Talking in the Library

Hobrock Award Rewind: 2008

We're taking a look back at previous Brice G. Hobrock Distinguished Faculty Award winners this week and last, hoping to remind you of all the great reasons to nominate a K-State librarian for the award.

2008's winner was Dale Askey. Dale's efforts to bring interactive tools to K-State Libraries’ technology offerings were cited in support of his nomination. He successfully obtained student funding for the Libraries’ initial purchase of SFX and a Google Search Appliance. He currently serves as the publisher for the Libraries’ new open-access journal imprint, New Prairie Press, and serves on the editorial board of Germany’s largest-circulation library journal, BuB. Forum für Bibliothek und Information. Dale was the Web Development Librarian at the time of his nomination. Sadly, he will soon leave K-State to become the Associate University Librarian for Library and Learning Technology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Dale's nominator remarked, “He…shows a strong commitment to working with…K-State Libraries’ staff to foster a spirit of camaraderie, spread a ‘can-do’ attitude, and improve understanding of each unit’s activities and challenges.” What other K-State librarians are similarly inspiring to you?  Maybe your can-do librarian is Cindy Logan, Regina Beard, Mike Haddock, Michelle Turvey-Welch, or Tara Coleman.

Keep an eye out for a couple more posts about past winners, take a look at the award guidelines and consider nominating your favorite K-State librarian before the February 11 deadline!

Hobrock Award Rewind: 2007

We're taking a look back at previous Brice G. Hobrock Distinguished Faculty Award winners this week and next, hoping to remind you of all the great reasons to nominate a K-State librarian for the award.

Associate professor Beth Turtle was chosen by her peers to receive the third Brice G. Hobrock Distinguished Library Faculty Award. Turtle’s contributions to the “Moving beyond Paper” initiative were cited in support of her nomination. Turtle has served as chair of the Kansas Regents’ Database Consortium, which works to secure statewide contracts for many of the electronic databases and journal packages now used at K-State. She has also been involved in two Regents libraries projects providing virtual reference service.

Other activities include serving as a faculty senator and chairing a library faculty search committee through five searches. Turtle was the subject librarian for chemistry, biochemistry and chemical engineering when selected for the award, and now serves as the head of the newly formed Scholarly Communications and Publishing department.

A nominator commented, “I appreciate Beth’s ability to see the big picture, yet not lose track of the details. She is a wonderful collaborator who always does her share of the work in an efficient manner.” Have you had successful collaborations with other K-State librarians? Perhaps Char Simser, Cherie Geiser, Jason Coleman, Laurel Littrell or Tara Baillargeon have helped you define your big picture.

Keep an eye out for more posts about past winners, take a look at the award guidelines and consider nominating your favorite K-State librarian before the February 11 deadline!

K-State Keepsakes: The Kansas Sesquicentennial & K-State!

27th in the Series

 

 On January 29, 2011, the State of Kansas celebrates its Sesquicentennial!  When the State was       admitted to the Union in 1861, Kansas State University was already in existence!   Well, not exactly!  You see, Bluemont Central College opened its doors in Manhattan on January 9, 1860, one year before statehood; then Bluemont College beget Kansas State Agricultural College on February 16, 1863; and KSAC beget Kansas State College for Agriculture and Applied Science on March 9, 1931; finally, KSC beget Kansas State University for Agriculture and Applied Science on March 27, 1959!  You get the point!  Furthermore, K-State is the oldest public institution of higher learning in Kansas and will celebrate its own sesquicentennial in 2013!

The majority of settlers in the Manhattan area came from New England as "free staters" in an effort to keep Kansas Territory from entering the Union as a "slave" state under the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.  The act allowed the residents of a territory to decide by popular sovereignty if the state would become slave or free.

Many of Manhattan's residents were well educated and they wanted their children to have the same   opportunity to learn as they had back East.  Among those were Washington Marlatt, Joseph Denison and  Isaac Goodnow, who were allowed by the legislative assembly of the Territory to form a Bluemont  Central College Association to promote education and science, and locate a college in the Manhattan area.  It could include a literary department of arts and sciences and an agricultural department.

After Association members raised funds in the East, and locally, a building was   constructed in 1859 at what is now the northwest corner of Claflin Rd. and College Ave.  The three story native limestone structure measured 44 x 66 feet.  When Bluemont Central College opened on January 9, 1860, there were 53 students.  Washington Marlatt was the principal and Julia Bailey the assistant.  In spite of the name "College," all of the instruction was delivered at the elementary level as the students did not have  high school degrees. This was the institution that was in place when Kansas entered the union in 1861 and in 1863  when Bluemont's assets were transferred to the State to become KSAC.  Bluemont was razed in 1883 after instruction moved to Farm Machinery Hall on the present campus site in 1875.

Kansas State University has played a proud and impressive role in Kansas history and it continues to serve the state, country, and beyond as the "first land grant college in the nation!"  Happy Sesquicentennial, Kansas !

Tony Crawford, University Archivist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources: History of Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science by Julius T.Willard; photographs from University Archives; for more information about the founding of Bluemont College, see K-State Keepsakes: Birth of a College.

 

 

Hale quiet study temporarily relocated to 1st floor

I have an earworm. Every time I walk through 1st floor, the song "Voices Carry" by 'Til Tuesday gets stuck in my head, "Hush, keep it down now, voices carry." Whilst* distracting to others when I start humming,  this particular earworm exists for a good reason.

