A Newsletter of the I BRARY Oberlin College Library PERSPECTIVES NUMBER TWENTY FEBRUARY 1999 New Science Library To Open August 2001 The Board of Trustees recently approved design plans for construction of a $55 million science complex that will provide new and renovated facili- ties for biology, chemistry, neuroscience and physics. A 12,580 square foot sci- ence library, to be located on the ground floor of the center building of the new complex, will be a focal point of the project. According to Alison Ricker, Sci- ence Librarian and chair of the library design team, “planning the new science library has been an exciting and thor- oughly engaging process, full of per- plexing puzzles and animated discus- sions on what the library should offer to science scholars and the wider commu- Architectural Rendering of North View of the Chemistry nity in the first quarter of the 21st cen- and Science Library Building tury. Projecting the role of information technology in a library setting for the portant aspect of the project." dresses a preeminent concern for sup- next twenty-five years has been an im- The design for the new library ad- continued on page 7 Many New Databases Online Full Text Expands The Library has recently made are now accessible from any net- Hundreds of popular periodicals and available to the Oberlin College com- worked computer on campus that has core academic journals are now acces- munity a host of new databases along a Web browser; access is also avail- sible in electronic form through new with a new, easy-to-use, standard- able to off-campus users of APKNet. databases recently implemented by the ized search interface in World Wide The interface, which is powerful, Library. Power Pages, a product of Univer- Web format. The search interface flexible, and intuitive, is equally sity Microforms International, provides provides access to both the new data- suited to both novice and advanced on-line access to a substantial number bases and to others that have previ- users. By clicking on the “Check of articles indexed in Periodical Ab- ously been accessible through Availability” link once a citation has stracts, a general interest database cov- FirstSearch and the Library's CD- been identified, a user can determine ering over 1,800 popular magazines and ROM network. These changes are a whether or not Oberlin owns the jour- academic journals in all fields, and in result of the Library’s membership in nal being cited. Several of the data- ABI/Inform, a database for business in- OhioLINK, which is implementing a bases also provide direct electronic formation. Articles are available when restructured reference database envi- links to the full text of selected ar- the “Retrieve Full Text” option appears ronment. ticles, including journals in the on the citation screen. The new Web search interface continued on page 7 has many advantages. Its databases Page 2 Electronic Reserve Service Now Available During the Fall ‘98 semester the tem is particularly useful for large nipulate ERes materials presents an Library tested a full-text electronic classes where limited copies of mate- additional advantage for visually im- reserve system using materials from a rials are available. ERes is also appro- paired users, who can increase on- select group of Oberlin College priate for certain kinds of library ma- screen print size, and print out materi- courses. This new system, called ERes, terials, such as out- als using more will be expanded to a larger number of of-print publica- easily readable courses during the spring ‘99 semes- tions, or materials text. ter, and use is expected to increase in from Special Col- Making future years. lections which may materials avail- The primary advantage of ERes is be too valuable or able on ERes is improved access to reserve materials. fragile to make still a relatively ERes can be accessed 24 hours a day available in print labor-intensive from any computer on campus that form. process for library staff, so the system has World Wide Web capability. Stu- Although thus far ERes has been should be seen at this point as aug- dents can download ERes materials, used primarily for journal articles and menting traditional reserve services, print out copies for themselves, or book chapters, the ERes software has rather than replacing them. simply read them on-screen. These the capability for expanding the re- Faculty interested in making ma- options greatly expand the standard serve “concept” to include direct links terials available through ERes should reserve system which allows most to Web sites, loading of color images, contact Julie Ramos-Weir at 8285, materials to be checked out for only and the use of chat rooms. x260. three hours at a time. The ERes sys- The ability to download and ma- Library Joins Scholarly Approval Plan Publishing Initiative Changes The Oberlin College Library has and research libraries. Statistics show The Library recently decided to become a founding member of the that most libraries have not been able switch its approval plan vendor from Scholarly Publishing and Academic to increase their budgets at rates com- Blackwell North America to Yankee Resources Coalition (SPARC), a parable to their increasing materials Book Peddler. This change follows a newly formed alliance of libraries that costs, and as a result they are steadily decision by OhioLINK to award its is working to create increased compe- losing ground in the number of jour- new statewide approval plan to Yan- tition in scholarly journal publishing. nals and monographs they acquire.” kee. An initiative of the Association of In English’s view, “SPARC repre- In addition to the benefits that Research Libraries, SPARC partners sents the most positive initiative that approval plans provide (see Perspec- with non-commercial publishers, par- has yet come out of the library com- tives, February 1996), this new ar- ticularly scholarly associations, to es- munity to try to address this issue.” rangement will have a number of ad- tablish new high-quality journals that One of the first titles that will be vantages, including the possibility for are economical alternatives to expen- created as a result of SPARC is Or- collaborative collection development sive commercial titles. It’s hoped that ganic Chemistry Letters, a new jour- with other OhioLINK institutions, in- the competition created by the new nal of the American Chemical Soci- creased discounts on books, and faster titles will slow rates of journal cost ety. A print subscription will cost and more reliable delivery and ser- increases. Academic journal subscrip- about $2,300 a year, compared to vice. The change should be largely tion prices have for many years gone $8,000 for a subscription to Tetrahe- transparent to faculty who review up at annual rates in excess of 10 dron Letters, a comparable title that is books received on approval. percent, with titles in scientific and published by Elsevier Science. technical fields experiencing the high- Libraries that join SPARC pay an Library Perspectives, a newslet- est increases. annual membership fee, and they also ter for users and Friends of the According to Ray English, commit to subscribing to a number of Oberlin College Library, is is- Oberlin’s Director of Libraries, “the SPARC journals in order to insure the sued two times a year. Printed continuing increase in scholarly jour- viability of the new publications. from an endowed fund established nal prices represents an enormous by Benjamin A. and Emiko Custer. threat to the quality of all academic Editors: Ray English and Jessica

