Entries by Barbara Bolek

In our continuing efforts to meet the needs of our students, the Mardigian Library recently added two mobile white boards for group study use on the second floor of the library. Within the first two weeks of use, the boards have been used inappropriately, damaged by individuals ripping marker holder trays from the boards, an eraser was destroyed, erasable markers have disappeared, and one board has been damaged by the use of non-erasable markers.

We would like to continue to offer tools like the white boards for student use; however, we will not be able to do so if they continue to suffer damages such as this. We ask you to partner with us in order to continue to make your library a conducive place for study.

The library encourages students to immediately report any disruptive behavior to library staff in order to stop malicious destruction of property and other disruptive behaviors. You can do so anonymously either by filling out the form on our website at http://library.umd.umich.edu/info/comments/disruptions.html or sending an e-mail or text message to librarynoise@umd.umich.edu. You can also call the circulation desk at (313) 593-5559, come down to the first floor and report the behavior to library circulation staff, or call Public Safety at (313) 593-5333.

As part of the Darwin Anniversary Celebration, there will be three new exhibits on the first floor of the Mardigian Library. The exhibits feature materials from the Cranbrook Institute of Science and focus on important books and specimens related to evolution and natural history. The exhibits are listed below.

150 Years Ago: The Publication of On the Origin of Species
A first-edition copy of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species
will be on display in the Mardigian Library's reception area
from April through August 2009.

35 Years Ago: The Discovery of "Lucy"
A cast of the fossil "Lucy" (Australopithecus afarensis)
will be on display in the Mardigian Library's reception area
from April through August 2009.

Natural History in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries
A selection of natural history volumes and scientific specimens
from the Cranbrook Institute of Science collection will be on
display in the computer area of the Mardigian Library
(main floor, across from the elevators) through April 24, 2009.

The Library Research Center will be holding several open research workshops for students during the winter term.

Topics will include:
*Discovering what is new in the library
*How to conduct more effective research

Students will also be able to ask topical questions related to their current research assignments.

These workshops are not meant to replace library research education for your courses, but as a supplement for students who want, or need, additional assistance.

I would like to ask you to inform students about this opportunity to improve their research skills. You can help by announcing the dates, times, and location to your students, and by printing and posting the attached flyer in your department office.

Winter 2009 open research workshops will be held in 1212 Mardigian Library on:

Thurs., Feb. 19, 11:30 a.m.—12:30 p.m.
Tues., Mar. 10, 11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 30, 1, 11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. and 6:00—7:00 p.m.
Weds., Apr. 8, 11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.

Thank you for your cooperation and please contact me if you have any questions.

Teague Orblych
Librarian and Research Education Coordinator
University of Michigan-Dearborn, Mardigian Library
Phone: (313) 593-5562, Fax: (313) 593-5561
Email: mtorblyc@umd.umich.edu

The Mardigian Library is providing all-day television coverage for the Presidential Inauguration, on Tuesday, January 20, so be sure to stop in the library to witness this historic event! Viewings are in the Distance Learning Classroom (ML 1211) and on the flat screen television on the second floor of the library.

The actual Swearing-in Ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m., on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Immediately following the administration of the Oath of Office, the President will give his Inaugural Address. The Presidential Inauguration Parade begins at 2:30 p.m.

You can set up and add to custom lists of books and other library materials found in the catalog.

1. Log in to your library account.
2. While logged in, search the library catalog. After you get your search results, check the boxes next to the records you want to save to a list.
3. Using the "select a list" dropdown menu, select a list name or select "- Create a new list -"
4. If you have chosen to create a new list, you will be taken to a screen where you can enter the list name and a description if you wish.
5. Click the "return to previous screen" button to return to the catalog, or click the "My Library Account" button at the top of the screen to see there is now an option for "My Lists" in the blue box on your account screen.

