You Have the World at Your Fingertips…

Have you ever needed an article, book, or document that WOU doesn’t have? Did you know that there is a way to receive all of those things? It is called Interlibrary Loan.

When final papers come around and you find that you need credible and specific sources that Hamersly doesn’t have, this program could be your saving grace. Hamersly Library is connected to thousands of other libraries worldwide through Interlibrary Loan. Documents can be scanned and emailed, and books can be mailed directly to WOU so that you may have access to them.

If you are searching for a specific article or other electronic document that is not available here at WOU, a screen will pop up that looks like this:

ILL

There is an option to click “WOU Interlibrary Loan” just below the availability notice. It is a quick and easy process to get the ball rolling (just a simple form filled out electronically) and we’ll take it from there. Libraries all over the world work together on the ILL process so that all students can get access to the educational resources that they need and deserve. Once the process has begun, it usually takes 3-4 days to receive an article, and longer to get a book. So, listen to your professors and start your research early!

The best part about this service? It’s free! Hamersly does not charge for the ILL service to WOU students, staff, and faculty. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, visit https://wou.edu/provost/library/ill/.

Keep this amazing resource in mind as midterms and finals come around. Endless information is at your fingertips, WOU!

Win a beautiful, handmade quilt by supporting the library

raffle quilt This cozy, handmade wolf quilt in WOU colors could be yours! Buy raffle tickets at the Information Desk in Hamersly to benefit the Library Student Employee Scholarship Fund for your chance to win. We’re selling 1 ticket for $3 or 2 tickets for $5 for a quilt that is valued at $90!

This beautiful Labyrinth patterned quilt is made with brilliant red, silver and black material with a solid black backing. The center is embroidered with a majestic “Northwoods Silhouette Wolf” pattern. The quilt measures 60” x 60” and comes with a hanging strap. It would be a great focal point quilt for a wall, but is also cozy enough to use as a lap quilt on chilly days.

The quilt was handmade and donated by Carol Tripp. It will be on display in the Hamersly Library lobby until the drawing on May 14th. The winner will be notified by 5pm that day. If you have any questions, contact the Hamersly Library Reference Desk at x8-8899.

Hamersly has lots of music for your studying needs

CDs from the library Looking for some study music? The library has hundreds of CDs available for checkout from all sorts of different genres.

From Bon Iver to Kanye West, Bela Fleck to Etta James, Taylor Swift, and The Beatles: whatever your taste we’ve got something for you.

Search Primo (above) for the name of your favorite band or artist to get started.

Happy studying!

Get some light Spring Break reading @ the library

Just in case you need another reason to be excited that Spring Break is coming up… We just put out some fun “Spring Break Reads” on the 1st floor. Whether your idea of fun is a light beach read, a suspenseful mystery, a sci-fi thriller, or a collection of humorous essays.

No matter what genre, you can be sure they’re perfect for whiling away those lazy break days. Take a study break and check them out!

Spring Break reads

It’s OK to order things OnDemand!

When you run across an article in your research that is available through “Get It Now” or “OnDemand,” don’t let that stop you from getting the article you need.

These terms mean that Hamersly doesn’t have access to the journal that published the article you are looking for, but we can still get the article for you. In order to get access, you will go through a short process – since the library pays (on average around $30) each time an article is viewed through the Articles OnDemand provider’s website, we want to make sure you actually want the article. We budget for Articles OnDemand use though, so we want you to use it when you need it! We simply ask that you:

Read the abstract of each article to determine how likely it is to suit your needs before viewing the full text and incurring charges.
Be sure to save the article somewhere you will be able to get back to it (e.g. your H:/ drive, My Documents folder on your personal computer, a USB drive) so that the library only pays for it once.

Happy researching!

Meet your Hamersly staff: Jackson Stalley

Each term, we introduce you to a few of the people who work to make Hamersly your favorite place on campus to do research, study, print your papers, meet with a group, or simply kick back and read in a quiet place.

This week, meet Jackson Stalley. He is an elusive, behind-the-scenes type library employee, but if you have ever used an online resource through the library you’ve benefitted from his hard work. Here’s more about him:

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What do you do in the library? I work with the serials and electronic resources helping the Collection Management Librarian ensure our serial and electronic collections are accurate and available when patrons want them. I also assist in creating local solutions for data normalization, manipulation and collection needs.

