Cycle of Success

home Cycle of Success Interim Library Appointments

Interim Library Appointments

By Taira Meadowcroft   Posted in Cycle of Success
Posted on

Deb Ward has been appointed interim vice provost for libraries and university librarian, effective Nov. 28, 2019. Ward has been the director of the MU health sciences libraries, which includes the J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library and the Zalk Veterinary Medical Library, for over 20 years. In 2016, she also became the associate university librarian for specialized libraries. Ward has been active in local, regional and national library organizations. Ward was a co-creator of the Missouri AHEC Digital Library, an information service for health care providers in the state of Missouri, created in partnership with the Mid-Missouri Area Health Education Center. In addition, she has been the principal investigator for the Missouri coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine since 2002. She is a partner with three other campus collaborators in the three-year project “Librarians as Catalysts for Healthy Communities,” funded by the Institute of Library and Museum Services. Previously, Ward held a number of administrative appointments at three other academic health sciences libraries. She earned a bachelor of arts in German and a master of arts in education from Eastern Kentucky University. She also earned a master of library science from the University of Kentucky.

Other interim assignments:

  • Kate Anderson, veterinary medical librarian, Health Sciences and Specialized Libraries Division, assigned oversight for three additional specialized libraries
  • Corrie Hutchinson, associate university librarian, Acquisitions, Collections and Technical Services Division, assigned oversight for technical services functions of the Health Sciences Library
  • Jeannette Pierce, associate university librarian, Research and Instruction Services Division, assigned oversight for the division currently assigned to Ann Riley
  • Chris Pryor, NNLM coordinator, Health Sciences and Specialized Libraries Division, assigned oversight for the Health Sciences Library Circulation Department and responsibility for facility and administrative aspects of the Health Sciences and Specialized Libraries divisional operation
  • Diane Johnson, assistant director for the Health Sciences Library Information Services and Resources, will take on additional temporary duties including serving on the Collection Steering Committee
TAGS:

Taira Meadowcroft

Taira Meadowcroft is the Public Health and Community Engagement Librarian at the Health Sciences Library at the University of Missouri.

home Cycle of Success Welcome to John Henry Adams, Research & Instruction Librarian for Special Collections

Welcome to John Henry Adams, Research & Instruction Librarian for Special Collections

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Cycle of Success
Posted on

In November, the University Libraries hired John Henry Adams as a research and instruction librarian for Special Collections & Rare Books. John Henry has a PhD in English literature from Arizona State University and a Master of Library Science with a specialization in rare books and manuscripts from Indiana University. He has previously worked as a curatorial assistant and a reference assistant at the Lilly Library. He is especially interested in book culture and people’s relationship to their books and has published on how that relationship is represented in early modern literature.

home Cycle of Success Fulbright Scholar Appreciates Journalism Library Resources

Fulbright Scholar Appreciates Journalism Library Resources

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Cycle of Success
Posted on

By Christina Mascarenas

Going to America was more a dream than reality to Indah Setiwati, a 30 hour plane ride dream. Indah was the deputy editor for the Jakarta Post in Jakarta, Indonesia when she decided to make a change and apply to graduate school.

In the beginning, Indah only applied to local scholarships even though studying abroad is a goal for many Indonesians. Indah had her family to think about. Not wanting Indah to limit her academic potential, a friend encouraged her to apply for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, which enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. If Indah was accepted, she would finally have her ticket to the United States.

After weighing the pros and cons, Indah decided to go for it and applied to four scholarships including the Fulbright program. One day, she was taking the train to work when she received an email telling her she was accepted into the Fulbright program. “It was surreal,” she said. “The Fulbright Scholarship is the most prestigious scholarship on earth.”

Indah did research to find the best journalism school in the U.S. that would fit her interests. She chose the Missouri School of Journalism because it was the best journalism school and was affordable with her Fulbright Scholarship.

According to Indah, the Journalism Library at Mizzou has extremely knowledgeable librarians. “Sue is really helpful and resourceful,” she stated referring to Sue Schuermann, senior library specialist. Sue took the time to show Indah how to do precise searches and search for specific journals. “She is very helpful. She is a great resource, all you have to do it ask,” she said.

When Indah needed a book that the library didn’t have, Sue was able to purchase the book for the library. Indah was especially grateful for the “really cool” interlibrary loan program. When she wanted to read a particular book, she was asked if she’d like to read the PDF or the book, she chose both. She thought it was great to get the book in three days.

“Books in Indonesia are precious. They are like a treasure,” she said. “Especially children’s books, it’s really hard to get English children’s books in Indonesia, they are expensive.” In addition to the Journalism Library, she has used Ellis Library and the Daniel Boone Regional Library. She said, “American libraries are like wow.” In Indonesia, according to Indah, “If you want to get an affordable children’s English book. You have to go to a second-hand store. The upper-class Jakartans donate or sell their books to the second-hand stores. You can only find books at certain places.”

