The seeds of transformation have been planted. Reinventing Drexel University Libraries, as a dynamic participant in advancing the University’s transformation, is the focus begun this past year. Several steps have been taken that evolve the somewhat neglected library into a learning enterprise that will encourage and assist the Drexel community members to become intentional, life-long learners. It is with pride and thanks to the energetic library staff, encouraging administrators and supportive faculty that I invite you to read this annual report as a snapshot of the progress made this year.

This has been a year of strengthening infrastructure, promoting three senior managers to new leadership roles to better align our organization with the mission. This allows us to leverage the staff expertise and resources residing on both sides of the Schuykill River, provide professional growth opportunities, and ensure a collective administration of the Libraries’ operations.

A financial analyst and marketing and events associate were hired through two vacated positions that were redefined and successfully recruited, adding depth to the organization. A development officer was also added to the staff, on a part-time assignment from Institutional Advancement, to build external relationships and attract additional resources to fund efforts to create the new vision.

Mid-year, a major library space assessment was presented to the Board of Trustees. Soon after, the concept of embedding new library learning environments, where campus learners reside was developed. The Library Learning Terrace, built at the base of the Race Street Residence Hall, a student residence hall, is the first implementation of this concept. The Learning Terrace opened to a twilight countdown just in time for the intense learning associated with June finals. This project illustrates the collaboration, creativity and fast paced change that is possible at Drexel.

We continue to raise awareness of how libraries can advance University missions. At Drexel, this is done with thoughtfulness, entrepreneurial spirit and collaboration. Seeds have been planted for the Libraries to share these traditions and add its energies to transforming the University for the early part of the 21st century.

Each year, Drexel welcomes thousands of new students. Many of these students are unfamiliar with the Drexel campus. This may be their first experience in Philadelphia or their first time in the United States. For some, English is their first language while for others it is their second or third. Some of these students may never have been in a library before while others might be well versed in using library resources.

Regardless of their past experiences, these students all share something in common. They all are connected to a personal librarian before they even arrive on the Drexel campus.

In the fall of 2010, the Libraries instituted a Personal Librarian Program to help students navigate the increasingly complicated information landscape. The Program connects new students with librarians and staff, offering a friendly and personal connection to what can be an otherwise intimidating first experience. Each of the incoming 2,800 freshmen this year received a personalized message from their librarian, welcoming them to Drexel and introducing them to the Libraries. The messages also invited students to visit the Libraries during the first week of classes to receive a free gift item.

Over 300 students visited W. W. Hagerty Library during the first several weeks of classes to pick up their free flashlight key chain and over 40 made contact with their personal librarian to ask questions or seek help.

Communications from librarians to learners continued through the rest of the year, with librarians alerting students to upcoming library events, initiatives and opportunities for learning.

The Personal Librarian program was coordinated by Elizabeth Ten Have, Director of Library Academic Partnerships and Eleanor Goldberg, Library Assistant in Information Services. To read more about the Program, visit www.library.drexel.edu/about/programs.

Pictured Above Top: Eleanor Goldberg, Steven Bogel, Tim Siftar, Megan Finney, Jay Bhatt, Larry Milliken, Gina Cacace. Middle: Danuta A. Nitecki, Gary Childs, Noelle Egan, Elizabeth Ten Have, Adam Mizelle, Rebekah Kilzer, Daisy Larios. Bottom: Peggy Dominy, Emily Missner, Dee Childs, Anne Kennedy, Kathleen Turner, Rob Sieczkiewicz

By Danuta A. Nitecki and Jenny James Lee

Libraries are not only places to house books and offer quiet spaces for reading; they are vibrant centers for learning. Future libraries will focus less on information readers obtain from a library and more about how a visit can create new knowledge. Visits will not be limited to time spent in a building, but will include engagement with ideas and authoritative information that a library makes available on hand and through cyberspace. Librarians will seek ways to coach inquisitive visitors through discovery of relevant ideas and analysis of facts.

