If you’re like me, then you’re in utter disbelief that August is already upon us! The hubbub of summer sessions has subsided as we simultaneously gear up for the fall! This current state of being is reflected in our reduced hours of operation during the month of August. We’ll be open to the public weekdays from 8am – 5pm. Come visit us, and enjoy the rest of summer!
Campus Research, brought to you by iCONN!
Campus Research is a comprehensive collection of news and business information and law-related resources, including state and federal laws, regulations, cases, and law reviews. This database is available to the CCSU community courtesy of iCONN, the Connecticut Digital Library.
Texting Feature in CONSULS
Ok, so by now many of you have discovered our latest CONSULS hack– the ability to send a call number and location information in the form of a text message. I think it’s pretty spiffy and hope you like it too. When people ask why I enjoy working in libraries one of the first things that jumps to mind is the culture of cooperation and sharing which exists in library land from the smallest consortia, like CONSULS, to endeavors on a mind-boggling scale like OCLC’s resource sharing. This texting feature was developed by the Tripod Library Consortium (Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Swarthmore Colleges) as an add-on to the Innovative Interfaces Webpac Pro library catalog… and they were kind enough to share their source code so that other sites running the same system could benefit. I just adapted it to suit our local needs. Here’s to you guys!
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Try it Now! |
Volunteering in NOLA
I returned recently from a trip to the great city of New Orleans. The main objective of the trip was to help rebuild houses in the Lower Ninth Ward, an area that was ravaged by floods in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.This area was particularly hard hit, and many residents had water up to their rooftops. Two and a half years later most of the area is still in need of repair and since only 10% of the population has returned, much of the area feels like a ghost town.
We (my husband and I) were able to volunteer with an organization called lowernine.org, which is a non-profit group that assists with placing volunteers in area homes that need repair, along with offering assistance to the homeowners of the area.The amazing people of this organization also provide a place to sleep and food to eat to their many volunteers. In addition they teach volunteers the skills they need to drywall or frame buildings or whatever may arise. I was able to learn how to tile floors and backsplashes while I was there.
The best part of the whole experience was getting to meet the homeowners.One morning I was dropped off at one of the houses, and was immediately greeted with a giant hug and thank you by a lovely woman whose home was near completion. On another occasion, I witnessed an owner start to well up with tears as the realization that he and his family would soon be able to move back into their home dawned on him. On the whole it was a fantastic experience, and I am hoping to go back for some more renovation projects in October.
You can find out more at www.lowernine.org
If you would like to see the photos let me know!
CIL 2008
Today is my first day back in the library after attending (and presenting at) the Computers in Libraries conference in Arlington, VA. The weather was well, crap, but at least we had plenty to keep us engaged during the very eventful 3-day conference. As promised to many of you great folks who were hanging with us until the bitter end (yes, we were scheduled for the last session block on day three of the conference, which I was assured by some veteran presenters is the MO of the program planners to vet the newbs), I’m posting the Vidcasting presentation slides.
Exhibit information or rather misinformation
If yesterday was April’s Fool I would pretend it was a joke, since it was a day later I want to correct a mistake about the LGBTQ exhibit news announcement on our web site. It is not an organization with a 150 years old tradition but it celebrates just 15 years. If my mistake would be a true fact
Renata
Welcome Friends!
Well, I’m happy to report that after nearly a year’s worth of discussion and soul searching (what else is new in academe?) we’re pleased to introduce the Burritt Library blog! The blog addresses two needs that several of us in the building have been grappling with– 1) to find a more informal way of connecting with you, our wonderful user community, so that we may regale you with all the fabulous things going on, both within our sadly nondescript walls and beyond, and accordingly 2) to provide a mechanism for you to connect with us! I’m delighted that a number of my colleagues in the various departments of the library were interested in contributing to our blogging venture when Edward and I first put out the call for bloggahs. Though we may all work in the library, we are by no means a monolithic entity; many of us have vastly differing job responsibilities as well as points of view– as you will soon find out! Cheers!
