May 26, 2009

Bill's Retirement Wish

As I leave Ashland University to explore life as a retired librarian I want to share what I stumbled upon in the library stacks. I was looking for something to read with my lunch. Yes, we allow food in the library, and yes there is still something to be said for discovery by browsing library shelves.

Ursula Goodenough is a leading cell biologist at Washington University. In The Sacred Depths of Nature (p. xxi) she talks of memory and learning; things we in higher education should know something about.

“Human memory, they say, is like a coat closet: The most enduring outcome of a formal education is that it creates rows of coat hooks so that later on, when you come upon a new piece of information, you have a hook to hang it on. Without a hook, the new information falls on the floor. Some readers with scanty scientific backgrounds have told me that at the time they were reading one of my stories about Nature, they felt like they understood everything I said, but the next day they couldn’t remember a thing about it. No hooks, I explain. Then I remind them that there isn’t going to be a test, and that as they were reading the story they were in fact creating hooks for their next encounters with scientific explanation. And then, the most important part: the point of hearing a story for the first time is not to remember it but to experience it.”

My hope for faculty and staff is that you take pride in the hooks made here at Ashland. I hope you craft them well and make them attractive and sturdy. I hope you create many and varied hooks because our students are indeed many and varied. I hope the hooks you make encourage students to make their own hooks as they become learners and teachers in their own right. Hook making is, indeed, a noble profession. And this is my wish for AU students of all ages. May the hooks you’ve used and the stories you’ve heard at AU help you experience life in all its awe and wonder. God bless.

May 20, 2009

Library Hours: Memorial Day


In observance of Memorial Day, Ashland University Library hours are as follows:

Friday, May 22nd: Close at 4:00 pm
Saturday, May 23rd: Library Closed
Sunday, May 24th: Library Closed
Monday, May 25th: Library Closed

Regular summer hours will resume on Tuesday, May 26th.

May 14, 2009

OhioLINK: Maintenance Alert

OhioLINK What's New Blog: Maintenance Alert: E-Journal Finder, MyEJC and other Resources Unavailable May 14, 12-1 AM

OhioLINK staff will be performing maintenance on select services each Thursday morning, from 12:00–1:00 a.m., for the next several weeks. We will post the list of affected services prior to each weekly maintenance session.

On Thursday, May 14, from 12:00-1:00 a.m., the following services will be unavailable:

  • The E-Journal Finder
  • MyEJC
  • Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center - you will not be able to access or submit theses and dissertations during this time.
  • The list of OhioLINK Databases, including by subject, by type and by name or title lists.

The databases themselves will be available, so please visit your library’s Web site to connect to needed resources.

Click here for a complete listing of available Ashland University Library Databases.

May 13, 2009

Library Spotlight: On Display



The library has two large glass-enclosed display cases located on the main floor. Book-ending the elevators, the cases feature various library and campus functions throughout the year. Our most recent display celebrates the 1,000th Faculty Publication added to the library's publications database; Ashland University Publications.

Looking for a great opportunity to highlight a topic, course, or campus function? Faculty are welcome and encouraged to schedule use of library display cases. Please note, students may use the cases only when supervised by an instructor.

Contact reference librarian Kathryn Venditti, kvenditt@ashland.edu, for more information.

May 9, 2009

Summer Hours

The Library summer hours schedule begins Monday, May 11th. Exceptions to regular summer operationg hours, including holidays, are noted on the library web site.

Instructional Resource Center summer hours are posted on the IRC web site.

May 7, 2009

Library Spotlight: New Books

New books are added to the library collection throughout the academic year. When shelf ready, they are featured on the new book shelf located on the main floor, adjacent to the reference and circulation area.

Books are selected by AU librarians and subject to the library's collection development policy which includes professional reviews and recommendations by faculty members. Recent additions to the collection include:
Interested in recommending a book for the collection? Contact your library liaison for more information.

May 4, 2009

Retirement Reception

The Provost’s Office and the library are hosting a retirement reception for library director Bill Weiss on Wednesday, May 6, from 2-4 p.m. in the library.

Please join us as we celebrate Bill's years of service to Ashland University Library and Ashland University.

May 3, 2009

Extended Hours: Finals Week


Extended hours continue during finals week!


During final exams the library will open at its regularly scheduled time and remain open until 2:00 a.m. providing study and work space for interested students.

Extended hours continue Sunday, May 3rd through Wednesday, May 6th. An Extended Hours calendar is available on the Library Hours page

Extended hours do not apply to the Instructional Resource Center (IRC), library second floor. Color printing is not available during extended hours.