UofSLibrary News

Announcing the Search for the next Dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library

November 13, 2020

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The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library at The University of Scranton invites applications for the Dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library, anticipated start date of July 1, 2021, with application review beginning February 1, 2021. The Weinberg Memorial Library provides superior resources, services, and programs that meet the dynamic and diverse scholarly, cultural, and social needs of the University and our community. We value teaching, research, and lifelong learning, and we are committed to intellectual freedom, preservation, accessibility, and sustainability. Click here for the Search Announcement as a PDF.

The Opportunity

The University of Scranton, a Catholic and Jesuit University offering a transformational learning experience, seeks the next Dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library. The Dean of the Library provides leadership and strategic direction for all aspects of library services to the University, contributing to the Library’s campus-wide focus on transformative teaching and learning in the Ignatian tradition. The Dean oversees the Weinberg Memorial Library (WML), and plays a creative role in fostering a climate conducive to supporting the teaching, learning, and scholarship of students, faculty, and staff. The Dean reports to the Provost and serves as a member of the Deans’ Leadership Council, Provost’s Advisory Council, Provost’s Committee on Academic Policy and Compliance, Faculty Personnel Committee, and Faculty Handbook Committee. The Dean of the Library also has supervisory responsibility for all faculty and staff in the Weinberg Memorial Library.

The Responsibilities of the Dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library

Essential Duties Include:

Administers all units of the Weinberg Memorial Library.
Serves as chief advocate and spokesperson for the academic support provided by the Library.
Leads the design, implementation, marketing, and assessment of Library policies, services and programs.
Collaborates and regularly consults with faculty and staff to develop library collections, programs, and services.
Has primary responsibility for strategic planning, accreditation and program review, supervision of the Library Faculty and staff, and employee development.
Manages the financial activities of the Library including the development and monitoring of the annual operating budgets and the strategic and effective allocation of resources.
Distributes various Library development funds, grants, prizes, etc.
Makes appointment, reappointment, and rank and tenure recommendations on matters of faculty status for the Library Faculty.
Holds primary responsibility for the development and improvement of the University-wide Information Literacy program. Supervises, in consultation with the appropriate chairperson(s), the progress of approved information literacy courses.
Coordinates the Library’s information technology planning with the University’s Chief Information Officer.
Coordinates timely Library communications with the University community.
Leads fundraising for the Library, including supporting the Friends of the Library organization and serving as the Library’s liaison to University Advancement.
Coordinates the annual Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series with University Advancement, as well as any additional educational events sponsored by the Library.
Serves on University committees and as an ex-officio member of the Library Advisory Committee. Receives advice and counsel as appropriate.
Participates in professional organizations and networks with national groups and individuals in the fields of libraries and faculty and student enrichment. Represents the University at the annual AJCU Library Deans Conference.

Position Qualifications

Minimum Education Requirements:

American Library Association (ALA) accredited Master’s degree and a second Master’s or Doctoral degree required.

Minimum Job Experience Requirements:

Minimum of eight years of progressively responsible and administrative/leadership experience in an academic library.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working in a collective bargaining/unionized faculty environment.

Additional Skills Required:

Must be able to respect, support and contribute to the University’s Catholic and Jesuit mission.
Must be ready to lead and support University diversity and inclusion efforts, ensuring that the Library is welcoming, respectful of freedom of expression and dedicated to social justice, equity, and a culture of belonging.
Commitment to excellence in libraries and to excellence in academic support.
Ability and experience in management, strategic planning, budgeting, and collaborative leadership to guide an accomplished faculty and staff.
Demonstrated experience and success in fundraising.
Excellent organizational skills and excellent oral and written communication skills.
Ability to think creatively and to demonstrate creative problem solving.
A vision to identify and develop state-of-the-art information technologies and integrate these with traditional library collections and services and with academic support services.
Knowledge of current issues in libraries, in teaching and learning, and in digital and special collections.
Professional commitment to a user-focused service orientation.
A record of scholarly or other appropriate professional activity.
Ability to create a supportive and nurturing learning environment to ensure student success and retention.
Commitment to shared governance, embracing and supporting faculty status for librarians.

About the University of Scranton

University Profile

The University is deeply committed to its compelling mission rooted in the Jesuit tenet of cura personalis, individual attention to the students, and respect for the uniqueness of each member of the University community. The University of Scranton offers students a highly personalized education; is an exceptionally strong and devoted community; and is supported by a generous and motivated Board of Trustees. Founded in 1888 and elevated to university status in 1938, The University of Scranton is a community of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends who are animated by the centuries-old tradition of Catholic and Jesuit education. At Scranton, faculty and staff offer students a rich and personalized approach to education in the context of a dynamic university that prepares students to be agents of change in their communities and the world.

