September

The Libraries Welcome: Kate Masterton

September 26, 2011
[caption id='attachment_453' align='alignright' width='150' caption='Kate Masterton '][/caption] Kate Masterton joined Drexel University Libraries, in September 2011, from Richmond,Virginia where she volunteered at Richmond Public Library and the Library of Virginia. Kate moved to Philadelphia to pursue a Masters of Library Science at the iSchool at Drexel. Kate is a Circulation Clerk at Hahnemann Library.
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The Libraries Welcome: Bill Paterson

September 23, 2011
[caption id='attachment_444' align='alignright' width='100' caption='Bill Paterson'][/caption] Bill Paterson joined the Libraries in September 2011 as the Electronic Resources Assistant at W. W. Hagerty Library. Bill has done volunteer work with the University Archives and has an interest in digital preservation. He is currently a student in the iSchool at Drexel.
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The Libraries have Gone Social

September 19, 2011
Join us on our social media sites and learn everything you need to know about Drexel University Libraries. Facebook
Twitter
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- Drexel University Archives
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- Drexel University Libraries
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The Library Learning Terrace is OPEN

September 19, 2011
We know that in the first couple of weeks of fall quarter students are busy finding their way to class and getting on top of their homework. Looking for some space to spread out and get your work done? Visit the Library Learning Terrace! You can work alone or in a group, connect to the super-fast DragonFly3 wireless network, and use the white boards to review notes or look at your homework a little differently. Hours for weeks 1 & 2 are Monday - Thursday noon-8pm and Friday noon-5pm. See you there!
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Libraries Launch Search Interface to Streamline Discovery Process

September 18, 2011
Searching the Drexel University Libraries' collection just became easier with the Summon search feature, located on the library website's homepage. Summon, a web based service provides a 'Google-like' experience, which streamlines the discovery process and allows researchers to search across many different subscription resources, books and journals. Detailed results are ranked by relevancy, with the most relevant results appearing at the top of the list. Summon is widely used in major academic libraries around the world and its agreements with scholarly content publishers allows for article-level indexing of the full-text of articles, pulling together the content from individual interfaces such as those provided EBSCO and JSTOR. The Libraries acquired Summon last summer with a larger release occurring in fall 2011. For more information about the Summon service, its coverage and its relevancy to Drexel University Libraries, please visit: https://www.library.drexel.edu/summon/about.
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The Triangle: Storms Close Basement of Library

September 16, 2011

By Laura DiSanto

The lower level of Drexel's W.W. Hagerty Library has been temporarily closed due to water damage following heavy rain storms that occurred the evening of Sept. 7.
As reported on the Drexel Libraries Twitter page Sept. 8, the lower level suffered water damage that destroyed the carpets. While the basement is currently closed for repairs, the first and second floors are open to students. According to Jennifer James Lee, marketing and events associate for Hagerty Library, the lower level will remain closed for a short period of time until all the carpeting can be removed and replaced. Although the damage occurred during the term break while many students were not on campus, the library is working hard to ensure the closure will not affect students too far into the fall term. Read more at thetriangle.org. DiSanto, Laura. 'Storms Close Basement of Library.' The Triangle. Philadelphia, PA. 16 September 2011. Web. 16 September 2011.
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Libraries Staff win Employee Olympics Relay

September 16, 2011
On September 7, 2011 six Libraries staff were awarded champion medals for finishing in first in the Drexel Employee Olympics running/walking relay challenge. In total, 15 staff were members of the Libraries' Dewey Decimators team, participating in softball, soccer and the running/walking relay. [caption id='attachment_430' align='alignright' width='300' caption='Peter, John C., John W., Gina, Brendan, Charlotte'][/caption] Hosted by the A Healthier U, an initiative sponsored by Drexel University and the Drexel University College of Medicine, the Employee Olympics invite all University staff to participate in 12 different competitions. At the award ceremony, held on September 7, 2011, members of the running/walking relay challenge, Gina Cacace, John Cannan, Charlotte Ford, Patrick Garon, Brendan Johnson, and John Wiggins, were awarded their champion medals for their first place finish. Also recognized during the award ceremony was Libraries' student worker Ogedi Agoruah, who received the Torch Bearer Award for exemplifying the Olympic ideal of sportsmanship More information about the Drexel University Employee Olympics can be found online.
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What's the deal with the Lower Level?

September 15, 2011
Perhaps you're wondering why the lower level of W. W. Hagerty has been closed... 'The Libraries escaped damage from both the earthquake and hurricane Irene, but unfortunately the tremendous amount of rain in the days following proved to be too much for the city's drainage system, and we had some water damage in W. W. Hagerty's lower level as a result. We are working with University Facilities to get the lower level re-opened as quickly as possible so that students can use the space, but also want to make sure that we are adhering to all appropriate safety measures,' Danuta A. Nitecki, Dean of Libraries said today. The lower level is scheduled to re-open on Monday, September 19th. If, in the meantime, you need to access resources that are kept in the lower level, please alert a staff member at the circulation desk.
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Do you Scan?