How long have you worked in the library? I’ve worked at Hamersly Library for 8 years and I’ve moved work areas within the library as much as anybody. I started on the second floor in Collection Management then shifted to a different location there before heading to the first floor as a part of Collection Development. I moved back upstairs to my old work area as a member of the merged Tech Services/Collection Development unit a few years ago. Sometimes I am not sure what unit I’m really in…I think it is Collection Management.

What is your education and professional background? I grew up in a small Idaho town and fled the cold for college in the sunny southwest. I debated at the University of New Mexico before moving with my partner to the University of Utah and later WOU where I took computer science and biology classes. I also worked as a student employee in the library. Before moving to Oregon, I worked in beer (worked I said) and later in the outdoor industry specializing in canyoneering and climbing and as an instructor in primitive navigation/survival.

What is the last good book you read? The last book I read that wasn’t about fly fishing was The Political Economy of Human Rights by Noam Chomsky.

What is one thing about the library you think everyone should know? Printed books are power.

What was your favorite book as a kid? My favorite book as a young person was Das Kapital by Karl Marx, or the Bhagavad Gita.

Tell us a fun fact about you! Here are three:

I don’t have a cell phone or home computer and I don’t want one. Join me, you’ll love it.
I save every penny possible so I can fly fish for incredible fish in amazing places.
I recently participated in a university service learning project in an indigenous community in Central America and I organize and help community food/clothing drives, the WOU holiday toy drive, Food Day, the WOU Staff Hardship Fund, and the WOU Food Pantry.

One more reason to plan ahead when researching

There are two systems through which WOU students, faculty, and staff can obtain books from other libraries that we don’t have in Hamersly: Summit and Interlibrary Loan. What does this mean for you? It’s a matter of time: Summit items get to you in 3-5 days, while Interlibrary Loan items take longer, sometimes up to two weeks.

Summit logo Summit is the shared catalog and borrowing system of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium of academic libraries in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. This special partnership makes it faster for us to borrow items from Summit libraries and for this reason, it is used to request most books, videos, and CDs that WOU does not own. Interlibrary Loan, consisting of all libraries except the Summit libraries, is used to request articles from journals and any books, videos, and CDs not available in Summit libraries.

The moral of the story? If WOU doesn’t have what you need, request through Summit when possible. If requesting through Interlibrary Loan is your only option, just be aware that it will likely take longer than you’re used to with Summit. No matter what system, however, the library can almost always get you what you need!

Meet your Hamersly staff: Dr. Allen McKiel

This week, meet Dr. Allen McKiel, our Dean of the Library:

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What do you do in the library? As dean of the library I am responsible to the university through the Academic Vice President for the administration of the library. My responsibilities include overseeing the library’s budget, coordinating its planning, operations, and personnel, and acting as liaison to the Academic Vice President and his management team.

How long have you worked in the library? A little over 7 years

What is your education and professional background? My undergraduate is in English Literature from Purdue University; the Master is in Library and Information Technology from Indiana University; and the Ph.D. is in Higher Education Administration from Indiana State University.

My first professional job after my Master was as a programmer for a large software development firm in Los Angeles, CA. Libraries were not hiring at the time because Proposition 13 had destroyed the tax base in California. Programming eventually took me back to libraries with programming jobs at companies that serve libraries, OCLC and then Notice at Northwestern University. Stepping out of the library realm, I worked for a few years as the Senior Systems Analyst for Planning at the Indiana Toll Road. From there I found my current career as an academic librarian, first as the Director of Libraries for Region 2 of Ivy Tech State College, then as Director of Libraries for Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, finally landing here in the most delightful of all my professional experiences at Western Oregon University.

What is one thing about the library you think everyone should know? Libraries are the collective efforts of society to provide equitable access to its intellectual and cultural heritage. They will continue indefinitely into the future albeit in forms integral to society’s evolving information and communication infrastructure.

What is the last good book you read? Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire.

What was your favorite book as a kid? The Hardy Boys series by Franklin W. Dixon.

Tell us a fun fact about you! I have a 2-year-old grandson that loves anything with wheels. He goes “beep, beep, beep!” when he backs up.

