Talking in the Library

Short Cuts: Why are there Toni Morrison books where my string theory books are supposed to be?

You may have recently found yourself standing in the aisles of the Hale Library stacks ready to peruse your favorite section of the library for knowledge only to be left thinking, "Hmmm. If I remember correctly, this is where the history section always resided. But these are child psychology books. I'm pretty sure this is where I've always gone to browse history. Am I losing my mind? What's going on here!? I DON'T LIKE CHANGE!!!"

Don't Panic!

The prior situation was a dramatization of feelings many people are having as Hale moves along with its material reorganization, which is just a fancy way of saying a lof of stuff's moving around. Why all this movement you ask? There are a number of valid reasons for the shift. These reasons, however, do not include the enjoyment of inflicting confusion on the masses because, trust us when we say that there are plenty of folks who work in the Libraries adjusting to this shift as well.

This shifting of materials was brought upon by the closing of Stack G for the purpose of housing special collections and archival materials that we could no longer store elsewhere. Therefore, all the contents of G needed to be evacuated and that caused a domino effect of everything being shifted to make room for those items. So, starting from the Z's in room 117, the great shift began.

Throughout this shift, we gathered ideas of how the library could be better organized. In order to implement those changes, they needed to take place when we were already shifting things around.

So what exactly is changing? Full of questions we are today. Here's what's happening so far:

• All music and art books (any material with an M or N call number already located in Hale) will be moving from the 3rd floor moving shelves to the 4th floor non-moving shelves on the east side for easier browsing. Yes, that means the M and N's will be shelved before the A call numbers. (The N call numbers in Weigel Library are staying there.)
• The media cabinets, containing all videos and sound recordings, as well as the LP's, will be moving to the 4th floor
• Stack F will now be the new home of Government Documents and Reference, as well as Kansas Documents
• Agricultural Documents on the 1st floor have now been integrated into the main collection in call number order---you'll mostly find them on stack A and in room 117
• Hale's main collection will now expand across the entirety of the 3rd floor. A small section of A's and some B's will remain in the 4th floor moving shelves

As you can see, there's a lot happening with Hale, and it's certainly been a ballet of chaos for the past few months.

But how can materials be found amongst all this movement you ask? Ok, I'll tell you, but this is the last question I'm going to answer, today.

• http://www.lib.k-state.edu/help/stacksguide/index.php provides an online stacks guide with up-to-date call number locations
• http://m.lib.k-state.edu/ is K-State Libraries' mobile application that provides call number locations for specific materials you would like to find, as well as direct help from staff members via IM chat. The mobile site is still in beta, so your mobile device isn't immediately routed there from our main website, but bookmark this URL until then, and you're good to go. (And the URL will work on non-mobile devices, too!)
• We do still have paper stacks guides, but the shifting is going so fast, that we haven't been able to keep up with printing new ones nearly as fast as we have with updating the online versions
• Finally, feel free to visit the Hale Library Help Desk on the 2nd floor and someone will be happy to assist you in finding and retrieving any materials you may need

So there it is, the gist of what's going on at Hale. We hope that you'll continue to have patience with us through the noise and confusion. As we like to say, "Please pardon our shift!" It's all a bit of a mess but things will settle soon enough and eventually you'll find that you'll have a new favorite spot for browsing materials.

- Ben Hedges

Short Cuts Returns (and just in time for finals!)

Look at this article. Look down. Now look back at this article. What do you see? It's Short Cuts, a Talking in the Library article series that will make your library experience more like mine, which is super awesome.

This article series is K-State Libraries' new and improved version of the Staples "Easy" button---providing tips, tricks, advice, and short cuts for undergraduate students who use K-State Libraries for classes, research, and more.

We know it's nearing the end of the semester. You can smell the chlorine from the pools; you can taste the ice cream; and you can feel the 90 degree humidity. K-State Libraries and Short Cuts are here to help you get there.

Take Hale Library. Hale Library and I have only recently gotten beyond mere acquaintances, but it didn't take long for me to discover just how cool Hale Library really was (it's not rocket science, I mean, the building looks like a castle and has a Happy Potter room!).

And if Hale Library is a castle, then the librarians must be knights in shining armor. Not only do they save the day even when the enemy appears to be closing in (aka, your paper is due in one hour), but they also seem to have the right knowledge at hand to get the job done (aka, our cool technology, research tools, databases, and more!). And the best part is that the librarians are all on your side. Armed with the knowledge of about a million bazillion topics, the librarians here are without a doubt your ultimate secret weapon.