The University community includes roughly 5,000 undergraduate, adult, part-time and graduate students; 272 full-time faculty, and 600 full-time staff. The campus is home to three colleges – the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kania School of Management, and the Panuska College of Professional Studies – and awards the bachelor’s degree; the master’s degree; and four doctoral degrees (business administration, nursing practice, occupational therapy and physical therapy).

Mission

The University is a Catholic and Jesuit University animated by the spiritual vision and the tradition of excellence characteristic of the Society of Jesus and those who share in its way of proceeding.  All candidates must indicate how they would help communicate and support the Catholic and Jesuit identity and mission of the University. The University’s mission statement and a description of the history and concepts of the Ignatian teaching philosophy may be found at https://www.scranton.edu/about/jesuit-tradition/index.shtml.

Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Scranton embraces diversity and inclusion through its mission, Jesuit identity, strategic plans, community outreach programs, and numerous diversity programs. The University of Scranton is an Equal Opportunity employer and actively solicits applications from diverse candidates. Please see our website at https://www.scranton.edu/equity-diversity/ for our full non-discrimination statement.

The University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is infused across all facets of the University; where the environment is welcoming, respectful of freedom of expression and dedicated to social justice, cultural competence and the value of diversity. All applicants are required to provide a statement that indicates their commitment to diversity and inclusion and how this informs their library leadership.

Nondiscrimination Language

The University is committed to providing an educational, residential, and working environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Members of the University community, applicants for employment or admissions, guests and visitors have the right to be free from harassment or discrimination based on race, color, religion, ancestry, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, national origin, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational, extracurricular, athletic, or other programs or in the context of employment.

Anyone who has questions about the University’s Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy, or the University’s Non-Discrimination or Anti-Harassment Policy, or wishes to report a possible violation of one of these policies should contact:

Elizabeth M. Garcia
Title IX Coordinator
The Office of Equity and Diversity
Institute of Molecular Biology & Medicine, Rm 311
elizabeth.garcia2@scranton.edu
(570) 941-6645
https://www.scranton.edu/equity-diversity/

Scranton, PA

Located in Pennsylvania’s beautiful Pocono region, The University of Scranton is a vital part of a city that is considered the geographic and cultural center of northeastern Pennsylvania. The city plays an important role in the life of the University and vice versa. Driving time to New York City, Philadelphia, and Syracuse is just two hours, with Boston and Washington, D.C. less than five hours away. The regional airport, located just eight miles away, offers direct flights to Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Charlotte, and other major cities.

How to Apply

The search process is underway and will continue until the position is filled with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2021. Nominations, expressions of interest, and applications including a letter of interest and a full curriculum vita should be submitted electronically by visiting www.universityofscrantonjobs.com and clicking on “Search Jobs.” A user name and password must be created in order to successfully apply to the position and upload the required applicant documents.

We provide our workforce of more than 1,100 people with competitive salaries and exceptional benefits such as health care, retirement plans, generous paid time off and tuition remission.

Confidential inquiries and questions concerning this search may be directed to The University of Scranton’s Human Resources Office at (570) 941-7767, HR@scranton.edu.

Enhancing Student Research Abilities: Intersession/Spring 2021 Information Literacy Stipends

by Donna Witek, MA, MLIS

September 30, 2020

8:36 am

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Do you want to enhance your students’ research abilities? Then consider applying for an Information Literacy Stipend for your course.

The Weinberg Memorial Library will be awarding up to two (2) $1,000.00 stipends for courses taught during Intersession 2021 or Spring 2021. Recipients will collaborate with a faculty librarian to develop assignments and assessments that focus on information literacy. The stipend will be awarded upon submission of a final report. Both full- and part-time faculty are eligible.

What is information literacy?

Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning. (ACRL, 2016)

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2016) provides ideas to help faculty integrate information literacy into their courses.

TO APPLY: Submit a proposal, not to exceed two pages, that includes the following:

Course name and number
Student learning outcomes related to information literacy
Assessment plan to determine how student learning outcomes will be evaluated
Projected Timeline (Intersession 2021 or Spring 2021)
Name of the faculty librarian who has agreed to collaborate with you

Application Deadline: Friday, October 23, 2020

Submit proposals via email attachment to: Kym Balthazar Fetsko, Assistant to the Dean of the Library, kym.fetsko@scranton.edu

Proposals will be reviewed by the Library Advisory Committee’s Information Literacy Subcommittee for evidence of the following components:

Student learning outcomes related to information literacy
Assessment plan to determine how student learning outcomes will be evaluated
Collaboration and consultation with a librarian before submission

Stipends are subject to taxes. At the completion of the course, a final report documenting the impact of the information literacy component on student learning outcomes must be submitted to the Interim Dean of the Library. This report will be posted on the Library’s website.

