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New Library StaffMelissa VanTine Patrick Kiley Kristen Holder DeparturesScott Matheson Kiyori Iida Nicholas Onofrio Nancy Godleski TransfersKatherine Haskins
Staff In Focus
Both sadly and joyfully, the month of April marks the close of the 7-month long, 75th Anniversary season of celebrations. October ’05 commemorated the completion of the actual building of Sterling Memorial Library but it wasn’t until the following April that the building was finally dedicated into academic service. This month focuses on the architecture of Sterling with special tours and a talk, but I am thrilled to have this opportunity to help unveil a very special and more personal view of what this anniversary means to one of our long-time staff members. Many of you will know Claire Halloran who has worked faithfully in Access Services for the last 41 years. Currently in charge of Reserves in Cross Campus Library, Claire is one of those people who it is a real treat to spend time with and through whom you discover a multitude of fascinating facts and insights into all kinds of things, including how life at the library has changed over the years. It was during one of these times, accompanied by a cup of Earl Grey tea, which Claire so enjoys, that the story began to unfold of how special this anniversary is for her personally. Obviously Claire wasn’t around 75 years ago, but someone close to her was. Claire’s father, Frank Halloran, owner of Halloran Brothers Trucking, Inc., accompanied by his brother, Claire’s “Uncle John”, were the ones who every day for two years, would trek to the New Haven Rail Road to pick up 100 lb bags of mortar from the freight trains. After loading these onto their truck, they would then transport them back across New Haven to Sterling Memorial Library, which at that point was just a shell of a building, surrounded by high scaffolding. What happened next was quite remarkable. Frank and John would then literally throw the 100 lb bags up to the stonemasons on the scaffolding. Claire remarks that by the end of two years “ they had muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger!” Frank and John forged relationships with the stonemasons during these years and once told Claire a story about one of them who apparently had quite a temper. While working on the scaffolding, this particular mason kept getting his overall strap caught on one of the stone-carved heads and eventually became so infuriated that he completely knocked the head off with his hammer! It then had to be painstakingly repaired and restored to its rightful place. The consequences for the irate stonemason remain unknown!
After 41 years of working in Sterling, Claire also has her own fascinating stories to tell. After attending Southern CT State University, her working life actually began in the classroom where she taught children from nursery right through to 6th grade. But after many sore throats from talking so much, Claire admits that she never really felt that teaching was her calling in life. However, she always felt a draw to the Yale Library as a result of all the family stories and connections. Her library work life began in September 1965 in the original ‘Reserve Book Room’, which we now know as the ‘Periodical Reading Room’ (PRR). When she started, girls had not yet been admitted to Yale and so she spent her initial years processing reserved books for “the boys”. Claire recalls, “it was like serving hamburgers in a busy place during exam season!” Her least favorite recollection of that time was the lack of air conditioning especially during the years when construction for CCL outside produced a lot of dust in the air. With the windows open, she still remembers to this day the “boom-cha!” of the construction noise and the persistent jack hammering, along with the grimy feeling at the end of the day from all the dirt. Sometimes she said the phone would ring but the noise was such that a conversation was impossible! But Claire never thought to complain. As the Library currently prepares for the new Cross Campus renovations, Claire remembers the building of the first CCL in the late 60’s. The Reserve Book Room in Sterling became too small for reserve operations as time went on and it was decided that the pending Cross Campus Library would become its new home. She describes coming back from break one day in 1969 to be greeted by a large crowd of angry students protesting the removal of a beloved tree near the new CCL entrance and waving signs demanding “Save the Cross Campus!” After some negotiations, it was decided that the tree would be uprooted, have its roots bagged and be placed in another location. Given Claire’s petite stature, she tells how a couple of burly students had to lift her up to be able to see what was going on! Claire’s happiest memories include “being around exceptional, artistic, bright people” every day. “It’s a treasure” working here, she says. When asked about the changes that Claire has seen over the years, she responded, “there’s more diversity” and also noted that women now wear pants! Claire summarizes it all so well when she says “There are so many lives that have touched this building, more than you can imagine”.
Library In FocusClassics Library One of the top Classics Libraries in the country can be found on the fifth floor of Yale’s Phelps Hall. Thanks to recent renovations and windows with superb views of Old Campus and the rest of New Haven (the view of East Rock is so clear that it looks like it’s situated just a few feet away from campus,) it is also one of the handsomest. This non-circulating library was founded in 1892 by the Greek and Latin Club of Yale University, and it moved to its permanent home in Phelps Hall in 1896. It still uses Old Yale classification systems and wooden card catalogs, and it is one of the five libraries under the Yale Arts Library umbrella. At night it is staffed by students, and during the day it is run by Carla Lukas. Lukas is originally from Italy, from a town called “Atina.” When asked about her background, she tells inquiring visitors that Virgil called her town “Atina Potens.” When asked what she enjoys most about working at the Classics Library she says “This is my culture…here I’m home.” She points out the wood paneled bookshelves, red pine floors from Connecticut, the fireplace (which works but is sealed so that birds can’t fly in), the comfortable chairs, the arched windows, and more than 32,000 volumes of books on just about everything having to do with the classics—including Greek and Roman literature, paleography, papyrology, epigraphy, numismatics, history, classical archaeology and art, mythology, religion, science, philosophy, and the early history and literature of Christianity. This quiet, classically handsome library with the wonderful collection and
magnificent windows is worth a visit. The library’s hours and more information
can be found on their website: http://www.library.yale.edu/art/classics.html
Event HighlightsService Awards Ceremony On March 20th, the library held a reception to honor staff members with 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of service. Alice Prochaska thanked the group of honorees for choosing to work at Yale University Library and for choosing to stay. She listed major events both at Yale and in the world in the years that each group began their jobs at Yale, then called the names of each award recipient. This ceremony celebrated a combined total of 625 years of service to Yale.
