Fobert, John

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Connections, Spring, 2012; Issue Seventeen

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Roger Williams UniversityDOCS@RWUConnections University Libraries3-1-2012Connections, Spring, 2012; Issue SeventeenJohn FobertRoger Williams University, jfobert@rwu.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://docs.rwu.edu/libnewsPart of the Library and Information Science CommonsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University Libraries at DOCS@RWU. It has been accepted for inclusion inConnections by an authorized administrator of DOCS@RWU. For more information, please contact mwu@rwu.edu.Recommended CitationFobert, John, "Connections, Spring, 2012; Issue Seventeen" (2012). Connections. Paper 19.http://docs.rwu.edu/libnews/19CONNECTIONSRoger Williams University LibrariesSPRING 2012                    ISSUE SEVENTEENOne Old Ferry RoadBristol, RI 02809-2921401-254-3375 or 401-254-3031http://library.rwu.eduConneCtions  Co-editors: Peter Deekle, Dean of University Library Services  Veronica Maher, Media Resources LibrarianJohn Fobert, Serials / Government Documents Librarianbirss and founders day exhibits on displayPeter DeekleDean of University Library ServicesIn 1991 the University Library with its distinctive clock tower was dedicated and opened to the public. Its first two decades have fostered dramatic changes in operations, services, and use. For students, both undergraduate and graduate, the “clock tower building” has always meant much more than traditional library operations. It provides a central means to access academic support through the Center for Academic Development, located on the second floor; this agency in partnership with library reference has provided in recent years daytime writing assistance on the first floor.The multimedia technology support of all classroom and other academic spaces emanates from the building’s ground floor Media Services department. And the newest addition to the building, the Instructional Design department, directly impacts the character of both teaching and learning across the curriculum.In all, the four enterprises located in the University Library comprise what has come to be known as the Learning Commons – including the Library, itself, Instructional Design, Media Services, and the Center for Academic Development. The partnering enterprises are currently refining and promoting the Learning Commons “brand” and extending its many related services to users both on and off the campus.Perhaps the most striking quality of our Learning Commons is that, while its components reside in a single building, its services reach well beyond it (via its Architecture Library and the virtual support provided via the associated websites of the four partners).Some milestones in the last decade (since 2000) have helped to define and guide us as the institution’s central academic support. The University Library established the institution’s first electronic teaching and learning facility and, with the help of the Office of Information Technology,  the first public wireless use environment.  It inaugurated the first virtual reference service (ASKHELIN), in collaboration with other consortium libraries. Through a generous alumni donor the annual John Howard Birss library collection development and exhibit endowment began in 2001. The Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, created through the support and vision of its namesake in 2004, is the active site for scores of cultural programs each year.The many chapters of our Learning Commons are just now being drafted for the years ahead, and we invite our many users to help us with their creation. From the Dean’s desk...tWenty years of innoVationThe four enterprises in the  University Library comprise...the Learning Commons. by Gaelen Adam, Learning Commons Librarianhappy birthday Charles diCKensOn February 7th, the library celebrated the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth. Born in 1812, Dickens spent his childhood in Kent.  Due to financial difficulties, the family moved to London in 1822 where his father eventually was sentenced to debtor’s prison. His first story was published in London’s “Monthly Magazine” and was titled “A Dinner at Polar Walk”.  Dickens went on to write such classics as “the Adventures of Oliver Twist, “A Christmas Carol”, “David Copperfield”, and “Great Expectations”. He also worked with his close friend Wilkie Collins who is credited with writing the first true detective novel. Dicken’s last novel is the unfinished “Mystery of Edwin Drood”. Dickens died in June 1870 and is buried in Westminster Abbey. His funeral card featured a quote by himself which read, “From these garish lights I vanish now evermore”.               