Smith in the Time of COVID (Or, How I Learned to Keep Worrying but Love the Locked Door)

After months of lockdown during which most print-based workflows were interrupted, many of the Duke University Libraries Technical Services staff recently returned to glorious Smith Warehouse as part of Phase II of the Return to Work plan:

Never have we been so happy to see Brick Prison

We are pleased to report that almost immediately our working lives went back to normal, with no inconveniences, disruptions, slowdowns, or meltdowns!

Or, wait, let me check my notes…

NO.

That is not what happened. In fact, like all DUL staff we have had to change almost everything about how we do our work in order to continue to get resources to our patrons while maximizing safety for our staff.

Only about 50% of our staff were approved to return to Smith. Included were only those whose work involves the processing of incoming physical material for Duke Libraries’ collections and by necessity must be done on-site. This included members of:

Shelf Prep

Cheerful even in the time of COVID!

Continuing Resource Acquisitions

Hard at work *and* mask-fashionable

Monograph Acquisitions

He’s smiling under there, honest

In advance of the staff’s return, Tech Services department heads reviewed the workstation layout in Bays 9 & 10, reconfiguring it like callous deities so that we could have at least one vacant cubicle on all sides of any single occupied workstation. In some cases, this meant that we had to uproot our staff from their comfy, familiar desks and send them somewhere new:

Bronwyn’s old workstation -WHERE’S BRONWYN???
Oh, there she is! She’s in Julie B.’s old cube, like some transplanted invasive species. Nice chair, tho!

In addition to creating physical buffers between workers, we have somewhat staggered our schedules to minimize the number of people on site on any given day:

Fouzia demystifying her weekly schedule like a boss Team-Lead

Once we had everyone spaced out appropriately (no double meaning intended), we established quarantining procedures in keeping with the DUL Protocols for Collections Handling.

Incoming freight is quarantined for 48 hours before being transferred to our box-opening area for unpacking:

Gobi boxes de-disease-ing over in the corner, while Tabitha does a champion’s job on the front lines of freight intake!

Meeting rooms have been re-appropriated as quarantining and staging areas:

No more people meetings! Only box meetings!
Bindery staging relocated to make space for quarantining. Oh, room 158 – you are tiny but useful

But what of the Catalogers, ask ye? (Ye were about to ask, weren’t ye?) Well, the Monographic and Serials Cataloging staff is currently working entirely remotely. We have set up a contactless system for each Cataloger to pick up boxes of books to take home for description on a regular basis. The boxes are quarantined for 48 hours before being released to staff and upon return:

Stay back! Yucky Catalogers have touched!

The above-described space and process changes have been disruptive to the level of efficiency we have come to expect from ourselves, it must be said. And returning staff experienced heightened anxiety, having to acclimate to new routines in the midst of an already stressful RTW process. But taking the time to implement these changes systematically has allowed us quickly to resume the important work of getting books, periodicals, CDs, and DVDs out to the shelves and into the hands of our patrons. We’re pleased to report that freight shipments to Smith have resumed and that, having settled into our new routines, we’re up and running at speed now.

Sadly, though, our weekly Tech Services bathroom parties are now on indefinite hiatus:

Limits on bathroom occupancy

A Virtual Look Back with Shelia Webb

Shelia Webb on the occasion of her 45-year anniversary with Duke University
Shelia on the occasion of her 45-year anniversary with Duke University

On July 31, 2020, Duke University Libraries will say a heartfelt farewell to a Superstar of our Support Staff: Shelia Webb has decided to retire after over 46 years with Duke. Although she has spent the last few years in Business Services, the majority of Shelia’s career happened in Technical Services, and her physical office space remained with us in Smith. So, although the pandemic has robbed our go-to party planner of her own retirement party, we could not let this occasion go unmarked. Shelia has been a champion of Support Staff issues both within the Library and the University. A powerful personality with a sharp sense of humor and a strong work ethic, Shelia is impossible to summarize or encapsulate in a single blog post. She’s a loyal friend to many and a constant source of support, not only in the professional sphere, but in the personal realm of boosting another up and helping them through the days, months, and years of their lives. In that way she’s a good example of what makes the staff at DUL so much like an extended family. Shelia’s contributions to the Library and to our lives will stay with us as she moves into this next chapter of her life.

Here’s a look back with Shelia over her years with DUL, as told by the Star herself, in a socially-distanced, virtual interview. Take it away Shelia!

Getting started in the world of library technical services:

I transferred to the Library from Dietary Services at Duke South on July 26, 1976, which was my 1st wedding anniversary.  I was hired by Asta Smith, whose husband Eric Smith was a Reference Librarian.  It was a great group.  I was part of Serials records, which consisted of Daisy Whiteside, Debi Woody (Eason), Vera Roberts and Asta Smith (Head).  Later Dale Edgerton, Beverly Mills, Jeannie Beck, Jacqui Brown and Jane Bloemeke completed the section.

