UofSLibrary News

Meet Sheli, Our New Cataloger!

August 24, 2010

4:22 pm

3 Comments on Meet Sheli, Our New Cataloger!

librarians, Northeastern Pennsylvania, scranton, scranton reads, university of scranton

We’d like to introduce the Weinberg’s newest faculty member: Sheli McHugh, our Cataloging/Metadata Librarian! Sheli joined us in June 2010, having previously served as the Scranton Public Library‘s Head Cataloger. Sheli has a B.A. from Penn State and earned her M.L.S. at Clarion University in 2005. She’s a native of Northeastern Pennsylvania and is an active member of the Pennsylvania Library Association.

The next time you visit the Library, stop by the cataloging room on the first floor and say hi! In the meantime, to help you get to know Sheli, we asked her a few questions:

What made you decide to be a librarian?
After I finished my undergrad degree, I was working full time for my parents. Lots of people had advice on what I should do for the rest of my life…then my high school principal’s wife suggested I look into library science. I did a little bit of research (I Googled it!) and the first thing I read was about the librarian at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and how they talk to major film directors and writers every day. Since my undergrad degree was in film studies, I was sold!

What do you like most about cataloging?
I like finding a place for things to fit in – like doing a crossword puzzle and figuring out what goes where for each clue.

What’s the strangest item you’ve ever cataloged?
I once cataloged a Gerry McNamara bobble head.

What are you reading now?
I just bought my copy of Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. I wish I was reading it RIGHT NOW! It’s taunting me from my purse! I’m also reading Wuthering Heights for a book club I belong to at Anthology…but I’m shelving that till I finish Mockingjay.

Where’s the best place to get coffee in NEPA?
My favorite coffee shop is Northern Light Espresso Bar on Spruce St. But, I also love Zummo’s and Mansour’s. I definitely go to NLEB the most, so I’ll go with that.

What else should the University community know about you?
I’m the co-chair for the Scranton Reads committee. We try and get everyone in the community to read the same book and talk about it each October. This is my second year as co-chair and I’ve been a member of the committee for several years.

Library Fall 2010 Hours

by Kristen A. Yarmey

August 23, 2010

9:09 am

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Hours, News

library hours, university of scranton

Photo courtesy of Flickr user macgodbrad, who takes gorgeous photos of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, under a Creative Commons license

Welcome home to Scranton, Royals! We’re back to our regularly scheduled hours for Fall 2010:

Monday – Thursday: 8:00am – 11:30pm

Friday: 8:00am – 10:00pm

Saturday: 12:00pm – 8:00pm

Sunday: 12:00pm – 11:30pm

We’ll also be open on Labor Day (Monday, September 6) from 12:00pm – 11:30pm.

Students, don’t forget that we now have two 24 hour study spaces on the first floor – just swipe in with your Royal Card after regular Library hours.

The Weinberg’s on the Map… as in Google Maps

by Kristen A. Yarmey

August 18, 2010

3:29 pm

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News, Systems

google, google maps, library, QR Code, university of scranton

The Weinberg Memorial Library has had a customized Google Places listing for over a year now. But we just recently got our own Places QR code! If you have a smartphone with a QR code reader app installed, take a picture of our code above to go directly to our Google Places page on Google Maps.

Shiny and New for Fall 2010

by Kristen A. Yarmey

August 18, 2010

10:33 am

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Learning Commons, News

Gaming in the Library, Reilly Learning Commons, scranton, study room, university of scranton

Our new study space is… almost done.

If you’ve been off campus since May, you might notice that there have been quite a few changes happening at the Weinberg Memorial Library. Our Library faculty and staff were working hard over the summer to bring you a laundry list of new services and improved facilities. Take a look!

New Library website – librarian Donna Mazziotti led a team in redesigning our Library home page to match the rest of the University’s web presence. We’ll be unveiling the new site on Monday, August 23rd in time for the start of classes. This is a big transition for us, so please be patient as we make the switch, and let us know if you find any broken links!
New 24-Hour Study Space – our Physical Plant staff renovated our 1st floor periodical room to create a new 24-hour study space for students. You’ll be able to swipe in using your Royal Card, even after the rest of the Library has closed. And just like the Pro Deo room, we’ll have a small set of computers for students to use – along with a brand new, high capacity printer. The room will be open as of Monday!
Rock Band and Wii – our game nights were so popular last Spring that we decided to buy our own gaming equipment. The Library staff has already tested it out, so it’s ready to go for our first game night of Fall 2010 – August 26 at 10pm!
Digital Signs – We always have a lot of news to share about Library events and services. Now you’ll be able to catch up while waiting in line at Java City or the circulation desk, just by glancing at our shiny new digital signage.
Text Messaging Reference – Okay, so technically we started offering text messaging reference last spring. But we’re so excited about it that we’ll be promoting it like crazy this semester. Text us at 570-687-8787 to get help from a librarian, anytime the Library’s open.
Recycling Bins – our new Library green team is off and running, and our first major initiative is to reduce the amount of trash the Library puts out. Make sure you keep an eye out for our new recycling bins and sort your bottles, cans, and paper recycling appropriately.
New Staff – Last but certainly not least, we’re proud to welcome Sheli McHugh as our new cataloging librarian! You might also notice that former cataloging clerk Sharon Finnerty has moved upstairs to serve as our new Media Resources Coordinator. We’ll be posting introductions to Sheli and Sharon here on Infospot in the next week.

