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Library Faculty Newsletter: Summer 2017

Summer 2017 Issue

Library Faculty Newsletter

Library Staff Updates

Jon AllinderJon Allinder: IT Librarian

Jon has been working for the Library for 8 years in many different roles. His newest adventure is as the Library's new IT Librarian. He will help with technical issues, website management, and be our all around internet fix-it guru! 
 


Evan Silverstein: Reference Librarian

We would like to welcome Evan to the Library. He will be working with us part-time evenings and weekends. In addition to working at the Walden University Library, Evan also works full time at the University of Pennsylvania Biddle Law Library.  Evan previously worked at the Free Library of Philadelphia, as well as with the Internet Public Library. He has also served as a board member for The Furnace Review for the last 8 years. Evan lives in Philadelphia and works remotely. 

Previous to working in libraries, he worked as a media planner for a digital marketing agency in NYC after college. Some of his more well-known campaigns were Flight of the Conchords (HBO), Pans Labyrinth (Weinstein Company), and Rihanna (Universal Music Group). For a change of pace, he moved from NYC to Philly for a more relaxed life and to pursue a Masters in Library Science.

His favorite places to travel are Montreal, New Orleans, and Morocco, which are all former French colonies. Evan's travels have now compelled him to learn French!


Julie James: Health Sciences Liaison

We would also like to welcome Julie James. Julie, along with Erin Guldbrandsen (Gabrielson), will be working with the College of Health Professions.

Julie earned her Master of Science in Library and Information science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and has practiced librarianship in Illinois, Missouri, Virginia, and North Carolina, where she currently lives. Most recently, she spent twelve years working at a large academic medical center, supporting MD, PA, and CRNA students. She loves traveling, and has visited 43 states and 12 countries on four continents. She also enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, and dogspotting.

Julie typically reads 100 books a year. You can find her on Goodreads @julski. She has a senior dog named Snuffy who was a therapy dog at Brenner Children's Hospital for seven years, she is now training their new puppy, Java, to do the same.

Drastic Defunding of Libraries Proposed in FY2018 Budget

President Trump’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY2018) could have an enormous impact on libraries. Released on May 23, the proposal all but eliminates funding for the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). It is important to note that this is still a budget proposal and that Congress will ultimately vote to approve or reject it.

The proposed budget would cut IMLS funding by 90%, from $230 million to $23 million. The remaining sum allocated for IMLS is solely intended to finance the closeout of the agency; there is no money allocated for IMLS grant programs, which have historically been funded primarily by federal contributions. The justification for the elimination of federal funding for libraries and museums was that most of the funding for these kinds of institutions comes from individual states and, because of that, “it is unlikely the elimination of IMLS would result in the closure of a significant number of libraries and museums” (www.govinfo.gov).

Many library advocacy groups have openly condemned the FY2018 Budget. American Library Association (ALA) President, Julie Todaro, issued a statement in which she cited the frequency with which Americans use libraries of all kinds, as well as statistics showing that 94% of Americans in 2013 thought that public libraries improved the quality of life in communities and that 94% of parents considered libraries important for their children (www.districtdispatch.org).

In an effort to influence the Senate vote on this issue, ALA, among other organizations, set up a “Legislative Action Center” on their website where library advocates could easily send letters showing their support of libraries to their respective senators. One letter supported the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), while another letter supported the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program (IAL). Despite the generally negative outlook for libraries in FY2018, ALA was happy to report that both letters were signed by a bipartisan group of senators, with 45 showing their support for LSTA and 37 showing their support for IAL (www.ala.org). The hope among library advocates is that this showing of support will positively influence Congress’s consideration of library funding during the remainder of the appropriations cycle.

Congress has until midnight on September 30 to pass an appropriations bill to fund government agencies and programs through FY2018.

 

Citation Management Software

Citation Management Software, which at first glance may simply look like software for generating citations, can also be a helpful tool for organizing resources for a research project. Many students use citation management software during the literature review phase of their dissertation or doctoral study. While the Library does not endorse any particular brand of software or offer technical support, we have reviewed three of the more popular brands of citation software management software, and we have created resources to help introduce students to this software and what it can do for them. 