An evolving career in library acquisitions:

I began as a Clerk Typist and when Daisy Whiteside left, I was automatically promoted to her position as Library Clerk. I was later promoted to Library Assistant, and then a lateral move as the first Library Assistant to place periodical orders.  When the libraries did Recon (retrospective conversion of the physical catalog to an online one) they needed someone to coordinate that process and I was promoted to Library Assistant, Sr. in that role.  As time evolved, my duties changed and I was given the duties back that were removed when I got promoted.  We switched off duties by the week, so we all had to learn all the duties in the Section.  We merged with the Acquisitions/Accounting Department as Acquisitions Serials.  Then later we became the Acquisitions Department. After that, the serials and periodicals check-in merged with the Documents Department headed by Ann Miller.  After I received my bachelor’s degree in 2003, Ann recommended that I be placed in a position that I showed the most interest in and that was financial.  I had a meeting with Nancy Gibbs and Marty Berryman and in my new position, I became an Invoice Specialist, which was later changed to a Staff Assistant.  After Nancy retired and Teddy Gray departed, I was under Bill Verner who was Interim Head, and then Head of Acquisitions.  In December 2016, I became part of Business Services under Jameca Dupree.

Shelia in 1998, when computer monitors were the size of microwave ovens
Shelia in 1998, when computer monitors were the size of microwave ovens

A tireless advocate and booster for her colleagues and community:

I was on DULSA [Duke University Libraries Staff Association] and the Library Support Staff Council (elected representative) from 2001-2003.  I was the second Library representative on the Duke University Parking Advisory Committee (2001-2003).  We needed representation because Parking Services would oversell the parking lots and it was a mess each year when we renewed our stickers.  Some staff who came to work later could not find a parking space and they were being charged to park. I was a member of the first Perkins Library Diversity Working Group (2001-2003). We won the first Duke University Diversity Award, which was a $750 prize.  I was also on the Staff Development Committee (2004-2008). I was a tester for OLE [Open Library Environment] for a little over 6 years (2009-2015).  That was a challenging task!  I somehow became the party planner and loved doing end of the fiscal year and retirement parties.  My latest committee was the Smith Warehouse Social Committee, which I joined in 2009.  I represented the Library for three annual social events with this committee – Holiday Party, Pizza Party, and the Ice Cream Social.  On this committee, I met people from all over Smith.  These were morale builders!

Outside the library, I am on the Executive Board of my church and also the Hospitality Committee.  I am part of several organizations, like The Order of the Eastern Star (Drucilla #19), Zafa Court #41 and the Golden Circle.  I am on one of my high school reunion Committees that we formed in the early 1990’s, NHSBAA (Northern High School Black Alumni Association).  I have been a part of planning three very successful reunions with this Association.  I am also my family’s official family reunion planner. I just turned that task over to my nieces this year.  They did a great job, but the pandemic put that to a halt.

And, DUL was just her day job:

I worked as a staff assistant (night Page Supervisor) at the Durham County Library for 20 years from December 1997 to June 2007.  I did a variety of duties there, such as working the circulation desk, new patron registration, assisting patrons at other service points, and collecting fines and fees.  I had a staff of three at night who were responsible for re-shelving the books.  I continued to work this position after I enrolled in Shaw University’s CAPE (Center for Alternative Programs of Education) program in 1999.  While at Shaw, I was crowned Miss Durham CAPE from 2002-2003. I was a member of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society.  To help with my tuition, I wrote an essay for a scholarship offered by Glaxo-Smith-Kline about overcoming adversity and going on to attend college and succeeding.  I was one of seven candidates who received an award and the amount awarded to me was $13,000. I graduated summa cum laude in May 2003.  I always wanted a college degree and that was my motivation.  I worked for the Durham County Agriculture as a contractor while I pursued my MBA from Pfeiffer University.  I attended online from January 2016 to December 2017.

What do you wish more people knew about your work in the library?

How hard I worked on the OLE Project.  It was a full-time job in itself.  When it was terminated, I felt that all that hard work was in vain.  I had to document procedures as a tester with no instructions, and there was no one in any of the other libraries working on the financial part of the system in the beginning.

What have been your biggest challenges in your career?

Trying to adapt to all the new systems over the years and not getting them mixed up with each other.  And also, remembering all the passwords for each of them!!!

What is the most fun you’ve had at work in DUL?

