The University of Minnesota Libraries are bringing in the cupcakes and trumpets to celebrate winning this year's prestigious Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. The Libraries have received the award, a national tribute to a library and its staff, in recognition of their success integrating their expertise and resources into the life of the campus. Sponsored by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL, a division of the American Library Association) and Blackwell’s Book Services, the $3,000 award and a plaque will be presented by ACRL President Erika Linke to Provost Tom Sullivan and University Librarian Wendy Pradt Lougee at a 3:00 p.m. ceremony on Wednesday, April 22 in Walter Library.

The recognition culminates a multi-year process of transformation. “The libraries understand the importance of the process of conducting scholarship and have implemented programs to support behaviors rather than product,” said Pamela Snelson, chair of the 2009 Excellence in Academic Libraries Selection Committee and college librarian at Franklin & Marshall College. “By ‘getting in the flow of users,’ the libraries have moved out of their comfort zone and shifted into an engagement-centered model for all library services and programs.”

“Through careful planning, creative energy, and hard work, we now have a highly visible and highly valued position on campus and strong reputation for leadership in the profession. To have our staff’s innovative work recognized by the ACRL community is quite simply wonderful," said Lougee.

Refreshments will be served beginning at 3:00 in Walter Library's Great Hall; the award presentation will begin at 3:15. The campus community and members of the public are welcome to attend.

Download the award nomination (PDF; 2.2MB) ...
Read the complete ALA press release ...
Read more about ACRL Award program ...

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oxford Scholarship Online - Music Collection
http://www.lib.umn.edu/get/osomc

The new music list in Oxford Scholarship Online represents outstanding work across this diversity of music scholarship, covering significant titles in musicology and music history, ethnomusicology, and music theory. Contributions of bright young academics and eminent scholars, classic works and major recent titles, award-winners and fundamental texts, all stand together in this collection.

Posted by Timothy Cronin at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dictionary of Literary Biography
http://www.lib.umn.edu/get/15807

Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online brings you complete online access to all volumes of Gale's award-wining reference set, Dictionary of Literary Biography, the main series, as well as Dictionary of Literary Biography Documentary Series and Dictionary of Literary Biography Yearbook Series. Featuring comprehensive literary biographies written by recognized literary scholars and critics, you'll find profiles of more than 143,000 past and present authors, historians, journalists, screenwriters, publishers, and playwrights. The biographies discuss the lives and careers of the literary figures profiled, along with the critical response to their works. Additionally, you can search for essays on publishing houses and literary topics. Handy features include the ability to print, e-mail, download and access content by "Inside this Entry" and "Inside this Volume." Focusing on a particular literary period, movement or genre, each volume of the Dictionary of Literary Biography Documentary Series concentrates on major literary figures with in-depth essays and related images such as manuscript pages and revised galley proofs, title pages, dust jackets and pictures from the authors' lives. The Documentary series allows for further study of major literary figures through critical and biographical source materials. The Dictionary of Literary Biography Yearbook Series is annual compendium which includes original material covering a given year's literary highlights, including obituaries and tributes. The Yearbook provides signed essays summarizing the year in poetry, fiction, biography, drama and children's books we well as scholarly articles, interviews, biographies and critical studies covering events, organizations, works, writers and the business of literature.

Posted by Timothy Cronin at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Time: Friday, April 17, 2009 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Wilson Library S30B

Today Google offers researchers access to the broadest array of information. Google Scholar offers alternative citation resources. This workshop focuses on tips to make your searching more effective and efficient!

Register for this workshop: http://www.lib.umn.edu/registration/#eventidXX286

Posted by Timothy Cronin at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Time: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Location: Magrath Library Instruction Room-St. Paul

Learn to use IRIS, SPIN, and Community of Science and the Foundation Directory to search for grant opportunities. Set up e-mail updates and find internal U of M funding sources.

Register for this workshop: http://www.lib.umn.edu/registration/#eventidXX18

Posted by Timothy Cronin at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Time: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM
Location: Walter Library 310

Learn RefWorks, Web-based citation manager, available to all U of M faculty, students and staff. Use RefWorks to organize and create bibliographies in citation styles such as MLA, APA, etc.

Register for this workshop: http://www.lib.umn.edu/registration/#eventidXX75

Posted by Timothy Cronin at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)