Library users once came to a library with questions and left with information, but a 21st century library user will arrive with a curiosity and leave with new knowledge.

This is the case at Drexel, where the University’s libraries are transforming into a learning enterprise. This new concept will create unique and adaptable spaces for reflection and collaboration, facilitate partnerships for teaching and coaching and provide valuable information resources for research.

Thinking about the Libraries as a learning enterprise is both energizing and challenging...

Despite the increasing portion of the library collection— over 27% -available online, and accessed from any location, students and researchers have not stopped coming to library buildings, often filling every available seat. This need for space was evaluated, and in 2010, Drexel quickly responded to the shortage of library space by opening the Library Learning Terrace on the University City campus in June 2011. With flexible furnishings, comfortable seating and tools to aid in learning, the space dedicates valuable square footage to a learner-centric environment instead of to shelving to house books and other physical materials.

The emphasis on student learning also translates to new staff responsibilities. Librarians are expanding their impact from traditional roles as collectors, organizers and providers of information to become partners in teaching and coaching students. Librarians at Drexel University collaborate with faculty, administrators and other academic support experts to assist students in becoming self-directed learners. Working with Writing Center tutors, for example, they are bringing together personalized assistance for students to learn how to learn.

Learning also occurs among researchers, who rely differently on the Libraries. Providing convenient and cost effective access to scholarly communications, increasingly available through licensed or contracted agreements with publishers or vendors, continues to be a key priority for the Libraries. But, new challenges are emerging. Drexel scholars produce increasing amounts of data, recorded insights and creative artifacts, in diverse formats. Managing their organization, preservation and distribution furthers the University’s contribution to global scholarly communication. Opportunities to tackle such problems of digital intellectual property, for example, will be more pressing as researchers from the Academy of Natural Sciences join the Drexel community.

Thinking about the Libraries as a learning enterprise is both energizing and challenging as new ways of advancing the University mission are addressed. Libraries’ staff face considerations for providing information access, managing facilities and engaging in curriculum design and course assignments. They continue to apply their commitment to serve Drexel students, partner with its faculty and support its researchers to illustrate the University’s recognition as an “up and coming” school to watch.

Library Learning Terrace

Over 250 students attended festivities held on Friday, June 3, 2011, to mark the opening of the innovative new Library Learning Terrace. To the sounds of Drexel student DJ Mike Mannix, attendees donned glow stick bracelets while waiting for the twilight countdown to enter the much-anticipated learning environment.

The Library Learning Terrace is located at the base of the Race Street Residence Hall, in the heart of the campus residential community. Its 3,000 square foot space is furnished with flexible seating and movable tables and white boards to allow students the opportunity to create spaces for group or individual learning, as needed. This is a key venue for the Libraries to explore the new concept of its role in creating environments to facilitate the development of independent learning skills.

The Library Learning Terrace responds to a campus need for more learning environments, which was identified in the space assessment report issued in fall 2010.

The June opening launched one week of round-the-clock student access to the Terrace to prepare for finals. Early observations of an immediately heavily used Library Learning Terrace confirm that Drexel students are serious learners and that they gratefully welcomed the new environment.

Future Search Conference

A Future Search Conference is a unique planning meeting used worldwide by hundreds of communities and organizations. It meets two goals at the same time: helping large diverse groups discover values, purpose, and projects they hold in common, and enabling people to create a desired future together and to start working toward it right away. The meeting design comes from theories and principles tested in many cultures for the past 50 years. It relies on mutual learning among stakeholders as a catalyst for voluntary action and follow-up. The conference is designed with principles that enable people to work together without having to defend or sell a particular agenda. This opens new opportunities for creating a shared future.

The Libraries’ will host a Future Search Conference in July 2011, which will focus on the theme, Drexel University Libraries: Advancing the University’s Strategic Transformation. These results will help to shape the future of the Libraries.

Above images: Attendees view the Library Learning Terrace for the first time, move screens on the hub, write reviews on small white boards and converse.

