Open Office Hours via Zoom in August

Brookens Library is holding open office hours via Zoom for faculty and staff to drop-in with any questions regarding the changes to the new catalog, I-Share, course reserves, or finding OER materials. Open office hours take place Mondays – Fridays from 11:00 AM – noon from August 3 – August 28. 

Join Zoom Meeting: https://uis.zoom.us/j/96766987717?pwd=WitXK3QvUWJrbVJSWVFYWFd6MnA5UT09
Meeting ID: 967 6698 7717
Password: 710281

You can also reach out to your liaison librarian for assistance and support as you normally would: https://libguides.uis.edu/librarians

If interested in learning more about our new catalog on your own time, check some of our online tutorials below:

Searching for Books in the Library Catalog

Requesting Books from Brookens Library

Renewing Checked Out Items at Brookens Library

Celebrating the Life of Congressman John Lewis

“We did what young people do so well,” says Lewis. “We got in the way.”

Our university, our nation, and the world are dealing with the complexities wrought by a global pandemic, an embattled economy and the urgent need of addressing a national legacy of racism.  What more poignant punctuation could there possibly be than the passing of Congressman John Lewis (2/21/40 – 7/17/20), a giant amongst civil rights leaders.  He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in 2020 and never wavered from the vision of his youth for a more equitable society. He had gained the respect of people from all political persuasions embodying such humanity through action as to have earned the moniker of being the “the conscience of Congress” for his moral fortitude.

“We did what young people do so well.  We got in the way,” Lewis reminisced, meaning to get in the way of those who would prevent progress toward a fully humanizing society.  We are often reminded of what we have yet to learn when people of historic import pass.  Therein lies the beauty of libraries. In the 21^st century, we can continue to listen to the words and wisdom of those who have led history toward a greater goal for all because libraries make it their mission for their words to be retained. 

On February 21, 2015, John Lewis spoke at UIS as part of his book tour for March, which was the first in a trilogy of autobiographical black and white graphic novels about the Civil Rights Movement, told through his experiential perspective.  The recording of that talk can be located here. Brookens Library also holds several copies of each of the books in this trilogy which can be requested and checked out through our Grab-and-Go service. You can browse his books in our library collection here. 

Brookens Library has several other works that feature John Lewis including several videos focusing on the Civil Rights Movement in which he is prominently featured along with other major Civil Rights and human rights figures such as Fannie Lou Hamer, Ida B. Wells, Shirley Chisolm, as well as others.  Through our subscription to Alexander Street Press Videos, you can find former President Barack Obama’s speech commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act for which John Lewis’ early activist efforts were heavily focused and featured in his March trilogy. 

You can also find a stream of John Lewis’ keynote for the 50^th anniversary of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee which formed the vanguard of the Civil Rights Movement.  John Lewis was a founding member and its first chair from 1963-1966.  It is our good fortune that libraries make it possible for us the legacy and words of our heroes to endure for the ages.   For an excellent summary of the astonishing Leadership Lived of John Lewis see:  https://lasentinel.net/civil-rights-pioneer-and-icon-john-lewis-passes-at-80.html

I-Share Requests Now Available

The I-Share service is up and running again, but with some changes.
  
At this time, not all libraries are participating, limiting the availability of materials. Additional protocols are in place for handling materials, extending delivery times. 

We will be processing I-Share requests and making them available for pick-up through our Grab-and-Go service. Check out our Grab-and-Go service announcement for information on hours and requesting materials in our new catalog.  

To see what is available and request items in I-Share, search for materials using the All I-Share Libraries Search in our catalog.

Upcoming CINRC Virtual Workshops

The Central Illinois Nonprofit Resource Center (CINRC) is holding two free virtual workshops via Zoom on Thursday, July 30th.

The New Frontier: Positioning Your Nonprofit Post Covid-19
Thursday, July 30 at 9am – 11am
Registration Link and Details

UIS alum, Dr. Tosha Cantrell-Bruce, will lead a workshop on July 30, 2020 from 9 to 11 am. She will be discussing how nonprofits can use different approaches to provide both internal and external scans of their environments to maximize the efforts and reach the most clients as possible.

