Press Releases 2007
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 | The UMass Amherst Libraries catalog will undergo maintenance work between January 3 and January 7, 2008. The following actions will not be available during this time period… December 20, 2007 | |
 | Carole O'Malley Gaunt is one of three authors to speak at the Library's Dinner with Friends next April. Her book, Hungry Hill begins before John F. Kennedy was president and before both her parents needed a final resting place, hand-dug, probably by Irish immigrants, 6 feet under at St. Michael's Cemetery in the Pine Point neighborhood of the City of Homes, leaving eight children behind, the youngest no more than 2, the oldest a sophomore in high school. December 20, 2007 • The Republican, Springfield, MA | |
| The UMass Amherst Libraries offer more than 280 research databases and all are now easier to find, thanks to a new “database locator.” The new database interface is the result of a design overhaul conducted over the last several months. Library staff ran usability tests with undergraduate and graduate students with the goal of creating a system that would enable students to find a relevant database to write a research paper – if necessary, without consulting a librarian. December 10, 2007 | |
 | Jennifer Heshion, Collegian Correspondent, interviews the owners of the Jeffery Amherst Bookshop regarding their fifth annual benefit for the UMass Amherst Libraries. December 10, 2007 • Massachusetts Daily Collegian | |
| WNPR’s Where We Live takes a look at the evolving role of libraries in society. From the way they help us interact with others, to the role they're playing in helping us share information on the internet. Several library representatives are interviewed, including Jay Schafer, Director of UMass Amherst Libraries. December 4, 2007 • WNPR Connecticut | |
'Naturally Beautiful': Local artist showcases scenic landscapes in Lederle exhibit | ||
| Keri Letourneau, Collegian Correspondent, interviews Suzanne Bell regarding her photo exhibit on display in the Integrated Sciences and Engineering Library through December 31. December 4, 2007 • Massachusetts Daily Collegian | |
Jeffery Amherst Bookshop Holds Fifth Annual Benefit for UMass Amherst Libraries | ||
| On Saturday, December 8, 2007, from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., the Jeffery Amherst Bookshop & College Store, located at 55 South Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, will celebrate the region’s only public research library by donating 10% of its proceeds to the UMass Amherst Libraries. Purchases can also be made by phone, fax, or email. November 26, 2007 | |
| UMass Amherst Librarian Jim Kelly tells the Collegian about his work and how he became a librarian. "Every day, I'm happier with my job," says Kelly. November 20, 2007 • Massachusetts Daily Collegian | |
 | The Faculty Writing Place, jointly developed by the Office of Faculty Development and the UMass Amherst Libraries, is now open. Located in Room 1602 of the Du Bois Library, the Faculty Writing Place is a large, quiet, and comfortable office with Internet access. November 9, 2007 | |
Valley Light Opera Performs at Library to Celebrate Ellis Theatre Collection | ||
| UMass Amherst Libraries hosts a reception to celebrate the exhibition, "Staged: Scenes from the James Ellis Theatre Collection," November 15, 2007 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on the Lower Level of the Du Bois Library. The reception will include a performance by the Valley Light Opera, Amherst-based theatrical group devoted to Gilbert & Sullivan, and refreshments. November 6, 2007 | |
 | An illuminating day of academic applications of Geographic Information Systems October 30, 2007 | |
| On Wednesday, November 7, 2007, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., librarians from UMass Amherst, the Five Colleges, and around New England will gather for a program about "next generation" interfaces for library catalogs at the UMass Amherst Campus Center Auditorium. Guest speakers include; David Lindahl, Director of Digital Library Initiatives University of Rochester Libraries; Anne M. Prestamo, Associate Dean for Collection & Technology Services, Oklahoma State University Library; and Jennifer Ward, Head of Web Services, University of Washington Libraries. October 26, 2007 | |
 | "One of my favorite parts of the UMass campus is the library and its surrounding area" says Matt Hoffman, a Collegian columnist. "This love of mine is in no small part owed to the flowers that have been planted around the base of the gargantuan tower of books." October 26, 2007 • Massachusetts Daily Collegian | |
 | The Digital Commonwealth, a consortium of 80 cultural institutions in Massachusetts, announced the launch of its new web portal to the digital assets of the Commonwealth at: www.digitalcommonwealth.org at its second annual conference at The College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts on October 25, 2007. October 26, 2007 | |
