Library News

Special Collections Department
receives Conservation Bookshelf award

Special Collections staff gather around new conservation materials
awarded to the department form ILMS Connecting
to Collections Bookshelf - Carole Thomas, Paul Oelkrug, Patrizia
Nava, Erin Powell, and Thomas Allen.

Treasured objects and artifacts held by McDermott Library's Special Collections Department will be preserved for future generations with help from the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of conservation books, DVDs, and online resources donated by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal funding of the nation's museums and libraries. IMLS and its cooperator, the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), will award a total of 3,000 free sets of the IMLS Bookshelf by the end of 2009.

Paul Oelkrug, Coordinator for Special Collections, said the department is being awarded this set of resources based on an application describing the needs and plans for care of its collections. The department has three primary collections - The History of Aviation Collection, the Wineburgh Philatelic Research Library, and the Belsterling Botanical Collection. The IMLS Bookshelf focuses on collections typically found in history or art museums and in libraries' special collections. It addresses such topics as the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally specific conservation issues.

The IMLS Bookshelf is a crucial component of Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action, a conservation initiative that the Institute launched in 2006. IMLS began the initiative in response to a 2005 study by Heritage Preservation documenting the dire state of the nation's collections. The multi-faceted, multi-year initiative aims to answer the needs of America's collections.

IMLS information is available at www.imls.gov.

Library stocks up on 'Read One Book' novel

To support the university and its partnership with the City of Richardson's Read One Book initiative, McDermott Library has added four copies of the novel Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian. In addition to members of the community, UTD students are encouraged to read Before You Know Kindness before classes begin on Aug. 21. During July and August students have the opportunity to join online chats about the book. Bohjalian will participate in virtual discussions during August. Also, Dennis Kratz, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, will organize an on-campus lecture about the book prior to the opening of fall classes. Bohjalian will appear at Richardson High School on Sept. 16 for a book signing and discussion.

"McDermott Library is attentive to the needs of our campus community," said Ellen Safely, Ph.D., Senior Assoicate Director. "This is a perfect way for us to support the Summer Book Club project at UTD." McDermott Library copies of the book are available at the Circulation Desk for a seven-day loan. The book is also available on-line via Facebook.