Due to water damage in the Great Room (Mural Room/Harry Potter Room), we've temporarily relocated the quiet study zone to the 1st floor until we're able to reopen the Great Room on 3rd.  Not a perfect solution, we know, but we wanted to be sure the folks who need quiet to study have a place in Hale.

The signs went up today, so if you've been studying on 1st this semester and didn't know .... well, there was no way you could know. But now you do, and be sure to tell your friends!

We don't currently have a date for when the Great Room will reopen, so stayed tuned for updates online (such as this one) and keep an eye out for signs notifying you when the Great Room is once again open for quiet study. Confused about why the Great Room is closed? Check out this earlier post (with photos) about the Great Water Leak of January 13.

As always, thank you for being considerate of others when you study!

And now, I'll share my earworm with you. I know it's about a woman freeing herself from an overbearing boyfriend, but that refrain is pretty solid. Now you'll all know what I'm humming...and I'll know what you're humming. Hmmm. We probably shouldn't hum it on 1st, though.

*I just read a report from Mintel that used "whilst" instead of "while" and I've been itching for a reason to do so myself.

Hobrock Award Rewind: 2006

We're taking a look back at previous Brice G. Hobrock Distinguished Faculty Award winners this week and next, hoping to remind you of all the great reasons to nominate a K-State librarian for the award.

Gayle K. Willard was the recipient of the 2006 award. She has received several honors and awards, including Animals in Society grants funded in 2004 and 2005 by the State of Kansas. Gayle was awarded the Louise Darling Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Collection Development in the Health Sciences in 2004 from the Medical Library Association. In 2003, she was appointed by the governor of Kansas to serve a 3-year term on the Kansas Library Network Board, and she a member of several professional organizations, including the Midcontinental Chapter of the Medical Library Association, the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association, and the Veterinary Medical Libraries Section of the Medical Library Association. Since 1999, Gayle has served as an information consultant and member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Gayle currently holds the rank of Professor and serves as the director of the Veterinary Medical Library.

Gayle's nominator says it best, “She has excelled in service, team-building, and in bringing internationally-recognized collections to our college and to Kansas State University.” What other K-State librarians do you know who hold a strong committment to service and team-building?  What about Jamene Brooks-Kieffer, Leo Lo, David Allen, Elisabeth Pankl, or Melia Fritch?

Keep an eye out for more posts about past winners, take a look at the award guidelines and consider nominating your favorite K-State librarian before the February 11 deadline!

Hobrock Award Rewind: 2005

We're taking a look back at previous Brice G. Hobrock Distinguished Faculty Award winners this week and next, hoping to remind you of all the great reasons to nominate a K-State librarian for the award. 

Mike Haddock was the winner of the inaugural Hobrock Award in 2005. His book (based on his highly successful website) Wildflowers and Grasses of Kansas: A Field Guide was published by the University  Press of Kansas. Mike has also been a leader in areas of great importance to our land-grant mission such as AgNIC, the Agricultural Network Information Center. On campus he has served as a faculty senator, chaired the Faculty Senate Committee on Technology, and currently chairs the Information Resource Management Council. Mike was head of the Sciences department when he won the award; he now holds the position of Assistant Dean for Research, Education, and Engagement.

As Mike's nominator concluded, "Mike is indeed a role model for academic librarians. He is an effective mentor and a great leader for his professional colleagues." Do you know any other K-State librarians who are great role models, mentors, or leaders?  Maybe Merry Bower, Roger Adams, Diana Farmer, Daryl Youngman, Sara Kearns, or Livia Olsen fit the bill for you. 

Keep an eye out for more posts about past winners, take a look at the award guidelines and consider nominating your favorite K-State librarian before the February 11 deadline!

Flying the nerd flag high on Friday

It's almost the weekend, what are your plans? I know what mine are....

 

 

 

Lost Dr. King Audio Coming Home To K-State

The photos shown in this video are housed in the Richard L. D. and Marjorie J. Morse Department of Special Collections in Hale Library. If you would like to see more or have any questions, please contact contact Anthony Crawford, University Archivist.

Hobrock Award seeking 2011 nominations

Have you heard about K-State Libraries' Hobrock Award?  The Brice G. Hobrock Distinguished Faculty Award was established in April 2004 by the Friends of K-State Libraries to honor the former Dean of Libraries who retired in June 2004 after more than 20 years of service.

Annually the award recognizes outstanding librarianship and superior accomplishments among K-State Libraries' faculty. The winner is honored with a plaque of recognition and an award of $1,000.

We need your help to nominate the very best candidates for the award.  Over the next couple weeks, we'll introduce you to the six previous winners.  See if their accomplishments and service inspire you to nominate a K-State librarian who possesses similarly exceptional qualities. 

If you don't need any more encouraging, check out the list of eligible faculty and the convenient online nomination form today!

Hale Library Water Leak

Thursday, January 13, 2011…the day the Hale Library flooded! Ok not quite, but it sorta felt like it for a minute.  Some pipes burst on the roof and the water followed gravity. Another scientific theory held true in the library. 

 

Don’t be surprised when you come in next if the carpet smells a bit…wet.