Erin Smith joins UC Libraries as collections acquisitions data specialist

erin smithErin Smith has joined the University of Cincinnati Libraries as the collections acquisitions data specialist in the Content Services Team. She started her position on January 17, 2023.

In this role, Erin will work closely with subject selectors and other Content Services staff to acquire material necessary to support the learning, instruction and research mission of UC Libraries. In addition, Erin will provide support for data analysis and functional aspects of acquisitions.

Erin worked previously at Northern Kentucky University Steely Library, with ten years of experience working in library acquisitions, and recently obtained her M.S. in Library Science from the University of Kentucky.

Welcome, Erin!

UC Libraries closed Monday, Jan. 16 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. from LIFE Magazine

UC Libraries will be closed Monday, Jan. 16 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.The Libraries will resume normal hours on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Want to read up on Martin Luther King, Jr., his impact and legacy, and how you can make a difference? Check out these library resources and the Racial Justice Resources for Activists, Advocates and Allies Research Guide.

Upcoming Lunch & Learn to explore the painting The Crucible of God: Art and Science in the Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch

the garden of earthly delights paintingThe Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions announces its next Lunch and Learn scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 19 from 12-1 PM in the Stanley J. Lucas MD Boardroom (E005HA), Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library. The Lunch & Learn will also be live streamed via Zoom for those who cannot attend in person.

The lecture, titled, The Crucible of God: Art and Science in the Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch will be presented by Laurinda Dixon, PhD, a specialist in northern European Renaissance art. Currently retired, she served as the William F. Tolley Distinguished Professor of Teaching in the Humanities at Syracuse University. Her scholarship considers the intersection of art and science – particularly alchemy, medicine, astrology and music – from the 15th though the 19th centuries. She has lectured widely in both the USA and Europe, and is the author of many articles, reviews and 11 books, including Perilous Chastity: Women and Illness in Pre-Enlightenment Art and Medicine (1995), Bosch (2003) and The Dark Side of Genius: The Melancholic Persona in Art, ca.1500-1700 (2013). Laurinda holds a PhD in art history from Boston University, as well as a degree in piano performance from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. She currently resides in Cincinnati.

Hieronymus Bosch (c1450-1516) was a Dutch artist whose paintings contain fantastical illustrations of religious concepts and narratives. His most acclaimed works consist of triptych altarpieces, including The Garden of Earthly Delights.

Please register for this event. For those attending in-person, light refreshments will be available.

Join us Wednesday, Feb. 1 for an afternoon of poetry

The University of Cincinnati Libraries and the Elliston Poetry Room announce the next roster of poets for Poetry Stacked, a semi-regular poetry reading series held in the 6th floor east stacks of the Walter C. Langsam Library.

At the next event, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 4:30pm, three poets will read original works.

feb 1 poetsSimone Savannah, PhD is the author of Uses of My Body (Barrow Street 2020), the winner of the Barrow Street Poetry Book Prize chosen by Jericho Brown. She is also the author of Like Kansas (Big Lucks 2018). Her work has been published in Apogee, The Fem, Powder Keg, GlitterMob, Shade Journal, BreakBeat Poets, and several other journals and anthologies. She has received nominations for Best New Poets and Best of the Net. Simone is originally from Columbus, Ohio. She earned her MEd and BA from Ohio University. She holds a PhD in creative writing from the University of Kansas. She is currently the 2021-23 Taft Research Center Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Cincinnati.

