A Word from the Dean
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Diane Dates Casey
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What's New at the University Library?
Welcome to the University Library! Whether this is your first term or you are a GSU veteran, we encourage students and faculty to explore and use the wide range of services designed to assist you in your course assignments and research pursuits.
Librarians are available to help you in refining a research question and identifying appropriate information resources. Additionally, tutors from the Writing Center are ready to answer your questions about writing and citation styles. More than 50 public workstations offer a full suite of productivity software, including Microsoft Office 2007.
For those of you with your own laptops, wireless access to the Internet is available throughout the public areas of the library. In fact, the skylight area of the library now contains new tables with electrical outlets to power your computer as you work. We’re the latest; we’re the greatest; we’re your library!
Accreditation Continuation Visit
Like the rest of the university, the library is preparing for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation continuation visit on November 16 – 18. The GSU mission statement is proudly displayed on the library’s public workstation screens. Take a few minutes, read and reflect upon it, remind yourself what GSU is all about! Additionally, you will find displayed the library’s mission statement, vision statement and core values. Or, take a few moments right now to review these statements on the library website.
GSUvault to Serve as Virtual Resource Room
The GSUvault, the library’s digital institutional repository, will house the Virtual Resource Room for the upcoming HLC visit. A number of digital documents will be available in the Virtual Resource Room as evidence for the evaluation team that the statements found in the university’s self-study report are indeed accurate. You can view GSU’s self-study report at www.govst.edu/hlc/.
Library Staff Members
Associate Professor Paul Blobaum concluded his sabbatical leave on August 31, 2009. During his sabbatical, he worked on increasing his technical skills with online learning modules, developed learning modules related to research in Occupational Therapy, and continued his bibliographic research in health care disparities research literature and media. Additionally, Professor Blobaum was recognized with a 2009 Faculty Excellence Award.
Professor Lydia Morrow Ruetten will be on sabbatical during this fall. Her work will focus on increasing community involvement in the academic environment.
Stacks Coordinator Nicole Hernandez resigned to accept a position outside the university. We wish her success in her new venture.
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Government Documents
Greg Johnson
As you may have noticed, the GSU Government Documents section is in a bit of disorder as we are in the process of weeding and cleaning out the State and Federal documents collections. The goal of this project is to weed out older documents that can easily be retrieved online or through interlibrary loan, clean up the space, and make more room for future quiet study areas in the library.
This project should conclude by the end of the Fall term and will leave the GSU Library with a more organized and easier way to navigate the government documents collection. We thank you in advance for your patience.
Government Documents at GSU also has a new web presence. Please go to http://libguides.govst.edu/governmentinformation to see our new page on LibGuides, check for status updates on the reorganization, view newly de-classified government documents, and search the rest of the GSU Library web presence.
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Web Conferencing and Plagiarism Detection Workshops
Michel Nguessan
GSU Library provides web conferencing/online meeting workshops with Horizon Wimba application. We also offer plagiarism detection workshops using the TurnItIn application. Please check the library workshops webpage to learn the dates and times for this trimester's workshops on Horizon Wimba or TurnItIn.
Potential participants who cannot come during the workshop hours can arrange a one-on-one training session with the trainer at a convenient time (Contact Michel Nguessan at 708.235.2143 or via email at: m-nguessan@govst.edu).
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New Editions of APA and MLA Style Guides
Linda Geller
The newest editions of APA and MLA writing style guides are now available in the library. Library-use copies of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 6th Edition and the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 7th Edition can be obtained at the Reference Desk.
A limited number of copies will also be on reserve at the Circulation Desk, available for a seven-day loan period. The library will also be providing introductory level workshops based on the new editions.
Offerings will include separate workshops for formatting an APA paper in Word 2007, citing works in APA style, and citing works in MLA style.
Be sure to check the library’s website for the workshop schedule. And, as always, we want to remind students to follow their professors’ instructions and requirements when writing papers.
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Books of Honor
Lydia Morrow Ruetten
The Governors State University Library invites you to donate specifically toward the purchase of books through our Books of Honor program and, in doing so, pay tribute to a special person in your life. With your $100 contribution to the GSU Library Books of Honor program, our librarians will select a book in one of the following subject areas: Business, Fine Arts, Humanities, Science, or Social Sciences. A bookplate will be affixed to the book honoring your person(s) of choice.
Consider a gift expressing your appreciation for the people who have enriched your life: professors, graduates, parents, or colleagues. Or remember a special milestone in your life, such as: birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, promotions, or retirements.
