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Friday Focus: People Making a Difference in Collins Library – Wade Guidry

jmkyoung | March 19, 2010

Wade Guidry

Wade Guidry joined Collins Library staff in June 2009, as the Library Applications Administrator. Wade grew up in Houston, TX and he is an alum of Rice University (another small, liberal arts school). His “Northwest Exposure” includes 8 years in the San Juan Islands and 5 years on the Oregon coast, in addition to stints in Seattle and Portland. Wade worked for a successful network hardware startup company in Washington during the tech boom of the 90’s, has spent a few years at Microsoft, and has 9 years of library experience in the San Juan Island Library and the Coastal Resource Sharing Network. Outside the library, Wade says he enjoys surfing, cats, art and animal advocacy.

What is your primary role at Collins Library?

My primary role at the library is to identify, implement and support computer applications and technology that enhance the library’s ability to deliver its services. Currently, these applications include:

  • Simon, our  library catalog
  • Consortia and WorldCat-related platforms, including: WorldCat, ILLiad, Ariel
  • Subject / research guides platforms, such as Library a la Carte
  • DSpace and ContentDM, our digital collections and repository platforms
  • Our Electronic Resources Management (ERM) system for tracking ejournal content
  • A variety of “programmatic” web development efforts such as RSS feeds, public catalog interface, statistics delivery, and WorldCat API applications
  • SerialsSolutions 360, our open link resolver

What are some of the projects you are currently working on?

The projects I’m busiest on right now involve digital collections.  We are making more and more resources available online.  Some of these include the establishment of a digital archive for the Arches magazine,  a Master’s Theses repository for the School of Occupational Therapy, and a repository  for student undergraduate research. We’re also working on a hosted Puget Sound collection to be available within the ARTstor image collection.

What do you see in the future of libraries?

Though I don’t currently use them, I’m starting to come around to the idea of eBook technology. I think eBooks are still very early in terms of the development and adoption cycle. But similar to the way in which digital distribution has become the dominant paradigm in music, digital distribution will become the dominant paradigm for the written word. The iPod came out in 2001, and I personally haven’t bought music in physical form for probably 2 years (except for used discs). The Kindle came out in 2008. By 2015, will I have purchased my last new book in physical form?

Open scholarship is another “technology” that I think will impact academic libraries greatly over the next decade. Just as digital distribution has put a lot of pressure on the business models of more pedestrian content (opinion, music, news, classified); it’s also putting a lot of pressure on academic scholarship. As prices continue to skyrocket for electronic subscription to leading peer-reviewed academic journals, the academic community is starting to arm itself with easy-to-use web-based publishing platform tools and publishing and reviewing their work freely, in the spirit of creative commons, using a variety of licensing models. In fact, the fastest growing segment of our own ejournal collection is in open access journals. (This relates to a lot of the digital content projects we are working on in the Library)

A third area of rapid change is in the aggregation of services previously delivered locally. Many services traditionally run and managed locally, such as collections, databases, and search and discovery platforms, are now being aggregated into regional, national, and international platforms. Specific examples include the northwest regional Orbis-Cascade Alliance of which Puget Sound is a member, the ILLiad resource sharing platform, and Google and other search engines. In a way, this changes the role of the library from focusing on local resource management to focusing on service delivery and education.

Favorite technology application or interest?

I graduated from college before PCs became prevalent. So, as a “non-digital native”, I still find most technologies pretty intriguing. Lately, I’ve been playing around with my new Canon S90 camera and getting more into photography and image editing. I’m also becoming a streaming media enthusiast. I’ve been using Windows Media Center for the past view years for watching and recording TV, and also for listening to and managing my music collection. And I’m now giving the Zune music subscription service a trial run, and may soon “rent” rather than “own” most of the music to which I listen.

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Live Green!: Your Resolutions

jmkyoung | March 15, 2010

We asked you to contribute  your resolutions for living greener during Live Green month in the library. Here is a selected glimpse of your resolutions:

I will…

  • Read articles online & take digital notes instead of printing & highlighting!
  • Get less clothing!
  • Let my hair air dry!
  • Walk for every errand ≤1 mile
  • Stop printing readings
  • Take shorter showers
  • Unplug when I leave the room
  • Print double sided and don’t care when the page comes out backwards and don’t reprint
  • Print less!

