Friends of the Library Winter 2010
C.G. O’Kelly Library Newsletter
“Overwhelming ...and Awesome!”
The 25th Anniversary Gala of the Friends of the Library : A hugely successful evening!
5
3
Contents | Winter 2011 3| The Future of WSSU’s Past Preserving the past of a Historical HBCU
5| Preserving the Legend The C.E. Gaines Collection
6
6| Friends of the Library Images and words on The 25th Anniversary
Gala of the WSSU Friends of the Library
10| 1000 Rams Friends of the Library Campaign to help
Students through scholarships.
111 Donor Page
The Future of WSSU’s Past
12 | 25th Anniversary Thank You Letter
Thomas Flynn became the university documents librarian /Archivist July 1, 2010, providing an opportunity to renew the emphasis on preservation of WSSU’s rich history. His MLS degree in information studies with an emphasis in archives and records management from the University of Albany in New York moved him to the top of the applicant pool. His varied work experience in archives further enriched his qualifications. While enrolled in graduate school he worked in several archives related positions in public libraries, a municipal historical collection and after graduating he worked as an archivist for a religious organization; as an undergraduate student he worked in Dickerson College archives collection for four years.
13| Technology Everywhere Newly acquired Technology in O’Kelly Library O’K Scholars Update 14 | Staff Development: Master Teacher Librarian II 15 | Staff Travels 2 | Winter 2010
WSSU Friends of the Library
WSSU Friends of the Library
The WSSU Archives was formed to collect, preserve and share the university’s historical documents. Presently, the items go beyond written documents and correspondence from the founders and former presidents/chancellors, and include print, sound and visual recordings, and some artifacts. Minutes from boards of trustees from 1899 to the present, early college catalogs, and yearbooks from 1950 are also included. The strongest aspect of the collection may be the images, from the first academy graduating class picture to the many images of Winston-Salem African American community. Many WSSU related images can be found at http://www.digitalforsyth.org.
Winter 2010 3
Various papers and documents from Simon Green Atkins tenure as founder and first president are the cornerstone of the print collection, including the first board of trustees’ minutes and the reports of the earliest faculty meetings. Of particular value, is a series of letters from the network of individuals who travelled across the country to secure funding for the academy. Documents from Francis L. Atkins administration include enrollment data describing the demographics of the student population during his administration. Other significant written documents relevant to the accomplishments of other presidents or chancellors are waiting to be sorted and processed. A nearly complete run of videos from the James A. Gray Religion and Ethics Lecture Series from 1992 to the present is in the archives image collection. Recently, videos “Ram Minutes” for 2006-07 were received which are one minute clips that were aired over the local TV station. Also, in the media collection are some audio tapes of faculty lectures and records from the Winston-Salem State College Choir performance. Digitizing documents has radically changed the concept of preservation and sharing documents within archival work. Scanning print or photos preserves, protects and supports easy sharing; only a few additional processing steps are required before the digitized item can be posted on our website for researchers to easily access. The O’Kelly archival staff is heavily engaged in scanning the rare documents included in the collection. 4 | Winter 2010
“We’re placing important WSSU documents on the ipads to keep them safe and preserved... it’s called the Scan to Preserve Project..”
Thomas Flynn
Lisa Zipkin a graduate student in the school of education master’s program, is primarily responsible for the scanning the original documents in the collection and creating accompanying finding aids. She is making significant progress with this project. Recently posted information can be viewed through the Rams Commons website at http://ramsdigitalcommons.wssu.edu/.
Preserving the Legend
The inclusion of an iPad into archives now makes sharing of fragile historical documents even easier. The project consists of carefully scanning documents related to the creation and early history of the university, such as the Atkins papers. Once the documents are scanned, the requested items are uploaded to the iPad and are ready for viewing by the researcher. The provenance, authenticity and other information on the document is included in the scanned file so the context of the document is shared with the researcher while the fragility of the collection is respected. This is a win-win situation because the researcher has access to the document but the possibility of the document being damaged is significantly reduced. The documents librarian is looking for other ways that the iPad can be used in archives.