DRIVING TOWARD SERVICE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Toni Olshen, business librarian at Peter F. Bronfman Business Library at York University’s Schulich School of Business, visited the Libraries in January 2010 to present library staff with an invigorating introduction to service quality principles. Olshen has been involved in service quality measurement and customer-centered activities for over 20 years. Between 2000 – 2005, she developed and co-facilitated with Danuta A. Nitecki, the Association of Research Libraries’ Online Lyceum course, Measuring Library Service Quality. Her presentation marked the launch of the Libraries’ service quality improvement initiative, the first of which was to respond to perceived interlibrary loan delays. The Libraries also moved into the second year of using Counting Opinions, a dynamic tool that manages, measures and tracks customer satisfaction data. Results from the customer satisfaction survey will help shape the future of library services.

LIBRARIANS HELP INCREASE HEALTH LITERACY

A joint research team from The iSchool at Drexel and Drexel University Libraries, including Kathleen Turner, Linda Katz, Gary Childs and Lenore Hardy, participated in a grant-funded project, Increasing Parental Health Literacy to Optimize Pregnancy Outcomes, from the Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine in Spring 2011. The project worked with 11th Street Family Health Services to help educate pregnant women on health information. The first part of the project provided women, participating in the Center’s Centering Pregnancy program, a library of web sites in accordance with the weekly topics of the program. This was followed by a series of workshops centering on how to find reliable health information online, offered to all clients and patients of 11th Street Family Health Services. In total, five workshops were held and 28 people attended. During the presentation, the iPod touch was used to demonstrate the accessibility of health information using handheld devices.

BOOK DISPLAY AT HAHNEMANN LIBRARY

In September 2010, Hahnemann Library organized a unique book display showcasing the written work of contemporary physicians, offering insight into the often-complicated experience of practicing medicine. Sarah Daub, Information Services Assistant, mounted the exhibit, which displayed biographies of authors and a synopses of their work. The display generated attention from students, faculty and staff who were visiting, working and learning at Hahnemann Library and was the first exhibit collaboration between the Libraries and the Legacy Center.

DONALD W. KING SPEAKS AT DREXEL LIBRARIES

The Libraries welcomed renowned library researcher, Donald W. King, distinguished research professor at the University of North Carolina, on February 4th, to W. W. Hagerty Library. King spoke to 30 librarians, library staff, iSchool faculty and Drexel community members. His presentation focused on derived metrics and means of measuring the cost and success of a library. King presented strategies to calculate the return on investment of a library and the value of the resources it possesses, factoring in its multitude of expenses and extensive patron base. Drexel University Libraries is participating in a national study, conducted by King and researchers at the University of Tennessee and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES FAIR RAISES KNOWLEDGE OF E-RESOURCES

Over 100 students attended the Libraries’ second annual Electronic Resources Fair on March 29, 2011. The event provided students and attendees the unique opportunity to meet directly with vendors of electronic resources. In total, 10 vendors hosted booths at the fair and students who visited all vendors were eligible to win an Apple iPad, courtesy of Thomson Reuters. The student recipient was Kayla LaFond.

 

 

 

DREXEL WELCOMES ACRL GUESTS

On March 30, 2011 the Libraries and iSchool welcomed colleagues in town for the Association of College and Research Libraries national conference to W. W. Hagerty Library. In total, 97 guests attended the evening reception where Youngmoo Kim, associate professor, demonstrated the Microsoft Surface, on loan from Teknikos, Inc. Video presentations of the new initiatives in the Libraries were also featured.

Video presentations are online at: www.library.drexel.edu/about/learning-terrace.

 

 

WELCOME BACK EVENT TESTS STUDENT KNOWLEDGE OF LIBRARIES

Each spring Drexel hosts a week of activities, Welcome Back Week, to welcome students back to campus. This March, the Libraries hosted a Quizzo event. Students enjoyed popcorn, soft pretzels and beverages while testing their knowledge of Drexel, the Libraries and the city of Philadelphia. Team TechServ, a student organization on campus, won the competition with the largest number of correct answers.

