UTSA Library News

John Peace Library Renovation Celebration

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:55:00 -0500

UTSA students, faculty and staff are invited to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the John Peace Library renovation. Join us for hot beverages and a dessert buffet, live music, a magnetic poetry contest, and plenty of free giveaways.

Time: 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Place: The Sombrilla mezzanine, just outside the second floor entrance to JPL

The renovation of the John Peace Library—which is ongoing through 2011—represents a new vision for the library as the true intellectual heart of an emerging premier public research university. When complete, the long-overdue makeover will bring this 1976 building straight into the 21st century with state-of-the-art services, resources and technology to support learning in a digital age. Phase One of the project included the creation of an Information Commons complete with 125 new computer stations, a Laptop Lounge, new furniture and improved lighting throughout the building's second floor.

For more information on the project visit the Renovation Blog.

View a series of photo animations of the John Peace Library "Then and Now"

Thanksgiving Weekend Hours

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:31:00 -0500

Have a lot of work to do over the Thanksgiving break? Never fear ... both the John Peace Library on Main Campus and the Downtown Campus Library will be open Thanksgiving weekend.

Saturday, November 28

John Peace Library, Main Campus
9:00-6:00 p.m.

Downtown Campus Library
9:00-6:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 29

John Peace Library, Main Campus
10:00 a.m. - Continuously for 24 hours

Downtown Campus Library
1:00-10:30 p.m.

The library will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 26-27

Check our library hours calendar for complete information on hours at both libraries for the remainder of the fall semester.

New Sunday Hours at the JPL

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:31:00 -0500

We are pleased to announce that the John Peace Library on Main Campus will now be open earlier on Sundays for the remainder of the fall 2009 semester. JPL will open at 10:00 a.m. and stay open continuously 24 hours, as usual, through to Friday evening.

Check our library hours calendar for complete information on hours at both the JPL and Downtown Libraries for the remainder of the fall semester.

Library to embark on strategic weeding project

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:55:00 -0500

Between now and early 2010, the UTSA Libraries will be working on a comprehensive effort to "clean house," removing select materials from the university's collection in order to make room for newer, more relevant resources.

For more information visit Library to Embark on Strategic Weeding Project .

Book Sale Starts October 21 to Benefit UTSA's State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC)

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:02:00 -0500

As part of a university-wide effort to raise funds for SECC, a book sale will be held from 9 am - 3 pm, Wednesday, October 21, in the Sombrilla. Be sure to check out the sale for some great bargains on books! The sale may be extended to Thursday and Friday.

Phase one of John Peace Library renovation complete

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:02:00 -0500

Phase one of a multi-phase renovation project of the John Peace Library is officially complete. At 5:45 PM on Wednesday October 14, the construction drape was removed and the second floor Information Commons "extension" opened to students and faculty. The new space features 32 additional computers and open study seating against a floor-to-ceiling window.

The opening was well-documented and photos can be found on the JPL Renovation Blog.

A grand opening celebration of the Information Commons and second floor renovations is planned for mid-November. Subsequent phases of the renovation project are already underway, and will be ongoing through 2011.

Main Campus library opens graduate student study room

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:33:00 -0500

The UTSA Graduate School announces the opening of the first graduate student-only study room at the UTSA Main Campus. The study room is in John Peace Library Room 3.01.56 with a sign designating it "Graduate Study Area."

Photo by UTSA Today. In the new John Peace Library graduate study room
are Rosalinda Garza (left), Jarryd Willis (center) and Alfonso Clemmings.

For all the details, read the entire UTSA Today story.

AT&T Art Collection Unveiled in John Peace Library

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:11:00 -0500

A packed audience of 75 filled a newly renovated space in the John Peace Library today to enjoy the unveiling of the AT&T art collection at UTSA.

The 39 piece collection consists of works by several prominent 20th century artists, including Nick Krushenick, considered to be one of the original practitioners of pop art.

A selection of the collection will be on permanent display in the John Peace Library, while the remaining pieces will ultimately find homes in other spaces on campus.

The collection of large-scale works was beautifully showcased throughout the second floor of the John Peace Library, which is nearing completion of the first stage of a multi-phase renovation project. When complete, the long-overdue makeover of the library will bring the 1976 building into the 21st century with state-of-the-art services, resources and technology to support learning in a digital age.

