Goodbye and Good luck – Gary Cunningham is retiring after 39 years with the MU Libraries. His official last day of work is 1/30/09. Gary is a Library Information Specialist I in Technical Services. His time at the MU Libraries has been spent helping to keep our catalogs in shape by resolving problems and ensuring consistency in bibliographic records.  His career spanned working in the old card catalog and then LUMIN and MERLIN.  His formal retirement date will be 3/13/09 following the pay out of vacation.

Congratulations to Pat Jones on her reclassification to Security and Safety Coordinator. The title change recognizes the additional responsibilities associated with daily facilities maintenance and management. This is in addition to the responsibilities of serving as head of library security. Pat took on these duties following the vacancy of the Assistant Director for Administrative Services position.

Hello to Dirk Burhans, part-time, Research Specialist, HSL. The position works under the general supervision of the Health Sciences Library Research Consultant (p-t), and in collaboration with the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Liaison representative, and with oversight from the Health Sciences Library Director. Primary duties include statistical data analysis, producing various reports and maintaining paper and electronic files related to library research project activities. Dirk has a Ph.D. in Biology from MU. Dirk has previously worked in ecological research and as a Library Associate at Columbia Public library. He is also a freelance non-fiction writer.

The Libraries’ Diversity Action Committee (DAC) invites you to attend two town hall discussion sessions as it kicks off its 2009 program year. The DAC works to support and promote the Libraries’ diversity mission and to support the University’s diversity initiatives.

February 12, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m., S304 Memorial Union
The first town hall session features Noor Azizan-Gardner, Director of Diversity Programming/Professional Development at MU, housed within the office of Assistant Deputy Chancellor for Diversity. Noor will provide information on the Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative program. By visiting with Noor, library employees can learn about the Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative and how it impacts the campus, as well as departments, staff and students. In addition, Noor will provide a brief overview of how diversity training has evolved away from “Diversity 101” and towards developing “cultural competency.”

Release time is available with supervisor approval. RSVP’s are not required. Look for an Outlook e-mail to serve as a reminder.

February 18, 2009 1:30pm – 3:00pm, Jesse Wrench Auditorium (South Memorial Union, first floor)
A panel discussion with leaders of campus-level activities that promote diversity at MU. Along with providing facts and figures of their programs, the panelists will talk with us about how the MU Libraries could support their programs as well as the students/faculty affected by their activities. In addition, they will share the perspectives on how the MU Libraries could be even more of a central point for diversity-related activities.

Presenters: Noel English (Director, MU Equity Office), Dr. Mary Jo Herde, (Coordinator for Special Programs, Asian Affairs Center), Dr. James Scott (Associate Vice Provost for International Initiatives; Director of the International Center), and Dr. Jeffrey Williams (Assistant to the Vice Provost – Enrollment Management)

Release time is available with supervisor approval. RSVP’s are not required. Look for an Outlook e-mail to serve as a reminder.

Both sessions feature plenty of time for Q&A.

Government Documents Librarian, Ellis Library.

Research Specialist – Permission was received to fill this part-time, temporary position; a candidate has been identified and a job offer accepted. Anticipated start date of 1/27/09. Look for information on the individual in next week’s edition of News Notes.

Congratulations to Alan Jones and Karla Geerlings, Technical Services, for successfully qualifying for competency level increases. Both move to LIS II, Level 4.

To qualify, Karla and Alan demonstrated a level of consistency and quality in their work that met the criteria for advancement. Thirty-eight library employees have now realized a competency level increase since implementation of the program. To learn more about the MU Libraries’ LIA/LIS Classification/Compensation/ Competency plans, go to http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/staff/admin/classification/reclassification.htm.

The MU Libraries, in partnership with the Asian Affairs Center, is hosting two visiting Korean undergraduate students for the next four weeks. The students are part of a group of Korean students visiting MU via the English & Professional Immersion (EPI) program sponsored by the Asian Center. Jina Yang and Taewoon Kim, both of Chonnam National University, Korea, will spend two days a week at the MU Libraries and gain exposure to how an academic library operates. Taewoon is a Journalism undergraduate and will spend time at the Journalism Library; Jina is pursuing a bachelors in library science and will spend time in Admin, Technical Services-Cataloging and Health Sciences Library-ILL.

The EPI program provides unpaid, not-for-credit opportunities for international students to improve their English and experience American culture. More information on EPI can be found at the MU Asian Affairs Center.

Government Documents Librarian, Ellis Library.

Research Specialist, part-time, Health Sciences Library.

I have updated an information document on Worker’s Compensation that is available to review. It serves to provide information on key concepts of Workers’ Compensation and to review related policies and procedures.

Topics covered include a brief overview of the purpose behind Workers’ Compensation, how and when to report an injury, where to go for medical care, how to record time away from work for a doctor’s appointment or therapy, and returning to work following an injury. Please take the time to read through the information.

As a reminder, employees who suffer a work-related injury between 6:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., should go to University Work Injury Services located on the ground floor of University Hospital, Rm. MC-11.