Category Archives: User Services

Old computers give way to new ones!

Posted on by

Most of you know that the library is receiving a much-needed renovation this summer.  Those of you who’ve been following our on the library blog, Twitter, and Facebook know that a large part of the main floor is currently inaccessible due to painting and carpeting.

Well, another piece of the old library is gone away–the old Winterm computers are, as of this afternoon, no more.  The catalog and login computers on all three floors will soon be replaced with new PCs that will better serve your needs.

While we’re excited that new computers are on their way, we also realize that we’re down to one public computer–the PC in the basement Hopwood Room.  Milligan students, faculty, and staff, however, can give our brand new laptops a whirl–we have 13 netbooks and 5 ThinkPads available for use anywhere in the building.  Come check them out and let us know what you think.  Remember, you can also bring in your own laptop, as we’ve got wireless internet throughout the entire library!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and don’t hesitate to call us at 423.461.8920 or 423.461.8495 if you have any questions.  Remember, www.milligan.edu/library is always open!

What we did on your summer vacation, Part 1

Posted on by

“So, what do you, like, DO at the library all summer?” is one the most frequent questions students and faculty ask library staff as one school year ends and another begins.  I mean, it’s only reasonable to expect that library staff  play Scrabulous and Minesweeper in an empty library all summer while kindergartener-sized tumbleweeds roll past the periodicals racks.

Well, it may surprise you to learn that we do quite a bit!  Though we still have plenty of summer students, faculty and staff, and camp kids to keep us company, we still find time both to carry out our normal duties and to work on bigger projects and initiatives.  Here’s a taste of what we’ve done between graduation and today…

  • Our biggest news first…we completed our library staff by hiring two new library staff members:  Jack Weinbender, our new Library Assistant whose first day with us was June 17, and Meredith Sommers, our new Information Resources Librarian/College Archivist, who will begin  July 13.  We’ll post profiles of both of them soon on this blog so you can get to know them better!
  • Mary Jackson tagged dozens of new web resources for the library’s del.icio.us page
  • Ordered, cataloged, processed, and shelved hundreds of new books, DVDs, and CDs
  • Gary Daught, Mary Jackson, and Jeff Harbin attended BCLA Shared Catalog Committee meetings at Maryville College at the end of May
  • Jeff cleaned up and shifted photography lending shelves
  • Jeff shifted S-Z section of lending books
  • Gary presented on the peer review process to two Scholarly Communication classes in Milligan’s M.Ed. program
  • Jeff refreshed new book display with over 150 new books, not one of them published before 2008
  • Jeff attended two online Interlibrary Loan tutorials and exponentially expanded pool of potential DVD and CD lenders
  • Gary attended a webinar on WorldCat Local, and implemented Milligan’s “quick start” WorldCat Local environment
  • Readied reserve shelves for next year, removing many outdated items and adding course-relevant materials, and moved out empty shelving unit to create more space in reserves area
  • Gary closed out the fiscal year, reconstructed acquisitions fund code hierarchies, and reallocated funds in the library management system
  • Gary initiated a review of current periodical/journal subscriptions with faculty
  • Added extra shelving unit to provide more room for growing DVD collection, shifted current items and moved furniture to create more space in DVD room
  • Jeff cleaned up and organized both the circulation desk and the Interlibrary Loans area
  • Gary and Jeff wrote a grant proposal for the library’s “Librarians Bearing Gifts” faculty outreach project
  • Worked with faculty to improve our lending collection of music books
  • Gary and Jack organized receipt of and binding requests for M.Ed. theses
  • Gary and Jack eliminated backlog of periodical check-ins
  • Obtained ten additional circulating student-use laptops, bringing our total to twenty.

Whew!  And though the days of summer are quickly sifting through our fingers like so many grains of Myrtle Beach sand, the library staff has much more to accomplish in the 5 1/2 weeks (!) before the fall semester begins.  Be sure to check out Part 2 of this update as the new school year draws closer.

Photography books moved to better location

Posted on by

So you’re in the library looking for photography books, and in the place they’ve always been (the creepy yet curiously well-lit downstairs dungeon), you find this:

trs-have-moved3

“What are these books?” you ask.  Pageant of the Gun?  Basket Pioneering?  The Romance of Textiles?  “Where have my precious Atget, Friedlander, and Weegee gone?”  Then, you notice the sign.  The one with the big arrow.  You walk in the direction of the arrow toward the back wall, and there you find:

new-photo-shelves3

Eureka!

Yes, we’ve moved the photography and design books (the entire TR section, actually) to new shelving units that are kinder to both the books and the people who use them.  The shelves are double-deep, so there are no books hanging off the ends of the shelves, and they’re taller, so we’re able to display more of them spine-out.  You’ll find that browsing the shelves and finding what you need is much easier than before.

We’d like to hear what you think of the new arrangement, so come on in and take a look.  And, of course, if you have questions, we’re here to help!

Library “micro café” gets new look

Posted on by

img_2004

Welcome to The Coat Closet Café!

For the last year or so the Library has provided a self-service coffee kiosk in the old coat room on the Main Floor across from the desk of the Public Services Librarian. Recently, the room got a fresh paint job (including a red accent wall) and we’ve hung a sign over the doorway to give our “micro café” a more official coffee shop look and feel. We are calling our space The Coat Closet Café.

The self-service kiosk is open Monday through Friday, and offers two blends of coffee fresh brewed twice a day, and hot water for tea. The price for coffee and tea is only fifty cents a cup. You can also purchase Coke products and snacks from machines in this space.

The Library is pleased to offer this service, and it has worked hard in recent years to remove long-standing barriers to allowing food and drink in the building. Says Library Director Gary Daught, “This is one way to make the Library a more welcoming and inviting place for students. The only thing we ask is that persons clean-up after themselves before they leave.” Trash cans are provided in various places throughout the building.

img_2005

Public Services Librarian Jeff Harbin enjoys a cup of joe.

In many ways the presence of The Coat Closet Café is a gesture pointing to an eventual goal that will see a full-service coffee shop within the Library building. The Library renovation plan, which is a key component of the new capital campaign, actually includes space for a coffee shop. “This is part of a changed philosophy of what libraries are and do today,” says Daught. “A library is no longer only about warehousing information resources. Yes, libraries will always include information resources, in both print and electronic formats. But libraries today, and academic libraries in particular, are expanding their role to include welcoming spaces for teaching and learning. This philosophy appreciates that teaching and learning happens best in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere, which includes both social interaction and a ‘domestic’ dimension. That’s where the coffee comes in. The Coat Closet Café is one step toward putting this philosophy into practice.”

NEW local alumni borrowing privileges

Posted on by

Milligan Library is now providing extended library borrowing privileges to local alumni. Alumni may now borrow media—DVDs, videos, and CDs—in addition to books. These privileges extend beyond those of community patrons, who may check out books only.

Local alumni may check out DVDs, videos, and CDs for a period of three days, with one renewal per item. Both alumni and community borrowers may check out up to 20 items at one time.

In order to encourage the prompt return of items for Milligan students, faculty, and staff, we have also begun charging daily fines for overdue items on both community and alumni accounts–$0.25 per day per item, with a $5.00 maximum fine per item. The Library Handbook has been edited to reflect these changes.

We hope to see you soon!