 | The Massachusetts Daily Collegian reports on the Gittings-Lahusen gay and lesbian book collection donated to the Department of Special Collections and University Archives. The collection contains approximately 1,000 titles dating from the late 1920s to the present day and represents a lifetime of collecting by two important gay rights activists, Barbara Gittings and her life partner, Kay Tobin Lahusen. Head of Special Collections Rob Cox is interviewed. October 16, 2007 • Massachusetts Daily Collegian | |
Podcast of “Treasures in Your Attic: Old and Rare Books” by Ken Gloss ’73 | ||
 | Did you miss the Friends of the Library fall donor reception on September 30? Click to see and hear our outstanding speaker, Ken Gloss ’73, explain what makes a book valuable. Gloss is the proprietor of the Brattle Book Shop in Boston and an appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow.” October 12, 2007 | |
 | Third Annual Colloquium on Social Change Political activist, Tom Hayden, will give a talk "Fifty Years of Radical Activism: An Evening with Tom Hayden" on October 30, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Third Annual Colloquium on Social Change sponsored by the UMass Amherst Libraries' Department of Special Collections and University Archives. The colloquium will include a panel discussion, "The Sixties: The Way We Really Were," from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Both events will take place in the Cape Cod Lounge in the Student Union Building at UMass Amherst. The events are free and open to the public. October 12, 2007 | |
| UMass TV Commercial Features Learning Commons UMass launches a TV ad campaign on October 15 with an ad featuring Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick in the Learning Commons of the Du Bois Library. October 11, 2007 – University of Massachusetts October 11, 2007 | |
 | In the 1950s, Forestry Professor Emeritus William P. MacConnell ’43 began using aerial photography to map forests, agricultural fields, wetlands, and other land cover in Massachusetts. The Library has recently acquired an extensive aerial photograph collection of Massachusetts and the Connecticut River Valley from the Department of Natural Resources Conservation, consisting of approximately 24,000 items. September 28, 2007 | |
| Beginning in 2008, the UMass Amherst Libraries plans to convert 955 print journal subscriptions to e-only access if such access is offered by the publisher. Print issues of these journals will no longer be received in the Libraries beginning January 2008. The Faculty Senate Research Library Council endorsed this proposal at their meeting of May 17, 2007. September 28, 2007 | |
Boston Library Consortium Partners with Open Content Alliance | ||
 | The Boston Library Consortium (BLC) today announced a major partnership with the Open Content Alliance (OCA) to "build a freely accessible library of digital materials from all 19 member institutions." With the move, the BLC becomes the first large-scale consortium to embark on such a self-funded digitization project with the OCA. The effort will draw on the vast collective resources of the BLC members to make "high-resolution, downloadable, reusable files of public domain materials," using Internet Archive technology, for roughly ten cents a page. September 27, 2007 | |
 | The Libraries announces the recent gift of an extraordinary collection of over 1,000 books collected by gay rights pioneers Barbara Gittings and her life partner, Kay Tobin Lahusen. A reception will be held to celebrate the arrival of the collection in the Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Floor 25, Du Bois Library, Thursday, October 11, 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Refreshments will be served; the event is free and open to the public. September 25, 2007 | |
| UMass TV Commercial Features Learning Commons UMass launches a TV ad campaign on October 15 with an ad featuring Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick in the Learning Commons of the Du Bois Library. October 11, 2007 – University of Massachusetts October 11, 2007 | |
| In the 1950s, Forestry Professor Emeritus William P. MacConnell ’43 began using aerial photography to map forests, agricultural fields, wetlands, and other land cover in Massachusetts. The Library has recently acquired an extensive aerial photograph collection of Massachusetts and the Connecticut River Valley from the Department of Natural Resources Conservation, consisting of approximately 24,000 items. September 28, 2007 | |
| Beginning in 2008, the UMass Amherst Libraries plans to convert 955 print journal subscriptions to e-only access if such access is offered by the publisher. Print issues of these journals will no longer be received in the Libraries beginning January 2008. The Faculty Senate Research Library Council endorsed this proposal at their meeting of May 17, 2007. September 28, 2007 | |
Boston Library Consortium Partners with Open Content Alliance | ||
