Hello, please don’t come after me for reprising an old fast food slogan, but speak to the message. It is summer, it is between semesters, and it is still uncertain how everything is all going to work out. Although COVID numbers are going down, the war in Ukraine, the economy, inflation and the stress of everyday life can make each day a struggle for some.

Take a break this summer and find a way to refresh and rejuvenate. Mental wellness is an important topic for all of us to pay attention to and sometimes our best advocate is ourselves. Self-analysis of mental stress is important to be able to strategically determine the best remedy. Taking a break offers the opportunity to step away and reflect on struggles, concerns, points of conflict and waves of weariness that can become overwhelming.

Our students will be coming back this fall with expectations of achievement for their academic goals and looking for ways to nourish their interests. No matter what our role, we owe it to them to be the best we can be, by being a healthy us, focused and not distracted. Our new students will be excited and looking for an experience that is unique to them, with promises of a brighter future. Our actions influence this experience and are critical to each individual student's success. We should all find joy in each student's success and determination to help with each student's weakness.

Take a look at how you feel and anticipate what's to come as we enter another academic year. As the world moves forward, it is important to be a healthy and happy participant of how we make progress on all of these issues that we face. Reflect on methods of self health and make sure you take a break this summer, you deserve it!

Anna Craft, Professor and Coordinator of Scholarly Communications

Steve M. Cramer, Professor and Business and Entrepreneurship Librarian

Michael "Mike" A. Crumpton, Professor and Interim Dean of University Libraries

Sarah B. Dorsey, Professor and Head, Harold Schiffman Music Library

Amy Harris Houk, Professor and Assistant Dean for Teaching and Learning

Erin Lawrimore, Professor, University Archivist and Engagement Coordinator

A new diversity leadership program at the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce brings together individuals from all backgrounds to create an environment that fosters impartiality, imagination and progress.

Other Voices — the Chamber’s signature diversity, equity and inclusion program — attempts to do just that by expanding one’s individual knowledge about bias, discrimination, prejudice and racism while deep diving into topics that can be difficult to talk about, such as religion, sexism and poverty. At the center of this program, participants learn from the experiences of others while reflecting on their own personal journeys, which creates a safe environment for everyone to enact real change.

Dr. LaTesha Velez, PhD, Assistant Professor of Library & Information Science (LIS) at UNC Greensboro and former Diversity Resident Librarian for University Libraries is the recipient of the 2022 American Library Association (ALA) Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) David Cohen/EMIERT Multicultural Award. Dr. Velez received the award for her article, "It Was Like He Was Writing My Life: How Ethnic Identity Affected One Family's Interpretation of an Afro Latinx Text.”

The People Not Property Slave Deeds Extension Project has been awarded $99,915 by the 2022-2023 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants. People Not Property Slave Deeds is a collaborative endeavor led by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro University Libraries in partnership with the North Carolina Division of Archives and Records, registers of deeds across North Carolina, the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society and other cultural heritage organizations.

The kick-off event with award-winning author Amor Towles on May 19, for the 2022 Greensboro Bound Literary Festival was a huge success for the University Libraries thanks to the many wonderful volunteers, faculty, staff and students that helped us reach our goal. Collaborating collectively for a cause like this makes all the difference and allows the University Libraries to expand our reach in the Greater Greensboro community.

Scholarship and creative activity by the University Libraries' faculty and staff plays a significant role in the education of students and the development of the library profession. At the University Libraries, our faculty and staff are experts in their respective areas of work. Each year, they produce numerous articles that are published in nationally-recognized journals, present at local, national and global conferences and serve as leaders of important professional organizations.

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