bartch02's blog

Headline of the Week: Library Renovations: Phases Two and Three

This past summer, LIS completed work on Phase One of a multi-phase project to reconfigure space on the main floor of Preus Library. Visitors to the library this fall found a relocated Technology Help Desk directly opposite the main library entrance and co-located with our Research Help desk. Late in September, Luther’s Writing Center moved from the lower floor of the library to be adjacent to the new Technology Help Desk Call Center, our main library computer lab, as well as our technology and research help desks.

In the coming week, LIS will launch a recruitment for a Web Programmer/Analyst on the Application Development team. Full information regarding the recruitment is available on the LIS Recruiting website. Anyone with questions regarding the recruitment or interest in the position should talk with myself or Marcia Gullickson. Further updates on the recruitment will be shared as they are available.

In lieu of our normal LIS General meeting for November (next Wednesday November 4), we will meet in the Olin Round Table room to participate in a live video event from EDUCAUSE 2009 in Denver. The session will be Collaboration Is Strategy led by Brad Wheeler, the Vice President for IT, CIO and Professor at Indiana University.

His talk will begin at 9:15. Refreshments will be available in the 3rd Floor faculty lounge.

Headline of the Week: LIS & H1N1

While H1N1 is not a new topic locally or nationally, the spread of the virus continues to pose a significant threat not only to health but to operations at colleges like Luther. Library and Information Services prepared an initial response plan for pandemic situations three years ago, and continues to revise and refine them as we head deeper into the current flu season. Just this week, many Luther supervisors met with County Health Department Administrator Krista Vande Brink to discuss preparations and procedures.

Headline of the Week: Copyright: A Case Decided

This past Wednesday, Blackwell Publishing, Incorporated et al v. Miller was decided, offering further insights into legal interpretation of Fair Use for libraries. Such cases play important roles in helping us to discern how to legally and properly provide information services with copyrighted material.

Headline of the Week: TWILIS Reimagined

Subscribers of TWILIS will recall we’ve conducted a brief survey over the past couple weeks to determine the parts of the newsletter that work particularly well, and areas where we could improve. Thanks to everyone who has offered their thoughts. This week I thought I’d share some of the collective wisdom and some thoughts on changes we’ll make in response now and in the coming weeks.

As of this afternoon, thirty-nine individuals have responded to the survey.

Press release regarding grant opportunities:

WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley said today that the Institute of Museum and Library Services is offering grant opportunities through the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant program and the 2010 Museums for America Grant program.

“Libraries and museums are building blocks for communities to learn and grow,” Grassley said.

Headline of the Week: Celebrating 40 Years of Preus Library

This week, Luther celebrates the 40th anniversary of the construction of Preus Library, highlighted by a public reception Saturday, October 3rd from 3:00-5:00p in Hovde Lounge. All are welcome. Preus Library has served Luther extremely well for the past 40 years, and we look forward to 40++ more years of bringing the Luther community together to share, use, and produce scholarship and information.

Full text of the proclamation (available here ).

Every day, we are inundated with vast amounts of information. A 24-hour news cycle and thousands of global television and radio networks, coupled with an immense array of online resources, have challenged our long-held perceptions of information management. Rather than merely possessing data, we must also learn the skills necessary to acquire, collate, and evaluate information for any situation.

In order to make This Week in LIS as useful as we can, LIS has issued a brief survey to recipients asking for their thoughts. Subscribers are encouraged to complete the survey (it shouldn’t take very long). Subscription information and more information about this weekly email newsletter from LIS is available at http://lis.luther.edu/twilis.