New at Scholes Library: Samantha Dannick — Engineering and Scholarly Communication Librarian
Something Old and Something New
The role of Engineering Librarian is well established at Alfred University. I’m here to support the students, faculty, and staff of the Inamori School of Engineering in their research endeavors and academic lives here at Alfred University. I can help you find, evaluate, and use information and resources (engineering-related or not). I can help you frame your research question or work through how to approach a project. I can help you whether you’re a first-year figuring out the college library and college-level expectations or a PhD student working on your thesis. The bottom line is: I’m an information professional, and I’m here to work and collaborate with the Alfred University community.
 
The role of Scholarly Communication Librarian is new to Alfred University. I’m here to support the entire Alfred University scholarly community in navigating the world of academic publishing and the frontiers of open access. I’ll keep us moving forward in implementing and developing open educational resources (OER). I’ll be working on making Alfred’s institutional repository, AURA, a home for and a showcase of faculty scholarship. When you’re ready to publish (or at least starting to think about it), I hope you’ll talk to me.
 
You’ve probably heard that Alfred University Libraries are going through some restructuring; Herrick and Scholes will still be Herrick and Scholes, but they’ll both be under the umbrella of Alfred University Libraries. We’re one great University with two great libraries. It’s an interesting time to come on board, and I’m excited to be here.
Samantha Dannick — Engineering and Scholarly Communication Librarian
 
 

The Encounter Group by Louis Mendez displayed in Scholes Library

 
New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University recently acquired The Encounter Group a sculpture by artist and alum Louis Mendez (BFA ’52, MFA ’54).  The hand-built, pit-fired sculpture was donated by Mendez’s wife Dianne-an avid supporter of the School of Art and Design.  Mendez passed away in 2012, making its installation in the Samuel R. Scholes Library of Ceramics a fitting tribute to his legacy as an influential ceramic sculptor.
Mendez is remembered by his students as an engaging teacher, holding positions at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, the Philadelphia College of Art, and the Ohio State University in Columbus, where he was an Associate Professor of Art and Chairman of the Graduate Faculty in the Ceramics Department.[1]
“In his quest to capture the remnant vitality of ancient images and to interpret these forms in a highly personal idiom, he created a body of work at once decorative, evocative, and original.” [2]
The Encounter Group, made in 1989, is a fine example of his iconic body of work-“largely figurative ceramic sculpture inspired by a consistent esthetic allied to both the ancient origins of cultures and a modernist treatment of forms and surfaces.”
“Mendez is well known for his signature ‘Spanish Hand-Building Technique,’ using highly textured slabs, whose surface designs are suggestive of archetypal images that tend to recur across many ancient cultures.  The technique contributed materially to the transformation of ceramics from ‘craft’ to ‘art form’, allowing the construction and firing of works in clay without the use of an armature.”[3]
The piece is available for public viewing on the main floor of the Samuel R. Scholes Library located at the New York State College at Alfred University, 2 Pine Street Alfred, NY 14803
For current Library hours see our website: https://scholes.alfred.edu/
 
[1]http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?n=louis-mendez&pid=158979369
[2] https://www.louismendez.com/about-louis-mendez.html
[3] ibid
 

As a result of a self-study and outside consultant report, the Alfred University Libraries are reorganizing and rebranding as a more unified academic unit while simultaneously maintaining their unique identities and core missions.
First steps included creating a new administrative structure with one Dean and one Director overseeing both libraries and the formation of cross-library teams. Following the retirement of Steve Crandall, the role of Interim Dean is currently being filled by Laurie Lounsberry McFadden. She will be focused on more “outward facing” aspects of the libraries, serving on various committees and councils, representing the libraries work with SUNY and the College of Ceramics, advocating for the libraries on various levels, managing the budgets and overseeing strategic planning and assessment.
Brian Sullivan has stepped into the Interim Director position (Mark Smith is on sabbatical and will return in a new role in the spring semester). The newly defined director position will handle more “inward facing” aspects of the libraries: supervising personnel, building/maintenance issues, promotion and tenure, policies and procedures, etc.
During the transition period Laurie and Brian will each continue with their regular responsibilities as much as possible so feel free to continue to reach out to them as usual.
Deb Rollins is now the Administrative Assistant to the Dean and Director and will support the work of the new AU Libraries leadership.
The anticipated outcomes of the process include greater collaboration, the sharing of expertise and time, and better overall efficiency. The ultimate goal of the AU Libraries is to provide the University campus with excellent resources and services that support the success of our students.

