Though we love to see you in the library, we’ve added a new website where you can view a changing sampling of new books, DVDs, and other materials as we acquire them for the College’s Libraries. Check out our new feature and then check those books out and start reading. You’ll have to come to the library for that.
To mark National Preservation Week, the Preservation staff in Davis Family Library is hosting an Open House from 1-4:30pm on Thur., April 26th. Stop by our workshop in LIB135 to see the various ways we preserve the library’s collections and to watch our conservation technician at work. Bring in your own book and paper preservation problems for evaluation by the staff.
See how a book goes from this…
…. to this!
Preservation Week is a collaborative effort supported by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association, Library of Congress and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. To learn more about it see http://www.atyourlibrary.org/passiton
Consider coming by the Preservation Dept. on your way to the Annual Rucker Lecture at 4:30!
For more information contact Joseph Watson, jwatson@middlebury.edu 443-5487
Do you need a rapid response to your library/research question? Try our new Ask-a-Librarian Chat Reference service.
Find this CHAT link on the Library page (go/lib) or on the Ask a Librarian page (go/askus)
Chat Reference is available during regular library walk-in reference hours.
And as the illustration shows, you may still contact us via text, email, or phone.
Two hundred twelve years ago this month, and 6 months before the actual founding of Middlebury College, 34 shares of stock were sold at $25 per share in order to purchase the initial collection of books for the Middlebury College library. Here is a scan of the 1st page of the constitution of the College library, from the original held in Middlebury College’s Special Collections and Archives.
Although as a librarian I’m obviously biased, I believe that, in a society in which nearly everything has become commoditized, libraries represent certain “higher” ideals. They remind us that there is such as thing as the “public (or community) good,” and that ideas, knowledge, learning, and even pleasure should not necessarily be parceled out depending upon one’s ability to pay, but rather should be accessible to anyone and everyone with the desire and curiosity to learn new things, to explore new ideas, and to wallow in art.
I hope this week you will take some time out to support your favorite library, whether it’s your hometown public library, Ilsley Public Library in downtown Middlebury, Armstrong LIbrary in BiHall, Davison Library up at Bread Loaf, Coleman Library across the continent in Monterey, or, of course, Davis Family Library here at Middlebury College. So give us a shout in the comment box if you love libraries!
In response to complaints about people having cell phone conversations adjacent to quiet study areas in Davis Family Library, LIS recently purchased to cell phone booths. These almost completely sound proof booths are proving to be quite popular.
Cell phone booth in the NE corner of the upper level of Davis Family Library
After consulting with LIS staff and the Student LIS Advisory Committee, and after seeking suggestions through this blog, we have relocated the two booths in Davis Family Library. They are both on the upper level in more low profile locations so there is less of an aesthetic impact on the architecture of the building. One is in the NE corner closest to Twilight Hall opposite elevator #2, and the other is in the SW corner closest to the Axinn Center next to group study room LIB301F. When you’re on the upper level of Davis Family Library and you want to make or receive a cell phone call, please take advantage of the private booths.
Cell phone booth locations on the upper level of Davis Family Library
Last summer LIS started a program to recognize the accomplishments of LIS staff. Each month we recognize one LIS staff member of the month, an LIS “crew” of the month, and one LIS student employee of the month (see the list of recipients). We welcome recommendations and nominations from all areas of the College. Whether you’ve received exceptional support for a specific project or you want to highlight consistent and reliable service, please take a moment and submit a nomination. Log in and share some details about why the staff member or group deserves recognition: go/nominate. Many thanks to all who have already nominated!
Last week we began the campus rollout of Sophos Anti-virus; which is replacing the Symantec package we have been using for the past several years. Last week we deployed Sophos to systems which are currently running Windows 7. This week we will be deploying Sophos to Staff systems have yet to be upgraded. This will be delivered across our network using the same mechanism that manages our Windows workstations. To facilitate this deployment we need to ask that all Windows systems be turned off on Friday nights and powered back up on Monday mornings for the next several weekends. The install packages will be pushed across the network according to the following schedule:
If you should need your system over the weekend and you are off campus there will be no impact to this update. It will resume on Monday as scheduled. If you need your computer and are connected to the campus network (other than through the VPN) you will receive the update when you power your computer on.
For information on Sophos please see the FAQ at http://go/sophos. This will answer many questions you may have and should address any issues you may encounter. Prior to the date your system is scheduled for the Sophos install please do the following:
For additional information please see http://go/sophos
