Tuesday Times

Tech Services’ Microfiche Recycling Effort Saves 240lbs of Plastic from the Landfill

Judy Ganson, Director for Collection Management Services & Systems, along with Mary Gilbertson, Monographic Unit Head, and several other departments in the Libraries, have coordinated a recycling effort to save about 240lbs. of plastic from the landfill.

The microfiche that were weeded and recycled are very old college catalogs that are no longer used. Since the U of A has made a commitment to be a zero waste campus by 2021, in the next five years the campus will need to be diverting 90 percent of our 3,000 metric tons of waste annually from landfills. This project goes a long way to support that effort. Great work, team!

The Latest in Database News Keeps You On Point Over Break
Beth Juhl’s latest Database News posts highlight video and audio streaming services for your holiday binge-watching pleasure. Alexander Street’s services have recently been updated to work well on all screen sizes –phone, tablet, or laptop – learn more at 365 McIlroy. Or, add some local lingo to your holiday travels with Mango Languages.  New, short conversational courses cover topics, events, or specific actions like discussing French wine and cheese, texting in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese’s Feng Shui – even Shakespearean English (which would have come in particularly handy while I was in grad school!).  Thanks, Beth!

Good Luck to Our Graduating Staff!
The Libraries have four staff members graduating on the Dec. 19: Melina Callaway from Periodicals, Rachel Linck from Instruction and Liaison Services (GIS GA), Cali Rios from Special Collections, and Jennifer Valentine from Circulation. Congratulations to you all! Find more information – and more about their future plans – available soon on StaffWeb.

Power Down and Tidy Up Before You Leave for the Winter Break
Please remember to power down (and unplug!) your computer and peripherals, as well as any other electronics, before leaving for break.  Winter break is also a great time to defrost departmental fridges, clean and unplug shredders and other appliances, and remove food from your drawers and cabinets.

Year-End Shout-Outs
I didn’t get many takers on my call for shout-outs and year-end round-ups, but that’s ok, because I have plenty to go around! And my first two shout-outs go to Cat Wallack and Kelvin Summerville, the two people who sent in shout-outs! Cat Wallack is heaping some praise on her esteemed co-worker Sarah Green – Cat says she has been very fortunate with some wonderful students (including the delightful Ashley Cain) and Sarah is no exception. Cat said, “She is smart, spirited and willing to take on almost anything.” Please scroll to the end of this post to read my shout-outs, and continue reading below for Kelvin’s shout-outs!

2015 Year in Review (Photo Gallery) Available at 365 McIlroy
You made a lot happen this year. Kelvin Summerville met his 2015 Professional New Year’s resolution in early spring, and the Libraries’ accomplishments only escalated from there. You. Did. It. All. From opening collections, producing digital collections and exhibits, streamlining and refocusing social media content, moving resources for maintenance and facilities upgrades (Kelvin’s 2016 resolution is to move the HD’s back to level 3, btw), not to mention being open for 24-hour cycles (Kelvin sends a shout out to the Circ. Staff!) and staying pretty clean through those cycles (and a shout out to the facilities staff!), YOU won 2015. As you get ready to take a much deserved break, take a moment to look back over some of what you accomplished by viewing the photo gallery at 365 McIlroy.

Get Involved with #1Lib1Ref for Wikipedia’s Birthday in January 15
Wikipedia is celebrating its 15th birthday on Friday, 1/15. They want to invite every librarian in the world to add one reference to any Wikipedia article during their #1Lib1Ref event. English Wikipedia alone has over 350,000 “citation needed” statements and hundreds of thousands of articles need more references in general, with 200,000 articles having no references at all. Using a viral, collaborative, crowdsourced approach, they hope to fill some of these gaps and spark a conversation that “highlights and explores the rich and evolving interactions between Wikipedia and library professionals.” Get involved in advance of the event by visiting the MetaWiki.

Reminders and Such:

• Expect an abbreviated edition of the Tuesday Times on 12/22, and there will be no TT on 12/29 due to the winter break. Keep the news coming for a Welcome Back edition on 1/5/16!
• Edmund Harriss’s #1 Bestselling coloring book, Patterns of the Universe, is on display at the coloring station. Stop over to take a peak! Such interesting work at the U of A!
• Please remember to copy the person or people you are listing as coverage on your out-of-office notes. It’s incredibly helpful for me, and also keeps everyone in the loop. Thanks!
• Razorback Transit’s Holiday Schedule: Remember, there will be no Razorback Transit night service from Saturday 12/19 through Monday 1/19. The last night of Safe Ride service will be 12/18. Razorback Transit will operate a reduced schedule from 7am until 6pm on 12/21, 12/22, and 12/23. Buses will not operate 12/24 through 1/4. Reduced service will be provided 7am until 6pm, 1/4-1/16, and there is no service on 1/19. More info can be found online.

Out of Office Notices

Calendar of Libraries’ Events – Mark Your Personal Calendars!

Kalli’s Year-End Shout-Outs
I want to send a shout-out to the ad-hoc blog committee which includes the Web Services team – Beth Juhl and Dylan Hurd – along with Special Collections’ Joshua Youngblood, for all the hard-work that went into launching the Libraries’ blog. All of them willed it into existence and I think it’s a great addition to the Libraries’ communications channels. And I want to send a shout-out to Martha Guirl-Phillips and Brian Curtis for their excellent work organizing and hanging the many wonderful art exhibits Mullins Library hosts each year. We’re coming off a superb year and Martha has lined up more exciting exhibits for the year ahead. It’s not too late — do you have a shout-out? Let me know and I’ll include it in the TT on 1/5.