Congratulations Sidney Gao, digital collections manager in UC Libraries’ Content Services Department, one of 15 staff working in Ohio libraries and archives selected by the State Library of Ohio to form a cohort and complete coursework to earn a Digital Curation Certificate from Library Juice Academy. In this pilot program, federal LSTA funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded to the State Library of Ohio will be utilized to cover the cost of enrollment. This award-winning Digital Curation Certificate is designed to build skills for work in digitization, digital preservation, metadata creation and more, and is suitable for those interested in the work whether they have prior experience or not.
Brea McQueen Leaving UC Clermont Library
Brea McQueen has resigned from her position as the Operations Manager in the UC Clermont Library. Her last day will be on August 12, 2022. Brea joined UC Clermont in September 2021. In her short time here, she has helped move forward ideas for our 2nd floor renovation, organized our student workforce, and made changes to our technology lending program. She will be missed but has an amazing opportunity to join the faculty at Miami University – Hamilton as the Student Success Librarian. We wish her the best.
A search committee will commence immediately to refill her position. In the interim, questions that you may have sent to Brea can be sent to ClermontLibrary@uc.edu.
SERVICE NOTE: Library Catalog unavailable 5-6pm, Aug. 8
Read Source for the news, events, people and happenings in UC Libraries
Read Source, the online newsletter, to learn about the news, events, people and happenings in UC Libraries.
In this issue of Source, we bid goodbye and fond farewell to Dean Xuemao Wang as he ends his tenure at the University of Cincinnati. We celebrate the announcement of Lori Harris as interim dean and university librarian and ask her some questions about her aspirations and hopes for her new role. We feature the work of P. Alfred Marchand, one of the first Black librarians in the United States, and the design work of 1911 UC graduate Valentine Barker. Finally, we spotlight the excellent resources and services available in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library.
Read these articles, as well as past issues, on the website. To receive Source via e-mail, contact melissa.norris@uc.edu to be added to the mailing list.
New Books in the Science Libraries
New science books have been added to the Geology-Math-Physics and Langsam Libraries. The list includes 10 ebooks from the American Mathematical Society.
Click here to access the May-June 2022 list.
If you have any questions about these books, contact Ted Baldwin, Director of Science and Engineering Libraries, at Ted.Baldwin@uc.edu.
The 2022 Papyrology Summer Institute at UC
While many are enjoying summer break, the classics library remains open to visiting scholars and others. This summer, world-renowned papyrologist UC Professor Peter van Minnen has been hosting the Papyrology Summer Institute, held under the auspices of the American Society of Papyrologists. This 5 week-long intensive program has comprised lectures on topics such as petitions, magical papyri, materiality (the archaeology of papyri as objects) by scholars from all over the world in the morning or research and readings in the library followed by examination of papyri on loan from the University of Michigan in the lab (Blegen 320) in the afternoon. Some of the participants could already read Egyptian hieroglyphs, Coptic, and Demotic coming into the program, and all could read Greek and Latin. Each participant works on 3-4 papyri. Their findings are subsequently published in the Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists. In addition to the papyri, each participant examines one ostracon (a piece of pottery with writing on it), the publication of which will be as a group.
Polaroid collage of participants in the 2022 Papyrology Summer Institute at UC by one of the participants, Dr. Ella Karev, Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, University of Chicago.
Rachel Hill joins UC Libraries’ Research & Data Services Team
Welcome Rachel Hill, MLIS, PhD, to UC Libraries’ Research & Data Services Team as a temporary research data services librarian. Rachel is a recent graduate of the University of Kentucky’s iSchool and holds a PhD in anatomy and neurobiology. Rachel will provide research data management support, help get the word out about the new NIH Data Sharing and Management Policy and develop a Data Literacy Curriculum.
Welcome, Rachel!
Happy Birthday, Julius Caesar!