INAUGURATION OF DREXEL PRESIDENT JOHN A. FRY

The Libraries joined the campus community in mid-April to celebrate the Inauguration of President John A. Fry. Many campus departments, colleges and organizations showcased their latest projects, initiatives and programs during the Spotlight event. The Libraries invited passersby to write a word they associated with the Libraries on a ping-pong ball and place it into one of three containers, to designate the support they most value for teaching, learning or research. Not surprisingly, the most predominant word was ‘books,’ but ‘innovative’, ‘learning,’ ‘research,’ and ‘helpful,’ were also frequently used.

For more visit: http://www.library.drexel.edu/blogs/librarylog/?p=3023.

 

DEDICATION FOR FORMER LIBRARIES ADMINISTRATOR

Dorothy Colflesh Schwartz was remembered on April 22, 2011 when a group of over 40 people joined the Drexel Sustainability Council to dedicate a tree outside of W. W. Hagerty Library, with the placing of a plaque in her memory. Dorothy, Director of Administrative Services for the Libraries at the time of her passing in 2010, was a founding member of the Drexel Sustainability Council and began an initiative in the Libraries to re-evaluate the organization’s commitment to the environment.

 

 

LIBRARIES WELCOME ALUMNI

The Libraries joined the Alumni Weekend celebration, welcoming alumni back to campus on May 6, 2011. Alumni and their guests were invited to take a “Remember When...” tour of W. W. Hagerty Library, offering activities and information for each of the decades from the 1960’s to present day. Key points of the tour included a children’s book activity with Megan Coy Magnayon, author of Odd Job Bob, “Researching your Health” hosted by Health Sciences librarian Kathleen Turner and an opportunity to visit and tour the Archives with University Archivist, Rob Sieczkiewicz. The Libraries also featured a Computer History Exhibit, information about Drexel alumnus N. Joseph Woodland ‘47, who invented the barcode, and a look towards 21st century advances in librarianship.

DINOSAUR MEETS DRAGON: THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES

Drexel University announced its historic affiliation with the Academy of Natural Sciences on May 19, 2011. The affiliation will promote discovery, learning and civic engagement in the natural and environmental sciences and further enhance Philadelphia’s reputation as a leader in scientific research and education. Drexel and the Academy have a long-standing relationship and this new affiliation will forever connect the two institutions. For the Libraries, this means a new relationship with the Academy’s Ewell Sale Stewart Library and Archives, established in 1812. Library staff at both institutions have begun meeting to forge a partnership and discuss the future for this internationally recognized collection of books, journals, artifacts, manuscripts, photographs and research. The Library currently holds over 200,000 volumes, some dating back to the 1500s, and the Archives houses well over one million items.

ANNUAL LIBRARY SYMPOSIUM

Social Media was the focus of the annual Library Symposium. Over 40 librarians from Temple University, University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University attended this year’s event at Temple’s Liacouras Center on June 21, 2011. Dr. Sherrie Madia, author of What’s So Special about Social Media began the symposium, explaining trends in social media, and answering questions. Following Madia’s presentation, a panel of representatives from the three institutions spoke about how they have successfully utilized social media in their respective libraries. The Symposium is in its seventh year, and provides the unique opportunity for librarians within the three universities to network and share ideas.

Above images: Electronic Resources Fair, Electronic Resources Librarian Noelle Egan presents student, Kayla LaFond with her iPad, Guests at the Libraries’ ACRL reception and the Microsoft Surface Table, Mario the Dragon hugs Dean Nitecki at the Spotlight event, The family of Dorothy Colflesh Schwartz poses with her dedication plaque,

Archives and Special Collections held eight outreach events, created four new exhibitions, hosted researchers and visitors, trained and educated graduate and undergraduate students, and answered over 250 questions about Drexel history during the 2011 Fiscal Year. More information about the Archives is available at: http://archives.library.drexel.edu/.