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Alumni Librarian Conference Scheduled Five Colleges for November Receive The first ever conference of Topics that will be explored at the Oberlin alumni librarians will be held conference include an opening ses- Information on campus on November 13-14, 1999. sion on how an Oberlin education Literacy Grant A committee headed by Molly shaped the careers of participants, a Raphael ‘67, Director of the District panel discussion on the importance of The Five Colleges of Ohio con- of Columbia Public Library, has been libraries to society, a presentation on sortium (Denison University, Kenyon developing the overall plan for the the Oberlin College Library today, College, Oberlin College, Ohio event. According to Raphael, “Oberlin and a panel discussion on the library Weslyan University, and The College has an exceptionally large number of of the future that emphasizes the im- of Wooster) has received a $50,000 alumni who work in libraries. I’ve portance of preserving humanistic AT&T Teaching and Technology been very impressed by the strong values while exploiting the power of Grant to develop a series of interac- expressions of interest in the confer- technology. tive, World Wide Web-based mod- ence that we’ve received so far.” The conference will be held on ules to improve the information lit- The primary purposes of the con- the same weekend as the Friends of eracy skills of students at the member ference are to foster networking among the Library dinner, and the speaker for colleges. The AT&T grant is being librarians who have attended Oberlin, that occasion will address a topic that awarded through the Foundation for to provide a forum for the exchange of complements the themes of the con- Independent Higher Education. ideas about selected issues and con- ference. The modules will be designed to cerns in librarianship, and to share Alumni who are interested in re- help students better understand the experiences of Oberlin alumni librar- ceiving further information about the library and electronic information en- ians in their chosen profession. conference should contact Sandy vironment; master basic tools for ac- The conference is intended for all Kolek, to ensure that they receive cessing information, such as electronic Oberlin alumni who work (or have mailings (e-mail: catalogs and databases; develop basic worked) in libraries as well as current [email protected]; phone: research strategies; and learn how to Oberlin students who may be consid- 440-775-8285, Ext. 234). evaluate and make effective use of the ering librarianship as a profession. information they acquire. Oberlin will serve as the lead in- Edward O. Wilson at the stitution for the grant, with Ray En- Friends of the Library Reception glish, Director of Libraries, and Gary Kornblith, Director of the Oberlin Cen- ter for Technologically Enhanced Teaching, co-directing the project. The project team for the grant will also include Susan Scott, Reference and Instruction Librarian at Denison Uni- versity, Michael Upfold, CONSORT Library Systems Manager, and Cynthia Comer, Head of Reference at Oberlin. The team will work in close cooperation with the Five Colleges of Ohio Information Literacy Commit- tee, which will provide general over- sight for the development of the mod- ules. Edward O. Wilson spoke to a ca- Oberlin College Library, Main Li- The modules, which should be pacity audience of over 500 at the brary, Mudd Center, 148 W. College available beginning with the fall se- Friends of the Library dinner on No- St., Oberlin, OH 44074. Cost in- mester of 1999, will be designed to be vember 7. An audio tape of his talk on cludes shipping and handling. Please used in a variety of contexts on the "The Diversity of Life" may be re- do not send payment with your re- campuses of the participating institu- quested for $5 from: Friends of the quest. You will be billed when the tions. tape is shipped.