When the library staff did the entertainment for library parties, we used to have plays and singing programs.  The Plays were written and directed by library staff.  One I remember was the “The Wizard of Ros”, of course based on who else – Ros Raeford! We used to have designated days like, “Hat Day”, when all staff wore different type hats. We once hired a “Mourner” for a staff member’s birthday who was turning 40.  It was hilarious as her youth was mourned away with information about her they received from us. When Staff Appreciation Week came, Duke gave us prizes all week and a big luncheon on the quad.  To top off the week, there was a big carnival and lots of catered food and we invited our families on that weekend! We used to get bonuses in addition to our raises if you met exceeded expectations on your evaluation. There was never a dull moment back then!

What thoughts or advice would you like to leave us with, as you move into retirement?

Keep a positive attitude!  When you are thrown lemons, make lemonade.  Goodbye tension—hello pension!!!!

A Mad Hatter Party, with Antha Marshall, Debra Taylor, Marvin Tillman, Beverly Mills, and Gail Sewell
A Mad Hatter Party, with Antha Marshall, Debra Taylor, Marvin Tillman, Beverly Mills, and Gail Sewell

My Journey from Print to Electronic and Back Again: a Librarian’s Tale

Beverly Dowdy

Long before I became a librarian I had a fascination with libraries.  They were always magical places for me, and the stacks in particular were magical.  The organization of knowledge on the shelves pulled me in, and all of it was available to anyone.  So as an undergraduate at Appalachian State University, I majored in Educational Media.  The major was created to supply librarians for the public schools.  But I quickly discovered my first year that working in a public school system did not suit me.

I found my niche in an academic library – at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts.  I was hired in the Acquisitions department to order and receive all titles.  All those new titles bound for the stacks had to pass across my desk!  It was the height of the paper library era – all financial transactions, the card catalog, the books – everything was on paper.  A glimmer of the online world to come was a single OCLC terminal that provided the most recent cataloging information which we printed out.  The staff fought over time slots.  I still remember mine:  1:00-3:00 every afternoon.

After my husband and I moved from Massachusetts to Oklahoma, I worked briefly in the private sector.  I became a company librarian at Engineering Enterprises in Norman, Oklahoma.  They employed geologists and engineers to provide environmental remediation for contaminated groundwater.  I was hired to not only keep the company library but provide research on request.  Automated searching was now available, and I provided DIALOG searches for the geologists and their clients.  Utilizing the citations from those searches, I would drive across town to the University of Oklahoma Library to find the full-text printed articles and books.   I straddled this print/electronic divide many years before full-text online became a reality.  In that role I functioned as a sort of information detective, and I was Google before Google.

My cumulative experiences led me to think I should make librarianship my professional career.  I finished my MLS in 2000.   Another world opened at the same time as eJournals made their first appearance.  I jumped back into the academic world at the University of Central Oklahoma to order, process, and make available their eJournals and databases.   Electronic full text was another universe compared to print world and a true paradigm shift.  I remember many librarians with decades of experience were overwhelmed by it.  Perhaps because I was young and foolish, I jumped in and took on anything the Library Director threw at me.  I’m glad I did because it gave me a thorough grounding in this new format, and I could see how improved discoverability for patrons.

It also led me to a new job at Duke.  I came on board as the Head of Electronic Resources and Serials Management in 2008.  By that time full-text online had exploded.  It was imperative to decide on best practices, tools, and workflow for managing the fire hose of electronic text coming at us.  On top of this, print world didn’t die.  In fact, it still grew – just not at the same pace.  Over time ERSM became SRM (Serials and Retention Management) when the electronic pieces were shifted to other departments.  My own department focused on projects for older print (Papyrology collection) and something new:  collaborative print retention.  This was a new paradigm administered by multiple libraries to insure that aging print texts would always be available to patrons within a geographic area.

Last year I stepped out of the department head role and into my final position at Duke:  government documents.  Collaborative print retention took hold in government documents through ASERL (Association of Southeastern Research Libraries).  We began a project to resize our own documents collection in light of other TRLN document collections.  We also committed to acquire and retain all publications from six government agencies.  So I came full circle, from print to electronic and back to print with a different twist.  In July 2020 I will retire from Duke Libraries and am ever appreciative my experiences and learning.  I picked up a Master’s Degree in Graduate Liberal Studies along the way.  That also opened new worlds for me.  Keep growing, keep learning, and don’t be surprised in your career if you shift back to something you knew in an earlier time and see it with new eyes.

E-Resources—the True, Inside Story!

Many people think of Duke University Libraries as the stately, public facing buildings they use for resource access, study space, and meetings. But they don’t know what really goes on behind the scenes at the library. In an exclusive tell-all, these Electronic Resource Management (ERM) professionals from the Continuing Resource Acquisitions department divulge the inside secrets of what is truly required to facilitate e-resource access.