Alfred University’s Herrick Memorial Library is hosting the traveling exhibit, Recognizing Women’s Right to Vote in New York State, from now through Friday, March 2.

New York State is celebrating the centennial of women gaining the right to vote in New York State on November 6, 1917—three years before the 19th Amendment was passed and women throughout the United States gained the right to vote. The South Central Regional Library Council and the Empire State Library Network have partnered with the Digital Public Library of America on the exhibit, which looks beyond the traditional Women’s Suffrage narrative and explores the history behind the movement that made New York State such an important place in the fight for Women’s Suffrage.
The exhibit includes five panels, each showing a different theme:
Woman Suffrage before 1848 – Explores voting in New York State before the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, including in the colonies and among the Haudenosaunee people.
Women’s Rights Activity up to 1848 and the Seneca Falls and Rochester Conventions – Women and men organized to restore the right to vote to women, among other rights.
Pop Culture Suffrage – Suffragists displayed brilliance when it came to promoting their cause, and packaged their message in consumer goods, created songs and theater performances, formed parades and processions, and traveled through rural areas, knocking on doors.
Anti-Suffrage – Most women and men believed that equality for women would lead to the destruction of the state. The Anti-suffrage movement engaged in public debates, created publicity materials to counter those of the suffragists, and argued that support for Women’s Suffrage was unpatriotic, especially during World War I.
Race and Diversity – The early Women’s Suffrage movement embraced women of all races, but overt racism in the later years led some suffragists to argue for the inclusion of all races winning the right to vote—including those effectively denied their voting rights.
For more information, contact Herrick Library at herricklibrary@alfred.edu.

A selection of personal letters to and from Charles F. Binns, the father of American studio ceramics, are now available to view online. These archived letters have recently been digitized, transcribed, and uploaded to AURA (Alfred University Research & Archives).  There are currently 135 transcribed letters, with many more on the way!


For those who may not be in the know, Charles F. Binns was an artist (potter), as well as a major influence during the Arts and Crafts movement at the turn of the century. This movement promoted the unique physical beauty and aesthetics of handmade pottery and other art pieces, as opposed to the mass produced products that were becoming widely available due to the Industrial Revolution.
Binns was also the first director of the New York State College of Clay-Working and Ceramics, which was the first school to combine ceramic art and engineering.  Today it is know as The New York State College of Ceramics (NYSCC) at Alfred University.  For 30 years, this was the only school to have combined the two. Additionally, Binns was one of the first to strongly promote taking a scientific approach to glaze study. Binns worked with, as well as taught, many famous artists such as Elizabeth Overbeck, Mary Chase Perry Stratton, Arthur Eugene Baggs, and R. Guy Cowan.  He continued to correspond and give advice to his students well after they had graduated. This was done through letters, some of which can now be viewed through the AURA site. Binns was so well respected by his students as well as other artists that he was often consulted about techniques, clay, kilns, glazes, and general guidance. The NYSCC Archives in Scholes Library also holds correspondence between Binns and famous contemporaries such as Gustav Stickley, Frederick Carder, and Paul Gardner.

So, you are interested in finding these letters but you are unfamiliar with AURA? No problem! Here is a step by step guide on accessing the letters.
Step 1) You will find a link to AURA on the Scholes Library or Herrick Library web sites, or follow the direct link https://aura.alfred.edu.
Step 2) On AURA‘s main page enter Charles Fergus Binns in the search box.

 
 
From here, you can browse everything uploaded so far!
So now you know a little more about Charles F. Binns and how important he was to Alfred University and to modern ceramics. Make sure to check AURA periodically for updates and additional letter uploads. For more information, or if you would like to visit the NYSCC Archives in Scholes Library, contact Verna Mullen, Archives Manager, at mullenvc@alfred.edu.

 

Let me introduce you to the SMARTkapp white board!
SMARTkapp is the share-as-you-go whiteboard! What does that mean exactly?  Allow me to explain.  Whatever you write on the board can be sent directly to the smart phones of everyone in your group! Once you have filled up the board, you save the page to your phone, erase the board and start on the next page. It’s as simple as that!
 

