AU’s Newest Librarian: Maria Planansky

Alfred University Libraries welcomes Maria Planansky to the position of Collection Management Librarian.

In this role, Maria will oversee acquisitions, cataloging, serials, donations, and electronic resources management across Samuel R. Scholes Library and Herrick Memorial Library and coordinate on State University of New York consortia-wide initiatives for collection management.

Maria will also work as the liaison to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with the Sociology, Criminal Justice and Political Science programs.

What was your background before Alfred University?

For undergrad, I went to Beloit College, which is similar in a lot of ways to Alfred. Both are smaller schools very focused on experiential learning. At Beloit I studied Political Science and Philosophy and continued with that after graduation: I worked at a social science research organization for many years and later taught high school social studies and humanities. More recently, I earned a Master’s in Library and Information Science from Dominican University. While in school, I worked at Dominican University’s Crown Library and the Pritzker Military Museum & Library in Chicago.

What interests you about your current position?

So much! The heart of the Collection Management Librarian role is making sure library resources serve students. That means ensuring that students are active participants when it comes to choosing what we include in our library collections.

What social media platforms do you use?

Instagram is my favorite, but Twitter is a close second. I’m not on TikTok, but this basset hound has me rethinking that decision.

Do you have a favorite research or tech tool?

I have favorite research advice.

Earlier this year, sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom wrote an essay on Dolly Parton, called The Dolly Moment. It is really, really good. A week or so after that essay was published, she wrote about her research approach: read around the subject. In McMillan Cottom’s words, “Reading around a subject is about going beyond the object of study to unpack, examine, or pick apart what the person or the object of study represents. That is usually where the good stuff is.”

For straight-up research tools, though, I use Primo’s citation generator. It makes everything so much easier! Citations can be tricky, and Alfred has a great Citation Help LibGuide that’s full of resources.

What are you reading or listening to?

Earlier this summer a friend recommended the novel Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters. It was fantastic! I’ve also been reading novels by Louise Erdrich, one of my favorite authors, and I’m pretty excited for Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You. This past weekend we had the Otis Redding and Carla Thomas album King & Queen on repeat. It was a good weekend.

Pinch Pots, Plants, and Putt Putt!

Alfred University Libraries encouraged new students to explore Herrick Memorial Library and Samuel R. Scholes Library during Welcome Week Event.

A recent open house event Saturday, August 21st drew over 150 new and returning students. The open house featured a self-guided mini-golf “tour” of both Herrick Memorial Library and Samuel R. Scholes Library, free pinch pots and plants as well as an introduction to the Personal Librarian Program.

Putt-Putt Golf Library “Tour”

The putt-putt mini golf course took students through each floor of the building highlighting individual and group study spaces, the library “stacks”, the NYSCC and University Archives, and other key offices such as Information Technology Services (ITS) and The Center for Academic Success (CAS).

Ten participating students won a raffle for a free AU t-shirt from the Alfred University Bookstore.

Pinch Pots and Plants

Another big draw for students was the free pinch pots and plant cuttings. In the spring of 2020, the Clay Collective organized AU students to make pinch pots as a welcome gift to incoming students this fall semester. Students at the Welcome Week open house event chose one of these pinch pots as a new home for their plant cutting. The plant cuttings came from “mother plants” around Herrick and Scholes Libraries. They are started in used K-Cups from the libraries’ Keurig machine in an effort to reduce plastic waste.

Watch out for another opportunity to pick up your pinch pot…coming soon!

Personal Librarian Program

Students in Herrick Library learning about the Personal Librarian Program

As a part of the event, students met AU Librarians and learned about the Personal Librarian Program. All new students are assigned their very own Personal Librarian to be their initial contact for all their research needs as they start out at Alfred University. 

The Personal Librarian Program is a great tool for making contact with the Libraries and learning about resources and services.

If you don’t know the name of your personal librarian, contact us at libraries@alfred.edu, or visit: https://libguides.alfred.edu/mylibrarian

Here are some of the things that your Personal Librarian can do:

Assist you with your research by helping you choose a topic, articulate research questions, identify credible and reliable sources and formulate effective search strategies

Help you navigate the libraries’ print and online resources.

Answer your questions about library policies, procedures, and services.

Your Personal Librarian can also connect you to the right people on campus for computer issues, writing assistance, tutoring, and other support services.

For in-depth questions, it is recommended that you make an appointment ahead of time to ensure someone is available to assist you. Librarians are also available via phone or video conferencing such as Zoom. If there is anything research or library-related that you need, feel free to contact your Personal Librarian in person, by phone, or by email. 

Contact us at libraries@alfred.edu, or visit: https://libguides.alfred.edu/mylibrarian