WKU Libraries blog

A reception (with refreshments) and a slide show featuring Charlie Smith’s recent London expedition took place on the afternoon of February 11 in Helm 108 (InfoLab).

Dr. Charles H. Smith, Western Kentucky University Libraries’ Science Librarian and Professor of Library Public Services, had been invited to give a presentation on British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace on Nov. 22 at a conference at The Linnean Society of London — the world’s oldest active biological society.

Photo Album

Professor and Web Site & Virtual Library Coordinator of Western Kentucky University Libraries Haiwang Yuan has a new book published recently. The new book Celebrate Chinese New Year is one of National Geographic’s children series “Holidays Around the World.” In the capacity of a consultant, Yuan co-authored the book with famed writer Carolyn Otto. The book explains the significance of the Chinese New Year traditions and captures of the festive mood with lively prose and spectacular illustrations.

Gung Hay Fat Choy or Happy Chinese New Year!

Dr. Charles H. Smith, Western Kentucky University Libraries’ Science Librarian and Professor of Library Public Services, has been invited to give a presentation on British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace on Nov. 22 at a conference at The Linnean Society of London — the world’s oldest active biological society.

The conference celebrates the double occasion of the 150th anniversary of the first presentation of the theory of natural selection in 1858, and the upcoming publication of Dr. Smith’s Oxford University Press book on Wallace titled “Natural Selection and Beyond: The Intellectual Legacy of Alfred Russel Wallace.”

“I’m looking forward to personally meeting several of the people I have been corresponding with over the years,” Dr. Smith said. “This conference is a great opportunity to share my views on Wallace as well as discuss related theoretical science ideas.”

Considered a leading expert on one of history’s most influential biology figures, Dr. Smith has reconstructed Wallace’s published bibliography and philosophy including making more than 500 of his publications accessible in full-text on the Internet. This work also has led to nine published papers and three book projects over the past several years.

Smith was recently nominated for membership in The Linnean Society of London and was made a “Fellow” by vote of Society members on Oct. 9, 2008. While in England, Smith will also be giving a lecture at the Wessex Institute of Technology. For more information, see Dr. Smith’s Alfred Russel Wallace website.

Charles Smith is quoted in an article linked to from the Huffington Post.

Bowling Green, Ky. - Rose Davis, coordinator for Bibliographic Access and Training for the Department of Librarydavis Technical Services at Western Kentucky University, received the Outstanding Academic Librarian Award from the Kentucky Library Association last week at the annual KLA conference.

Davis has held several leadership positions regionally as well as statewide including chair positions for Kentucky Library Association-Academic Section, Ohio Valley Users Group of Technical Services Librarians, Kentucky Southeastern Library Network Users Group, and Kentucky Virtual Library and Voyager Users Groups.

“Rose Davis exemplifies faculty dedication through her leadership which has spanned decades,” said Connie Foster, head of WKU’s Library Technical Services. “Her willingness to serve and her leadership in key state positions highlights her contributions to Kentucky academic librarians and reflects well on WKU’s reach beyond the community.”

Davis is responsible for cataloging and training within the University Library System. She follows a legacy of WKU librarians who have received this honor: Cynthia Etkin (1995), Connie Foster (1999), Elaine Moore (2001) and Rosemary Meszaros (2006).

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Jennifer Wilson at (270) 745-6977.

Haiwang Yuan of WKU Libraries led a Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA) delegation to China as a member of the Association’s Board of Directors. The delegation included James Rettig, President of the American Library Association; Robert Fernekes from the Zach S. Henderson Library of Georgia Southern University; Liana Hong Zhou, Director of the Kinsey Institute Library, Indiana University; Xueming Bao from the Seton Hall University Library; and Hong Miao from the Marywood University Library. James Rettig’s wife Monica Rettig was also among the delegates.

The event, named “The 2008 Sino-U.S. Forum on Library Practices,” was part of CALA’s 21st Century Librarian Seminar Series started in 2006. From July 11-13, this year’s forum took place at the Yunnan Dianchi Lake and Hot Spring Hotel in Kunming. The Forum was co-sponsored by CALA and the Yunnan Province Library Work Commission and was organized by the Yunnan University of Science and Technology Library.

About 200 librarians from over 50 institutions in China attended the Forum, including Beijing University, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Tongji University, East China University of Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Yunnan Normal University, and Yunnan University.

Photo Album

University Libraries celebrated the retirement of Interlibrary Loan Specialist Debra Day Friday, September 26, 2008. Debra began working at Western in 1984 and joined University Libraries in 1996. Department head Brian Coutts spoke, and Debra and her colleagues shared cake and other refreshments. We wish her well in this new chapter of her life.

Photo Album

Haiwang Yuan’s new book Princess Peacock: Tales from Other Peoples of China has been published!

China, the most populous country in the world, is also a nation of great diversity. In addition to the majority population of Han Chinese, there are 55 officially recognized national minorities–including Tibetan, Mongol, Manchu, Zhuang, Dai, and Gaoshan. The folklore of these minorities is often obscure and difficult to find in the English-speaking world, as is information about the people, their cultural histories, and their traditional customs. This book fills a gap by offering more than 50 representative folktales from China’s minorities, as well as background information on each of the ethnic groups.

Princess Peacock is a companion to Yuan’s The Magic Lotus Lantern and Other Tales of the Han Chinese, published in 2006. Carefully selected from the fathomless reservoirs of Chinese folklore, the tales from the books combined give the American reader a glimpse of the richness and diversity of a folk literature from an ancient and yet fast-modernizing China, which will definitely play an increasingly important role in world fairs, particularly after its successful hosting of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Chinese Students in ethnic costumes

Listed in Marquis’s 2009 edition of Who’s Who in America and currently working on his two-volume encyclopedia on Chinese ethnic groups, Yuan is also serving on the editorial board for and contributing to the five-volume Berkshire Encyclopedia of China.

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.

Deana Groves, assistant professor and education catalog librarian at Western Kentucky University, was presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award from the American Library Association last week at the ALA’s national conference in Anaheim, Calif.

The 2007 3M/ALA New Member’s Round Table Professional Development Grant was one of only three awarded in the United States in 2008 . The award, sponsored by 3M Library Systems for more than 30 years, recognizes selected librarians nationwide based on qualifications that include academic achievement, work experience, honors earned and library association activities.

“Deana’s achievements not only bring national attention to WKU library programs and faculty projects, but also support the university’s goal of developing international reach,” said Connie Foster, head of Library Technical Services. “She sets an exemplary standard and we are excited about this honor for her and WKU Libraries.”

On Thursday, June 26, 2008, Department of Library Public Services held a party to congratulate Nancy Marshall, Senior Reference Associate, on her new position as the Image Librarian with the Kentucky Library & Museum.

Photo album