Mary E. Brown, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chairperson
Information Science
Brown@SouthernCT.edu
Resources for Students:
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Abstracts of Grant Proposals[reviewer score]
INDEX:
- MIDDLETOWN DIGITIZATION PROJECT (Rainey, Sapphire)
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- Preserving the History of Middletown; Portrait of Middletown: Photographic Memoirs of a Town (Action, Hiker Mom, Marv)
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- Great Plains Summi (Cookie, Ora, Sister)
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- 3LT: Librarians_Learning, Leading, Training (AJ, East Coast, Storygirl)
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- Rocky Public Library Early Literacy Program (Acadic, Dobe, Matilda)
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- Collection Development to Support Human Rights Education at Teikyo Post University (May88, Zarzuela)
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- Preserving and Digitalization Historical State Library Information (Penny, Wedding Planner)
The Middletown Historical Society requests one-year funding to support initiation and implementation of a digitization project. The project will result in the creation of a web-based database of historically significant documents and other items of local, regional, and national importance, in order to protect fragile documents and facilitate increased use of the Societyıs collection by students, historians, local residents, writers, and genealogists.
The Societyıs library director will oversee the project, hiring two part-time employees, managing the budget, evaluating the process and final product, providing for sustainability of the project, and promoting the project. A full-time librarian will manage day-to-day activities, including selecting materials to be digitized, scanning and indexing of materials, creating the database, developing the website, and coordinating with other organizations. Two part-time employees will receive training in use of the scanning and database software, and will devote most of their time to the actual conversion process. The request includes the acquisition of all necessary hardware and software, as well as furnishings to house them. [36]
Rainey, Sapphire
The unique collection of historical daguerreotypes, glass negatives and photographs archived in the Middletown Historical Society Library are a treasure to the citizens of Middletown and to the entire state. By expanding the medium of availability and transferring them into a digital collection available via the World Wide Web, these rare images will be accessible to a limitless number of people. The rarity, fragility and value of this photographic collection creates a barrier for public use because the majority of these images are currently unavailable for public inspection. Professional librarians and others on staff at MHSL in forming the MHSL Digitalization Committee will analyze and determine an initial 500 images to undergo the process of digitalization. Utilizing training from a consultant and developing expertise in the field of digitization, the committee will successfully create Portrait of Middletown: Photographic Memoirs of a Town as a database of value to researchers, scholars and citizens engaged in the study of Connecticut history.
The Middletown Historical Society Library has identified key staff members to oversee this project, allowing for twenty months to complete it. They will successfully bring photographic images out of their archival folders, and, via digital technology, deliver them into the computers terminals of citizens to enjoy and utilize for pleasure viewing or historic research purposes. Through the course of this project, the Digitization Committee will:
- Create and execute a plan to identify 500 historic photographs in the MHSL collection.
- Acquire the knowledge and skills to transfer the chosen images digitally to the Middletown Historical Society website.
- Promote Portrait of Middletown: Photographic Memoirs of a Town to all potential persons and organizations with an interest in Connecticut history.
- Evaluate the project in order to maintain the site and to add future historical documents to the web.
In keeping with the long-term goals of the MHSL to make Connecticut history available to citizens, Portrait of Middletown: Photographic Memoirs of a Town, when completed will be the cornerstone of future projects. It is the intent of MHSL to bring an important Connecticut collection of ephemera to the Societyıs web page. Maps, land records, marriage certificates and diaries owned by the society will eventually all be linked via the web and available without restrictions to the public. [34]
Action, Hiker Mom, Marv
Physicians and healthcare professionals in rural and frontier areas face unique barriers to accessing current and accurate medical and health information. Academic medical libraries and hospital libraries face challenges when meeting the needs of physicians and healthcare professionals in rural and frontier areas. The Great Plains Summit will formally address and explore solutions to remove the barriers and to meet the challenges that exist in providing expanded access to and expanded delivery of current and accurate medical and health information to physicians and healthcare professionals in rural and frontier areas. The Great Plains Summit will assemble librarians, information specialists, information technologists, and healthcare administrators from academic medical libraries, hospital libraries, clinics, and healthcare organizations/associations in North Dakota and South Dakota for committee workgroups, panel discussions, seminars, and presentations. The panel discussions, seminars, and presentations will be lead by librarians and information specialists with expertise in the field of information delivery and consortia development.
