Library, Department & Team News

Art Library
Academic Librarianship Got You Down?
You might try your hand at being a literary curator. According to the May issue of Vogue, “the chic library has become all the rage.” The nouveau librarian/literary curator stocks the libraries of the rich and famous, looking for those hard-to-find OP books with a certain cachet. Knowing how to show off the books with the correct lighting is also part of the job, as is knowing just which book should be left open to display that particularly striking image. Dying to know what Kate Moss just bought? A book on organized crime, Herbert Corey's Farewell, Mr. Gangster!, published in 1936.

Alma Lesch Papers
On a more serious note, the Art Library is fortunate to have received the papers of Alma Lesch, Kentucky fiber artist best known for her fabric collages and her work with vegetable dyes. Alma taught at U of L and influenced many of the area's fiber artists working today. She was a founding member of the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen, and in 1987 she received the Kentucky Governor's Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Visual Arts.

Ekstrom Library
KULS
ALA News Release
“ALCTS names winner of the First Step Award”
Allen B. Ashman, assistant professor and head, Kentucky Union List of Serials, University of Louisville, is the 2001 recipient of the First Step Award — a Wiley Professional Development Grant, presented by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) Serials Section, a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

The $1,500 grant, donated by John Wiley & Sons, provides librarians who are new to the serials field with an opportunity to broaden their perspectives and encourages professional development through participation in ALA conferences and serials section activities.

“Ashman was chosen in recognition of his commitment to the profession, extensive professional development, visible initiatives in union listing efforts, cataloging reference, bibliographic instruction and his record of professional service,” Award Committee Chair Michelle Sitko said. “His enthusiasm for serials librarianship and his leadership potential commend him for this award.”

Ashman is a member of ALA, the Kentucky Virtual Library's Resource Sharing Workgroup and the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Government Information Locator Service (GILS) Implementation Team. He received an M.L.S. from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Media and Current Periodicals
Our tiny minds and last nerves are getting stretched these days with the noise and confusion of the second floor renovation and Eric's impending departure. Even the Stress Reduction Workshop didn't seem to help because, as Trish said, “things were too stressful to get the most out of it!” David didn't sign up for the workshop because he's so laid back—or perhaps he's just in denial.

So, by the time this issue of The Owl is out, Eric Neagle will be busily packing boxes and getting ready for his new adventure at library school. Eric enjoyed visiting with friends at an informal farewell party on May 30. We will surely miss him but we have promised him a fat retainer for his continued advice as we plunge into the depths of his multiple projects and ongoing work. The payment: food upon return visits. Easy to do with the likes of Trish around.

Rola Qasim, our latest and greatest of the Qasim sisters (you may remember Nisreen), has announced her marriage in June, after which she'll move to Austin, Texas. Rola will also be greatly missed and irreplaceable. The third Qasim sister is still a sophomore in high school but has promised to apply for M&CP work in true family tradition.

Office of Collection Management
The university is getting ready to implement the financial module of PeopleSoft. Jodi Duce and Judith Niles have met recently with the planning team to help with the setup of financial records for library materials purchases. The module is due to be “live” in 2002. There will be a whole new set of procedures for us to learn.

Judith was a speaker at a two-day preconference before the ALA Annual Conference (in San Francisco!) in June. The title of the preconference was “Above Reproach: Ethics and the Business of Acquisitions.” Judith spoke at three sessions about the effect of new products and systems on acquisitions functions and policies.

Office of the University Librarian
New Hire
Sam Kennedy accepted a position as Technology Specialist II, Grade 126, in the Office of Libraries Technology effective June 4, 2001. The working title of his job is Web Developer. He will transfer from the College of Education and Human Development where he works on distance education projects.

Resignation
Karen Habeeb announced her resignation as Library Assistant at Kornhauser Library, effective May 31, 2001.

Special Collections
About Skin
The art galleries on Market Street will once again feature photography during the month of July. Barbara Crawford and former Photo Archives student assistant, Arrot Hartford will be featured in an exhibition at Swanson Cralle. The show, entitled “About Skin” opens on July 11 with a reception on Friday, July 13 from 5:00-8:00 p.m.

Kornhauser Library
Don Gould reports a tale from the reference front: “Five minutes before the end of reference desk service I noticed a physician dressed in scrubs from head to toe standing in front of the desk, peering around with a quizzical look on his face. When I inquired, “May I help you find something?”, he replied, “Where have you hidden the card catalog?” After picking myself up off the floor, and wiping the tears from my eyes (laughing, not crying—silently of course) I told him he was standing in front of it (the Express Computer), which did not seem to satisfy him, but I then proceeded to take him through the process of finding a journal title. All I could think was I hope he is better at keeping up with his CME courses than he is with his library visits. Next time you need an operation, ask the surgeon if he knows where the card catalog is. If he doesn't know, get a second opinion.”

The Kornhauser staff would like to extend its best wishes to Gary and Natalie Freiburger in their new life in Tucson. Gary is off to continued success as a library director in his new position at the Health Sciences Library at the University of Arizona.

Law Library
Congratulations, Missy!
The UofL Staff Senate re-elected our own Melissa Long Shuter for a third term as Chair. As the voice of the staff, Senate decisions impact university policies and procedures. We wish Missy continued success as she leads this important group.

And Congratulations, David!
The Faculty Senate re-elected David Ensign to a second term as Vice-Chair. We wish David a successful year in this vital leadership role.

Activism: Alive and Well
On Sunday, June 10, evening circulation manager Jerome Neukirch and technical services student assistant Betsy Law participated in the Citizens Against Police Abuse (CAPA) march on Bardstown Road in the Highlands. The march (totally peaceful, of course) began at the BRYCC (Bardstown Road Youth Community Center) House near the corner of Bardstown Road and Grinstead Drive and continued to the Douglass Loop. Marchers Jerome and Betsy appeared in a front-page Metro Section photo in the June 11 Courier-Journal.

Mandolin Music on the Fourth of July
An ensemble from the Louisville Mandolin Orchestra will perform from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the Peterson Dumesnil House (301 South Peterson Avenue) as part of the Crescent Hill Fourth of July Picnic. The group will perform inside; a Gershwin medley and a Scott Joplin rag are among the featured tunes. It's free! For more information, call Robin at the Law Library at 852-6083 or email robin.harris@louisville.edu.

Music Library
If all goes well in July, Mark Dickson is planning to make a pilgrimage to attend a soccer game in Columbus, Ohio, at the Crew Stadium, which is the sole soccer-only stadium for professional soccer in the country.

Don Dean, a fervent Chicago Cubs fan, went to Cincinnati Tuesday May 29, to root for his team against the Cincinnati Reds. Also, Don reports that his vegetable garden is very pleased with the recent bounty of rain.

Carolyn is moving — again! — this time to what may be the tiniest house in Louisville. The dogs are happy to have a yard and to be reunited, but Schellie the cat is moping. She's no longer able to roam the rooftops and has no safe place from which to look down on stupid dog and human tricks. Anyone out there a creative carpenter? Or, just creative in problem solving?

UARC
Kathie Johnson gave a presentation, “Political Involvement of Louisville Women in the 20th Century,” to the Jefferson County Republican Women's Club on May 17.

Congratulations to Sherri Pawson's son, David, who graduated from Jeffersontown High School May 24 and will attend UofL in the fall. Congratulations also to Bill Morison's daughter, Julie, who married Leonel Martinez Perez on May 26.