The Clarence “Bighouse” Gaines Collection includes very diverse items such as artifacts (his famous red coat, basketballs, and awards), documents and photos from his time as coach and athletic director. The archivist has opted to organize the collection in three groups–documents, photos and artifacts. The most significant challenge beyond listing and describing each piece, is organizing the Gaines photo collection. Currently graduate assistants, Evan Parrish and Lisa Zipkin, are processing his photo collection. Gaines’ life is celebrated as WSSU’s most successful basketball coach, but he was also an amateur photographer. He captured images from many activities in the Winston-Salem African American community. A large portion of the photographs are unidentified and undated. The images must be sorted, the occasion and person identified in the photo before each can be processed or posted on the library’s website. Gaines’ unique position within the university and community offered him access to all of Winston-Salem, when completely processed his photo collection will give a rich view into over a quarter century of WinstonSalem’s history. Stay tuned and watch the library’s website as new collections are processed and posted.
Flynn is committed to continuing the preservation of our rich photographic collection, beginning the transformation and preservation of audio and video interviews, and listing archives holdings in the online catalog. One of his long range goals is to organize an artifacts collection. He is communicating regularly with individuals interested in the university history through the archives blog which was started in August. The archives blog can be viewed at: http://wssuarchives. blogspot.com
Thomas Flynn, Contributor Above Left: Coach Clarence E. Gaines posing on WSSU basketball court with trophy ball Left: Coach Gaines and the 1967 CIAA Basketball Champions during a speech for the city of Winston-Salem. Lower Right: Student worker Evan Parrish scanning WSSU Athletics documents
Student worker Lisa Zipkin scanning photos WSSU Friends of the Library
WSSU Friends of the Library
Winter 2010 5
tance of maintaining accurate and thorough library statistics, providing quality services for the millennial generation, developing strong information literacy programs across the curriculum and digitizing historical collections. It was rewarding to see that the O’Kelly Library services are ahead of the curve in most instances.
WSSU Friends of the Library
Dancing was a fun segment for the evening. Before the audience could test out the dance floor, the instructors from the Devine Dance Institute gave a powerful performance of Alvin Ailey’s Umbrella dance to the Negro spiritual, “Give Me Jesus.”
It is difficult to select the best words to describe the 25th Anniversary Gala. “Overwhelming! Fabulous! Nostalgic! Fun! A family reunion! and awesome” were just a few of the words used by guests to describe the evening. The FOL Planning Committee made an extra effort to create a memorable evening which included all of the elements required of a Silver Anniversary celebration.
Fun! Short demonstrations of the Detroit Shuffle and the Wobble were provided by Greensboro’s Motown Style Finest Dance Connection, which enticed the audience to the floor. Guests appreciated the professional dancers’ presentations but they enjoyed their time on the dance floor even more. Music by the King of Hearts band under their famous disco ball helped capture the feeling of a grand evening and made the anniversary gala one to remember for a while.
Chancellor Donald J. Reeves brought warm greetings to our guests who included Winston-Salem notable such as NC State Representatives Earline Parmon and Larry Womble. Several area judges including Roland Hayes, Denise Hartsfield, and Tori Romier were also present. Overwhelming! The Village Inn Golf and Conference Center grand ballroom was packed with approximately 460 friends, alumni, faculty and staff. Of course the color scheme was red and white but the program committee led by Vera Stepp pushed the décor to a much higher level. Luchrita Fulton selected the images displayed in the room to remind individuals of the many events hosted by the organization in the past. Althea Taylor Jones, Beverly Tucker, Danielle Spence, Vera Stepp and Conrad Mitchell assisted with transforming the ballroom. Street lamps which were used during the Harlem Night series were strategically located around the room. The center pieces which included images from previous events were book covers, a “by Luchrita design.” The center pieces were just one of the evening’s conversation pieces.
Remembrances “That’s what Friends are For” and “It’s a Wonderful World” were songs dedicated to everyone who supported the organization over the years. The O’K Production team was commissioned to interview former officers and several of the organization’s regular supporters to capture their reflections on three major questions - the best shows, the impact of the organization on the library and the impact of the organization within the community. The resulting interviews were interwoven with snippets from relevant shows, creating powerful vignettes which captured the history and accomplishments of the organization.
