Update: Dal’s Halifax campuses will resume normal operations effective Sunday morning. Check here for more detailed information: http://www.dal.ca/storm-information.html
Gail Fraser of the Kellogg Library Will Speak at the Toronto Springer Summit
Gail Fraser, Head of Acquisitions Services, W. K. Kellogg Health Sciences Library.
The W. K. Kellogg Health Sciences Library’s Head of Acquisitions Services, Gail Fraser, has been invited to speak at a Springer Summit in Toronto at the end of this month.
Springer Summits are one-day, interactive, in-person conferences about the future of libraries and research tools. Industry experts from libraries, vendors, and research houses lead these informative discussions, held in cities all over the world. The summits are sponsored by Springer, an international eBook and eJournal publishing company, specializing in providing the scientific and professional communities with information produced by authors and colleagues across cultures.
“It is quite an honour to be asked to speak at this Summit; I find the reading and thinking beforehand very stimulating and expect to learn from the other presenters while I am there,” said Gail.
The subject of the Summit in Toronto is eContent Assessment and Return On Investment in Academic Libraries. Gail’s co-panelist is Anne Smithers from Queen’s University. Warren Holder from the University of Toronto will be the moderator.
Gail’s presentation will be about eBook use trends, collecting statistics, improving use, the importance of publicizing our eResources, surveying our users and the Novanet Demand Driven Acquisitions (DDA) pilot project (or PDA, patron driven acquisitions, as it is also called).
Discovering New Dimensions – 3D Printing & 3D Scanning
Some objects printed on the 3D printer.
Last October, the Director of the Dalhousie Libraries’ IT department, Marc Comeau, and two School of Information Management students, Riel Gallant and Michael Groenendyk, gave a presentation at the Access 2012 conference about 3D printing and scanning.
Riel and Mike, while still new library school students, came up with a proposal to bring 3D printing, 3D scanning and a 3D collection to the Dalhousie Libraries . Their idea came to fruition in the spring of 2012. This presentation offers a detailed look at 3D printing at the Dalhousie Libraries so far.
Michael Groenendyk Wins Research Grant
Michael Groenendyk with a model of the Taj Mahal that was printed on the 3D printer at the Killam. (Photo: Bruce Bottomley)
Michael Groenendyk, Help Desk employee at the Killam Library, was recently awarded a CARL Research in Librarianship Grant. Michael is also a student at the School of Information Management.
The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) Librarianship Grant supports projects involving structured, evidence-based research in libraries that propose answers to real-world issues. Established and newly appointed librarians working in a CARL member library and current Library and Information Studies students are eligible to apply for this grant.
Michael’s grant-winning project is called 3D Printing and Scanning at the Dalhousie Libraries: A Case Study. He was awarded $2,000 to continue his research in the use of 3D printers and scanners in an educational environment and to develop an open access, online repository of 3D digital objects.
“I would like to thank the Canadian Association of Research Libraries for providing me with this opportunity to further develop my research into 3D printing and scanning technologies at the Dalhousie Libraries, and to complete the groundwork on the 3D model repository created this summer on DalSpace. This additional funding will be very helpful in moving this project forward and, as such, is much appreciated,” said Michael.
The 3D printer is located at the Help Desk in the South Learning Commons in the Killam Library. Files for printing can be emailed to 3dprint@dal.ca Printing costs $1 per hour. The printer uses PLA plastic filament that is biodegradable. More about 3D printing at the Dalhousie Libraries.
Congratulations from your colleagues at the Dalhousie Libraries Michael!
The 3D printer in action at the Help Desk in the Killam Library.
Sample objects printed from the 3D printer. (Photo: Bruce Bottomley)
Welcome MacRae Library staff: Sherree Miller
Our series of profiles of staff at the MacRae Library on the Agricultural Campus continues today.
Sherree Miller has worked at the MacRae Library since 1981. Since then, she’s seen many changes, including the library moving from one room in the Cox Institute to the two-level MacRae Library that exists today, the introduction of computers into the library and most recently, the merger between the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and Dalhousie University to form the new Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture.
Sherree Miller, based at the MacRae Library on the Agricultural Campus.
Sherree is the head of Access Services, which is a term that describes many of the day-to-day functions that keep the library operating, such as being a front line contact for everyone who uses the library, answering the phones and helping people find the information they need. She has always worked in Access Services, as well as helping out in Document Delivery, working with serials and doing some cataloguing.
Sherree is also responsible for course reserves, supervising the student assistants, payroll for staff and student assistants and ordering supplies. In addition, she also represents the MacRae Library on the Access Services committee. In the past, Sherree was a member of the Novanet Systems Operations Committee, and has represented the MacRae Library on the occupational health & safety committee and the Agriculture Campus’ Open House committee. Sherree also represents the MacRae Library on the Dalhousie Libraries’ social committee.
“I very much enjoy interaction with our students, faculty and staff,” says Sherree of her work at the MacRae Library.
Sherree, welcome to the Dalhousie Libraries team!
Judith Coughlan-Lambly Retires
Judith Coughlan-Lambly, head of technical services at the W K Kellogg Health Sciences Library, is retiring today.