Today, July 12, is the birthday of Julius Caesar, born 2,122 years ago. It is somewhat uncertain if the day is a cause for celebration or mourning. He, like many modern-day would-be dictators and populists, had imperial designs, invading parts of northern and central Europe, and challenging Rome itself, casting the dice when crossing the river Rubicon, giving rise to not only an insurrection but a full-fledged civil war for the soul, or at least survival, of democracy. He won and was appointed dictator for life. That is until Marcus Brutus and others assassinated him on the Ides of March in 44 BCE at the site of the curia and theater of Pompey, a friend turned foe, and four Republican temples excavated by another dictator, and amateur “archaeologist,” Benito Mussolini, and now the home of a popular cat sanctuary. The assassins were initially hailed as heroes and saviors of the Republic. Ironically, the assassination may have backfired as the long-running (almost 500 year) democratic (excluding women and slaves) Republic turned into an equally long dictatorship, beginning with Emperor Augustus, by comparison a relatively “benign” ruler, the great-nephew of Julius Caesar, which later produced such notorious dictators as Caligula, Nero, and Domitian.
Unlike some other populists, Caesar was an intelligent and well-educated man, an author and historian, whose works, along with those of his opponent Cicero, are read by American school children, not only for their historic content but also for their exemplary prose. His name lives on in words for an omnipotent ruler, Tsar, Czar, and Kaiser, and for the month of July. After his death, he was deified and a comet which had appeared was hailed as a sign of his divinity. Yes, people interpreted “signs” and “hidden messages” then, too.
Julius Caesar’s birth would not have been possible without the aid of the She-Wolf who saved the lives of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome and Caesar’s ancestors. No doubt Caesar was turning in his grave during the theft and desecration of his great-great-great… grand-mother in Eden Park less than a month ago. Would it not be a wonderful birthday present for Caesar (and for us all!) if she were returned or found further unharmed (the kidnappers cut off her paws)!? Dum spiro, spero.
Happy Birthday, Julius!
Felix sit dies natalis tuus, Iuli!
IEEE Xplore Planned Downtime 7/23 & 7/30
The IEEE Xplore Digital Library has planned maintenance that includes downtime on July 23rd and 30th 2022. On these dates, content on the IEEE Xplore Digital Library will be unavailable from approximately 9am-11am and 1pm-3pm EST.
The IEEE Xplore Digital Library provides full-text access to high-quality technical literature in electrical engineering, computer science, electronics and related disciplines, including journals, magazines and standards published by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and conference proceedings from both IEEE and the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology).
Lori Harris named interim dean and university librarian
Lori Harris
Lori E. Harris has been named interim dean and university librarian of the University of Cincinnati Libraries effective July 1, 2022. Harris initially joined the Libraries in 2015 as an associate fellow from the National Institutes of Health/National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM). She permanently joined the University of Cincinnati Libraries in 2016.
Harris previously served as assistant dean and director of the Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library and the Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions. More recently, she co-led the development of the Libraries’ strategic framework NEXT Directions, which outlines the Libraries’ Guiding Principles and Pathways to operational excellence with special emphasis on initiatives relating to research, diversity, equity and inclusion and aligns with the University’s Next Lives Here framework. She has helped to support the College of Medicine’s LCME process by serving as a member of the reaccreditation committee and she currently sits on the College of Medicine’s Education Committee representing the Health Sciences Library.
Harris has worked tirelessly to build external relationships for the University of Cincinnati Libraries. Recently, she worked with Dr. Phil Diller, College of Medicine and the Henry R. Winkler Center Board, to bring to the university campus the six-part lecture series and exhibits that examined the work of Andreas Vesalius. Building upon her continued relationship and collaborations with colleagues from NIH/NLM, Harris helped bring to the Health Sciences Library the Native Voices traveling exhibition and lecture series, which honored the native tradition of oral history.
“I look forward to working with my University of Cincinnati Libraries colleagues in this new capacity,” said Harris. “Our recently completed Strategic Framework will provide the guiding principles and pathways for us to continue to advance our mission and realize our vision.”
Harris obtained her M.A. MSLS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her B.A. in American studies, museum studies and archives from Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts.
In her new role, Harris will provide leadership and coordination for the daily operations of the University of Cincinnati Libraries, working collaboratively with the library leadership of UC Blue Ash, UC Clermont and Law Libraries. Harris will continue to work directly with UC Libraries’ senior leadership, faculty and staff to ensure that continuity, growth and development of the University of Cincinnati Libraries is maintained throughout her tenure as interim dean and university librarian.