Finish Strong: Keep Wearing Those Masks

The University recently posted good news about a new vaccination site.

They also reiterated the need to continue wearing masks.

All campus protocols, including using the Healthy Together app and wearing masks, remain in place, even for students, faculty and staff who are vaccinated.

— BYU (@BYU) March 18, 2021

If you are studying in the library we want you, and our staff, to be safe.

Please help out by wearing your mask.

We installed a few reminder signs on level 5 today.

We hope you notice them.

Data Management Workshop

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to this popular workshop on managing your data.

There will be sessions on Data Management Fundamentals, Safeguarding Your Data, Starting Your Data and Research, and Understanding Publishing.

Register here: https://byu.libcal.com/calendar/scholcomm?cid=11996&t=d&d=0000-00-00&cal=11996&inc=0

Celebrating Douglass Day 2021

The BYU Library is joining the national celebration of Douglass Day.

Zoom: 947 9162 9699

Passcode: 425283

“About the history of Douglass Day

Douglass Day was one of the original inspirations for Black History Month, and was revived starting in 2017 by the Colored Conventions Project. Learn a bit about the history of Douglass Days, past and present (plus a new mini-documentary).

Douglass Day is made possible by a large number of partners, models, and supporters. Past and present supporters include:

The Center for Black Digital Research at Penn State, the Colored Conventions Project, the Anna Julia Cooper Digital Project, the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University, the Princeton University Center for Digital Humanities, the PSU Libraries, the PSU Center for Humanities and Information, and the PSU College of Liberal Arts, the American Studies Association for a Community Partnership Grant, and Zooniverse.

The transcribe-a-thon this year is powered by By the People from the Library of Congress.” douglassday.org

Plan to attend on February 12 from 10 am  to noon.

You can help out by transcribing historic documents.

Improving Special Collections

The L. Tom Perry Special Collections is pleased to announce that it has implemented Aeon. Aeon is an automated request and workflow management software specifically designed to improve patron service and to maximize staff efficiency.

The Aeon system will handle request management for the department and all patrons of Special Collections will need to create a user account at https://byu.aeon.atlas-sys.com/logon. This user account will allow you to submit requests to use materials in the Special Collections Reading Room and it will keep a history of the materials that you’ve requested for future reference.

The new request system will be available on Monday January 11^th, 2021. You will be able to create a user account beginning on this date and will use the new system to request materials. All materials used in Special Collections will need to be requested through the new Aeon system. You will find links to Aeon in the library catalog (https://lib.byu.edu/) and through our finding aids website (http://archives.lib.byu.edu/).

We hope that the new systems we are implementing will enhance your Special Collections experience. Let us know if you have any questions at specialcollections@byu.edu or 801-422-3175.

The Reading Room is now Closed

Due to lack of compliance with the university’s mask policy the reading room/periodicals section of level 2 has been closed for the remainder of the year.

This change was implemented for the safety of library patrons and staff.

Plans are in place to close other areas of the building if it becomes necessary.

The Library encourages everyone to follow the campus-wide policy and wear a mask.

Building Update

Due to COVID-19 the library is limiting access to current BYU students and employees only.

The library is renovating sections of the library to improve usability for our patrons.

Level 5 (Humanities)

No construction at this time.

This floor is a temporary “Zoom Zone” for students who need a place to attend online classes, so it may be a little noisier than usual.

Level 4 (Music & Dance, Media Center, Juvenile Collection)

No construction at this time.

This floor is a temporary “Zoom Zone” for students who need a place to attend online classes, so it may be a little noisier than usual.

Level 3 (Circulation Desk, Snack Zone, The Hub)

This area will be very noisy for the next few days.

We are removing the north wall and installing new windows to provide more natural light in the building. This project was initiated in response to patron input.

If you need access to computer stations in a quieter setting we recommend you use the computers in the Periodicals/Reading Room on level 2.

Level 2 (Science/Technology, Family History, Periodicals/Reading Room)

We are in the process of improving sight-lines and traffic flow in the central and south parts of the building. The south end of the building will be noisy as we install the new ceiling.

The group study rooms are open during construction.

If you are looking for a quiet study area we recommend the Periodicals/Reading Room on level 2 or the Social Sciences area on level 1 of the library.