The E-Resources Management Team

Licenses and Renewals – Abby Wickes

As the ERM team lead, along with assisting with troubleshooting and access management I also contribute to the e-resource lifecycle by processing renewals and supporting license review. License negotiation is an important part of e-resource management, as we want to ensure optimal access conditions for our patrons while protecting the university from undue liability. Each license is reviewed thoroughly by Virginia Martin (head of Continuing Resource Acquisitions), and myself, with additional support from EG colleagues when needed. Because of this attention, license review can be a lengthy process as we carefully assess and request changes in the best interests of our patrons and the university. Accessibility and Patron Privacy are among the high priority items Duke negotiates for with licensors.

Another area of negotiation is in renewal costs. To keep our e-resources affordable, we pay close attention to increasing renewal costs and push back when inflationary costs creep above certain thresholds. While I provide support for particularly gnarly e-resource AskTech tickets (Duke University Library’s Technical Services’ troubleshooting ticket service) and access issues, my colleagues on the team do the lion’s share of access management work for eJournals, online databases, and eBooks, as they describe below.


eJournals – Will Hanley

In a nutshell, I make sure patrons have online access to our subscribed and open access eJournals. For instance, I troubleshoot eJournal access issues that come to Tech Services via AskTech. I either restore our access, contact the party that can restore our access, or inform patrons/librarians why we should not have access. I also maintain URL and coverage date accuracy for eJournals in the Ex Libris 360 knowledgebase (aka the KB, formerly called Serials Solutions), and contact publishers and vendors when necessary.

There are a lot of ways to access journal content via the library website, including searching for articles from Summon,  and browsing eJournal titles via the catalog and our Online Journal Page.

Summon:

  • Duke University Library’s discovery service, Summon, facilitates discovery and access for millions of article-level search results. From https://library.duke.edu/ , select the Articles tab.

Catalog:

  • From https://library.duke.edu/ , select the Books & Media tab.
  • Select the option “Title” from the drop-down menu and search for the requested journal.
  • If necessary, limit the search results to online resources by clicking the Available Online facet.
  • Click the View Online button beneath the requested eJournal.
  • On the Online Journal results page, click the link for the desired online platform (depending on coverage date).

Online Journal Page:

  • From https://library.duke.edu/find/journal-titles , select the option “Title Begins With” from the drop-down menu next to the search box and search for the requested journal.  Note: for common-word titles (i.e. Nature), I would suggest selecting the “Exact Title” search.

  • On the results page, click the link for the desired online platform (depending on coverage date).

Starting from these sources is especially important when accessing resources from off campus, as the catalog and library website both automatically include necessary proxy prefixes to URLs to facilitate authentication.

 


Online Databases – Pat Canovai

My primary duties revolve around access, description, troubleshooting, and maintenance of databases (aka online integrating resources). To define what is a database, we typically rely on the RDA definition of an integrating resource:
A resource that is added to or changed by means of updates that do not remain discrete but are integrated into the whole.

  • ACCESS – This includes activating databases in the Ex Libris 360 knowledgebase, communicating with Ex Libris when a new database needs to be added in the KB, requesting additions and updates to EZProxy, testing remote access, and sending Database Updates to LIB-collections. This work facilitates discovery and access from a few different parts of the Duke University Library website:
    • Summon: Duke University Library’s discovery service also brings search results from many databases
    • The Database A-Z List (currently maintained by Hannah Rozear) allows you to browse databases by title

  • DESCRIPTION – This includes loading catalog records into Aleph (Duke’s Integrated Library System or ILS) from OCLC as is, or enhancing in OCLC before loading. Occasionally it is necessary to create a new record in OCLC. Once the record is in Aleph, certain fields are manually modified, the most important of which is the URL that will link users to the proper landing page.
    • This facilitates discovery and access from the Catalog

  • TROUBLESHOOTING – Most troubleshooting is generated via AskTech tickets, but in our daily work we also make unexpected discoveries that prompt investigation. This frequently requires testing of access with and without VPN, confirming EZproxy status, verification of access methods, and communicating with providers and users.
  • MAINTENANCE – Databases are sometimes cancelled or ceased, or they migrate from one provider to another. When URLs change, database names change, knowledgebase targets are retired, or platforms are decommissioned, we need to keep the access up to date.


eBooks – Alaina Jones

As an Electronic Resources Management Associate, I’m in charge of granting, maintaining, and troubleshooting access to eBook collections. I grant and update access in the knowledgebase, troubleshoot access issue for eBooks via AskTech, and regularly communicate with vendor representatives and Ex Libris representatives to have issues resolved.

There are a couple of different ways to find eBooks starting from the library’s main page.

You can type keywords of what you’re looking for directly into the catalog search bar (with or without limiting your search from “All” to “Books & Media” first).