| The Boston Library Consortium (BLC) today announced a major partnership with the Open Content Alliance (OCA) to "build a freely accessible library of digital materials from all 19 member institutions." With the move, the BLC becomes the first large-scale consortium to embark on such a self-funded digitization project with the OCA. The effort will draw on the vast collective resources of the BLC members to make "high-resolution, downloadable, reusable files of public domain materials," using Internet Archive technology, for roughly ten cents a page. September 27, 2007 | |
| The Libraries announces the recent gift of an extraordinary collection of over 1,000 books collected by gay rights pioneers Barbara Gittings and her life partner, Kay Tobin Lahusen. A reception will be held to celebrate the arrival of the collection in the Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Floor 25, Du Bois Library, Thursday, October 11, 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Refreshments will be served; the event is free and open to the public. September 25, 2007 | |
Expert on Old, Rare Books to Speak and Give Appraisals at UMass Amherst Sept. 30 | ||
 | According to an article in the Amherst Bulletin about the upcoming talk by Ken Gloss this Sunday "Recognizing that books like the first edition of Harry Potter have been known to sell for as much as $20,000, and the fact that even the value of early computer books has increased considerably, this lecture looks to not only serve as a forum for antiquarian enthusiasts, but also as a tool for enlightening those interested in learning more about their own books - and their potential value. September 28, 2007 • Amherst Bulletin | |
 | Anne C. Moore, Associate Director of User Services, tells the Collegian where students can find quiet study space in the Library. September 24, 2007 • Massachusetts Daily Collegian | |
Exhibit Reception: “Miraculous Coincidences” Friday, Sept. 21, 4:00 p.m. | ||
 | The Libraries hosts a closing reception for the exhibit “Miraculous Coincidences: From Russia to Hampshire County with Love” on Friday, September 21, 4:00 p.m., Special Collections and University Archives Department, Floor 25, Du Bois Library. The exhibit consists of photos, papers, and books from the collection of Zilma Mayants, author of Miraculous Coincidences, a memoir. Mayants, a professor of Comparative Literature, Aesthetics and Fine Arts, who published extensively on Chekhov and Hemingway, survived the World War II invasion of the Soviet Union, the country's oppressive regime, and an assassination attempt. The reception is free and open to the public, refreshments will be served by UMass Catering. September 10, 2007 | |
 | "Naturally Beautiful: Photographs by Suzanne Bell," from September 5 through December 31, in the Integrated Sciences and Engineering Library in the Lederle Graduate Research Center Lowrise on Floor 2 consists of photographs inspired by the artist's surroundings when traveling or spending quiet days at home. The exhibit features Suzanne Bell's observations of the natural world reflected in images of backyard birds, mountains, beaches, and national parks... August 24, 2007 | |
Library Hosts Exhibit: "Staged: Scenes from the James Ellis Theatre Collection" | ||
| English Professor James Ellis recently donated his large and important research collection to the UMass Amherst Libraries Special Collections and University Archives Department, adding over 7,500 items to the Department's already rich holdings for the performing arts. To celebrate the collection's arrival, the Library will host "Staged: Scenes from the James Ellis Theatre Collection," an exhibit featuring examples of the collection's highlights, including books depicting the lives and work of Gilbert & Sullivan, the stage and its actors, amateur theatrical productions and private clubs. August 24, 2007 | |
| Kenneth Gloss, proprietor of the nationally known Brattle Book Shop in Boston will give a talk entitled, “Treasures in Your Attic: Old and Rare Books” on Sunday, September 30 in Memorial Hall. The reception starts at 2:00 p.m. and the talk begins at 3:00 p.m. Guests are invited to bring their books for appraisal. The event is free and open to the public August 22, 2007 | |
 | The benefits of membership include access to extensive and unique collections such as the doctoral dissertations of Albert Einstein other Nobel laureates… August 15, 2007 | |
 | The Library recently acquired access to new electronic databases including Black Studies Center, 18th Century Collections Online, Historical Statistics of the U.S. and many more. August 15, 2007 | |
| Library Named Top Interlibrary Loan Lender For Second Year. The Library lent out more items than Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Tufts... August 10, 2007 | |
| On Tuesday August 21, the W.E.B. Du Bois Library will open to the public at 9:00 am... August 8, 2007 | |
| Improvements involving microforms, LPs, audiocassettes, videotapes, magazines, and journals coming this summer… June 6, 2007 | |
A News Item Notes that Students Appear to Like the Learning Commons | ||
 | Traffic in the library has roughly doubled since the Library opened the new Learning Commons in 2005. May 17, 2007 • Library Journal Academic Newswire | |
