UI Library Merger Proposal Makes Headlines

A money saving proposal would close two University of Iowa branch libraries over winter break. Two others could close next summer. The proposal has the math, psychology, physics and geoscience libraries merging into other existing facilities on campus. For the latest, follow the link below:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20091027/NEWS/910270374/-1/ENT05

Main Library Parking Lot

Initial Second Life Readings Deemed a Success

Even as SLIS prepares for another live reading in the virtual world of Second Life, the first event in conjunction with the International Writing Program is getting some press.

The grant funded project pairs SLIS students with writers. The students control avatars (or virtual characters) made for the writers during readings on a special “island”.
SLIS student Angela Murillo is working on this as part of her digital librarian fellowship. She says the readings are going well so far.

SLIS students are helping with IWP readings in Second Life.
The University of Iowa News Services published a recent article about the first reading.

Visiting Professor Presents on Digital Library Project

Dr. Edward Fox has been tapping into the power of the internet for decades. Now, he is involved in a project to create digital collections archiving man-made and human disasters in the modern era. The Crisis Tragedy and Recovery Network (CTRnet) has the overarching goals of providing access to these resources and preserving them for future use. The intended audience ranges from victims and their families to policy makers to researchers in disciplines like sociology, history and anthropology. The other side of the project is making much of the collecting automated.

Screen shot of 4/16 Digital Library homepage
The 4/16 Digital LIbrary was a starting
point for CTRnet.

Fox , a professor at Virginia Tech, spoke to a group of SLIS students and others from the university community about his work with digital libraries and electronic resources.

Students Experience the Library Profession at ILA

More than a dozen SLIS students and two professors left in the dark and rain to attend the annual conference for the Iowa Library Association on Friday, Oct. 23 in Des Moines. And that was just the LISSO carpool. Several others attended on Wednesday and Thursday.

The theme of the conference was “Deciphering our Future: Transforming Iowa Libraries”. Session topics ranged from the latest technology to popular reads to community involvement.

Megan Enright & Annette Bramstedt look at their
session choices for ILA on Friday.

Speaker Says Librarians Play Pivotal Role in Open Access Movement

“I’m not a lawyer, none of this is legal advice,” is how Molly Kleinman started her Open Access address Tuesday at the Bijou Theater in the IMU.

Kleinman’s talk, titled “Open Access: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet,” focused on a movement within academic culture to make research and scholarship available for free online—and as soon as she started talking about copyright law it was apparent why lawyers might be needed.

Oct. 19-25 is International Open Access Week
 
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