The unveiling ceremony hosted by UTSA President Ricardo Romo included comments by state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte and Renee Flores, AT&T executive director of external affairs, as well as UTSA Master of Fine Arts candidate Rebecca Gomez.

"This is a wonderful resource and will help to make UTSA an even more special place than it currently is," said Gomez of the collection.

For more information:

Coverage in the San Antonio Express-News
Coverage in UTSA Today
AT&T Art Collection Web site
Gallery of photos from the unveiling event by UTSA photographer Mark McClendon
John Peace Library Renovation Blog

President Romo Acknowledges Library's Progress in State of the University Address

Wed, 30 Sept 2009 11:00:00 -0500

As covered by the Express News, President Romo gave a State of the University address on Tuesday, September 29 to an audience of 600 faculty, staff and students. President Romo acknowledged the great strides made at UTSA in the past year in many areas of the university, including the library. Citing his own experience touring the library twice in the past month, President Romo lauded the work of dean of libraries Krisellen Maloney and the entire library staff in managing the John Peace Library renovation project.

Library helps to celebrate Constitution Day, September 17

Wed, 16 Sept 2009 09:09:24 -0500

Constitution Day will be celebrated at both UTSA campuses on Thursday, Sept. 17. At the Main Campus, government documents librarian Rita Wilson will be on hand to share information about constitutional resources from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University Center Paseo. Poster-sized copies of the Constitution and a Constitution trivia game will also be available.

For more information, including a listing of all events, see the article in UTSA Today and UTSA Library - Constituation Day Online Exhibit.

Reception for New Faculty Held at the Library

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:30:24 -0500

UTSA's newest faculty members joined Dr. Krisellen Maloney, Dean of Libraries, at the John Peace Library for a reception on Wednesday, August 19. Approximately 50 new faculty members from every College in the University met with librarians on the Library's renovated 2nd floor for conversation and refreshments. Former UTSA President Dr. James Wagener and his wife, Dr. Elaine Wagener, were present to greet the new faculty members. Dr. Francine Romero, University Library Committee Chair, welcomed the group and encouraged them to contact the Committee about Library matters. Other attendees at the reception included retired faculty members Dr. Antonio Furino and Charles Field and his wife, Germaine Field.

Carter Family Papers at the UTSA Archives featured in Sombrilla Magazine

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:30:24 -0500

The Summer 2009 issue of UTSA's Sombrilla magazine features an article on the Carter family, which has donated their papers to the UTSA Archives. The article introduces the Carter family's long history with San Antonio and south Texas, and along with a slideshow of the Carter home by fifth generation family member Paul Carter.

The papers consists of twenty boxes of letters, diaries, and manuscripts, and is still growing, as the Carter family works with the Archives to transfer addititional materials. Access to the collection is free and open to the public; please contact the Archives at 458.2381 for more information. The Archives is located at the UTSA HemisFair Park campus, and is open Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Try the new Google Scholar search

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:10:24 -0500

Now you can use Google Scholar to find journal articles and other materials owned by the UTSA Library. For more information about how UTSA students, faculty, and staff can use this popular search, check out our Google Scholar help page.

Library Staff Commons Dedicated to Dr. Michael F. Kelly, First Dean of Libraries

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:07:24 -0500

On Thursday, March 5th, the Library welcomed family, friends, staff, and colleagues of Dr. Mike Kelly, former Dean of Libraries at UTSA, for a dedication of the Library staff commons room, located on the 2nd floor of the John Peace Library. Speakers at the dedication included Dr. John Frederick, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Francine Romero, Chair of the University Libraries Committee, and Mary Kelly, wife of the late Mike Kelly. The featured speaker was Dr. David Frederick, attorney and author of Supreme Court and Appellate Advocacy, who spoke on "Honoring Libraries."

Dr. Kelly served as the first Director and later Dean of Libraries at UTSA. For more information, see the UTSA Today article.

Architecture Collection in the College of Architecture Newsletter

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:26:24 -0500

The College of Architecture Newsletter recently featured the UTSA Library's Architecture Collection. Instructional Services Librarian and Architecture Bibliographer Gary Woods discusses the growth of the collection and the services and resources available to students, faculty, and the general public.

Read the article from the CoA Newsletter: Architecture Library Update.

UTSA Library Acquires Carter Family Papers

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:13:24 -0500

A significant archival collection of a prominent San Antonio and South Texas family is being donated to the Archives and Special Collections of the University of Texas at San Antonio Library. Documenting five generations of the Carter family, the collection consists of correspondence, notebooks, diaries, newsclippings, photographs and a manuscript depicting the life of Sarah Riddle, the first Anglo-American girl born in San Antonio.