You can also click on the eBooks tab, which will take you to another page with a separate search bar for just eBooks. I think the best thing about this page though is the “Looking for more?” section. This section lists other ways to find eBooks that you may not be aware of.

I’ve used OverDrive a few times to check out novels (and graphic novels) to read during my downtime. It is a great way to download and borrow digital content while you’re self-isolating. There are a lot of eBooks and audiobooks to choose from!

Another way to access eBooks that I often use for troubleshooting access issues is the eJournal Portal. Yes, you read that right.

Here’s how you navigate to this page: Main Library Catalog Page à Click on Online Journal Titles tab,  Hit Search (don’t type anything in the search bar), on the top of the next screen you’ll see an option for Books Only. Select that and type your keywords into the search bar. Voilà!

Though it may take a little longer to navigate to this page, I use the eJournal Portal because the update time is much shorter than the catalog; it usually updates within 24 hours (when the catalog might take a few days). When troubleshooting AskTech tickets, it’s also handy for me to see which access point the eBook is being pulled from so that I know where to look in the knowledgebase. The eJournal Portal provides the necessary information that I need to investigate quickly.

I think the biggest challenge when troubleshooting remote access has been communicating the importance of VPN access. Connecting to VPN (using the Library Resources Only Group) has solved a lot of access issues for our patrons and colleagues. Logging into Library Resources Only not only gives you access to the content that Duke University Libraries subscribes to but it sort of “tricks” your computer into thinking that you’re on-campus so you can bypass having to log-in to access a lot of resources.

E-resource access management for eBooks, online databases, and eJournals can be a wild ride. Now that you know the inside story, think twice before you try to access a resource directly from a publisher site, especially without signing onto VPN. Search directly from the library site whenever possible, and be sure to check your VPN group when accessing resources remotely. The e-resource research time you save just might be your own.

Getting To Know Your Colleagues: Holiday Tree

Interview by Christina Manzella

 

Detail from Lunar New Year. Photo by Will Hanley.

Most of us who work in the library bays at Smith Warehouse have not set foot on campus since March 20. One of our colleagues, however, has been there 24/7, keeping watch over the place. Below is an interview with this Bay 10 mainstay, conducted just before working from home began. Holiday Tree, we miss you!

CM: What is your role here at Duke?
HT: I play the very important role of seasonal décor for Technical Services. I really love my job. You talk to most “artificial” trees out there, and they’ll tell you they’re stuck in an attic 10.5-11 months out of the year. Not me. I’m on display year round, bringing continued joy to all the residents and visitors of Bays 9 and 10.

CM: What is your favorite part of working at Duke?
HT: It’s got to be the people. I can always count on Antha Marshall (and her candy bowl) when I need a pick me up. Will Hanley always makes me look dashing in his photos. I’m also very close with Leeda Adkins. She leads the team of folks who change out my decorations each season. I’ve witnessed some very creative problem solving when it comes to tree toppers. And, obviously, Squirrel and I are inseparable.

A close up of Squirrel. Photo by Will Hanley.

 

CM: Do you have a favorite season?
HT: That’s a tough one. I might have to say summer. Not a lot of conifers can say they’ve seen the beach. Oh, to be clear, I haven’t either, but I really think I have a good sense of what it’s like based on my decorations. I’ve often contemplated what SPF I would need.

CM: Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?
HT: I bleed blue, but I live green! Please recycle.

Autumn decorations. Photo by Christina Manzella.

Trans Pride in the Duke Libraries Catalog

To wrap up Pride Month, we wanted to highlight some acquisitions from the past few years. The following photobooks feature portraits of trans individuals.

 

To Survive on This Shore, photographs by Jess T. Dugan

From the publisher: “Representations of older transgender people are nearly absent from our culture and those that do exist are often one-dimensional. For over five years, photographer Jess T. Dugan and social worker Vanessa Fabbre traveled throughout the United States creating To Survive on this Shore: Photographs and Interviews with Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Older Adults. Seeking subjects whose lived experiences exist within the complex intersections of gender identity, age, race, ethnicity, sexuality, socioeconomic class, and geographic location, they traveled from coast to coast, to big cities and small towns, documenting the life stories of this important but largely underrepresented group of older adults. The featured individuals have a wide variety of life narratives spanning the last ninety years, offering an important historical record of transgender experience and activism in the United States.”

 

TransCuba, photographs by Mariette Pathy Allen

From the publisher: “For more than 30 years, New York-based photographer and painter Mariette Pathy Allen has been documenting transgender culture worldwide…[In] TransCuba, Allen focuses on the transgender community of Cuba, especially its growing visibility and acceptance in a country whose government is transitioning into a more relaxed model of communism under Raúl Castro’s presidency. This publication therefore records a cultural watershed within Cuba.”

