Tag Archives: University Library

Faculty and Staff Invited to Submit Publications for Annual Author Awards

Attendees of the Annual Author Awards look at the 2015 publications.

Attendees of the 2015 Annual Author Awards look at faculty and staff publications. Photo by Brandon Chew.

San Jose State Univeristy faculty and staff who have published a book or other major work in 2016 will be celebrated at the Annual Author Awards on Nov. 7, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library Room 225/229.

Authors who have penned scholarly books, works of fiction or non-fiction, poetry, art books, textbooks, anthologies, edited books, plays, video or music published between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2016 are invited to submit information about their publication and a brief summary to be recognized at the annual celebration on Nov. 7. (Vanity press, self-published books, unpublished manuscripts, pamphlets, brochures, custom-published course anthologies, book chapters and course packs do not qualify.)

Submissions for the Annual Author Awards will be accepted online at goo.gl/m5NJVP through Oct. 7. Please deliver a copy of the book or publication to the Library Administration Office on the fourth floor or send a copy to Elisabeth Thomas via campus mail zip code 0028 by Oct 14. Notify Elisabeth Thomas if the publication is only available in e-book format.

The Annual Author Awards is sponsored by the Office of the Provost, University Library and the Spartan Bookstore.

For more information or questions, call Library Dean Tracy Elliott at 408-808-2419 or Outreach Librarian Elisabeth Thomas at 408-808-2193.

sjsu-authors-request-for-submission_2016 (PDF)

Evaluation of Print Collection Under Way

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library

The University Library print collection evaluation is under way and campus community members have an opportunity to provide comments on books that have been identified for potential withdrawal from circulation online through May 24. The campus-wide review period is one of several steps implemented in Academic Senate S15-10 in May 2015 to be completed before print books are removed from the library collections.

The first step in the evaluation process is for the liaison librarian to collaborate with the faculty in the department associated with the collection under review. Together they examine and comment on the criteria being used to determine which books will be removed.

A campus wide review is the second step in the process for a period of six weeks. Materials identified for potential withdrawal are being made available for all faculty on campus during this period.

The final review of four weeks concludes the process in which the liaison librarian collaborates with the faculty in the department to make final decision to retain or withdraw a title. Together they fully consider all inputs received during the campus review in their final decision.

More library news is available in the Spring 2016 Academic Gateway newsletter, available for review online or for download as a PDF.

Appointment of University Library Dean

Dear Campus Community,

I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Tracy Elliott as dean of SJSU’s University Library, effective June 13. She will succeed Dean Ruth Kifer who will retire at the end of the spring semester.

Dr. Elliott comes to us from the State College of Florida (SCF) where she has served as the director of libraries since 2009. In her role at SCF, she gained unique experience in managing joint-use libraries that included partnerships between college campuses, dual enrollment high schools, a 6-12th grade collegiate school and an eCampus. She produced the first multi-year strategic plan; created an institutional repository; and served as the project director on a $2.5 million U.S. Department of Education grant to improve access to data and student success analytics, among other accomplishments.

She holds a PhD in leadership and education from Barry University, in Florida; a master’s in library and information studies, and a bachelor’s in communication from Florida State University.

Dr. Elliott has more than 20 years of experience working in higher education library services. Prior to her work at SCF, she served as the head librarian at St. Petersburg College. In her capacity, she managed a partnership between the college library, the City of Seminole and the city of St. Petersburg to provide public library services. She served as dean of learning resources at Rappahannock Community College, in Virginia; as a patent librarian at the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office, in Virginia; and as an information services librarian at Columbus State University, in Georgia.

During the search process, Dr. Elliott demonstrated a deep understanding of joint-use libraries that will benefit her in leading our partnership with the City of San Jose. In addition, she expressed a commitment to student success through providing engaged learning opportunities outside the classroom and to collaborating as a partner in support of research, scholarship and creative activities.

I am certain the campus community and supporters of our University Library will find Dr. Elliott to be an energetic and experienced leader. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Elliott to San Jose State.

Sincerely,

Andy Feinstein
Provost 

Dozens honored at Annual Author Awards

Two dozen San Jose State faculty members were honored Oct. 26 at the 2015 Annual Author Awards. Faculty members from each college were recognized for authoring, editing or co-editing books in a multitude of genres on a wide range of topics.

President Susan Martin welcomed the faculty to the celebration, in which the college deans recognized the authors and editors in each college. The publications represented a wide-range of topics and showcased the many talents of SJSU faculty members.

Anita Coleman, from the School of Information, penned a children’s book titled “Path of Grace.” The story is set on an island off the coast of Finland where a grandmother helps a little girl find her own path to grace.

Terry Christensen, of Political Science, and Peter Haas, of the School of Global Innovation and Leadership, co-authored “Projecting Politics: Political Messages in American Movies.” The 2015 novel examines the relationship between American political and films.

See a full list of all the authors honored and a brief description of their publications: 2015_annual_author_awards (PDF)

Provost Andy Feinstein emphasized the breadth of knowledge represented in the 2015-16 publications in his closing remarks.

The event was sponsored by the University Library, with refreshments provided by the Spartan Bookstore.

October newsletter: Professional development grants awarded to staff

Amy D’Anna, a marketing coordinator with the College of International and Extended Studies, was excited to learn about the Staff Professional Grant program via an email sent out early this semester from the Provost Office.

She is one of 48 individuals and groups of staff members who successfully applied for a grant offered this fall through the Academic Affairs Division priority group on RSCA and professional development. Individuals were allowed to apply for up to $1,500, with groups eligible to apply for $5,000. A second call for Academic Affairs Staff Professional Development Grant proposals has been announced. Staff members will have until Nov. 13 to submit an application and will be notified in December if their application was successful. See the full list of awardees from the first round of funding.

“This will help by adding formal education to my applied experience in the field of marketing and PR,” D’Anna said.

She said the courses she takes have allowed her to keep current and gain exposure to crucial developments in cultural communications, social media, technological advances and more.

D’Anna said she appreciates that the provost understands staff members are an integral part of SJSU and deserve professional growth.

Recipients of the Staff Professional Development Grant were recognized in the program at the Academic Affairs Division Staff Appreciation Breakfast in October.

Recipients of the Staff Professional Development Grant were recognized in the program at the Academic Affairs Division Staff Appreciation Breakfast in October.

“Most times we are the first line of contact and often support students throughout their entire academic career with SJSU,” she said. “This relationship is crucial to our student body and improving it through staff development will only make SJSU a better place.”

Mark Adams, the project director for the Pakistan Distance Education Enhancement Program (PDEEP) and an instructional developer with the eCampus group in Academic Technology, is planning to use his grant to take a course called “Managing without Authority” at Stanford University.

“The course focus is on how to influence and persuade others, build and maintain effective working relationships and get things done in a diverse, global environment,” he said.

The course will support his work on the PDEEP grant as he helps to develop an eCampus infrastructure for Allama Iqbal Open University in Pakistan as well as in working with faculty members at SJSU to share the benefits of online tools.

Lauren Andersen, a financial analyst in the University Library, will use her grant to attend the CSU Academic Resource Conference.

“I changed positions from human resources to finance this last January,” she said, via email. “This conference will help me to continue to learn more about the world of finance from a CSU perspective.”