Welcome to the OSU Libraries News and Events page!

Extended Study Hours: 3/9-3/18

The Java II space will be open for study after The Valley Library closes from March 9th through March 18th.  To use this space after hours, relocate to the Java II seating area on the first floor at the regular Valley Library closing hours. Bring your OSU ID and check in at the Java II entrance. Study, collaborate and unwind. Java II will not have extended service hours during this time, so bring a snack if needed. The Java II seating area will be open 24/7  March 9-18 to OSU students, faculty and staff. Thanks to ASOSU who advocated for this access.

Guin Library Responds to Patron Requests

Katie Bowler, Library Technician III, is working to provide second monitors in all study rooms at Guin Library. This is a common patron request. To be mindful of cost and in the spirit of up-cycling, Katie is making use of OSU surplus supplies and donations. This is just one of the many ways that Guin Library strives to use patron feedback to guide services and resource planning.

Helping Plan the Annual HMSC Research Summit

Guin Library worked with the guiding committee to develop two workshops. Zach Wellhouse and Laurie Bridges each presented on aspects of AI at the HMSC Research Summit in mid-October. Guin set up white boards at the research summit and in the library to provide patrons with the opportunity to weigh in on the next book or topic for the Guin Library Book Club. 

Crafternoons Continues

Valley librarians have continued to offer crafting opportunities to the OSU community. Fall term, DIY stationary, contributing to the Dear Stranger project, and collaboration with the OSU Queer Archives for a special edition of Glitter in the Archives, made these events memorable and provided opportunities to contribute to ongoing projects within and outside of OSU.

Furniture Fair in the Learning Commons

This November and early December, students were invited to sample prospective furniture for the Learning Commons. Assorted tables, chairs, and study nooks were assembled in the LC with short questionnaires, prompting students to share their feedback, ideas, and aspirations for the Learning Commons Refresh that is set to be completed in fall 2025.

Fall Game Nite

While Game Nite is a much-loved event at Valley Library. This year, Game Night coincided with the Valley Library’s 25th Birthday Bash. Beavers enjoying yard games, face painting, and snacks until 6pm on the library quad were encouraged to enter the library and join in on various board games, crafts, and even more snacks. Thanks to the hard work of Valley librarians, staff, and student employees, Beavs enjoyed Game Nite until 9:30pm.

Valley Library Celebrates 25 Years at OSU

Valley Library opened in 1999 and has been supporting our Beavs ever since. This academic year, Valley has held events to thank donors, OSU students, and the rich history of libraries and press at OSU. Visit the “Creating Your Library” exhibit to tour a visual timeline of this legacy of community support and service.

 

While the Valley Library is only 25 years old, the history of libraries and press at Oregon State University goes back to 1888 with the first library, a library room located in Community Hall! To learn more about this history, view the History of OSU Libraries and Press webpage!

 

Reflections on Clara Llebot Lorente's Sabbatical

Clara Llebot Lorente, Associate Professor, Data Management Specialist, Librarian to the College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences and Liaison for the Water Resources Graduate Program, recently took a sabbatical.

Clara Llebot Lorente took a 12 month sabbatical to Barcelona, where she worked with the Consortium of University Services of Catalonia exploring how other universities in Europe offer and organize research data management services for their researchers. This exploration included data management plan support tools, data storage and computing services, and data deposits in an instance of the Dataverse repository.

Reflections on Uta Hussong-Christian's Sabbatical

Uta Hussong-Christian, Associate Professor & Librarian for Colleges of Health, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine, recently took a sabbatical. 

The primary activity of Uta's sabbatical leave was a course of professional development to better equip her to engage with, and support, evidence synthesis team projects across the OSU campuses. To learn more about the overall process of undertaking evidence synthesis work (especially projects that proceed to a meta-analysis), Uta completed the Coursera course, Introduction to Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by Johns Hopkins University faculty.

To dig deeper into the aspects of evidence synthesis work that librarians contribute to or support (depending on the project), Uta completed the Medical Library Association’s Systematic Review Services Specialization (both Level I and Level II). This specialization program addressed topics ranging from information retrieval and management to evidence synthesis tool selection to transparent reporting of search processes and results (to name some key areas).

Uta also completed  additional webinar-based professional development to dig deeper into aspects of information retrieval (e.g., handling problematic terminology in search strategy creation); consider issues with search strategy (e.g. open peer review of search strategy), closely examine evidence synthesis tools (e.g., Covidence), and learn more about related aspects of health sciences (e.g., NIH data management and sharing policy).

The time the sabbatical afforded for undertaking an intentional course of extensive professional development and for deep reading was much appreciated.

A Message from the Dean of Libraries

We are well into the rainy season. There is something about looking out on a cold and damp world from inside a warm and cozy library that puts me in an introspective mood. This Fall term has been invigorating. The library has been full during quiet times and full to bursting during busy times. And there is something in the air that is more than the numbers. The students are coming to our events and are excited about our programs, both academic and social. Last year, I could honestly say that the students were back in this library. This year, I can say that the study groups are back. The social activities are back. The energy in the building is productive, collaborative and inspiring. 

We have gone through so much change in the last few years that it is easy to think of change only as a challenge — as something that needs to be managed or survived. This term has been a good reminder to me that change is more complicated than that. Every group of students that comes to OSU brings a different set of experiences with them, and those experiences shape how they interact with their professors, with the library and with each other. Every year I get the chance to see the world from their perspective and learn new things. That’s one of the great joys of working in the library, and of being part of the OSU community. 

Anne-Marie Deitering
Delpha and Donald Campbell Dean of Libraries

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