Enhancing Student Research Abilities: Summer/Fall 2021 Information Literacy Stipends

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 2021 or Fall 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 (Summer 2021 or Fall 2021)
  • Name of the faculty librarian who has agreed to collaborate with you

Application Deadline: Friday, April 9, 2021

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 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.

“European Medieval Manuscript Leaves: Varieties of Script and Content from the Jim Sims Collection” Now Open!

This physical and online exhibit looks at the progression of medieval handwriting primarily in liturgical books, lay prayer books and Bibles. While not all types of medieval handwriting are in the exhibit, scripts such as Carolingian, Gothic, and Humanist among others are featured. The exhibit was curated by Casey Welby, Classical Languages and History Major ’21 as part of her Honors Project and as a student humanities fellowship at the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Humanities. Welby worked with Special Collections Librarian Prof. Michael Knies, Digital Services Librarian Prof. Colleen Farry, with the support of Digital Services Web Developer Jennifer Galas. The Heritage Room will be hosting the physical exhibit of the Sims medieval manuscript leaf collection from February 8 through May 21. However, due to COVID restrictions, the campus is closed to the general public. The online version of the exhibit can be viewed here: digitalprojects.scranton.edu/s/sims-exhibit.

For more information please contact Special Collections Librarian Michael Knies at michael.knies@scranton.edu 

 

In Memory of Terry Connors

It is with great sorrow that we announce the loss of Terry Connors, University of Scranton photographer of nearly four decades. At once both an omnipresent and unobtrusive figure on campus and in the greater community, Terry documented almost every major activity and accomplishment of the University while serving under five different administrations. Not only did Terry fastidiously record history in conventional fashion but showcased a knack, undoubtedly aided by his geniality, for capturing candid moments. He also documented the many distinguished visitors to the region, including politicians, religious figures, actors, musicians, and many other celebrities, Nobel Prize winners, military officials and international dignitaries. In addition to work on campus, Terry provided services to such clients as the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, the Lackawanna Bar Association, Moses Taylor Hospital and the Diocese of Scranton. His photographs are therefore an invaluable asset not only to the University but the greater Scranton area, constituting a survey of its events and people dating back to 1976. He will be deeply missed. 

Donated in 2008, the Terry and Paula Connors Collection contains thousands of negatives, prints, and born digital photographs spanning much of his impactful career. Selected negatives and prints (1976-2005) can be viewed in Digital Collections.

University of Scranton President J. A. Panuska, S.J., on the roof of the newly constructed Weinberg Memorial Library (1992)

 

Loyola Hall on the University of Scranton campus (ca. 1978)
Two students walking up a hill by the Long Center after a snowfall, with the city of Scranton behind them (ca. late 1970s) 
Architectural model of the University of Scranton’s planned University Commons. From left to right, Ralph Mancuso, executive vice president, S. G. Mastriani Construction Corp., Rev. Bernard McIlhenney, Robert Ryder, John Flanagan, and Marilyn Coar (ca. 1979 or 1980)
Mother Teresa receiving an honorary degree from University of Scranton President Rev. Joseph A. Panuska. In the background is Marilyn Coar (August 16, 1987)
Students having a snowball fight outside of Alumni Memorial Hall after a snowfall (1994)

Open Education at the Center and Margins of Social Justice

University faculty and staff are invited to a special meeting of the Clavius Seminar Open Revolution on Monday, February 22nd from 12:00–1:00pm that will feature a presentation by guest speaker Jasmine Roberts titled “Open Education at the Center and Margins of Social Justice.”

Open education is commonly known for the advocacy of OERs (open educational resources), consequently framing the discourse as a textbook issue. However, there is an increasing need to consider the intersections between social justice, inclusion, equity, and open education. Roberts’ talk will address the urgency of centering social justice approaches in open educational practices and the challenges of this process, and provide recommendations for attendees to apply to their context.

Jasmine Roberts is a lecturer in the School of Communication at the Ohio State University, where she teaches in the areas of public relations writing, digital activism and campaign strategy. Roberts’ advocacy work centers on the experiences of people of color, women and queer communities. Along with her communication expertise, Roberts is also a renowned open education leader. She has delivered numerous keynote presentations across the country on the topics of inclusion in open education. She is the author of the highly-rated, openly-licensed book “Writing for Strategic Communication Industries”.

Faculty and staff can register here: https://scranton.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwvc–orzIsHt1FfcwyvAEnFnB-LcbiO-Xt

This event is part of the 2020-2021 Clavius Seminar Open Revolution hosted by
Kelly Banyas, Research & Instruction Librarian
Marleen Cloutier, Cataloging & Metadata Librarian
Colleen Farry, Digital Services Librarian

Affordable Learning Implementation Grants for Fall 2021

The Weinberg Memorial Library is pleased to offer $1,000 Affordable Learning Implementation Grants to successful full-time faculty applicants.

Affordable Learning aims to reduce the financial burden on students by eliminating expensive for-cost textbooks and course materials with no-cost or low-cost educational resources. OER stands for Open Educational Resources, which include online textbooks, media, and other materials that are available freely for use and can be remixed/reused for educational purposes. For our Affordable Learning Implementation Grants, formerly OER Implementation Grants, faculty may opt to use existing OER textbooks and open source software that is available online or may compile course materials from appropriately licensed e-books and journals that are open access or available through the Library to replace all, or some, of their for-cost course materials.