Introduction to Fundraising Planning
Thursday, July 30 at 2pm – 3:30pm
Registration Link and Details

This introductory class offered by Sarah Rice, an information specialist at Forefront in Chicago, will provide you the basic steps for developing a fundraising plan, including tips on: – Making your case for support – Diversifying your organization’s fundraising base – Creating a plan of action.

For more information about CINRC, visit the CINRC website.

Grab-And-Go Service Starts 7/13

We’re excited to announce that we are launching a Grab-and-Go service for UIS library materials on Monday, July 13th.  

When:
Mondays: 3pm-6pm
Tuesdays: 11am-2pm
Thursdays: 3pm-6pm
Fridays: 11am-2pm

How to request materials for pick-up:

1. Request materials using the library catalog. We have a new search box and catalog; this video will show you how to request materials in the new system. 

2. Wait until you receive an email that says your items are available. 

3. Pop on your mask and come to the library’s main entrance on the quad side of the building during the next available pick-up time that works in your schedule.

4. Look for the library staff member and hold your i-card up to the glass window. We’ll grab your items, check them out to your account, and pass them through the door.  

Staff will be handling all library materials while wearing masks. Please do not attempt to disinfect materials by spraying or wiping them with cleaning solutions or through any other means. We recommend simply quarantining the items for 72 hours. For additional information about library materials and COVID-19 transmission, we recommend the findings from the REALM Project. 

Questions about your library account or materials requests can be sent to libcirc@uis.edu.  

Learn more about our new search interface at our workshops or open office hours series.

Summer Workshops & Open Office Hours

Brookens Library is hosting a series of online workshops this summer to give you an update on what’s new with our new library catalog. We’ll also have workshops on how the library can assist faculty with reducing financial stress for students using course reserves and OER. If you can’t make it to our workshops, the librarians will also be available during open office hours throughout the month of July to answer any questions you might have.

Check out the details below:

I-Share and the New Library Catalog
Come take a hands on tour of the new library search interface and learn from your librarians about the recent updates to our library catalog and I-Share interface. Topics include: requesting books from I-Share, searching the catalog, accessing your library account, and updating your existing links to items in the catalog.

Tuesday, July 7 from 10am – 11am
Wednesday, July 8 from 11 am – noon
Thursday, July 9 from 2pm – 3pm
Tuesday, July 14 from 10am – 11am
Wednesday, July 15 from 3pm – 4pm
Thursday, July 16 from 10am – 11am

Join Zoom Meeting: https://uis.zoom.us/j/99236163691?pwd=SHF2R0NuZDkyNGxYM3NEL0ZZZnBFdz09
Meeting ID: 992 3616 3691
Password: 615855

Supporting Students with Course Reserves and Open Educational Resources
Course Reserves and Open Educational Resources are great ways to utilize library and online resources in order to increase access to class materials and ease student financial stress. Brookens Library is holding a workshop to help you better embed the library into your classes through navigating best practices for utilizing and requesting course reserves and finding and implementing OERs into your coursework.

Tuesday, July 7 from 1pm – 2pm
Thursday, July 9 from 11am – NOON
Tuesday, July 14 from 1pm – 2pm
Thursday, July 16 from 2pm – 3pm

Join Zoom Meeting: https://uis.zoom.us/j/91647873953?pwd=NXh1NTViME8wWXV4S1Rvay9OZHVxQT09
Meeting ID: 916 4787 3953
Password: 936297

Library Open Office Hours
The Library is holding open office hours via Zoom for faculty to drop-in with any questions regarding the changes to the new catalog, I-Share, course reserves, or finding OER materials. Open office hours take place Monday – Friday from 11:00 AM – NOON from July 6 through July 31. You can also reach out to your liaison librarian for assistance and support as you normally would: https://libguides.uis.edu/librarians

Join Zoom Meeting: https://uis.zoom.us/j/96766987717?pwd=WitXK3QvUWJrbVJSWVFYWFd6MnA5UT09
Meeting ID: 967 6698 7717
Password: 710281

Intro to the New Catalog

The library has a new catalog for searching UIS resources, requesting materials from I-Share, and accessing your library account. Here is a quick video to give you a small overview of the new system.

