Dear Deans, Chairs, and Faculty Library Liaisons,
Welcome to April! I hope you’re enjoying the April showers we’re having to bring those May flowers.
LibQUAL Survey
Every three years the library has hosted the LibQUAL survey on campus, and we are running it again this year from March 24 – April 20. This online survey is sent to all students, faculty, and staff to seek out information on how we are doing with our spaces, materials, and services. While we are promoting it in various ways across campus, we would love your help reminding students to take the survey. Also, don’t forget to take it yourself!
Additionally, we are gathering more input at the library using white boards on each floor to find out information such as what types of spaces do students enjoy in the library, how much time do they spend in the library outside of class, and what kind of services or equipment would they like to see more of in the Innovation Studio. Since students often study in the same spaces each time they come to the library, the questions are moved around the library each week to gather opinions from different library users. These responses are gathered alongside the LibQUAL survey responses and will help us identify a bigger picture regarding any gaps in our services. We look forward to seeing how we can continue to meet the needs of our campus community.
Popular Leisure Reads
Need a break from the stress of the semester? Did you know we have a leisure reading collection in the library? Library staff select new titles monthly to provide high quality leisure reading materials. The Ruby Canton Collection is named in honor of a librarian who worked here when UCO was Central State Teachers’ College. You can see the last three months of titles purchased in the catalog or in the library next to the Information Desk. You can also see all of the titles selected for this collection and where they are currently located.
Salads and Sweets
If you’ve been following this section of the Chat, you probably know by now that we don’t eat out very much in my family. Our three kids all have birthdays though between January and March. So once again we were eating out for a birthday. My youngest child celebrated their 23rd birthday this last weekend, and the two of us found a newly opened restaurant at May and Memorial in OKC – Doc Greens, a restaurant for salads, wraps, and paninis. We both had the Dr. Caribbean salad, full of romaine, crispy strawberries, pineapple, fresh cooked salmon, and a sesame dressing. They also have fountain Maine Root sodas, and their plates and silverware are compostable – a lovely plus! After that, we headed just down the street to Penn and Memorial to T-Swirl Crepe to celebrate with some sweets where we shared a Banana Chocolate crepe. It was a sweet end to a special day.
Have a great April, and we’ll chat again in May as we wrap up the semester!
Thanks,
Risa Jensen-Jones (she/they)
Director of Research and User Engagement
Max Chambers Library
University of Central Oklahoma
405-974-5311
rjensenjones@uco.edu
Dear Deans, Chairs, and Faculty Library Liaisons,
We made it to May! As the semester draws to a close, I want to take a moment to highlight the ways the campus library continues to support students and faculty during this busy time along with preparations for the upcoming break.
Faculty and Staff Art Show
This is our 4th year of hosting the UCO Faculty/Staff Art Show! You are invited to submit your 2D artwork to be included in a summer exhibition on the library’s 1st floor. The deadline for submission is May 16th with installation occurring in the second week of June. Contact Will Long with any questions.
Summer Renovations at the Library – Plan Ahead!
Accessing Library Collections
We wanted to make you aware of renovations scheduled in the library this summer, so you can plan ahead for any physical materials you may need. Construction preparation will begin on May 12, and the project is expected to last 10 – 12 weeks. Work will be contained to the south sides of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. While work is being done on a specific floor, the south side of that floor will be closed, and patrons and staff will not be able to access the area including any collection materials. If you or a student need materials that are inaccessible, please enter an ILL request instead and/or talk to staff at the Information Desk for up-to-date information on when the area might be accessible again.
As we receive updates from the project managers, we will post information regarding floor closure dates. Thank you for your patience and understanding, as we work to improve the library.
Accessing Special Collections and Archives
Additionally, due to light renovations and space improvements, the Special Collections Reading Room (LIB 215) will be closed to the public during intersession (May 12-30). We will continue to provide virtual research assistance during that time.
Summer Hours
Finally, library hours will vary from the usual semester hours during intersession and summer sessions. Please check the library hours for current information.
Retiring Staff and Faculty
The Friends of the Library invites retiring staff and faculty to donate books and other items. You can contact Jeffrey Musslewhite with any questions about potential donations. Library staff can assist in picking up donations from your office or other metro location.
Family Barbecue Recipe
My mother grew up in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. Frequently, their church would do a Sunday barbecue at the firehouse as a fundraiser. The region’s barbecued chicken is unique though in that it is an oil, egg, and vinegar base instead of a tomato base. That’s what I grew up on, so I’ve always preferred that style barbecue to anything else. Now my family loves it as well. You can learn more about the region and see regional recipes, including the Cornell style of barbecue. Our family uses white vinegar instead of the traditional cider vinegar. Our recipe calls for 2/3 cup oil, 1 1/3 cups white vinegar, 3 tablespoons of salt (yes, tablespoons!), 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 ¼ teaspoons poultry seasoning. Blend it all together and baste frequently! Do watch the grill carefully as the oil and vinegar tend to catch pieces on fire if the flame is too high. Let me know if you’ve tried it and what you think!
Wishing you a productive end to the semester and a restful break! The Chat will resume in the fall with all the library news you need to start another semester!
Thanks,
Risa Jensen-Jones (she/they)
Director of Research and User Engagement
Max Chambers Library
University of Central Oklahoma
405-974-5311
rjensenjones@uco.edu