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Friends Recognize Honorary and Life Members The Friends of the Li- bring distinguished schol- brary awarded one life ars to Oberlin at regular membership and one hon- intervals to explore issues orary membership at their related to libraries and the annual dinner on Novem- history of printing. ber 7. Life membership Dr. Robert I. is granted on a selective Rotberg, Oberlin Class basis to individuals who of 1955, was awarded life have made generous con- membership. Dr. tributions to the Library Rotberg, who has served or the Friends; honorary as the chair of the Library membership is granted to Visiting Committee, do- those who have made out- nated to the library in 1994 standing contributions. his personal research col- Samuel Goldberg, Presi- lection on Southern Africa. dent of the Friends of the Li- Dr. Eleanore Jantz with William Perlik, The collection provides rich brary, announced the awards Chair of the Board of Trustees, and documentation of the recent and expressed appreciation to history and politics of South- family, colleagues, former students, the recipients for their support. ern Africa. In 1997 Dr. Rotberg Dr. Eleanore Jantz was awarded classmates, and friends of Professor made a multi-year pledge to create a Jantz. Dr. Eleanore Jantz has been honorary membership. Dr. Jantz is major endowed fund for the acquisi- instrumental in the growth and de- the widow of Harold Jantz, Oberlin tion of materials in African and Latin class of 1929, who was one of the velopment of the lectureship. With American studies. The fund will her exceptionally generous financial College’s most distinguished alumni bear both his name and the name of support and enthusiastic encourage- scholars. The Harold Jantz Memo- his daughter Fiona, who graduated rial Lectureship, which is shared on a ment, the Jantz Lectureship has grown from Oberlin in 1990 and is a Latin to be one of the most prominent lec- rotating basis by the Library, the Allen American specialist. tureship series at Oberlin. The Jantz Memorial Art Museum, and the Ger- man Department, was established by Lectureship enables the Library to Friends of the Library Purchases The Friends of the Library Coun- position will be acquired to support Shulamit Magnus has begun offer- cil, at its meeting on November 7, the work of two new faculty mem- ing courses in Jewish history and authorized the use of approximately bers in Expository Writing, Profes- women’s studies. Working from $15,000 in Friends funds to acquire sors Anne Trubek and Laurie two basic bibliographies, The State a variety of materials for the Library’s McMillin. of Jewish Studies (1990) and Femi- collections. These purchases will East Asian Art. Nihon Bijutsu nist Perspectives on Jewish Studies support the work of new faculty and Zenshu (Tokyo: Kodansha, 1990- (1994), important titles will be pur- strengthen areas of the collections 98; 25 vols.), a spectacular collec- chased to fill gaps in the library’s that are in need of additional devel- tion of recently photographed works holdings and improve support for opment. Funds will also be used to covering the entire range of Japa- Professor Magnus’ teaching. purchase major reference works and nese art, will be purchased to support Videocassettes ($500) a facsimile for the Library’s Special the teaching of Professor Sarah Th- Classroom use of videocassettes Collections. ompson. by such departments as African- The following is a summary by Illustrations from the collection American Studies, the Conservatory category of these most recent Friends will be used for Professor of Music, English, History, Religion, purchases. Thompson’s scholarship and teach- Sociology, Theater, and Women’s New Faculty Support ($5,075) ing, particularly the preparation of Studies continues to increase. These Expository Writing. Impor- slides that will be incorporated into funds will be used to help keep pace tant pedagogical and theoretical lectures. with the demand for new, high-qual- works in English rhetoric and com- Jewish Studies. Professor continued on page 5

