home Cycle of Success Welcome to Taylor Kenkel, Technical Services Librarian

Welcome to Taylor Kenkel, Technical Services Librarian

In October, the University Libraries hired Taylor Kenkel as a technical services librarian. Taylor will serve as the ILS manager for MERLIN, and is responsible for the overall maintenance of the ILS for the University of Missouri System. Taylor has a Master of Library and Information Studies degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in journalism from American University in Washington, DC. Previously, Taylor worked as a technical services and metadata librarian at Hollins University in Roanoke, VA.

home Cycle of Success, Ellis Library Rare Materials Essential to Understanding History

Rare Materials Essential to Understanding History

Colton Ochsner, a history doctoral student at MU, does research on the origins of fantasy and science fiction films in modern German history. Colton chose the German cinema as his concentration because German films have become very influential. “They made a lot of movies that have spread across the world and influenced film, especially to America. Anything from Blade Runner to Star Wars has been inspired in some way by a lot of these older movies, especially visually. I have been drawn to these older movies in particular because I have known about the occult and I have seen it working in these movies and yet no scholar has pointed it out,” he said.

Knowing how specialized his research could be, Colton sought the help of Ellis librarians. “My research wouldn’t be possible without the librarians help because the books and movies from this era require Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to access them,” Colton said.

“The research Colton is doing on film and esoteric groups in Germany in the 1920s requires materials that are pretty sparse and many have not survived World War II and post-war disruptions,” said Anne Barker, humanities librarian. Anne is also fluent in German and how German libraries are structured, which makes it easier to fulfill Colton’s research requests. Anne helped Colton with deciphering references as he was trying to locate books and articles often with incomplete information. Anne said, “We’re so used to finding things online, it’s easy to forget that many things have not yet been digitized or indexed well.”

Since 2013, the ILL department processed more than 1,200 ILL requests for Colton. Oi-Chi (Ivy) Hui, head of ILL borrowing, works with Colton to fulfill the obscure requests. “It’s teamwork,” Ivy said. She has requested materials for Colton from Germany, France, Switzerland, Canada and throughout the United States. “Since these requests were not processed through the system, tracking correspondence manually and signing papers for copyright compliance is a challenge. Some of these materials took months before they got here,” Ivy said.

“The basic related teachings of the occult during this time-period that includes writings and images are important because in Germany people associated images, ideas and emotions with films,” Colton said. The research materials gave Colton the confirmation he needed. During his research, Colton found a poster from a 1919 film. While looking at the poster, he discovered the name of a book he had never heard. It turns out only two libraries in the world had the book. “It was a piece of pulp fiction literature from 1919. It was only published because it was going to be used to make an action and adventure movie,” he stated. Ivy was able to find the obscure book with the minimal information available and successfully filled the request.

With Anne and Ivy’s help, Colton continues to work on his research with a projected graduation date of 2023.

Cycle of Success is the idea that libraries, faculty, and students are linked; for one to truly succeed, we must all succeed. The path to success is formed by the connections between University of Missouri Libraries and faculty members, between faculty members and students, and between students and the libraries that serve them. More than just success, this is also a connection of mutual respect, support, and commitment to forward-thinking research.

If you would like to submit your own success story about how the libraries have helped your research and/or work, please use the Cycle of Success form.

Article written by Christina Mascarenas

 

 

home Cycle of Success, Engineering Library Library Resources Key to Success in Chemical Engineering Class

Library Resources Key to Success in Chemical Engineering Class

Where do you go if the information you need isn’t online? To the library, of course!

Dr. Karl Hammond, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, supports the Engineering Library by using its resources in his own work and by designing assignments that integrate library resources into student learning outcomes.

In the library he is known for an assignment that requires students (typically Juniors in Chemical Engineering) who are enrolled in Thermodynamics II to find experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data for a pair of compounds assigned to each individual student.  This assignment typically requires students to consult either online or in-print books containing compilations of vapor-liquid equilibrium data from the literature, often from the early- to mid-twentieth century.  Professor Hammond asks the staff at the Engineering Library & Technology Commons to place several of these books on reserve during the assignment –the library staff typically assign them their own cart  behind the circulation desk.