 

 

On Christopher Street: Transgender Stories,
photographs by Mark Seliger

From the publisher: “[Seliger’s] portraits of trans people on Christopher Street combined with their moving and deeply personal stories remind us of our need for sanctuary, for a space to call our own. Their presence challenges us to redefine home, community, and ownership. Their presence challenges us to stop and reflect. No longer will we remain idle and pass by them in fear and prejudice. We will stand with them, recognize them, and see them. These are our streets, and these are our people.”

 

Female, photographs by Pilar Vergara

From the publisher: “Female strives to capture transgender women without artificial studio lighting or the irrelevance of color. While trans people are often sensationalized in the media, Pilar Vergara set out to quietly capture their individuality through intimate portraits.”

 

American Boys, photographs by Soraya Zaman

From the publisher: “American Boys by photographer Soraya Zaman is a bold and intuitive representation of the transmasculine community from big cities to small towns across the USA. For three years, Zaman traveled to 21 states to photograph and interviewed 29 transmasculine individuals aged 18 to 35 in their hometowns at distinct stages of their transition. Zaman’s sincere and tender portraits and accompanying essays candidly capture their grace and humanity providing viewers with a snapshot into their lives, personality, honesty and journeys across the transmasculine spectrum.”

 

Finally, we would like to highlight a photobook by Duke alumni, Mikael Owunna.

 

Limitless Africans, photographs by Mikael Owunna

From the creator: “I found photography as my voice…and in 2013 I began Limitless Africans. Over the course of four years, I would travel to ten different countries across North America and Europe to document, for the first time, the LGBTQ African immigrant experience. Shooting and interviewing over 50 LGBTQ African immigrants, I found that every one had experienced a similar sense of rejection on all sides. This body of work is a collaborative response between me and my community, to re-define what it means to be an immigrant, African and queer in North America and Europe at this time. To confront, with our self-love and stories, the oppressive narratives that say we should not exist. We are Limitless.”

Antiracism Resources at Duke University Libraries and Beyond

Over the past few weeks, there have been many resources shared on race, racism, and antiracism. Libraries have been working to find solutions to the meet the demand for antiracism books.

This list below is just a start. There are many resources to be found, in Duke University Libraries and beyond, to educate, inspire, and call to action. Please feel free to email Jacquie Samples (jacquie.samplesr@duke.edu) with any additional resources you find helpful, and I will add them to the list.

Statement from Duke University Libraries

Videos:

5 Tips for Being an Ally

Back to Natural

Exploring the Emotions of White Racism and Antiracism

Taking a Stance Against Racism and Discrimination

TED Talks to Help You Understand Racism in America

The Thirteenth Amendment and Civil Rights

White Like Me: Race, Racism & White Privilege in America

 

Articles:

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

For Our White Friends Desiring to be Allies by Courtney Ariel

Here’s how to teach Black Lives Matter

How NOT to be an Ally – Part 1 “Centering the Privileged”

How NOT to be an Ally – Part 2 “He-peat, Re-white, and Amplification”

How NOT to be an Ally – Part 3 “Spoken-Language Microaggressions”

How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change

Understanding Our New Racial Reality Starts with the Unconscious

White Anti-Racism: Living the Legacy

 

Books:

Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America by Khalil Gibran Muhammad

Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-first Century by Dorothy Roberts

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour: A Narrative History of Black Power in America by Peniel E. Joseph

West Indian Immigrants: A Black Success Story? by Suzanne Model

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

White Men Challenging Racism: 35 Personal Stories

 

On the Occasion of Ros Raeford’s Retirement

May 29th will mark the last day of Rosalyn Raeford’s forty-three-year career at the Duke University Libraries (DUL).  Ros is the Head of the Resource Description Department. The department is responsible for creating and stewarding the metadata that make discovery of library resources possible, as well as shelf preparation of physical materials. When Ros joined the Duke library staff in the late 1970s automation of library cataloging existed, but it was deep in the background.  Its tangible output was the card catalog, local access points were added manually in aid of user discovery and access.  As time and Ros’s career went on, the interplay between the technological and the manual trended more and more toward automation.  Yet, a lot of manual work was still involved in cataloging, as catalogers worked on printouts that were then converted to computer format through data input.  During these years of change, Ros was there not only to witness, but to shape the trajectory of DUL’s approach to resource description.

Photo from the Duke University Archives, https://www.flickr.com/photos/dukeyearlook/3811954463/

Ros began her career as a clerk-typist responsible for typing local access points, such as call numbers, on printed cards.  This regularly entailed typing unique access points per title on multiple cards.  Though critical to the user experience, it was not the most enlivening work. Ros always found ways to make it fun, for herself and her colleagues.

