Author Archives: Joseph Watson

Reminder: Preservation Open House and Lecture on Thursday!!

Remember, you’re invited to stop by the Preservation Dept. in Davis Family Library (LIB135) between 1 and 4:30 on Thurs.  See what we do to preserve the library’s collections, bring in your own preservation problems for advice, and then stay for the lecture at 4:30.

Also, please watch this short video that shows you how YOU can help us preserve one of Middlebury College’s most valuable resources!  (It’s less than two minutes long!  Come on, give it a go!)  Thanks!

Still from Preservation "commercial".

Library Preservation Dept. Open House — You’re Invited!

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

Collection Shift in Davis Library during Spring Break

During Spring Break next week, starting on Monday 3/26, LIS will be shifting some collections in Davis Family Library in order to make room for an expansion of classroom LIB140 that is planned for June.  We’ve hired the same library moving company that moved the Music Library last year.  We expect the shift to be completed by Friday.

The Government Documents collection in the center of the Main Level will be consolidated to the eastern end of the compact shelving that it currently occupies.  This will open up three ranges of shelves at the western end of that section.  Monographs that are on shelves next to LIB140 on the Lower Level will then be moved to the newly vacated shelves in the center of the Main Level.  The collection will continue to be in the same order overall, but the break between the Main and Lower Levels will be slightly different.  All the print and online building guides will be updated to reflect the change.  See go/davismap for details.

If you need an item that is in the area being shifted by the moving company, simply place a request for the item at the Circulation Desk and it will be retrieved and held for you to pick up.

Cell Phone Booths in Davis Family Library – Location Update

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

 

Cellphone booths in Davis Library

We were going to wait to announce the new Cellphone booths in Davis Family Library until we’d had a chance to evaluate them and decide on a permanent location for them, but Brittany beat us to the punch with this post on middblog.  (Thanks Yiling Zhang for the great picture.)

Photo by Yiling Zhang

We’ve installed these in an attempt to solve two problems.   For years we’ve had complaints about people having cell phone conversations adjacent to study areas.  Other academic libraries like ours have successfully used cell phone booths like these to solve that problem.  Also, there are about thirty staff members working in shared offices in Davis Family Library and these folks don’t have a private place for phone calls to their doctor, baby sitter, etc.   Part of the reason we acquired the cell phone booths was to enhance the work/life balance of these staff members.

We purchased them at a deeply discounted price and we hope they’re worth it.  Only time will tell.   In Brittany’s post she mentioned that the location of the one on the upper level might not be ideal.  If you have suggestions of better spots in Davis Family Library for these, please feel free to drop me a line at jwatson@middlebury.edu  Thanks!