The project will be completed in three phases. The pre-summit phase will: identify and recruit summit participants; develop and implement a communication network for participants; conduct a formal needs assessment; form summit committees; contract with consultants; and plan the summit. The second phase, the Great Plains Summit, will occur over four days and formally address ten topics and issues through committee workgroups, panel discussions, seminars, and presentations. The topics and issues to be addressed will be:
- Identification of and possible solutions to remove the specific barriers that exist in North Dakota and South Dakota that prevent physicians and healthcare professionals in rural and frontier areas from accessing current and accurate medical and health information.
- Identification of and possible solutions to meet the specific challenges that academic medical libraries and hospital libraries face in providing expanded services to physicians and healthcare professionals in rural and frontier areas of North Dakota and South Dakota.
- A review and evaluation of the existing technology infrastructures that exist in North Dakota and South Dakota.
- A review and evaluation of existing consortial agreements between academic medical libraries, hospital libraries, and other libraries and information consortia in North Dakota and South Dakota.
- A review, evaluation, and analysis of the formal needs assessment conducted during the pre-summit phase.
- A review and evaluation of existing communication methods between academic medical libraries and hospital libraries with physicians and healthcare professionals in North Dakota and South Dakota.
- A review of current consortia models providing expanded services to physicians and healthcare professionals in rural and frontier areas and an evaluation and analysis of how current consortia models might be adapted to North Dakota and South Dakota.
- A review and analysis of consortia agreements provided by database, full-text journal, and online book vendors.
- The development of a framework for future goals and plans for academic medical libraries and hospital libraries to meet the needs of physicians and healthcare professionals in rural and frontier areas of North Dakota and South Dakota.
- The development of committees to carry on the work begun by the Great Plains Summit.
The post-summit phase will: continue committee activity; organize summit findings; disseminate summit findings; conduct summit evaluations; and develop plans for the future.
The Wegner Health Science Information Center (Wegner Center), University of South Dakota School of Medicine will serve as the primary (applicant) library and coordinating library for South Dakota. The Harley E. French Library of the Health Sciences (French Library), University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences will serve as a partner library and coordinating library for North Dakota. Already eighteen other academic medical libraries, hospital libraries, clinics, and healthcare organizations/associations have agreed to actively participate in the Great Plains Summit. [29]
Cookie, Ora, Sister
Technology is increasingly becoming an integral part of library processes and services. Library patrons frequently demand assistance from library staff in various computer applications. Other routine library functions can also be streamlined through the use of common office applications. Unfortunately, not all librarians have the necessary skills or have received the necessary training to use technological applications effectively. Office applications, such as Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint, and Access are among the most commonly used and most frequently requested computer programs. The use of web design applications is also becoming more essential in library functions. In order to elevate the level of technological skill among librarians and to provide them with adequate training to use these programs effectively, the Southern Maryland Regional Library System (SMRL) has developed a technology staff development program, 3LT: Librarians_Learning, Leading, Training.
This program will be implemented in two phases. The first will use the services of an external training company to conduct workshops in office and HTML. The second phase will involve librarians, who have received special training, to continue teaching their colleagues. This internal training method will allow SMRL to perpetuate the training program beyond the grant year and to address future training needs. SMRL will also make use of video-conferencing equipment to broaden the influence of the program and to decrease travel costs. In addition, SMRL will also produce a variety of training materials and make them accessible via an intranet network to supplement the training classes. Responsibility for the project and its operations will be divided among the Project Director, the Project Coordinator, and three County Library Directors.
The anticipated costs of 3LT will total $150,336. SMRL plans to contribute $75,465, approximately 50%, in materials, salaries, and staff time, for the development of the project. This proposal requests $74,871 in grant funds to start the program, contract a training company, and hire a project coordinator.
Through 3LT, SMRL hopes to achieve a more efficient, effective, and innovative staff. These skills will also give them the ability and confidence to assist patrons with these programs. By sharing experience and resources, SMRL also plans to expand the program and invite other libraries throughout Maryland to participate in subsequent years. Other plans to disseminate the results of this program will allow other libraries and librarians to benefit from SMRLıs experiences and introduce a cost-effective method of increasing technological skills among library staffs. [36]
AJ, East Coast, Storygirl
Rocky Public Library Early Literacy Program
In the past 5 years the population of the Rocky Public Library has gained 10,000 new citizens, which is a 30% increase. The number of children in this increase is at about 50%, with as many as 40% coming from the preschool age. The demographics indicate an increase in the kindergarten enrollment for the town over the next 5 years. This program will help prepare children for school, which is supported by the fact that at least 90% of the children attending at least half of the early literacy programs between the ages of 3 to 5 will be proficient in kindergarten entrance evaluations. These include the ability to recite and write the alphabet, numbers 1-10, recognize 75% of all site words, and are able to spell their first names. The primary goals of this project are quality programs and services for children, especially the preschool population of 3 and 4 year olds. A secondary goal would be to strengthen the professional staff at the Rocky Public Library by designing a Childrenıs Literacy Librarian position, as well as assigning current staff to new positions.
