University Library

Highlights 2007-08

Diversity
Completed the first year of the Diversity Fellow Program.  The program provides an opportunity for two undergraduate students to work in a wide variety of library operations. 

Instructional and Reference Activities

  • The University Library developed an Information Literacy Program focused on supporting the teaching and learning mission of IUPUI by engaging students in the development and application of information-seeking skills that will contribute to their academic success and lifelong learning goals.  The strategy defines student competencies for each undergraduate year; these competencies are correlated with the IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning.  
  • The University Library launched an innovative approach to reference and research support with the creation of a library presence in MySpace and Facebook; the addition of the Meebo instant messaging reference service, available to students on- or off-campus; and a partnership with the IU-Bloomington libraries, UITS, and ChaCha to provide enhanced virtual reference capabilities to students and faculty.

Digital Projects

  • In partnership with the Center for Governmental Studies, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization, the university created and successful launched Policy Archive, a repository of over 13,000 public policy studies.  The project has been well received in the public policy community and is expected to contain over 20,000 documents by the end of the 2008 calendar year.  
  • Working with the School of Social Work, migrated their journal—Advances in Social Work—to an online open access platform supported by the library. 
  • With external funding, and in collaboration with the Crispus Attucks High School Museum, digitized most of the Crispus Attucks Yearbooks and other items related to the history of the school. 
  • The James Whitcomb Riley video project helped build relationships for the library and the university with an important cultural heritage partner, as well as the local business community.  Our collaboration with the James Whitcomb Riley House and Cantaloupe TV resulted in unique new materials for our James Whitcomb Riley collection that will be accessible to a wide audience via the World Wide Web, including school age children.  
  • The Herron Library continues to move towards digital collections in an effort to meet the teaching and learning needs of the Herron faculty and students.  The Herron library’s daily operations and routines and workflows regarding image production/access/dissemination shifted significantly during 2007 from slides to digital formats.   During 2007-2008, the Herron Library added 5,612 digital images to the Herron Art Library Online (HALO).

Operations and Facilities

  • To address potential cuts in serials subscriptions due to budget limitations, the library implemented a new article delivery service, providing articles from the University Library collection electronically to patrons, and joined RapidILL, a resource sharing system that provides 24-hour turnaround time for article requests. The department obtained 20,532 items for University and Herron Art Library patrons and provided 36,937 items to other libraries.
  • Conducted a major review of monographic vendors.  Savings in postage and better discounts resulted.
  • Major improvements to the Herron Library facility included the Springer Special Collections Room, installation of an ADA operator mechanism at the library's entrance, and replacement of all the light fixtures throughout the entire Herron Library.

Philanthropy

  • Working with a long-time friend and donor, the library secured a $1 million estate gift this year to benefit the Payton Philanthropic Studies Library.  This gift will effectively provide for the long-term development and preservation of the philanthropy collections, as well as important related digital resources.
  • To date, we have raised $116,000.00 in cash and in-kind donations for a new Technology Classroom to support the library’s information literacy program, which served 17,500 students last year and has the potential to serve 8,500 more students with the addition of this larger, flexible classroom.  Ninety percent of IUPUI’s student population will benefit from this room when it is completed.