Yalie Saweda Kamara is a Sierra Leonean-American writer, educator and researcher from Oakland, California. Selected as the 2022-23 Cincinnati and Mercantile Library Poet Laureate (2-year term), she is the editor of the anthology What You Need to Know About Me: Young Writers on Their Experience of Immigration (The Hawkins Project, 2022) and the author of A Brief Biography of My Name (African Poetry Book Fund/Akashic Books, 2018) and When the Living Sing (Ledge Mule Press, 2017). She has been a finalist for the National Poetry Series competition and the Brunel International African Poetry Prize and a semifinalist for the Cave Canem Poetry Prize. She earned a PhD in creative writing and English literature from the University of Cincinnati, an MFA in creative writing from Indiana University, Bloomington and an MA in French culture and civilization from Middlebury College. Yalie currently resides in Cincinnati where she works as the director of creative youth leadership at WordPlay Cincy and is an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati. For more, visit her website: www.yaylala.com

Casey Harloe is a 4th year creative writing student at the University of Cincinnati. Her work has appeared in DIALOGIST, BRENDA, and Poets.org. She is a recipient of the Academy of American Poets Prize. She lives in Cincinnati. Continue reading

Lauren Reder joins UC Libraries as a cataloger focusing on Classics and Modern Greek

lauren rederLauren Reder joined the University of Cincinnati Libraries on Monday, Jan. 9 as a cataloger focusing on Classics and Modern Greek.

Lauren has been working in the Libraries’ Content Services Team in a full-time temporary capacity since November 2021. She holds an MSLIS degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a BA in classical languages and cultures from Wright State University, with minors in English and art history.

Her responsibilities in the eResources & Access team will focus on serving as the primary cataloger for the Classics/Modern Greek collection. She will additionally provide general cataloging support across all collections, complete quality control routines, participate in e-resource projects, trouble-shoot problems in discovery and access and create and manage team procedural manuals and online content that are being converted to LibGuides where appropriate.

Welcome, Lauren, to UC Libraries!

Winter Break hours for UC Libraries

winter sceneWinter Break Hours for the University of Cincinnati Libraries began Monday, Dec. 12. All library locations will be CLOSED Friday, Dec. 23 through Monday, Jan. 2, except for the Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library (HSL), which will be open noon-5pm, Dec. 27-30 and closed Dec. 23-26 and Dec. 31-Jan. 2.

A listing of all hours is available on the Libraries website as well as at each library location online and in person.

Have a relaxing and safe Winter Break. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Meni Johnson joins UC Libraries as Senior Human Resources Coordinator

meni johnsonMeni Johnson began work Monday, December 12 in the UC Libraries Business Office as the senior human resources coordinator.

Meni joins UC after six years with Amazon. At her previous employer, she served as a senior human resources assistant and a human resources generalist. In these roles she managed day-to-day HR processes and organized employee engagement activities. Meni has additional experience working with the United States Census Bureau. In this role she trained employees, evaluated and reviewed assignments, monitored staff performance and approved payroll and leave submissions. Meni’s educational background includes a master’s degree in human resources development from Xavier University.

Welcome, Meni, to UC Libraries!

The University of Cincinnati seeks the next dean and university librarian

The University of Cincinnati seeks a visionary and dynamic leader to serve as dean and university librarian. Reporting directly to the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, the dean is the chief administrator over numerous venues, facilities, collections, and oversees a diverse faculty and staff. The dean is also a member of the Council of Deans and actively participates in the governance of the university. As the intellectual and administrative leader of the Libraries, the next dean will play a key role in developing new ideas and forging consensus among stakeholders to build upon current and past successes and further strengthen the Libraries’ presence on campus.  Continue reading

University of Cincinnati Press title, “Equity and Inclusion in Higher Education: Strategies for Teaching,” named a 2022 Choice Outstanding Academic Title

equity and inclusion in higher education cover“Equity and Inclusion in Higher Education: Strategies for Teaching,” edited by UC’s Rita Kumar and Brenda Refaei, and published by the University of Cincinnati Press, has been named a 2022 Choice Outstanding Academic Title.

Each December, Choice publishes its list of Outstanding Academic Titles. This prestigious list reflects the best in scholarly titles, both print and digital, reviewed by Choice during the previous year and brings with it the extraordinary recognition of the academic library community. The list is quite selective, containing approximately ten percent of some 5,000 works reviewed annually in Choice, a publishing unit of the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. Continue reading