“I’m happier here to see the library resources,” she said. “Another cool thing about the library is you have access to the New York Times and other publications, and you don’t have to spend your money to subscribe to them since the library already subscribes to them.”

 

home Cycle of Success RJI and University Libraries Receive Mellon Grant

RJI and University Libraries Receive Mellon Grant

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Cycle of Success
Posted on

The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) and University of Missouri Libraries received a $250,000 grant this fall from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to help ensure the survival of today’s digital news record for future generations.

During a yearlong project, a team from the Journalism Digital News Archive, a joint initiative of RJI and University Libraries, plans to visit news outlets across the U.S. and Europe. Edward McCain, digital curator of journalism at RJI and the University Libraries, said that during these visits, the team will identify what’s hampering the process of preserving online content by examining the outlets’ technology, workflows and policies.

This project builds on work done during the Journalism Digital News Archive’s five Dodging the Memory Hole conferences, which brought together librarians, memory institutions, newsroom leaders and others between 2014 and 2017 to have conversations about how to preserve and protect “the first rough draft of history.”

For more information, visit Mizzou News.

 

home Cycle of Success Welcome to Jennifer Thompson, Electronic Resources Librarian

Welcome to Jennifer Thompson, Electronic Resources Librarian

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Cycle of Success
Posted on

In October, the University Libraries hired Jennifer Thompson as electronic resources librarian for the University of Missouri System. Jennifer has a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of South Carolina, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Virginia, where she studied religion and architectural history. It was while studying the design of the Boston Public Library that she fell in love with libraries. Previously, Jennifer served as technology and resource sharing consultant for the Missouri State Library and as director of the library at the American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, SC.

home Cycle of Success, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Library Research Support Assists Nurse with Evidence-Based Practices

Library Research Support Assists Nurse with Evidence-Based Practices

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Cycle of Success J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library
Posted on

For over 23 years, Tami Day has worked for the University of Missouri’s Health Care system receiving all her education from the MU’s Sinclair School of Nursing and utilizing the library a lot over the years.

Tami appreciates how helpful the librarians have been throughout her nursing education. Back when Tami first started nursing school, she’d find journals and make copies of the articles; now she can find articles online and email them out. “That has been a huge game changer in the 25 years I’ve been at the university,” she said. “Back then I’d physically go to the library and find the books, now you’re just a few clicks away from the information you want.”

A few years ago, Tami went back to school to work on her master’s degree. This program focused on evidence-based practice with an emphasis on approaches to clinical care and taking clinical problems to design improvement projects. Tami relies heavily on the librarians and their research skills. For Tami, Taira Meadowcroft, information services librarian at the Health Sciences Library, became an invaluable resource. Tami first met Taira when Taira was assigned to the Positive Individual Proactive Support (PIPS) program. Taira provided research support to the PIPs to help improve the quality of health in the hospital.

Taira Meadowcroft

Since Taira was providing support to the PIPS, Tami asked Taira for help in her master’s program as most of those projects would help Tami’s work in the hospital. For example, Tami said she can email Taira the topic of a project and ask for the highest level of evidence. In one instance, Taira sent Tami 23 articles within one hour. It would have taken Tami several hours to find the same information.

When Taira receives a request to find literature, she spends a good amount of time educating herself on the topic in order find the best evidence. ”A librarian should be one of the first steps before starting a project. Seeing what information is out there is important when deciding if and how to pursue that project,” said Taira. “It’s easier and more efficient to have a librarian do a search and it frees up your time.”

Tami and Taira’s working relationship continues to evolve and now Taira is supporting Tami with her doctoral program and in her new role as coordinator of Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice. As coordinator, she’s working to make University Hospital a Magnet designated hospital through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Achieving this designation would place MU Health Care in an elite group of hospitals, resulting in better patient outcomes and less nursing turn over through evidence-based practice.

”Nurses are busy people and searching for literature is just one more thing you are asked to do, but it’s important for the overall health of the patients,” said Taira. “My favorite part of my job is that I can help contribute to the health of patients, working behind the scenes to find the best evidence, while nurses tend to a patient’s bed side.” Taira’s searches are also assisting in the goal of the Magnet designation.

Written by Christina Mascarenas

 

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

Welcome to Taylor Kenkel, Technical Services Librarian

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Cycle of Success
Posted on

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

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Cycle of Success Ellis Library
Posted on

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

By Mara Inge   Posted in Cycle of Success Engineering Library
Posted on

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.

 

TAGS:

Mara Inge

Mara Inge is the Electronic Resources & Discovery Librarian. She is also the subject librarian for Classics, Archaeology, Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Religious Studies, and Anthropology.

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

Mizzou Librarian Selected as SPARC Open Education Leadership Fellow

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Cycle of Success
Posted on

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.