New Library website goes live today

Well, you may have noticed that this didn't happen yesterday!! We are waiting for one more step to be taken on the support side. It should happen some time Thursday.

Later today, the redesigned and updated Library website will become active.  The site you have relied upon as the portal for Library information, library.upsem.edu, will have a new appearance and organization. 

We think you will find the new structure easy to navigate. For access to the catalog and the online databases, use the links found under RESEARCH & RESOURCES.

On this date, the Charlotte Library Facebook page will be shut down and all social media posts will be consolidated in our combined Instagram (@upsemlibrary) and Facebook page (http://facebook.com/UPSemLibrary).  

A new Library blog will replace this one.  We'll use it to post news and announcements, events and information you won't want to miss.  As soon as it becomes active, we'll post the URL here.
 

CHANGES COMING OCT 3-13 : New Library Catalog and Website

The time has come for us to make the move to our new Library system.  During a two-week transition period, there will be substantial changes that will affect our users.  PLEASE refer to this announcement for help in knowing what to expect.

MONDAY OCT 3 – Library Catalog Goes “Read-Only”

On this date, the Library’s current catalog will become “read-only.”  This means that you will not be able to access your own personal account in our online catalog, to check for due dates, renew items, etc.   If you need to renew an item or consult your transaction history, please contact the Circulation Desk and ask for their assistance.

You will still be able to look up call numbers and other information in our catalog, but it will not include updated, real-time data.  So you won’t be able to tell whether an item is currently on the shelf by looking at its catalog record.

We will be able to check out items as needed, EXCEPT for Course Reserves.  During this two-week period, there will be no overnight lending of course reserve materials.  Please be prepared to photocopy materials you may need after open hours.

If you need to return items, we can accept them, but there will be no item check-ins during this period.  No fines will be assessed against you for unprocessed returns. 

In Richmond, we will continue to request Interlibrary Loans from other institutions as needed.  You may continue to use the ILL Request Form found in our current catalog.  To borrow or return an ILL item, please go to Jay McNeal’s office in the Instructional Resource Center.

WEDNESDAY OCT 5 – New Library Website Begins

On this date, the redesigned and updated Library website will become active.  The site you have relied upon as the portal for Library information, library.upsem.edu, will have a new appearance and organization. 

We think you will find the new structure easy to navigate. For access to the catalog and the online databases, use the links found under RESEARCH & RESOURCES.

On this date, the Charlotte Library Facebook page will be shut down and all social media posts will be consolidated in our combined Instagram (@upsemlibrary) and Facebook page (http://facebook.com/UPSemLibrary). 

WEDNESDAY OCT 12 – Catalog Stop

This date will be the last on which we will be using our old catalog.  The Charlotte campus library transactions will end at 4:00 pm, and at 6:00 pm the William Smith Morton Library will stop all transactions.  The Richmond building will remain open for study but there will be no Circulation available. 

THURSDAY OCT 13 – New Catalog Comes Online

Beginning on this date, we will be testing and finalizing all operations in the new Library system.  All functions will become active as they are checked and cleared.  We expect some wrinkles and surprises on this day and possibly the next.  Please have patience as any problems are addressed and corrected.

AFTER OCT 13

Even after our “go live” date, there will be many improvements and refinements to come.  The main issue that will affect users is off-campus access to our electronic resources.  At first, we will carry on very much like we do now, with your network user ID and password for access to the online databases and other electronic tools, and your barcode/PIN login for your Library account.  But our ultimate goal is a “single sign-on” system, which will enable you to login just once to our system and move seamlessly to all of our applicable resources. 

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES – Oct 17-Nov 28 

In Richmond, Ann Knox is organizing a series of training events in the Digital Learning Lab, beginning on Oct 17.  These will be informal 45-minute briefings on the use of the new systems, answering your questions, etc.  Because there are only 10 places in the DLL, it will be necessary for you to sign up in advance.  Please stay alert for more information about these sessions as it becomes available.

In Charlotte, David Mayo will be training an OT class and introducing them to the new system on Oct 15.  There will also be a short open class on Oct 22, and on other Saturdays during November.

We wish to express our thanks to the “Hal Todd Library Without Walls” initiative that is making this new system possible.  Once everything is in place, we think users will be delighted.  You’ll wonder how we ever managed without it!

We do apologize for any awkwardness, confusion and inconvenience that may accompany this transition.  Thank you for your patience!

 

New UPSem library website and catalog coming soon!!

We're excited to announce that the library will soon be launching a new website and a new online catalog.

The initial roll-out of the website is scheduled for the week of October 3rd and the new catalog is scheduled to go live on October 13th, though both resources will continue to evolve and improve after that date.  We apologize for any glitches or inconveniences in the early days of this transition but look forward to offering an expanded range of online services as the new tools mature.

There will be a variety of opportunities to learn about the new catalog, in particular, in the weeks and months following its release. 

A great way to stay informed of these changes and opportunities is to "like" the library's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/UPSemLibrary.  We will be able to post quick pointers and updates on social media as well.

 Thank you for your patience and support.  We hope that you will like what's coming!

New exhibit in the Library

60 Years of Women's Ordination in the Presbyterian Church

Sixty years ago, on 24 October 1956, the first woman was ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in a Presbyterian church. Some female deacons and ruling elders had preceded her. But Margaret Towner was the first to have equal standing with male pastors in a Presbyterian church (the PCUSA).

Many more "firsts" for Presbyterian women have taken place since then, including the ordination of our own Prof. Katie Cannon, the first African-American woman ordained as a Presbyterian (in the UPCUSA), and our alumna Rachel Henderlite (PSCE 1961) in the PCUS. This summer, two women were elected together as Co-Moderators of the 222nd General Assembly in Portland.