SERVICE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AWARDS
This is the way we show public appreciation to our colleagues: with Service
Quality
Alice Prochaska introduced each category of award and its winner. Then Alice
described
Following the applause and ceremony, the large group adjourned. Next, those
in attendance ~submitted by Claire Halloran
AnnouncementsNominations sought for 2006 JCLC awards, scholarships SAN ANTONIO – The Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC) 2006 invites nominations for its awards and scholarships, which will be presented during its conference, “Gathering at the Waters: Embracing Our Spirits; Telling Our Stories,” to be held in Dallas October 11 - 15, 2006. The deadline for submissions is June 30, 2006. “I am excited that we are acknowledging the integration of professional efforts, intellectual creativity and community advocates (trustees, philanthropists, volunteers) who contribute to the essential elements of librarianship in our multicultural society,” said Liana Zhou, chair of JCLC Awards Committee. JCLC scholarships are made possible by funding from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), and will fund minority librarians, students or library staff, or those who serve minority communities to attend the conference in Dallas. Each of the five JCLC organizing caucus associations will present five $1,000 JCLC scholarships and an award in one of three categories: * JCLC Advocacy Awards The conference is the first-ever national conference to be held and sponsored by the five ethnic caucus associations affiliated with the American Library Association (ALA). The five caucus associations are the American Indian Library Association (AILA); the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA); the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA); the Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA), and REFORMA, the National Association to Provide Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking. “Ken Yamashita, co-chair, and I are pleased that JCLC provides the platform for recognizing the movers and shakers of our diverse professional communities and beyond,” said Gladys Smiley Bell, co-chair of the Steering Committee. For additional information and submission guidelines, please contact JCLC Award Committee Chair Liana Zhou at 812-855-3060 or zhoul@indiana.edu. ACES EDUCATIONAL CENTER for the ARTS OFFERING FREE SUMMER THEATRE PROGRAM New Haven, March 27, 2006- ACES Educational Center for the Arts is accepting applications for a FREE summer theatre program for children ages 11-13. Students residing in the Amity, Hamden, New Haven, North Haven, Wallingford and West Haven school districts are eligible to apply. Words! Action! Theatre! will run from July 10-July 28, Monday-Friday, 9:00am-3:00pm. Students will participate in acting classes, theatre games, improvisation, technical theatre and movement as well as an end of session performance. No previous acting experience required. Application deadline is Monday, May 1, 2006. Applicants are selected by lottery. Selected participants must attend a mandatory orientation workshop, Thursday, May 4, 6-7:30 pm or Sunday, May 7, 1-2:30 pm. Applications should be returned to ACES/ Educational Center for the Arts, 55
Audubon Street, New Haven, CT 06510. For more information call (203) 777-5451
or e-mail ischaeffer@aces.k12.ct.us. Upcoming Events
Yale Holiday Calendar
HR UpdatesLearning Plan Quarterly Report, March 31 2006 Total staff participation in the Learning Plan program is holding steady at 79% this fiscal year. We would like to see this increase to 85% by June 30, 2006. Keep submitting those Learning Plans!
Schedule a 30 minute meeting with Shaundolyn Slaughter during Learning Plan Thursday office hours from 10-12pm starting in May or contact her at Shaundolyn.slaughter@yale.edu for another day and time to share your learning successes and ideas for the Learning Plan program or to discuss your questions, ideas and/or concerns about developing your own Learning Plan. Looking for learning opportunities? Check out these sites for ideas! Trying to create more balance in your life? Consider the information found
at these sites. Although the Learning Plan is part of the Library’s Performance Appraisal Process and should be discussed during your Year-End Review and Planning Meetings, you can still review and revise your Learning Plan at any time. Feel free to review the Self-Directed User Guide at the Learning Plan Forms and Documents web site at: http://www.library.yale.edu/training/stod/lpforms.html Learning Plan funds are still available for approved LP activities. AULs and department managers can contact the business office to determine the amount of LP funds available for their area. Although many of the Learning Center’s courses are available at no cost* for C&T staff, continue to list these learning activities on your Learning Plan form. Click here to see which courses are available at the Learning Center at no cost for members of Local 34: http://learn.med.yale.edu/lcdb/courses/courseslist.asp * Please note that these courses are still subject to the $50 withdrawal fee
if you do not withdraw more than 48 hours before the start of the course. To
see the Learning Center’s Registration Information, visit: http://learn.med.yale.edu/lcdb/courses/courseslist.asp
"Did you know..."
© 2007 Yale University Library This file last modified 04/07/06 Send comments to andrew.gray@yale.edu  |
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Claire
Halloran
Claire’s
father and uncle weren’t the only ones who had a special connection to
Sterling. Her older sister Nancy, while a student at Albertus Magnus College,
also worked as a student in Sterling’s Cataloguing department during the
1950’s.
HR
in Focus 