WKU Libraries blog

University Archives are continually loading unidentified images on Flickr.

Please check it out and let us know if you can identify anyone in an image or share a memory about a person or an event that you find there.

For more information about the University Archives Photograph Collection: check out http://www.wku.edu/Library/dlsc/ua/pc.htm.

Suellyn Lathrop, University Archivist/Records Officer

Some of the WKU Libraries faculty and staff celebrated University Color Day standing on the Jump Circle on the first floor of Helm Library, which used to be the gym of the university.

A new video to introduce the WKU Libraries has been released on YouTube, accessible from the Libraries’ web site at www.wku.edu/Library/tour/. Or you may get the video directly from YouTube, which is linked from our Libraries’ home page.

The video is planned by a committee of Libraries’ faculty led by Peggy Wright and produced by Josh Niedwick, Associate Producer/Director for WKYUPBS. It is made available by a Provost’s Initiative for Excellence (PIE) grant in the amount of $4,000 and the support of Mike Binder, Dean of Libraries.

Like every year, WKU Libraries kicked off the 2008-2009 academic year at a meeting in Helm 100 on August 20. Mike Binder, Dean of Libraries, keynoted the meeting with a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the achievements made by the Libraries’ faculty and staff in the past year (You may download the PowerPoint ). Meanwhile, the department heads briefed the audience on their departments’ personnel changes and introduced their new hires. A sumptuous lunch followed, thanks to the Dean’s graciousness and the hard work done by the staff of his office.

In the afternoon, the department heads took the floor. Brian Coutts, Department Head of Library Public Services, introduced a newly produced video that leads patrons on a tour of the Libraries; Connie Foster, Head of Library Technical Services, introduced SelectedWorks, a web-based platform that allows faculty to present their works of academic research hands down; Timothy Mullin, Head of Library Special Collections, introduced Libraries’ application of Second Life, a virtual environment on the web that promises new services to Libraries’ audiences.

Photo Album of the Events.

Every summer faculty of each of the WKU Libraries’ departments will meet separately to look back into the past and look forward to the future. On August 19 faculty of the Department of Library Public Services (DLPS) met at the Federal Groves Bed & Breakfast as usual to share information about its different units. At noon Dr. Binder, Dean of Libraries, joined them for lunch.

Photos of the Event.

On Saturday, April 16, antique lovers from around South Central Kentucky participated in an Appraisal Day at the Kentucky Library & Museum. Appraisers were on hand to tell them something about their family heirlooms and give them an idea of the value of their treasures.

More photos

Every year Dr. Brian Coutts, Head of Public Services at WKU, reviews the Best Reference Books of the past year. But not only does he review reference works, he also writes and contributes to reference works.

The Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture, is a monumental work and represents the best of scholarship on Latin America. It includes over 5000 articles, and over 3000 biographies inclusive of all periods from prehistoric times to the present. It features over 100 full-color photographs in addition to hundreds in black-and-white.

Dr. Coutts, who has a PhD in Latin America History, wrote the main country article for Belize, and the article for the capital of Belize - Belmopan. In addition, he wrote biographies for the first three Prime Ministers of Belize - George Price, Manuel Esquivel and Said Musa - as well as shorter articles on New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana and other topics.