedicated group that produces Kaleidoscope. When our newsletter went on online in May 2005, photography became more important, especially since space restrictions were no longer an issue, and we realized the new format would allow much more in the way of illustration. With Vanessa’s retirement from the group, we are delighted Cynthia has agreed to join us and thank her in advance for her contribution. As always, we welcome stories and news about our collections and our colleagues; feel free to send your photos to Cynthia.
CUL Arts and Performance Show
We are looking for a volunteer to organize the next Library Arts and Performance Show. Last held in 2005, this popular annual event started as an Arts and Crafts Show in 2001 and grew into an Arts and Performance Show. It took a break in 2006 and now it’s time for the new biennial show. We have an incredibly talented and diverse staff in the Library and would love to feature its talents once again. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact the show’s creator, Barbara Berger Eden (beb1).
Janie Harris Remembered by IBCA
Last month, in memory of Janie Harris, CUL staff members contributed $1,000 to support the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance (IBCA). IBCA collected about $50,000. That means our contribution was 2% of the total! IBCA is locally renowned for providing outstanding resources and support services for women and men diagnosed with breast (or other) cancers. Lydia Pettis and Sarah How raised this money by participating in the IBCA Walkathon on October 28th. Carol Buckley was also honored and remembered by contributors, as well as friends and family of some staff members. We are thankful for the generosity of our library colleagues. More information about the good work of IBCA can be found at www.ibca.net.
Congratulations
Congratulations to the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections for their online exhibit, Vanished Worlds, Enduring People, which continues to win accolades more than a year after its creation. In September it was chosen as Cool Site of the Day and recently it was featured in the Librarians’ Internet Index.
Changes
Several administrative changes are taking effect today [October 1] in the Physical Sciences and Engineering Libraries. John Saylor is returning as Director of the Engineering Library after a four-year partial leave. During that time he contributed greatly to the development of the National Science Digital Library. In addition to directing the Engineering Library John will continue to support collection development efforts throughout Cornell University Library. Zsuzsa Koltay, who has been Acting Director of the Engineering Library for the past four years, has moved to Olin Library. I want to thank Zsuzsa for her leadership and to welcome John back.
Leah Solla is now coordinator of the Physical Sciences Library and will be responsible for programmatic leadership in the physical sciences and also continue as Chemistry Librarian. I extend my thanks to Leah for taking on the larger role.
I am beginning my new responsibilities for unit libraries and will move to Olin Library when an office is ready, I hope sometime this month. I will send a note to CU-lib when I do move. John, Leah, Zsuzsa, and I will keep the same phone numbers as we change offices.
~ Jean Poland, Associate University Librarian for Unit Libraries
On October 1, IRIS and ASTech combined forces in a new CUL administrative structure called Public Services and Assessment (PSA). As Sarah announced earlier, I've become the Senior Associate University Librarian for this new entity and Jean Poland has expanded her duties to become Associate University Librarian for Unit Libraries, providing leadership for the Africana, Engineering, Fine Arts, Hotel, JGSM, Mathematics, Music, ILR, Physical Sciences, and Vet libraries. Other new assignments include Pat Schafer's appointment as Director for Service Strategies, with a current focus on planning for Olin's renovation.
On November 15, Xin Li will begin to manage Research and Assessment Services, which will be focusing its efforts in three key areas: use and usability, organizational effectiveness, and service innovations. To support this new role for Research and Assessment Services, Karen Calhoun and I are pleased to announce that David Banush will take on a six month "sabbatical" leave from LTS beginning in January. He will conduct an investigative study of possible models for a CUL repository for data and information, including statistics, user survey data, and other measures. The primary focus will be to survey the landscape of existing data, investigate data repositories at other libraries, and recommend a possible means for CUL to collect, store, and analyze data about our operations, with special attention being given to measuring the impact of library services on our user community.
~ Anne R. Kenney, Senior Associate University Librarian, Public Services and Assessment
Recently, there have been several messages related to reorganizations in the library so I thought I'd add another twist to your staff directory. This fall we've made some changes in Mann's administrative structure. In making these changes, we are hoping to strengthen our connections to academic departments, enhance collaborative opportunities between departments, provide staff with new opportunities for professional growth, and support emerging opportunities. These goals along with conversations with staff have led us to our new organizational structure, some new job titles, and some new faces in new positions.
