Your source for what's new at Mizzou Libraries
Elllis Library will be closed on January 13 and 14 due to adverse weather conditions that have been predicted. The specialized libraries will also be closed.
University Libraries were previously scheduled to be close on January 15 and 16 for observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
The MU Campus will be closed on Friday, Jan. 13. More information can be found at MU Alert.
It's a quick-and-easy way to check out books and other items.
How does it work? Simply swipe your student ID and scan your item. The screen shows the due date and gives you the options to print or email yourself a receipt.
Where is it? Right across from the Circulation Desk by the North Door on the main level of Ellis Library.
For the past few years, the Women's and Children's Hospital has organized reverse trick-or-treating. MU employees are invited to hand out treats to pediatric patients, siblings, and children of adult patients. This year, one of our medical librarians, Taira Meadowcroft, asked for volunteers to go with her this Halloween to participate.
This fantastic group put together halloween bags filled with stickers, pencils, instruments, play-doh, and many other goodies. In all their Halloween glory, they loaded up several boxes, and headed to the hospital. Once there, they were greeted by superheros, princesses, football players, and tinkerbells, all waiting to trick-or-treat. By the end, there was no goodie bags left!
Thanks to all who volunteered to be apart of the 200 MU and MU health staff who handed out treats. Be sure to take a peek at the MU Health instagram and story https://www.instagram.com/muhealth/
Our volunteers included: Grace Atkins, Cindi Cotner- Halloween , Stara Herron- Jack Skellington , Taira Meadowcroft- Netlflix, Kimberly Moeller- Ninja, Paula Roper, Caryn Scoville, Deb Ward- Wizard , Rhonda Whithaus
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What led you to MU Libraries?
I was born in Sonora, Mexico in a small border town next to Arizona’s southwest corner. I have lived in desert, arid areas all of my life (Sonora, Arizona and Nevada), and I wanted to experience something different. This idea started after having the opportunity to study abroad in Paris and noticing how great it was to live in a place with green vegetation and rain.
After receiving my Masters in Library and Information Sciences, my priority was to relocate to an area with four seasons. During my job search, I found that the University of Missouri Libraries were hiring. Besides having the four seasons, I found out the percentage of international students and population in general, especially Hispanics, was almost not existent compared to the Southwest. So, it got me more excited to join an institution where I can offer assistance to increase a more diverse university population and probably even to the population in general.
Describe some of the changes that are going on in access services in Ellis Library and at libraries everywhere?
Access Services is a department that is currently reevaluating many of its services to satisfy the current and future needs of all library users. Some changes that are already taking place include the increase of renewals for faculty, graduate students, and staff from two to five, allowing them to possibly keep traditional checked out MU Library materials for up to four months; and extending our interlibrary loan services to visiting scholars. We are also working on taking the library check out system from due date stamps to print receipts; self-checkout machines to avoid waiting in line; and searching for the best ways to advertise services and equipment that can be checked out from the library.
I foresee in the future of Access Services the increase of staff base knowledge in the means of cross-training to minimize the number of referrals. This has been taking place in academic, public and private libraries in the world, which has increased the satisfaction level in all library users. I also envision advances in technology to reach all university affiliates, close and far away.
What vision do you bring to your position?
My vision is to create a collaborative working environment among the different library departments as well as university departments with the sole purpose of facilitating access to information to all library users. Just like the MU Libraries and University Administration, I am pro-inclusion. I believe that the key to success is to work together to create a stronger institution. I always welcome faculty, staff and student’s feedback to identify what must get done to satisfy everyone’s needs.
English 1000 Open Research Lab sessions
When: 5-7pm every Wednesday evening between Oct. 19th – Nov. 16th
Where: Ellis Library room 213
This follow-up service complements the class instruction, where general library resources and search strategies are covered, by providing lab space where students can actively work on individual assignments and ask for research help as the need arises. One of our librarians, Jennifer Gravley, will be on hand to provide research assistance. Students should bring their assignments with them.
Assistance will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. No registration is required, and students may come and go as they please. They may use the computers in the lab or bring their laptops. Remember, this open lab is for English 1000 assignments only.
Haven’t brought your class for a library session? Students have conflicts? Students are always encouraged to reach out to librarians for reference help in person, through chat, by phone, by email, or by requesting a one-on-one RAP (Research Assistance Program) consultation. See http://libraryanswers.missouri.edu/ for all the ways to get help!
Don't worry if you missed our Banned Books Week celebration during the week of September 25th. We celebrate banned books every day of the year!
Banned Books Week is a week long celebration of books that have been challened or banned in different parts of North America. It was organized in order to promote people's right to read.
"Everything should be available for anyone who wants to access it," says Emilee Howland-Davis, a PhD student in the English department, regarding the importance of protecting the right to read. 
She and her English 2100 class exercised their right to read on Thursday, September 29th, when they did readings of banned books out on Speaker's Circle. They read excerpts from Harry Potter and passed out bookmarks promoting Banned Books Week.
However, the efforts to stop banned books does not end once the week is over. Ellis Library continues that fight through multiple exhibits.
Be sure to come by the information desk and see our exhibit on banned books! Try and guess what book each of the covered books are! Each covered book is a famous piece of literature, many of which are included in reading lists for English classes. On the covering is key reasons why they have been banned or challenged.
See if any of your favorites have ever been banned by checking the ever growing list of banned books! Favorites such as Catcher in the Rye and Harry Potter are included in the list.
So don't be discouraged if you missed the week! Just pick up your favorite banned book and read it! It's always the right time to help the fight against banned books!
The Ellis Library Reference Desk is now a voter registration place.
To vote in the November presidential elections, Missouri voters must be registered by Wednesday, Oct 12th!
We encourage all students, staff and community members to register! Check out our guide all about how to register! https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/register-to-vote
Visit Ellis Library immediately after the Homecoming Parade on Saturday, Oct. 22 for refreshments, tours and family activities. The first 100 kids will receive a free mini pumpkin. This event is free and open to the public.
Library Technology Services has an array of Adobe Software available for students, faculty and staff of the University of Missouri. The software includes
Users can access the software on the Macs in the Information Commons at Ellis, the Health Sciences Library 1st floor computers, the Journalism Lab and the Journalism Macbook Pro laptops. However, the software is not included within Software Anywhere.
This software will be useful for digital storytelling students, journalism students and anyone interested in using more creative software for a variety of projects.
Stop by Ellis Library and go on a Scavenger Hunt to discover hidden study rooms, new technologies, rare materials in Special Collections, and more.
Take the Library Scavenger Hunt on your smart phone (http://library.missouri.edu/ScavengerHunt), or stop by the reference desk for a paper copy.
The Scavenger Hunt should take approximately 30 minutes to complete, so stop by before, in between, or after class for a quick, hands-on introduction to your library.
And watch out…you never know what's lurking around the library…
