Collection Development Policy for General Interest Newspapers

General interest newspapers are those that contain news, articles of opinion, features, and advertising. They do not include subject specific periodicals such as W or Barron’s. The audience for newspapers is wide-ranging: undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and community users. The University Libraries provides newspapers and newspaper articles in a variety of formats: print, microfilm, electronic full facsimile collections (such as ProQuest Historical Newspapers Online), online aggregators (such as LexisNexis), free newspaper websites, and online-only newspapers. The goal of newspaper collection development is a full and appropriate transition from print to online newspapers

Collection Development Policy for General Interest Newspapers

General interest newspapers are those that contain news, articles of opinion, features, and advertising. They do not include subject specific periodicals such as W or Barron’s. The audience for newspapers is wide-ranging: undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and community users. The University Libraries provides newspapers and newspaper articles in a variety of formats: print, microfilm, electronic full facsimile collections (such as ProQuest Historical Newspapers Online), online aggregators (such as LexisNexis), free newspaper websites, and online-only newspapers. The goal of newspaper collection development is a full and appropriate transition from print to online newspapers

General Reference Service Policies, University Libraries, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Professional librarians and highly trained support staff provide information and assistance to all library patrons. Includes guidleines about appropriate reference service activities in the University Libraries at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as well as those that fall out of scope. From July 2007. Prepared by faculty librarians Jeanetta Drueke, Mary Ellen Ducey, and others

The Role of the Academic Reference Librarian in the Learning Commons

Frontline reference librarians purvey their skills in a variety of reference service models. These range from the traditional to the tiered to the information commons (IC) to the learning commons (LC). Libraries might use one pure form of any model, a hybrid model, or a model in the process of transformation. A few libraries with space and funding have fully adopted the latest model, the LC. An examination of transformations to the LC indicates that frontline reference librarians can to some extent effect changes in their professional environments

The Role of the Academic Reference Librarian in the Learning Commons

Frontline reference librarians purvey their skills in a variety of reference service models. These range from the traditional to the tiered to the information commons (IC) to the learning commons (LC). Libraries might use one pure form of any model, a hybrid model, or a model in the process of transformation. A few libraries with space and funding have fully adopted the latest model, the LC. An examination of transformations to the LC indicates that frontline reference librarians can to some extent effect changes in their professional environments

Art and Art History Collection Development Policy

The art and art history collection supports the teaching, research and service activities of the entire university community. Its primary audience is the faculty, staff, and students of the Department of Art and Art History in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. Its primary focus is support for the undergraduate and graduate curricula for art and art history. Specific and transient research needs of art and art history faculty and graduate students are supplemented through Interlibrary Loan. Materials are not purchased for the general public though they may benefit from the collection. While the collection focuses on works classified in Art N and Photography TR, curriculum and research support is also provided by works classified as history, anthropology, archeology, psychology, aesthetics, classics, architecture, engineering, religious studies, and other areas. The department offers two programs of study: studio art and art history. The two have quite different functions and research needs. The studio art program trains those who are creating art; the art history program trains those who are studying art. The department has 20 faculty tenured or tenure track faculty. Five of the 20 teach art history. Adjunct faculty and visiting artists and scholars also play an important role. In Fall of 2008, the department reported 263 undergraduate majors; 37 studying for a BA in studio art; 203 studying for a BFA in studio art, and 23 studying for a BA in Art History and Criticism. The MFA in studio art had 29 students. Department coursework falls into three areas: Art Theory and Practice, Art History and Criticism, and Studio Art. Art History students explore the history of the visual arts and the theoretical and critical literature associated with the cultures producing a given art style. Studio art students study ceramics, graphic design, painting/drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture or textiles. They rely less heavily on library or other information sources than art history students. Studio students also take two semesters of coursework in the Visual Literacy Program, an interdisciplinary, collaborative foundation program for first year students in Art, Architecture, Interior Design, Textiles, and Journalism. It is designated Program of Excellence. Library collections that specifically support the VLP have a separate collection development policy. In the department’s words, “Courses are offered in areas ranging from ancient art to modern art in various cultures, and from the introductory through graduate levels. In these courses, students not only study the art, artists and stylistic aspects of these periods, but also explore the historical and social issues that influence art production and its presentation. Exposure to artists in other periods can help students to clarify their sense of what it means to be an artist today; exposure to art of the past nourishes the daily work done in the studio. Artists must be able to talk and write about their own work, and to think about other artists\u27 work in relation to their own. Many students find a great overlap between conceptualization and critical thinking about the art of their own time, and the critical choices involved in their own art-making.

British Parliamentary Papers: A Simplified Guide for the Harried Librarian

While several guides to the Parliamentary Papers exist, they are too lengthy for quick reference, are outdated, use unfamiliar terminology, and assume a previous knowledge of British government. Two other factors can make the guides confusing. First, the use of the term Parliamentary Papers is not always clear. It is sometimes applied, as it is in this article, to the entire range of papers produced by and for Parliament. Sometimes, however, it is applied more narrowly and refers only to a portion of the Papers also known as the Sessional Papers. Secondly, the available guides do not always indicate whether a type of paper or title relates to the House of Commons, to the House of Lords, or to both houses. Even with guides in hand, gaining a rudimentary understanding of the Papers\u27 organization and indexing may require painstaking and time-consuming investigation. This article gives a simple outline of the types of Parliamentary Papers, their scope, and their access tools. It will give a brief description and history of each of the four types of Papers with citations for specific titles, followed by a brief discussion of available indexes with citations to important indexes. We hope to help librarians cope with reference questions about the Papers, whether interpreting a single citation or teaching users to perform extensive subject searches. We also hope to encourage librarians to suggest the Papers as a primary source of material for term papers

Rethinking the C. Y. Thompson Library for the 21st Century Task Force Report

The C. Y. Thompson (CYT) Library enjoys a location central to east campus. This creates an ideal setting for CYT to serve as a hub for activities of all kinds. And, based upon the feedback from online surveys and face-to-face focus groups, there is no shortage of interest and ideas for how CYT can become the premier gathering place on UNL’s east campus for users from all backgrounds. In spite of this, the primary question needing to be addressed is ‘what is C. Y. Thompson’? Is it a building? Is it a library? Is it something entirely different? The task force members believe that CYT is a brand currently represented by a building. And, as such, the library should represent an important (but smaller) footprint within the building itself. University Libraries faculty and staff support this concept and embrace this change. They recognize that the value of the library is not in the static display of books, but in the connection between the information contained within the collections and users. And, they see great value in investing in CYT to create an inviting space that draws the maximum number of users representing the broadest interests. CYT is supremely positioned to serve as a third space for users. Not a user’s home or office, the task force envisions a vibrant gathering space where users feel creative ideas are planted, thoughts are openly discussed, and entrepreneurs are encouraged to pursue their interests. A place where stories of former Huskers are archived, and future stories are waiting to be written. A place where members of the university faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, residents of local neighborhoods and citizens of Nebraska are welcome, and experience a connection with their land grant university. With this context in mind, the task force provides the following broad recommendations. More specific details for each of the five areas Library, Technology, Exterior Scape, Educational Space, and Community Space are located in the remainder of this report