THE REBELS, THE RUSSIAN AND THE RAILROAD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF FRANK THOMSON

The Rebels, the Russian and the Railroad told the story of Frank Thomson through his own words, documents and photographs. Thomson (1841-1899) spent his life working for the railroads, beginning as an apprentice and rising until he became the sixth president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. This exhibition offered insight into the strategic significance of the railroads during the Civil War and the sustaining importance railroads have played in American history and politics.

EXHIBIT DATES: JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2010

PANORAMA: REENACTING THE PAST

During Welcome Back Week in fall 2010, Drexel freshmen reenacted a photograph from the Archives, of students posing on the steps of Main Building in the 1920s. SEPTEMBER 2010

 

 

 

GREETINGS ON THEE, LITTLE GUYS: A HISTORY OF FRESHMEN AT DREXEL

This exhibit explored all aspects of the freshman experience at Drexel, from academics and registration for classes, to hazing of new students, athletics and extra-curricular activities. Highlights included etiquette handbooks from the 1940s and 1950s, letters from satisfied and dissatisfied parents of freshmen and poems about freshmen from Drexel student publications.

EXHIBIT DATES: SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2010

BRINGING THE ARCHIVES BACK TO LIFE: ZOMBIE PARTY

In October, the Archives hosted members of the campus community for a special Halloween zombie party. Attendees were treated to displays of items in the collection and zombie-themed cookies and cupcakes. The event also offered a preservation workshop and was funded by a grant from the Drexel Good Idea Fund.

OCTOBER 2010

 

 

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: LETTERS TO AND FROM THE DREXEL PRESIDENTS

Ranging from Drexel’s first leader to its current president, the items in the exhibition demonstrated the changing role of academic leaders over the past 120 years, while at the same time reflecting a consistency of University issues. Correspondents include students, parents, faculty, alumni and the public.

EXHIBIT DATES: FEBRUARY - APRIL 2011

 

 

ACCESS FOR EVERYONE: COMPUTING AT DREXEL, 1946 - 1984

Drexel University made history in 1984 with its Microcomputer Project, which required all incoming freshman to purchase a personal computer. However, computing at Drexel dates back to the very beginning of computer history. This exhibit traced the rise of computers on campus, including early student and faculty interest in computing, Drexel’s first computer lab, and the creation of academic programs focusing on computer science. For the opening reception, the Archives partnered with TechServ, a student computing organization, to host a live, hands-on demo of vintage computers.

EXHIBIT DATES: APRIL - JUNE 2011

Above images: Images from Reenacting the past, Visitors and cupcakes at the Bringing Archives Back to Life party, Dear Mr. President exhibit,TechServ computers at the Access for Everyone exhibit

AWARDS

Gary Childs received the 2010 Nathaniel Alston Service Award, given by the Physicians Assistant Program at Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions.

Gary Childs received the 2010-2011 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DrNP) in Nursing Science Chairman’s Award, given by the DrNP Program at Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professons.

Margaret Dominy received the 2011 Physics, Astronomy, Mathematics (PAM) Achievement Award, given by the PAM Division of the Special Libraries Association and presented at the annual conference, 14 June 2011.

Linda M. G. Katz received a Medical Library Association award for her work as editor-in-chief of MLA News, 2006 – 2011. MLA Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN. May 2011.

Tim Siftar received the 2011 Special Appreciation Award, given by the Philadelphia Chapter of the Special Libraries Association. 26 May 2011.

PUBLICATIONS

Allen, Robert B, and Robert Sieczkiewicz. “How historians use historical newspapers.” In Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 47 (2010):1-4. doi:10.1002/ meet.14504701131.

Cornelius, F. Gary Childs and L. B. Wilson. “Leveraging Technology to Support Doctoral Advanced Nursing Practice.” In Role Development for Doctoral Advanced Nursing Practice, edited by H. M. Dreher and M. E. Smith Glasgow, New York: Springer Publishing, Inc., 2010.