Old school, reflective and nostalgic were also emotions felt by many persons. Many students and former faculty members reconnected with each other during the festivities. Several WSSU retired personnel including Donald Benson, Elsie Blackmon, Arthur King, Virginia Newell, Queen Reid, Madeline Scales, and Sadie Webster were delighted to see many of their former students. Iris Deberry, retired library staff member was able to connect with students who are still working in the library. The King of Hearts Band added richly to the old school experience and lots of memories with the sweet mellow sounds from the Motown years.
Recognitions The WSSU Friends of the Library matured during the past 25 years because so
Pride was invoked when a proclamation was presented to the organization by the Winston-Salem mayor’s office. Derwin Montgomery, WSSU staff member and city 6 | Winter 2010
councilman from the East Ward made the presentation. Brenda Allen, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs presented the WSSU Board of Trustees proclamation, which commemorated the organization’s accomplishments including being the only Historically Black College and University friends of the library to function for 25 continuous years and create a substantial endowment.
WSSU Friends of the Library
WSSU Friends of the Library
Winter 2010 7
many people helped introduce and move the organization beyond the library and into the mainstream of the Winston-Salem State community. Individuals offered programming suggestions and most importantly invited their friends to attend the evening. Past FOLpresidents; Glynis Whitted Bell, Melva Daniels, Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin and Althea Taylor Jones were recognized for their efforts to introduce the organization to the greater community and move the organization forward. Avis Gray, L. David Legette and Lorenzo Meachum were celebrated for their talents and their willingness time and time again to perform or produce a show for the organization. Their talents allowed the organization to present a variety of first class shows and ensured that a good audience would be in attendance because quality entertainment was guaranteed. Silver Society members are the primary library endowment patrons over the years. Alumni Barbara and Roland Hayes, Marie Mathews and Larry Womble, friends Carolyn Anderson, Althea Taylor Jones, Merdis McCarter, Cedric S. Rodney, Mae L. Rodney along with Ron and Reba Warren were acknowledged for their long term support of the organization. These wonderful individuals were presented special tokens for their consistency. University leaders were thanked for their support of the library and the WSSU Friends of the Library over the years. Services have been expanded and a current collection maintained even during tight budget periods. The Chancellor, Provost’s Office and the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration were publical-
8 | Winter 2010
WSSU Friends of the Library
WSSU Friends of the Library
Winter 2010 9
ly thanked for their endorsement of the importance of library services to the university program with small tokens of appreciation.
1000 Rams WSSU alumni, remember working in university offices during your college years? If you were fortunate enough to have a campus based job, you are invited to contribute a minimum of $25 to the FOL’s 1000 Rams campaign. Assistance from all Rams is needed to assist as many students a possible. The proceeds from the effort will ensure that scholarships can be awarded to students who have performed their assigned duties at or above standard for at least two years. Nearly 80 percent of the students presently enrolled at the university receive some type of financial aid. The library is a poplar campus work site for employment with flexible work hours beyond 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. In addition, students who perform well during their initial years of employment usually continue until they graduate so they are not required to look for new assignments each year that they return to the university. Most of these students develop into quality workers. A variety of work experiences beyond shelving books are available. Some even are directly connected with students’ majors—like computer science, mass communications and information systems. Two of the skills emphasized, customer service and technology can be transferred to other professional environments. In addition, many students who acquire their first full-time position do so based upon their work record as interns/student employees. Because the labor market is extremely tight at this time, several individuals have extended their employment one year after their graduation as part-time temporary employees, giving them that much needed experience. The library is an excellent training ground for the real world. Acquisition of textbooks, school related supplies and printing documents for class can be a challenge for individuals who have limited funds. If they only purchase their textbooks with the scholarship funds, it will make a difference in how much they have left in their budget. The FOL sponsored scholarship will help eligible students to make those purchases beginning fall 2011. Guidelines for the scholarship are under review by the university scholarship committee. The application and guidelines should be available by March 31, 2011. Library student employees will be required to apply for the scholarship and meet the established guidelines. A neutral selection team will make the final recommendations. Several alumni responded positively to the first call for giving. We still need to hear from others. Rams are encouraged to make a donation to the WSSU Friends of the Library in the amount of $25 or more and indicate that it is for the student scholarships. Donations will be accepted through December 2011. The more monies raised will allow more students to be assisted.
