March 2004
Volume 26
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In this Issue

Promotions

Katie Bauer
ELI Interface Librarian
Kline Science Librarian
2/23/2004

Departing Employees

Michael Strom
Archivist
Manusrcipts & Archives
2/18/2004

Retirees

Pauline Orlando Catalog Department Pauline Orlando retired on January 30th after 35 years of service. Pauline worked in various units in the Catalog Department at the Sterling Memorial Library with the last four years in the Catalog Management Team. The Catalog Management Team honored her with a Coffee Social in the Sterling Spoon where over 75 colleagues attended.

Rose Marie Sirignano CCL Security Desk Monitor When Rose retired from Yale in March 2002, she had been the Monday through Friday, daytime security monitor in CCL for 12 years. Looking back, she fondly recalls the many fascinating people she met. Rose has a deep appreciation for people and the challenges each person faces in life. Indeed, she plans to keep herself nice and healthy so that she can be of help to family and friends. Rose would like to remind her Yale friends to, "Enjoy life to the fullest, knowing you got to this point by being honest and trustworthy."

Staff Highlights

2004 Lucretia W. McClure Excellence in Education Award

Jan Glover along with Katy Nesbit (posthumously) won the 2004 Lucretia W. McClure Excellence in Education Award from the Medical Library Association.

This prestigious award recognizes Jan and Katy's valuable contributions in evaluating the impact of formal training on effective searching behaviors in students, as well as the high quality courses they co-developed and taught to their MLA colleagues, to faculty and students in their respective institutions, and to hundreds of members of the American College of Surgeons at the 86th and 87th Clinical Congresses.

Event Highlights

YUL International Party

On January 16, 2004, Yale University Library held a staff party of international perspective, the first of its kind. To celebrate the completion of the Library's strategic planning process, over 200 Library employees and their families attended the event in Sterling Memorial Library. The party featured an array of international dishes and live music, all supplied by staff members. Great thanks are due to everyone who brought food, and especially to our resident staff musicians who volunteered their time (and that of their band-mates) for our benefit: Michael Frost, Mickey Koth, Brian Kupiec, and Roy Lechich.

The party allowed YUL staff members to see parts of SML they may not have seen before, including the L&B Reading Room, the Nave, the Lecture Hall, the Memorabilia Room, and the official unveiling of the newly renovated Spoon, SML's staff lounge. Those who "completed the course" and visited every event room were entered into a drawing to win one of three gift certificates to local vendors. The winners were Scott Gac, Alyson Wade (c/o Dan Wade) and Maria Hunenko.

Thanks to all those who made the party such a success through food, music, and great company!

Brian Kupiec, Beinecke; Roy Lechich, Systems; their band "Rattlesnakin' Daddies	Mickey Koth, Music Library& band "Wildnotes"
Alice Prochaska University Librarian	Michael Frost

Staff Member in Focus

Michael Gilman
Kline Science Library

If one day you wander up Science Hill to the building that looks like there are stacks of pennies on the top, pause to ponder the Giant Squid replica hanging in the lobby, and wind your way downstairs to the library, you'll find Michael Gilman at the circulation desk. A Library Services Assistant II, Michael provides coverage for the circulation desk, fills Eli Express and other patron requests for materials, responds to patrons' email correspondence, and keeps tabs on searches for missing items. Prior to taking over daytime desk duties he was the Binding Assistant at Kline. Michael has also worked in the Acquisitions Department at SML, and Access Services Departments at both SML and CCL.
Michael grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, though some of his early days were spent in New York. He earned his degree from SUNY New Paltz, majoring in English with a minor in music. In college he enjoyed working at the University radio station and writing for the newspaper.

His interests include reading, movies, and the works of obscure composers. Michael has also developed a love of travel. One of his most compelling trips was his journey to India. In 1999 Michael traveled to India with his wife Aditi, where they were married in a Hindi ceremony. The celebration lasted all day, and they professed their vows in Sanskrit. Michael is proud to report that his new relatives were impressed with his accent! While the poverty of the country made a strong impression upon him, he was equally impressed with the spirited determination by people to overcome it. "There were bookstores everywhere," he says, "and everyone seemed to be reading or carrying books with them." Despite the hardships, literature, art, and culture were obviously celebrated and valued.