“I will greatly miss all of my Dal library colleagues, as well as those I’ve worked with in other Novanet libraries. I wish them all the best!” says Judith.
During her career, Judith provided leadership for technical services and other agendas, both for Dalhousie Libraries and in the broader Novanet and national communities. Her knowledge and experience have been crucial to providing and maintaining user access to Dalhousie collections.
“She is a respected colleague and friend and we will miss her,” says Patrick Ellis, head of the Kellogg Library.
Judith, congratulations on a successful career and all the best in your retirement.
MacRae staff profiles: Erin Winchcombe
Even though Erin works at the MacRae Library, the newest library in the Dalhousie Libraries group, she is already well acquainted with the Dalhousie Libraries.
Erin Winchcombe, based at the MacRae Library on the Agricultural Campus.
While Erin was a student in the Library and Information Technology program at the Nova Scotia Community College, she worked in acquisitions and serials at the Kellogg Health Sciences Library. From 2006-2009, after graduating from NSCC, she then worked at the Sexton Design & Technology Library as a library assistant. Erin worked in acquisitions and serials, cataloguing, access services, and the Digital Initiatives Group, as well as being the IT contact for the Sexton Library.
Erin started working at the MacRae Library in January 2010 as a library assistant, primarily in acquisitions and serials, where her duties include receiving and processing all journals, claiming, binding, and maintaining the current periodicals, bound periodicals, and storage collections. She also catalogues new journals and government documents, both print and electronic.
Welcome back to the Dalhousie Libraries, Erin!
MacRae staff profiles: Jennifer MacIsaac
Jennifer MacIsaac is the cataloguer and acting archivist at the MacRae Library. She catalogues and processes all purchased and donated books and the Agricultural campus’ master’s theses for our collections. Jennifer’s duties also include inventory, weeding, shelf reading, shelf management, and shifting of the MacRae’s book collections. She has also worked in interlibrary loans/ document delivery.
Jennifer MacIsaac, based at the MacRae Library on the Agricultural Campus.
Jennifer also acts a supervisor in the government documents and serials cataloguing department; assists in training and supervising the library student assistants in their shelving and shelf reading; and lends a hand in circulation, interlibrary loan/document delivery, and reference when needed. She is also the occupational health and safety representative for the MacRae Library.
A graduate of the Library and Information Technology program at the Nova Scotia Community College, Jennifer is currently furthering her education by taking workshops to acquire a certificate in the archives core curriculum of the Council of Nova Scotia Archives.
Jennifer has also been involved in the campus United Way campaigns by organizing book sales. One of her favourite quotes is a Zen proverb,”Knowledge is learning something new every day. Wisdom is letting go of something every day.”
Welcome to the Dalhousie Library team, Jennifer!
MacRae staff profiles: Erin MacPherson
Erin MacPherson has worked at the MacRae Library since 2008. She’s a graduate of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, holding a Bachelor of Science (Agr) in plant science and a plant science technician diploma. She is currently doing her masters in library science (MLIS) part-time at Dalhousie.
Erin MacPherson, based at the MacRae Library on Dalhousie's Agricultural Campus.
At the Faculty of Agriculture, Erin teaches information literacy classes. She is also responsible for electronic resources (databases), the library website and copyright queries. Erin created and maintains the MacRae Library’s agriculture subject guides, she works on the reference desk, and has done many projects related to the merger.
“I’m really excited to be part Dalhousie team and to work in part of a large library system. I feel like there are many opportunities to make a positive impact,” says Erin. “Working with my colleagues at Dalhousie during the merger has been a great experience!”
Erin, welcome to the Dalhousie Libraries team!
James Boxall, Recipient of the 2012 Literacy Award
The Royal Canadian Geographic Society (RCGS) has announced it is presenting the 2012 Literacy Award to the director of the GISciences Centre, James Boxall.
James Boxall, director of the GISciences Centre, located in the Killam Library.
The award will be given at the RCGS fellows dinner on November 7 in Ottawa. The award includes $5,000; half of which is donated to a charity of choice. James has expressed a desire to create a foundation to support K-12 teachers who wish to train in using geographic information systems (GIS) with their students.
James is the recipient of this award due to his work over the last 25 years to support and enhance geographic and spatial education at all levels. From 1991 to 1993, James was the original proponent in developing the Canadian Council for Geographic Education and has been actively working with not only our own Dalhousie community, in geography and GIS courses and through the development of the GISciences Centre, but also in the K-12 sector with teachers and schools wanting to develop skills in spatial learning.
When asked about the connection of this to Dalhousie and the Dal Libraries, James remarked, “Those who know the history of geography at Dalhousie know that much of the work that happened outside of our community ended up playing a role in moving things along on campus. Also, it makes sense because with the work we do in teaching and research, you simply have to look back at the foundation of the discipline—in 200BCE the chief librarian of the Great Library of Alexandria, Eratosthenes, founded the field of geography, developed latitude and longitude, and accurately measured the circumference of the Earth. We are simply trying to keep up with that tradition of geography librarians enhancing spatial learning.”
Congratulations on this honour James, from everyone at the Dalhousie Libraries.