Monthly Archives: August 2016

Executive Committee Summaries, June 30-August 18, 2016

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June 30, 2016

  • Lowman shared information about new paid time off (PTO) policies. HR is changing rules for time and attendance reporting for exempt staff based on some new federal compliance rules. The changes will be rolled out this fall along with a new online timesheet, which exempt staff will be required to fill out monthly. Additionally, staff on short term disability will accrue PTO if they have been at work or on PTO within the pay period.
  • Lowman shared that she has received recent suggestions about improving communication in the library. The Executive Committee recommended inviting further input from staff, possibly in the form of a working group. Lowman will pursue.
  •  The Executive Committee decided against participating in a Mellon Foundation diversity survey, due to confidentiality concerns about the methods of data collection.

–Summer Hiatus–

August 18, 2016

  • The Executive Committee commended the Horizon Group for arranging excellent, well-attended presentations by representatives of the Kinder Institute, SSPEED Center, Center for Teaching Excellence, Graduate Student Association and Entrepreneurship@Rice. The Executive Committee discussed the Horizon Group’s report outlining opportunities for collaboration with these organizations. Based on the discussion, Lowman is providing feedback to the Horizon Group on their recommendations. This year the Horizon Group will be invited to plan a staff retreat to identify ways that the library might support the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) on experiential inquiry and research.
  • Lowman gave an update on changes to the Fondren Library Research Awards, which are intended to solicit more award applications. The revised guidelines are available at http://library.rice.edu/research-awards.
  • The Executive Committee offered feedback on the draft charge for the Communications Task Force, which will review modes of communication at Fondren and propose improvements.
  • The Executive Committee reviewed the charge for the Fondren Web Team and endorsed the recommendation that it use change control to promote transparency and invite input. The Web Team will announce modifications or updates to websites and give stakeholders 14 days to provide feedback.
  • Denis Galvin announced that Rice and UH will collaborate on ArchivesSpace; Rice will assist with usability testing and UH will share code.
  • Lisa Spiro announced that Fondren will contribute metadata about research activities in the Rice Digital Scholarship Archive to SHARE in order to increase the visibility of Rice research and support an important higher education project.
  • All supervisors will be required to attend training on FLSA.

Social Media at Fondren update

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The Social Media group at Fondren is ready for 2016-2017! The schedule for content is as follows:

Twitter (862 Followers) https://twitter.com/fondrenlibrary:

  • Monday: Shannon Kipphut-Smith
  • Tuesday: Debra Kolah
  • Wednesday: Kathy Weimer
  • Thursday: Scott Carlson
  • Friday: Norie Guthrie

Facebook (1,238 Likes) https://www.facebook.com/ricefondren/:

  • Monday: UX Monday (Amanda Thomas)
  • Tuesday: Information Literacy/Reference Events (Joe Goetz)
  • Wednesday: News from Fondren highlight (Melinda Flannery)
  • Thursday: Archives/#TBT item from the Woodson Archive (Norie Guthrie)
  • Friday: Rotates with focus on library humor/light reading

Instagram (191 Followers): Michael Chiles/DaVian Smith/Norie Guthrie (3 x week) https://www.instagram.com/fondrenlibrary/

Pinterest: Amanda Thomas, Norie Guthrie (1 x week) https://www.pinterest.com/ricefondren/

This summer Norie Guthrie and Michael Chiles undertook cleaning up the Fondren YouTube Channel, and created new playlists. It looks great! Take a look! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FondrenLibrary

If you have something you would like posted to social media, you can use the form on the library website. On the Contact Us form (http://library.rice.edu/~fondren/contact) when you select “Add an Event to Fondren’s Calendar,” a “Post on Social Media” option will appear. We are especially interested in marketing events, classes, and presentations. We are still using HootSuite, so we can easily schedule posts in advance–so give us a heads up, and we will get it on the calendar!

We have room on the Social Media group for you! If you would like to participate in Fondren Library’s social media efforts, email Debra Kolah (dkolah@rice.edu) and we will get you signed up!

 

 

 

 

CMACS Summer Update & O-Week 2016

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These are busy times for C-MACS, Fondren’s Committee for Marketing and Customer Service! A number of C-MACS-sponsored activities are on the horizon for the library…

 

  • New “swag” is available to promote Fondren to new students around campus. Some of these fun and useful items include:CMACS O Week 2016-4
  • C-MAC’s Student Bingo Night will return on August 30. Participating students will receive Bingo cards which can be filled out by visiting certain locations around the library. Prizes will include some of the great swag seen above!
  • C-MACS will also host a Coloring Night as a mental rest break for student during mid-terms week.

 

C-MACS is also planning updates for Fondren’s customer service methods. Circulation will soon be the starting point of an experiment involving electronic tablets. The tablets — which the committee is considering for use at different locations around the library — can be used to promote events, sign up for those events, or conduct surveys.

 

Finally, the committee would like to thank everyone who signed up to help out with Fondren’s table at the university’s 2016 O-Week Academic Fair.

CMACS O Week 2016-1

Mike and Norie Doing Set-Up

CMACS O Week 2016-2

The Fondren Table for O-Week 2016

CMACS O Week 2016-3

The Reference Staff Meeting Students O-Week 2016

Keep an eye on your email for dates and further details!

#ShepherdTreasures: Wayne Crouse

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The Shepherd School of Music Digital Archive is a collection of digitized performances by students and faculty of the Shepherd School of Music, recorded during the years 1975 -1983. A new “mini project” hopes to bring attention to this collection, highlighting a number of unique recordings via Fondren’s social media presence. Look for posts on Fondren social media using the hashtag #ShepherdTreasures to discover the diverse recordings found in the Shepherd School of Music Digital Archive.

crouseWayne Crouse, violist, is fondly remembered by many former students and colleagues of the Shepherd School of Music, and contributed greatly to the Houston music community. The Shepherd School of Music Digital Archive contains numerous recordings of Crouse, including a 1982 performance of Rochberg’s Viola Sonata as well as a very scarce recording of Finney’s second sonata (the recording can be found at https://scholarship.rice.edu/handle/1911/58885).

Want to learn more about Wayne Crouse? Browse his recordings in the Shepherd School of Music Digital Archive or read his Journal of the American Viola Society  article about working with Leopold Stokowski and John Barbirolli.