Next for Ros was working with the Demand Cataloging team.  This group managed a huge backlog of books by boxing them for storage, creating a paper trail on boxes and on catalog cards, and retrieving titles for cataloging when library users requested (or demanded) a title.  Think a very low-tech Library Service Center.  Ros really began enjoying her job when she became a copy cataloger, working directly with materials to assign call numbers, and then moving onto subject heading work.  Ros remembers that the more complicated an item was, the more she enjoyed it.

Ros circa 1980, top row 5th from the left. Photo from the personal collection of Amy Turner, retired Library Original Cataloger.

About eight years after Ros joined the library staff, at around the time computers first became part of cataloging, Ros became the supervisor of the Pre-Cataloging team.  It was in supervisory work that she found her “true love.”  This true love encompassed both people and process, and that is where the magic happened.  Ros saw opportunities for workflow efficiencies that leveraged both available technology and the skills of her colleagues.  An early efficiency that Ros envisioned and worked with colleagues to realize was automation of call number creation for copy cataloging.  Cataloging work was done exclusively in a DOS environment with command prompts.  Another efficiency that Ros conceived of was cataloging in a Windows environment.  She and a colleague designed a Windows-based system that a third colleague programmed.  Thus, the Cat Editor was born.

Automation, efficiency, and process saved time and created an environment that freed up resources to tackle bigger things.  Remember that the more complicated something was, the more Ros enjoyed it?  Ros has led many large projects over the years, but the project to reclass DUL’s collection from the Dewey Decimal Classification system to the Library of Congress (LC) Classification system stands out because it enabled efficiency on a massive scale.  Until late 2004, DUL was one of a very small number of large academic libraries that used Dewey.  At various times over the years, the library had looked at switching to LC Classification.  Arguments for the benefits of switching were never compelling enough to effect the change.  Switching to LC was always deemed too expensive, too undoable.  Ros made it happen!  She analyzed and synthesized in-house cataloging statistics to show that upwards of 85% of catalog records had LC class numbers.  Ros showed that by using LC classification, it would be possible to move the bulk of materials more quickly through the cataloging workflow and into the hands of library users.

From Left to Right: David Ferriero, then University Librarian; Ros; and Deborah Jakubs, current University Librarian ca. mid-2000s. From Deborah’s personal collection

The LC Reclass Project was a multi-year project that began in 2004 and transformed DUL’s collection and how we catalog.  Once LC classification was in place, Ros was able to lead further process changes, namely shelf-ready processing of new monograph titles and working with vendors to provide cataloging when it was not feasible to do in house.  A philosophical change also ensued that led the Resource Description Department to its current approach toward cataloging: follow national standards and avoid local practices.  Certainly, elements of this approach were already there prior to LC reclass, but the project pushed us further in that direction.

Now cataloging is on the brink of a fundamental shift in the creation and use of metadata to linked data.  Ros will not be here to lead us through this sea-change, but her approach to people and process will continue to inform how we embrace and manage it.  We will thrive, and library users will benefit as a result.  Ros said that in her first days at Duke, she felt smarter just being here.  Well, DUL and Duke are smarter, too, because Ros was here. (Recommended reading: Dennis Christman’s January 31, 2020 post titled A Linked Data Primer.)

Now for a parting gift from Ros, here are some of thoughts in her own words.

On joining the library and what stood out to her at the time:

“The first few days that I was there I remember walking out on campus and just being awestruck.  I remember just this really warm feeling of just being on Duke’s campus. … I felt smarter just being there.”

On being a manager:

“Being a manager was like the best thing that could have happened to me.  And, being a manager in a process-oriented environment. It’s my ideal thing because it was a breeding ground for creativity.  There was no limit to what you could do.”

On automation and its opportunities:

I was fascinated about how to make things more efficient and what could be automated. … We were automating and most people hadn’t even thought about it.”

On having fun at work:

“I love planning and problem-solving.  And I think that for me that was what the LC reclass project was.  The fact that so many people had looked at doing it and it got abandoned at least four times. … I don’t know how you describe it.  It was almost like a competition.  Like when I played basketball; it was like sports.  I’m competitive.  I was like, ‘okay this can be done.’”

On linked data and the future of cataloging:

“Something major is about to happen. Another major shift in how we think about metadata, another major shift in how we think about discovery.”

“If you can give catalogers something else to embrace that taps into their intellectual value, that taps into their skill set regardless of how those skills play out, I think they will embrace it.”

Ros at work on a project in 2000.  Photo from the personal collection of Lynda Baptist, retired Head of Holdings Management.

Behind-the-Scenes Glimpse Into DUL Electronic Resource Licensing: Part III

My first two blog posts of this three-part series focused on license organization, digitization, file-naming schemas, and controlled vocabularies. In this final blog post, I will discuss the behind-the-scenes work that goes into the transition from one library services platform to another with regards to electronic resources.