dickens trivia• Was epileptic which explains his detailed         description of the symptoms suffered by     his epileptic characters.• Believed the position of his bed aided his writing due to     magnetic fields.  For this reason he insisted his bed be     aligned north to south.• Character of Little Nell is based on his sister in law who     died at the age of 17.• During an extended stay at his home by Hans Christian     Andersen, Dickens posted a note on Hans’ bedroom mirror      which read, “Hans Andersen slept in this room for 5 weeks     which seemed to the family like ages”.Research using electronic resources is not easy.  Often the results are not quite on what you were looking for, overwhelming to sort through, or of dubious pedigree.  The RWU Library subject LibGuides are a great place to start,  but if you are having trouble or just need help getting started down the right path, send us a text at 401-680-9032. RWU reference librarians monitor the texts and respond quickly.  Also a great option if you are looking for answers to questions about the Library’s Learning Commons resources. In addition, we have also gathered over 95 of the most commonly asked questions on our Ask Us page (http://rwu.libanswers.com/). Not only will you find it an almost comprehensive source of information about the Library/Learning Commons and our resources and procedures, you will also find plenty of information to get you started with your own research. Ask Us questions range from: “How do I activate my library card?” to “How do I get Videos on Demand?” and “How do I find peer-reviewed journal articles?” Questions can also be viewed by topic or searched using the search bar at the top. And if you don’t find your answer already there, drop us a text. If you’re wondering, someone else probably is, too.text a librarian and libanswersrWu Journal publishing opportunitiesThe University Library and Law School library are reaffirming their collaborative initiatives.  Most recently the University library, as a selective federal depository library, has allowed the shelving of federal depository documents heavily used by the law school students in the law school library.  When negotiating for online resources, the possibility of both schools being included in the license is explored.  This has resulted in the sharing of certain materials such as electronic law journals subscribed to by the law school library with the University library.  Soon, the University library will be providing access to the Chronicle of Higher education online to all members of the University and Law School community.  While it is hoped that initiatives such as these may save money for the libraries, the bigger goal is the increased access to resources for the entire University community.   partnershipsLibrary-based journal publishing has gained momentum in recent years as academic libraries strive to advance scholarly communication and production. To take advantage of digital technology, the University Library is now providing online journal publishing services to the RWU community through the journal publishing platform supported by DOCS@RWU. The Library launched DOCS@RWU in 2006 as an online repository to collect, preserve and disseminate the scholarly output of RWU faculty and students. Designed to foster knowledge creation and dissemination, DOCS@RWU is now equipped with full-fledged journal publishing capabilities, and can serve as a base for online journal publishing programs.  The topic, scope and frequency of these journals will be determined by their editorial boards, generally consisting of RWU faculty, students and staff. Creative and literary works, student research projects, or conference proceedings are some examples of possible journal content. In addition, established RWU journals and journals affiliated with RWU, but not currently based at RWU, can also choose DOCS@RWU as their online publishing platform.  The Library will provide assistance in the configuration of these online journals according to their needs, such as cover  design, submission requirements, review process, etc.  