Friends is published twice annually by the
Friends of Tufts Library
We welcome letters and suggestions.
Correspondence should be sent to:
Jo-Ann Michalak, Editor
Director of Tisch Library
Professors Row, Medford, MA 02155
617-627-3345;
jo-ann.michalak@tufts.edu
Graphic Design:
Lynda Gutowski (J61) Publications, Arlington, MA
A message from the Chair…
This has been an extraordinary year at Tufts Libraries. The Friends have already hosted a number of successful events this fall to celebrate Tufts 150th Birthday, and even more ambitious ones have been planned for Spring 2002! Upcoming events include:
We could not have planned all this without the help of the Friends of Tufts Libraries. Your collective support, monetary and programmatic, is living proof of the continuing importance of libraries to a Tufts education and the lifelong learning which follows it. Hope to see you at one or more of these events. Again, on behalf of the university, thanks for supporting the libraries and being a Friend.
P.S. If you could not get to the fall Author Talks, we have loaded experimental streaming video files of both the Evening of Mysteries and Professor Nelson on the Friends website at http://www.library.tufts.edu/friends. Go to the Past Events page and select either of the talks. Let me know if you would like us to continue to load future talks this way.
A search for a new HSL Director, chaired by Mary Y. Lee, Associate Provost, has been initiated. Elizabeth K. Eaton left in October, after serving as Library Director since 1982. Elizabeth leaves an impressive list of accomplishments including moving the HSL Library into the new Sackler Center, actively expanding the collection into electronic databases and e-journals, leading the development of the Health Sciences Database (HSDB) which has won national awards and become the basic curriculum tool. Best wishes to Elizabeth in her new position as Executive Director of the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library.
This past summer saw the addition of MD Consult to our list of electronic resources. MD Consult provides access to both electronic books and journals. There is direct access to 35 primary medical textbooks, with browsing and searching capabilities, including titles such as Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, Braunwald's Heart Disease, Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology, and the Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. These were added to the e-book collection started several years ago with Harrison's Online and the StatRef! collection of over 30 textbooks.
Starting in January 2002, the Information Services librarians at the Health Sciences Library will participate in an evidence-based-medicine pilot project for second-year medical students in Dr. Brien Barnewolt's course, Physical Diagnosis. Students will learn how to use resources such as the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Evidence Reports and National Guideline Clearinghouse, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the American College of Physicians' ACP Journal Club, Medline, and ClinicalTrials.gov to find evidence to support clinical practice. Librarians will demonstrate the resources, which students will then search for answers to their questions regarding particular patient cases. Students will submit their findings and search strategies on a weekly basis to the librarians, who will critique the results and return them for students to make presentations to their clinical preceptors.
A second microcomputer laboratory formally opened in the Health Sciences Library's Learning Resource Center this past November. This new PC lab, located in Room 508 of the LRC, is equipped with a dozen high-end networked workstations. While the primary lab in Room 518 will continue to support academic courses, the new facility will accommodate general computer use by students and faculty.
The Tufts University Health Sciences Campus Wireless Computing and Nomadic Computing Pilots have been launched. These projects are coordinated by the HSL, the Medical School's Office of Information Technology, Tufts Computing and Communications Services, and the Dental School. For the Wireless project, twenty students were selected to participate in this 60-day study, which will provide critical data to assist the University in establishing long-term objectives on how best to implement wireless computing on the Health Sciences Campus. The Nomadic Computing Initiative will make "roaming computer access" available to students with laptop computers who "plug-in" to designated network jacks within the HSL.
The Webster Veterinary Library recently received a magnificent bequest from the estate of John Seaverns, a long time Wellesley resident. Mr. Seaverns' fondness for all things equestrian was the impetus for a collection of books ranging from modern manuals of horsemanship to early texts on horse health. Among the rare and important volumes are Federico Grisone's Gli Ordeni Di Cavalcare et Mode Di Conoscere (1571) and an edition of the first printed book on the art of horsemanship-the lavishly engraved Duke of Newcastle's A General System of Horsemanship (1748). With a strong conviction that the collection's future home should be with a New England institution, Seaverns decided to bequeath it to Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, where the books and other materials will become a special part of the permanent collection.
The Ginn Library continued its partnership with Oxford University in its Forced Migration Online project. At a November meeting at Oxford, plans were advanced for the development of a distributed digital collection of gray literature in the general area of Forced Migration. Ginn library staff, working with an advisory group drawn from the Fletcher School's faculty and the Feinstein Famine Center, will be locating, collecting, digitizing and cataloging materials on Livelihoods, as they relate to forced migration issues. As of December 2001, partners in this project included the American University of Cairo, the Helsinki Committee of Prague, King's College, Columbia University Libraries, the Refugee Studies Centre at Oxford University and the Fletcher School's Ginn Library.
On October 18th, A. Ross Johnson (Fletcher '62) presented a Library Book Talk: "A Whisper in the Ear: the Role of International Broadcasting in American Foreign Policy." In his talk, co-sponsored by the Fletcher School's Edward R. Murrow Center, Johnson, a former Director of Radio Free Europe, made the case for having the U.S. government sponsored broadcast operations aimed at an international audience as a component of American foreign policy. Johnson drew on his experiences with Radio Free Europe in the former Yugoslavia, while discussing the possibility of using broadcasting in the then current US campaign in Afghanistan. "Public diplomacy not only creates awareness, it also promotes dialogue," he said. Johnson discussed the differences between Voice of American broadcasts and those of the surrogate services such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Free Iraq and described some of the successes of the past, including in the former Yugoslavia in the 90s and continuing. Johnson concluded with a discussion of issues related to the current situation in Afghanistan and throughout the Arab World, emphasizing the need for the United States to increase its public diplomacy efforts.
