Holiday closing

This is your last day to come in to the Library and borrow whatever you might need during the Christmas break.

We will close at 5:00 pm today and reopen on January 4th.

Extra end-of-term hours

Our very kind Circ staff is offering you some extra time this week to finish up those final papers and projects :


Dec 11 (Friday)  exam hours 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

Dec 12 (Saturday)  exam hours 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Reminder -- holiday closing

November 25, 2015

Good Morning Everyone,

This is just a reminder that the Library will close at 4 pm today.  I pray that everyone will have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!  :-)



Lisa

The New York Times online !

Now you can set up a free individual account to read The New York Times newspaper online, using our UPSem subscription.  First, click HERE.  (If you are outside of our network, it will ask you to login using your UPSem or BTSR network user ID and password; HERE is information about your network login.)

If you are inside our network or connected via our proxy server, you will see a NY Times login screen.  The first time you use this service, you will need to click on Create an Account, and establish an email address and password that will identify you in the future.  That's the way this service differs from all of our other databases.

Once you have established an account, you can login anywhere on any device, including your smartphone.  This will give you access to the rich content of the NY Times' extensive coverage of news, arts and culture, science and health, politics and government, opinion, entertainment, etc. (everything but the crossword puzzle).  The mobile apps are especially user-friendly and accessible anywhere!

A direct link on our Online Databases page makes it easy for you to return to this resource in the future.  We hope you will enjoy access to this new service! 

Books for sale

Are you aware that we have lots of books for sale at the WSML Circulation Desk?  Usually these are gift books that we already own, so we make them available to everyone.  Only $1.00 for a hardcover, or $.50 for a paperback.  The stock changes frequently because there is a always a steady flow of gifts being processed.

It's a great way to stock up!

New "Patron Lounge" !

Come and use our new Patron Lounge!  It's on the Lower Level, in the room where the computer lab used to be.  Two newer desktop computers have been installed there, with a networked laser printer.

We've added a lot of other stuff for your comfort and convenience.  There is a refrigerator, a microwave, an electric kettle, and some supplies for fixing drinks and snacks.  We've got two nice sofas in there and power strips for recharging your devices.

If you leave your lunch in the fridge, please be sure to write your name on it.  Also, try to keep the room as clean as possible so it doesn't become another burden for the custodial staff.

Many thanks to Christopher Richardson and Fran Eagan for organizing this effort!  Also, thanks to Keith Fauber for finding us some furniture, to John Wilson for setting up the computers, and to Donald Moore for improving the electrical wiring in there so we could add appliances.

It's now permitted to eat and drink in the Patron Lounge and also in the Lower Level Atrium.  Please don't carry food or open drinks to other parts of the building.  Thanks!!

Some tech issues

We are receiving reports that OCLC is having connectivity issues this morning. This means that our catalogers have had trouble cataloging, we will have periodic difficulty logging into doing ILL services, and our users may have issues getting through our EZ Proxy authentication screens from off campus.

We are getting regular updates from OCLC and will let you know when they are reporting everything fixed. In the meantime, know we are aware of the problems and hope that they will be resolved soon!

Fall break -- yes, we're open !!

Normal Library hours during the Fall Break week!  Please come in and borrow stuff, work on your assignments and papers, ask us questions, etc.  We'll be here.

Hours :

http://library.upsem.edu/Pages/HoursStaff.html

Reformation Day display

On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther produced his Ninety-Five Theses, "A Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences" (Disputatio pro declaratione virtutis indulgentiarum). This event is recognized as a key development in the Protestant Reformation, and now 31 October is observed as Reformation Day.

In honor of the occasion, we have placed some lovely items in the flat glass display case in front of the Circulation Desk. You can see the remarkable Nuremberg multilingual Bible, with Luther's own translation into German; Luther's commentary on Galatians first published in English in 1580, an influential text in the English Reformation; the beautiful biographical work by Jacob Verheiden with an engraving of Luther; and a precious little commentary on Amos containing a preface by Luther, printed in the Netherlands during Luther's own lifetime.

Can you think of a better way to celebrate October?

New e-journal : CHOICE Reviews Online

Would you like to know what is being published right now in your field?  Would you like to see timely reviews of those new books?  How about receiving notices about new materials that fit your own stated research interests?

If this sounds good, you'll be happy to hear about our new e-journal subscription.  CHOICE is the monthly periodical published by the American Library Association to assist in collection building across many disciplines.  It provides brief, focused reviews on current publications intended for academic libraries.

We're happy to announce that we now have access for all current students, faculty and staff of UPSem and BTSR to the online version of CHOICE, which offers a lot of special features we hope you will enjoy, including some great options for personalizing your use of the resource.  You can create lists of chosen content, save your often-used searches, and set up alerts to be notified of new content that matches your interests.

For a quick one-page introduction to this resource with instructions for using its special features, click HERE.  

Pope Francis 2015

In honor of the visit of Pope Francis to the United States, libraries everywhere are participating in a joint study of certain passages in The Saint John's Bible.  We'll be turning to a different page each day, and a brief meditation will be offered that ties to that passage.