If you are interested, consult with the subject liaison librarian for your department as you prepare your proposal; find your liaison librarian at www.scranton.edu/library/liaisons. Examples of previous successful stipend projects can be accessed at www.scranton.edu/informationliteracystipends.

Questions? Contact Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator, at donna.witek@scranton.edu.

Winners of the 2020 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Announced

by Donna Witek, MA, MLIS

July 1, 2020

9:32 am

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Katherine R. Burke is the winner of the 2020 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Upper-level category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 200- to 400-level course.

Kat is a 26-year-old Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania native currently enrolled part-time in the Philosophy program, who submitted the project “Towards an Ethics of Gendered Difference,” completed in the course PHIL 382: Care Ethics in Japanese Film, taught by Prof. George Aulisio. For her research, Kat’s starting point was two primary works on the ethics of care which she read through the lens of gender-expansivity; this process then led her first to the Library’s Philosophy and humanities databases, and then to the Library’s interlibrary loan request platforms through which she was able to track down the key sources cited in the primary works that served as her project’s focus.

Kat learned valuable lessons about research and writing by immersing herself in sources both adjacent and central to the focus of her project; she shares in her description of research,

“…immersing myself in the works of those who had already parsed texts like those I was focusing on shed light on how one can boil down key concepts from a given work and where one’s focus should lie in philosophical texts.” Commenting on the ease of use of our interlibrary loan services, she notes, “Using these services made me really understand that even though research is rigorous and often challenging, the tools we have at our disposal help to make it a much more efficient – and enjoyable – process.”

Sponsoring faculty Prof. George Aulisio observed that Kat “learned the importance of digesting philosophy slowly, re-reading at length the ideas of philosophers until everything is fully comprehended” as well as “the value of carrying on an academic discussion (i.e., Scholarship as Conversation)” and “how much value that adds to one’s own knowledge and knowledge creation.”

The Weinberg Memorial Library inaugurated the prize in 2011 to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge of the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools, and services. In 2017, the prize was named for Professor Emerita Bonnie W. Oldham, who founded the prize at the University in 2011. The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize was fully endowed in 2019 and consists of a prize of $500 awarded to winning projects in each of the three categories: Undergraduate Foundational (100-level projects), Undergraduate Upper-level (200- to 400-level projects), and Graduate.

An Honorable Mention award in the Undergraduate Upper-level category was presented to Sarah White, a sophomore Biology and Philosophy double major, for the project, “Constrained Women, Authoritarian Men, and Gender-Based Medical Treatments: Unequal Gender Roles and a Tragic Descent into Madness in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s ‘The Yellow Wall-paper’,” completed in the course ENLT 265J: The American Literary Experience for Dr. Leonard Gougeon.

Liam Mulvaney is the winner of the 2020 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate category.

Liam is a graduate occupational therapy student from Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, who submitted to the competition the project “Historical Analysis: A Century of Progress in Adaptive Equipment,” completed in the course OT 501: Leadership in Occupational Therapy, taught by Dr. Marlene Morgan. For this project, Liam took advantage of the Library’s digital resources, including CINAHL, PubMed, and ProQuest Central, as well as the Library’s physical resources, such as the print books on reserve, microfilm, and various foundational Occupational Therapy journals, in order to research and conduct a historical reflective analysis of adaptive equipment in the field of Occupational Therapy.

He notes that the online library research guide for this course as well as the library staff were especially helpful as he conducted the complex research for this project. In his description of research, he shares that “citation chasing” was the most beneficial advanced research technique he learned and applied in this project, and that he

“became a better student and researcher as a result of the library’s staff and resources.”

Sponsoring faculty Dr. Marlene Morgan commended Liam for his use of patents and illustrations of adaptive equipment in his project, and praised his project by noting that “Systematic reflection of how leadership in OT has successfully created and sustained a meaningful role in the development and use of adaptive equipment in the past will provide us with strategies to face the future.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Graduate category were presented to Melissa Busch, graduate student in the Occupational Therapy program, for the project, “Occupational Therapy in the Hospital,” also completed in the course OT 501: Leadership in Occupational Therapy for Dr. Marlene Morgan; and to group partners Emily Gilinger, Tyler Huggins, Brian Gargiulo, and Joshua Taylor, graduate students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, for their project, “Recreational Activities Impact on Activity and Participation in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review,” completed in the course PT 772/773: Scientific Inquiry II/III in Physical Therapy for Dr. Renée Hakim.