And if that's not Chuck Norris enough for you, there is also an Undergraduate & Community Services Department. Yes, that's right, there is a department of 13 librarians and specialists who come to work each and every day just to serve you, the undergraduates! To put it bluntly, without you, we wouldn't have jobs! So please come visit us to chat or ask questions about anything library-related (or not library-related, we like to talk about anything really) because our office doors, phones, emails, and web chats are always open to you! Click on any of the three Ask-A-Librarian links located on the K-State Libraries' homepage for more details.

So, to review, look down. Close your eyes. Open your eyes. What do you see? You see a YouTube video of a guy talking about the awesomeness of the library, and who, by the way, looks so remarkably similar to the Old Spice guy that you let him convince you of how cool the library can be without even once questioning his authenticity.

 

Q&A about QR Codes

You have probably spotted QR codes in magazines, on for sale signs, on TV, or even outside Varney's Book Store. Soon they will be coming to Hale Library too. In anticipation of questions you might have about them, we have created this short QR FAQ:

1.  What is a QR Code?

A QR Code is a 2-dimensional barcode that encodes information such as an address for a website, words, a phone number, or an e-mail address.

2.  How do they work?
When you see a QR code, you can decode it with a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop or other smart device  with both a camera and a QR code reader. To decode a QR code follow these simple steps:

1. launch your QR code reader program
2. bring the QR code into focus with your camera. For best results, the QR code should take up as much of the camera’s view as possible.

3.  Where can I get a QR code reader?

• If you have a smart phone, your phone may already have a QR code reader. Most new Android phones and Blackberries do. Your phone’s application marketplace will have several QR code readers, some for free and others for a few dollars. Another option is to go to http://www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software/. You will see a list of QR code readers compatible with your phone. Click the links to install them.
• If your camera phone is not a smart phone, you may be able to install a QR code reader. To find out, simply Google the name and model of your phone along with the words qr code reader.
• Conduct a Google search to find a list of recommended QR code readers.

4.  Why is K-State Libraries using QR codes?

QR codes can be placed anywhere and can be used to connect the real-world to related online content or services. In addition, once you have practiced with a few QR codes, you will find that it is faster to scan a QR code than to type a url, or enter an e-mail address, phone number or business card information. Another reason is that they are more visually appealing than printed URLs or phone numbers. Finally, they are fun!  

5.  How can I learn more about QR codes?

Ask-A-Librarian and/or visit  QR Stuff.com’s page describing QR codes. (the QR code below encodes the url)

Remembering Barb

Our friend and colleague Barbara J. Day passed away Friday, April 8, 2011.

Barb worked for Kansas State University for 34 years, and in the library for 33 of those years. She started out as a Data Entry Operator II in 1978. As a DEO II, Barb used the OCLC Model 100 crt computer terminal. In 1985 she was promoted to Library Assistant I, and became a Library Assistant II in 1986. Barb was promoted to LA III in 2000.

During her 33 years in the library, Barb saw many changes in technology, personnel,and workflows. As things changed in the cataloging world, Barb always rolled with the punches. Barb will be missed by her friends and colleagues.

Take our survey and tell us what you really think!

K-State Libraries are currently conducting a survey to gather users’ opinions on our service quality. It’s increasingly important that we provide and improve the library services you value.  Why?  With shrinking budgets and resource limitations, there’s increased stress to maintain or cut costs, while at the same time, increase both the variety and quality of services offered.  This survey is one assessment tool we use which provides us direction and accountability for your success.

Library Survey

If you have already completed the survey, thank you for your participation.  You can also submit your email address at the end of the survey for a chance to win an e-reader or a wireless mouse.  Your survey response will not be linked to the email address you submit for the drawing.

If you have any questions regarding the survey, please contact Wendy Begay, Service Quality Librarian at 782.532.2872 or email her wendyb@k-state.edu.

~Wendy Begay

My library bucket list

As you may have heard, it's National Library Week. National Library Week means I get to talk about libraries all the time. In fact, since it's National Library Week, I kind of have to talk about libraries all of the time. I think I signed an oath to do so sometime, somewhere.

I love talking about libraries. I love thinking about libraries. I love entering libraries. I even have a library bucket list--those libraries I want to enter before I die. Wait, not just enter, but take the top-secret-librarian-handshake-required tour. I discovered these tours beyond doors marked "Staff Only" in library school. My classmates worked in libraries and archives scattered throughout the Washington, D.C. area and our professors worked in places like the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian. Sometimes our classrooms were in these institutions, allowing us to wear snazzy name badges and to input the code to the staff doors. And there's nothing like getting to see cold storage in the National Archives because a guy working there recognized a friend/classmate from a party the weekend before.