Please look in the flat glass display case in front of the Circulation Desk for our lovely copy of The Saint John's Bible, opened to the page for the day.  The meditation will be printed each day and placed in the display case beside it.  It's a nice way to share in the joy of our Catholic neighbors at the visit of their pontiff.

Just offering this to you as a blessing.

A link for further information : http://www.saintjohnsbible.org/promotions/lp/itm/

Too warm today

Parts of our building feel uncomfortably warm today ... this is a result of the power failure on campus last week.  The HVAC system is confused and not functioning properly.  Physical Plant is working on the problem and they hope to have it repaired later today.

For now, dress lightly!

Another moving project

Our hard-working (and long-suffering!) Circulation staff are engaged in another move of books on the lower level, in preparation for installing new carpeting down there next week.

They are temporarily removing the books on the bottom shelf of every tier, and placing them above on empty shelves (marked with blue tape) or into a storeroom.  After the rug is installed, the books will go back on the bottom shelves again.

If you need something that doesn't seem to be where it belongs, please ask for help at the Circ Desk.  They will be able to retrieve it for you.

We are sorry for this inconvenience.  The project should be completed within a week or so, long before the start of the Fall term.

No campus email on Tuesday, July 14

Our campus IT manager has informed us that our Union Presbyterian Seminary campus email (@upsem.edu) will be offline for a major upgrade on Tuesday, 14 July.

Please be aware that we won't get any messages sent to us on that day. The work will begin at 8:30 am and probably last the entire day.

Holiday weekend coming

The Morton Library will be closed Friday through Sunday, July 3-5.  Please come in TODAY to get whatever you might need for the weekend!

We will close a bit early, at 5:00 pm.

New exhibit in the Morton Library

Aldus Manutius and the Renaissance
Printers of Venice

Aldus Manutius, foremost among the many talented printer/publishers of Renaissance Venice, died 500 years ago in 1515.  The William Smith Morton Library is fortunate to own several lovely volumes printed by the Aldine Press, and by Aldus' contemporaries in Venice. 

A new exhibit is now installed in the glass display cases in the entryway of the Library, displaying 14 of these fascinating works.  The Aldine Press was the official publisher of the reports and documents of the Council of Trent, two of which are on display.  They also invented the "libelli portatiles" or tiny portable books, ancestor of the modern paperback.  

Other unusual volumes from Venetian presses are included, such as the sermons of Savonarola, Homer's Odyssey in Greek, works by Boethius, Cicero, Erasmus and Peter Lombard, and two beautiful Latin Bibles.  Please come and see these precious objects, which have never been exhibited before, and read the information about Venetian publishing and the significance of these rare volumes.

Closed on Saturday, 30 May

Just a reminder that the Morton Library will be closed tomorrow for the Richmond campus Commencement ceremony.

Memorial Day weekend

The William Smith Morton Library will be closed this weekend for Memorial Day : Sat-Mon, 23-25 May.  Please come in this week to stock up on anything you may need.

We'll be open according to regular May term hours on Tuesday, 26 May.

Catalog maintenance

We expect our Library catalog to be offline briefly during the night on Saturday or very early Sunday morning.  The vendor is installing an update and must restart our server. 

Extended hours for exam time

The Morton Library will be open later on Saturday, April 25th, to give you a bit of extra time to work on those exams and term papers.  We'll be open 1:00-8:00 pm.

More disturbance in here

Today we've got guys ripping up the floor and carpet in the Atrium, and more guys replacing duct work in the Reference Room.  Gosh!  We do apologize for the noise and traffic.  I would recommend bringing headphones or earbuds today.

Paula

Catalog maintenance scheduled

ExLibris will be performing maintenance on the server that hosts our online catalog.  It will require a reboot of our server so it is possible that people may not be able to connect to the server during this time.  The work is scheduled between 2 – 4 am this Sunday morning.  If you are still working at that hour, stop it and go to bed!

Ann

Repair work

UPDATE : The Physical Plant folks are working on repairs today in the Ref Room.  There is a bit of noise and activity here that might distract you, but my understanding is that it won't take long.

There is an unpleasant loud roaring sound in the Reference Room today, coming from the ceiling above the Atlas Case.  We have reported it to Physical Plant and they will be coming to deal with it as soon as they can.

Paula

Atmospheric issues

UPDATE : The Physical Plant folks are working on repairs today in the Ref Room.  There is a bit of noise and activity here that might distract you, but my understanding is that it won't take long.

There is an unpleasant loud roaring sound in the Reference Room today, coming from the ceiling above the Atlas Case.  We have reported it to Physical Plant and they will be coming to deal with it as soon as they can.

We recommend that if you need to study in here today, you bring some earbuds with you, and maybe a warm sweater as well.  There is a cold draft in the room.  My guess is that a fan in the HVAC system is malfunctioning.

Open Saturday

We expect the William Smith Morton Library to be open for our regular Saturday hours today.

Friday closed

The Richmond campus of UPSem will be closed on Friday, 5 March.