"We are pleased that the UTSA Archives and Special Collections will be the repository for this important collection," said Mark Shelstad, head of the department. "There is no doubt the collection will be a tremendous resource for historians and others researching 19th and 20th century San Antonio as it was experienced and described by the Carter family."

Located in the Institute of Texan Cultures at 801 S. Bowie Street, the Archives is open to the public Monday-Thursday 1-5 pm, and also by appointment. For more information, please call 210-458-2385 or visit Archives and Special Collections.

Learn more from the San Antonio Express-News: Donated items give glimpses of S.A.'s past.

Archives and Special Collections Awarded Portal to Texas History Grant

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:28:24 -0500

Nearly 1000 images from the San Antonio Fair, Inc (HemisFair '68) records held at Archives and Special Collections will be made available through a grant from the Portal to Texas History. Following selection by the archives staff, the photographs and slides from the collection will be sent to the University of North Texas for digitization. Metadata will be created in cooperation between Archives and Cataloging. It is anticipated that the materials will be made available through the Portal web site in the latter part of this year.

HemisFair '68 is the only international exposition to be held in Texas. The photographs and slides depict buildings and homes demolished to make room for the fair at the southeastern edge of San Antonio using eminent domain; dignitaries who visited the fair, including President Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson, Texas Governor John Connally, and U.S. Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez; construction of buildings, such as the Woman's Pavilion and the Tower of the Americas; and scenes from the fair itself, which ran from April to October 1968.

The Portal to Texas History offers students and lifelong learners a digital gateway to the rich collections held in Texas libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and private collections. For more information, see The Portal to Texas History.

Dean of the Library, Dr. Krisellen Maloney, began serving on February 2

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:21:24 -0500

On February 2, 2009, Dr. Krisellen Maloney began her career at UTSA as the Dean of the Library. Please read the full article at UTSA Today: UTSA's new library dean to advance technology.

Archival Collection in the Express-News

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:24:24 -0500

San Antonio Express News reporter, Deborah Martin, recently used the San Antonio Association of Performing Arts Records as source material for an article she wrote regarding a ballet the city commissioned in 1984.

The ballet, Jamboree, was choreographed by Gerald Arpino for New York's Joffrey Ballet Company and premiered in San Antonio on June 20, 1984 at the Lila Cockrell Theatre.

For the article, see: 'Jamboree' elevated S.A. in ballet circles.

Portable DVD Players Available at the DT and JPL

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:03:24 -0500

At the Downtown and John Peace Library, a new service will begin on Monday, October 20th. Portable DVD players will now be available at the Circulation desk. Please review the Portable DVD Player Borrowing Policy.

Archives' Women's Collections Named "Amazing"

Thu, 9 Sept 2008 10:56:24 -0500

E-Learning Gurus, an online group aimed at promoting open access to educational materials, has named the UTSA Archives' women's collections as one of its reciepients of "Celebrating Women's History: 100 Amazing Libraries and Collections on the Web."

The UTSA Archives joins Duke University, Smith College, and Harvard University's Schlesinger Library among other institutions. The site notes that UTSA "has a large collection of resources on gender, women's rights, feminism and more some of which are available digitally."

For more information, please visit: Celebrating Women's History: 100 Amazing Libraries and Collections on the Web

New Hours for Special Collections

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:38:24 -0500

Special Collections is announcing a new schedule commencing with the Fall 2008 semester. Walk-In hours (no appointment necessary) for the Special Collections Reading Room will be held on Mondays through Wednesdays, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; and on Thursdays, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Other times may be available by appointment only. For information and assistance with Special Collections' resources, please contact the Special Collections Reading Room desk at 458-5505; or Special Collections Librarian, Mark Shelstad, at 458-5988; e-mail mark.shelstad@utsa.edu.

The staff of Special Collections looks forward to helping you with your research needs by providing access to and information about unique books and primary sources on Texas history, San Antonio's growth and development, Western Americana and other topics. See the Archives and Special Collections Web site for more information on UTSA Library's Special Collections.

Due to Renovation, the JPL Reference Desk and Public Computers Have Moved

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:32:24 -0500

To make way for the upcoming JPL 2nd floor renovation, Reference has been temporarily relocated to the right-hand side of the Circulation Desk. For questions or research assistance, call the Reference staff at 458-4573.