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Friends Meeting Highlights 1998-99 Friends At its annual meeting on No- membership in the future. The im- of the Library vember 8 the Friends of the Library portance of increasing student mem- Council Council heard reports from its com- bership was discussed as a particular mittees and acted on a number of priority. Carl Peterson, President recommendations. The organization The Council approved the ac- Terry Carlton, Vice President also chose new officers and Council quisitions committee’s list of pro- Nathan Haverstock, members for the 1998-99 year. posed purchases from Friends funds Secretary The program committee pre- (see related article, page 4) and it Paul Erler ’32 sented a number of ideas for future discussed the relative role of the Carol Ganzel events. Molly Raphael led a discus- Friends and the Deans of the College Samuel Goldberg sion of the alumni librarian confer- and Conservatory in building library Norman Jung ’56 Al McQueen ’52 ence planned for the fall of 1999 (see collections in new curricular areas. Gordon Neavill related article, page 3). The Council The Council awarded honorary Mary E. (Molly) Raphael ’67 endorsed the overall plan for the con- membership to Dr. Eleanore Jantz Barbara Richards ’61 ference, which will be held in con- and life membership to Dr. Robert I. Dina Schoonmaker junction with the annual Friends din- Rotberg. Scott Smith ner. Members of the Friends may re- Daniel Wilder '99 The membership committee re- quest copies of the minutes of the ported strong membership contribu- meeting from: Friends of the Oberlin Ex-Officio and Appointed Mem- tions to the Friends in 1997-98 (with College Library, Main Library, Mudd bers: revenues exceeding $28,500) and it Center, 148 West College St., Oberlin Gary Kornblith, Chair, suggested a number of ways to build College, Oberlin OH 44074. Faculty Library Committee Eric Carpenter, Collection Development Librarian Friends Purchases . . . from page 4 Jessica Grim, Reference Librarian Ray English, Director of ity videos to support classroom in- ($4,728) Libraries struction. Index Islamicus on CD-ROM: Special Collections Facsimile A Bibliography of Publications on ($1,215) Islam and the Muslim World Since port Teaching and Research The Illustrated Beatus: A Cor- 1906 (University Publications of ($3,363) pus of the Illustrations of the Com- America, 1998). The basic index Music Manuscripts from the mentary on the Apocalypse, edited providing access to the worldwide Great English Collections, Series Four: The Music Manuscript Col- by John Williams (London: Harvey literature in English and European lection of the British Library, Lon- Miller Publishers; Langhorne, Pa.: languages from 1906 to 1996 on Islam, the Middle East and the Mus- don (A Microform Collection Pro- International Publishers Distributor, lim world. The CD-ROM version duced by Primary Source Media, c1994- ). Beatus, a monk of the permits sophisticated searching, in- Parts 5, 6, and 8, 59 reels). This monastery of Santo Toribio in Spain, cluding the use of truncation, and purchase will provide new opportu- compiled in approximately 775 AD keyword searching. nities for Conservatory students and a commentary on the Apocalypse Villars, Pierre, ed., Pearson’s faculty to work with the remarkable from an extensive library of Patristic Handbook : Crystallographic Data holdings of the British Library’s exegetical literature. This facsimile for Intermetallic Phases, (Desk Edi- music manuscript collections. It of the commentary and related works tion, 2 vols., Materials Park, OH: includes facsimile sets of George reproduces 26 manuscripts contain- ASM International, c1997). This Frideric Handel’s secular works, which build upon a microform col- ing nearly 1,800 magnificent illus- standard reference of lection of his church music that was trations of Apocalyptic imagery. chrystallographic data for com- pounds having a metallic phase will acquired earlier. The purchase also This facsimile will be used in Profes- support the teaching of Professors includes facsimiles of the Chapel sor Erik Inglis’ courses in medieval Yumi Ijiri in Physics and Sara Stoll Royal Part Books, 1670-1850. art history. in Chemistry. Major New Reference Works Primary Source Materials to Sup-