The Citation Management Software Guide is a great place to start for an introduction to Zotero, EndNote, and Mendeley

This summer we are also offering a series of webinars on citation management software. Check the Upcoming Webinars page to see which webinars will be available this summer, or have a look at some of the Citation Management Software webinars in our archive: Citation Management Software: What it can do for you, and Zotero Basics.

In addition, we are also now offering a Citation Management Cafe at many of the Residencies. This is an informal session where students can learn about citation management software and experiment with adding, editing, and organizing articles from the Library. 

Doctoral Student Referral

If you have a doctoral student who is struggling with research, information literacy, or any other library related skill, please fill out the Student Referral Form. We will reach out to the student and do our best to assist them. 

Library Lab Suggestions

Is there a research topic you feel your students are struggling with? Or an assignment that requires intense and in-depth research? Perhaps there's a resource that students are struggling to navigate? Please provide us with some suggestions for library lab topics you'd like to see us cover and we'd be happy work with you to create a lab for your class.

Librarians Without Borders

Anne Rojas, Library Liaison to the College of Education, spent April 21 to May 1, 2017 in Guatemala on a service trip with Librarians Without Borders.

Librarians Without Borders is a non-profit that was started by a group of librarians in 2005. They work to improve library services through community partnerships in developing regions.

After learning of the organization, Anne was eager to participate, and was excited when her application was accepted. A group of 12 volunteers and two leaders went to the Miguel Angel Asturias School in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, where Librarians Without Borders has been partnering since 2009.

Before leaving for Guatemala the group developed programs to deliver to the students who were split into three groups of K-3, 4-6, and 7-10. The programming for all three groups, which was delivered during two days of “Library Week,” had the common theme of environmentalism since the school’s theme of the month was Earth Day. 

In addition to the children’s programming, the group also brought a total of 300 books to contribute to the school’s collection and cataloged and processed all 300 while they were there. At the end of the week, the students and volunteers celebrated with a game of soccer, and the volunteers and staff celebrated over dinner.

Learn more about Anne Rojas' Librarians Without Borders trip to Guatemala.

Edu-tourism

Have you ever heard of edu-tourism?  You can learn as you travel!  The Librarians Without Borders group visited public libraries, a local cemetery, two weavers’ cooperatives, and a local publisher while in Guatemala.  The group also maed more mainstream stops at Lake Atitlan and Antigua Guatemala.  Travel is always a learning experience, and you can take it a step further by researching before you go and make wonderful side trips off the beaten path.

Upcoming Library Labs & Webinars

Please feel free to share these library labs with your students!

Featured Library Resource: SAGE Research Methods Online

Struggling to find instructional information on research design?

We have a wonderful tool called SAGE Research Methods Online which allows researchers to explore their chosen methodology and research concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methodologies, identify a new methodology, conduct their research, and write up their findings. SAGE Research Methods contains content from more than 640 books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, the entire Little Green Book, and Little Blue Book series, two Major Works collating a selection of journal articles, and newly commissioned videos. 

Click the link below to watch a recording of a webinar on what Sage Research Methods Online is and what it can do for you. This database can provide much needed insight and help students explore different terminology and concepts. Click the link below to learn more!

2017 Dance Your Ph.D. Contest

Do you have any students who like to think outside the box?  Know anyone who has a creative side they just can’t restrain? Maybe they would be interested in entering the Science and American Association for the Advancement of Science “Dance Your Ph.D.” contest.  2017 will mark the 10th Anniversary of their annual contest.  Deadline for submissions is September 29, 2017.  For more information, including the official rules and links to prior winners, visit the AAAS’ website here:

2017 Dance Your Ph.D. contest

Here is a clip of last year’s winner “Polymeric Prosthetic Heart Valve”

Faculty Feedback Corner

Please provide us with any suggestions about the newsletter or any other ideas you may have!

Contact Us

Please contact the Library at libraryliaison@mail.waldenu.edu if you have any questions, content ideas or are having difficulty accessing newsletter content.