One of Professor Hammond’s goals for this assignment is to engage students with the library’s printed collection, which often showcases data that are difficult or impossible to access online, thus making students aware that not all useful information has been or will be digitized.  According to Dr. Hammond,  “If you don’t show students a resource exists, they won’t know to look for it.” The wealth of tabular data available also allows Professor Hammond to assign each student in the course a unique pair of compounds to look up and then plot results from models against measured data to get a sense of how accurate the models are and how to use them. Knowing the full breadth of resources available to find thermodynamic data is an essential skill for success in Design I and II, which students take in their final year in the Chemical Engineering major.

Cycle of Success is the idea that libraries, faculty, and students are linked; for one to truly succeed, we must all succeed. The path to success is formed by the connections between University of Missouri Libraries and faculty members, between faculty members and students, and between students and the libraries that serve them. More than just success, this is also a connection of mutual respect, support, and commitment to forward-thinking research.

If you would like to submit your own success story about how the libraries have helped your research and/or work, please use the Cycle of Success form.

 

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Mara Inge

Mara Inge is a Sr. Library Information Specialist in the Engineering Library. She specializes in outreach activities and works with the Department of Energy microfiche collection.

home Cycle of Success Mizzou Librarian Selected as SPARC Open Education Leadership Fellow

Mizzou Librarian Selected as SPARC Open Education Leadership Fellow

Joe Askins, head of instructional services for the University of Missouri Libraries, has been selected as a fellow in the SPARC Open Education Leadership Program, an intensive professional development program to empower library professionals with the knowledge, skills and community connections to lead successful open education initiatives that benefit students.The two-semester program blends online, peer-to-peer and project-based learning to build a comprehensive understanding of the open education space coupled with practical know-how to take action on campus and beyond. Joe is one of 27 fellows selected from a competitive application pool for the program’s 2019-2020 cohort.

“The University Libraries are committed to supporting open education on campus. We are proud that Joe has been selected for this program, and believe that his work will benefit students at Mizzou,” stated Ann Campion Riley, Vice Provost of Libraries. 

The SPARC Open Education Leadership Program spans two semesters, beginning with an intensive online course in the fall to build open education subject matter expertise. In the spring, Joe will work with a mentor to implement a capstone project that will help advance open education at MU and contribute back to the broader open education community as a whole. Joe will join the rest of the cohort in attending the 16th annual Open Education Conference in Phoenix, AZ in late October. 

The UM System’s A&OER initiatives were taking flight right as I arrived at the University of Missouri Libraries in 2017, and I’ve followed the A&OER Task Force’s efforts with great interest in the two years since. The SPARC Open Education Leadership Program represents a great opportunity to learn more about being an effective advocate for open education across the curriculum,” stated Joe Askins.

To support faculty in transitioning to more affordable and open educational resources, the University of Missouri System A&OER Taskforce has created a faculty-first grant funding programs for all UM System faculty who wish to adopt or develop new A&OER course materials. The University of Missouri is also part of the Open Textbook Network through their membership in the MOBIUS academic library consortium, and has a group in the MOBIUS OER Commons hub.

“Academic libraries sit at the intersection of faculty, students, and high-quality resources, and therefore are essential partners in advancing open education on campus,” said Nicole Allen, Director of Open Education for SPARC. “A large part of what makes our program successful is the unique and valuable perspective each participant brings to it, and a vibrant community of practice develops amongst the cohort. We are proud to have Joe Askins among our 2019-2020 class.”

The University Libraries is a member of SPARC, which is a global coalition dedicated to making Open the default in research and education. For more information about the SPARC Open Education Leadership Program, visit sparcopen.org/our-work/open-education-leadership-program.

home Cycle of Success, Ellis Library Welcome to Seth Huber, Technical Services Librarian

Welcome to Seth Huber, Technical Services Librarian

In May, the University Libraries hired Seth Huber as a technical services librarian. He will serve as the head of cataloging for the Libraries. Seth has a Master of Library and Information from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Music from Gardner-Webb University. He previously worked as the metadata services librarian at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. In addition, he served as a catalog librarian at Livingstone College and a paraprofessional cataloger at Western Carolina University.

home Cycle of Success, Ellis Library, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Welcome to Rachel Alexander, Research Support Librarian

Welcome to Rachel Alexander, Research Support Librarian

In March, the University Libraries hired Rachel Alexander as a research support librarian for the Health Sciences Library (HSL). Rachel graduated with her Master of Library and Information Sciences from Mizzou and a Bachelor of Science from Lyon College. She comes to Mizzou from the Missouri Senate Library. She has previously worked as a research assistant at the Sinclair School of Nursing and as a graduate library assistant at HSL.

home Cycle of Success, Zalk Veterinary Medical Library Laura Buck Receives CVM Dean’s Impact Award

Laura Buck Receives CVM Dean’s Impact Award

Laura Buck, senior library information specialist at the Zalk Veterinary Medical Library, has received a 2019 College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Dean’s Impact Award.

