Library News

Love songs in the library

2012-02-10T20:47:18Z

VCU Libraries hosts "From Broadway, With Love," a performance by VCU music students Gianna Barone and Denver Walker, noon on Tuesday, Valentine's Day, first floor, Cabell Library. The show is part of the "A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs" exhibition.

Classically trained vocalist Barone and guitarist Walker will perform a selection of classic love songs from the American Songbook, including "They Say It's Wonderful" by Irving Berlin, "Bewitched" and "My Funny Valentine" by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and "Hello, Young Lovers" by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.

This event is free and open to all.

In the News: Board of Visitors hears about new library plans

2012-02-10T19:52:55Z

The Richmond Times-Dispatch Feb. 10, 2012 reported about construction and future building on campus. The article

Feb. 10 Open Access session cancelled

2012-02-08T15:35:30Z

The Feb. 10 workshop on open access publishing will not be held. The next "Open Access Scholarly Publishing for Faculty" will be held March 23 at 3 p.m. at James Branch Cabell Library, room 319.

The workshop will be conducted by Dan Ream, VCU librarian and past president of the VCU Faculty Senate.

As journal subscription costs have increased dramatically, fewer and fewer libraries can afford every journal that is needed, including some that are considered prestigious and essential. Faculty worldwide, especially in the sciences, but also increasingly in the social sciences and humanities, have responded by creating and publishing their research in open access, peer-reviewed journals that charge no fee to their readers. Faculty senates from Harvard to Berkeley to the University of Virginia have endorsed open access publishing for their faculty.

This one-hour session will introduce faculty to this revolution in publishing of open access, peer-reviewed journals and demonstrate how to locate them in almost any discipline, as well as discuss the potential benefits of worldwide free access to faculty research. Options for faculty retention of copyright will also be discussed.

This workshop will be held in library classroom/lab 319 on the third floor of Cabell Library. No advance registration is necessary. Address questions to Dan Ream, or call 828-6545 for more information.

Feb 10: Open access scholarly publishing workshops

2012-02-01T21:08:37Z

Is your scholarly research only for those wealthy enough to afford the journal you publish in? How many in your local community can access your research published in expensive online journals? How many in your professional community without well-funded library access can read your work? How about your school's alumni? Would you rather have your work freely accessible to all without charge, while still published in a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal?

On two Fridays--Feb 10 and March 23 from 3 to 4 p.m.--VCU Libraries will present a workshop for faculty (but open to all) entitled "Open Access Scholarly Publishing for Faculty."

The workshop will be conducted by Dan Ream, VCU librarian and past president of the VCU Faculty Senate.

As journal subscription costs have increased dramatically, fewer and fewer libraries can afford every journal that is needed, including some that are considered prestigious and essential. Faculty worldwide, especially in the sciences, but also increasingly in the social sciences and humanities, have responded by creating and publishing their research in open access, peer-reviewed journals that charge no fee to their readers.

Faculty senates from Harvard to Berkeley to the University of Virginia have endorsed open access publishing for their faculty.

VCU tests alert systems Feb. 1

2012-01-31T17:47:28Z

VCU will conduct a full test of the emergency communications system on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 10 a.m.

The full test of the system will include 10 sirens on both the Monroe Park and MCV campuses along with text messages, digital signs, website information and social media that are part of a multichannel system for communicating emergency information to VCU students, employees, parents and neighbors. The test also will include emergency notification "Alertus" devices in classrooms and in residence halls. And VCU will take down its regular website, www.vcu.edu, and bring up an emergency site for the duration of the test.

The sirens will sound a fast, up-and-down wail for three minutes, and after a two-minute pause, sound a steady wail for one minute to signal "all clear" to end the test.

The Alertus devices in VCU Libraries buildings and in classrooms set off an alarm, strobe light warning and large text digital display with emergency messages.

More from VCU leadership:

"In a real emergency, sirens will be used when it is imperative to get the attention of everyone outside of VCU buildings because an immediate, life-threatening emergency has occurred or is imminent. People outside but on campus should go to the nearest university building and seek additional information about what is happening.

The Alertus devices and other emergency communications, such as text messaging, digital signage, emails and Web communications will notify people in campus buildings. In general, when an alert is sounded, everyone should remain where they are and seek additional information about what is happening and instructions on how to respond. People off-campus should not come to campus but should seek additional information.

Text messaging is the only channel available that can provide personal communication to you wherever you have cell phone service. Text messages will be used for notifications about emergencies, but will also be used to announce closings and delays for inclement weather. There is no cost for enrolling. If you haven't done so already, I urge you to sign up for text messaging now at www.vcu.edu/alert/notify.

Emergency information also is available on the VCU Alert website at www.vcu.edu/alert (also accessible off the VCU homepage at www.vcu.edu), on digital screens in major academic buildings and all residence halls on both campuses, through emails to everyone with a VCU e-mail account, and social media - Twitter and Facebook.

Our efforts to notify you in the case of an emergency are effective only if you sign up for text messaging and refer to the VCU Alert website, Alertus devices, digital signs and other emergency communications channels. In an emergency, we also ask you to share pertinent information with those around you who might not have received an alert.

Following the test, we welcome your comments or feedback by emailing vcualert@vcu.edu.

Full tests of the VCU Emergency Communications system are conducted near the beginning of each semester. Monthly checks of the siren system, consisting of a one-minute steady wail that also recharge the siren batteries, are conducted at noon on the first Wednesday of each month.

We appreciate your participation and assistance in doing all we can do to keep VCU's campuses safe and secure."

Sincerely,

David Hanson
Vice President for Finance and Administration

By the numbers: Late-night use up 25%

2012-01-27T18:42:28Z

James Branch Cabell Library patrons again are setting records.

Statistics for fall 2011 show steady and busy usage. Some 900,845 people are counted as library-goers from the start of the semester through the end of exams.

Typically, on Mondays through Thursday peak days, 10,000 to 13,000 people were in the library at some point. Some of them, 8,050 over the span of 24-hour service, used the library from 2 to 7:30 a.m. That late-night use is up 25 percent compared to 2010.