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FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY
WILSON G. BRADSHAW LIBRARY FALL 2022 NEWSLETTER
NEWS
Tracy MelissaDrewMariaAnnaVictoriaKarenElliottFeldmanJonesKarrasPerezSterwaldVandeBurgt In
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07 Authors
Awards 08 Pardon
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library.fgcu.edu 2 UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
James Greco CONTRIBUTORS This Issue Message from the Dean Jones and a New Era for FGCU Up: 25 Years of Student Life Scholar Series and Artists Our Dust: Renovations at the Library Library Makerspace Continues to Expand Force Seeks to Reduce Cost of Textbooks and Special Collections the Numbers: How We Stack Up more visit:
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In this issue, you will learn about FGCU’s first-ever faculty appointed university archivist, Vic Jones. The timing for our first archivist couldn’t be better, as this year the university celebrates a quarter-century of history. Jones is responsible for curating our fall exhibit for the 25th anniversary. Furthermore, her expertise in archiving protocols and systems is much needed in our ever-growing University Archives and Special Collections department.
Dr. Tracy Elliott Dean, University Library
On behalf of all of us in the University Library, I want to welcome all of our students, faculty and community members to the library this fall. We hope to see all of you throughout the semester. Please remember: Using the library will save you time and will help students get better grades!
Tracy Eliot FALL 2022 NEWSLETTER 3
Welcome to the second volume of FGCU Library News, the fall issue. We are excited to share the great work happening in the library by our librarians and highly skilled staff members.
A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
You will also learn about the exciting new equipment in our makerspace and multimedia studios, statistics about the library, our new Research Information Management System (ScholarsCommons), the textbook affordability project and new events the library is hosting. We are incredibly proud to sponsor the FGCU Scholar Series, in which FGCU faculty share their research and scholarship with the campus and community. We also have enhanced our Authors Series, and we invite all faculty who have published books and artists who have created significant work to submit their entries for the new Authors and Artists Awards. Entries that meet the established criteria will receive an award from the provost.
She looks forward to being at the front end of history for our university, setting the groundwork for hundreds of years to come.
Jones began her story with FGCU on Feb. 28. “I am excited to be doing the work that I love in my home state,” she says.
After several internships, including ones at Jacksonville’s Museum of Science and History and Southwest Airlines, she earned her Master’s of Library and Information Science with a certificate in archives and special collections at the University of Southern Mississippi. Her first position as an archivist was at the Mississippi University for Women.
to go to law school, Jones was surprised when the history bug bit her so hard. She completed an archival internship in Dublin, Ireland, working on a project called “Tweet the Rising,” which used Twitter to bring the story of Dublin’s 1916 Easter Rising into the present and provided a new lens through which to view it. Working on this project motivated Jones to switch career paths and solidified her desire to work in archives.
“Although FGCU is a young school, it already has such a unique history and culture,” she says. “I can’t wait to work with faculty, staff and students to continue to build and share the university’s memories.”
Jones has a big job ahead of her, capturing the intellectual and cultural history of FGCU. She’s already started. “You can be a part of history,” she says, her eyes shining with excitement.
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When asked what Jones’ most remarkable quality was, Director of Academic & Community Engagement Melissa Minds VandeBurgt simply answered, “joy.” VandeBurgt, who hired Jones, was impressed not only with her qualifications, but also with her willingness to jump right in and get into the thick of things. “Her attitude and personality were just as impressive as her CV,” she says. “She fits our department’s sense of community, teamwork and fun, in addition to being exceptional on paper.”
Her first exhibition, detailing student life at FGCU for the past 25 years, debuts this fall.
Victoria Jones is the newest member of the University Archives and Special Collections team. A native Floridian, Jones grew up in Ocala, earned her undergraduate degree at Nova Southeastern University and a master’s degree in history from the University of North OriginallyFlorida.intending
VICTORIA JONES AND THE NEW ERA OF FGCU
Collecting,students.
From scholarship to athletics to having fun, this exhibit will explore all the facets of student life.
on the exhibit walls. Some of the selected items include photos, videos and ephemera from fraternities and sororities, the Student Government Association, Athletics and many of the university’s registered student organizations. The creation of the exhibition was a truly collective project with exhibited materials coming from the archives’ own holdings as well as toencouragesstudentFGCU”of“Wingsdonations.groupsdepartments,campusstudentandalumniUp:25YearsStudentLifeatcelebratesthelifeofthepast,studentsseethemselvesas
present-day history makers and looks forward to the future of student life at FGCU.