Starting in July, the library will be offering workshops and open office hours if you are interested in learning more about the new search interface. Follow this link for dates/times.

Library Support
If you find yourself with questions about the new search interface or the new catalog, Librarians will be available to assist you. 

• You can reach out to your liaison librarian for assistance and support as you normally would: https://libguides.uis.edu/librarians

• The Librarians will also be maintaining a chat reference service, accessed via the Library homepage, and can answer your questions there as well.

• If you need more in-depth assistance, you can schedule a consultation with a Librarian who will assist you with whatever you may need.

• We will be generating a collection of frequently asked questions on the new tools that will be available after the June 25 implementation date.

New Catalog Update Postponed Until 6/25

The update to the new catalog and I-Share search interface is postponed and will happen on Thursday, June 25th.

Once the update has occurred, the search box on the Brookens Library homepage will have a new search interface for finding UIS resources in the catalog, requesting I-Share materials, and accessing your account.

Library Support
If you find yourself with questions about the new search interface or the new catalog, Librarians will be available to assist you. 

• You can reach out to your liaison librarian for assistance and support as you normally would: https://libguides.uis.edu/librarians

• The Librarians will also be maintaining a chat reference service, accessed via the Library homepage, and can answer your questions there as well.

• If you need more in-depth assistance, you can schedule a consultation with a Librarian who will assist you with whatever you may need.

• We will be generating a collection of frequently asked questions on the new tools that will be available after the June 25 implementation date.

Library Catalog & I-Share Search Interface Changing 6/24

Starting Wednesday, June 24, the search box on the Library homepage will have a new search interface for finding UIS resources, requesting I-Share materials, and accessing your library account.

Important Changes to Linking to Items in the Library Catalog
Because the main components of the Library’s systems are changing, none of your existing links to items in the library catalog will work past June 24. For example: if you link to a reserve item for your course in Blackboard or Canvas, this link will need to be replaced with a new link for the same item in the new catalog interface. Unfortunately, there is no automatic solution and all links will have to be replaced in your materials.

Library Support
The Library is committed to supporting UIS faculty, students and staff as we manage this transition together. If you find yourself with questions about the new search interface or the new catalog, Librarians will be available to assist you. 

• You can reach out to your liaison librarian for assistance and support as you normally would: https://libguides.uis.edu/librarians
• The Librarians will also be maintaining a chat reference service, accessed via the Library homepage, and can answer your questions there as well.
• If you need more in-depth assistance, you can schedule a consultation with a Librarian who will assist you with whatever you may need.
• We will be generating a collection of frequently asked questions on the new tools that will be available after the June 24 implementation date.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Librarians are happy to share all the information we have, and to provide services that assist in student success and faculty research.

2020 Library Undergraduate Research Award Winners

One of the highlights of the year at the University of Illinois Springfield is the Annual STARS Symposium (Student Technology, Arts, & Research), where students get an opportunity to present their research to the UIS campus and community. The Library is honored to be a part of the Luncheon, where we present the Library Undergraduate Research Award to three deserving students. Sadly, the luncheon was cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Library still held our annual Undergraduate Research Award. This year, we were able to expand the prize pool and the number of winners thanks to generous support from the Friends of Brookens Library.

This year we were honored to recognize the following students for their exceptional research using Library resources.

1^st place: Anna Kanai – Americanization in Europe: History, Hollywood, and European Perceptions

2^nd place: Hunter Niebrugge – Ouch!: Female Student-Athletes and the Influence of Collegiate Athletics on Injury

3^rd place: Rebecca Wheeler – Decision Vision: Utilizing Mental Simulation to Promote Accuracy During Intuitive Decision Making

4^th place: Jermaine Windham – The “Black Nerd Stereotype” & The African American Representation in the Media

5^th place: Sagun Pandit – Analysis of Sexual Assault in Nepal

The competition was tough this year and all of our submissions were top quality research. A big congratulations for all our winners and all of our entrants!