Eryn Boken is the winner of the 2020 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 100-level course.

Eryn is a sophomore Kinesiology major from Los Angeles, California, who submitted to the competition the project “Coronavirus Concerns for the U.S. Economy,” completed in Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera’s WRTG 107: Composition course. She primarily used the EBSCOhost database Academic Search Elite and the CREDO Reference search tool to search for information about the 2019 novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and through this process found that studying the economic impact of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that spread in 2002 was a valuable research strategy for better understanding the current impact of the developing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. She also focused her search strategy as she went, taking keywords from initial articles she found and using them to run subsequent searches in the databases for more information about her project’s focus.

Eryn eloquently captures the research process in her description of research when she shares:

“Looking at where my research first began, how it developed, and the bibliography I ended with, I noticed the journey I had to take throughout the process. I was constantly learning something new each time I entered the database portal and therefore had to adjust the information I wanted to use accordingly. Especially with all the tools the library has to offer us, where you begin the research is certainly not where you will end.”

Sponsoring faculty Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera says of Eryn that “She seemed to get a lot of joy out of the discovery involved with research — following leads and paths to get answers. This student kept turning over rocks to find more information and wasn’t satisfied with just the first thing that turned up. The thing about this particular issue, too, is that the information was true news, and therefore kept changing — sometimes within the same day!”

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Foundational category were presented to sophomore Psychology major Brayden Druger for the project “Preliminary Military Health Screenings: Are They Worth It?” completed in WRTG 107: Composition for Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera; and to first-year Biology major Sydney Youngblood for the project “To Heal or To Kill,” also completed in WRTG 107: Composition for Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera.

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on the Spring semester, in lieu of an in-person awards reception prize winners were mailed their awards at the end of May.

Information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize can be found on the website: http://www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize

Congratulations to all of our honorees!

Remote Information Literacy Support Available

by Donna Witek, MA, MLIS

June 8, 2020

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Faculty in need of information literacy instructional support in their remote courses can send inquiries to the Library by completing the online request form (found here) or by emailing Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator, at donna.witek@scranton.edu.

Note that both synchronous and asynchronous options are available for integrating information literacy support into your courses.

Faculty can also reach out directly to their subject liaison librarian to inquire about information literacy support; consult our Librarians by Subject and Specialty list to identify the faculty librarian assigned to your subject area.

The Library’s existing online research guides are another resource that can be integrated into your remote courses to support information literacy teaching and learning.

For additional information about the Library’s remote services visit our Library Remote Services online guide.

One Week Left! – Application Deadline for Library Research Prize is Monday, May 11, 2020

by Donna Witek, MA, MLIS

May 4, 2020

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One week left to apply for the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize! Project submissions for Intersession and Spring 2020 are due Monday, May 11, 2020 by 4:00 pm.

The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize recognizes excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge in the methods of research and the information gathering process and use of library resources, tools, and services.

Three prizes of $500.00 each will be awarded to the winning individual student and/or group in the following categories: Undergraduate Foundational (100-level courses), Undergraduate Upper-level (200- to 400-level courses), and Graduate. If won by a group, the award will be split equally among the group members. All you need to do is write a 500- to 700-word essay describing your research process and how you used the library in completing the project. Click here for some tips on how to craft the best 500- to 700-word essay you can about your research.

Note: The deadline for Intersession and Spring 2020 project submissions has been extended to Monday, May 11, 2020 at 4:00 pm due to the impact of COVID-19 on the Spring 2020 semester. In addition, there will be no in-person reception and awards ceremony for the 2019-2020 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize, but we look forward to honoring our winners in other ways.

A statement of faculty support from the instructor who assigned the research project is also required for each submission.

For additional information on how to apply, what to include in a completed application, and to access the application, visit the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize page: www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize

Questions can be directed to Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator, at donna.witek@scranton.edu.

Deadline Extended – Apply Now for the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize!

by Donna Witek, MA, MLIS

April 20, 2020

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Are you working on a research project this semester? Did you use the library’s resources, services, collections, or spaces in order to complete your research? Then the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize is for you!

