Defining Best Practices in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Metadata

The University of New Mexico will mandate in 2009 that theses and dissertations be submitted in electronic form as the copy of record. These documents will reside in the university’s digital repository, operated on a DSpace platform. This article reviews practices for thesis and dissertation metadata creation with a focus on DSpace instances, best practice recommendations for authorsubmitted metadata, recommendations for subject analysis, and training for metadata practitioners. The article recommends processes for author submission, metadata quality control and enhancement, and crosswalking of the metadata to the library’s catalog to maximize discovery

Do you speak Multimedia Metadata? Multi-format Cataloging at the University of New Mexico

This paper will chronicle how the UNM Libraries Cataloging and Discovery Services Department is journeying, though specific examples, from a print-centric library cataloging operation to one that could take on large AV metadata projects. By increasing its knowledge base of standards and technologies and improving its flexibility, UNM Cataloging and Discovery Services is creating the ability to deploy new, rapidly adaptive workflows.\u2

Interaction Between Departments: Strategies for Improving Interdepartmental Collaboration through Communication

Collaboration within libraries can be a challenge; with specific jobs and areas of expertise, it is easy to focus only inward. But collaborating with the staff in other departments may help librarians be more effective information providers. The University of New Mexico Libraries has tried to meet this challenge by instituting formal and informal communication mechanisms. One-time learning opportunities and groups that meet regularly were created between different departments. This chapter will describe the ways in which the University of New Mexico Libraries organized these events and groups, which methods met with the best success and participation, and advice on how to apply these suggestions in other libraries

Print Collections Reconsidered

This article discusses the transition back to in-person library services after a year or more of remote services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the article argues the necessity for libraries to reinvest in their print collections

When a Librarian's Not There to Ask: Creating an Information Resource Advisory Tool

It is 2am. A professor wakes up with a new direction for her research; she must immediately learn about bioethics. In a dorm a student is finally ready to begin a paper on Cuba. Where do they turn? The library web site presents them with a bewildering array of resources and no librarian on hand to serve as intermediary. How can librarians facilitate research in their absence? What interfaces can be designed to educate users in their search? What metadata is needed to enable accurate retrieval? What is the librarian’s role in the increasingly indirectly-mediated information-seeking environment? Can the reference interview be effectively translated into a search interface? This paper describes a step towards resolving these issues by creating an on-line tool to assist users in selecting the database(s) most germane to their research needs

Conversation with the Dean of Libraries

CWU students, faculty, and staff are invited to connect online with Dean Rebecca Lubas Attendees will receive updates and important information about CWU libraries in the time of covid-19.https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/libraryevents/1205/thumbnail.jp

Library Schools and Education of the Technical Services Professional: A Report of the ALCTS Role of the Professional in Academic Technical Services Discussion Group Meeting, American Library Association Midwinter Meeting, Philadelphia, January 1999.

Report of the Jan. 1999 meeting of the ALA/ALCTS Role of the Professional in Academic Technical Services Discussion Group.Many technical services professionals feel that library school programs are not offering students the courses and/or content necessary to enter the profession in an entry-level technical services position. The presentations given at this meeting offered attendees the opportunity to hear the results of a recent research project on this issue as well as various viewpoints concerning library education in this part of the field. Most the presentations and the discussion focused on the education of professional catalogers. Speakers included Michelle Turvey, Dea Borneman and Karen Letarte, from Southwest Missouri State University; Rebecca Lubas, Catalog Librarian for Serials Documents at Ball State University; and Catherine Nelson, Head of the Serials Dept. at University of California, Santa Barbara

Metadata training in New Mexico: A case study

Describing cultural heritage materials is a common challenge in the libraries, archives, and museums community. Cultural heritage professionals must be well trained in order to follow best practices for metadata creation. In the current economic climate, having the opportunity to attend training events is challenging for everyone; however, it may be doubly challenging for members of cultural heritage institutions in states like New Mexico. New Mexico is a geographically large state with few large urban centers and a population density of sixteen people per square mile, in which cultural heritage is maintained by many small and geographically remote institutions. In addition to being far from each other, many of these institutions are also far from the closest cities where more training opportunities may exist, such as Denver, Tucson, Phoenix, or Dallas. Nonetheless, the benefits of using common metadata schemes and practices within the cultural heritage community make it imperative to find new solutions for providing training in new standards.Paper presented at the 2011 Transborder Library Forum/Foro Transfronterizo de BibliotecasUT Librarie

Rebecca Lubas’ Covid-19 Reflections

CWU’s Dean of Libraries reflects on providing library services during a pandemic, exploring a very quiet Ellensburg, and keeping in communication with friends far away.https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/cwu_covid_reflections/1004/thumbnail.jp