Source @ 25!
By Melissa Cox Norris, Director of Library Communication and Editor of Source for the last 24 years
Source, UC Libraries newsletter, first published 25 years ago! The first editor was Erika Taibl, associate public information officer, with an editorial board that included former UC Libraries employees Karen Cudjoe, Kevin Grace, Toby Heidtmann and Mark Palkovic, along with current UC Libraries veterans Ben Kline, Holly Prochaska and Lisa Pons Haitz. The dean and university librarian at the time, Victoria A. Montavon, welcomed readers to the first issue, saying that the topics they hoped to cover in Source would, “reflect to some degree the overarching challenge we face in the research library and information technology environment – making the best possible connections between our users and the extraordinary range of print, non-print, electronic and evolving formats of resources available today.” It’s safe to say that Source has achieved that mission.
I became editor of Source upon my arrival to UC Libraries in 2002. In that time, the Libraries, and Source, have seen a lot of changes. From technology and spaces to the people who work in the libraries and how users search for and access resources, Source has documented it all. University of Cincinnati enrollment has grown from over 20,000 students to now over 54,000 – all relying on UC Libraries for access to collections and research support. Library collections have grown from 2.8 million volumes to over 4 million with Source recording the 3 millionth volume – Poaletta, an opera by Pietro Floridia. While we continue to add physical materials to our collection, we’ve also created and provided access to a growing number of digital collections highlighting many of our special collections.
Source has announced new spaces within the libraries that provide research support and care of our collections. Formerly Conservation and Binding, in 2012 the Preservation Lab expanded its mission to that of a book and paper conservation lab and now provides expertise and services to the larger cultural heritage community. During the past 25 years, we’ve opened (and sometimes closed) various technology-focused labs and spaces, created the MakerLab in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library, provided access to accessible technology resources in a space on the fourth floor of the Walter C. Langsam Library and recently created the Anatomy Learning Lab in the Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library. And these are just some of the ways library spaces have transformed in the last 25 years, but what has remained true is that students, especially, value the library as place.
Source celebrated the anniversaries of both Langsam Library (25th in 2003) and Blegen Library (75th in 2005). Since 2001, we’ve welcomed the Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library, merged the former Applied Science Library and Engineering to become the College of Applied Science Library, and most recently merged the Geology-Mathematics-Physics and Chemistry-Biology Libraries to become the Science Library. Countless library renovations and facility improvements have occurred during this time. The first issue of Source introduced the redesigned Engineering Library. Since then, the Health Sciences Library moved into a new library space in the Care/Crawley Building, we celebrated revitalized spaces in both the CECH Library’s magnificent Reading Room and the redesigned Science Library. And, in 2010 we brought Triceracopter to Langsam Library – a student favorite!
Throughout its 25 years, Source has welcomed new library employees and bid fond farewell to others, while celebrating the many accomplishments of librarians and staff members. Following the retirement of Dean Montavon, we welcomed Xuemao Wang, and three years ago Elizabeth Kiscaden who now serves as dean and university librarian.
In 2014, Source moved from a print publication reaching a couple thousand readers, to a digital one reaching 10 times as many people. Throughout this publishing year, we will look back and highlight issues from Source’s 25 years – sharing photos, stories and highlights from our past! Join us as we celebrate the past quarter century of Source and move confidently into the future.
