Your expert library staff has rolled out lots of terrific new initiatives and service enhancements since we all returned from the holiday break. I invite you to discover them following my message.
This is my newsletter. It’s time to turn a new page in library history! When I arrived at Fairfield University in July, 1974 as the sole professional reference librarian, the then Nyselius Library was a wonderful but very different place. Together we have transformed the DiMenna-Nyselius Library!
Key Indicators
YEAR
1974
2015
Bound volumes
120,318
376,835
e-books
-
653,659
Media
1,159
22,262
Journal Access
1,412
35,340
Online databases
-
170
Research and Help Requests
9,662
18,803
Library Instruction classes/students
33/550
270/4930
Interlibrary loan requests
504
5,315
After 41 years and 7 months, 10 different job titles, and 7 supervisors I think it is time to turn the page and begin a new chapter. I was amazed to discover that I’ve served Fairfield University longer than any other professional librarian. I hold all of you responsible! Your intellectual curiosity, scholarship, professionalism, energy, creativity, dedication, friendship and support for the library kept me here and fueled my passion for developing this library. I’ve had the privilege of working with caring and dedicated people in every department of this University, and I learned so much from 4 excellent mentors (Barbara, James, Paul and Lynn) and my wonderful library colleagues. Thank you all!
Joan Overfield
Dean of Libraries & University Librarian
Research Consultation Room
ITS HELP
Exciting Changes to the Building
Research Consultation Room We've created a better space for accommodating in-depth research questions. Our new Research Consultation Room, located on the main level near the Circulation desk, is a more collaboration-friendly space for us to host personal research appointments. You and your students can schedule a research appointment by using our quick and easy online booking form. [Click here to book an appointment]
ITS Help Desk ITS has moved into a larger space. The new location is the room directly adjacent to the old location (now the research consultation room). Technology and research help are now available in one convenient location! The Curriculum Collection, which comprises children's literature, non-fiction, and educational kits, moved in mid-fall semester to make space for the new ITS Help Desk location.
Presentation Practice Room A reminder about the relatively new presentation practice room - a terrific space with technology set up for video conferencing and for recording a presentation practice session so you can play it back for yourself and see areas for improvement. [Click here] to learn more about the capability of this space and to book the room.
Graduate Student Study Space This space on the lower level of the Library will be reserved for graduate students. Opening in February, 2016.
Media Look-Up Station
Tech Advances
1. Media Look-Up Stations Have you been hearing a lot of buzz about the new Adele CD, but you’re not sure you want to check it out? Or, want to watch a trailer of Ex Machina before bringing it home for the weekend? Run over to our new look-up stations near the circulation desk and also on top of the music shelving with the CD or DVD and listen to tracks and preview trailers.
2. Pilot: Reading Lists in Blackboard The Library is trialing a tool that allows faculty to embed library resources directly and seamlessly into their Blackboard courses. If you would like to try out this tool, please contact Robert Hoyt, Librarian for Web and User Experience at rhoyt5@fairfield.edu.
3. Citation Tools We are exploring different citation management tools. We would like to hear from you: what citation management tool are you currently using (RefWorks, FLOW, EndNote, Mendeley, EasyBib, none, etc.) and why? Please email Barbara Ghilardi, Reference & Instruction Librarian, at bghilardi@fairfield.edu with your response. We appreciate your feedback!
4. Reporting a Problem Just Got Easier The Library web page now has a new feature located at the bottom of each page called Report a Problem with This Page. It allows the user to easily take a screen shot of the problem and send it to us so we can fix it.
5. Sticky HelpIf you are on any library page, help is just a click away at the bottom of every window! Just click “Ask a Librarian” to open a chat widget any time of day.
Join the DiMenna-Nyselius Library and Center for Academic Excellence for this annual event in two parts: 1. A Panel Discussion Engage with University colleagues who published books, engaged in collaborative scholarship, edited journals, and reviewed community engaged scholarship. Panelists include: Michael Pagano, Lynne Porter, Sheila Grossman, Gavriel Rosenfeld, Harvey Hoffman, Jocelyn Boryczka, Bill Abbott, Tracey Robert & Ginny Kelly.
2. A Celebratory Luncheon Connect with panelists and peers for conversation about publishing, scholarship and creative work.
A slideshow of faculty work from the past year will be on display. Be recognized! Please submit your recent work using the form below by Wednesday, February 10.