We have created a display to honor these pioneers and to call attention to some of the extensive literature that now exists on the subject of the various roles and ministries undertaken by women in the church.

The exhibit is found in the glass display cases near the main entrance of the Library. Please come and absorb this information and honor these colleagues in ministry.

We're open

To our surprise, the Morton Library did not lose power during the recent storm-related outage.  We were able to keep the building open on Friday and Saturday.  It became a haven for people looking for coffee, a refrigerator, or a place to charge their devices.

THANKS to our wonderful Circ staff -- Lisa, Sani, Sean and others -- who faithfully kept the place secure and safe, even when they had no electricity at their own homes.  You folks are the greatest!!

New format for the CHOICE book reviews resource

Many people have expressed appreciation for the CHOICE database of current academic book reviews.  This valuable periodical, published by the American Library Association, assists in collection building across many disciplines.  It provides brief, focused reviews of current publications suitable for academic libraries.

It also offers a lot of personalized features and options that allow the user to search for and be notified about new publications in specific subject areas.  This capability allows you to keep up easily with new literature in your field of study.

Now, the CHOICE reviews program online has a whole new interface!  It's intended to make the program more intuitive and easier to use.  For further information, please click HERE.

SUMMER HOURS

Today is the first day of our summer open hours schedule.  Please be aware that the time is shortened each day :

Monday - Thursday  9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Friday  9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Saturday  1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Sunday  Closed

Jul 4 (M) Independence Day  Closed

Sep 3 - 5 (Sa - M) Labor Day  Closed

We need to give our diligent Circ workers some time off in the summer when we can. 

Feasting on the Word

We have added a full set of the 12-volume Feasting on the Word lectionary commentary in the Reference Room.

The stacks copies of these popular books are often checked out or placed on Course Reserves, making it a little frustrating for people who need to consult them.  This set in the Ref Room can't be borrowed or relocated, so there will always be at least one copy available in the Library.

PLEASE NOTE : They are not shelved with the other Ref Room commentaries, because they are considered a "Preaching" resource.  Therefore they are classified with materials on Homiletics.  Their call number is Ref. WQ 8.4 F288.

New digital learning station

On Wednesday, April 13, Morton Library will introduce a dedicated learning station in the Digital Learning Lab (Morton 203) that will give all students, faculty and staff on the Richmond campus access to a vast library of video tutorials for a wide range of technology products and services.  Our annual subscription to Lynda.com will give you access to tutorials on business applications such as Microsoft 365, presentation products such as Prezi, learning management systems such as Blackboard 9 (our version), and training in using audio editing software such as Garage Band or Audacity.  These are just a few examples of the hundreds of training courses that Lynda.com can offer you.

If you would like to check out the full range of Lynda.com training videos, go to https://www.lynda.com/ and click on Library at the top of the screen. 

We are trying out a dedicated learning station for this service this year.  The downside of this is that you will need to come to the Library to learn from the site but the Instructional Resource Center staff is available every day between 8 am – 5 pm to get you started and we’re happy to open the Lab at other times with advance notice.  If this proves to be a useful tool, we can explore other options next year that could allow you to access what you need from your office or dorm room.

We’ll have the Digital Learning Lab open from 1 – 5 pm every day next week (April 18-22) for the grand unveiling of our learning station and hope you’ll stop by to see what it can offer you.  If you can’t visit during our open house introduction, please let us know a convenient time and we’ll be glad to get you started learning!

Ann Thomas Knox

Director, Instructional Resource Center

aknox@upsem.edu

804-278-4324

Holiday closing

Don't forget that the Morton Library will be CLOSED on Good Friday and through the Easter weekend.  Come in today and borrow or copy the things you may need for the next few days.

Special exhibit : AFRICAN ODYSSEY

We hope you've had a chance to come in and contemplate the powerful photography exhibit in the Library's Atrium.  Dr. Joanne Braxton will be coming here next Tuesday, March 29th, to give a Gallery Talk about these photos and the meanings they represent.  The talk will take place at 3:00 pm in the Balmer Kelly Reserve Room.

Please plan to join us that afternoon for a special opportunity to learn from the Director of the Middle Passage Project at the College of William and Mary. 

Delayed opening

Two hour delay today

Weather watch

Here's your first notice about the snow that may be arriving tonight! Be sure and follow any announcements tomorrow morning about the UPSem schedule. The Library will follow any campus-wide delay if there is one. Check WWBT Channel 12 or WTVR Channel 6 or call the main switchboard for any announcements. (And we don't want to pull out any more snow pictures this year!)

Goodies in the Patron Lounge

Morton Library hosted the Community Break today, and we have some delicious treats left over -- cookies and rolls, and also gluten-free cookies, plus veggies/dip, chips, etc.

We will place all of the food in the Patron Lounge.  Drop in today and enjoy!

New coffee machine in the Patron Lounge

Morty says : "There's a new coffee machine in the Patron Lounge. Bring your own cup (after these freebies on the table are gone)."

Closed Monday

The Richmond campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary will be closed on Monday, 15 Feb.  Morton Library will be closed all day.

Comfy spot for students in the Morton Library

Are you living off-campus?  Commuting?  Enrolled in the ECP program?  Or just wishing you had a comfortable place on campus to eat, drink and study?

Come and use our 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 stuff for your comfort and convenience.  There is a refrigerator, a microwave, an electric kettle, a Keurig coffee machine, a hot & cold bottled water dispenser, and some supplies for fixing drinks and snacks.  We've got two nice sofas in there and power strips for recharging your devices.  There's also a table where several people can snack and work together.

And yes, we also have books.  ;-)