Arnold Roth: Free Lance
February 15 - May 17, 2002
The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library More Info

The President and Provost's Diversity Lecture Series Presents: Kimberle W. Crenshaw
April 29, 9:00am - 11:00am
conference Theater, Ohio Union More Info

AP&T Mock Interview
May 2, 2002, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
090 Science & Engineering Library More Info

Veterinary Medicine Library Open House
May 3, 2002, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Veterinary Medicine Academic Building More Info

OHIONET Mining for Money
May 7, 2002, 9:00am - 3:30pm
Pontifical College Josephinum, Columbus, OH More Info

Student Employee Appreciation Day
May 15, 2002, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
North Side of the Main Library More Info

Health Sciences Library Workshop: Beyond MEDLINE: Other Health Sciences Databases
May 16, 9:30am -11:30am
Health Sciences Library Computer Lab (room 460B) More Info

Student Employee Appreciation Day

Akua Bandele (bandele.1@osu.edu)

Awards, Acknowledgments, Fellowships, Grants, and Publications

Share your good news with the University and the entire community. Please send information about your recent accomplishments to Program Coordinator Chiquita Mullins Lee (Library Communications) at mullins-lee.1@osu.edu.
Libraries' faculty and staff are engaged in exciting work and we want to make it known.

Awards

Achievements

• OSU Course Catalog & Master Schedule
• Library Staff Advisory Council's Web Page
• Library Staff Information Page
• OhioLINK Reference Databases - Access Rights
• Electronic Journal Center (OhioLINK) - Publisher List

Spot Bonus Award Winners

Jim Whitcomb

Jim Whitcomb, in the Monographs Department, received a spot bonus award for his initiative on behalf of University Libraries. A huge order with the Landolt-Bornstein vendors could have cost the Libraries $14,171. Jim took the initiative to research several vendors. He compared list prices, discounts, shipping/handling fees, and Euro currency conversion rates. He then prepared a proposal and proceeded to negotiate a special arrangement with a European vendor. Through his research and discussions, Jim saved the Libraries approximately $5,000. He often goes the extra mile to research and negotiate on large ticket items as he handles the typically higher-priced requests from science and engineering locations.

Jim's efforts extend beyond his work with vendors. Recently, he even went the extra mile to hand-deliver an item needed by an Astronomy faculty member. As a result of his action, the faculty member was able to strengthen a proposal that was due that day. Jim's service-oriented attitude reflects positively on the Libraries, SEL, the location librarian, and the Monographs Department. We appreciate his level of commitment and congratulate him on this award.

Luminous Lucubrations

Last week's entry, "solecism," means "an ungrammatical combination of words in a sentence" or "something deviating from the proper, normal, or accepted order."
This week's entry is "adroit."

Online resources for this question are available:

• WWWebster Dictionary - brief definitions
• The Oxford English Dictionary - lengthy, historical entries
• The Dictionary of Difficult Words - rarely used, archaic, and difficult words

Laughs

• Calvin & Hobbes Daily Comics
• Cartoon of the Day

CAC Minutes From April 11th

The minutes of the April 11, 2002 meeting of the Collections Advisory Council are now available on the web at:
/tsweb/cac041102.htm

FICom Meeting Notes

1. Lobby and foyer renovation.
   • Painting: FICom membership reflected on the quality of the painting of the lobby and foyer during Spring Break. The work was done very well by Luft's Painting, and with less disruption than some of us expected. We offer our thanks to Physical Facilities for their support of this project.
   • Lighting installation: Scott reported that the light fixture stem canopies, which are needed to "hide" the lights' ballast units, are not yet delivered but expected soon. Upon their arrival Field and Assoc. will install the lighting fixtures within a few weeks. (The light fixtures are now in room 122 awaiting installation.)
   • Pew benches: Rasche Company has completed the restoration of the 1913 pew benches, now a fixture in the lobby.
   • Wm. Oxley Thompson bust platform: Rasche quoted a figure of $900-$1100 to refinish this wooden platform; the cost high because of the nature of the finish applied to it (by Rasche) a few years ago. Because we lack the funds to replace or re-finish this unit, Mary agreed to locate a tasteful cloth cover to accent the work and mute the effect of the (non-matching) lighter wood in the area.
   • Trash receptacles: Bill will confer with LaTina Moss to obtain a functional yet more aesthetically pleasing trash receptacle(s) for the lobby. (Bill has since reported that LaTina is already seeking good alternatives for this.)
   • Plants: The Committee discussed the value of having green plants in the lobby to accent the work done. Shannon agreed to work with Duke Morgan to acquire the requisite plants for the area, a low-cost way to improve the appearance of the area.
   • Old directory case: Bill recommended that we get an estimate to refinish the old directory case, with the expectation that it would have usefulness elsewhere in the library. Wes will obtain an estimate for this from Ohio Prison Industries (OPI).
   
