University Libraries Newsletter
March 2019
Library Resources & Events
Have You Seen the Roving Reference Desk
from the Marx Library?
The  Roving Reference  endeavor is an outreach project of the Marx Library Reference & Instruction department informing students about the efficacy of our databases and LibGuides to assist them in research and study. We want students to be aware of the breadth of academic resources available to them via the Marx homepage. Each week of the semester we periodically set up a table, on Tuesday outside the Food Court (12:30--2:30 PM) or in the Humanities Building (11:00 AM--1:00 PM) and on Thursday outside Marx Library Starbucks (1:00--3:00 PM) on a recurring basis. The purpose is to introduce students to our reference links and the range of online services offered, including  "Databases & e-Reference", "E-book Collections", "Course and Subject Guides"  (or LibGuides), and our  "Ask a Librarian"  chat line. We also acquaint students with the Marx Library Commons as a positive space to congregate and study. This outreach method has proven to be an effective means of advancing the academic mission of Marx Library services. The Roving Reference program will be continued and developed going forward, and we are open to any suggestions from staff or students. To see a weekly schedule of time & location for Roving Reference please check out the Marx social media content on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We also plan to expand this program to other campus locations in the near future, so please look for the schedules regularly.
"The Power of Books" in Glass
As you move through the library, you may notice new artwork on display near the elevators. These are fused glass panels, made by students in the Introduction to Kiln-Formed Glass class (ARS 311). The theme for the project was books and the activity of reading, and the students interpreted the concept either by referencing a specific book or reading in general. One student even created her own character as a Ninja Librarian. The panels were made by sifting black glass powder onto a clear sheet of glass, then drawing into the powder to create an image. Once that was fired to 1450° Fahrenheit, the students added colored sheet glass, more colored powders, or stringers to the panel, then the panels were fired again. The artists represented are Ashlyn Cohen, Anna Copeland, Yavonnie Edwards, Deborah Featherland, Ashley Hild, Roni Johnson, Ellie Knight, and Camille White. We invite you to stop by and see if you can guess which novels inspired the glass panels!
Debbie Cobb, Marx Library's Interlibrary Loan Supervisor, receives USA General Division Employee
of the Quarter Award
Congratulations to Debbie Cobb, Marx Library’s Interlibrary Loan Supervisor, who received the University of South Alabama General Division Employee of the Quarter award March 15, 2019. The award recognizes exceptional performance and efforts of the university’s staff employees and is presented at a meeting of the USA Board of Trustees.
Join us in the Rodning Gallery on Monday, March 18th at 10 am to congratulate Debbie on receiving the award.
University of South Alabama Libraries Purchases
CopiBook i2 Book Scanner
The University of South Alabama Libraries purchased a CopiBook i2 Book Scanner to scan fragile materials in the McCall Collection’s Winter Family Papers, which contain nineteenth-century business records associated with a prominent Alabama family involved in manufacturing, banking, and law. The McCall Collection, valued at $3.1 million, was gifted to the University of South Alabama in 2011. The USA Photographic Archives, founded in 1978, was designated The Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library May 6, 2011, in recognition of this donation.
North Kentucky University visit McCall Library
On Wednesday, March 13 the McCall Library welcomed a group of 20 students from Northern Kentucky University. This group were participating in an experiential learning tour of the region and were taking in sites related to African American history and the Civil Rights Movement. They included USA on their tour in order to learn about our notable Civil Rights collections, including the John LeFlore Papers, Neighborhood Organized Workers Papers, Michael Donald Papers, and the Non-Partisan Voters League Collection. They spent two hours with us learning about our beautiful space, the variety of collections we hold, and discussing the challenge of curating diversely representative collections. The students were attentive, curious, and engaged - they asked a lot of questions! In addition to a tour of the archives, Processing and Digital Archivist Deborah Gurt led a document analysis practicum with items from the Non-Partisan Voters League Collection. Want to learn more about our Civil Rights collections? Contact the Archives at mccalllib@southalabama.edu or call 341-3900.
Written in Stone exhibit in the McCall Library
USA Libraries host Scopus Training
The USA Libraries hosted an all-day series of training sessions on March 12 focused on Scopus, a database that indexes journals, books, conference materials, and more, from over 5000 publishers. Sessions included identifying research metrics in Scopus, monitoring researchers, finding relevant documents, analyzing Scopus search results, and managing resources in Mendeley. Dr. Kristina Hopkins, Customer Consultant, Academic and Government with Elsevier, Inc. conducted the training. USA Libraries plans to host a publisher workshop in the Fall. 
University Libraries Recent Professional Development
Lorene Flanders - presented on the concept at the 2017 Association of Research Libraries’ Library Assessment Conference in Washington, DC, the 2017 International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries at the University of Oxford, UK, and at Studer Education’s Destination High Performance Conference in San Antonio in 2019. She has also worked with Studer Education to present survey roll out techniques with the Florida Virtual Library Consortium.
Deborah Gurt - In March, Deborah Gurt will participate in the inaugural Queer History South planning conference in Birmingham. This gathering will bring librarians, archivists, historians, and community members together to work on projects and strategic planning to document and preserve the material history of LGBTQ communities across Alabama and the region. 
USA Libraries - is working with Pensacola-based Studer Education to support the 2017 merger of USA’s University Library and its Biomedical Library with the goal of creating a workplace of choice and to facilitate strategic planning. A team of 21 faculty and staff participates in an annual series of Leadership Development Institutes. USA Libraries' employees participate in employee engagement surveys, with follow-up survey rollouts and action plan development integrated into the annual process. Executive Director of USA Libraries.
Abe Partridge Exhibit
Artist
March/April 2019
Mary Elizabeth and Charles Bernard Rodning Gallery of Art

Abe Partridge Concert
April 25th @ 4 pm
Marx Library Auditorium
Reception Following in the Rodning Gallery
Trey Oliver Exhibit
Artist
March/April 2019
Gallery Hall
Artist Talk: March 27th
5:30 pm Rodning Gallery
I've Been to the Mountain Top Exhibit
Portraits of Civil Rights Activists
March/April 2019
2nd Floor Student Gallery
MuffinJaw Designs - Tres Johns Exhibit
Glass Artist
March/April 2019
Mary Elizabeth and Charles Bernard Rodning Gallery of Art
Joshua Burford, Director of Community Engagement, visiting on behalf of the invisible Histories Project
April 11, 2019
11 am - Student Round table in the Marx Library Gallery 181
Refreshments Provided!
2 pm - Out in Alabama film screening and talkback
Marx Library Auditorium
In Print
Work by Intermediate and Advanced Printmaking Students
May/June 2019
Gallery Hall
Memor - Mobilia:
A Diverse Look at our City on the Bay
Mobile Arts Association
Mary & Elizabeth & Charles Bernard Rodning Gallery of Art
Reception to be held May 23rd at 6 pm in the Rodning Gallery
Essence in Frame:
Exploration of the Charcoal Spirit
Zak Todd
May/June 2019
2nd Floor Student Gallery
OER LoudCloud Courseware Demonstrations
USA Libraries is partnering with USA's Auxiliary Services and the USA Bookstore to host demonstrations of OER LoudCloud courseware on April 10 in Marx Library Auditorium. Morning and afternoon session times TBA. Open Educational Resources address the issue of textbook affordability. USA Libraries hosted a regional OER workshop in February 2018 to draw attention to OER initiatives. The workshop was supported with a grant from ACHE, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.