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Gifts to the Library Dr. Herbert was a close personal Shore, Emeritus Pro- friend of Mondlane. fessor at the School of All materials donated Theater of the Univer- by Professor Shore sity of Southern Cali- will become part of the fornia, is giving the “Herbert Shore Col- Oberlin College Li- lection in Honor of brary and the Oberlin Eduardo Chivambo College Archives his Mondlane.” entire professional li- Richard Verdery brary, which includes of New York City is books, journals, and donating to the library archival material re- the collection of his lated to his career as a late wife, Estelle poet, professor of the- Whelan, Class of 1957. ater, artistic consult- Ms. Whelan was an Is- ant, and director of the lamic art historian, UNESCO program on who graduated from the Technology, the Arts, Institute of Fine Arts of and Cultural Transfor- Dr. Herbert Shore (Center) and His Wife, Yen Lu New York University mation. This gift is in Wong, View Materials from his Collection Exhibited and taught at Hunter addition to Professor College, UCLA, and Shore’s earlier donation of over 1,000 archival materials related to his work Trinity College of Dublin. Her schol- books and journal volumes related to with UNESCO and with the Institute arly collection includes over 700 vol- Africa (Library Perspectives, Sep- of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. umes on a variety of topics related to tember, 1998). The remainder of his Dr. Shore announced the gift in Islamic art including materials in library includes books on poetry, fic- October at an Oberlin conference hon- Turkish, Arabic, Persian, German, tion, and creative writing; materials oring Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane, and French. on drama, film, television, and multi- class of 1953, the father of Dr. John J. Picken of Oberlin media; published and unpublished Mozambique’s movement for inde- has donated to the library’s Special materials on folklife and culture; and pendence from Portugal. Dr. Shore Collections three fine rare books: a signed private edition of the first Friends of the Library edition of Samuel Beckett’s Murphy Spring 1999 Programs (New York, Grove Press, 1938), the first American edition of James Joyce’s Stephen Hero (New York, Wednesday, March 3, 4:30 p.m. New Directions, 1944), and the first Moffett Auditorium, Mudd 050. edition of James Whitcomb Riley’s Faculty Talk, Marcia Colish, Professor of History, Goodbye, Jim, illustrated by Howard "Library Ramblings" [Rescheduled from December] Chandler Christie and signed by the Thursday, April 29, 4:30 p.m. illustrator (Indian-apolis, Bobbs- Moffett Auditorium, Mudd 050. Merrill, 1913). Faculty Talk, Nathan Greenberg, Emeritus Professor of Classics, Gene Woodling of Akron, Ohio "Recalling Classics" has given the library a collection that includes 171 opera videos and 113 Saturday, May 29, 3:00 p.m. videos relating to various aspects of King 106. homosexuality. Mr. Woodling do- Commencement Weekend Program. nated to the library in 1989 an out- Talk by Henry Mayer, Author of National Book Award Finalist standing collection of over 1,100 vol- All on Fire: William Lloyd Garrison and the Abolition of Slavery umes of gay fiction.