FOLIO Implementation

I am part of the FOLIO Electronic Resource Management (ERM) Implementation team whose purpose is to guide the transition of electronic resources into FOLIO for DUL and the Professional School libraries. Our team is responsible for customizing the ERM apps within FOLIO, such as Licenses and Organizations, that Duke will be implementing in summer 2020. We are currently working on creating the underlying metadata schemas and controlled vocabularies that essentially build the “frame” for implementing the FOLIO ERM. One of the most helpful tools I’ve found for this part of my internship is the Data Dictionary from the Digital Library Federation’s Electronic Resource Management Initiative (ERMI) Report. This document is a great reference for metadata librarians and other technical services professionals whose work requires the use of controlled vocabularies and metadata schemas.

To help put this in perspective for those who don’t work in technical services, we are essentially choosing the customizable fields and terms that are going to display within the FOLIO interface (also known as FOLIO’s frontend). Because FOLIO is highly customizable and not strictly an out-of-the-box product, we are able to select many of the specific data fields and terms that uniquely apply to our needs. Let’s look at the current state of one of FOLIO’s ERM apps, Licenses. When a DUL ERM user logs into FOLIO to add a new license into the platform, we use the FOLIO Licenses app. Here’s an example of this app’s current interface in FOLIO (see below).


The Licenses app interface


A portion of the Terms information fields

The ERM team is currently working on defining the fields we want displayed in this interface, the terms we will use to populate these fields, and any additional information we think will be pertinent in the uploading of our electronic licenses into FOLIO.

Wrap Up

While some of you may have seen me in Smith Warehouse in our pre-quarantine days running between our licensing documentation filing cabinets and the printer like a mad woman, there is much more to my internship than scanning and filing. I am fortunate to work with a truly great group of library and information science professionals at DUL who have kindly allowed me to dip my toes into the world of technical services and electronic resources management. Having come from a museum collections background before beginning library school, I am thankful I can directly apply my knowledge in information management and retrieval to DUL’s FOLIO transition.

A Behind-the-Scenes Glimpse into DUL Electronic Resource Licensing: Part II

My last blog post focused on the basics of licensing organization and digitization in preparation for DUL’s transition to the FOLIO library services platform. This week’s post, the second in a three-part series, will focus on creating standardized file names using controlled vocabulary.

File-Naming Schema & Controlled Vocabulary

Another aspect of my digital licensing document organization is the creation of consistent terms used to name our electronic files. By creating a consistent way of naming our electronic licenses, it’s much easier to navigate our repository of electronic files (SharePoint) and locate documents. Most of our documents can be grouped into several categories: licenses, communications, and purchase orders. Within these categories, I’ve created a picklist of terms that can be applied for each document. This list is essentially a controlled vocabulary or “data dictionary” (see below).

Folder Names Document Types Definition
License(s) License Agreement between licensor and licensee
Terms of Use AKA conditions of use
Authorization or Agreement Used in consortial agreements
Addendum A legal change to a previous license
  Amendment A legal change to a previous license
  Schedule AKA appendix
Purchase Order(s) Purchase Order AKA product order, order, etc.
Service Change Order Akin to addendum for purchase orders
Communication(s) Communication Includes e-mails, faxes, letters
Title List(s) Title List List of packaged titles

In addition to this controlled vocabulary, I’ve also created a consistent file-naming structure. This structure allows us to quickly sort files chronologically and easily find specific documents (see below).

Licensor _ Document Type _ Signed date (YYYMMDD) __ Product Name.pdf

We begin our file names with the licensor’s name, which allows us to easily identify to whom this document pertains. Second, the document type field (e.g. license, addendum, etc.) allows us to sort lists of documents by their type. Third, the inclusion of the document’s sign date in ISO date format allows for more accurate sorting of documents by date. And fourth, the product name field shows us which product is described in the document (e.g. specific journal name, database, etc.). To put this in context, let’s say I’ve been asked to find the most recent addendum that DUL signed with Bloomsbury Publishing with regards to their Drama Online database. Here’s how I would find that file:

  1. Navigate to the “Bloomsbury Publishing” folder in SharePoint
  2. Click on the “Licenses” subfolder
  3. Sort the files within the “Licenses” subfolder alphabetically
  4. Locate for the most recent addendum file (see below)

List of licensing documents for Bloomsbury Publishing in SharePoint

As you may have noticed, a consistent file-naming structure is immensely helpful when you’re trying to locate a single file located within a folder containing many years’ worth of licenses, addenda, and amendments.

Check out my final blog post of this three-part series next week that will discuss my role in DUL’s transition to the FOLIO library services platform.