Please note that the Slater Book Society will not host an event in
10 | Winter 2010
WSSU Friends of the Library
Donors
All donations rece ived between Oct ober 27 and Decem below. The WSS ber 15 are listed U Friends of the Library is very gr ateful for all donations received .
Leroy Anderson, Jr
. Annie R. Hairston ron Bedsworth Faustina L. Holm Clifton Bell, Jr. an Alonza P. & Gla dys E. Huggins Sylvia Bembry John A. Jackson William Berry Beverly R. Mitch Tanja W. Black ell Selena H. Nichols Theodore Blunt Robert Noble Rudolph V. &Sa rah Boone, Sr. Donald Parker Ernest & Tamica Bowers Carolyn Perry John P. & Marcia Brown, Jr. Garret E. Phillips Annie M. Campb ell Helen P. Phillips Naomi Cecil Willie Rogers Joanne Chesley Margaret L. Sharp Robert Clark e Eric Sadler Constance P. Dav is Vanessa D. Smith Barbara Doster Julian M. Tomas Vouise Fonville Thomas & Kay T Ivan V. and Brid rollinger gid H. Foster Hazeline Umstea Clara B. Gaines d Curtis & Nancy W ilks George A. & Sha
WSSU Friends of the Library
Winter 2010 11
Technology Everywhere
December 1, 2010 Thank You, A Silver Anniver sary is truly a land mark event for an century. Thank yo organization– a u for making the quarter of a WSSU Friends of gala an unforgetta the Library 25th ble event The enti anniversary re planning comm time commitment, ittee is acknowledg sharing of ideas an ed for their d comments and m to attend. ost of all inviting their friends The participants, dancers, band, pr oduction team, ph thanked for their otographers, and outstanding perfor students are m ances. A special sh Simon who answ out out is provided ered all of the ph one calls and hand to Rachel the event. Luchrit led all of the corr a Fulton, the Gra es po nd ph ence for ic Atist who crea deserves much of ted the images for the praise and ac th e co ev la ening de Their collective pe s from guests and rformances really th e pl an ni ng co gave our guests a mmittee. great experience. First time guests and long time supp orters who attend who made a cont ed the evening an ribution are ackn d individuals ow ledged for your lo the Library and C yalty to the WSS . G. O’Kelly Libra U Friends of ry. Through your tinue to do great continued suppor things for the libra t we will conry and university . Collectively you in deed made Novem be r 5, 2010 WSSU Sincerely, Friends of the Lib rary Day! Barbara Hayes, Chair of the fund ra
ising committee
Mae L. Rodney Chair of the marke
ting committee
Can these devices be effectively integrated into the library program? Should they be integrated? Or are their purposes so singular in nature that they will quickly disappear from the market place? The O’Kelly Library technology staff is considering these and other questions as new technologies are reviewed. At the present time, Amazon Kindles will not be included in our services since they are limited to Amazon e-books. Instead, the automation team sees the iPad as more versatile. At the beginning of the semester, several library staff members were given iPads to see how they can be incorporated into library services. Technology Specialist Chris Screen quickly determined that the iPad can be used to search the online catalog and the elec-
Vera Stepp Chair of the progra
m committee
12 | Winter 2010
Technology is the engine which moves library services forward; it has caused and continues to cause rapid transformation of services offered. Several new trends involving social networks such as: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and hardware based advances such as Amazon Kindles and iPads are the next wave hitting the learning environment. These products are being utilized as a way to maintain connections with patrons who are technology savvy and require lots of activity to keep them engaged. Embracing this new technology affords librarians the opportunity to provide different ways for students to request assistance from library staff by using tools they are already comfortable using.
WSSU Friends of the Library
tronic resources anywhere the wireless environment is opertional. He demonstrated to the librarians that roving assistance can be provided in the library. The iPad’s mobility will allow the staff to search the resources without electrical connections. Stay tuned to see how this device is implemented in the public service areas, marketing services and administration.