For a list of available OER and appropriately licensed Affordable Learning resources, visit the OER Research Guide. The Library’s OER Committee will be hosting an informational session over Zoom about the grants and available resources on March 3rd from 11 am – noon if you are interested in learning more. Please register if you would like the Zoom meeting link.

The library will award up to two $1,000 Affordable Learning Implementation Grants for Fall 2021 courses. These grants are also made possible with additional funding from The University of Scranton’s Strategic Initiatives Funding.

For more information and the application form, visit the Affordable Learning Implementation Grants web page.

Students on Campus During Intersession

Only students enrolled in in-person Intersession classes or have approved research or work-study positions are allowed to be on campus during Intersession. Students not enrolled in in-person Intersession classes, or do not have approved research or work-study positions are not allowed to be on campus and will not be able to swipe into buildings, including the Library. Please see the following policy details from Bobby Davis, Vice President of Student Affairs, for more information:
  • COVID-19 Test: Students who are returning to campus after spending time elsewhere (i.e., spent at least one overnight off campus) are required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result via their Student Health Portal by noon on Saturday, January 2. Students who tested positive in the previous 90 days are not required to submit a negative test, but must upload their positive test result into the Student Health Portal if they have not done so already. If you tested positive on campus during the Fall semester, you do not need to upload a test result. Students cannot access campus until this result is received. All COVID-19 tests must be PCR tests, and be dated on or after December 30. Students should self-quarantine while awaiting test results.
[…]
  • Campus Operations: The University remains closed to visitors. Students who do not have approval to be on campus for Intersession courses or other activities cannot visit campus during Intersession.
 

Job Opportunity: Evening Circulation Services Clerk

We invite applications for the full-time Evening Circulation Services Clerk.

The Evening Circulation Services Clerk works under the supervision of the Circulation Services Coordinator to perform the duties listed below.

Essential Duties:

Provides patron assistance at the Circulation Desk. This includes:
Conducting circulation transactions (charging, discharging, reviewing, recalling, placing holds, and collecting fines and fees).
Registering new patrons.
Assisting with maintaining equipment (i.e. photocopiers, laptop computers, IPads, security gates), replenishing supplies, and reporting equipment malfunctions.
Answering telephone calls and assisting with circulation questions. Referring reference questions to Research and Scholarly Services.
Assisting with the sending of faxes.
Responding to and documenting violations of theft and damage to Library materials.
Processing monetary transactions.
Assisting patrons with use of the public catalog for finding material, especially reserves.
Maintains good order in the Library stacks. This includes:
Supervising work study students’ re-shelving of materials, and re-shelving materials in the absence of student assistants.
Overseeing the condition of materials on the shelves, including the pulling of books for mending.
Supervising small shifts of the collection to ease crowding. Participation in the planning and execution of larger collection shifts as needed, including any related furniture layout/repositioning.
Maintaining the New Book Shelves.
Assists with the supervision of student employees, including training and assigning work. Communicates with students about departmental issues in person and via the Circulation Services Blog. Monitors student attendance.
Closes the library building by unlocking/locking specific doors and gates and adjusting elevator settings.
Participates in the maintenance of basement storage, which includes materials from the collection and Friends of the Library Book Sale Materials. This includes:
Serving as a point person for book donors, including collecting information for acknowledgment letters and coordinating the pick-up of gift books if needed.
Selecting materials for the Friends Book Sale shelves.
Trainings/Supervising students who search the Library catalog to determine if gift books are candidates for addition to the collection.
Assisting in the set up and take down of the annual Friends Book Sale.
Additional Responsibilities:

Oversees and is responsible for Library services and building operations during evening hours when Research and Scholarly Services Librarians are not present.
Selects materials and produces posters for special displays.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
Minimum Education Requirements:

High school diploma or equivalent

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree

Minimum Job Experience Requirements:

Minimum of 4 months library work experience; including familiarity with an automated library circulation system, on-line catalog searching, Internet searching, and use of Microsoft Office.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working with/supervising college age students.

Additional Skills Required:

Ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of users – students, faculty, administration, and public patrons, and to handle communications with tact, courtesy and discretion.
Ability to instruct/direct student work.
Excellent organizational/record-keeping skills.
Must be able to lift and move heavy cartons of books, weighing up to 40 lbs.
Must be able to respect, support and contribute to the University’s Catholic and Jesuit mission.
Schedule/Work Hours: Sun-Thurs 3:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. (35 hours per week), with some fluctuations in the summer and at exam times.

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. The University is a community dedicated to the freedom of inquiry and personal development fundamental to the growth in wisdom and integrity of all who share it its life. As a Catholic and Jesuit institution of nearly 4,000 undergraduate and more than 1,500 graduate students, The University of Scranton delivers a meaningful education that challenges its students morally, spiritually, and intellectually.

The University of Scranton is committed to providing a safe and nondiscriminatory employment and educational environment. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other status protected by 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. The University of Scranton is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Educator. Veterans, minority persons, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Interested applicants must apply online at https://universityofscrantonjobs.com. Please provide a resume, cover letter, and a list of three (3) references which include contact information. The position will be open until filled. Review of applications will begin on Wednesday, December 16, 2020.

For questions regarding this position, please contact the search committee chair: Patricia Savitts, Circulation Services Coordinator, The University of Scranton, Weinberg Memorial Library, patricia.savitts@scranton.edu.