Friends of the Library Summer 2015
C.G. O’Kelly Library Newsletter
Retirement Farewell for Dr. Rodney
WSSU Friends of the Library
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Contents | Summer 2015 3| Developing Collaborative Communities Library techniques to better connect
with students and faculty
5| Archives News 6| Oral History Project Larry Little: NC Black Panther Collection Congratulations
Congrats to graduating student workers
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7| WSSU Friends of the Library (FOL) Retirement Celebration
A bittersweet farewell party for longtime library
director Mae L. Rodney
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WSSU Friends of the Library
Developing Collaborative Communities: librarians, students and faculty
Library enthusiasts are all aware that individuals are using libraries in very different ways which do not always include contact with a librarian. To counter this trend, diverse workshops and webinars are being offered to assist librarians with identifying new methods to connect with students and faculty. The O’Kelly Library staff recognized this concern in 2014-15 and implemented several techniques to better connect with students and faculty. Listed below are some efforts that were utilized.
“Write Start� was developed by librarian Patricia Commander in fall 2014 as a student-based service. She helps students with the initial stages of developing research papers including structuring topics, refining keywords as well as developing outlines. In April, Commander received a permanent site for the service which includes a conference/ presentation area with a desktop computer, LCD panel, a large erasable board, and two small work tables. A Branching Out: A Genealogy Series workshop was sponsored by Archivist Tom Flynn and assisted by librarian Ronunda Claiborne in February to acquaint the university community with several databases that can be used by anyone interested in family history research. The participation level suggests that this workshop can be offered on a regular basis. Top: Commander and a student work on idea generation using a whiteboard. Bottom: Claiborne shows patrons interested in geneology how to use the site familysearch.org.
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WSSU Friends of the Library
Media Production Team Member and Graphic Artist Luchrita Fulton assisted Mass Communications students with their InDesign module. She guided students through the primary techniques required to use the graphic design software. Students were required to complete business cards, a flyer and newspaper layout for their course assignment. Approximately 50% of the students enrolled in the course came to use the equipment available in O’Kelly’s Media Production Lab and seek her assistance. InDesign is a powerful layout design program and is “must know” software for individuals interested in marketing and print work layouts.
Fulton assists a patron with a newspaper layout project.
Media Production team members James Russell II and Bryon Williams hosted an iBook workshop with Professor Sylvia Bembry’s “Your Digital World” course. Retired faculty member Russell Williams Carolyn Anderson taught students how to use the iBook Author software to complete their assignments. Jeff McGill was the contact for the class; he located and facilitated the downloading of the free software to the Mac laptops. The students returned for multiple sessions to conduct research and create their iBook on WSSU alumni.
Thank you for inviting my Liberal Learning Seminar (LLS 1325) class to learn how to use iBook software… It was great to share all of your staff members’ experiences each time we met regarding alumni who “Entered to Learn and Departed to Serve” from 1960 – 2009. Thanks again for everything, but most especially your professionalism and professional staff. ~Sylvia Bembry, Ph.D. Top: Dr. Bembry and a student work on an iBook Author Design. Bottom: iBook Author WSSU alumni layout created by an LLS 1325 student in the O’Kelly Media Production Lab. 4 | Summer 2015
For some learners library research can be complicated; embedding librarians within classes and in departments is one of several techniques librarians are using to be more
accessible to students and faculty. Because librarians are normally embedded in the Blackboard shell it is easy for students to connect with librarians throughout the instructional semester. Faculty members see a difference in students’ performance. Melinda Livas, Distance Services Librarian, created a host of screencast Livas videos to reinforce the information that she shares prior to and during instruction. The viewing of the videos and her follow-up conference calls are the primary ways the total number of research consultations increased dramatically during the year. Librarian Tom Flynn’s experience with computer science faculty Flynn is quite different; he attends at least one departmental meeting each semester. He is not always given the opportunity to provide an instruction session but faculty members strongly encourage students to seek his assistance with developing their research assignment. This works well because he goes to the building to meet
Librarian Carl Leak speaks to participants during the Summer 2015 O’K Scholars Institute
individually with students. He is also embedded in the history department. Again, the response from the students and faculty is different, with several students working on archives projects through their oral history course and two history majors being instrumental in the library receiving the “Larry Little: NC Black Panther Party Collection.” The embedded librarianship experience keeps the number of instruction sessions offered at a good level. This year the number of classes offered will be over 350
and instruction is offered in every month except December and May and in every department. The O’K Scholars Institute continues as an effective means to inform faculty about information literacy. In fact, the new strategy is to offer more information about other ways the library team can partner with faculty to update their instructional methods. The Institute is offered in January and June. The next challenge is to encourage faculty members to request instruction beyond information literacy sessions.