The Research Collaboration and Mentoring Workshop, formerly called the Faculty Salon, will focus on the issues of encouraging faculty mentoring, professional networking, and developing research and funding opportunities with other members of the faculty. This year, Professor Chris Mi will talk about successful research grant-seeking collaborations and Professor Pat Smith will talk about the mentoring structure on campus. In addition, Drew Buchanan, Director of Research and Sponsored Programs, will discuss developing a research funding strategy and demonstrate the use of SPIN, the Sponsored Programs Information Network, to find grant opportunities. The program will be held at Kochoff Hall C, on Friday, November 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Coffee and substantial refreshments will be available. Register online at: http://library.umd.umich.edu/workshops/

The African and African American Studies Program presents the traveling photo exhibition Rock, Rhythm and Soul: the Roots of African American Music, which will be on display on the first floor of the Mardigian Library from November 6 through November 28. The exhibit covers Soul, the Civil Rights Movement, Black Radio, Rhythm and Blues, Hip-Hop, and Gospel Music and includes stunning images, text highlighting central issues and personalities, and a concise timeline of key historic events.

An opening reception will be held at the Library (in the exhibit area on the first floor) on Thursday, November 6 beginning at 6:00 p.m. Following the exhibit, there will be a lecture presentation, New Orleans, the Cradle, by Professor Kenn Cox, internationally acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, educator, and this year’s KCP (King/Chavez/Parks) visiting professor. It will be held at 7:00 p.m. in 1030CB. This lecture is part of a series funded by the State of Michigan King/Chavez/Parks Visiting Professor Initiative administered by the Office of the Provost.

The exhibit was produced by the Archives of African American Music with the financial support of Indiana University’s Moveable Feast of the Arts, a Lilly Foundation funded program.

If mysteries, clues, roadsters, and strawberry blonde amateur sleuths appeal to your sense of adventure, you won’t want to miss the exhibit currently on display at the Berkowitz Gallery in the Mardigian Library. The exhibition includes a special Nancy Drew® section with books, memorabilia, and collectibles on loan from Patricia Bravender, a Nancy Drew® buff from Grand Rapids.

The exhibition also highlights many historic children’s series as well as one or two currently written series. The library’s Juvenile Historic Collection contains titles from series such as Dotty Dimple, Elsie Dinsmore, Little Women, The Wizard of Oz, The Bobbsey Twins, Peter Parley, The Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and Rollo. For many visitors, this exhibit will be a trip down memory lane as they see many of the old friends they loved as children.

Illustrations frequently play a huge role in the appeal of children’s titles, and not just in picture books. In addition to highlighting books from our collection, artwork from currently published children’s series will be displayed. The exhibition runs from Sept. 12, 2008 through Oct. 24, 2008.

When you access your Library Account or log in to access databases from off-campus, you will soon be prompted to choose and enter a personal identification number (PIN) so that your library information has increased security. The PIN must be a minimum of four characters long and should not be obvious or easy for others to guess.

This PIN will have to be used anytime you wish to access licensed research databases, online journals, and other electronic resources off-campus; place interlibrary loan requests; place a hold by using the “Request” button; or access “My Library Account”.

Features available from your library account include:

• view items currently checked out,
• track/cancel hold requests on books checked out by different library user(s),
• check on the status of interlibrary loan requests,
• renew items,
• view and pay fines online,
• save catalog search results in your “Preferred Searches”.

Another feature coming soon is the ability to view a Reading History of items you have previously checked out from the library. This will be an "opt in" service and library users may opt out at any time. Watch for more information when Reading Histories become available.

The University of Michigan Credit Union will be holding two workshops in the Mardigian Library in October. These sessions usually fill up fast and space is limited, so plan to register early. Pizza and beverages will be provided at the workshops being held at noon.