New Books in the Recreation Collection

We just got a fresh, new batch of books for the Recreation Collection on the first floor of Hamersly. We have something for everyone – from thrillers and mysteries to celebrity memoirs (we have A LOT of new celebrity memoirs) and everything in between!

Below is just a sampling of our new arrivals. Browse the collection online or in-person to see all of our recreational books!

Rainbow in the Cloud: The Wisdom and Spirit of Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou. Call Number: REC ANG

From Goodreads: a “collection of sage advice, humorous quips, and pointed observations culled from the author’s great works…Rainbow in the Cloud offers resonant and rewarding quotes on such topics as creativity and culture, family and community, equality and race, values and spirituality, parenting and relationships. Perhaps most special, Maya Angelou’s only son, Guy Johnson, has contributed some of his mother’s most powerful sayings, shared directly with him and the members of their family. A treasured keepsake as well as a beautiful tribute to a woman who touched so many…”

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes. Call Number: REC ELW

From Goodreads: “From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories, exclusive photographs, and interviews with costars Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Mandy Patinkin…”

And if you like celebrity memoirs, you should also check out:

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris. Call Number: REC HAR
Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol. Call Number: REC IDO
True Love by Jennifer Lopez. Call Number: REC LOP
Yes Please by Amy Poehler. Call Number: REC POE
Special Deluxe: A Memoir of Life & Cars by Neil Young. Call Number: REC YOU

The Secret Place by Tana French. Call Number: REC FRE

From Goodreads: “The photo on the card shows a boy who was found murdered, a year ago, on the grounds of a girls’ boarding school in the leafy suburbs of Dublin. The caption says, I KNOW WHO KILLED HIM…The Secret Place is a powerful, haunting exploration of friendship and loyalty…”

The Wild Truth: The Untold Story of Sibling Survival by Carine McCandless. Call Number: REC MCC

From Goodreads: “In the more than twenty years since the body of Chris McCandless was discovered in the wilds of Alaska, his spellbinding story has captivated millions who have either read Jon Krakauer’s iconic Into the Wild or seen Sean Penn’s acclaimed film of the same name.

And yet, only one person has truly understood what motivated Chris’s unconventional decision to forsake his belongings, abandon his family, and embrace the harsh wilderness. In The Wild Truth, his beloved sister Carine McCandless finally provides a deeply personal account of the many misconceptions about Chris, revealing the truth behind his fateful journey while sharing the remarkable details of her own.”

The Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books by Azar Nafisi. Call Number: REC NAF

From Goodreads: “A passionate hymn to the power of fiction to transform people’s lives, by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran.”

Streamlined Summit Requesting

Summit logo You may remember that last summer, Hamersly Library migrated to a new system, Primo. Our library was part of the third cohort of the Orbis Cascade Alliance’s shared library system project. Now that the final cohort has migrated, we are now ready roll out an enhancement to the Summit requesting process.

Currently the Primo link “Request item (about 5 days)” moves you to another system, summit.worldcat.org, to handle the request. Even when you’ve signed in on Primo, you have to authenticate again on the requesting server.
Starting next Tuesday, Jan. 20, Primo will handle requesting as well as discovery. Fewer authentication prompts for you, and Primo’s My Account area will display the status of your requests alongside your loans, saved queries, and e-Shelf collections.

What do you need to do?

Probably nothing except to enjoy the better process. Hooray! Just a few things to consider:

Do you have links in Moodle, browser bookmarks, citation management software, etc. to records on the summit.worldcat.org server? (or to our old catalog server, library.wou.edu?). They will need to be changed to link to the Primo server. (See Get the URL for a Primo record.)

Likewise, if you have linksto the general search page summit.worldcat.org, change to the new search URL:

https://alliance-wou.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01ALLIANCE_WOU:WOU

While the Summit group within WorldCat is going away, WorldCat in the larger sense remains a valid resource to discover and request items that are beyond the holdings of the Summit libraries, through Interlibrary Loan. Please continue to find the link to WorldCat in the bottom right corner of the Primo Search box on the library’s main page.

You can learn more about the system, see video tutorials and screenshots, and share comments and questions at our Primo Guide.