We have merged the Public Services Division and the Collection Development Division to form the new "Collections and Services" division. Within this organizational structure, Kathy Chiang will be leading the Life Sciences and Specialized Services group; Howard Raskin will guide our Outreach, Access and Public Computing Services group; and Mary Ochs will focus on Information Services (including reference, consulting, and instruction) and continue with her collection development leadership role.
The reorganization also gave some staff new opportunities to try different roles, for example, Nan Hyland is taking on new collection development responsibilities and will lead both the CALS and CHE research portal projects; Keith Jenkins transferred from LTS to become the new GIS/Geospatial Applications Librarian; and Gail Steinhart will step into a new role as the Research Data/Environmental Sciences Librarian. We are also recruiting for a new Management and Public Policy Librarian, which will serve as liaison to the AEM and PAM departments
~ Janet McCue, Associate University Librarian and Director, Mann Library
Starting this week, I have a new role as Senior Associate University Librarian for Information Technology and Technical Services (ITTS). For me it is a big change, and I have much to learn about our digital library and information technology operations. Fortunately, I have a strong leader to turn to on the technical services side.
I have invited Scott Wicks to assume the role of director of Library Technical Services, effective October 2, and he has agreed. Over his nearly nineteen years at Cornell, Scott has become an effective and diplomatic leader, an award-winning innovator, a skilled negotiator and analyst, and a responsive team player. His experience with technical services, performance management, workflow innovation, planning and implementation, licensing and e-resources is both broad and deep, and he is a recognized national leader. Scott's completion of a Cornell/Queens MBA degree this November further sets the stage for an important promotion. It is with both pride and confidence in Scott's accomplishments and abilities that I hand the technical services directorship reins to Scott.
Early this month I had the pleasure to announce Scott Wicks' promotion to Director, Library Technical Services (LTS), in the new Information Technology and Technical Services (ITTS) division. An updated LTS organizational chart may be found at: http://lts.library.cornell.edu/lts/who/upload/LTSocOct2006.pdf
At that time I also mentioned that I would share additional information about ITTS over the coming weeks. Today, I am pleased to announce that Oya Rieger is now Director, Digital Library and Information Technologies (DLIT). Oya moved last Friday to 502 Olin Library to be close to most of the DLIT staff. Please join me in congratulating Oya! Oya's group will be made of three departments as illustrated in the ITTS (Information Technology and Technical Services) and DLIT organizational charts, available from: http://www.library.cornell.edu/dlit/ITTS
Oliver Habicht will continue as Director, Desktop Services. The Digital Media Group will be made up of two units--Digital Production, headed by Danielle Mericle, and Web Development and Management, with George Kozak as interim coordinator. The continuing digital preservation project for arXiv and Euclid, staffed by Bill Kehoe and Adam Smith, will fall within Web Development and Management. DLIT's third department is Scholarly Communications Technologies, also made up of two units--E-Publishing Technologies, headed by David Ruddy, and the arXiv, coordinated by Simeon Warner.
Marcy Rosenkrantz has alerted me of her decision to retire in January 2007. In light of Marcy's decision, I have determined the best course of action is to merge Library Systems and Metadata Services into a single unit reporting to Marty Kurth. During her time with the Library this fall, Marcy will be leading the Voyager upgrade project and finishing up her role as principal investigator of the NSF-funded Math Arc project. Please join me in wishing Marcy well and thanking her not only for her important contributions to the library, but also for her willingness to help us through this important transition.
Marty Kurth is now Director, Discovery Systems and Services (DSS), which merges and renames the formerly separate Library Systems and Metadata Services groups, as illustrated in the DSS organizational chart, available from: http://www.library.cornell.edu/dlit/ITTS
Please join me in congratulating Marty and thanking him for his willingness to take on this new expanded role. Marty will be moving to 504 Olin Library in the next couple of weeks. Marty's new group has two primary units--Metadata Services and Discovery Systems Development and Management. Elaine Westbrooks will take a new role as Head, Metadata Services. Within Discovery Systems Development and Management there will be two groups--the System Architecture Group (Surinder Ghangas, Lydia Pettis, and Rick Silterra); and the Service Design Group (Adam Chandler, Matt Connolly, and Pete Hoyt). Surinder Ghangas has graciously agreed to serve an acting coordinator role and as consulting database administrator; and Adam will take on a new role as coordinator of the Service Design Group.