a-
Screen
A form of instant messaging and e-reference has been provided by the reference staff for several years. In the past, distance users have been the primary users of the e-reference services. LibGuides, which directs students to subject specific databases and relevant books, has another very useful module, LibAnswers. LibAnswers offer our ever changing student population easy connections to the reference team. LibAnswers permits students to text and or email their reference questions directly from the LibGuide site. Librarians forward the questions to the appropriate liaison and answers are provided as soon as possible. Although new to O’Kelly Library, the staff believes that students will adopt it quickly as a way to communicate. For many, LibAnswers will appear as another conversation and not reference assistance at all. The reference team likes the product because it does not involve a significant learning curve such as texting. In addition, students do not need to go to another location to post their questions. At first glance, traditional age college students the primary users and most of the inquiries come from students on campus. Oddly enough, many are sitting in the library when submitting questions in any of the following three ways, email, chat, or text. LibAnswers is a great way to get the students what they need when they need it. The primary module, LibGuides continue to be extremely popular with students. Nearly 70,000 hits were counted in 2009-10.
are
Carl Leak and Michael Frye, Contributors
O’K Scholars The O’K Scholars experience is definitely impacting the number of library instruction sessions offered during the academic year. The June 2010 class consisted of fifteen faculty members representing seven WSSU disciplines. During the fall 2010 semester, the June class requested twenty-seven class sessions; in total the eighty-nine O’K
WSSU Friends of the Library
Winter 2010 13
Scholars generated 70 instruction sessions during this semester which is approximately 42 percent of the total classes scheduled during the semester. All participants are encouraged to continue scheduling instruction sessions and to suggest that students schedule consultations with librarians. Several students have indicated how helpful the one-on-one sessions have been for them as they begin their research assignments. Faculty members who participate in the experience often are the best advertisers and continue encouraging other faculty members to participate. Susan Hall, nursing instructor and summer 2010 scholar described the experience as being more than she initially envisioned. “I can tell you from day one, the collaboration between the librarian and I was very beneficial.” In addition, having the same learning outcome for the students to succeed has been tremendous! She suggested that the students benefited from the one-on-one session with the librarian. She continued with the thought that building collaboration between librarians and first year students would be a positive force for the students since “they are doing a lot of writing and need to be serious about this in order to be successful.” The O’K Scholars committee has begun preparation for
tant was held October 11th and 12th. He led them in honing their communication skills and working as a team in the workplace. A special feature of Sanderbeck’s, presentation afforded the librarians an opportunity to present a ten minute lesson and get feedback from the group and Sanderback. He also provided handouts of instructional activities that could be easily incorporated into library classes. According to Phyllistine Poole, Business Librarian, “The workshop was very hands on and provided practical strategies.”
Margery Ornell and a group of O’Kelly librarians and WSSU faculty participate in the Summer 2010 O’K Schoars Institute
the spring 2011 class, which has representatives from seven disciplines including computer science, mathematics, economics and social science; Margery Orell, a North Carolina Master Trainer will continue to lead the section on incorporating information literacy into course assignments. Some additional information literacy active learning experiences will be included and led by library staff members. The spring schedule of activities includes the next institute slated for Janu-
Sanderbeck’s presentation was followed by a spirited presentation by Frederick Roundtree, Instructor in the English and Foreign Language Department at WSSU. Roundtree shared short clips describing the millennial student, to assist the instruction team in understanding the generation they serve. He also presented effective teaching strategies which included alternatives to depending on technology and the podium. The presentation ended with the instruction team participating in a poetry performance lesson. Roundtree also demonstrated to the instruction team how to structure class activities to address specific learning outcomes and time constraints. “Librarians have a lot of creative post undergraduate programs. The Master Teacher Librarian program will ensure that our faculty and students do indeed, “Get What They Need!”
ary 6th and 7th, 2011 and the graduation of the 2010-2011 scholars in May.
Michael Frye, Contributor
Vonzel Yeager, Contributor
Staff Travels
Staff Development: Master Teacher Librarian II The C.G. O’Kelly Library Instruction Team, already known for excellence in teaching and customer service, continues to build the team’s teaching and presentation skills. The current push to include information literacy across the curriculum is causing academic libraries throughout the United States to put more emphasis on teaching and developing programs to equip their staff with the skills and the pedagogy needed. Under the leadership of Carl Leak, Associate Director of Teaching and Learning and Michael Frye, Master Teacher Trainer, the O’Kelly Master Teacher Librarian program is doing just that. A survey was given to the instruction team seeking to identify strengths and weaknesses in their teaching. From this survey a series of programs were designed to enhance teaching and presentation skills. Leak
14 | Winter 2010
A two day workshop on Effective Communication Skills facilitated by Andrew Sanderbeck, library consulWSSU Friends of the Library
Forrest Foster, Access Service Librarian and Michael Frye, Life Sciences Liaison successfully wrote proposals that were accepted for Poster Sessions at the North CaroFrye lina Library Association Library Instruction Section one day workshop held at Davidson College, October 29, 2010.
