ATTENTION: LIBRARY CLOSING SATURDAY OCTOBER 31, 2009
October 22, 2009
Our very capable electrical technician
Due to required electrical maintenance work, the Robert R. Muntz Library will be CLOSED all day on Saturday, October 31, 2009.
Please note that all online library resources (databases, the website, our reference e-mail service, so on) will be unavailable from Friday evening October 30 until we reopen the library on Sunday November 1st.
The library will reopen for regular hours on Sunday November 1st.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
* * *
Photo credit (used by terms of a Creative Commons license):
Summer 09 Edition of Library Newsletter Now Available
August 18, 2009
The Summer 2009 edition of Muntz Library Musings, our library newsletter, is now available. Some highlights from this issue include:
- The Muntz Library Gardens are now open.
- The Library Director discusses new changes at the library.
- Upcoming library events.
You can come by the library and obtain a copy. You can also read the newsletter online or print a copy from our website. Here is the direct link. In addition, if you visit the library’s website at http://library.uttyler.edu and click on “About” then “Newsletter” you can view previous issues of our newsletter as well. ‘
Effective this Summer I semester, the Library will be migrating the remote, OFF CAMPUS login to our databases to the Patriot Account Login. This is the same account that is utilized for the new Blackboard version 8, POPS, Patriot Air, Patriot Email (students), Patriot Webspace, the computers in the Campus Computing Center in BUS101, the Library, the Communications Lab, the Technology Lab, the Nursing Lab, and the Engineering Labs.
In addition to providing a uniform means of authentication across these numerous services, this change will allow the Library to more promptly provide access for our faculty, staff and students to our databases at the start of each semester.
We apologize in advance for any inconveniences this change may cause.
Every student, faculty member and staff member has been provided a Patriot Account. Your Patriot Account can be activated from either the Blackboard link (http://ccs.uttyler.edu/blackboard/) or the student email link (http://ccs.uttyler.edu/email/) found at the bottom of the UT Tyler homepage.
Additional assistance is available from the Campus Computing Center located in BUS101 or via email at itsupport@patriots.uttyler.edu.
Learn more about Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor
June 12, 2009
President Obama has nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. She would be the first Latina woman to the court should she be confirmed. There is a lot of interest in Judge Sotomayor, so I have rounded up a few sources that can help readers learn more about the judge.
- The Law Library of the Library of Congress has put together a selective bibliography Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. There are a lot of good links here.
- When a judge is nominated to a federal bench, whether it be a district court or the Supreme Court, they have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary has all nominees fill out a questionnaire. Here is that questionnaire, so you can see the actual questions. This link includes Sotomayor’s answers.
- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has issued report on Sonia Sotomayor. (link to press release; link to the full report. Note the full report is 88 pages in PDF). This report is fairly comprehensive and looks at the judge’s record on civil rights issues such as racial justice, voting rights, women’s rights, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion.
- The Alliance for Justice has issued what it labels as an in-depth report of Sonia Sotomayor’s record. The report’s title is “Access to Justice.” Link to the AFJ’s press release here. Direct link to the report itself here (Note: PDF file; the report is 14 pages). This report is part of a series of reports that AFJ is providing. This particular one covers the following: “access to justice issues encompass a number of procedural questions including justiciability, preemption, court-stripping, sovereign immunity, attorneys’ fees, interpretation of statutes of limitation and class-action certification. The report examines Judge Sotomayor’s record in each of these key areas and is based on her record both as a district and appeals court judge.” If you visit the website, you can find other reports. AFJ is a public interest group, and it describes itself as “a national association of environmental, civil rights, mental health, women’s, children’s, and consumer advocacy organizations.”
Note that you can also do your own research on Sonia Sotomayor with the databases Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe and Campus Research (Westlaw). Both of these are available in the library’s homepage on the databases page here. These two databases are susbcription-based resources, and you do have to be affliliated with the university to use them.
If you need assistance for using the databases, or with any other research needs, you can visit our reference desk. You can also contact us via the phone (903-566-7343), via email (library AT uttyler DOT edu), or use the UT System Ask a Librarian.
