Diane Dates Casey
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A Word from the Dean
Welcome to the University Library!
The blizzard of 2011 has melted! Daley’s out and Emanuel’s in as the next mayor of Chicago! Facebook and Twitter are transforming the Middle East!
Yet some things remain reliable, like the wide range of services prepared to assist students and faculty members in their course assignments and research pursuits.
Librarians can help focus research questions and identify appropriate information resources. Additionally, Writing Center tutors can answer questions about writing and citation styles. Even information science tutoring is available at scheduled times in the library. Public workstations offer a full suite of productivity software, including Microsoft Office 2010. For those with their own laptops, wireless access to the Internet can be found throughout the public areas of the library.
I-Share Changes
The University Library is one of 76 academic and special libraries in Illinois that constitute the I-Share online catalog and integrated library system.
In the past, loan periods for checking out materials were determined by the I-Share lending library. Recently, loan periods for students, faculty and staff from I-Share libraries were all changed to four weeks with three opportunities to renew. Consequently all requested items from other I-Share libraries will be available for check out.
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LibQUAL+®
Lydia Morrow Ruetten
In February, the library was pleased to receive notification of a $3,200 grant for participation in the 2011 LibQUAL+® survey.
LibQUAL+® is a suite of services that libraries use to solicit, track, understand, and act upon users' opinions of service quality. These services are offered to the library community by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL).
The program's centerpiece is a rigorously tested Web-based survey bundled with training that helps libraries assess and improve library services, change organizational culture, and market the library.
GSU was one of four institutions awarded an in-kind grant. The library will be implementing the survey during the fall.
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GSU Library and Facebook
Diane Nadler
Did you know that the GSU Library and the Friends of the GSU Library are on Facebook?
You can find the GSU Library Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/GSULibrary and the Friends of the GSU Library Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Friends-of-the-GSU-Library/68867822280.
The Library Facebook page has had visitors from the United States, Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, Indonesia, Norway, Pakistan, Mexico and Slovenia. Besides English, the page is being viewed in Indonesian, Norwegian and Spanish.
Make the Library or Friends Facebook page a favorite and keep up with the latest workshop offerings, changes in hours, and emergency closings as well as information on the Friends of the GSU Library meetings and events.
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Good things do come in small packages – and in the Art-o-mat
Lynn DiMaggio
 Just what exactly is the Art-o-mat? Someplace to wash art? Nooo. A pretty place to wrestle? Not that either. Actually, it’s a revamped cigarette vending machine that resides in the GSU Library.
Just when you’re wondering why, let’s delve a bit further: In the days when cigarettes were a little more popular, the machine housed the brands that cowboys and movie stars advertised and that your parents lit up. But now, it’s smokin’ with a different kind of sale: original art. And, you can get this original art for less than today’s price for a pack of cigarettes.
The Art-o-mat was the created in 1997 by Clark Whittington for his lone art show in Winston-Salem, NC. He is not alone anymore. Today, Artists in Cellophane (the contributing group of Art-o-mat artists) is 400 strong and represents 10 different countries. Their work includes jewelry, fabric art, poetry, tiny little paintings, and some other more eclectic pieces. All are wrapped in little cigarette-pack-size boxes, available in venerable vending machines in 90 locations throughout this and other countries.
Visit ours at the GSU Library. It’s fun to use, too. You start by buying a cool token ($5 at the Circulation Desk). You drop the token in, make your selection, pull the knob and wait for the familiar “plunk.” Out will come your very own pack of original art. It’s inexpensive enough to share with friends, and you don’t have to go outside to enjoy it.
Warning: Collecting affordable original art can become addictive!
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Government Information Collection
Susan Bell
If you’ve noticed things changing in the government documents stacks lately, there’s a good reason. The library is withdrawing paper documents and retaining as much government information as possible in online formats.
The University Library is a selective depository for both federal and state documents. These government documents take up mountains of paper and space in the stacks, so accessing those documents through the Internet makes them not only easier to store but easier for you to search and retrieve through the I-Share online catalog or the Government Information subject guide. Then, you only need to print what you really need. Hopefully a flawless transition!
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Check Out Novel Writer’s Knock-Out New Book
Valerie Hughes  One of our own, Valerie J. Nicholas-Hughes, of the University Library Catalog Department, has a book just released January 12, 2011 under her mysterious pen name, Autumn S. Couchant.
The title is Dyviniti Memoirs: The Ligoncy Secrets. It is a paranormal romance novel for those rainy or SNOWY days. If you are into the latest trend of specialty cliques such as vampires, werewolves, zombies, this is a read of another supernatural influence.
Information can be found at www.dyvinitimemoirs.com.
Valerie Hughes has been a state employee since 1991. She has been with the GSU Library since 2005. She is a Senior Library Specialist in Technical Service/Catalog. She was employee of the month for December 2009.
Hughes is one of the Union Stewards of Local 743. She started the group “Novel Writers Knock-Outs” which merged with “GSU Writers Ink.” She has written “Harbingers of my Red Sea,” which was published in the journal “Grapevine” for ministers and leaders in 2005. She also wrote for an inspirational publication in May of 2007.
“Dyviniti Memoirs : The Ligoncy Secrets is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Abebooks, and Xlibris Publishing on-line. Soon to hit the store shelves.
Contact: Valerie J. Hughes at 708-235-7502 or ext.7502 vhughes@govst.edu.
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Genealogy Workshops
Pam Taylor
Thanks in part to the ever popular NBC series “Who Do You Think You Are?”, people from all around the world are researching their family history. That is very apparent from the overwhelming response to the genealogy workshops we offered this semester.