As usual, your feedback is important to us – so let us know what you think about everything that’s new!

Technology on Your Own Terms Fall 2010

by Kristen A. Yarmey

August 13, 2010

12:15 pm

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Events, Resources & Technology

google, google docs, google maps, google voice, local events, technology on your own terms, university of scranton, workshop

Each semester, the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence (CTLE) offer a faculty and staff advancement series called Technology on Your Own Terms. The series introduces University faculty and staff to emerging technologies in a hands-on environment, in order to encourage innovation in the workplace and in the classroom. We’re continuing the series in Fall 2010 with a theme of “Get to Know Google,” featuring workshops on four different Google services. All workshops take place in Rm. 306 of the Library.

Just Google It!
Tuesday, September 14 from 12pm – 1pm

One billion results in 0.27 seconds! When you need information, chances are you use Google™ to find it. In this workshop, you will learn how Google’s Web search engine works. You will also learn some tips to help you improve your search experience as well as some of Google’s special features, such as Google Books and Google Scholar. (Taught by Bonnie Oldham, Weinberg Memorial Library)

Google Docs: An Excellent Way to Create, Collaborate on, and Securely Store Documents
Friday, October 1 from 12pm – 1pm

This workshop will introduce you to Google Docs, a service that allows you to create documents that parallel Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. It also allows for the creation of online surveys and the storage of any type of document in a very secure environment. Google Docs offers excellent collaborative opportunities for working on any supported document type with both peers and students, meaning that the tool can be used for course paper submissions, faculty feedback, collaborative student projects, club, or research purposes. (Taught by Dr. Tim Cannon, Psychology/Neuroscience)

Get Where You’re Going with Google Maps
Tuesday, October 12 from 12pm – 1pm

Many people know that you can use Google Maps to get driving directions from one place to another. But did you know that you can also use Maps to scope out a vacation destination, find the closest Italian restaurant, or make a custom map for a friend or a project? In this workshop, you’ll explore specialized features and tools available in Google Maps to help you get where you want to go. (Taught by Kristen Yarmey, Weinberg Memorial Library)

Does Google Give You A Voice?
Thursday, November 4 from 12pm – 1pm

In this workshop, we will explore Google Voice, a recently-made-public service of the search giant. Google Voice offers one central phone number, which can be setup to call your other phones based on caller, time of day, etc. Other features of the service include visual voicemail, personalized greetings, voicemail transcription, international calling, and a lot more. It is easy to set up… Learn how! (Taught by Eugeniu Grigorescu, CTLE)

All faculty and staff members are welcome, but seats are limited, so please register for sessions you plan to attend at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration (select Special Event).

Schemel Forum Fall 2010 Schedule

by Kristen A. Yarmey

August 2, 2010

4:20 pm

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Events, Friends, Schemel Forum

Friends of the Weinberg Library, local events, nepa, schemel forum, university for a day, university of scranton, weinberg memorial library

The Fall 2010 Schemel Forum schedule is here!

As usual, the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Schemel Forum have prepared a fantastic calendar of evening courses, luncheons, and concerts for your intellectual enjoyment. Like Dr. Denise Fulbrook’s six-session evening course on “The Absolutely Fabulous, Suspiciously Witty Work and Legacy of Jane Austen,” or National Museum of American History director Brent Glass‘s luncheon titled “America Engaged in the World: Cultural Diplomacy Still Works!”

We’re especially looking forward to this year’s University for a Day on October 2, when authors Christopher Hitchens and Jay Parini will discuss “Books and Argumentation” with moderator Attorney Morey M. Myers.

If you’d like to join us for an event, just contact Kym Balthazar Fetsko, our Schemel Forum Events Coordinator, at 570-941-7816 or fetskok2@scranton.edu.