A statement of faculty support from the instructor who assigned the research project is also required for each submission.

Questions can be directed to Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator, at donna.witek@scranton.edu.

Enhancing Student Research Abilities: Summer/Fall 2020 Information Literacy Stipends

by Donna Witek, MA, MLIS

February 19, 2020

8:52 am

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Do you want to enhance your students’ research abilities? Then consider applying for an Information Literacy Stipend for your course.

The Weinberg Memorial Library will be awarding up to two (2) $1,000.00 stipends for courses taught during Summer 2020 or Fall 2020. Recipients will collaborate with a faculty librarian to develop assignments and assessments that focus on information literacy. The stipend will be awarded upon submission of a final report.

What is information literacy?

TO APPLY: Submit a proposal, not to exceed two pages, that includes the following:

Course name and number
Student learning outcomes related to information literacy
Assessment plan to determine how student learning outcomes will be evaluated
Projected Timeline (Summer 2020 or Fall 2020)
Name of the faculty librarian who has agreed to collaborate with you

Proposals will be reviewed by the Library Advisory Committee’s Information Literacy Subcommittee for evidence of the following components:

Student learning outcomes related to information literacy
Assessment plan to determine how student learning outcomes will be evaluated
Collaboration and consultation with a librarian before submission

If you are interested, consult with the subject liaison librarian for your department as you prepare your proposal; find your liaison librarian here. Examples of previous successful stipend projects and links to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy can be accessed here.

Application deadline: Friday, March 27, 2020

Please submit proposals via campus mail or email to:

Kym Balthazar Fetsko, Assistant to the Dean of the Library
Weinberg Memorial Library – Room 406
570-941-7816
kym.fetsko@scranton.edu

Questions? Contact Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator, at donna.witek@scranton.edu or 570-941-4000.

Enhancing Student Research Abilities: Information Literacy Stipends for 2020

by Donna Witek, MA, MLIS

September 19, 2019

3:04 pm

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Do you want to enhance your students’ research abilities? Then consider applying for an Information Literacy Stipend for your course.

The Weinberg Memorial Library will be awarding up to two (2) $1,000.00 stipends to full- or part-time faculty for courses taught during Intersession 2020 or Spring 2020. There will be another call for proposals in the spring for courses taught during Summer 2020 or Fall 2020. Recipients will collaborate with a faculty librarian to develop assignments and assessments that focus on information literacy. The stipend will be awarded upon submission of a final report.

What is information literacy?

TO APPLY: Submit a proposal, not to exceed two pages, that includes the following:

Course name and number
Student learning outcomes related to information literacy
Assessment plan to determine how student learning outcomes will be evaluated
Projected Timeline (Intersession 2020 or Spring 2020)
Name of the faculty librarian who has agreed to collaborate with you

Proposals will be reviewed by the Library Advisory Committee’s Information Literacy Subcommittee for evidence of the following components:

Student learning outcomes related to information literacy
Assessment plan to determine how student learning outcomes will be evaluated
Collaboration and consultation with a librarian before submission

Stipends are subject to taxes. At the completion of the course, a final report documenting the impact of the information literacy component on student learning outcomes must be submitted to the Dean of the Library and Information Fluency. This report will be posted on the Library’s website.

Application deadline: Friday, November 1, 2019

Please submit proposals via campus mail or email to:

Charles Kratz, Dean of Library and Information Fluency
Weinberg Memorial Library
570-941-4008
charles.kratz@scranton.edu

Questions? Contact Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator, at donna.witek@scranton.edu or 570-941-4000.

Winners of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Announced

by Donna Witek, MA, MLIS

May 8, 2019

3:30 pm

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Elizabeth McManus is the winner of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Upper-level category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 200- to 400-level course.

Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator; Joan Wasilewski, Associate Professor of Chemistry; Elizabeth McManus, Research Prize Winner; Harry Dammer, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Charles Kratz, Dean of the Library

Liz is a senior Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology (BCMB) major with a minor in Computer Science from Brookfield, Connecticut, who submitted her project “Preventative and Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines,” completed in her capstone course BCMB 490, taught by Dr. Joan Wasilewski. For her research, Liz used the library’s curation of disciplinary resources to research and prepare a project culminating in a 35-minute presentation on the topic of vaccines to prevent and therapeutically treat cancer. At first reporting she was “overwhelmed” by the amount of information out there on this topic, Elizabeth realized she needed to adapt her research strategy by using the database MEDLINE/PubMed to seek out review articles; her goal in doing this was to develop “a more substantial understanding of the topic” by filling in “the gaps in [her] knowledge.” In her description of research, Liz eloquently summarizes the research strategies she learned through this project when she says, “By first establishing a wide breadth of knowledge on the topic, I prepared myself for the depth of research that followed.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Upper-level category included Anna Maria Giblin, a junior History major with a Philosophy minor and a Legal Studies concentration, as well as group partners Catherine Moloney, Gabriela Lins, and Kailtin Kenyon, senior Occupational Therapy majors.