Weather closing

Morton Library is closing immediately due to weather.  Please be very careful on icy pavement if you are still on campus.

Delayed opening Friday

The Richmond campus of UPSem will open on a two-hour delay on Friday, 27 Feb.  The Library will be open by 10:30.

Full-text problem with EBSCO databases

Got this announcement from our major database vendor today :

"Due to a problem with the full text server, PDF full text links in EBSCO products (individual databases, EDS, etc.) are not working. EBSCO is aware of this problem, has made the resolution a top priority, and is expecting to have these links working again by the end of the day."

For us, this will affect the ATLA-RDB and ATLAS, OTA, NTA, CPLI and Academic Search Complete, along with the other databases we buy from them.  At least they are working on it.

Richmond campus closed Thursday

The Richmond campus of UPSem will be closed on Thursday, 26 Feb, due to inclement weather.

Library open Monday, but ...

A broken pipe in the Richmond library caused a serious water leak on Saturday. A big cleanup effort is under way and we do plan to open on Monday.

However, in order to dehumidify the building, we need to have the temperature of the library a bit colder than usual.  So please wear some warm clothes on Monday.

Delayed opening Wednesday, 18 Feb

The Richmond campus of UPSem will operate on a delayed opening schedule on Wednesday.  The Library will open at 10:30 am.

Our Circ Desk workers are willing to stay tonight till our usual closing hour of 10:00 pm, in order to give you the opportunity to come in and study here.  Please be very careful coming and going in these icy conditions.

Snow closing Tuesday, 17 Feb

We've been told that the Richmond campus of UPSem will be closed all day on Tuesday.  That includes the Library.

Any further information will be posted here as soon as we have it.

Snow closing today

We've been told that the UPSem campus in Richmond is closing today at 2:00 pm, in order to ensure that everyone cam get home safely before the snow becomes a problem.

The Library will stay open till 3:00 pm, so you can still scoot over here quickly and collect anything you need for tonight.

The Seminary administrators will announce tonight what they want us to do for tomorrow.  Remember, here is the Inclement Weather Page :

http://www.upsem.edu/img/academics_pdf/Richmond_inclement_weather.pdf

Storm coming

There is a strong likelihood that we have some weather closings on the way, either tonight or tomorrow, or both.  So please, come in early today and borrow or photocopy whatever you may need for the next couple of days. 

We will try to post news of closings on this blog and on the mobile blog in a timely fashion.  As soon as we are told what our Library status will be, we'll pass it on to you.

Catalog maintenance this weekend

There will be some updates to our online catalog on Saturday night beginning around midnight (Sunday morning, actually!). Although these updates should be finished by Sunday morning, the last time we did this, it took nearly 16 hours for the catalog and databases to be accessible again. While we are hopeful that it won't take as long this time, we encourage you to use the Library resources you need on Saturday just in case we don't return online again until late Sunday afternoon.

Open today

The Morton Library is open today despite the snow.  I believe we will keep to normal hours.

Dean's Forum TODAY !

Panel Discussion of Paul Galbreath's new book, Leading Into the World (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014)

Wednesday, 21 January 2015 at 4:10 pm
Lake Chapel, in the Early Center
Reception with refreshments starts at 3:30 pm

The Dean's Forum on Faculty Research is an annual opportunity to focus on an important recent publication by a member of the Union Seminary faculty.  Guest scholars are invited to help illuminate and analyze the book.

Prof. Galbreath's new work "helps reconnect our commitment to creation care with our life of discipleship. The process includes helping congregational members name ways that they are involved in caring for creation and encouraging them to see ways that these practices are related to Christian faith, and in doing so, nurturing the life of our communities while fostering our identity as those who care for the earth." 

The book has been described as "a clear and comprehensive guide for reorienting worship throughout the liturgical year in ways that are at once Earth-healing and community building."  For further details and reviews, click HERE.

Dr. Galbreath will discuss his work with a panel of three speakers : Dr. Craig Satterlee, former professor of homiletics at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago; Dr. Claudio Carvalhes, associate professor of preaching and worship at McCormick Theological Seminary; and Martha Moore-Keish, associate professor of theology at Columbia Seminary.

 

A reception with drinks and refreshments will take place beforehand in Rose Hall in the Early Center.  Students, alumni/ae and members of the public are warmly invited to this special event!

Thursday delayed opening

The Richmond campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary will open on a delayed schedule on Thursday, 15 Jan 2015.  The Library will open at 10:30 am.

Open today

There are no classes on the Richmond campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary today.  However, because of the sheer amazing helpfulness of our Circulation staff, the William Smith Morton Library will be open!

So if you can safely get to the Library today, please come in and study or borrow the stuff you need.  Just be very careful on the steps and walkways.  They are icy and can't be cleared completely.

They will be closing at 8:00 pm.

Luther Bowl !

There is a new display in the glass cases near the Library entrance in honor of UPSem's illustrious victory in the Luther Bowl.  Come see the trophy and the photo of our winning team!

This triumph is placed in historical context with some sports memorabilia from the Archives.

Congratulations to our student athletes!!