The Scholarly Side of Mad Men

by Kristen A. Yarmey

July 20, 2010

10:35 am

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Resources & Technology

1960s, mad men, research, university of scranton

If you’re a fan of the AMC television series Mad Men, you’re probably anxiously awaiting the season premiere, coming up this Sunday. Mad Men isn’t just a television show, though – it’s also a great excuse to do a little independent historical research and gain a deeper, more scholarly understanding of America in the 1960s.

One of the reasons the show is so compelling is that the writers and producers pay very close attention to historical detail, and they often incorporate references to real-life events into the fictional characters’ lives. For example, you might remember the Drapers’ maid Carla listening to a radio broadcast of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s eulogy for four young girls killed in the 1963 Birmingham bombing, or Pete Campbell’s father dying in the American Airlines Flight 1 crash of 1962. So over the next few days, why not indulge your Mad Men madness by immersing yourself in the 1960s? The Weinberg Memorial Library can help!

If you want more information about a historical reference made on the show, you might want to use our e-book version of The Historical Dictionary of the 1960s (edited by James S. Olson) to fill in the holes. And you can also use our Credo Reference tool to search for encyclopedia or dictionary entries about any historical event.
To get a feel for 1960s print advertising, try browsing through the Historical New York Times – the Library’s subscription means that University community members can access this database for free. You can also find digitized 1960s issues of Life Magazine online, courtesy of Google Books.
For insight into Betty Draper’s life as a desperate housewife, you’ll definitely want to read Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. If you’re more interested in the working girl characters of Peggy Olson or Joan Holloway, request Helen Gurley Brown’s Sex and the Single Girl via PALCI E-Z Borrow for a glimpse at 1960s-style dating.
Richard Yates’ novel Revolutionary Road is a famous portrayal of marriage in the 1950s, which might help you understand why the characters struggle to deal with the changing expectations of the 1960s.
Season 4 will take place starting in November of 1964 – the month that Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater in the presidential election. The Weinberg Memorial Library has several books about Johnson’s presidency that you can browse – and you might find Theodore White’s The Making of the President, 1964 worth a read.
The Library also has copies of several books that Mad Men characters have mentioned (or have been seen reading) over the past three seasons – like Frank O’Hara’s Meditations in an Emergency, Leon Uris’s Exodus, David Ogilvy’s Confessions of an Advertising Man, Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, and Mary McCarthy’s The Group.
If you need to catch up on Seasons 1, 2, or 3, you can borrow the DVDs from our colleagues over at the Albright Memorial Library.

If you’re looking to do more in-depth research on the 1960s, you’ll definitely want to visit our collection of history-related scholarly databases. And don’t forget, if you need help, you can always ask a librarian. Happy viewing!

Recycling in Style

by Kristen A. Yarmey

July 6, 2010

3:28 pm

3 Comments on Recycling in Style

Green Weinberg

green, greenlibrary, scranton, sustainability, university of scranton

You might have seen in one of our earlier posts that the Weinberg Memorial Library recently started a Green Team. We’ve wasted no time getting started on making the Library a more sustainable place to study and work.

This month, the Library purchased new WedgeCycle recycling bins to encourage our patrons to separate their recyclable paper, bottles, and cans from other non-recyclable waste. We’re hoping that the bright colors (blue for bottles & cans, green for office paper, brown for trash) and clear labeling will remind everyone to think before they toss.

You’ll find our new recycling bins on each floor of the Library. We’ve put them in what we think are the most convenient locations for students – so if you see someone about to throw away a plastic bottle or a stack of office paper, please remind them to look for the recycling station instead of the trash can!

A Greener Weinberg Library, Coming this Fall

by Kristen A. Yarmey

June 24, 2010

11:36 am

2 Comments on A Greener Weinberg Library, Coming this Fall

Green Weinberg, News

green, greenlibrary, scranton, sustainability, university of scranton

Earlier this week, a group of Weinberg Memorial Library staff and faculty members took a break from our regular Library work to brainstorm about what we could do to make our Library more sustainable. We came up with a lot of great ideas, from water bottle refill stations to cutting down on paper memos. And there are even a few things that we’ve already started doing – our Physical Plant staff uses green cleaning products to keep the Library neat and shiny, and we’ve begun a switch to more energy efficient lighting.

At the end of the meeting, we formed the first ever Weinberg Memorial Library Green Team. Sixteen members of the Library staff and faculty volunteered to participate, and those members represent nine of the Library’s different departments: Administration, Archives, Cataloging, Circulation, Digital Services, Media, Reference, Serials & Acquisitions, and Systems. We also hope to have a representative from Student Government join us.

Throughout the next few months, the new Green Team will be starting to implement our ideas. Check back here at Infospot @WML for the latest news, and please comment if you have any suggestions for us!

P.S. If you’re interested in what’s happening with sustainability on the University of Scranton campus, take a look at the University’s Task Force on Sustainability web site.