September 15, 2011
You may have noticed two new scanners in your library and we'd like to know what you think! These scanners are on trial while we see what might work best for our patrons. You can help us make the decision by offering your opinion.
1. Which scanner did you like better (scanner A or scanner B)?
2. Do you currently use the Libraries scanners?
3. If you had the choice to scan or photocopy, which would you choose?
4. If you had the choice to scan to a PDF, scan to an e-mail or scan to a flash drive, which would you prefer?
5. How simple was the scanner to use?
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In Circulation: September Issue

September 8, 2011
View the September Issue online. Articles include:
- Insights about Libraries' value presented to international audience
- Archives exhibit sparks conversation about diversity
- Exhibit shares medical student experience from years past
- Libraries welcomes visitors from Japan
- Libraries participates in WorkReady Program
- Libraries' Gary Childs receives Chairman's Award
- Building a Graphic Novel Collection
- New Faces in the Libraries
- Wish List
Click here to subscribe to In Circulation, the Libraries' monthly newsletter.
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Issue 2, Vol 1 - Drexel University Libraries: In Circulation

September 8, 2011
View the September Issue online. Articles include:
- Insights about Libraries' value presented to international audience
- Archives exhibit sparks conversation about diversity
- Exhibit shares medical student experience from years past
- Libraries welcomes visitors from Japan
- Libraries participates in WorkReady Program
- Libraries' Gary Childs receives Chairman's Award
- Building a Graphic Novel Collection
- New Faces in the Libraries
- Wish List
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New Scanners in W. W. Hagerty Library

September 1, 2011
** Update - 4/26/12 - The trial for these scanners has expired and they are no longer available at W. W. Hagerty. Have you noticed our new scanners in W. W. Hagerty Library? There are two new scanners and we're trying them out to see what type we might purchase in the future. Before we make that choice, we'd like to hear your thoughts about these two scanners. 1. If you used the scanner, which did you use, and how simple was it to use? 2. Do you prefer to scan (and have PDF) or copy (and have a printed version)? Now's your chance to influence what the Libraries might purchase. [gallery link='file' order='DESC' columns='4' orderby='title']
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Insights about Libraries' Value Presented to International Audience

September 1, 2011
[caption id='attachment_386' align='alignright' width='300' caption='Nitecki and Abels prepare for their presentation using the white board wall in Nitecki's Office.'][/caption] Presenting results of research they conducted this year about factors which faculty perceive contribute to the Libraries' value, Eileen G. Abels, Associate Dean of the iSchool, and Danuta A. Nitecki, Dean of Libraries attended the 9th Northumbria Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services, held in York, UK August 22-25th. Their study involved interviews of ten faculty members, which began asking for an overall rating of the Libraries' value, and then solicited reasons why the faculty assigned the particular value rating. Although services offered by library staff were evaluated positively, the initial findings attribute library collections, or access to them as well as electronic resources, as critical to perceiving a library as contributing maximum value. A focus group interview confirmed that faculty value the Libraries' impact to increase faculty productivity, expand student learning skills, do one's job (e.g., teaching or research), save faculty money (i.e., no need to purchase material), and indulge intellectual curiosity; also mentioned as important in valuing the Libraries is its contributions to avoiding frustration, meeting accreditation standards, and changing the university. Over 150 librarians and information professionals from around the world attended the conference which included 70 keynote and plenary talks. A copy of the conference abstracts will be added to the Drexel University Libraries collection and published proceedings will be issued in coming months. Article by: Danuta A. Nitecki & Eileen Abels
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The 9/11 Attacks in Pictures: Building a Graphic Novel Collection

September 1, 2011
'The events of September 11 galvanized many disparate groups. Who would have thought that comic books would be one of them?' wrote Time magazine's Andrew Arnold¹. Arnold should not have been surprised. Stars-and-stripes-clad Captain America was punching out Adolf Hitler on the 1941 cover of the very first issue of his comic book. Cartoons have a long tradition of responding to real-world crises that dates back to the Revolutionary War. Popular for their 'eyeball traction,' cartoons, comics and graphic novels pull the reader into the content faster than their all-text equivalents and increasingly, educators have grown to appreciate the value of graphic narratives not just as entertainment but for literacy and teaching. The publishing of graphic novels has exploded over the last ten years and librarians have also embraced the format in all types of libraries. Recent books, listservs, conference panels and professional special interest groups testify to the passion librarians have come to have for all types--comic, scary, romantic, serious, and educational at all levels. At W. W. Hagerty a growing graphic novel collecting includes noteworthy titles in the area of African American studies, Japanese manga, health and medicine, and literacy education. Annotated lists are posted under Research Guides: Information Science and Technology/Graphic Novels. With the tenth anniversary of September 11th approaching, the Libraries took the opportunity to add graphic novels about that incident as part of the 'historical' theme currently being developed. The September 11th graphic novels, currently displayed on the first floor of W. W. Hagerty Library, make a particularly good example of how issue-based graphic narratives can bring viewpoints out in the open for reaction and discussion. In comics, the medium is as much of the message as are the words and content. In The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation, all characters on all sides are portrayed quite realistically. This is also the case with Code Word: Geronimo, a recent title about the SEAL raid to find bin Laden. But in After 9-11: America's War on Terror, President Bush and some of his staff come off more as caricatures, perhaps to convey doubt that the extensive Iraq war was justified at the time. These titles will be useful in classrooms for drawing out viewpoints and raising questions that themselves can be investigated through graphic novels, as well as traditional texts. Browse the graphic novels research guide by topic, or see all our holdings in the catalog. For more information, email siftar@drexel.edu Article by: Martha Cornog & Tim Siftar ¹Arnold, Andrew D. 'The Most Serious Comix Ever.' Time.com, January 29, 2002. Accessed September 7, 2011, http://www.time.com/time/columnist/arnold/article/0,9565,197890,00.html.
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