For the novice genealogist who just started to put together a few names and wanted to know how to search for information, we offered the first workshop, titled “Starting Your Family Tree." That workshop provided the researcher with a list of what documents to collect, what questions to ask relatives in regards to family folklore, and where to find information.
The next workshop, “Using FamilySearch.org in Your Genealogy Research," dealt specifically with utilizing all the resources on this constantly growing free website.
In addition to the many vital records available, this website also offers online classes, from researching your German, French, Italian, etc. ethnicity, to understanding how to read German handwriting and so much more!
Our third workshop, “Finding Those Vital Records in Your Genealogy Research," will be offered two times; March 31 and April 1. This workshop will help explain how to access vital records from online indices, county websites, archival depositories, historical societies, and other resources. “Breaking Down Those Brick Walls in Your Genealogy” is our final workshop offered this semester. This workshop will help you review and understand your research so that you can keep knocking down the obstacles in the way of discovering the information you are seeking. For more information on the genealogy workshops, please contact Pam Taylor at 708.235.7527.
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Faculty Authors Reception
A Fresh New Look
Helen Benos
The University Library hosted the Faculty Authors Reception on March 2. This year’s reception was planned and implemented by Lynn DiMaggio, Erin Engelbrecht, Judy Hanacek, and Carol Machura. Thanks to a wealth of talent in graphic design, photography, and organizational skills provided by these four ladies, the reception had an exciting and fresh new look.
The feather has officially been retired.
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In Their Own Write
Lynn DiMaggio
GSU faculty members and administrators proved they have the write stuff at the Faculty Authors Reception on March 2. A total of 34 participants representing every area of university study showcased 63 published or in-press works in a regal balcony setting befitting scholarly endeavors hosted by the GSU Library.
The offerings were diverse:
- A DVD documentary on the history of Illinois Indians
- Scholarly articles in a variety of subjects from botany to management
- Books or chapters of books from medical topics to haiku
- Professional presentations
President Maimon, who also authored a book, delivered a short speech honoring the participants, including:
 Terry L. Allison- Catherine Balthazar
- Greg Blevins
- Paul M. Blobaum
- Russell Carter
- Xiaoyong Chen
- James R. “Chip” Coldren, Jr.
- Daniel K. Cortese
- Dave Diers
- Melanie T. Ellexson
- Dan Hechenberger
- Heikki Heino
- Xiuqing Susan Ji
- Vincent R. Jones
- Rosemary Johnsen
- Elizabeth Johnson
- Shelly Kumar
- Jay Lubinsky
- Brian J. McKenna
- Marian Marion
- Morven Ngaiyaye
- Robbie O’Shea
- Winfried Karl Rudloff
- Patricia Robey
- Linda F. Samson
- Catherine Ford Sori
- Feng Tian
- Catherine Tymkow
- Ann Vendrely
- K.C. Wong
- Julia Yang
- Jun Zhao
- Jason Zingsheim
Authors received a lighted magnifying glass.
GSU personnel involved in making the event a success included:
- Diane Dates Casey
- Linda Geller
- Paul Blobaum
- Helen Benos
- Judy Hanacek
- Erin Engelbrecht
- Susan Bell
- LaShaunda Williams-Ware
- Carol Machura
- Margo Witkowski
- Siqi Wu
- Lynn DiMaggio
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 Friends Corner
What Are Friends For?
Eric Nicholson
“The mission of the Friends of the Governors State University Library is to bring together those who share a love of knowledge and a desire to promote the role of the library in the University and the surrounding community. Friends provide support for resources and services to benefit learners in the university and the community."
So, if you love knowledge and desire to promote the role of the library, come together with us in the library conference room on the second Wednesday of the month between noon and 1 pm. That's April 13, May 11, June 8, July 13, August 10, September14, October 12, November 9, and December 14 for the rest of 2011.
In the last six months of 2010, Friends have re-elected officers (Eric Nicholson: President, Dianne Kronika: Vice-President, Pam Taylor: Secretary, and Jean Malloy: Treasurer), had a big book sale at the end of October, sold donated books on Amazon and purchased New York Times bestsellers and Arcadia Publishers' Images of America history and genealogy books for our library user's non-academic reading pleasure. As of our last meeting of 2010, our accounts showed a balance of $12,548.
We are currently in the midst of our March Madness donation drive in preparation for our April 14 spring book sale and you can help. Just drop off your used books, videos, DVD’s, or any other media product that you no longer want to the Governors State University Library and fill out a simple donation form for tax purposes.
The Friends also sponsor a number of library related activities including Friends of Mysteries, GSU Writers Ink, who meet together to encourage each other and serve as a sounding board for one another's interest in writing, and Friends of the Governors State University Library Historical Society, who meet monthly to discuss history of all kinds, especially local and genealogical.
GSU Writers Ink Celebration
Lydia Morrow Ruetten
In January, we celebrated one of our group members, Valerie Hughes, who has recently had a book published, Dyviniti Memoirs. She says that it was “a dream I took off the shelf and imagined it unfolding with much enthusiasm.”
The process took her to a place she always wanted to be: a writer, an author, and a goal setter. She said she was able to accomplish her goal by taking little steps. She states, “It showed me that you’re never too old to accomplish a dream.” Her pen name, Autumn S. Couchant, was created with this in mind, meaning Autumn Sunset, and the middle initial “S” standing for Soleil because she’s a Leo. Val kept her project to herself until she proudly announced her publication. Congratulations Val!
The group will be hosting an “Open Mic” event on June 9, location to be announced. People are encouraged to bring something they’ve written, such as: short stories, poems, articles, an excerpt from a book, etc. to read for the audience. Music performances of original works are also welcome. Please come and join us.
The group meets on the second Thursday of the month in the Library Administrative Room from noon to 1 p.m. You are welcome to bring your lunch.
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