Each year, the Dean recognizes individuals who “have had significant positive impact on college programs.” Laura’s nominating letters pointed to her helpfulness, friendliness, and dedication to everyone in the College.

Laura began her service with the University of Missouri Libraries in 1989, moving to the CVM’s Zalk Veterinary Medical Library in 1999. One nomination cited her “sincere dedication, can-do attitude, and excellent organizational skills.” Another noted, “she has always been a positive force in the library, keeping the needs of the students, faculty, and staff foremost in her mind.” Another called her “reliable and helpful,” while yet another called her “an essential, vital resource within the library.” One nominating letter wrote of Laura, “She is the institutional memory of the library. Wouldn’t it be cool on her 30th year at MU that she received this well-deserved award?”

It is, indeed, cool that Laura has received this award. Congratulations, Laura, and thank you for 30 years of supporting the University Libraries’ Cycle of Success.

Laura Buck (right) being presented the award by CVM Dean Carolyn J. Henry (left)
home Cycle of Success, Staff news Undergraduate Research Contest Winners Announced

Undergraduate Research Contest Winners Announced

Every year, undergraduates across all disciplines are encouraged to submit research projects to the University Libraries Undergraduate Research Contest. Their research projects can be traditional research papers, musical compositions, works of art, videos, web pages, or other creative works. The projects are judged by a cross-disciplinary panel of librarians who evaluate the sophistication of their research process and their use of University of Missouri Libraries resources.

One 1st prize $500 scholarship and one 2nd prize $250 scholarship are awarded to an individual or group project. Winners have their projects archived in MOspace, MU’s digital repository.

This year’s winners were recognized at the Friends of the Libraries council meeting on Saturday, April 6. Awards were presented by Rachel Brekhus, Humanities and Social Science Librarian.

1st Prize Winners: Ashley Anstaett, Phong H. Nguyen and Andrew J. Greenwald
Conceptual Design of Microfiber Removal Using Pressure-Swing Filtration

Their engineering paper is so much more than a design blueprint. It is a well-written and well-organized document that includes, not only the physical science involved with an invention, but also practical considerations of how the product could be maintained in real-world environments, how it could be marketed, and why it’s important to have products that remove microfibers from the environment, at the household level.

Their interdisciplinary group project required both library spaces and library resources. They described the Engineering Library’s collaborative space as “preferred” and “work-conducive,” and as providing software necessary for the conceptual design of the invention. The group also described their use of general and specialized online research tools. The process paper was more specific than most in describing how their keyword searching was done, and they identified the specialized e-journal database, Science Direct, which they used, not only for the review of literature, but also during the design process. Their process paper makes clear that in the world of product design, research is iterative and tightly connected with the creative process.

Vice Provost of University Libraries Ann Campion Riley (far left) and Humanities and Social Science Librarian Rachel Brekus (far right) present Ashley Anstaett (middle left) and Phong H. Nguyen (middle right) with their certificates. Brekhus is holding the certificate for Andrew J. Greenwald, who could not attend.

2nd Prize Winner: Erielle Jones
Fly Like an Eagle: The Success of STOP-ERA in the Missouri Senate 1977

In her paper, Jones did an excellent job of linking the rhetoric in Phyllis Schlafley’s Eagle Forum with the rhetoric used in the Missouri State Legislature to argue against passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), including associating passages of the ERA with affirmative action measures, unpopular among Missouri white conservatives.

The process paper detailed, not only Jones’s ultimate choice of primary historical sources, but also her independent exploration of other primary sources in pursuit of an earlier approach to the topic, which did not yield the hoped-for documentation. The paper showed the role of discipline, assistance from library and archives professionals, and serendipity in finding and selecting sources while maintaining focus on a well-defined research question. Sources examined included correspondence, leaflets, newsletters, invitations, and receipts from the personal archives of state representatives, state senate testimony, surveys, news sources, and court transcripts.

Her process showed a commitment to both the importance and the limitations of historical documentation, and understanding of the social and racial context of both the political-opinion media environment, and this media’s impact on the legislative process. Certainly, the practice in popular conservative media of linking proposed legislation not directly related to race, with narratives of governmental interference with default racial distributions of privilege, continues to be relevant today.