Please don't hesitate to contact Scott, Oya, Marty or me with your questions and comments.
~ Karen Calhoun, Senior Associate University Librarian, Information Technology and Technical Services
I am pleased to welcome John Saylor as Acting AUL for Scholarly Communications and Collections, reporting to the university librarian. As you know, John has been serving as coordinator of collections for several months. Now that we have decided to wait until the next university librarian is on board to post and fill the AUL for Scholarly Communications and Collections vacancy, we need an expanded commitment of time beyond the role of coordinator. John has served us well as the coordinator, and he has a strong interest in scholarly communications. I have asked him to take an active role in developing our scholarly communications program, including outreach to departments and faculty. John will remain in his position of Engineering Librarian and will direct services there. In this capacity he will report to Jean Poland, AUL for Unit Libraries, and he will be part of the larger Public Services and Assessment organization headed by Anne Kenney. John and I will be reviewing the support he needs to manage the two roles of AUL and director of Engineering, and we expect to work out more details in January or sooner.
~ Sarah Thomas, Carl A. Kroch University Librarian
Good-Bye
Good-bye and good luck to Michele Hegedus, Library Administration, and Lonnie Hinkle, Annex, who recently left the Library.
Retirements
Lucy Burgess
Lucy Burgess retired from her position as a Rare Materials Specialist in Library Technical Services, working on materials in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, on October 31. It is very appropriate that she retired on Halloween, since the prospect of her retirement has been a very scary one for the many people who have relied on her work for the past twenty-seven years at Cornell. She won a well-deserved Outstanding Service Award this past June. Her well-attended retirement party on October 27 celebrated her many contributions to the Library and the lively, friendly presence she has been here.
At the party, Lucy’s colleagues and former supervisors all spoke of her in glowing terms. Elaine Engst, the Director of RMC and Cornell University Archivist, noted that Lucy had begun her career with a variety of positions at various places, including a brief stint at the Library of Congress, before “settling down” at the Cornell Library in 1979. Lucy’s first CUL position was a brief stint in the Department of Manuscripts and University Archives, followed by another brief stint at Mann Library, before she went to work as a secretary in the Department of Rare Books.
Donald D. Eddy, former head of the Department of Rare Books and Lucy’s supervisor from 1979-1989, was unable to attend due to illness, but sent his congratulations and best wishes. Mark Dimunation, Lucy’s supervisor from 1991-1998, traveled to Ithaca for the occasion from Washington, D.C., where he is now Chief of Special Collections at the Library of Congress. He noted that Lucy was the first person to greet him when he arrived as head of the Department of Rare Books in 1991, and nearly the last to bid him farewell when he left Cornell as Associate Director of RMC in 1998. He paid tribute to her remarkable productivity and warm personality.
Margaret Nichols, previously Head of Technical Services in RMC and now Head of the Special Materials Unit in LTS, and Lucy’s supervisor from 1998-2006, noted the difficulty of finding enough superlatives to describe her performance over the years, and praised her friendly, caring nature. Katherine Reagan, Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts and Assistant Director for Collections in RMC, described the importance of Lucy’s work in facilitating collection development and aiding the growth of RMC’s collections.
Many other attendees, colleagues she has worked with and befriended in a variety of Library departments, added their own written comments in a guest book for Lucy. Lucy’s husband, sister, and one of her sons also attended, and had the pleasure of seeing at first hand how her colleagues prize her.
It is an indication of Lucy’s stature in the Library that she inspired three songs, which the guests sang at her party:
Everyone Knows It’s Lucy (to the tune of “Everyone Knows It’s Windy,” by The Association, ca. 1966, lyrics by Margaret Nichols)
Who’s walking down the halls of this building,
Smiling at everybody she sees?
Who’s cracking jokes and making some mischief?
Everyone knows it’s Lucy.
Who’s shifting books and clearing the backlog?
Who’s doing interlibrary loan?
Who does the searching, orders and invoice?
Everyone knows it’s Lucy.
[Part B] And Lucy has lots of style,
Her laugh can be heard for miles;
And Lucy spreads lots of smiles
All over town (all over town, all over town, all over town)!
Who’s doing reference desk and security?
Who’s taking books to Joan for repair?