You also asked us to set all library printers to automatically print double sided, which is our default. If you send a print job that isn’t automatically double sided, please ask for help a the Learning Commons desk and/or let us know what computer you were using. We’ll restore the defaults so you can carry on living green!

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History of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge

jmkyoung | March 15, 2010

Read the fascinating story of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge – from its Construction, Opening, Collapse, Aftermath, and Reconstruction.

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Let’s Get Social!

jmkyoung | March 10, 2010

getsocialCheck out Collins Library’s Social Media section on the library web site. We have many avenues of bringing you news & discussions, and continue to build even more!

  • Collins Unbound: News & information about libraries, books, reading and more!
  • Library Logged: Student suggestions on enhancing our library!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Utube
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Don’t Leave for Spring Break Without Plans to Enter the Collins Book Collecting Contest. You Could Win $1000!

jmkyoung | March 8, 2010

BCall for Entries: Collins Library Book Collecting Contest!
Have you collected items on your favorite topic – mostly books, but maybe including materials like photos, illustrations, maps, ephemera, CDs, music scores, or posters?  Say YES – and enter up to 30 items in the Collins Library Book Collecting Contest!  This contest is open to full-time Puget Sound undergraduates. Applications are due March 24, 2010, 5pm. 1st prize:  $1,000.  2nd prize: $500.

Collins library encourages your appreciation of reading and collected works for pleasure and scholarship. Contestants are invited to a reception at the Collins Memorial Library, April 15, 2010, 3:30 – 4:30 where contest winners will be annnounced. Submit your entry now!

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Most Amazing Libraries in the World!

jmkyoung | March 3, 2010
Trinity College Library

Trinity College Library

Be amazed at these expansive cathedral-like libraries shown in this article by the Huffington Post. See the current top 5 libraries, and even vote for your favorite!

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A capella Singers in the Library, Friday, March 5, 2010!

jmkyoung | March 1, 2010

music_whatsaidDon’t miss the beautiful voices of the A capella singing group this Friday, March 5, 2010, 4:00-4:30pm in the Collins library reading room. You’ll want to hear these gals – it’s going to be fantastic!  The group called “What She Said” is made up of 11 student singers: Audra de Laveaga, Marissa Ryder, Amy Jones, Lana McMullen, Cailin Fuller, Shani Cohen, Mercedes Curran, Emily Jarecki, Rachel Yaron, Carolyn Campbell, Becca Adams.

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Hot water on tap, at your convenience!

jmkyoung | February 26, 2010

Collins Library installs a new hot water tap next week – a lovely addition for those long hours of study! Here’s the scoop:

  • Monday, 3/8: Removal of drinking fountain & related demolition, rough-in. Kinda noisy – but that’s why they’re starting early – 6am!
  • Tuesday, 3/9: plumbing rough-in, begin counter install.
  • Wednesday, 3/10: Complete counter install, finish work.
  • Thursday, 3/11: Painting Removing the drinking fountain & related demolition will probably be a bit noisy.
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Focus on African American History Month

jmkyoung | February 24, 2010

Digital SchomburgDigital Schomburg

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a research unit of The New York Public Library, is generally recognized as one of the leading institutions of its kind in the world. For over 80 years the Center has collected, preserved, and provided access to materials documenting black life, and promoted the study and interpretation of the history and culture of peoples of African descent.  Digital Schomburg provides a wealth of important information.  Current Online exhibits include;  African Americans and American Politics: An Exhibition From The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, African Burial Ground, Harlem 1900-1940: An African-American Community and much much more!

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Live green at the library… week four!

Rebecca | February 22, 2010

watergraphblogWater Conservation

Our climate (especially right now…) might lead you to believe that water conservation isn’t a crucial issue in the Pacific Northwest. Reading a few of these books might convince you otherwise. Learn more about water issues across the American West, including our unique challenges in the Pacific Northwest, by checking out some of these books. Just click on the image to the left to find a list of selected books on the topic, or look for more in our catalog.

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