NMSU Library Announces Mechanic Arts Photo Exhibit
Date: October 11, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
The New Mexico State University Library announces a new photographic exhibit, “The Mechanic Arts.” The free public exhibit will run from October 24 to February 15 in the Milton Gallery on the fourth floor of NMSU’s Branson Library.
Man at Forge
The exhibit, organized by University Archivist Martha Shipman Andrews, commemorates the 2012 sesquicentennial of the passage of the first Morrill Act, creating the land-grant institutions of higher education.
Andrews said that the bill, introduced by Representative Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont, called for the creation of agricultural colleges that taught military tactics and the “Mechanic Arts,” an archaic term for engineering that was incorporated into the names of many of the institutions it made possible, including the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (later New Mexico State University). In honor of the Morrill Act, sixteen fine examples of these “Mechanic Arts” will be on display.
During the Industrial Revolution, photographers first discovered the almost accidental beauty of mechanical forms frozen in time—what could be called the art of mechanics. The engineering photograph collection held by the Hobson-Huntsinger University Archives contains many early twentieth century photographs unexpectedly capturing this beauty of form and structure.
For more information, contact Andrews at (575) 646-5028 or email mandrews@lib.nmsu.edu.
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NMSU Library Announces Holiday Hours
Date: December 6, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
The New Mexico State University Library announces hours for the end of Fall Semester and the beginning of Spring Semester for both Zuhl and Branson libraries.
• Saturday, December 10, through Sunday, December 11, closed.
• Monday, December 12, through Friday, December 16, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday, December 17, through Sunday, December 18, closed.
• Monday, December 19, through Thursday, December 22, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday, December 23, through Monday, January 2, closed (Winter Holiday).
• Tuesday, January 3, through Friday, January 6, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday, January 7, through Sunday, January 8, closed.
• Monday, January 9, through Friday, January 13, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday, January 14, through Monday, January 16, closed Martin Luther King, Jr., Day).
• Tuesday, January 17, through Wednesday, January 18, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Thursday, January 19, through Thursday, March 15, regular hours.
The Library’s Archives & Special Collections Department will be open by appointment only December 14 through December 22. It will be closed December 23 through January 2. It will be open by appointment again January 3 through January 18. Call the Archives staff for an appointment at (575) 646-3839. The Caroline E. Stras Research Room will resume regular hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, on January 19. Visit http://lib.nmsu.edu/depts/archives/archsvs.shtml for Archives & Special Collections hours.
The full schedule of general Library hours is available at http://lib.nmsu.edu/aboutlib/libhours.shtml#schedule and on a voice recording at (575) 646-4749.
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Get Your Holiday Gifts at the Library
Date: December 5, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
It’s beginning to feel a lot like the holiday season, and you may be looking for the perfect gift for a fellow Aggie. The NMSU Library offers two perfect solutions.
We live in a computerized world, and who doesn’t need a flash drive? Buy a Pistol Pete 4GB flash drive for only $25 at the Library. Your gift will show your proud Aggie support!
Or celebrate New Mexico’s 100th anniversary by giving a 2012 Centennial calendar. The Library’s calendar, entitled “The Peopling of New Mexico–1912,” features historic photographs depicting the people of the state around 1912, when New Mexico attained statehood. Centennial calendars can be purchased for only $8 each.
Visit the Library’s Administration Office, Room 224, Zuhl Library, or call (575) 646-1508.
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Relax with Biofeedback at the Library
Date: December 5, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
Zuhl Library and the NMSU Counseling Center will offer free 20-minute biofeedback sessions to students from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 6, in Zuhl Library. No scheduling is necessary. Biofeedback can help you slow down your breathing, lower your blood pressure and put you in the relaxed state you need to be in to complete your finals.
You can relax in Branson Library, too. The Relaxation Room, Branson Library Room 127, will be open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, December 5, through Thursday, December 8. For more information, contact newsome@nmsu.edu.
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Library Offers Media Streaming Database Trials
Date: November 28, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
The NMSU Library is evaluating four different media streaming databases in response to users’ requests for access to film and music clips. All trial databases are available for review and comments until December 20, 2011.
Video Streaming Databases:
Academic Video Online is a comprehensive streaming video resource that allows access to tens of thousands of full-length documentary and educational video titles. Almost every video is fully transcribed and is also being indexed for subjects, people, location, release date, publisher and video type.
Films on Demand offers a broad range of educational and technical video clips from companies such as Films for the Humanities and Sciences, PBS, ABC, NBC, BBC, History Channel, A&E, Biography Channel, Cambridge Educational and others. Films are broken into topic segment with keyword-rich descriptions, making it easy to search and quickly retrieve relevant clips. Films On Demand simplifies the use of educational video in teaching and learning, making it easy to share playlists and embed segments in course management systems.
Music Streaming Databases:
Music Online is a comprehensive online music resource that cross-searches many different music databases (American Song, Classical, Contemporary World, African American and Classical Scores). It also includes classical and world music downloads.
Naxos Music Library is a comprehensive online collection of classical music available that offers over 550,000 tracks of classical, jazz, world, folk and Chinese music for streaming. Important music labels include: BIS, Chandos, Hssler, Hungaroton, Marco Polo, Naxos and Ondine as well as many leading independent labels. Over 1,000 albums are added monthly.
Visit these databases at the Library’s Articles, Books, and More Web page at http://lib.nmsu.edu/article.shtml and then click on the Trials link. The trial databases are also available directly via the link http://lib.nmsu.edu/resources/dbtrials.shtml. Users are encouraged to share their comments about these products via a survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7TRY5TL.