activities to choose from” said Carl Leak. “Unfortunately, there are times when activities cannot be implemented in every instruction class. Roundtree was able to suggest simple, practical techniques that librarians can use in class—but also in any venue for public speaking and presentations.” The strategies and techniques presented by Sanderbeck and Roundtree will enable the library instruction team to better design instructional experiences for students that address specific learning outcomes. In addition, they received invaluable training in working as a team and being more efficient in the workplace. The two presentations emphasized the importance of developing strong communication skills and effective lessons. Sanderbeck’s presentation provided skills that will assist the team in their professional growth as well their day to day interpersonal communications. Roundtree offered the team activities that could be implemented immediately with classroom instruction. O’Kelly Library staff is preparing itself to be a major player in assisting students for the workplace and the competitive world of
Michael Frye’s session was “Information Literacy: Moving from the Classroom to the Boardroom” which addressed approaching information literacy skills as an increasingly vital component in the overall success of college students. These skills will increase in importance because employers are increasingly more critical of the lack of preparation students have in communicating effectively, thinking critically, analyzing and organizing information. The session posed five questions, What are the information literacy skills students should have? How should lessons be prepared to effectively teach these skills? What are employers saying? What skills
WSSU Friends of the Library
Foster
do they want employees to possess? And finally, what are the implications for information literacy instruction? “Library Instruction at the Point of Need!” was the theme of Foster’s presentation. The audience was impressed by the imaginative and inventive analogy of "the way you shop for clothes is similar to the way you shop for information" They also mentioned that by incorporating an active learning activity along with the analogy, creates an ideal environment for critical thinking and analytical skills to be developed. Other librarians confirmed that they indeed use these strategies and methods in their classrooms as well. The librarians who visited the poster sessions were very pleased with the informa-
Winter 2010 15
tion shared and feedback was very positive and informative.
age, preservation, acquisitions and collections.
Generally, it was rewarding to see that the teaching methods, clickers, active learning activities, used in O’Kelly Library are at the same level as those offered in other NC academic libraries. Lastly, it was informally confirmed that almost every institution has the same issues, student receptiveness, level of understanding and use of the information shared by librarians. Many libraries are still searching for effective ways to implement and record information literacy assessment measures.
It was rewarding to be able to hear presentations, participate in discussions then compare and contrast where O’Kelly and other libraries are in providing patrons instructional and technical support in the use of electronic and print resources. One simple strategy that can help teaching librarians better connect with students is including library liaison contact information in the professor’s syllabi. A service which was frequently discussed that is currently being expanded in O’Kelly is having a commons area where students can collaborate and learn.
Forrest Foster and Michael Frye.Contributors Janet Malliett, Serials Librarian attended the Charleston Acquisitions Conference November 4th and 5th. This conference which began in 1980 is a unique annual gathering in the historical district of downtown Charleston, SC. Attendance has grown from 24 to over 1,300, consisting of librarians, Malliett publishers, vendors, consultants and electronic resource managers from the United States, Canada and Europe. Primary topics of interest are scholarly information, library us-
Janet Malliett, Contributor Mae L. Rodney, Director of Library Services attended the fourth annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities Library Alliance meeting October 23-25 in Montgomery, AL. Representatives from 65 of the 110 libraries were present at the conference. Four of the primary issues discussed were the impor-
Rodney
Winston-Salem State University 601 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive C.G. O’Kelly Library
Winston-Salem NC, 27110
Publishing Team Mae L. Rodney Editor
Janet Malliett Contributor
Thomas Flynn Contributor
Jeff McGill, Proofreader & Photographer
Michael Frye Contributor & Proofreader
Mel Rutledge Photographer
Luchrita Fulton Publisher
Vonzell Yeager Contributor
Carl Leak Contributor
http://www.wssu.edu/cg-okelly-library/defaultaspx