Childs, Gary, “Diversity Perspective: The Cricket and the American.” Intersections, 2010, 5.

Farrell, Gabriel. “Ride On, Mighty Warriors.” Code4Lib 13 (2011). http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/4892

Foster, Nancy, Katie Clark, Kornelia Tancheva & Rebekah Kilzer, eds. Scholarly Practice, Participatory Design and the eXtensible Catalog. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2011.

Hernon, Peter, Robert E. Dugan, and Danuta A. Nitecki. Engaging in Evaluation and Assessment Research. Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited, 2011.

Holt, Karyn, Clements Paul, and Gary Childs. “Online Orientation Plus Online Course Equals On Ground Library.” In Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2010, edited by Jaime Sanchez and Ke Zhang, 130-139. Chesapeake, VA: AACE, 2010.

Missner, Emily, “Research Relays,” In Let the Games Begin! Engaging Students with Interactive Information Literacy Instruction, edited by Theresa McDevitt and Kelly Heider. New York:Neal-Schuman, 2011.

PRESENTATIONS

Bhatt, Jay, Margaret Dominy and John Pell.“Graduate Student Information Literacy.” Poster presented at Drexel University Research Day, Philadelphia, PA, April 8, 2011.

Bhatt, Jay, Margaret Dominy and John Pell. “Graduate Student Information Literacy.” Poster presented at the 2011 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, June 14, 2011.

Bhatt, Jay. “Copyright and plagiarism Awareness: Indian Perspectives.” Panelist at 2011 Special Libraries Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, June 14, 2011.

Bhatt, Jay, Margaret Dominy and John Pell. “Graduate Student Information Literacy.” Poster presentation at the 118th Annual American Society for Engineering Education Conference, Vancouver, Canada, June 27, 2011.

Bhatt, Jay, Larry Miliken, Lloyd Ackert and Eleanor Goldberg. “Keeping the Conversation Alive: Maintaining Students’ Research Skills Throughout Their College Careers.” Paper published in proceedings of the 118th American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada, June 2011.

Childs, Gary. “Surgery and Rehabilitation of the Hand: With Emphasis on the Elbow and Shoulder.” Presentation at the Hand Rehabilitation Center, Philadelphia, PA, March 2011.

Goldman, Rebecca. “The Undergrads are Coming, the Undergrads are Coming: Managing large-scale student research projects.” Presentation at the Society of American Archivists Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, August 2010.

Goldman, Rebecca. “What the heck is an Omeka?”Presentation at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference, Harrisburg, PA. November 2010.

Farrell, Gabriel. “Beyond Sacrilege: A CouchApp Catalog.” Presentation at the Code4Lib Conference, Bloomington, IN, February 7, 2011.

Kilzer, Rebekah. “Fast and Furious: Using Web-Conferencing and Other Tools for Virtual Reference and Instruction.” Presentation at the Reference Renaissance Conference, Denver CO, August 2010.

Kilzer, Rebekah. “Summon: a Public Services View.” Presentation at the ACRL Annual Conference. Philadelphia, PA. March 30, 2011.

Kilzer, Rebekah. “Information Audit: The Keys To Understanding Your Organization.” Poster presentation. ACRL Annual Conference. Philadelphia, PA. March 31, 2011.

Kilzer, Rebekah. “Summon: a Public Services View.” Web presentation at the Serials Solutions Webinar. June 22, 2011.

Lynch, Katherine E. “The Open Web: Modern Web Accessibility Techniques and Developments.” Guest speaker at The College of New Jersey’s Computer Science Department Guest Speaker Series. Ewing, NJ. February 16, 2011.

Lynch, Katherine E. “Advanced Accessibility in Drupal.” Presentation at DrupalCon, Chicago, IL. March 8, 2011.