This past November Michael and Aditi spent three weeks in Europe, visiting Rome, Paris, and London. His favorite part of the trip was Italy. He found it the most different from the States, more unique than Paris or London. He thought it surpassed Paris as a romantic destination, although he was pleased to report that the people they encountered in Paris were the most polite, helpful, and generous!

When asked what he liked most about working in the library, Michael responded that he likes the access to books, and working in the midst of one of the greatest library collections in the world. He says there is no excuse now not to explore the great literature that you always intended to read!

by Marybeth Bean
Kline Science Library

Recipes

Andrea’s Fudge Cake
Submitted by Cindy Crooker from the Medical Library
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Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

Colcannon
Submitted by Lynn Sette from the Medical Library

Irish Bread
Submitted by Maryetta Russell from Library Administrative Services

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A Word From the University Librarian

Dear Colleagues,

It has come to my attention that rumors have been circulating about possible lay-offs in the Library, arising from the need to cut our budget. These rumors are untrue. They have no foundation in fact. Our budgeting process for the fiscal year 2005 shows us that the Yale University Library is able to meet the cuts required of us by holding open positions that are currently vacant through the normal process of resignations and retirements.

I repeat below the relevant portion of the message I sent out to staff earlier this month about the university's budget planning exercise:

Salary savings: The university is identifying efficiencies and savings in many different areas, but we still need to achieve $9.6 million in salary savings, which means saving somewhere between 200 and 250 positions. Many of these savings will arise from natural attrition through resignations and retirements, where positions can be left unfilled. There will be a small residue of salary savings needed that lead to some layoffs in certain parts of the university. It is anticipated that these will amount to about one quarter of the number of positions needed overall. (NOTE: there are adequate numbers of open positions within the Library to achieve our savings, and some of these in fact are being filled on a selective basis after discussion by LMT. At this time, we do not anticipate that there will be any lay-offs in the Library.) For those individuals who may be laid off, the university is undertaking a very full program of counseling, job searching and other assistance in an attempt to reduce difficulties for the individuals concerned to a minimum. Staff at all levels and union leaders are being closely consulted.

The statement given in bold letters here remains true. Let me please emphasize that we have absolutely NO plans for lay-offs in the coming year in the Yale University Library.

I am concerned that these false rumors will have given rise to understandable anxiety on the part of many members of staff. Please feel free to come and talk to me about any concerns you may have. If a group of staff in any part of the Library system wishes to meet with me as a group, I will be glad to come to your library, if that is easier for you. Just fix a time in my calendar. Meanwhile, there will be staff tea in the Sterling Spoon tomorrow morning, Thursday February 26, from 9:30 to 10:30. I will be there and available to talk through any issues anyone may wish to raise. I am also offering an addition to my normal office hours this week: from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. this Friday, February 27. My normal office hours are generally from 8:30 to 9:30 on Mondays whenever I'm in town. Next Monday they'll be a little later: from 9:30 to 10:30. Just come along to the Library Administrative Offices and ask to see me. Diane Turner, who is on leave this week, will be back in the office on Monday, and also available to talk to anyone who would like to ask her more about the university's and the library's plans.

Alice Prochaska

Library in Focus

The Yale Collection of the Literature of the American Musical Theatre, founded by Robert Barlow in 1953, includes recordings, manuscripts, librettos, sheet music, scores, and programs of Broadway shows. Thecollection has been enriched by manuscripts and papers bequeathed by Cole Porter (Yale 1913), as well as by he papers of E. Y. ("Yip") Harburg, the manuscripts of Sam Pottle (Yale 1955) and a set of performing materials for a ca.-1900 touring minstrel show "The South Before the War" There are extensive holdings of sheet music published from before 1900 to the 1970's, including the works of such composers as Irving Berlin, Kurt Weill, and Harold Rome (Yale 1929, whose papers are held in the Music Library). The Yale Collection of Historical Sound Recordings houses and maintains the musical theatre materials and continues to collect original cast recordings of important Broadway shows and performers, past and present. Materials are available for study by appointment in HSR.

