4 Meet the Dean 6 Empowering the User Contents 8 Archives & Special Collections 10 Celebrations 12 Meet the Author 14 Resources & Digital Management 16 Research & Instruction 18 Scholarly Communication 20 Funding Priorities & Opportunities 24 Leaving a Legacy 26 Thank You, Library Supporters 28 Staff Recognition There are some important questions in the University’s distance education immediate value to them, in enhancing we have been asking the Northeastern programs. As Northeastern’s new pro- their productivity. But the long-term University community and ourselves grams come on-stream in Charlotte value, of protecting and caring for those this year: How do you estimate and ar- and Seattle, the Library will now be data for years and decades to come, ticulate the value of a library? How do well-placed to deliver strong services to will extend well beyond the bounds of we ensure the greatest value to all the those students and their instructors. And Northeastern and represent our own different members of that community? above all, planning for the future has led contribution to the prestige of the Uni- How does the library of the future need to our growing focus on an anticipated versity and the growth of knowledge. to develop for that value to increase? new technology-rich media commons within Snell Library – something that, I am proud of the Library and its dedi- Northeastern has a Library it can be with the help of our supporters, we are cated staff, of all the achievements laid proud of, as the contents of this review confident will place us in the forefront out in these pages, and of the special will surely demonstrate to you. Once of research libraries in the country. value that the Library is bringing in the again, the Library’s staff have worked rise of Northeastern to greatness. But I wonders to provide for the present We all know that there are many ways am no less proud of the wonderful sup- needs of an ever-increasing number of to measure value and to support its port the Library has enjoyed over the customers. The sizable increases in both growth. For some of our users, the real last year and, we trust, for the future. the number of visitors to our building value of the Library is now, in providing Donor generosity has helped make 55 and the volume of use of our online re- an environment designed for learning, everything listed here possible. We owe sources are powerful testament to that. and in supporting their education needs a debt of gratitude to our supporters, with the information for a term paper and we look forward to your continued But we have also devoted time to plan- or the space for collaboration. For oth- interest as Snell Library moves onward ning for the future, to redefining what ers, the real value will be in ten years, and upward. Meet the Dean the Library needs to be in order to de- when the skills learned here in gather- liver in both its virtual and its brick-and- ing and sifting information sources help Best regards, mortar forms. This means continued them in their working lives. The role work and investment to increase the of the Library may be different for a range and richness of our collections Boston student than for one based in and to accelerate their transformation Charlotte, or Spain, or Australia, but Will Wakeling from mainly-print to mainly-digital. the value remains. Dean, University Libraries It has meant librarians working with striking success to convert information For researchers and faculty members, literacy training from a traditional class- the new services we have planned and room model to an online model that can rolled out to support the long-term serve the many students now enrolled preservation of their research data have Empowering the User To meet the changing needs of users, working on the whiteboard or preparing media-based assignments as the driving Northeastern University Libraries have their presentation. force behind this and other equipment undertaken bold new initiatives, re- purchases as well as the upgrade and 2.37 million New scanners were installed to re- evaluating how to provide what users expansion of DMDS workstations. page views on need and how services are delivered. place an aging photocopy system, a Library website There have also been lower-profile sustainable alternative that enables users Last summer, the Library responded to improvements, such as installing to scan a document or image, single- or students’ wishes by offering 24/7 power outlets and making sure that multi-page. They can save the digital access, allowing the doors to stay open vending machines are available to stu- copy to a flash drive or email it to them- all night. This new service has been a “In a project to assist our online users, dents who need a snack in the middle selves, to be printed as needed using smashing success: 122,000 after-dark the Research and Instruction depart- of an all-nighter. Brian Greene, the Li- the Library’s new wireless printing visits were recorded last year. These stu- ment has begun creating short, need- system. dents accessed the collections and used brary’s new head of the Access Services specific video clips with lecture capture 7 department, explains: study space, computer work stations, software. These clips are archived and The Library’s website and online cata- and printers. can be sent to online users at the point “What we’re doing is empowering log are now mobile-browser compatible. of inquiry. The future of the Library’s the user, giving each user the tools Standing in the stacks while search- The building is quiet in the middle of research support will be increasingly needed to create their own unique expe- ing the catalog on a handheld device the night, but the diehards who are here online. The library is incorporating the rience, whether online or in person.” unplugs the user from a desk. Once like it that way. As the only university best new technologies to meet our online they’ve found what they need, they can library in the Boston area to offer full- users’ expectations and needs.” One way to approach this goal is devel- use an efficient newself-checkout scale 24/7 access, the Library has been oping self-service opportunities for machine, which was used to check out dubbed “Club Snell” by the students, Jamie Dendy, Head, Research and users to access materials and services as 8,800 items since its introduction last after the many late nights they spend Instruction Department they need them, when and where they year. here, their home away from home. need them. Study room reservations can be made online, so that a student The Library’s Digital Media Design group can book one of thirteen rooms Studio (DMDS) purchased several in advance – a service that was used portable digital audio recorders over 10,000 times last year. When the that students can borrow for podcast- ing and other media projects. DMDS 1.78 million 324,958 group members arrive at Snell Library, they can jump right into their project, head Debra Mandel cited an increase in visitors to Snell Library items circulated The following are highlights from this The collection consists of records from “In teaching the capstone course for students concentrating on music history and analysis, year’s additions to collections in the about 1978 to 2002 documenting the I chose “Writing the History of Music at Northeastern” as the topic for the seminar. Northeastern University Archives. work of two attorneys: the Commit- The core of the course was archival research. I held several classes in the Archives of- tee’s Alan J. Rom, and Roger Rice of fices as my students pored over old course catalogues and institutional histories, piecing Travelers Aid Family Services Multicultural Education, Training and together a timeline and accounts of the development of the performing arts at Northeast- Established in Boston in 1866, this Advocacy, Inc. ern from the late nineteenth century to the present. They learned to value primary source organization provided employment documents. Archival research renewed their respect for first-hand testimony and the beauty and housing services to migrating and Triangle Theater Company of documentation and the elusive ideals of precision and fact.” displaced families and individuals. Later Open from 1979 through 1996, the it developed shelters and programs to Company provided a supportive Judith Tick, Matthews Distinguished University Professor of Music assist the homeless. environment for gay men and women to work in theater in Boston. The col- The collection dates from 1891 to lection, donated by founder David M. 2002 and includes internal documents, Hough, documents the theatrical and newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, photo- administrative activities of the Compa- graphs, and memorabilia. ny and includes photographs, programs, Farewell to Joan Krizack and scripts from productions. 9 Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Joan Krizack (left), University Archivist and Head of Special Collections, left North- Rights under the Law Older Women’s League eastern University in July after 17 years of service. As the founding archivist at Five years after a 1963 meeting of Greater Boston Northeastern, Joan leaves a legacy of several hundred historical collections that between President John F. Kennedy Founded in 1980 as a national grass- document the struggles and triumphs of Boston’s African American, Chinese, La- and attorneys across the United States roots organization, the Older Women’s tino, and GLBTQ communities. In 2005, Joan was named a Fellow of the Society to discuss how lawyers could fight for League educated and advocated for of American Archivists and awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the New civil rights, the Boston Bar Association economic security, health policy reform, England Archivists for contributions to the archival profession.