Category Archives: UC Libraries

Aja Bettencourt-McCarthy joins UC Libraries as Science & Engineering Global Services Librarian

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Aja Bettencourt-McCarthyAja Bettencourt-McCarthy joined the University of Cincinnati Libraries on February 1, 2023 as the science & engineering global services librarian.

Aja holds an MLIS degree from University of Washington and Bachelor’s degrees (French, community and regional development) from the University of California, Davis.

Aja may be a familiar face to many as she comes to UC Libraries from the Faculty Enrichment Center, located in the Walter C. Langsam Library, where she was the manager of special projects and programs.  Aja brings a wealth of experience in science and engineering academic librarianship, including previous positions in instruction and public services. Prior to arriving at UC, Aja was the STEM instruction librarian at the University of Kentucky (UK). Before UK, she worked as instruction coordinator / head of public services at the Oregon Institute of Technology’s Library.

Welcome, Aja to UC Libraries!

Scholar@UC and the New NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy

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Join us for Scholar@UC and the New NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy

Event: Scholar@UC Informational and Chat

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023

Time: 1-3:30pm

Location: Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library, 231 Albert Sabin Way

Did you know that Scholar@UC enables the UC community to share research and scholarly works with a worldwide audience? Do you how it can help you with the new NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy?

Come interact with Scholar developers and learn how you can simultaneously meet grant and publisher requirements while also contributing to the intellectual output of UC.

The Scholar Team will present for ~15 minutes at 1:30pm and 2:30pm. The rest of the time will be reserved for individuals to dialog with team members about Scholar.

Need more incentive, join us during this time and receive a free Scholar@UC coffee mug filled with Lindor Truffles!

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Announcing the 2021/22 UC Libraries Annual Progress Report: A Year of New Beginnings…

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Announcing the 2021-22 University of Cincinnati Libraries Annual Progress Report: A Year of New Beginnings…a year that saw the broad return of students, faculty and staff to campus for fall semester. The transition from virtual to in-person was an extensive process as library spaces were re-evaluated to allow for a safe return to working and studying on campus. We welcomed students, faculty and staff back to campus with refreshed spaces, enhanced safety protocols for social distancing and a revived appreciation for working together in person.

The year also saw the announcement of our renewed Strategic Framework: NEXT Directions. The University of Cincinnati’s NEXT Lives Here Strategic Directions focus on the core areas of Academic Excellence, Urban Impact and the Innovation Agenda in order to engage people and ideas – and to transform the world. The University of Cincinnati Libraries is key to what’s NEXT.

In this Annual Report, we look back at the top News & Events, applaud Staff Accomplishments & Milestones and look at the Libraries By the Numbers and Financially.

While we celebrate the accomplishments of the past academic year, we also continue to move forward in pursuit of our vision of being the globally engaged, intellectual commons of the university – positioning ourselves as the hub of collaboration, digital innovation and scholarly endeavor on campus and beyond. I invite you to be a part of our journey – a journey led by our Guiding Principles of Investment in our People; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; and Digital Transformation.

The Annual Progress Report is available online via Sway. Happy Reading!

UC Libraries resources in celebration of Black History Month

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UC Libraries presents resources and collections in celebration of Black History Month.

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Louise Shropshire: An Online Exhibition
An online exhibit featuring Louise Shropshire a Cincinnati Civil Rights pioneer and composer.

Theodore M. Berry Papers Project
An exhibit highlighting the 2010 project to completely process the papers of Theodore Moody Berry, Cincinnati’s first African mayor.

Marian Spencer: Fighting for Equality in Cincinnati
An alumna of the University of Cincinnati (Class of 1942), Marian Spencer fought for Civil Rights in Cincinnati for nearly seventy years. This exhibit examines her career and her papers at the Archives and Rare Books Library.

