Emmanuel d’Alzon Library Link
The Newsletter of the Emmanuel d’Alzon Library
Assumption College, Worcester, Massachusetts USA
Volume 15, Issue 1
Fall 2009Volume 15, Issue 1
Inside this issue
From the Director’s Desk
Dr. Dawn R. Thistle
Executive Director of Information Technology & Media Services
It is with sadness and some ambivalence that I write this, my last column “From the Director’s
Desk.” I have had the amazing privilege of serving Assumption as Director of Library Services
for eleven great years. During that time we have accomplished a lot of things, from establishing
the d’Alzon Arts Series, to implementing the Voyager integrated library system, to creating a
collection of documents (strategic plan, marketing plan, collection development policy,
information literacy plan, annual report, etc.), to securing funding through five LSTA grants, to
initiating regular events such as the Faculty Publications Reception and the Annual Book Sale. I
could go on…
However, the most important thing that I would like to say is that I could not have accomplished
any of these things by myself. It has been a joy to work with librarian colleagues who are eager
to create and share a vision of what the Assumption library can be. Since I arrived in 1998 much
of the staff has turned over—only a few of the original group remain. But one thing all the past
and present d’Alzon Library staff have had in common is their passion for library service.
Over the years, the d’Alzon Library has also enjoyed the support and appreciation of wonderful
faculty and administrators, without whom our programs and projects would not have been
possible. And all the students who have come into the library to study, to attend programs or
simply hang out, have been wonderful: our reason for being.
I will miss all this, but I am so very happy that I will still be here at Assumption, just across the
lawn in the IT Building. From my new office in IT, I can look out at the library. As Executive
Director of Information Technology and Media Services, I look forward to continuing to
collaborate with my library colleagues on various projects, and to working with faculty,
administrators and students in new and exciting ways. It’s fantastic that I am not saying “Goodbye,” but merely “See you later!”
Thank you all for your colleagueship and your support over the years, and see you later!
Dawn
P.2
New Library Layout on the 1st Floor
Volume 15, Issu
Phil Waterman
If you’ve been into the d’Alzon Library this semester, we hope you have noticed, that things
have changed on the first floor. Not only did we re-carpet the entire floor, but we also rearranged
the furniture, consolidated all of the computers and printers into one location, created a
lounge/sitting area near the windows, created some new group and individual study areas, and
realigned the shelving that holds the reference collection, current newspapers and magazines, and
the movies.
You can view photos of the new first floor layout, and of the library as we moved all the books,
furniture and shelving during the new carpet project, by going to the Library’s Facebook page
(search: “Assumption College Library”) and clicking on the Photos tab.
Better yet, come to the library in person and check it out for yourself! Let us know what you
think.
Library/IT Collaboration
Laurie Welling
The Library and IT departments continue to explore ways to collaborate.
BLACKBOARD
Laurie Welling, Systems Librarian and Certified Blackboard Server Administrator, is assisting
the IT department with managing the Blackboard system. While Lynn Cooke, Instructional
Technology Manager and Blackboard Learning System GUI Administrator, works the front-end,
Web-face of Blackboard, Laurie assists Ben Goodwin, Systems Manager, in maintaining the
back-end, server-side of Blackboard. Duties include log management, troubleshooting system
problems and tuning the system to maintain consistent performance.
Several years ago, the Library collaborated with Lynn Cooke to post e-reserves on Blackboard
course sites. Later, Lynn collaborated with members of the Library Reference staff to add a
“Library Services” section to each Blackboard course site.
LIBRARY SERVERS
The IT department’s Ben Goodwin was instrumental in acquiring and building a server to host
the Library’s new ILLiad-interlibrary loan application. Once the server was ready, Laurie
installed ILLiad, modified the set-up and customized the Web pages to meet the requirements of
the Library. Afterwards, Ben arranged for the ILLiad server to be included in the campus-wide
server backup system.
p. 3
New Director for the d’Alzon Library
Laurie Welling
The Library staff welcomes Doris Ann Sweet as the new Director of Library Services. Ms.