Update note: (7/21/09): Here is another resource I found on Judge Sotomayor. Via OpenCRS, a Congressional Research Service report on “Judge Sonia Sotomayor: Analysis of Selected Opinions.” The CRS is the investigative arm of Congress. Basically, they put together background research on any topic for Congress members so they can be prepared to make legislation. From the abstract, “this report provides an analysis of selected opinions authored by Judge Sotomayor during her tenure as a judge on the Second Circuit. Discussions of the selected opinions are grouped according to various topics of legal significance.” The link will take you to the abstract, and from there, you can download the report as PDF file.
If you wish to learn more about the Congressional Research Service, its reports, or how to locate them, feel free to ask us.
Over the course of summer 2009, the University Archives and Special Collections will be open during the following times:
Monday: 1:00pm-5:00pm
Tuesday: 1:00pm-5:00pm
Wednesday: 1:00pm-5:00pm
Please note that the University Archives and Special Collections will continue to be available by appointment as well. For appointments or additional information about the UASC, you can call 903-565-5849 or 903-565-5748.
The UT Tyler Robert R. Muntz Library’s spring edition of its newsletter, Muntz Musings, is now available. Patrons can find an electronic copy by visiting the library’s website, clicking on the link “About,” then then link for “Newsletter.” Here is the direct link (note: PDF document). You can also pick up a copy in person at the library.
Some highlights from this edition:
- Library director’s update on LibQual+ and library services.
- New exhibit at the University Archives and Department of Special Collections.
- A reminder of our food policy. We would like to keep the library neat as well as avoid the insects and rodents. In a nutshell, food is only allowed downstairs in the break room.
- Photos of the landscaping project.
- And much more.
So we hope you will grab a copy. Feel free to let us know what you think. You can leave comments here on the blog, on the library’s new Facebook page, or send us at e-mail at library AT mail.uttyler.edu (just replace the AT for the @ symbol).
On April 28, 2009,the UT Tyler Robert R. Muntz Library held its Annual Student Poetry Awards. This was the library’s capstone even for National Poetry Month. The event took place at Braithwaite Auditorium. The keynote was delivered by Texas poet Mr. Budd Powell Mahan of Dallas, TX. Following a reception and book signing, the event drew students and members of the community for a night of poetry and performance. This year, in addition to the trophies and certificate, we had a special award surprise for our student poets. Anonymous donors made a special gift to the university in honor of the UT Tyler Friends of the Arts. This allowed us to give a monetary award to our poets, and we would like to thank those donors for their generosity in encouraging our poets. The funds will be deposited into their student accounts. This year’s winners (with the monetary award in parenthesis) are:
- Tina Bausinger for “A Concerned Friend” ($100).
- Jason Mars for “My America” ($75).
- Caleb Krause for “Dada” ($50).
- George Mitchell for “Not Easily Broken, I stand” ($25).
The winners for first, second, and third place received a trophy; fourth place winner received a certificate. They all received a signed copy of Mr. Mahan’s book Falling to Earth as well. The poems were judged by a 5 judge panel: two librarians, two members of the English Department faculty, and a local professional poet. In the interest of disclosure, I was not one of the judges.
After opening remarks by Library Director Jeanne Pyle, local poet and friend of the library Anne McCrady (link to her blog here) gave the introduction for Mr. Budd Powell Mahan. McCrady described Mr. Mahan as an inspiration and the face of the Poetry Society of Texas. Mr. Mahan is a past president of the Texas Poetry Society. She also spoke of Mr. Mahan’s generosity with new and upcoming poets as well as his active involvement with poetry and the poetry organizations.
After the introduction, Mr. Mahan read from his books Falling to Earth and Harvest. He delighted the audience as he read from his works and talked about his experiences. Known for a warm and heartfelt style, this was evident in his poetry selections for the evening. After Mr. Mahan’s performance, the student poets received their awards, and then they read their award winning poems. Their poems were moving and represented a range of themes and images.
The library would like to take this opportunity to thank the UT Tyler Friends of the Arts and the members of the Texas Poetry Society for their generosity in making this event possible. Our gratitude to the donors who made the special awards possible. Our thanks as well to Joseph’s for providing the hors d’ouevres. And thank you as well to our panel of judges. You can find photos of the event in the library’s Facebook page.
We hope to see y’all next year.