When you make your gift to the GSU Library Books of Honor Fund, a letter of acknowledgment and a copy of the bookplate will be sent to you and the honoree, or his or her family.
If you would like to participate in our Books of Honor program, please contact Diane Dates Casey at 708.534.4110 or D-Casey@govst.edu to select the subject area of your choice.
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Liaison Librarians
Linda Geller
Did you know that each student and faculty member has a liaison librarian? You may have heard of synonymous titles for librarians such as subject specialists or program librarians.
In our library, liaison librarians work with specific academic programs and disciplines to provide a variety of services. These services include providing instruction for using library resources, in-depth assistance with research and class assignments, providing subject area resource web pages, and ordering requested library materials.
Find out who your liaison librarian is by visiting one of the following web pages:
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Life in Libraryland
A Step Back Into History
Lynn DiMaggio
vernment
As Governors State University celebrates the 40th anniversary of its establishment, let’s take a look back at the GSU Library’s humble beginnings and growth over the decades.
It seems hard to imagine. Today’s GSU student would never guess that the library opened in 1971 with a card table and a storage closet in a warehouse in Park Forest South. University Park, back then, was called Park Forest South, and the library was called the Learning Resources Center.
Then: The LRC’s tiny staff of organizers -- three professionals and two civil service personnel -- met in a small farmhouse.
Now: 30 full-time staff members, six of whom are professional librarians, and 14 students work in the library, which occupies more than 49,000 square feet.
Then: About 40,000 books, purchased used.
Now: More than 463,000 volumes.
Then: 437 periodical subscriptions.
Now: Access to 51,000 periodicals through the library’s online databases or in print.
Then: Films were used with a projector or viewer of some kind. (Although the LRC did have 11 videotapes).
Now: DVD or VHS formats that can be viewed here or, if not on reserve, at home.
Then: The card catalog consisted of wooden cabinets filled with drawers filled with cards.
Now: The card catalog is a user-friendly computer database.
Although the ways to deliver and acquire information have changed over the years, the focus of the library and its predecessor, the Learning Resources Center, always has been centered on service to the GSU community. From the preamble of the library development document of April 1, 1970: “…the present stress is making knowledge readily available to scholars and students.”
From the current Mission Statement, “The library provides members of the GSU community access to superior information resources supporting instructional, scholarship and service activities of the University, that promote diversity and responsible citizenship, and that strengthen regional partnerships.”
Although no one can even venture a guess as to what the next 40 years will bring, one thing is certain: The GSU Library will continue to grow and change with the times to fortify its commitment to the community.
Sources for this article include the Learning Resources Center’s Annual Report of June 30, 1972; the GSU Library’s online Mission Statement; The Learning Resources Center Guide of 1974; Facilities Management and Development Department figures; the Library Archives; and the Governors State University Factbook 2007-2008.
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Inventory Project
Susan Bell
Tried to find a book in the J-Z section of the library stacks lately? The library staff has just completed inventory of those books, bar coding over 10,000 of them, putting new labels on more than 3,500 of them, pulling damaged books for repair, making a note of missing books, and putting books into the system that weren’t there before. It should make books easier to find and if the book was missing, we made it missing so that the library selectors could replace it.
The bottom line is to get the books on the shelves so that you can find them! It took about six months to complete this project, and we know the stacks are in better shape for it.
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Library Workshops
Helen Benos
Over the last few years, library staff has spent an increasingly large amount of time assisting students with formatting issues in APA style, Excel, and Access. We have gotten away from our main purpose in the library—assisting students with their research.
In an effort to better serve our students, the library will be offering weekly workshops in formatting an APA style paper and basic PowerPoint. Formatting an APA style paper will be especially important this trimester because the American Psychological Association is publishing a sixth edition of its manual, and there are numerous changes in the paper format that must be addressed. These workshops will be offered in the morning, afternoon, and early evening.
In addition to our usual workshops, we will be offering Basic Excel, Plagiarism Detection and Prevention, Turnitin, Web-Conferencing and Online Teaching, Horizon Wimba, Podcasting, and our ever popular—Starting Your Family Tree and Favorite Genealogy Websites.