The Colored Citizen
Published in Cincinnati sporadically from the height of the Civil War in 1863 until approximately 1869, The Colored Citizen was edited by a group of African American citizens from Midwestern cities, including Cincinnati. It was a paper with general news, but with a focus on the political, economic, and cultural affairs that had an impact on African Americans of the age. The Archives and Rare Books Library hold one issue of this paper.

Phillis Wheatley
In 1773, at the age of 20, Wheatley published Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, making her the first published African-American poet.

Lucy Oxley
Source article highlighting Lucy Oxley, MD, the first person of color ever to receive a medical degree from the College of Medicine. Continue reading →

Xin Gu Joins RDS Team as GIS Research Consultant

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The UC Libraries Research and Data Services Unit is pleased to welcome Xin Gu to our team as the GIS Research Consultant.

Xin Gu is a doctoral candidate from the Department of Geography and GIS at the University of Cincinnati (UC). Before joining UC, he received master’s degrees in Criminal Justice and GIS, respectively. His current research examines the impact of business closure and mobility reduction during COVID-19 on crime. Xin has several research papers published in Cities, Social Science Computer Review, Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, and ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information. He also serves as a research fellow for the Institute for Research in Sensing and a GIS research consultant for the Geology-Mathematics-Physics library at UC, enabling him to spread geographical knowledge to the rest of the campus and beyond. In his spare time, he likes to play badminton and practice Yoga.

His consultation hours will be Tues, Wed and Thurs from 10:30 to 5 pm. Xin is here to help you understand how to use GIS software, think about project plans, and find data for your project.  He can share information, offer advice, and even partner on certain projects (on a case by case basis). Please come by the Data & GIS Collab, located in the Geology Math and Physics Library (240 Braunstein Hall).

Image of Man standing next to a sign. The sign reads Data and GIS Collab

Join UC Libraries’ RESPECT group in reading and discussing “Slavery at Sea”

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slavery at sea book coverThe University of Cincinnati Libraries Racial Equity Support & Programming to Educate the Community Team (RESPECT) and the Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library are hosting a book discussion and Lunch and Learn with Sowande’ M. Mustakeem, author of “Slavery at Sea: Terror, Sex, and Sickness in the Middle Passage” on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 12:30-2pm in the Health Sciences Library’s Stanley J. Lucas M.D. Boardroom (E005HA). Register to attend the Lunch and Learn.

How to get the book:

“Slavery at Sea” Book Giveaway

RESPECT has purchased 20 copies of “Slavery at Sea” to give away free to the first 20 individuals who request a copy via the form.

OR Unlimited e-book access to “Slavery at Sea”

UC Libraries has acquired unlimited e-book access to “Slavery at Sea” for those wishing to read the book online. It can be accessed via the Library Catalog.

Join us for weekly Book Discussion Chats

RESPECT will sponsor weekly opportunities to discuss “Slavery at Sea.” These discussions will take place virtually via Zoom and will be held Thursday, February 2nd, 9th and 16th from 11am – noon. Register to attend one or more of the sessions.

RESPECT’s “Slavery and Sea” book discussions and Lunch and Learn are part of a larger Un-Common Read event being held throughout the university in celebration of Black History Month.

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New Furniture at the CECH Library

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Since coming back for spring semester, you may have noticed that the CECH Library looks a little different. We are happy to announce that we have added additional furniture to our space to accommodate more users and diversify our seating options. An additional 33 seats in total have been added to our 3rd and 4th floors!

The textbook alcove:

Our textbook alcove, located on the 3rd floor, now houses four individual study desks, one group study table, and two comfy chairs for individual use.

The 4th floor:

Four group tables have been added to the seating area on our 4th floor and the existing furniture has been moved around to better compliment the space.

We can’t wait for you to come visit us to check out our new furniture. As always, you can find Spring Semester Hours on the CECH Library website, as well as a complete listing of hours across UC Libraries locations.

It is our pleasure to serve CECH, and we wish you all a fantastic semester.

Rachel Hoople
Operations Manager, CECH Library