Lynch, Katherine E. “Tweet Me How?: The Accessibility Issues Facing Social Media Integration in e-Learning Interfaces.” Presentation at Drexel e-Learning Conference 2.0, Philadelphia, PA. March 24, 2011.

Lynch, Katherine E. “Rich Media Accessibility - How to Integrate Audio, Video, and More into Online Learning Tools Accessibly.” Presentation at Drexel e-Learning Conference 2.0, Philadelphia, PA. March 24, 2011.

Lynch, Katherine E. “Observing User Behaviors in Social Media.” Presentation at Temple-Penn-Drexel Symposium. Philadelphia, PA. June 21, 2011.

Lynch, Katherine E. “Libraries Going Mobile with Drupal.” Presentation at the 2011 Drupal IG Meeting Annual and 2011 ALA Annual Conference. New Orleans, LA. June 25, 2011.

Mizelle, Adam. “What is a Library Courtesy Clerk?” Poster presentation at the 2011 Association of College and Research Libraries Conference. Philadelphia, PA. April 1, 2011.

Missner, Emily. “Mad Men in the Library.” Invited speaker at the California Clearinghouse on Library Instruction Workshop, Santa Cruz, CA. May 13, 2011.

Nitecki, Danuta A. “Space as venue for defining the Academic Library.” Keynote Address at the Association of Research Libraries, 2010 Assessment Conference. Baltimore, MD. October 25, 2010.

Nitecki, Danuta A. and Cheryl A. McCarthy. “An Assessment of the Bass Library as a Learning Commons.” Presentation at the Association of Research Libraries, 2010 Assessment Conference. Baltimore, MD. October 25, 2010.

Nitecki, Danuta A., Rush Miller and Carla Stoffle. “Danger! Sharp Curves Ahead: The Twists and Turns Facing the Academic Libraries and Fundraising Efforts.” Panel Discussion at the Academic Library Advancement and Development Network Conference. Flagstaff, AZ. May 18, 2011.

Betts, Kristen and Tim Siftar. “Increase Online Student Engagement through Online Human Touch and Online First-Year Experience.” Presentation at the Mid-Atlantic Educause Conference. Baltimore, MD. January 13, 2011.

Library Celebration Awards

On Thursday, May 12, 2011, Drexel University Libraries hosted the second annual Library Celebration Awards. Established in 2010, the Library Celebration Awards recognize individuals or teams who have advanced the values of the Libraries through exceptional accomplishments. In addition to library staff, a student worker is also recognized for his/her dedication to the Libraries. Over 30 people attended this year’s ceremony, held in W. W. Hagerty’s Bookmark Café, and more than 25 people were nominated for the 2011 Awards. Six were chosen for their exceptional service:

Gina Cacace, Library Reserve Coordinator at W. W. Hagerty Library received an award for enhanced services for her dedicated work to improve the Libraries’ reserves process.

Sarah Daub, Circulation/Reserves Clerk at Hahnemann Library, received an award for outreach activities for her work creating an exhibit of archival materials at Hahnemann.

Meg Finney, Systems Technician at both Hahnemann and W. W. Hagerty Libraries, received an award for promoting exceptional collaboration and cooperation for her dedicated work responding to IT issues.

Ellie Goldberg, Library Assistant in Information Services at W. W. Hagerty Library received an award for innovative infrastructure for her work implementing the Personal Librarian Program.

Emily Misser, Liaison Librarian for Business received an award for her innovative enhancements for her innovative and creative approach to teaching information literacy.

Andrew Mineo received the Jane Bryan Student Worker Award. Andrew is a workstudy student at W. W. Hagerty Library where he worked since his freshman year in Fall 2009.

Pictured above, Jim Bryan, Andrew Mineo and Danuta A. Nitecki, Dean of Libraries. All other images: Pictured above with Danuta A. Nitecki, Dean of Libraries

Members of the 2011 Award Committee were: Steve Bogel, Kelley Cotter, Peggy Dominy (chair), Jenny James Lee and Michelle McCloskey.