The major activities for this project include developing and implementing an early literacy program and providing a trained childrenıs librarian to design and carry them out). This includes designing the lessons and gathering materials (books, flyers, professional literature, etc) and effectively promoting the new program through a comprehensive Public Relations package (which would include our website, flyers, exhibits, and additional items). Additional tasks include pre program evaluation, as well as post program evaluation to measure results. Implementation of the program, as well training and evaluation throughout the program will be important. The second half of this project involves rewriting/creating a new job description for the Childrenıs Literacy Librarian, and reassigning current staff duties to fit into this new program.
The anticipated results of this project include increased phonological awareness in children, demonstrated proficiency with the alphabet and word recognition, increased phonemic awareness, increased vocabulary, an understanding of concepts about print. These results will be measured with a survey that will be given to participating preschoolers at the beginning and end of the program. The survey will cover the previously mentioned concepts, and assess the preschoolerıs level of understanding. The goal is to increase preschoolerıs skills by 10% so that they will succeed in kindergarten.
Outcome Objectives:
- Reduce the overcrowding/high enrollment within our existing Childrenıs programs by 5% through the implementation of the new literacy program, and the redistribution of the existing staff.
- Ensure that clear and concise job descriptions are written for the job of Childrenıs Literacy Librarian, an MLS position, to ensure that this position will be maintained and consistent. This will also ensure that this position will stay at a professional level.
- To provide quality emerging literacy programming that will ensure preschoolers in the community are better prepared to enter Kindergarten and begin formal literacy instruction.
Process Objectives:
- Increase the amount of time that a professional librarian is in the Childrenıs Department of the library.
- Increase the amount of time that the current librarian can spend in other parts of the library, and increase staff efficiency and productivity by reassigning tasks and duties.
- Create a better collaborative working relationship with the local school district to foster literacy within the community.
[11]
Acadic, Dobe, Matilda
Teikyo Post University, a small private Connecticut university with an international focus, seeks to provide all students with a global education without prejudice. To further this mission as well as increase student retention, a First Year Foundations program was launched in Fall 2001 to provide freshmen students with academic and social support during the initial year of college. Embedded within the curriculum of the First Year Foundations program is an overarching emphasis on human rights education. Students progress through three modules ? the first strengthens study skills, research and social skills needed to succeed at the college level. The second and third modules require students to apply learning to the study of human rights and peace topics in preparation for a culminating Global Symposium.
The Rose Traurig Library collection, which supports this emergent program, is outdated and undeveloped in its collection of human rights and international peace studies. A strengthened print and electronic collection of human rights materials would provide access to a wide base of information for the ongoing study of tolerance and global awareness. If approved, the funding requested would be applied to develop the print collection of serials, books and videos available for circulation to students, staff and all Connecticut residents through interlibrary loan arrangements. In addition, increased access to relevant databases will benefit student researchers and community members using the library on campus. [10]
May88, Zarzuela
The State Library of West Virginia proposes a two-year project to preserve and digitize the core historical state information literature at the state library and migrate part of the collection at the West Virginia Library Commission from obsolete formats to current formats. This literature will be identified through bibliographic analysis by librarians at the West Virginia Library Commission and ranked by such specialists in the historical field to determine the importance of individual titles. In the course of this project the State Library and the West Virginia Library Commission will: Begin the work of preserving irreplaceable state historical information, create a digital library of at least 500 volumes of the most highly ranked material from the State Library collection, and create a searchable database and an access point to the collection on the State Library and West Virginia Library Commission online catalogs. Our goal is to create a core digital collection, train librarians in the creation and maintenance of a digital collection, and create a training manual and program that will provide training for other librarians in West Virginia. [20]
Penny, Wedding Planner
On this class site, every effort has been made to acknowledge the work of others. Any omission is unintentional. If anyone finds an oversight, please contact me at brown@southernct.edu immediately so that any error can be corrected.
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