Sweet brings with her a wealth of library experience, most recently as Associate Director for
Research Services at Simmons College Library in Boston. Previous positions include Associate
Director for Public Services at Simmons College Library; Assistant Director for Access Services
at Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard University; and Head, Bibliographic Services
Department and Assistant Department Head/Reference Coordinator at Mugar Memorial Library,
Boston University.
Ms. Sweet is a Phi Beta Kappa, cum laude graduate of Columbia University, with a B.A. in
English Literature. Ms. Sweet also earned an M.S. from the Columbia University School of
Library Service, as well as an M.A. in History; from Columbia University.
During her interview with the Library staff, staff members were especially impressed with her
collaborative working style, her strong customer service values, and her student-centered
approach to the delivery of library services.
Her extensive academic library experience and her proven leadership skills will be an asset to the
Library and to Assumption College.
Contact information for Ms. Sweet:
dasweet@assumption.edu or x7272.
By The Numbers
By Liz Maisey
3779
items added to the
library collection
this past year
4778
questions asked at the Reference Desk from
June 2007 to June 2008
9,993
e-books and e-journals
available
through the
library’s catalog
p.4
Emmanuel d’Alzon Library Celebrates the Writer
Mary Brunelle
If it is autumn, it is time for the Library’s Annual Faculty Publication Reception. On Tuesday,
November 3, at 4:00 p.m., d’Alzon Library will honor faculty members who have published an
article, essay, or book within the past year. This event is a fantastic way for Assumption to
celebrate the scholarship and research of its faculty and to give faculty the chance to exhibit their
work and learn about their colleagues’ creative endeavors.
If you have published material recently, please check that your work is cited on the Library’s
Faculty Publication List at http://www1.assumption.edu/dept/library/faculty/facpubs.html . If
you do not see your material listed, or if you see the need for any changes/corrections, please
contact Mary Brunelle at mbrunelle@assumption.edu by October 1. We do not want to
overlook anyone. We look forward to seeing you on November 3!
New Student Workers: Staff Changes
Janice Wilbur
On Thursday, August 27th, our returning student workers came to the library to participate in
training. Among those who had worked during academic year 2008-09 were two students who
worked during the summer and are now yearly staff. Tammy Goguen and Jerry Reilly worked
with returning student staff members Steve Grassey and Jay Thistle to keep the library in order
during the summer months. Tammy and Jerry are now well prepared to sit beside the more
seasoned student staff as we concentrate on activities that promote good customer service.
The d’Alzon library has also hired an additional seven students from the class of 2013 who
wanted to work in the library:
Fitore Gjemnica
Abigail Stephenson
Evan Mathewson
Matthew Taylor-Curby
Brianna Zuk
Amanda Medeiros
Kristin Schultz
We look forward to working with these new students. Thank you for allowing the staff of the
d’Alzon Library an opportunity to serve you and your research needs.
p.5
Statistics Made Easy
Mary Brunelle
To many people (including some librarians), “statistics” is a four-letter word. Finding the right
statistics on a particular group of people can be hit-or-miss, especially with Google. The good
news is that virtually all of the statistical information the federal government collects through
census and surveys is freely available on the Web; you just need to know where to look!
Three great sites to keep in mind are FedStats, Statistical Abstract of the United States, and the
National Center for Education Statistics. All three sites are trustworthy and authoritative.
Maintained by the government, they feature statistics collected by various governmental
agencies, as well as some private organizations, and group them by category.
FedStats ( http://www.fedstats.gov/ ) is a great resource for tracking down the particular
institution or agency that collects data on a needed topic. You may think of it as a portal, as it
provides direct links to the agency’s Web site with the statistical data. For instance, if you are
looking for information on lung cancer, start with the alphabetical topic index. Click Topic Links
– A To Z, then C for cancer. Clicking the link for Lung directs you to the page for the National
Cancer Institute (a division of the National Institutes of Health) on lung cancer with statistics and
other helpful information about the disease. You also may search by keyword across agency
Web sites, if you cannot find an appropriate topic from the alphabetical list. Finally, select a
state from the MapStats section to find statistical information at the state level.