 | Emily Alling, Learning Commons Coordinator, tells the Collegian that since the Learning Commons opened, "The staff feels [the library] has been reenergized. We're working on creative ways to make the most of [the computers] we have." One such innovation is the new ability for students to print to Learning Commons' printers from remote locations. May 17, 2007 • Massachusetts Daily Collegian | |
 | The Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) awarded Public Relations Awards to the UMass Amherst Libraries in the Annual Report and Newsletter categories. May 15, 2007 | |
| The Reserves/Media/Microforms Department on Floor 3 of the Du Bois Library has extended its hours until the end of the semester. The hours are Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., and Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. Normal hours are followed for Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. April 19, 2007 | |
1907-2007: Celebrating 100 Years as a Federal Government Documents Depository | ||
 | The UMass Amherst Libraries hosts an exhibit: “1907-2007: Celebrating 100 years as a Federal Government Documents Depository” in the Learning Commons on the Lower Level of the Du Bois Library from May 1 to August 31. April 16, 2000 | |
 | An exhibit until July 31st in honor of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Hampshire County featuring seventeen of the program's "Big/Little" matches, with text and photographs that illustrate the deep connections between them. A reception will be held on Monday, April 23, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on the Lower Level of the Du Bois Library. April 10, 2007 | |
 | The UMass Amherst Libraries will host a celebration of the life of professor emeritus of political science John “Jack” Maki on Thursday April 19, 2007, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., in Special Collections & University Archives (Floor 25, in W.E.B. Du Bois Library). | |
Showcasing Research & Teaching in the 21st Century: A Digital Approach | ||
| On March 29, 2007, David Shulenburger will give the keynote talk “If It Cannot Be Found on the Net, It Does Not Exist: Increasing Impact for UMass Scholarship.” The event will mark the official debut of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst, the new digital repository for campus researchers and scholars. March 1, 2007 | |
Friends Host Fifth Annual Reception and Dinner | ||
 | On Saturday, March 31, 2007, at 6:30 p.m., the Friends of the UMass Amherst Libraries will host the fifth annual “Dinner with Friends” in the Learning Commons at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. The event features lively talks by three notable authors from the area—Arthur F. Kinney, Charles C. Mann, and Lesléa Newman, a champagne and hors d’oeuvre reception with the Kurian/Nix duo, and a gourmet dinner. February 27, 2007 | |
“The Unspoken Du Bois: W.E.B. Du Bois and the Future of Black Studies in the Twenty-First Century” | ||
| In honor of Du Bois’s Birthday, the UMass Amherst Libraries hosts the 13th Annual Du Bois Lecture on March 6, 2007, 5:30 pm, Cape Cod Lounge, Student Union. The guest speaker, James Turner, is a professor of African and African American Politics and Social Policy at Cornell University and the founder of Africana Studies and Research Center. February 26, 2007 | |
Libraries Survey Campus Community | ||
 | The UMass Amherst Libraries is conducting a survey of all faculty members and graduate students, and a random sample of 2,000 undergraduates between February 27 and March 16, 2007. February 20, 2007 | |
Exhibit: “Prints of Cellular Imagery” | ||
 | This body of work explores the female reproductive system on a deep cellular level, revealing the beauty of form via abstracting the representational to its most basic structure. The images are based on histology photographs of the cellular makeup of various tissues in the female reproductive system. The aim in making these prints is a focus on the abstract beauty as much as the subject matter itself. February 20, 2007 | |
Exhibit: “Spies and Lies: Maps from the World War II Era” | ||
 | World War II era maps were created in a time of intrigue, espionage and subterfuge, when military commands were engaged in protecting their own terrain and resources, and at the same time gathering as much information as possible about their opponents' territories. February 5, 2007 | |
Five College Libraries Help Develop Archivists’ Toolkit | ||
| Since 2004, the Five Colleges, Inc., University of California, San Diego, and New York University have collaborated together on an $847,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to develop and implement the Archivists’ Toolkit™. Version 1.0 is now available for download. January 12, 2007 | |
Sci Fi Art Exhibit Peeks into Future | ||
| Professor Christopher Couch tells The Republican that "Hubert Rogers changed the world of science fiction art forever.” The exhibit “Hubert Rogers and Astounding Magazine: Science Fiction Art from the Golden Age (1930s-1940s) is on display through January 31. January 11, 2007 The Republican, Springfield, MA | |
Last Edited: 23 January 2009