Extended Hours for Finals Week, Spring 2009
April 30, 2009
The Robert R. Muntz Library will hold special extended hours for Finals Week, 2009. The extended hours are as follows:
Sunday May 3th: 1:00pm-2:00am
Monday May 4th: 7:30am-2:00am
Tuesday May 5th: 7:30am-2:00am
Wednesday May 6th: 7:30am-2:00am
Thursday May 7th:7:30am-2:00am
Note that Friday May 8th, hours are from 7:30am to 5:00pm.
During Finals Week, from Sunday to Thursday, the library will offer free hot coffee, hot cocoa, and hot tea from 7:00pm to 1:30pm.
Please note that after midnight, no one will be admitted without a valid student ID.
Good luck on finals!
Next week, April 12-18, 2009, is National Library Week. This national observance is sponsored by the American Library Association. ALA first sponsored it in 1958, and since then it is a great way to to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries – school, public, academic and special – participate.
In addition, Tuesday April 14, 2009 is National Library Workers Day.Library workers are all responsible for a wide variety of services that patrons come to expect from their libraries. The Robert R. Muntz Library works because they do.
To recognize National Library Workers Day, as well as to celebrate National Library Week, the UT Tyler Robert R. Muntz Library is hosting a reception and open house on Tuesday April 14, 2009 from 1:30pm to 2:30pm. Dr. Rod Mabry, President of The University of Texas at Tyler, will be here to read a special proclamation recognizing our library workers and the observances. In addition, library departments will be open to answer any questions from patrons, and we encourage our visitors to have a walk, look around, and learn about what we do.
There will be free cake and refreshments as well.
To learn more, you can visit the links provided, or you can contact Angel Rivera, Outreach Librarian, via e-mail at arivera AT uttyler DOT edu (just replace for the appropriate symbols) or at 903-566-7165. You can also visit the library’s website at http://library.uttyler.edu/.
The UT Tyler Robert R. Muntz Library is pleased to participate in the celebration of National Poetry Month during the month of April. The Academy of American Poets started the event in 1996, and since then, libraries, bookstores, schools, and other institutions join in to enjoy and celebrate poetry.
The library will be hosting various events during the month of April as part of the National Poetry Month celebration:
- Our Annual Student Poetry Contest. Get your pens out and start scribbling those verses. Once again, we are holding a poetry contest for UT Tyler students. This year, the contest runs from April 1, 2009 to April 17, 2009. Watch this blog for details and rules.
- Poetry Read-Out. We are also hosting a poetry read-out here in the library. Our annual poetry read-out will take place on Wednesday April 22, 2009 in the library’s reading room area (in the second floor). We invite students, faculty, staff, and even community members to come and share their favorite pieces of poetry. You can bring your own book, or you can use one of ours. You can also read your own poetry. The only caveat is that, if you wrote a poem for the student contest, you may not read it during the read-out. In addition, we will feature a special reading during the read-out of survivor poetry by members of the East Texas Crisis Center in recognition that April is also National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This special reading is made possible by a partnership of ETCC, the UT Tyler Wellness and Prevention Center, and the Robert R. Muntz Library. Watch this blog for more details.
- The Annual Student Poetry Awards. The big event for April will take place on Tuesday April 28, 2009 at Braithwaite Hall. This year we are delighted to welcome Texas poet Mr. Budd Powell Mahan of Dallas. Mr. Mahan has served as president of the Poetry Society of Texas and of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. A reading and address will be preceded by a book signing and reception. Copies of his books will be available for purchase. You may also bring in your own copies of his books to have signed. Poetry contest awards will be presented by Mr. Mahan after his reading. Stay tuned to this blog for more details. This event is free and open to the public. This event is made possible by the generosity of the UT Tyler Friends of the Arts.
- Poetry Month Display at the Library. The library will present a books and materials display for National Poetry Month. The list of books featured will be posted on this blog soon.
On behalf of the library staff and our academic community, I urge our readers and patrons to join us during these events. For more information about National Poetry Month and special events at the Robert R. Muntz Library, you can call the Reference Desk at 903-566-7343. You can also call Angel Rivera, Outreach Librarian, at 903-566-7165 or send me an e-mail at arivera (AT) uttyler (DOT) edu (just replace for the appropriate symbols). Additionally, you can visit the library’s website at http://library.uttyler.edu and the websites linked above to learn more.