For more information on this new temporary resource and to provide feedback on its use, please contact Alisa Gonzalez, Reference Coordinator/Social Sciences Librarian, at (575) 646-6926 or acgonzal@nmsu.edu.
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NMSU Library Announces Finals Week Hours
Date: November 28, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
The New Mexico State University Library announces finals week hours for Fall Semester 2011.
Extended finals week hours (Zuhl Library only) are:
Monday, November 28, through Thursday, December 1, 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Friday, December 2, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday, December 3, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, December 4, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Monday, December 5, through Wednesday, December 7, 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Thursday, December 8, regular hours
Friday, December 9, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, December 10, through Sunday, December 11, closed.
Branson Library will maintain regular hours during finals week. Free coffee will be served during the evening hours at both Branson and Zuhl libraries from December 1 through December 8. The NMSU Alumni Association and ASNMSU will provide free treats in both libraries.
The full schedule of Library hours is available at http://lib.nmsu.edu/aboutlib/libhours.shtml#schedule and on a voice recording at (575) 646-4749.
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NMSU Library Update: Responses to Library External Review June 2011 Report
Date: November 16, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
In April, 2011 the NMSU Library was given the opportunity to participate in an external review by a three-member team of library Deans from other universities. The purpose of the site visit was to support the Library in meeting present challenges and pursuing strategic directions for the next several years. The Library is currently evaluating the findings of the site visit team report and will continue its review over the next few months.
Steps already taken to address the findings include:
Understanding user needs: The Library is currently participating in the 2011 LibQUAL+ Triads Survey, a nationally administered electronic survey of its constituency to assess library service quality and identification of best practices.
Service: With user input, the Library is redesigning its online catalog to make it more “user friendly.”
Collection management: The Library is assessing the role of legacy print collections in today’s environment of electronic/digital information. The Library has joined two new multi-type library consortia, LYRASIS and Portico, and continues its membership in Amigos Library Services. These consortia provide the Library with opportunities to assure perpetual access to electronic resources, optimal pricing for databases, and efficient document delivery.
Collection space: The Library is conducting a major shift of collections to address structural issues in Branson Library and overloaded floors in both libraries. It is working with other NMSU offices to identify short and long-term storage options for low use collections.
Public spaces: The Library recently made colorful and vibrant space improvements to both Zuhl and Branson libraries that foster group work as well as provide quiet, private study. The changes are popular with students, and the Library’s evaluation of the project also received NMSU’s Best Practices Outcomes Assessment Award 2011. The Library is actively exploring options for initiating café/coffee services in both libraries. We also continue to explore ways to improve study spaces for groups and graduate students.
Vision for the future: The Library has developed strategic targets for 2011-2012, available at http://lib.nmsu.edu/depts/admin/strategic.shtml which include activities in response to the external review report. The Library will also address additional points raised in the external review as part of its next three-year planning retreat scheduled in Spring 2012 that will include input from all stakeholder groups and all library staff. The external review team praised the striking support of NMSU students for the Library, and it stated that the Library is well positioned to consider its vision for the future. The Library continues to pursue strategies to meet the changing needs of students and faculty in these times of reduced resources and continuous change.
For more information, contact the NMSU Library Dean’s office at (575) 646-1508.
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Pistol Pete Flash Drive is the Perfect Gift
Date: November 9, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
It’s beginning to feel a lot like the holiday season, and you may be looking for the perfect gift for a fellow Aggie. Look no further! Get your Pistol Pete 4GB flash drive for only $25 at the NMSU Library!
Pistol Pete Flash Drive
We live in a computerized world, and who doesn’t need a flash drive? Keep all of your important business at hand while keeping NMSU on your mind. Carry Pete in your pocket and show your proud Aggie support!
To order a Pistol Pete flash drive for yourself or a friend, call the Library at (575) 646-1508.
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Cindy Pierard to Offer Copyright Workshop
Date: November 14, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
Cynthia Pierard, head of the NMSU Library’s Reference and Research Department, will offer a “Copyright, Fair Use and You” workshop on Thursday, November 17, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Senate Gallery, Room 304 of Corbett Center.
The free workshop is sponsored by the Graduate School. Learn the basics of copyright law, including “fair use” of copyrighted materials, protecting and providing access to your own scholarly work and the emerging alternatives to the current legal framework.
For more information, call (575) 646-1381.
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NMSU Library to Survey Constituents
Date: November 4, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
The New Mexico State University Library will be participating in the 2011 LibQUAL+ Triads Survey this month. The NMSU Library is one of only a few academic libraries across the country taking part in this pilot testing of the LibQUAL+ Triads system, developed by the Association of Research Libraries. This nationally administered electronic survey assesses library service quality and identification of best practices.
As we plan for the Library’s future, it is important that we understand the perceptions and expectations of our constituents so that we may provide the services and resources they need to be successful.
“Survey participation is important so that we know how the Library can best serve the New Mexico State University community,” said Library Dean Elizabeth A. Titus.
NMSU’s Office of Institutional Analysis will send introductory email messages with the link to the survey to a random sampling of 1,000 undergraduates, 1,000 graduate students and 500 faculty members in early November. All responses will be confidential and anonymous.
Respondents will be offered the opportunity to enter a drawing for one of three $50 Target gift cards or one of ten $25 Barnes & Noble gift certificates. Should anyone have questions regarding their rights as a research subject, they may contact the New Mexico State University IRB Chair at ovpr@nmsu.edu.
For more information, contact the NMSU Library Administration at (575) 646-1508.
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