November 18, 2009

While many UNH community members consider Dimond the “new Library” and are surprised to learn that it’s been more than 10 years since the last major renovation to this wonderful space, the feedback from the recent LibQUAL Survey and space surveys by the Library’s Facilities Committee each semester prove that it’s time to redesign the space.

Not only have trends in teaching and learning changed, the library world has changed too. Fortunately, these changes intersect! As the Library world shifts from print to electronic access to resources, we can redesign our space to meet the obvious need for more collaborative and group study space. We’re also responding to your feedback for the need for more quiet study space, computers, and power and network outlets.

Therefore, requests for proposals were sent earlier this fall to local and national architectural firms and after presentations by four finalists in mid October, Gund Partnership (the firm responsible for the renovation in 1998) was chosen to work with UNH faculty, staff and community stakeholders to draft an incremental space redesign plan for Dimond Library. Planning is underway and Gund Partnership will be on campus in the early Spring to facilitate focus groups to inform the space redesign.

In the meantime, thanks to all who took the time to share their comments and suggestions via LibQUAL and continue to share their ideas through Library’s comment webpage. We look forward to your continued support and feedback.

November 13, 2009

Currently, some users connected to the on-campus wireless networks are having difficulty accessing some library databases, including Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Off-campus users and on-campus users connecting through a wired network port are not affected.

While the problem is being investigated and fixed, there is a workaround. Please first connect to the UNH VPN.

To access the UNH VPN, go to https://vpn.unh.edu. Click the Faculty/Staff or Students/Faculty link and login with your username and password. If you are asked to allow software from “Juniper Networks, Inc.,” please click “Allow” or “Run.”

Mac users should read the UNH Web VPN Help page for more information about connecting to the UNH VPN with Snow Leopard.

Once connected to the UNH VPN, you should be able to access library databases normally by connecting through the Library website. Again, this problem only affects some on-campus wireless network users.

If you have problems connecting to the UNH VPN, please contact the IT Help Desk at 862-4242, or stop by the IT Support Center in Dimond Library.

November 10, 2009

The Boston Library Consortium is still currently resolving technical difficulties with a new interlibrary borrowing system. We’re sorry for the disruption in service this semester.

Not to worry though, you can still borrow from other libraries. In the meantime, Durham faculty, staff, and students should request using Worldcat or Interlibrary Loan. Please contact the Reference Department at 862-1544 if you have any questions. You can also email, text message, or IM a librarian.

(If you need to find them in the future, WorldCat is available under our list of Databases and Interlibrary Loan is found under Services on the UNH Library website.)

Manchester faculty, staff, and students should request using the UNH-M Library website.

The original system for searching and borrowing through the Boston Library Consortium was called the Virtual Catalog. The Virtual Catalog provided a single, searchable catalog of books owned by participating libraries.

The new system, which we’re planning on calling the Boston Library Consortium Catalog, allows you to simultaneously find materials owned by UNH Libraries, BLC libraries, libraries throughout North America, and beyond. Items requested from BLC libraries will generally be available in three to five business days. In addition, you will be able to make ILL requests for items not held by BLC libraries through the very same interface. Boston College, MIT, and other BLC libraries unable to participate in the previous Virtual Catalog will now be able to participate.

When the new system for searching the Boston Library Consortium launches, we hope you’ll be pleased with the improvements.

In time-honored library tradition, the UNH Library is offering a scavenger hunt in recognition of Geography Awareness Week. If you like maps and also like scavenger hunts, then you’ll love what we’re calling the UNH Library Geography Awareness Map Scavenger Hunt. There are prizes!

The list of scavenger hunt questions are available in the Map Room (Room 347 on Level 3, Dimond Library), the UNH Museum (Level 1, Dimond Library), and the Dimond Library Circulation Desk. All questions can be answered by visiting these places and using the Library Catalog and the Library’s online collection of maps.

Entries are due by Friday, November 13. Winners will be announced Tuesday, November 17.

November 8, 2009

Special Collections recently cataloged a collection of records from Fort Constitution left behind by Ordnance Sergeant James Davidson from his time in service there in the middle of the nineteenth century. The records contain correspondence (including circulars and invitations), personnel records (such as muster rolls, orders, court proceedings, and reports), inventories and requisitions for fuel, food, clothing, ordnance, and other provisions, and financial records (such as payrolls, expenditures, and invoices).

Fort Constitution, originally known as Fort William and Mary (or Castle William and Mary), was built in 1632 on the island of New Castle, New Hampshire, at the mouth of the Piscataqua River, to protect and defend Portsmouth Harbor. It became a center of rebellion several months before the battles of Lexington and Concord ushered in the American Revolution. Read more