Vol. XVII, no. 1 THE LIBRARY AT TUSCULUM COLLEGE Aug.-Sept. 2006

Welcome: This is the 17^th year of publication for this newsletter. On behalf of the entire library staff  (Jack, Anne, Charles, Mary, Carolyn, Marsha, Kathy, Elaine, Jennifer, and Jonathan), readers old and new and regardless of location are invited to join us in person or online as Tusculum College begins another exciting school year.

Celebration!  We are very pleased to announce that Ms. Marsha Griffith, Public Services Librarian, has just been awarded the degree of Master of Science in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Tennessee. This is the same professional degree held by Jack, Anne, Mary, and Charles.  Her degree was earned through UT’s 40-hr. online program, which is fully-accredited by ALA and other groups and is aimed at allowing advancement for working library and other paraprofessional staffers. So far as we know, she is the second person in Greeneville after Madge Walker, the public librarian, to earn  her library degree in this pioneering way.  Congrats Marsha! Your initiative is appreciated. Well done!  Kathy Hipps, our Coordinator of Special Projects, will complete her advanced UT library degree in the same manner next summer.

Hours: The Greeneville campus is now open until 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday.  Friday hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturday, we operate from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and on Sunday we open at 2 p.m. Any changes to these library regular  hours, and  other activities, are posted on the library website http://library.tusculum.edu.

It has been Greeneville library practice to close earlier during  residential block break periods. This first semester we will have a later closing time during block breaks as an experiment. Information on those times will be communicated prior to the breaks. If turnout and usage justifies the expenditure and adjustment in the schedules of the limited staffing available, the experiment will be made permanent.

New Book/Videos: The cataloging and acquisition department has been extremely active this summer. Many faculty requests from both campuses have been ordered and the majority have been received and have been or are being cataloged. Faculty are invited to track  recommendations via the online catalog, which is updated daily. FYI, any titles listed as “in processing” are in the Technical Services office (Greeneville) or with Mary (Knoxville), but are not quite ready to go on the shelf. Faculty needing such items before the catalog shows them as “available” may request them of Mary, Carolyn Parker (ex. 5262), or Kathy Hipps (ex. 5123).

New Books/Videos List: A new materials  list is usually  posted  monthly showing items cataloged into the collection. Our most recent list for the summer (June 1-July 31) is up showing 373 new titles for the Greeneville campus and 118 for the Knoxville campus. It is our practice during the school year to advise faculty of new book list postings via the faculty listserv.

Media switchover: The library is accelerating its changeover from VHS to DVD format. Although much of the present VHS collection will be maintained as long as it can be physically utilized, all future requests for films and instructional programs can only be considered  in DVD format.

Circulation Services: The library’s automated system has been updated to accommodate the TC Network move to new student and employee IDs. Many thanks to Kendall Dixon, IS Programmer and Anne Reever Asst. Library Director for DL for their work in bringing this  about.

Information Team: To provide additional services to Residential faculty, the library administration has formed a new Information Team. Working in equal partnership, Prof. Charles Tunstall (ex. 5124) and Coordinator of Special Projects Kathy Hipps (ex. 5123) are available to address any instructional or other information requirement, idea, or concern. Faculty should feel free to contact either of these people. By allocating additional staff time and expertise to the information process, we hope to be able to assist faculty in meeting the information need of students as laid out in the new TC strategic planning documents.  

Orientation/Instructional Sessions:  Faculty, both Traditional and Professional Studies, are encouraged to request general class library orientations or subject-specific library use instructional sessions from the library faculty. Contact points are Anne Reever, Professional Studies Northeast (ext.5801); Mary Halliburton, Professional Studies Southeast (ext. 5016); and Charles Tunstall/Kathy Hipps (ext.5124/5123), Traditional program. Jack Smith (ext. 5260) is also available for Traditional sessions if needed.  These sessions, on the Greeneville campus, are scheduled in the library’s  Information Literacy Room.  A significant number of sessions have already been booked for Block I and we hope more will be desired.

Information Literacy: The library faculty remains keenly interested in pursuit with classroom faculty, in whatever way is feasible, of this important concept, reviewed earlier with the Programs & Policies Committee, the GPS Council, and the College Council. We, like many of you, are keen that this initiative not falter and are anxious to continue the dialogue, with a goal of implementation,  in whatever forum might prove most viable.

Faculty/Staff Lounge: A faculty/staff lounge (Room 319), dedicated to that purpose during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, has been set aside from the suite of study rooms on the second floor of the Greeneville library.  Coffee, courtesy of President Henry, is available. We hope as many folks who have time to swing by for a cup or a visit will do so. The room may also be booked for committee meetings.

Other Staff News:

Smith Profiled:

A two-page bio of library director Jack Smith, complete with photos taken at the time of the dedication of The Library at Tusculum College, appears in the Fall 2006 issue of Accent, Ashland University Magazine. Smith was chosen as the career profile representing the AU class of 1966. The article can be read on pp. 14-15 of this link http://www3.ashland.edu/newsroom/documents/Accentfa06.pdf.

Gulf Coast Mission Trip made by Reever:

From July 1 –July 7, 2006,  Asst. Library Director for Distance Learning Anne Reever with 17 other adults and senior high youth from Greeneville First Presbyterian Church  traveled to Long Beach,  MS to assist in the rebuilding and rehabilitation of the community affected by Hurricane Katrina.  This annual work camp experience, an endeavor by the youth of Greeneville FPC, is sponsored by church members and through fundraising efforts by the senior highs.     The group stayed at Long Beach Presbyterian Church and worked at 3 different work sites approved through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.  If you are interested in seeing photos of the work, please contact Anne  in the library or at extension 5801.  If you would like to be involved in the next First Pres. Church visit to the  Gulf Coast please contact the church at 423-638-4533.  There is still much to be done. 

Statistics:

 In every number of the Reel & Page published through the school year, we will provide our most recent usage statistics (lag time is usually one month). Comparison figures between the current school year and that preceding are published in either the April issue or a special May issue.  This year’s comparison is in the May special edition, found at http://library.tusculum.edu/archivesrnp/reelnpageMayExtra2006.htm

Annual Use Statistics (July 1, 2005-June 30, 2006): 

 Website (library only) Visits: 67,141; Subscription database searches (total): 262,319; Total electronic visits to  The Library at Tusculum College: 329,460.

 Interlibrary Loans:

Greeneville to Knoxville, 24; Knoxville to Greeneville, 0;Greeneville to Gray, 3; Greeneville to Morristown, 2;  from other libraries for both campuses, 174; Books by Mail: 11.

_{[ Home ] [ Online Catalog ] [ Ebooks ] [ Research Databases ] [ Periodical Search ] [ Library Links ] [ About the Library ] [ Ask A Question ] [ Request Forms ] [ Library News ] [ Tutorials ]}