Statistical Abstract of the United States ( http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ ) is an
electronic version of the trusted print Reference source that has been in publication for over 100
years. Statistical Abstract culls data primarily from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, and Bureau of Economic Analysis and displays the tables directly on its site, often as
both a PDF and an Excel spreadsheet. Like FedStats, you may browse the wide range of general
topics in the alphabetical list (each topic subdivides into more specific topics), or you may search
by keyword across the site with the search box in the top right corner of the page.
The site for the National Center for Education Statistics, or NCES ( http://nces.ed.gov/ ), a
division of the Department of Education, is the go-to source for statistics related to education at
all levels. To find the statistical information, click Tables & Figures on the toolbar at the top of
the page. From the dropdown menu, select either Search Tables/Figures for a general keyword
search or Popular Keyword Title Searches for an alphabetical list of topics.
So the next time you are looking for statistics about the U.S. or the population, try one of these
helpful resources. Because these sites offer information on a variety of topics (e.g.,
government/politics, health, education, economy, agriculture, labor, ethnicity, environment, and
demographics), there is a good chance you will find what you need!
p.6
d’Alzon Arts
Joan O’Rourke
Black and white photography by Richard Paul Hoyer, photographer, lecturer, and fine art printer,
is on display in the first floor of the library. Stop by to see his impressive work available for
viewing through October 16.
The d’Alzon Arts Series will continue in October with a show by Carrie Nixon, Associate
Professor of Art at Assumption College. Please join us for the opening reception on Tuesday,
October 20, at 4:30 p.m. A poetry reading will be held on Friday, October 16, at 7:00 p.m.
Following open mic, Dan Lewis and David Thoreen, Professor of English at Assumption
College, will be the featured readers.
For more information on upcoming d’Alzon Arts events, visit our site at:
http://www1.assumption.edu/dept/library/events/dalzonartssched.html
Book Sale
Laurie Welling
The Library held its 6th annual booksale in September. The widely anticipated event did not
disappoint. Business was brisk and over $700 was raised for the purchase of new library
materials.
Hundreds of books found new homes with members of the Assumption Community and
remaining books were donated to the Got Books? organization. Among the projects sponsored
by Got Books? are the Books for Troops program and the Books for Educators program. More
information about Got Books? is available at http://www.gotbooks.com.
Thank you to all who participated in this successful event.
If you are interested in donating books for next year’s book sale, please contact Julie O’Shea at
joshea@assumption.edu or x7137.
Check Out Our Display Cases!
Carol Pappas
Have you ever read a Harry Potter book? Do you know that the Harry Potter books have been
banned by many libraries? Harry has actually been banned for promoting witchcraft! Check out
one of our display cases in the lounge-area of the library to see what other books have been
banned. Some of them are very surprising.
September is “National Hispanic Heritage Month.” Come and check out our other display case
which highlights what the Library has to offer on Hispanic heritage, literature, poetry and the
arts.
In October, Disability Services will be displaying in the cases to promote “National Disability
Awareness Month.” Look to see what interesting items they have to offer.
p.7
Introducing ILLiad!
Ashley Malouin
Over the summer, the d’Alzon Library implemented a new system for interlibrary loan. ILLiad
went live on August 21st and is a huge improvement over our old system, with some great new
features.
Through your ILLiad account, you can enter requests for articles, books, or book chapters, and
track those requests as they move through the interlibrary loan system. All loans you have
checked out from ILL will show on your account as well, with due dates and the ability to
request a renewal.
You may also receive articles and chapters electronically in ILLiad; the PDF files will be posted
right to your Illiad account, so you can access them from anywhere for 30 days without taking up
valuable space in your email inbox!