   
   
2. Sills Exhibition space south: Scott reviewed the floor plans and the status of furniture orders for this area. In working with one of his colleagues in Facilities Planning & Development, Scott has identified furniture suitable for this area and for Main Library room 210. Because of the tight budget we are working with, Scott will modify the order to acquire more modest-costing furniture. Dona, Susan, Mary and he will choose two (2) area rugs for this space. Scott estimated that the furniture can be expected 6 to 8 weeks after the order is placed, placing the completion of the Sills South project at mid- to late-summer.
   
   The Skylight area is to be painted, with the support of Physical Facilities, directly after Spring Quarter. The Committee recommends that a light eggshell-toned color be used.



3. Room 210 work is being planned in conjunction with the Sills Exhibition south area. We are obtaining an estimate from Ohio Prison Industries (OPI) for refinishing the old tables in rooms 300 and 210; OPI examined the tables for their estimate on April 17. It was recommended that the Wm Oxley Thompson oil painting now hanging on the north wall of the Sills area but moved to room 210.



4. Signs: The Committee has a modest sum left for this year's work in fabricating way-finding signs.



5. Painting. Likewise, the Committee has a modest sum left for painting. Bill recommended that we examine the areas on second floor near both the men's and women's restrooms. Dona will check into this for recommendation to Ryan. Wes inquired of Scott and Teri about the appropriateness of painting stained ceiling tiles in areas such as the 2nd and 3rd floor wing rooms (235, 236, 335, 336); their response was that spot painting is not a violation of code but that replacement of the tiles would be better.



6. Furniture refinishing. OPI is continuing its work for the Committee and seems to be back on track with pickup and delivery services. At the request of Jim Bracken and Pat McCandless, Wes has asked them for additional price quotes for related work in fabricating shelf-end panels, chairs and tables in the Journalism Library, index table racks, and carrels.



7. Plants: As noted above, Shannon has agreed to work with Duke Morgan to obtain plants for the lobby area, with the assumption that volunteers will cover their maintenance. The effort might later be expanded to other public areas in the building.



8. Room 300: The room has been transformed visually by the FICom project to clean, paint and correct the overhead lighting fixtures and to repair and paint the room's ceiling. Wes noted that Bracken has obtained estimates for exposing the east-facing windows in this room, but that the idea is shelved because of cost and the anticipated effect of additional solar radiation on the already high temperature in the room.



9. Artwork project: Mary has ordered the vintage photographic prints from Archives, which has graciously agreed to print for us without their usual charge. She also will work with the images offered by Rare Books & Manuscripts. Framing and hanging will commence soon.



10. Foyer alcove artwork project: Dona and Susan explained the work done thus far to select the two vintage images from the Archives (University Hall and Mirror Lake) for blow-up and installation in the alcove recesses in the foyer. Their cost estimate of $2114 for the production of the blowups by Key Blueprint Company is of use to use for future consideration, but we won't be able to fund the effort yet this year because of the tight budget. We thank Susan and Dona for their good work plan, but acknowledge the budget realities of the day.



11. Rare Books & Manuscripts: Similarly, the work to improve the area just outside of Rare Books & Manuscripts (room 327) must be deferred, for now. Ryan obtained an estimate of $20,800+ for their plan.



12. The future of Main Library FICom. Wes and Ryan ask the Committee membership to ponder the future of Main Library FICom. We plan to discuss whether we recommend to Library Administration that we continue or be discharged. This will be on the agenda for the next Committee meeting.



13. Next meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 21, 10:00 a.m. in room 124 Main Library.