Kerry Ann Randall and Megan Schane are the winners of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate category.

Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator; Rita Fleming-Castaldy, Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy; Kerry Ann Randall, Research Prize Winner; Megan Schane, Research Prize Winner; Debra Pellegrino, Dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies; and Charles Kratz, Dean of the Library

Kerry Ann and Megan are graduate occupational therapy students from Farmington, Connecticut and Cresco, Pennsylvania, respectively, who submitted to the competition their project “Adaptive Equipment Through the Ages: A Historical Review of Occupational Therapy,” completed in the course OT 501: Leadership in Occupational Therapy, taught by Dr. Rita Fleming-Castaldy. For this project, Kerry Ann and Megan made heavy use of library resources which they accessed through the online library research guide for this course. Resources used include the library’s databases including ProQuest Health and Medical Complete, CINAHL, and PubMed; books including those that were held on print reserve and at the Research Services desk, books from the circulating collection, and ebooks; journals both in print and online; and periodical literature only available in microfilm. In their description of research, Kerry Ann and Megan conclude, “We could not have completed our paper without the library, the online and physical data, and the space to use its computers, scanners, printers, and quiet spaces. The library is an irreplaceable resource on campus with wonderful staff which has shaped us into better students and researchers as we prepare for our professional careers.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Graduate category included Jenna Gulics and Lisa Crivelli, both graduate students in the Occupational Therapy program, and Lindsey Hayde, a graduate student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

Isaiah Livelsberger is the winner of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 100-level course.

Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator; Isaiah Livelsberger, Research Prize Winner; Harry Dammer, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Charles Kratz, Dean of the Library

Isaiah is a first-year International Studies and Philosophy major from New Oxford, Pennsylvania, who submitted to the competition his paper “Empty Aid,” completed in Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera’s WRTG 107: Composition course. To complete his research, Isaiah relied on initial instruction in brainstorming topical keywords, database searching, and information evaluation provided by both his professor and a faculty librarian who visited his class, as well as support at the Research Services desk. What sets Isaiah’s research apart, however, is the way his initial position on his topic changed through the research process, developing a more critical stance on the topic of the effects of humanitarian aid on recipient countries as a result of the new information he found. Through researching and writing this paper, Isaiah “learned that research is a dynamic, intense process” and “discovered the seemingly unlimited information [he] can use as a university student through the library to develop educated opinions.”

An Honorable Mention award in the Undergraduate Foundational category was given to Justine Duva, a first-year Biology Major.

Prize winners were honored at a reception on Thursday, May 9, 2019 in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

Information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize can be found on the website: http://www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize

2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Winners Kerry Ann Randall, Megan Schane, Elizabeth McManus, and Isaiah Livelsberger

Congratulations to all of our honorees!

Please consider giving to the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Endowment Fund, ensuring that the prize will be awarded in perpetuity. Make your gift directly to the fund here.

On 5.06 Give to the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Endowment Fund

by Donna Witek, MA, MLIS

May 3, 2019

8:00 am

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#GivetoScrantON506, Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize, fundraiser

The Weinberg Memorial Library has once again teamed up with University Advancement to raise funds for the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Endowment Fund this 5.06 weekend (May 3rd – May 6th) for the University’s 5th Annual Day of Giving on Monday, May 6th.

Make your donation directly to the fund here.

The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize is designed to attract outstanding research projects from courses taught in departments across The University of Scranton campus. It recognizes excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge in the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools, and services.

Named for Professor Emerita Bonnie Oldham, who founded the prize at the University in 2011, this Endowment Fund was started by Bonnie at her untimely passing four months after her retirement in 2017. Our goal is to raise funds for this Endowment Fund to ensure that the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize will be awarded in perpetuity. Your donation will help us do this.

Annually, three prizes of $500.00 each are awarded to the winning individual student and/or group projects in the following categories: Undergraduate Foundational (100-level projects), Undergraduate Upper-level (200- to 400-level projects), and Graduate.

Help us ensure the future of the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize by directly supporting student learning at the University with your gift to this Endowment Fund!