Types of patrons: In the last few years researchers have studied materials in the collection for groups, recorded performances for course assignments, for preparing revivals and recordings of shows and songs from shows, for illustrations to be published in books and articles, for materials or ideas to use in films (a film about Cole Porter is in preparation now), for items to include in recitals, and for study of (artistic) design as shown in sheet music covers.

Click for more covers

 

article submitted by Claire Halloran, Access Services
& Richard Warren, Music Library

HR in Focus

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Calendar of Events

 

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HR Updates

Casual/Temporary Employment
The Central Labor Relations Office has recently advised us that the Library must be considered one budgetary unit, and that our previous casual employment practice of placing casual and temporary employees in more than one budgetary unit must be discontinued. A similarity was drawn between the Library and the Office of Professional Services (OPS) at the Medical School. In an arbitration case involving OPS, the arbitrator ruled that the casual employee involved in this situation should have been employed as a floater (Local 34 member) and provided with the opportunity of moving from one department to another. Central to the arbitrator's ruling was the fact that OPS centrally controlled the hiring process, and therefore, was viewed as one budgetary unit and was in a position to monitor the placement and duration of each placement. The University views the Library and other similar departments in the same manner.

For the full letter
click here

For questions regarding casual/temporary employment please contact Jessica Linicus, Human Resource Coordinator.

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Service Awards
The 2004 Service Awards will be held on March 22, 2004 in the Sterling Memorial Library Lecture Hall from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.. The following people are being recognized for having achieved their 5, 10, 15, or 20 year anniversary date between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004:

Jennifer Aloi 5 Monte Bailey 5 Jeffrey Barnett 5 Steven Bernstein 5 Renee Cawley 5 Stephen Cohen 5 Michael DiMassa 5 Joan Emmet 5 Christopher Fiorillo 5 Michael Frost 5 Aletia Garvey 5 Gareth Gibson 5 Charles Greenberg 5 Cindy Greenspun 5 Erika Heinen 5 Mary Holder 5 Salvatore Iannaccone 5 Susan Jaffe 5 Christopher Killheffer 5 Hans Kirsch 5 Lawrence Martins 5 Danelle Moon 5 Kevin Reed 5 Stephanie Schmitt 5 Joseph Simone 5 Gennifer Sindoni 5 Dawn Todd 5 Frank Boateng 10 Susan Brady 10 Bernadette Cioffi 10

John Giamattei 10 Cynthia Ostroff 10 Erek Robinson 10 Judy Spak 10 Nanette Stahl 10 Bonnie Turner 10 Christine Weideman 10 Elizabeth Beaudin 15 Shana Jackson 15 Magan Jain 15 Laura Johnson 15 Marie Kozak 15 Tatjana Lorkovic 15 Beatrice Luh 15 Alice Marsh 15 Brian Mendez 15 Barbara Olszowa 15 Steven Oyler 15 George Page 15 Margaret Powell 15 Nancy Redding 15 Vincent Rosarbo 15 Sandra Weber 15 Araceli Cruz 20 Judith Cummings 20 Christine de Vallet 20 Elena Gusev 20 Melvin Jones 20 Sandra Peterson 20 Karl Schrom 20

 

For questions concerning the service awards, please contact Bernadette Cioffi at x21810 or e-mail bernadette.cioffi@yale.edu or Victoria Gambardella at x21810 or e-mail victoria.gambardella@yale.edu.

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Suggestions and Comments
Send all comments to the Editor, Jessica Linicus

If you would like something or someone featured in the next Library Links, please contact me at Jessica.Linicus@yale.edu.

Library Human Resources hopes you enjoyed this issue of Library Links.
You can also contact one of the members of the Library Links Committee.

~Robin Gordon~Randy Main~Marybeth Bean~Susan Brady~Lynn Sette~George Stranz~Pedro Soto~
Julie Niemeyer~Tanya Allen~Emily Horning~Diane Ducharme~Ceasar Zapata~Claire Halloran~

Wellness in Focus

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Humor in Focus

Wellness Now

'Superfoods' Everyone Needs
Experts say more than a dozen easy-to-find 'superfoods' can do wonders for your health.