Who’s making friends with patrons and colleagues?
Everyone knows it’s Lucy.
Who’s walking down the halls of this building,
Smiling at everybody she sees?
Who’s cracking jokes and making some mischief?
Everyone knows it’s Lucy.
Rock Around the Kroch (to the tune of “Rock Around the Clock”, lyrics by Margaret Nichols)
She’s gonna rock around the Kroch today:
Well, she gets a dealer catalog at half-past one,
And by half past four, all the searching’s done!
She gonna rock around the Kroch today,
She’s gonna rock, gonna work, gonna laugh and play,
She gonna rock, gonna rock around the Kroch today.
Well, the Vet staff sent us a ton of books,
But before we could give them a second look,
She went and rocked around the Kroch that fall,
And she cataloged the heck out of one and all,
You had to dodge them as they flew right past you down the hall.
We’d get ten requests on interlibrary loan,
And before lunch break the requests were done;
She went and rocked around the Kroch with them,
And did a whole day’s work by break at ten;
I’ve never seen a faster person work out what to send.
She laughs and plays and sends out jokes,
But when she gets down to work here it really smokes!
She’s gonna rock around the Kroch today,
Gonna send those books on their merry way;
She’s gonna rock, gonna rock around the Kroch today.
Farewell to our Lucy (to the tune of “Auld Lang Syne”, lyrics by Pedro Arroyo)
A presence that won’t be forgot,
A laughter in the aisle.
A giant in a noble field
With some mischief in her smile.
Chorus: A pillar of the halls of Kroch
And the University,
Goodbye for now, but keep in touch;
Farewell to our Lucy.
The vellum parchments, manuscripts,
Codices from 1201
Won’t make our days go quite as well
As to hear her say “It’s done!”
Chorus: Goodbye, Adieu, Auf Wiedersehn
Good luck, and please take heed
“Retirement” doesn’t mean “forgot”
So keep us up to speed!
If anyone can’t be forgot
In the halls of RMC,
We raise a cup of thanks and smiles
Farewell to our Lucy.
Chorus: A pillar of the halls of Kroch
And the University
Her laughter echoes in the vault
And around our library!
We raise a cup of thanks and smiles
Farewell to our Lucy.
Luckily, we don’t have to say a final farewell to Lucy. Following a two-week hiatus, she will return to work in the Library part-time on a project basis, doing mainly collection development support and public services work in RMC. So good-bye and a warm welcome back, Lucy!
~Margaret Nichols
Jane Irwin
Jane Irwin is retiring after ten years as a NYS Agricultural Experiment Station Library employee. It has been my privilege to be her supervisor and work with her since 1999. She has been a diligent, thoughtful, loyal, generous, and forward-thinking member of the Library team and her contributions to the Library and the Experiment Station have been substantial.
When Jane was hired part-time in 1996, her responsibilities were to assist Jeanne Samimy, the Library Assistant in the Station Library at the time, on various library tasks (such as shelving, binding, journal check-in) and to provide technical support for the Library’s four computers, two used by staff and two available for public use. By 2006 she supported 32 library computers, more than two dozen software packages, provided software support to faculty, staff, and graduate students and she coordinated the Station-wide instruction program.
Clearly, her responsibilities have grown over time, but it was just a month into her job when she was asked to start the instruction program and set up the Library Technology Center (LTC) where hands-on classes could be taught. She built the instruction program from the ground up. The large variety of training opportunities that we offer today is the result of Jane’s efforts in response to known and anticipated needs throughout the Station community. She constantly looked for new ways to provide instruction beyond the workshop setting. Jane has offered open forums, open labs, one-on-one consulting, online tutorials, short lunch-time sessions, and other approaches to accommodate individual learning styles and time constraints.
Countless hardware and software upgrades were implemented over the past ten years. The number of computers increased. PCs were added to the initial selection of Macs. The diversity of operating systems and software grew continuously. Without her expertise, her vision, and her hard work, the Station community would not have the wide array of technology-based library services and resources that we currently enjoy and depend on.
Jane has spear-headed numerous special projects as well. She led the development and maintenance of the Library Web site. Before there was a Cornell-wide “Find E-journals” system, Jane and Geneva Library staff developed an e-journal database for Station researchers, the first of its kind at Cornell. She implemented the publicly accessible wireless network that can be accessed in the Library and in Jordan Hall meeting rooms. Jane developed a mobile classroom utilizing laptops and the wireless network which made hands-on classes possible in all of the Jordan meeting rooms.