Over the past 2 ½ decades, the university has grown exponentially. This growth has been led, directed and propelled by students. So, to celebrate our 25th anniversary, the Florida Gulf Coast University Archives and Special Collections will variousshowcaseaspects of
student life in the exhibit, “Wings Up: 25 Years of Student Life at FGCU,” from Aug. 22 to Dec. 2.
newspaper. In a meeting of the past and present, the articles written by former students were all selected by current
In an exhibit focused on students, it is important that the student voice is clear and present throughout the exhibit. That desire resulted in one of the feature elements of the exhibition, the Eagle News wall. This wall is covered in articles and headlines from FGCU’s longest-running student
WINGS UP: 25 YEARS OF STUDENT LIFE
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preserving and sharing the unique history of FGCU is a critical part of the mission of University Archives. While not every aspect of student life and the student experience can be collected and displayed, it is our hope that visitors are able to see at least some part of their own experiences reflected
*October 26: Professor Kimberly Jackson, Department of Language and Literature
to improve student outcomes and an interdisciplinary approach to autism Thoseresearch.who
Dr. Erik Insko and Dr. Katie Johnson pose with an FGCU student in April, 2022.
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The public is invited to attend these programs on the last Wednesday of each month from August through November. Outreach Librarian Heather Snapp, who helps coordinate the series, says, “The Scholar Series highlights and provides a forum for conversation on the great scholarship that faculty across campus are engaging in. The fall series will feature faculty from a variety of fields and perspectives and promises to be a great lineup of speakers.”
attend the fall events can expect a similar range of subject matter.
The library hosted a series last spring featuring speakers from four departments, ranging from Mathematics to Health & Human Services. Topics included the quest
Dr. Nicholas Wright, Department of Economics and Finance, speaks in February, 2022.
With the wealth of expertise that abounds at Florida Gulf Coast University, it makes sense to provide a forum to showcase that knowledge. To that end, the University Library is hosting the Scholar Series, monthly lectures by FGCU professors sharing their expertise, co-sponsored by the Office of Scholarly Innovation and Student Research.
*August 31: Professors Tunde Szecsi and Debra Giambo, College of Education
*September 28: Professor Kevin Aho, Associate Professor Landon Frim, Professor Maggie Hambrick, Associate Professor Jon Braddy, Department of Communication & Philosophy
*November 30: Associate Professors Derek Lura and Seneshaw Tsegaye, U. A. Whitaker College of Engineering
The lineup is:
The Scholar Series will take place on the second floor of Library East. For details, contact Heather Snapp at 239.745.4224, or hsnapp@fgcu.edu
This year’s Authors and Artists reception will take place at the Wilson G. Bradshaw Library from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4. Faculty and staff who have published a book, a musical work, or received an award for a work of art or an exhibition are encouraged to apply. Works published or recognized between January 2021 through September 2022 are eligible for this year’s Forevent.more information, contact Anna Karras, library marketing and fgcu.educoordinator,communicationsatakarras@or239.745.4452.
Jim Gustafson, Department of Language and Literature
Since 2013, the focus has been on authors. This year, we are expanding to include artists as well. Painters, sculptors, nowartistschoreographerscomposers,andofalltypesmaytakepartinthenewly renamed Authors and Artists Awards. The library is eager to highlight the creative works of our community and share
The wealth of creative and scholarly work produced by FGCU faculty and staff is impressive, and the University Library seeks to recognize those who have produced it.
Dr. Martha BiologicalDepartmentRosenthal,ofSciences
FALL 2022 NEWSLETTER 7
Each year we celebrate authors by featuring them on monthly social media platforms, as well as on a poster displayed prominently in the library. The zenith of the series is an annual reception showcasing our authors. The event was virtual last year but will return to being live once again.
them with the Southwest Florida community.
“The creative works of our faculty, those that take years of work to accomplish, have just as much impact as a book and therefore deserve to be celebrated,” says University Library Dean Tracy Elliott about the reason for broadening the event.
The library staff hopes to hire a data librarian this fall to lead the library in acquiring software and systems for creating and using data within the planned data lab.
The most exciting plans for the first floor of Library East are for the new University Creative Commons, which will include a video studio, a sound studio, a makerspace and an augmented reality lab. The makerspace will include a laser cutter, a Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) router and several 3D printers for digital prototyping. We hope to include more equipment funded by private donations.
Also, on the first floor of Library East, we will begin renovations of the large open computer area, which will include more collaborative space and surface workspaces for students. With a grant received from the State Library and Archives of Florida, we were able to purchase a self-service laptop station from which students can check out a laptop and use any space inside or outside the library, rather than being tied to a desktop computer.
Anyone interested in helping to enhance these spaces with a donation to the library can contact Library Dean Tracy Elliott at 239.590.7600 or telliott@fgcu.edu. Naming opportunities are available.
PARDON OUR DUST: LIBRARY RENOVATIONS
research, scholarship and creative activity of our faculty and students.