Whether you're trying to prevent cataracts, macular degeneration, cancer, or cardiovascular disease, the same type of preventive dietary measures apply. The whole body is connected: a healthy heart equals a healthy eye and healthy skin. You'll hear about all these special diets for special health needs, but really, the same diet and the same lifestyle choices prevent the same diseases. With rare exceptions, you don't need 20 different preventive modalities -- just one really good diet.

And that one really good diet should be founded on these "superfoods":

Beans Blueberries Broccoli Oats Oranges Pumpkin Salmon

Soy Spinach Tea (green or black) Tomatoes Turkey Walnuts Yogurt

When incorporated into your regular daily diet, these foods can stop some of the changes that lead to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer's, and some cancers. I picked them out after researching all of the world's healthiest diets: for example, Japanese diets, Mediterranean diets, and even some of the healthier dietary patterns in the United States. I noticed that it's the same food groups wherever you live.

Walnuts: The Good Fat
Every nut, even macadamias -- the fattiest -- has been found to improve cholesterol, Pratt reports. "Walnuts are among the superstars. They're an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids," he says. Salmon is another great source of these heart-healthy fatty acids.

"Studies show that you can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by 15% to 50% if you eat a handful of nuts five times a week. If you found a pill that did the same thing, you'd make a fortune." Of course, chowing down on a huge tub of walnuts can be counterproductive, so as always, watch your intake. A handful of dry, roasted, unsalted walnuts -- about 14 walnut halves -- has about 150 calories, and is enough to yield "superfood" benefits.

Add Some Color to Your Diet
When you're thinking "superfoods," think color, says Beverly Clevidence, PhD, a research leader at the USDA's Diet and Human Performance laboratory. That means foods that are deep blue, purple, red, green, or orange. They contain health-enhancing nutrients that protect against heart disease and cancer, and also improve our sense of balance, our memory, and other thinking skills.

Soy for Cholesterol
Not everyone is convinced about soy's heart-healthy benefits but its cholesterol-lowering benefits do seem powerful enough. A study reported July 2003 in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that a diet of soy fiber, protein from oats and barley, almonds, and margarine from plant sterols lowered cholesterol as much as statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol medicine.

Fiber for Your Whole Body
Beans and oats are great sources of fiber. Fiber helps keep our cholesterol and blood sugar levels low and our bowels functioning smoothly. Studies show that dietary fiber -- including foods such as apples, barley, beans and other legumes, fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, oat bran and brown rice -- clearly lower blood cholesterol. High-fiber foods are also digested more slowly, so they don't cause spikes in blood sugar levels like white bread, potatoes and sweets do. Of course, everyone knows that fiber helps keep you regular. High-fiber foods also help us feel full, making it easier to control weight.

Calcium for Your Bones
Yogurt and other dairy products help keep your bones strong and lessen your chance of fractures as you get older, calcium also keeps teeth strong, helps your muscles contract, and your heart beat. Recent studies have even shown that calcium may lower your risk of colon polyps, and help you lose weight. Researchers at Purdue University found that women who consume calcium from low-fat dairy products, or get at least 1,000 milligrams a day, showed an overall decrease in body weight.

So are "superfoods" for real, or just another diet-book gimmick in a market flooded with them? "I think it's a good message," says Beth Kitchin, MS, RD, assistant professor in the department of nutrition at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. "There's good data to support the health benefits of all these foods. They're what we might call 'functional foods,' because you eat them for a very specific purpose. The walnuts and the salmon are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, yogurt is a great source of calcium and natural bacterial cultures that help maintain a healthy digestive tract, and tea has been shown over and over again to have a role in preventing some cancers."

Can you lose weight on a "superfoods" diet? Of course you can, says Pratt, although that's a side benefit. "The Superfoods way of looking at things is a lifestyle choice, not a weight-loss program," he says. "But if you make these foods a lifestyle choice, you'll feel better and you'll look better."

For information from this article click here

Article excerpt written by Gina Shaw
Article submitted by Jessica Linicus, Library Human Resources

Think Now

Yale Photos

To see more photos click here

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