So my bucket list:

The Bodlein. If the Library of Congress is our library mothership in the U.S., the Bodlein holds that title for the U.K.

CIA and FBI libraries--I went to library school in DC because I kind of wanted to work with secret agents. Still haven't been in either library, although I walked past the FBI Hoover building numerous times.

Library of Congress -- Check. Been in the stacks. Saw the conveyor belt. Stood 5 ft from contents of Abraham Lincoln's pockets when he was shot, as they awaited repairs to their display case in the conservation lab. Stood same distance from George Washington's daily journals, awaiting rebinding (which was good, becuase the paisley covers they were sporting were a) not original and b) garish). Studied in the reading room. I'd go back for more.

LucasFilms Library. This is a holdover from my love of Star Wars and Indiana Jones.  It's a beautiful library with lots of wood and stained glass out on Skywalker Ranch. After the prequel debacles, it moved a bit further down my list. But, my acquisition of The Sounds of Star Wars has returned some of my affection for all things Star Wars.

Marsh's Library in Dublin, Ireland--Check. Home to  Johnathan Swift's death mask and also the first public library in Ireland. Do you see those ornate doorways behind the people? Those are actual doors with actual locks that actual librarians used to lock actual reseachers in with the rare books so the books wouldn't be stolen.

National Archives and Records Administration -- Check. Both the building down on the Mall and the newer one (with cold storage) in Maryland. And, yes, I'd go back for more.

National Geographic Film Library -- Check. A classmate worked there. She even offered me a job, which I was too clueless to accept. The offices in DC hosted rotating exhibits, including a Peruvian mummy, who they stored in her film storage vaults for the cooler temperatures. Did you know that they had librarians who watched all of their productions and cataloged them scene by scene? So if there's a shot of an elk in the winter time, they have this list of words they attach with that 15 seconds--elk, bull elk, conifers, snow, daytime..... And then when someone wants footage of say, snow, someone could just type that into a database and find all of the scenes with snow in them. 

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Library -- Check. It's hard to know what to say about the USHMM Library, given the millions of deaths it's committed to remembering.  The resources are awesome in a gut-wrenching way. Amazing people worked there when I was a student.

New York Public Library--the one with the lions. Check out their old school stacks! Oh, hey! If I can get there in May, it looks like I could do a scavenger hunt! "18 miles of underground stacks." And you thought our stacks were confusing. You could almost hold a marathon in theirs.

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History National Anthropological Archive -- Check. Took a photographic archives class there on Saturdays one summer. One day the air conditioning was on the fritz, I swear the whole building smelled like the big elephant at the entrance. I learned about cyanotype photographs in that class.

 

National Public Radio (NPR) Library--frankly, just the fact that their shows include librarians in the credits is reason enough for me to visit. Rock on, NPR.

Trinity College Library, Dublin--partial check. I've seen the Book of Kells, but only as a total tourist. There must be more in a top-secret librarians only tour.

White House Library--I'm dying to know: policy papers? Presidential biographies? Nora Roberts? I should point out that I don't mean the room you can see on a tour of the White House, but a real working library. I'm fairly certain that a classmate interviewed the librarian for some class project. Anybody have more information to help me on my library bucket list quest?

Keith Richard's library--come on, you know you want to know what he has stashed in his library. too!

 

And of course, any library that has stacks with wrought iron book shelves, dim lighting, warrens of rooms with floors that don't match up, possible glass floors (more glass floors), or the high potential that you may expire before finding your way out or to the bathroom.

 

What other libraries should I add to my bucket list?

Why Do Legislative Advocacy?

At a recent Library All-Staff meeting Dr. Sue Peterson, Director of Governmental Relations for Kansas State University described the importance of being involved in the legislative process.  Why? Many legislative issues impact universities, and decisions are often made by individuals who may know very little about higher education in general or academic libraries in particular. 

For example, the passage of legislation mandating the online availability of literature produced from taxpayer-funded research (and the current effort to expand that mandate) directly benefits students and researchers using our libraries.  Work by many academic librarians across the country ensured the success of that legislation.   Current legislative efforts to improve access to “orphan works” (literature whose rights status may be unknown) will ultimately benefit library users.   Finally, in challenging budgetary times, it is important that our legislators understand our funding needs and the good work that is accomplished with that funding.