Vice Provost of University Libraries Ann Campion Riley (left) and Humanities and Social Science Librarian Rachel Brekhus (right) present Erielle Jones (middle) with her certificate
home Cycle of Success, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Twenty Years of Successful Partnership

Twenty Years of Successful Partnership

“The health sciences library is a jewel in the Mizzou library system,” says Dr. Vicki Conn, Professor Emerita at the Sinclair School of Nursing.

As a faculty member at the nursing school, Dr. Conn focused on why patients wouldn’t take their prescribed medications and finding ways to increase exercise in chronically ill adults. Her research spanned over many years and credits Diane Johnson with helping her throughout the journey.

“I was the principal investigator of three National Institutes of Health [NIH] R01 grants for enormous projects and [Diane’s] expertise was critical for securing funding,” relays Dr. Conn. Diane remained on the grants after the funding was secured, being named a co-investigator to assist with the “hard work,” as Dr. Conn calls it.

Diane Johnson

“[Diane] worked with my research staff to facilitate our easy access to the results of searches. For one of our projects, we evaluated over 37,000 potential studies for inclusion. The vast majority of those 37,000 were located by Diane. Diane was a central member of our research team.” With Diane as a member of the research team and closely working with the other researchers, allowed her to completely understand the project. Diane could easily adapt and change with search as needed and know the exact information the team found most beneficial.

Dr. Conn’s and her team also made great use of the library’s interlibrary loan (ILL) department, requesting articles if they needed to be reviewed in their entirety. If the articles weren’t available on campus, ILL borrowed them from other libraries, making sure Dr. Conn and her research team had access to the articles necessary for their grants.

These services were something Dr. Conn highly valued over the twenty years of working with Diane and the library. “I suggest people become acquainted with a librarian. It is very important for the librarian to understand your program of research. A librarian who completely understands your program of research can by a wonderful research collaborator.”

Cycle of Success is the idea that libraries, faculty, and students are linked; for one to truly succeed, we must all succeed. The path to success is formed by the connections between University of Missouri Libraries and faculty members, between faculty members and students, and between students and the libraries that serve them. More than just success, this is also a connection of mutual respect, support, and commitment to forward-thinking research.

If you would like to submit your own success story about how the libraries have helped your research and/or work, please use the Cycle of Success form.

home Cycle of Success MU Student Uses Scary Experience to Inspire Her Art

MU Student Uses Scary Experience to Inspire Her Art

A terrifying event that happened during a study abroad trip became the inspiration for a Summer Richie’s award-winning art project. Richie, a senior psychology major at Mizzou, said a guy chased her down a New Zealand street yelling at her. When she returned to her flat she told her flat mate who said, “Boys will be boys.”

That phrase stuck with Summer. “In my mind, it has a negative connotation. Other people use it in a light-hearted way. If a boy messes with a girl, people say – what can you do? But then it becomes used to justify his behavior.”

Summer took the popular saying and turned it into an art piece for her fibers class. She bought three used books at the Goodwill for the project. She said she’s always loved redacted poetry and had the idea to cross out every word except the words “boys will be boys.”

It took her longer that she expected because “each book had 300 pages and there were three books, that was 900 pages,” she said. She did all the work by herself, and it took her a couple of months to complete the project, which included handmade papers and cyanotype prints.

Her professor told the class about the Visual Art and Design Showcase (VADS) in Jesse Hall. Summer sent pictures of her books and was accepted into the exhibition, which ran for three weeks in February. She was one of 51 Mizzou students from various majors selected to participate.

Her three books were displayed on pedestals to be judged and viewed by the public. During the reception, Summer encouraged people to touch the books. She stated,“ I wanted the pink and fuzziness of the books to draw people in so they wouldn’t be expecting what was there.” She felt most people understood her message of the redacted pages of the books.

One of Summer’s books was also on display last fall in Ellis Library as part of Assistant Professor C. Pazia Mannella’s Intermediate/Advanced Fibers class in an exhibit called Handle with Care. Richie’s book was one of eight from the class to be accessioned into the University of Missouri’s Special Collections and has since been shared with undergraduate classes and during a Friends of the Libraries event featuring artists’ books from the collections.

The books will be displayed during the month of April in the Ellis Library.

Written by Christina Mascarenas