We believe that a library-based publishing service will expand the scholarly communication channel by providing alternatives to traditional publishing services. Importantly, our students will gain first hand experience in the full range of the scholarly production cycle, from conducting research to publishing its result. If you would like to see samples, please go to  http://digitalcommons.bepress.com/online-journals/ for journals published with Digital Commons. Please let me know if you or your colleagues would like to learn more about this online publishing opportunity. I can be reached at mwu@rwu.edu, or ext. 3053. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!“From these garish lightsI vanish now evermore”. by John Fobert, Serials / Government Documents Librarian by Mary Wu, Catalog/Database Management LibrarianThe twelfth annual Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Library Exhibition celebrated the 75th anniversary of the publication of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. This exhibition was on display in the library foyer from February 1 through March 8, 2012. The exhibition featured items provided courtesy of:	 •	Yale	Collection	of	American	Literature,	Beinecke	Rare	Book	and	Manuscript	Library	 •	University	of	Florida,	Smathers	Libraries,	Special	and	Area	Studies	Collections	 •	Boston	Public	Library,	Special	Collections	in	the	Central	Library	 •	Redwood	Library	 •	Professor	Jack	G.	Montgomery,	Western	Kentucky	UniversityFeatured items included: • First editions of:  	 •	Jonah’s Gourd Vine	(1934)		 	 •	Tell My Horse (1938)	 •	Mules and Men	(1935)	 	 	 •	Moses, Man of the Mountain ((1939)	 •	Their Eyes Were Watching God	(1937)	 •	Dust Tracks on a Road (1942) 	 •	Facsimile	of	holograph	manuscript	of	Their Eyes Were Watching God, chapter one and beginning of chapter two	 •	Facsimile	of	holograph	manuscript	of	Dust	Tracks	on	a	Road,	chapter	entitled	“Love”	 •	Facsimiles	of	photographs	of	Zora	Neale	Hurston	taken	by	Carl	Van	Vechten	and	Prentiss	Taylor	 •	Illustrations	by	Jerry	Pinkney	from	Their Eyes Were Watching God,	University	of	Illinois	Press,	1991	 •	Correspondence	regarding	the	Mule	Bone	controversy,	including	facsimiles	of	letters	written	by	     Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes and others	 •	Facsimiles	of	selected	letters	to	Zora	Neale	Hurston	regarding	her	books		 •	Facsimiles	of	photographs	of	Eatonville,	Florida	in	the	early	twentieth	century,	 	 			home	of	Zora	Neale	Hurston	and	first	incorporated	African	American	town	in	America.	 •	Collection	of	hoodoo	artifactsThe	exhibition	was	produced	in	conjunction	with	the	Professor	John	Howard	Birss,	Jr.	Memorial	Keynote	Lecture	which	was	delivered	on	February	29,	2012.	The	speaker	was	Dr.	Deborah	Plant,	Professor	of	African	Studies	at	the	University	of	South	Florida.	Dr.	Plant’s	research	has	been	focused	on	African,	African	American	and	Afro-Caribbean	writers.	She	is	the	author	of	two	books	about	Zora	Neale	Hurston, Every Tub Must Sit on Its Own Bottom: The Philosophy and Politics of  Zora Neale Hurston and Zora Neale Hurston: A Spiritual Biography, as well as an edited volume, The Inside Light: New Critical Essays on Zora Neale Hurston.  Other	related	events	included	a	book	discussion	lead	by	Professor	James	Tackach	sponsored	jointly	by	the	Honors	Program	and	the	RWU	Library;	and	the	Birss	Competition	sponsored	by	the	Feinstein	College	of	Arts	and	Sciences.		Professor	Tackach	offered	a	one-credit	course on Zora Neale Hurston and Their Eyes Were Watching God during both the fall and spring semesters.Birss Memorial Library Exhibition to Celebrate the  75th Anniversary of Their Eyes Were Watching God  by Zora Neale HurstonBy:		Christine	S.	Fagan,	Collection	Development/Acquisitions	LibrarianPrevious Birss Memorial celebrated books include:   Moby Dick by Herman Melville (2001)   Uncle Tom’s Cabin	by	Harriet	Beecher	Stowe	(2002)   Fahrenheit 451 by	Ray	Bradbury	(2003)   Walden	by	Henry	David	Thoreau	(2004)   Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman (2005)   The Good Earth by	Pearl	S.	Buck	(2006)   On the Road	by	Jack	Kerouac	(2007)   Night by Elie Wiesel (2008)   Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by	Mark	Twain	(2009)   To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee   Catch-22 by Joseph HellerThe Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Lecture and Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Library Funds were	established	by	University	alumnus,	Robert	Blais	’70,	to	honor	Professor	John	Howard	Birss,	Jr.,	nationally	recognized	for	his	knowledge	of	first	editions.	

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Connections, Spring, 2012; Issue Seventeen

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