As legislative advocate for the Libraries, I strive to create among our faculty and staff an awareness of issues impacting academic libraries.  I also maintain contact with our legislators to ensure that they understand our important mission and continue to see academic libraries as valuable assets. 

Following a recent conversation that I had with Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins, she formally praised the work of K-State Libraries as she recognized National Library Week in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Building working relationships with legislators and keeping them informed (while following university guidelines) helps them do a better job of representing us and ultimately leads to better legislation.

Congresswoman Jenkins:
“From April 10th to April 16th our nation is celebrating National Library Week.  This one week each year we take time to honor and thank our nation’s libraries and their dedicated staff for the vital role they play in our communities.

Today, I rise to support the work at the Library at Kansas State University.  As part of the land-grant mission, the Library at Kansas State University serves not only the campus and students at K-State, but the good folks of Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and many other communities in the 2nd District and across Kansas.  Whether it is internet access, academic research, or just finding a good book, the Library at Kansas State serves our friends and neighbors in an important way. I am proud to represent them in Congress and humbled to honor them today.”

~Daryl Youngman

One day I walked into a library

...with my kindergarten class. We walked all the way over from our school dressed in our hip, 70's duds. The library was huuuuuuge, two stories high at least, and we had to walk up stairs to get to the children's section. The librarians read us stories and there was a puppet show. That was the first day I knew that a library could be magical.

One day, within a year or two of this, I saw my older brother (who must have been all of 8 at the time), walking home from the library on our tiny Army post. His haul was tucked under his arm, but they weren't books, they were records. And not just records, but the Rolling Stones, or maybe Van Halen, or Kiss. Those were records that I saw the big kids and soldiers take home. I had no idea librarians would let little kids like us check out records, let alone the Rolling Stones! That was the first day I realized that libraries could be radical.

 

Every day, someone walks in to a library for the first time. Or maybe they walk back in, and it's like the first time. Just like every library is full of stories, the people who walk in the doors are full of stories, too. And this is National Library Week, so it's the perfect time to share these stories about libraries.

The Library Card as a Pop-Culture Fiend's Ticket to Geek Paradise -- and it's free!

Librarians are awesome -- and so is Wil Wheaton

So, give it up--what's your library story?

K-State Keepsakes: Lon Kruger Returns to K-State!

28th in the Series 

Well, not exactly!  However, two letters Kruger wrote to an elementary school student in Kansas while coaching at K-State in 1988 have returned to campus in the sense that they were donated recently to the Morse Department of Special Collections!  While in grade school in the Perry school district, Theresa Young wrote two letters of support to K-State basketball coach Lon Kruger and the team; 23 years later she donated  Kruger's replies (one typed and one hand written) to the University Archives.  In the correspondence, Kruger encouraged Theresa to do well in the classroom so that, hopefully, she could "attend Kansas State and be one of our tremendous student supporters."

Today, Theresa is doing well at K-State as a graduate student in history while  working at the Help  Desk in Hale Library!  Her appreciation for history influenced her decision to approach the University Archives about donating the letters to preserve a piece of Wildcat history and the kindness that Coach Kruger demonstrated to a young admirer of the Cats!

 

For those uninitiated in K-State basketball lore, Kruger, a native of Silver Lake, Kansas, was the Big 8 Player of the Year in 1972 and 1973 when he led the Wildcats to back to back conference titles under coach Jack Hartman. Kruger returned to K-State and coached the Cats to four straight NCAA tournament  appearances, 1986-1990, making the Elite 8 in 1988.  After leaving K-State, Kruger was head coach at Florida and Illinois before coaching in the professional ranks with the Atlanta Hawks (head coach) and New York Nicks (assistant).

Next basketball season, Kruger will again return to K-State, only this time as the leader of the Oklahoma  Sooners!  After spending the last seven years as the highly successful head coach of the   University of  Nevada Las Vegas, he accepted the head coaching position at the University of Oklahoma on April 1!   Kruger's long time assistant, Steve Henson, will join him at OU.  Henson, from McPherson ("I grew up loving K-State"), played under Kruger the four years the Cats went to the NCAA tournament.  An All Big 8 selection and holder of numerous K-State records, Henson played six years in the National Basketball Association.

This Keepsake adds a new twist to the motto, "Every Man a Wildcat!"

Tony Crawford, Morse Department of Special Collections

Sources: Theresa Young, Jack Hartman Papers, University Archives Photograph Collection, Kansas State Basketball media guides