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This fall, if all goes according to plan, the University Library’s first floor will undergo a major renovation, which will include the creation of the university’s first Research Commons. This will be a large space in which researchers can utilize technologies and get expert assistance with data, including curation, storage, security, analysis, visualization and sharing.
The Research Commons will include an information lab and a digital scholarship lab for students, faculty and associated researchers. In the digital scholarship lab, visitors will learn the latest in digital scholarship methodologies, including text mining and geographic information system (GIS) mapping techniques for the humanities and social sciences. The information lab will offer visitors the chance to learn the best techniques for finding and using information, including the scholarship of research. Finally, the Research Commons will have a research symposium space that includes a 24-by 6-foot visualization wall to showcase the
can be applied in countless ways to make something new and exciting.
Creative Commons lab coordinator Matt Losey demonstrates the capabilities of the Glowforge.
The new Makerspace houses two 3D printers that can build products from something as simple as the head brace for a face shield to something as complex as the life jacket for a drone. Our patrons can upload designs, choose their colors and Matt Losey, Creative Commons lab coordinator, can schedule and execute the print job.
LIBRARY
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Plans are underway to add more ways to collaborate, innovate and create. All it takes is the talent, inspiration and hard work our community already possesses. We look forward to what happens next.
“All of the machines are great for rapid prototyping depending on the approach users wish to take, whether it be additive or subtractive,” says Losey.
Almost next door to the Makerspace is the Media Production Studio. Fitted with microphones, cameras and backdrops, the lab contains audio, video and photo equipment that can be used to produce everything from a headshot to a podcast to a video. Students and faculty may book the room without charge.
The Bantam Desktop CNC Milling Machine drills away a piece of wax for a prototype.
In addition, Makerspace boasts two new machines. The Glowforge can cut and score wood, leather, and acrylic, and can engrave on these plus a variety of other materials. The Bantam Desktop CNC Machine uses a fast-spinning tooling bit with various shapes and sizes to carve various materials, including aluminum, wood, other metals and many types of Theseplastic.three
CONTINUESMAKERSPACETOEXPAND
As FGCU continues to grow, the library strives to support academic success with innovative technology for students and faculty across the spectrum of majors and departments. Here is a peek at some of the newest additions to our Creative Commons, which we hope will inspire our community to create new paths forward.
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Last spring, Provost Mark Rieger created a task force to identify best practices for reducing the costs of expensive textbooks and course materials for students. The task force consists of 12 faculty members from across colleges and the library. University Library Dean Tracy Elliott serves as chair.
There are many ways the library can assist in reducing the cost of textbooks and other course materials, including the licensing of eBooks, developing a reading list of digital materials, identifying open education resources and making a print textbook available for short-term checkout in the library. The library also is developing a method for controlled digital lending with a grant received from the State Library and Archives of Florida, which allows for the lending of print materials in a digital format. Faculty interested in exploring these options should contact their subject librarian.
The task force wants to identify similar practices at other institutions. The team will submit its report to the provost by December.
TASK FORCE SEEKS TO REDUCE COST OF TEXTBOOKS
Anyone interested in funding these library initiatives to reduce the burden of expensive textbooks on students, should contact Tracy Elliott at 239.590.7600 or telliott@fgcu.edu.
The task force’s plan is to gather data on the costs of course materials and identify the best ways in which faculty members have significantly reduced or eliminated costs.
FALL 2022 NEWSLETTER 11
specifically for collecting these pieces of work into one comprehensive database that can be shared worldwide. Each contributor has their own profile and an interactive list of their work, whether it is published journal articles, books, theses or dissertations. It can also include work such as creative writing, art, music and other formats.
The library is ready to step into the future with our faculty. We look forward to building this spotlight on scholarly work to share with like-minded academics worldwide. Check out the ScholarsCommons page on our website at scholarscommons.fgcu.eduhttps://.
Rivera, who oversaw the implementation of ScholarsCommons, along with Systems, Applications & Creative Technologies Head Danielle Rosenthal, is eager to encourage faculty to begin populating their profiles. However, some scholarship will be automatically input into the database for them through Smart Harvesting Artificial Intelligence, which searches for relevant research assets in local and national repositories.
Activity categories include teaching, clinical work, consulting, events, service (whether to the community,
“The most exciting aspect of this new tool is that it not only allows FGCU to manage research output and data in one centralized location, but it also provides a means of showcasing the rich assortment of work developed across all academic disciplines,” says Kaleena Rivera, Research Systems & Applications librarian.
In 25 years, FGCU has grown rapidly, now boasting 49 majors within 23 broad fields of study. Our faculty and graduate students are producing varied and important research, and the library now has a new portal to display that informationScholarsCommonsscholarship.isaresearchmanagement(RIM)system
The newest feature is the ability to include research activities within ScholarsCommons. This category allows faculty to display researchrelated activities that may or may not have a tangible “final product.”
institution or profession), supervision, advising and mentoring.