It is important to note that students will be directed to the Academic Resource Center for additional help with Microsoft Office products. The center has hired a staff member who is proficient in Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
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Web Conferencing and Plagiarism Detection Workshops
 Friends Corner
A message from our outgoing Presidents
Becky & Jim Nugent
Jim and I would like to thank you all for the opportunity to serve as co-presidents of the friends of the library. It’s been an interesting year! We are very impressed by the dedication and hard work of the library staff, most especially Lydia and Pam. Lydia calling to remind us of any and everything we needed to do, and mostly doing it herself. And Pam laboring to collect the books, to sort the books, and to sell the books, working with the plants and pots, and baked goods and so on and so on. The evidence of everyone’s hard work is reflected in our balance sheet! We are grateful.
Although we will both certainly continue to participate in the Friends, leaving our post with some padding is important. We know the friends will continue to support the library, and we will continue to find friends of the library.
Jim and I would like to thank you all for the opportunity to serve as co-presidents of the Friends of the Library. It’s been an interesting year! We are very impressed by the dedication and hard work of the library staff, most especially Lydia and Pam.
- Lydia calling to remind us of any and everything we needed to do, and mostly doing it herself.
- Pam laboring to collect the books, to sort the books, and to sell the books, working with the plants and pots, and baked goods.
- ...and so on and so on.
The evidence of everyone’s hard work is reflected in our balance sheet! We are grateful.
Although we will both certainly continue to participate in the Friends, leaving our post with some padding is important. We know the Friends will continue to support the library, and we will continue to find friends of the library.
Friends of the GSU Library
Lydia Morrow Ruetten
A special thank you goes to Becky and Jim Nugent, our outgoing co-Presidents of the Friends and their team of officers (Kelley Nichols-Vice President, Dianne Kronika-Secretary, and Jean Malloy-Treasurer). Becky and her team were successful in holding various fundraisers for the library.
On August 12, the Friends welcomed our newest team.
- Eric Nicholson-President
- Dianne Kronika-Vice-President
- Pam Taylor-Secretary
- Jean Malloy, returning as Treasurer
- Diane Nadler, remains as the webmaster for the group.
The Friends of the GSU Library meet on the second Wednesday of the month in the Library Administrative Conference room, from noon to 1 p.m. New members are welcome.
Bestsellers
Pam Taylor
 Governors State University Library is proud to have a selection of the New York Times Bestsellers added to its book collection.
The Friends of the GSU Library has been providing funds to the library since 2008 to purchase this collection. Titles are selected for purchase and then added to the collection.
All of these books are available to students, staff, and faculty for a four-week checkout period. Our community members, who have a valid public library card, are also invited to browse and check out these books.
Several of our newest additions to this collection include:
- Liberty and Tyranny
- Outliers
- Horse Soldiers
- Girls from Ames
- Wicked Prey
- 8th Confession
Take a minute or two, pick out several titles at Governors State Library, and get lost in a great book!
Friends Quilt
Dianne Kronika
Work continues on the Friends of the GSU Library 34" x 64" bookshelf quilt, which will hang prominently in our library.
This shelf (above) of the quilt is almost complete. Titles, which consist of labeling information provided by donors, will be painted on the “spines” of the books. Some books remain unclaimed. So, you still have time to remember a special occasion or honor someone by making a donation of $50 and having a book “placed” on the shelf. Minor additional details will also be added to the quilt before completion.
When the bookcase is complete, it will contain five shelves. For more information, check out our website at: www.govst.edu/library/friends or contact Susan at 708.235.7500. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Our first item up for bid is …
The Friends have put the first seven volumes of the Harry Potter series (gently used), up for silent auction in the display case at the end of the library circulation desk. The bidding begins at $30. Bids will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Friday, September 18. Check out the display case to see what’s next! If you have any questions, contact Pam Taylor at ext. 7527.
Friends of Mysteries
Becky Nugent
The Friends of Mysteries will be meeting this fall and discussing the following:
- Murder to Go by Emma Latham—September
- Halloween Party by Agatha Christie—October
- The Best Man to Die by Ruth Rendall—November
- Death of a Dude by Rex Stout—December
Watch the GSU View for meeting dates and times.
GSU Writers Ink
Lydia Morrow Ruetten
Members of the GSU Writers Ink continue to write and share their stories. The group is working on a progressive story that grows more interesting with each installment. Please feel free to join us on the first Thursday of each month in the Library Administrative Conference room.
Inkjet Cartridge Recycling
Susan Bell
The library continues to collect inkjet cartridges for recycling. Cartridges can be dropped off in the container at the circulation desk. Thank you to those that have contributed so far.
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