The benefits of the instruction program to the Station community are quite visible, but Jane’s leadership and support of technology are less apparent. Her success is best measured by the fact that many technology-based Library services and resources are delivered to the Station community problem-free. Her contributions are behind the scenes. Her technical expertise and commitment to service assures that faculty, staff, and grad students can access e-journals, request copies of articles in journals we don’t own, check books out of the library, scan slides, and create digital presentations using Library facilities.
Every time Jane was asked to take on an additional task or responsibility, she gracefully added it to her already full plate and she grew with her position. She has been generous with her time, often working extended hours in her office or at home. At times she has spent multiple hours over days or weeks working one-on-one with an individual faculty member or staff member, patiently teaching the use of new software or solving a technical problem.
In addition to her job-specific responsibilities, she recently took the lead in starting a Station camera club. Outside of work she has enjoyed working in her flower garden and often brought beautiful bouquets of flowers to brighten up the Library.
In retirement, Jane and her husband David will be heading to warmer climes for the winter and she will be pursuing her recently established photography business.
We are so grateful for Jane’s many contributions toward the smooth and successful delivery of library resources and services and for being a wonderful colleague. We wish her the very best in her retirement.
~ Marty Schlabach
Obituaries
David Wyatt, 1937-2006
Notices of David Wyatt’s death have now appeared from New York to Bangkok. The obituaries describe a distinguished historian who elevated Thai scholarship and influenced several generations of students as a teacher and mentor.
David earned a BA in philosophy at Harvard in 1959, an MA in history at Boston University in 1960, and a PhD in Southeast Asian history at Cornell in 1966. He taught at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and the University of Michigan before coming to Cornell in 1970. During his career he wrote over one hundred publications, including eighteen books. Among the books his, Thailand, A short History (Yale University Press, 1984; 2nd ed 2004), is considered the standard textbook on Thai history.
Cornell honored Dr. Wyatt with several titles--Associate Professor, Professor, the John Stambaugh Chair of History and Asian Studies, and, finally, interim curator of the John M. Echols Collection. In this last position, he passed through the thin membrane that separates passionate bibliophile from systematic bibliographer. The curatorship gave David an opportunity that scholarship had always denied, to exercise his excitement for the bibliography of Southeast Asia without diminishing his bank account or adding additional bookcases at home.
David was one of a vanishing breed in the academy. For him the identification and acquisition of information was as important as the research that the information enabled. He delighted in perusing booksellers’ catalogs, and he excelled at deconstructing them, identifying what the vendors failed to offer and encouraging them to search further. His contacts in the region widened the comprehensive sweep that the Echols Collection employs in Southeast Asia, and he was not above encouraging them to undertake heroic missions, such as collecting fugitive materials from the notorious Golden Triangle.
Despite his declining health, David maintained the work habits of a lifetime. The whine of his electric cart marked every day into the same intervals: 8:30 entry, 10:30 coffee break, 1:00 departure. And he managed to compress a remarkable amount of activity into each day as he administered the Library’s most comprehensive collection.
In David’s case, the “interim” modifier referred to the length of his curatorship, not to the demands of the position or the quality of his effort. David’s tenure in Echols coincided with the reorganization of the Asia Collections’ technical services. We relied on him for advice and consent during these delicate maneuvers. His understanding of faculty opinion was indispensable, his reading of staff morale fair and trustworthy.
David’s eighteen months as Echols curator was a fitting end to his Cornell career. It allowed him to oversee a collection built in large part during his many years of distinguished scholarship and to prepare it for his successors.
Two funds have been established at Cornell in his name: the David Wyatt Fund of the Southeast Asia Program (c/o SEAP, 180 Uris Hall), to facilitate travel from Southeast Asia to use Cornell resources, and the David Wyatt Fund of the Echols Collection (c/o Marisue Taube, 701 Olin Library), to acquire additional resources for the collection he so carefully administered.
~ David Block
Sarah's Holiday Card
Season's Greetings and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!
Illustration: Henry Vizetelly. Facts About Champagne and Other Sparkling Wines. London: Ward, Lock, and Co., 1879. Gift of the Class of 1956 Rare Book Endowment.