University Archives and Special Collections
We are incredibly grateful to the community for the continued support and belief in our mission. The community’s monetary contributions ensure that the archive can continue to provide access to rare and unique collections that document our area’s rich cultural and environmental history. Additionally, your contributions allow us to offer museum-quality exhibitions and educational programming to our campus and Southwest Florida communities.
Archives and Special Colections
MelissaSincerely,Minds VandeBurgt
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Over the past year, the University Archives and Special Collections welcomed more than 2,000 guests. It has been an honor to welcome the public once again. Our fall 2021 exhibition, “The Shape of Orchids: An Eternal Love Affair,” celebrated the Porecki Orchid Collection. The exhibition highlighted rare prints dating back to the early 17th century, rare books, Clyde Butcher photographs and a living orchid wall on loan from the Naples Botanical Garden. The Victorian-themed show delighted guests with some of the most beloved pieces from our permanent collection.
Dear friends,
We have some exciting plans for the upcoming academic year. Please join us this fall as we commemorate FGCU’s silver anniversary with the exhibition “Wings Up: 25 Years of Student Life at FGCU.” In the spring, we will bring two internationally acclaimed artists’ works to Southwest Florida, celebrating the art of the book and the literary gifts of Virginia Woolf.
The University Archives and Special Collections staff is committed to showcasing the diverse voices of the community. The 2022 spring exhibition, “The Black Experience in Lee County,” did just that. We are indebted to local historian Jarrett Eady, the Lee County Black History Society and the many residents who helped bring these stories to life. In the face of challenges, the Black community in Fort Myers has remained resolute, becoming an example of resilience for all who call Southwest Florida home.
On February 12, 2022, we celebrated 25 years of FGCU. The archives hosted an event in which 13 faculty members signed a copy of Making the Sustainable University: Trials and Tribulations for the
collection.FALL2022 NEWSLETTER 13
Visitors eagerly examine the spring 2022 exhibition “The Black Experience in Lee County.”
FGCU DAY BOOK SIGNING
Delicate beauty and fascinating history were on display at the “Orchids: An Eternal Love Affair” exhibition.
BY THE NUMBERS: HOW WE STACK UP 2021 denotes Academic Year 2020-21, 2022 denotes Academic Year 2021-22. LIBRARY VISITS PHYSICAL VISITORS TOTAL VISITS (INCLUDING WEBPAGE VIEWS) 2021 2021 1,056,323 2022 1,387,096 262,969 2022 679,557 LOANS*LAPTOP20212022 1,909831 *The library purchased 20 new laptops in 2021 for a total of 60. BOOKINGSSTUDIOPRODUCTIONMEDIA 2021 2022 592 794 ACCESSEDARTICLESJOURNALELECTRONIC2021.....323,4212022.....360,395 SCANNERBOOK 2,240 SESSIONS 261* 2021 2022 *Scanner purchased mid-2021. TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT LOANS* 2021: 5,847 2022: 21,147 *NOT INCLUDING LAPTOPS TEXTBOOKLOANSLOANSBOOK20218,08320228,589 3,2932,94920212022 14 UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
GIVING TO THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FUND is one of the most important ways to support the FGCU University Library. These dedicated funds can be used quickly to provide new equipment and other services that the faculty and staff in the library provide.
RESEARCH COMMONS — a collaborative space for research and instruction librarians to engage faculty and students to produce and showcase exciting research, scholarship and innovation. Services include: research support funding search tools, publication assistance, and next steps to establishing a scholarly identity.
GIFTS TO THE FGCU UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
Please consider making your gift today to support our efforts. Visit library.fgcu.edu/giving or contact either Melissa VandeBurgt at mvandeburgt@fgcu.edu, 239.590.7698, or Dr. Tracy Elliott at telliott@fgcu.edu, 239.590.7602.
We have ambitious priorities to support new modes of teaching, learning and empowering our students to succeed in an increasingly digital world. Your support will help create exciting growth opportunities at FGCU.
CREATIVE COMMONS — an interdisciplinary experiential learning space. This is a facility where students create tangible versions of their ideas with a variety of technology and equipment including 3D printers, scanners, electronics kits, and laser cutters. Students create audiovisual productions utilizing industrystandard software and hardware, an augmented reality/virtual reality laboratory for research in gaming, 3D video, and more in accessible, co-working spaces for small group work.
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UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS — support the preservation and promotion of collections especially relevant to Southwest Florida. Unique opportunities exist for exhibitions, collection acquisitions, gallery/reading room lighting, and vault expansion.
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