Level 1 (Social Sciences, Special Collections)

We are renovating a work room in the area between the atrium and the central part of the building. The concrete cutting is finished, but there may still be noise and or tripping hazards in the area as a new door is installed.

For quiet study we recommend the Social Sciences area on level 1.

Just in Time for Halloween, an Exhibition Connecting Monsters and Candy

While the Library is only open to current BYU students and employees, we are happy to announce our new exhibition—Discovery & Wonder: The Harry F. Bruning Collection of Japanese Rare Books and Manuscripts.

This is one of the most interesting collections in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections.

Jack Stoneman, Associate Professor, Japanese Section Head, Asian & Near Eastern Languages, and Aaron Skabelund, Associate Professor in the Department of History, worked with Maggie Kopp, Curator of Rare Books, to tell the story of how the Bruning collection was built and how it came to BYU.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we can’t invite the public to the exhibit at this time. That said, everyone can view one of the most interesting items in the exhibit online at https://bakemono.lib.byu.edu/. This site tells the story of our “monster scroll.”

If you are a current student on campus or a BYU employee, you can see the exhibition in person by visiting Special Collections on level 1 of the library. The Library, following university policy, requires you to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

When you visit, look for the candy connection to the exhibit materials and Japan.

COVID Update for Fall 2020

Limited Access

Due to health concerns the Library is limiting access to university employees and students only. You may be asked to show your BYU I.D. when entering the Library.

The Library is following the university’s COVID policies including requiring people to wear face coverings (masks), wash hands, and maintain physical distance.

You can learn more about BYU’s COVID plans here https://www.byu.edu/coronavirus/.

Online Research Help For Students

Students engaging in research are encouraged to contact subject librarians via their Research Guides. The guides provide e-mail and appointment links. We also offer Chat with a librarian.

The majority of materials students will need including our databases, electronic journals, streaming services, and eBooks are available through our website, lib.byu.edu.

Do You Have Questions?

You can chat with librarians from home via https://lib.byu.edu/chat/?url=https://lib.byu.edu/

These specialized Help Desks are available online to answer questions. Click on the area you are interested in.

Level 5 Humanities

Level 4 Music & Dance

Level 2 Science

Level 2 Religion & Family History

Level 1 Social Sciences

Events

All library events for fall semester have been cancelled or moved to virtual formats. This includes lectures, music, films, workshops, and conferences.

Preventative Efforts

The library building care staff have adjusted their routine to include regular cleaning of door handles and frequently-touched surfaces.

Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes are available at numerous locations throughout the building.

We have removed some furniture to encourage individual study and are asking patrons not to study in large groups. Guides to social distancing have been posted in all of the study areas and we are asking patrons to leave chairs where they found them.

We have reduced our in-house staffing by having employees work off-site where possible. Check our Research Guides for your librarian’s contact information or use the chat system.

We encourage patrons to use online resources first. If a visit to the library building is necessary, we ask everyone to wear a face covering, practice social distancing, avoid touching staff, respect the plexiglass panels during interactions with staff, and use hand sanitizer and/or wash hands frequently. Please visit the university’s Covid-19 information page for the latest on the university’s response.

Rick Anderson named University Librarian at BYU

Brigham Young University Academic Vice President Shane Reese has announced the appointment of Rick Anderson as university librarian at the Harold B. Lee Library. He succeeds Brian Rennick who has been interim university librarian since December 2019 following the passing of university librarian Jennifer Paustenbaugh in November.

The appointment will be effective September 1.

Anderson has been serving as associate dean for Collections & Scholarly Communication in the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah.

“Rick’s wealth of experience in libraries at other universities will prove a blessing to our students as he leads the library into the next phase of its development,” Reese said.

Anderson has worked previously as a bibliographer for YBP, Inc., as Head Acquisitions Librarian for the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and as Director of Resource Acquisition at the University of Nevada, Reno. He also serves as an unpaid advisor on the library boards of numerous publishers and organizations including biorXiv, Elsevier, JSTOR and Oxford University Press.

Anderson received his bachelor’s degree in family science and his master’s degree in library and information science from BYU.

By Natalie Ipson,