To use ILLiad, create an account at http://ill.assumption.edu/illiad/ and click on the red link for
“First-Time Users” to register. This account creation means that you only have to enter your
contact information once! You can also select your delivery preferences for articles and books
here (you can always change these preferences later on). Once you have an account, you only
need to log in from the ILLiad home page to place requests and access all of your interlibrary
loan information.
We’re very excited about this new system, and hope it makes the interlibrary loan process easier
and more enjoyable for you! If you have any questions, please contact:
Ashley Malouin, x7291 amalouin@assumption.edu or Janice Wilbur, x7271,
jwilbur@assumption.edu
Fun Things To Do With Your Cell Phone
Barrie Mooney
#1 Get pizza listings or ball game scores
Simply text message your search query to 466453 (or "GOOGLE" on most devices) and they'll
text message back your results.
Sooo...If you want pizza listings for the area you are in, text: pizza 01609 to 466453. The result
is listings for all the pizza places in that zip code. For the next set of results just reply with the
text: next. This works for movies, ball scores, etc.
#2 Sending email to a phone as a text
All you need to know is your phone’s email address. Depending on your carrier, you are able to
send things easily to yourself or others!
For example, I use Verizon. In my email I send to [10-digit phone number]@vtext.com. for
AT&T it is [10-digit phone number]@txt.att.net, so it will look like this:
2125551212@txt.att.net
So easy! For any additional information you can look at the FAQs of http://www.sms411.net
p.8
Thank you, Dawn for 11 wonderful years as Director of the d’Alzon Library. You have made
the Library a more integral part of the Assumption Community. Our many receptions for
faculty, students and staff and dozens of d’Alzon Arts events made the Library a vibrant and
happening place on campus. Through your work, we have improved our holdings with the
Fortin, Mallet, and Tavard collections. We have become a technology center on campus with on
and off campus access to over one hundred online databases and thousands of electronic
journals. Our Christmas parties won’t be the same without you leading us in carols, and we will
miss the enthusiasm and encouragement that you have provided over the years. Best wishes and
we hope that the IT and Media staff know how lucky they are to get you.
The Library
Staff
From the Back Cover
Liz Maisey
The Land, the Bible, and History: Toward the Land That I Will Show You
by Alain Marchadour, A.A. and David Neuhaus, S.J.
“Alain Marchadour and David Neuhaus, two biblical scholars and priests living in Jerusalem,
clearly analyze the Promised Land – as concept, history, and contested terrain – in Catholic
teaching and doctrine.” - Book jacket.
Schizophrenia: Cognitive Theory, Research, and Therapy
by Aaron T. Beck, Neil A. Rector, Neal Stolar, and Paul Grant.
“A growing body of research demonstrates that cognitive therapy can make a real difference in
the long-term outcomes and quality of life of people with schizophrenia. The volume integrates
cognitive-behavioral and biological knowledge into a state-of-the-science conceptual
framework.” - Book jacket.
Mockingbird: a Portrait of Harper Lee
by Charles J. Shields
“Mockingbird is a colorful portrait of this unconventional, high-spirited, and sometimes
hardheaded woman who loved her Southern home and the craft of writing and who – from these
undying affections – created a book whose power has never diminished.” - Book jacket.
Against the Grain: Christianity and Democracy, War and Peace
by George Weigel
“Cutting against the grain of conventional wisdom, New York Times best-seller George Weigel
offers a compelling look at the ways in which Catholic social teaching sheds light on the
challenges of peace, the problem of pluralism, the quest for human rights, and the defense of
liberty.” - Book jacket.
Salt Marshes: a Natural and Unnatural History
by Judith S. Weis and Carol A. Butler
“Now championed as critical habitats for plants, animals, and people because of the
environmental services and protection they provide, salt marshes were once considered
unproductive wastelands…[Weis and Butler] provide a wealth of essential information about a
variety of plants and animal, the importance of these habitats, and insight into how these
wetlands recover.” - Book cover.