ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C&RL News ■ June 1 9 9 8 / 4 0 5 N e w s f r o m t h e F i e l d Mary Ellen Davis U n iv e rsity o f K e n tu c k y d e d ica te s n ew lib ra ry The University of Kentucky (UK) dedicated the William T. Young Library in April. The $58 million, 362,000 square-foot space incor­ porates state-of-the-art computer and tele­ com m unications technology. Nearly 650 personal computers are available for use. In addition, the library provides hundreds of jacks for laptop computers and operates a wireless ethernet for special laptops. Facili­ ties are also provided for presenting distance- learning courses. The network is fueled by an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) back­ bone, known for its capacity and speed of 622 million bits per second. The library’s Audiovisual Services (AVS) maintains videotapes, audiotapes, laserdisks, digital video disks (DVDs) and cable TV, along with facilities to link to satellite feeds. From its central desk, the section can relay information to any or all of the 50 worksta­ tions in the AVS area and to 22 small-group study rooms in AVS and other rooms in the library. D esigned by K allm ann McKinnell & Wood, the building occupies nearly 21 acres on campus with eight acres under roof. The building includes 467 student and faculty The University o f Kentucky's new library fe a tu re s m o re th a n 650 c o m p u te rs , hundreds o f dataports, and a wireless e th e rn et fo r special laptops. double-height carrels, 3,000 oak chairs that were tested for comfort, strength, and dura­ bility at a Purdue University laboratory, and modular compact shelving is used exclusi­ vely. The library also contains 23 general pur­ pose reading rooms, 57 group-study and seminar rooms, and a writing center. UK officials say the new library will be important in achieving UK’s goal of becom ­ ing “a top 20 public research university by 2020.” E sta ca d o L ib ra ry In fo rm a tio n N e tw o rk fo rm e d Five southeastern New Mexico libraries have formed an information and resource-sharing consortium known as the Estacado Library Information Network (ELIN). The five insti­ tutions are College of the Southwest, Hobbs Public Library, New Mexico Junior College, Lovington Public Library, and Woolworth Community Library. Consortium members will share print and electronic information resources including full access to the Inter­ net. A shared library automation system will allow users to access the holdings of all mem­ ber libraries. ELIN is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of a senior representative from each of the founding organizations. New Mexico Junior College will provide techni­ cal and operational support to the consortium. M in o rity lib ra ria n s h ip re cru itm e n t p ro g ra m la u n ch e d The University of Pittsburgh’s University Li­ brary System and the School of Information Sciences (SIS) have undertaken a collabora­ tive effort directed toward recruiting mem­ bers of underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups into academic librarianship. The Minority Librarian Fellowship and Resi­ dency Program is a two-year program that provides candidates with complete financial support for earning an MLIS degree during the first year followed by full-time profes­ sional experience during the second year. The successful candidate will receive a full-tuition scholarship to complete an MILIS 4 0 6 / C&RL News ■ June 1998 The new ly renovated circulation desk at th e Soc o f th e C incinnati Library. at the SIS in one-year, a graduate student assistant stipend (within the University Li­ brary System), and a full benefits package. Upon successful completion of the degree, the incumbent will receive a one-year ap­ pointment as a full-time librarian at the Uni­ versity Librarian System. According to Rush Miller, director of the University Library System, “This program re­ sults from a major effort over three years to address issues of diversity within the ULS. We are concerned about the general lack of programs in the recruitment of minorities to research librarianship in general. At Pitts­ burgh, we are well-positioned to address the problem with a major research library sys­ tem and an outstanding, highly ranked li­ brary school with a long tradition of attract­ ing minority students.” S o c ie ty o f C in c in n a ti L ib ra ry re o p e n s The Society of Cincinnati Library ob­ served its official reopening Novem­ ber 3, 1997. Though closed to re­ searchers since September 1994 for major expansion and renovation, the library continued during the interven­ ing years to acquire books, m anu­ scripts, maps, and works of art on paper relative to the colonial and revolutionary periods in general and to the art of war in the 18th century in particular. The library, housed in the historic Anderson House in Washington, D.C., now contains some 42,000 items. The renovation, completed by Ar­ chetype, converted 10,000 square feet o f u n im p ro v e d b a se m e n t space to state-of-the-art facilities for library activities. In the process, the Andersons’ wine cellar became an audiovisual room; walls were re­ moved to create open spaces; and security cameras were installed to provide surveillance in out-of-the way corners of the open stacks. The society was fo u n d ed in 1783 by officers who had served under George Washington during iety the American Revolution. Its pur­ pose was to recognize the achieve­ ments of, sacrifices by, and friend­ ships among the American, French, and other officers w ho had served together. H a w k in s se le c te d to le ad E D U C A U S E On June 1, Brian L. Hawkins became the first CEO for EDLJCAUSE, the new higher education information technology association formed by the consolidation of Educom and CAUSE. Hawkins, who was senior vice presi­ dent for Academic Planning and Administra­ tion Affairs at Brown University, said he is honored to have been selected as the char­ ter president of EDUCAUSE. “I am trem en­ dously excited about the opportunities this position presents to help forge the future of EDUCAUSE and its impact on information resources use and m anagem ent in higher education.” EDUCAUSE will be h e a d q u a rte re d in Washington, D.C., the home of Educom, with C&RL News ■ June 1998 / 4 0 7 Resources, roles, and active learning covered in three new ACRL publications CH OICE’S O u ts ta n d in g A c a d e m ic Books, 1992-1997: R eview s o f Scholarly T itles th a t E v e ry L ib r a r y S h o u ld Own, e d ite d by Rebecca A. Bartlett, brings to­ gether reviews of the more than 3,000 titles singled out in the last five years by CHOICE magazine for its prestigious Outstanding Academic Books award. Distinguished for their excellence in scholarship, rel­ evance, and originality, the titles included in this discipline-based collection should be accessible to every undergraduate student. The casebound book (ISBN 0- 8389-7929-7) is available for $68 to ACRL members and $85 to nonmembers. R e c i p e s f o r A c tiv e L e a rn in g : A S ou rceb o o k o f C la ssro o m S tra te g ie s f o r In form ation Education, edited by Gail Gradowski, Loanne Snavely, and Paula Dempsey contains 54 designs for successful active learning strategies for li­ brary instruction in the classroom. The sourcebook is divided into five sections: Basic Library Instruction, Searching In­ dexes and Online Catalogs, Search Strat­ egies for the Research Process, Evalua­ tion of Library Resources, and Discipline- Oriented Instruction. Also included is a computer disk with the forms, handouts, and teaching aids, which can be replicated for use in the classroom and also used as guides for designing activities that are ap­ propriate to a local setting. Each includes a description of the ac­ tivity or strategy, the context in which it is used, handouts and other classroom materials, and classroom time required, plus the name and institu­ tional address of the person who developed the model. These models have proven successful in the BI class­ room, the computer lab, and other instructional settings. Designs fo r Active Learning (ISBN 0-8389-7946-7) is available for $30 to ACRL members and $35 to non­ members. A cadem ic L ibrary Cen­ t r a l i t y : U s e r S u c c e s s Through Service, Access, a n d T radi­ tion: P ublications in L ibrarian sh ip No. 5 0 by Deborah J. Grimes examines the metaphor of libraries as the heart of the institution. Through an analysis of organizational theory and on the basis of interviews with a cohort of major leaders in higher educa­ tion to learn what their expectations are for the role of the academic library, the author brings new insights into criteria for academic libraries to help users achieve success. This new PIL volume (ISBN 0-8389- 7950-5) is available for $25 to ACRL mem­ bers and $30 to nonmembers. ACRL publications may be ordered from ALA Order Fulfillment, 155 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60606; phone: (800) 545-2433, press 7; fax: (312) 836-9958. operational offices in Boulder, Colorado, the home base for CAUSE. T o p p e r le ave s A C R L Effective June 8, ACRL’s director of member services, Elisa Topper, is joining the Domini­ can University (formerly Rosary College) Li­ brary School as assistant dean. In her new position, Topper will be responsible for re­ cruitment of students, career advisement, and coordinating course schedules. Since Topper joined ACRL in September 1995, she has provided leadership for mem­ bership promotion and retention activities, which included holding ACRL’s first focus group. She also worked with the President’s Program Committees and helped develop ACRL’s first videotapes and the first telecon­ ference of an ACRL President’s Program. Top­ per was ACRL’s primary contact for ACRL's sections and chapters. Her last day in ACRL was May 22. 408 / C&RL News ■ June 1998