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New Databases . . . from page 1 OhioLINK Electronic Journal Cen- ers should find there’s a significant opting for the OhioLINK package. ter. improvement in the stability of ac- The Library’s “Databases & In- Particularly for those indexes cess; many of these databases were dexes” page (http:// which were previously available only not available at all to users from www.oberlin.edu/library/db_i/) pro- on the CD-ROM network (such as outside the Library building. An- vides brief descriptions of the con- PAIS, Sociological Abstracts, and the other attractive component is the cost tent of these databases as well as MLA International Bibliography), us- savings realized by the Library in direct links to them.

Summary of Database Changes *ABI/Inform Global *CINAHL (nursing & related *Index to Legal Periodicals and *AIDSLine topics) Books America History & Life *Compendex Library Literature Applied Science & Technology Contemporary Women’s Issues A Matter of Fact (statistical & Abstracts *Cumulative Book Index factual information) Art Abstracts *Disclosure Global Access Medline *Biological Abstracts Education Abstracts MLA International Bibliography *BioethicsLine ERIC Newspaper Abstracts Biography Index *Essay and General Literature PAIS International Biological & Agricultural Index Index Periodical Abstracts Book Review Digest *HealthSTAR PsycInfo Business & Industry Historical Abstracts Sociological Abstracts

Additional databases to be made available within the next six months: *ABC Pol Sci *CancerLIT GeoRef *Criminal Justice Abstracts Humanities Abstracts

Databases new to Oberlin are marked with an asterisk; all others have been previously available in other formats

New Science Library . . .from page 1 porting and enhancing the science cur- room that will serve a variety of teach- signed for teams of two students, as well riculum. Its central location and the ing functions; and increased space for as an instructor’s workstation. It will be planned integration of library collec- the consolidated collections, including available for general use when not sched- tions currently housed in the Kettering moveable compact shelving for most uled for library instruction or academic Science Library and Physics Reading bound journals. class sessions. Room will foster interdisciplinary col- A two-story-high reading area on The building that houses the library laboration in an attractive environment the north side of the library, with a large and chemistry will be located in the that effectively serves both researchers bay window extending its full height, center of the new science complex, con- and students at all levels. will be an especially attractive area of necting to facilities for physics on the Features of the new library will the new facility. The space will include east and neuroscience and biology on include a variety of study areas for comfortable window seats, lounge seat- the west. The east end of the Kettering individuals and groups; centrally-located ing, and study tables. Building, including the current Kettering circulation and reference desks in close The electronic classroom will al- Library, will be razed and a wide ex- proximity to print reference materials; low librarians to teach the use of com- panse of landscaped lawn will extend networked computer workstations that plex electronic tools, such as citation from West Lorain Street to the library. will provide public access to a steadily databases, in the context of helping Glass walls on both the south and north increasing number of electronic re- students understand the continued im- will provide a vista through the building sources, including full-text scholarly portance of print resources in the litera- and also create a light, airy atmosphere journals; Internet connections at virtu- ture research process. The classroom within the library itself. ally all study spaces; an electronic class- will have fifteen workstations, each de- continued on page 8

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The Friends of the Oberlin College Library provide significant support New Science Library . . for special acquisitions and programs that help the Library fulfill its funda- .from page 7 mental role in the academic life of the College. Payette Associates of Boston, Mas- JOIN US. BE A FRIEND. sachusetts, is designing the new and Members receive the Library Perspectives newsletter, invitations to Friends renovated science complex, which is programs, and other privileges. Most of all, Friends have the satisfaction of scheduled for full completion in Au- supporting Oberlin’s outstanding Library. gust, 2002. Construction of the science library will be finished in May, 2001 Annual membership categories: $1 Student $5 Recent Graduate and the facility is scheduled to open in $30 Friend $40 Couple $50 Associate August of that year. $100 Sponsor $500 Patron $1000 Benefactor

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Library Perspectives