The SMARTkapp board is perfect for study groups and group projects.  I think we can all agree, one of the hardest parts of a group project is coming up with an agreed upon time to meet. The SMARTkapp app makes it easier than ever. If for some reason a member of your group can not be there, they can easily get the notes with the SMARTkapp app!
SMARTkapp also saves time consuming re-copying.  During group study, one person can take notes and other group members can easily send the notes to their phones.
The board and app are completely free to use for all students. No reservations are needed. You can check out and return the markers and eraser at the front desk. There are easy to understand instructions attached to the board. It reads as follows,
Step 1) Plug in the SMARTKapp Board
Step 2) Download the SMARTKapp App
Step 3) Enable Bluetooth on your phone
Step 4) Gently tap your device to sync the SMARTKapp
Step 5) Use a regular dry erase marker to write notes
Step 6) Share!
It’s that simple! Remember, regardless of color marker, the contents will always appear black on the app. Try and write clearly and deliberately. Complicated, dense drawings will not transfer clearly. Snapshots can be taken as you go in a PDF format. Just press the camera button! You can also use a USB to share and save work.
So next time your group has a project or just needs to get some study time in, stop in to the Scholes Library and give the SMARTkapp white board a try!

 

In the spring of 2017, the Alfred University (AU) Libraries conducted surveys of students and faculty about textbooks. 

Below are some of the highlights from the surveys. You can view a complete summary of the results here.
Student Survey

• 20% of students spend $0-$100 per semester on textbooks, 52% spend $101-$300, 20% spend $301-$500, 7% spend $501-$800.
• Students reported that the high cost of textbooks has caused them to not purchase the text (47%), to charge texts to credit card even though they can’t afford them (25%), to forego essentials such as food or rent to pay for texts (23%), or to earn a poor grade because they could not afford the text (15%).
• 53% of students say that the high cost of textbooks sometimes prevents them from doing readings or assignments, and 11% say that it frequently prevents them from doing readings or assignments.

Faculty Survey

• 55% of faculty said that students occasionally tell them that they can’t afford the textbook for their class, and 20% of faculty said that students tell them this frequently.
• 55% of faculty had not heard of OERs prior to taking the survey, 10% of faculty say that they have assigned open textbooks in the past, and 9% were unsure.
• Faculty say that not knowing enough about OERs is the biggest barrier to using them, followed by a lack of OER resources in certain subject areas, concerns about quality, and not knowing where to find OER material.
• 60% of faculty say that they might be interested in using currently available OERs, and 27% say that they are definitely interested.

Since conducting the survey, the AU Libraries have engaged in a variety of activities to make faculty more aware of the impact of the cost of textbooks on our students and to share information about opportunities to use OERs in place of traditional textbooks.

 Here are some of the steps we have taken:

• We shared the results of the surveys at a spring 2017 meeting of AU faculty.
• We developed some resources for faculty to make it easier for faculty to find Open Educational Resources. 
• We are participating in a program sponsored by the State University of New York (SUNY) that provides stipends to faculty who adopt OERs as textbooks. A handful of faculty are participating in the program and we hope to grow participation going forward. 
• We have encouraged faculty to put textbooks and other required readings on reserve at Herrick and Scholes Libraries.
• We have had some conversations with the bookstore about student concerns regarding the cost of textbooks and how we might collaborate around OERs.

Our goal is to continue raising awareness about the high cost of textbooks and the impact it has on students’ wallets and academic success. As always, we welcome your input and feedback.

Looking for a book or article that the library doesn’t have?  What if we told you that you could still borrow that book or article?  With interlibrary loan (ILL), you can do just that! The interlibrary loan system allows students the ability to expand their research past the limits of their local library. Over 10,000 libraries, across 56 countries are involved in ILL!
Here’s how it works:  A student is searching for a certain material, but the library doesn’t have it.  Through interlibrary loan the ILL manager reaches out to other libraries and requests to borrow the materials the student needs.  A requested library will then mail or scan that material to the library that needs it.  It’s that simple!
To start using ILL you will access https://alfred.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/YAH/logon.html on either the Herrick Library homepage

 
or Scholes Library homepage.

You will use your Alfred University username and password to login. The first time you log in, you must complete the registration form. Please note that textbooks generally cannot be borrowed through the ILL.  The average time you can keep the material is around 3 weeks. However, you can renew the material through the ILLiad website. So next time you’re worried that the library doesn’t have what you’re looking for, just remember about the interlibrary loan system!
Patty Barber and Amanda Criss are our interlibrary loan staff at Scholes and Herrick Libraries. Amanda Criss, who manages ILL at Herrick Library had this to say, ” AU is a wonderful community! I enjoy working at the Herrick Library! My job is very rewarding because I get to help people. I strive toward providing the best service I can for our library patrons. If you have any other questions, please let me know.” Both Patty and Amanda would be happy to help any and all who have questions concerning ILL.
For any additional questions, please see the FAQ provided in the interlibrary loan link on both the Herrick and Scholes home pages or stop by either library and speak with Amanda Criss at Herrick or Patty Barber at Scholes.