The public computers have also moved temporarily. 34 PCs are now located in the Periodicals area on the 2nd floor, and 6 PCs have been moved to the 3rd floor. Printers are located on the 2nd floor in the Periodicals area.

The Loan Period for DVDs and Other Media is Now 7 days

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:58:24 -0500

The loan period for DVDs, VHS tapes, CDs, and audiocassettes will change to 7 days for UTSA faculty, all staff, students, and doctoral students, effective August 24. Media items may be checked out for 7 days and renewed for an additional 7 days. Contact the Multimedia Center at (210) 458-5503 for more information.

Guest Computers in JPL Have Been Moved

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:27:24 -0500

Guest Computers have been relocated temporarily to the Multimedia Center (MMC) and are available only from 8:00am - 6:00pm, August 18 - 22. Regular MMC hours will resume Sunday, August 24.

Take a Virtual Tour of the John Peace Library

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:10:24 -0500

Are you new to UTSA, or would you like an overview of Library services? Take a virtual tour of the John Peace Library! You can take the entire tour or simply hear descriptions of certain areas. Then, explore the Library on your own later.

If you're planning a visit to the John Peace Library, download our walking tour and listen to this file as you walk through the Library. MP3 players pre-loaded with the walking tour are also available in our Multimedia Center.

Now you can enjoy views of the Library from the comfort of your computer.

Visit our John Peace Library Virtual Tour page.

Special Collections Reopens and Has Longer Hours

Thu, 3 Jul 2008 17:16:24 -0500

Special Collections will re-open on Monday, July 7th, with expanded hours. Walk-In hours for the Special Collections Reading Room have been extended to include: Monday through Thursday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Friday by appointment. For Monday, July 7th ONLY, the hours will be 11-4. For information and assistance with Special Collections resources, please contact the Special Collections reference desk at 458-5505; Special Collections Librarian, Mark Shelstad, at 458-5988; or e-mail mark.shelstad@utsa.edu.

A mold infestation discovered in December 2007 caused Special Collections to be closed for most of the 2008 spring semester. The mold problem has been remediated and special equipment and procedures now are in place to avoid future outbreaks.

We hope that Special Collections' closure did not unduly inconvenience our researchers. Special Collections staff is looking forward to helping you with your research needs by providing access and information regarding rare and interesting books and primary sources on San Antonio's growth and development, Texas history, Western Americana and other topics. For more information on Special Collections, see the Archives and Special Collections Web site.

UTSA Library Puzzle Game Winners - Spring 2008

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 17:48:24 -0500

During the spring 2008 semester, the UTSA Library held three puzzle games challenging both undergraduate and graduate students while introducing them to research concepts. We look forward to engaging more students soon with another Library game. Look for its announcement in the fall 2008 semester.

Congratulations to all of the winners of the UTSA Library Puzzle Game during the spring 2008 semester! Below are some winners' pictures followed by a list of all winners.

First Puzzle Winners

Jessica Lesher (Freebird's gift certificate) and Reference Librarian Pru Morris

Reference Librarian DeeAnn Green and Jessica Garza (Zio's gift certificate)

Christopher Woods (Half-Price Books gift certificate) and Reference Librarian Julie Nichols

Second Puzzle Winners

Miguel Saldana-Arregui (Freebird's gift certificate)

Jaclyn Pargas (Zio's gift certificate)

Oralia Vasquez (Zio's gift certificate) and Reference Librarian Julie Nichols

Third Puzzle Winners

Andrea Eze-Morah (Half-Price Books gift certificate) and Reference Librarian Jeff McAdams

Pegah Rahgozar (Zio's gift certificate) and Reference Librarian Jeff McAdams

Nathan Kunnemann (Freebird's gift certificate) and Reference Librarian Charles Wu

Grand Prize Winners

Alex Liu (Canon Digital Camera)

Reference Librarian Rick McDonnell and Shauna Markowski(iPod)

David Solis (Nintendo Wii) and Reference Librarian Charles Thurston

Dr. John Frederick, Provost, speaks at National Library Week Event on April 15

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:09:30 -0500

During National Library Week, UTSA Library is celebrating the vital role that libraries around the world play in the advancement of the communities in which they thrive.

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. National Library Week is the perfect time to join the circle of knowledge @ UTSA by discovering your library's services and resources!

For more information, please visit our National Library Week online exhibit.