Register online at http://library.umd.umich.edu/workshops/

Budget! Are You Kidding?
-Where does the money go?
-The careful use of credit
-Ways to cut expenses to help you live within your means

Tuesday, October 21
10:00 - 11:30 a.m., Room 1212 ML
and
Tuesday, October 28
Noon - 1:30 p.m., Room 1212 ML


Tis the Season to Hang on to Reason - Holidays on a Budget
-Learn from the past: How and why we overspend
-Debt proof your holidays with a change in attitudes and expectations
-Things we can do to make this holiday more enjoyable

Tuesday, October 21
Noon - 1:30 p.m., Room 1212 ML
and
Tuesday, October 28
2:00 - 3:30 p.m., Room 1212 ML

Do you need authoritative medical information? The library is sponsoring a workshop presented by a librarian from the Health Sciences Libraries in conjunction with the National Network of the Libraries of Medicine.

Librarian Pat Martin will demonstrate how to search the Internet to find reliable information about diseases, medications and staying well. She will teach you how to find what treatments are available for a variety of diseases, how to discover whether studies are being held that one might join to help find a cure and how to locate organizations that sponsor support groups.

The workshop will be held Friday September 19 from 1:00 to 3:00 in the BorgWarner Auditorium of the Institute for Advanced Vehicular Systems. The workshop is free and open to the public.

Campus Media Services is conducting a pilot project in teleconferencing. Examples of potential uses for this technology include:

• distance education,
• online job interviews for campus positions,
• online office hours,
• admissions interviews and sessions,
• disability support,
• pandemic planning.

The product, e/pop, requires a downloadable browser plugin, but no proprietary hardware. It supports fully interactive, multi-party video and audio; real-time PowerPoint sharing; a whiteboard; group, subgroup, or individual chat; and desktop sharing.

Requests are being accepted for courses or events. Please email your request to CMSrequests@umd.umich.edu. If you wish to arrange a demonstration, contact Greg Taylor at 393-5150.

The Mardigian Library Research Education program provides course-related instruction that can help your students learn how to do academic research. Librarians can work with you to develop a session that can include:

Instruction on searching skills so students learn to use the research tools more effectively;

Techniques for evaluating information resources to help students learn to distinguish appropriate academic resources from the flood of web pages and other sources available;

* Demonstrations of Central Search, a tool that allows researchers to search multiple library databases simultaneously.

Sessions are held in the library or, if possible, we will come to your classroom.

To schedule a class session go to: http://library.umd.umich.edu/services/faculty/schedule.html

or contact Teague Orblych:
mtorblyc@umd.umich.edu
Phone: (313) 593-5562
Fax: (313) 593-5561

For more information go to: http://library.umd.umich.edu/services/faculty/resedu.html or http://library.umd.umich.edu/services/faculty/research_education.pdf to read more about our program.

Preliminary results from the Mardigian Library’s online survey of faculty members conducted last March show that among faculty respondents:

• 83% report that they learn about the library and its services from the library’s website.
• 9% report that they use library services daily, 32% several times a week, and 43% once a week or every couple of weeks.
• 88% find it “very easy,” “easy,” or “somewhat easy” to use the library’s online resources.
• 98% of faculty members would recommend the library and its services to their students and other faculty members.

Further organization and analysis of data are underway, and the library staff is in the process of making recommendations for actions to address the needs of faculty.

Over 700 UM-Dearborn students responded to a Mardigian Library survey last fall regarding their use of library services. Some key findings from the survey include:

• 21% of students reported that they use library services online or in the building several times a week, and another 52% reported using services between once a week and once a semester.
• 74% of students found it “somewhat easy,” “easy,” or “very easy” to use the library’s online resources.
• 91% of students preferred that the library communicate with them via email.
• The most common way students learned about the library and its services was through campus orientation (50%), followed by the library’s website (49%), and a friend or classmate (39%).
• Faculty members had the most influence on how effectively students used the library’s services for academic work (30%), followed by the library’s website (29%), and a friend or classmate (25%).

Library staff members met in early 2008 to look at the survey results and recommend actions necessary to address students’ needs. One action that has already been taken is to increase the hours the library is open to 24 hours per day during the week of final exams. Other changes the library is working on include increasing the number of electrical outlets for laptop users and creating more online multimedia tutorials to help students learn to use online resources.