Libraries in the News

Kaya, Travis. “Drexel Freshmen Get Help from Personal Librarians.” The Chronicle of Higher Education. September 14, 2010. http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/drexel-freshmen-get-help-from-personal-librarians/26906

Oder, Norman. “Drexel University, Drawing on Yale Example, Implements Personal Librarian Program.” Library Journal. September 15, 2010. http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/communityacademiclibraries/886821-419/drexel_university_drawing_on_yale.html.csp

Oder, Norman and Lynn Blumenstien. “Personal Librarian Program at Drexel University.” Library Journal, October 1, 2010, http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/ljinprintcurrentissue/886696-403/newsdesk_october_1_2010.html.csp

Landgraf, Greg. “Learning Terrace to Embed Library throughout Drexel Campus,” American Libraries Magazine, March 15, 2011, http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/03152011/learning-terraceembed-library-throughout-drexel-campus.

“On the Cover.” Choice Magazine. Annapolis Junction, MD. April 2011.

Villano, Matt. “Lean Green Machines: 7 Sustainability Stars in Higher Ed,” Campus Technology, April 1, 2011, http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2011/04/01/Lean-Green-Machines.aspx?Page=1.

Kelley, Micheal. “ACRL 2011: Can a Library Courtesy Clerk Tame Your Patrons?” Library Journal. 5 April 2011. Web.

Howard, Jennifer. “Tomorrow’s Academic Libraries: Maybe Even Some Books.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 9, 2011 http://chronicle.com/article/Tomorrows-Academic-Libraries-/127393/#top.

The numbers reported below are for Fiscal Year 2011: June 30, 2010 - July 1, 2011.

Inputs

Outputs

Outcomes: The Libraries is working to design metrics of its impact on teaching, learning and research.

These numbers represent projected estimates, numbers will be updated to report finalized statistics as needed.

Supporters

A special thanks to the following individuals and organizations for their generous support of Drexel University Libraries this year:

Anthony W. Addison
AT&T Foundation
Penny L. Baker
Joseph M. Becker
M. D. Rosemarie
L. Betts
Elizabeth H. Booth
Michael Burlingame
Sandra J. Braxton
David Caristo
Catherine D. Collins
Prudence Dalrymple
Kerry N. DiBlasio
Peter J. Egler
Charlotte Ford
Julia J. Ford
Kenneth W. Garson
Gladys Brooks Foundation
Nancy Hackett
Peter Ivanick
Adrienne M. Jenness
Linda M. G. Katz
Ann R. Kietzman
Diane Kinney
Rebekah Denean Kilzer
Martha Z. Kirby
Jennifer James Lee
Lucinda Leonard
Katherine Lynch
Barbara Ann Maxwell
Danuta A. Nitecki
Elizabeth H. Nichols
Dianne L. Ouderkirk
Rachel R. Reynolds
Ian S. Richmond
Robert Sieczkiewicz
Marianne E. Sodoski
Sharon G. Sullivan
Elizabeth Ten Have
Vivian A. Thomas
Gary J. Toman
Tainesha Ware
Gillian Nicoletti Washinsky
Virginia E. Webb
Robin L. Weber
John W. Wiggins

A special thanks and congratulations to the following Spring 2011 graduates for all of their hard work and dedication as Libraries’ student workers. These students were recognized with bookplates in a selection of their choice.

Brandon Benitez, 4 years
Dung Truong, 3 years
Allegra D’Ambrusoso, 2 years
Joel Eisenstadt, 2 years
Tomi Akinjogbin, 2 years
Ravneet Kaur, 2 years
Lori Krystkiewicz, 2 years
Mike Olaya, 1 year
Robert Belardi, 1 year
Rakita Thornton, 1 year
Mary Kain, 1 year
Neil Thorsen, 1 year

For more information on giving to Drexel University Libraries, please contact Kerry DiBlasio, Director of Development, at kerry.diblasio@drexel.edu or 215-571-3803.

Click here to make a gift today.