ARCHIVES NEWS The WSSU Archives received funding to scan still images from the 1950s – 1970s and transform 1950s basketball game films into digital files. In addition to digitizing the images, the project is designed to identify the people and events captured in the images, hire a graduate assistant, and add metadata to the identified images. Assistance from retired WSSU personnel and alumni is required for the project to be successfully completed. You can contact Tom Flynn at flynnth@wssu. edu to register your e-mail address and be able to assist with this exciting project.
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WSSU Friends of the Library
Left: Students in cashier line at the WSSU bookstore. Right: Members of The Lady Rams basketball team during a game sit courtside.
This grant ($25,000) is made possible through funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library
Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT The archives staff started an oral history project several years ago with the objective of interviewing as many retiring longtime WSSU faculty and staff as possible. Two significant interviews were conducted in 2014-15: Chancellor Donald Reeves and library director Mae L. Rodney. The Rodney interview was epic; it took 5 days to complete and covered topics including the building, automation, services, collections, the Friends of the Library, and her general reflections on life at WSSU. Three of the five conversations were video-recorded. Rodney is providing some written documents which will assist with closing the gap for any areas not covered in the 10 hours of interviews. Archivist Tom Flynn indicated that the oral histories are important to scholars because “history is told in the voice of the person who actually lived the experience.”
LARRY LITTLE: NC BLACK PANTHER LEGACY COLLECTION The Larry Little: NC Black Panther
Legacy Collection was officially received April 9, 2015 during a reception held in Diggs Gallery. Former members of the local Black Panther Party attended, along with WSSU history majors and Professor Little’s students. Nearly 175 persons attended the reception. Through 6 | Summer 2015
images and documents the real history of the local group and the humanitarian contributions that they made to the Winston-Salem community is shared. WSSU mass communications intern India Page was given the assignment to produce a video documenting the
CONGRATULATIONS Latacho Barrett, Dazzmen Davis, Chelsea Monger, Shikera Moore and Nagina Woods were our May 2015 graduates.They were hired as student employees during their first years at the university and they remained on the library payroll until they graduated.They are congratulated on reaching the first step towards having very successful careers.Thanks for being great role models for other WSSU students and providing everyone who entered O’Kelly Library user friendly service.
significance of the collection, capture the essence of the reception, and produce a capstone video for her internship. As a result of the quality of her work, she was given a paid summer position to work in the media production lab. This opportunity will give Page, a 2015 graduate, a solid video production experience to include within her electronic portfolio.
WSSU Friends of the Library
WSSU FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY (FOL) RETIREMENT CELEBRATION The FOL hosted a bittersweet farewell party for longtime library director Mae L. Rodney on Friday, June 12, 2015; she will be departing the university on June 30, 2015 after 32 years of service. This was the first major celebration in the physical library since the reception celebrating the opening of the new wing in 1990. The celebration was attended by family, faculty and friends; the unspoken question —“is she really leaving?” — filled the air. Since library services at WSSU is closely associated with her name, the question is, “is she really leaving?” Yes! The evening was filled with music, laughter and lots of memories. Lorenzo Meachum, the FOL’s “ambassador without portfolio” serenaded the honoree and the audience with his songs and reflections. Vera Stepp, a longtime member of the organization’s planning committee, shared reflections on the diverse programs presented by the organization during its thirty year history. Provost Brenda Allen shared congratulations and well wishes from the administration. Second generation English faculty member Althea Bradford shared a delightful personal good-bye on behalf of her family and the faculty. Patricia Commander, librarian and liaison to the English, World Languages, Art and Music Departments presented a spoken word tribute on behalf of the O’Kelly Librarians. Melvyn Brown, one of the newest members of the library staff, presented a carefully constructed thanks for being our fearless leader on behalf of the staff. To end the celebration with a bang, Mr. Bill’s Productions played Motown sounds for the audience to close the evening and an outstanding career with sweet songs in their heads.
Top: Meachum speaks at podium while Rodney watches smiling. Middle: Shagail Reed presents Rodney with a suprise Cardinal Award for her years of service signed by NC Govenor Pat McCrory. Bottom: Rodney and invited guests dance the night away.
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Winston-Salem State University C.G. O’Kelly Library 601 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Winston-Salem NC, 27710 wssu.edu/cg-okelly-library
Friends of the Library Newsletter
O’Kelly Library Online
Summer 2015 Writing & Editing Luchrita Fulton Jeff McGill Shagail Reed Mae L. Rodney Photography Luchrita Fulton Jeff McGill Publishing & Graphic Design Luchrita Fulton A C.G. O’Kelly Library Publication
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