On October 30th, Fletcher faculty member W. Scott Thompson and his son, Nicholas Thompson, gave a Library Book Talk, The Baobab and The Mango Tree: African and Asian Contrasts. Their book deals with important questions about development and is a wide-ranging and insightful exploration using Ghana and Thailand as case studies. Ghana, the first African colony to win independence but which, following its high hopes, plunged into a downward spiral of economic decay. Thailand, which escaped colonial rule, was actually poorer than West Africa in the 1950s, but went on to achieve decades of extraordinarily rapid economic growth, albeit at very considerable environmental and human cost.
On December 4th, the Library hosted a reception and Christine Bosworth, editor of Dinner with Ambassadors and wife of the Dean of the Fletcher School, gave a Library Book Talk. In 1998, Christine Bosworth, wife of the then U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, thought it would be interesting and constructive to publish a book with a group drawn from the diplomatic corps and their families in Seoul, Korea. Dinner with Ambassadors is the impressive result of that effort. Her talk focused on the diplomatic aspects of gaining the participation of 67 countries' ambassadors in producing a book focused on presenting the distinctive nature of different national cuisines. The talk included a reception with selected recipes from the book. Proceeds form the sale of the booking the United States will benefit UNICEF; Korean sales benefits a charity for disabled Korean children.
Construction is now complete on Tisch Library's Level G of almost 10,000 linear feet of compact shelving to store little-used older volumes of bound periodicals to make room on Level 1 for the approximately 17,000 new titles added annually to the collection. Funding for the compact shelving came from the Seraph Foundation. Plans are being made to complete the rest of Level G in the next few years so that the public can access the whole floor.
On November 6th, Katherine Hall Page, G74, author of The Body in the Moonlight, eleventh in her Faith Fairchild series, and Professor Michelle Blake, faculty member in Tufts' English Department and author of Earth Has No Sorrow, second in her Lilly Connor series, spoke at An Evening of Mysteries. Both authors discussed sources of their series and other writings, how they came to write and why mysteries. It was interesting to hear them discuss their similarities and their differences.
At the November 27th Authors Talk, Professor Miriam Nelson, a faculty member in Tufts School of Nutrition Science and Policy and author of Strong Women Eat Well, spoke to a captivated audience on how strength training can improve the quality of health and lifestyle for the young and old alike. She also gave advice on how to improve nutrition and health by eating well.
Planning is underway in the Mathematics Department to select the first recipient of the Maxine N. Gordon, J70, Prize, to be awarded at the March 6th Authors Talk. The student receiving the prize must be a math major who has a demonstrated love of reading, literature and poetry as Maxine did. The Gordon family and friends plan to be present for the awarding of the first prize.
Honoring Former University Librarian Komidor
Former Tufts University Librarian Joseph S. Komidar died this past summer. Komidar retired in 1981. His widow, Mary L. Komidar, is forwarding gifts in his name to have books plated in his honor for Tisch Library. The library is making plans to install a planter in his honor along the stairway from Tisch to Goddard Chapel.
February 1, 2002-Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist,
Esther M. Wilkins, B.S., R.D.H., D.M.D., clinical professor at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Department of Periodontology, will discuss her publications Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist and A Little Book of Dental Hygienists' Rules in an event sponsored by the Health Sciences Library and Tufts University Bookstore. Dr. Wilkins, a Tufts faculty member since 1966, earned both her D.M.D. and Post Doctoral Certificate in Periodontology from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.
Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist, now in its eight edition, is a basic textbook for dental hygiene schools an the United States, Canada, and English-speaking countries around the world. Her textbook reaches a substantial international audience through several translations, including Italian, Japanese, Korean and Canadian French. The ninth edition of Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist is due to be published in May, 2004.
There will be a book signing before and after Dr. Wilkins' discussion at 5:00 pm. Her books will be exhibited in the Health Sciences Library during the months of January and February, 2002.
"A Little Book of Dental Hygienists' Rules is an enjoyable and eclectic collection of words of Wisdom and pearls of knowledge on the practice of dental hygiene."
-Susan DeAngelis, R.D.H., Ed.D.
Book Reviews, Journal of Dental Hygiene, 1998; 72: 14.
Anne Sauer, J91, G98 and Tufts Assistant Archivist for Reference and Digital Projects, will speak on "The Story Behind the Images in the photo history entitled Tufts University," which was published by Arcadian Press in honor of Tufts 150th Anniversary. A book signing sponsored by Tufts University Bookstore will follow the talk. The exhibit will be in the Tisch Library lobby January 3-April 18, 2002. The first annual Maxine N. Gordon, J70, Prize will be awarded before the Authors Talk.
"Definitely a required talk and text for all Jumbos and Friends of Tufts Libraries."
-JoAnn Wellner, J63
Chair, Friends of Tufts Libraries
"Would make a great graduation gift for a new Jumbo or a reunion gift for a Jumbo alum."
-Sondra Szymczak, J59
| Calendar Of Friends Events | |
| Event Date | Event Description |
| Jan 11-March 6, 2002 Tisch Library lobby, Medford |
150th at Tisch Exhibit: Tufts Poets-The exhibit is limited to Tufts poets who were affiliated with the university prior to 1980 and received national recognition for their poetry: Mary Grant Charles (J1920), Jeremy Ingalls (J1932), John Ciardi (A1938), Joseph Charles Kennedy (Tufts faculty 1973-79) and Denise Levertov (Tufts faculty 1973-79). The exhibit features biographical data, information on their life at Tufts, and a selection of their works. |
| January 11-May 31, 2002 Corridor to Dranetz Tower, Tisch Library, Medford |
Tufts Graduates in Wartime, which is the third in a series of exhibits on the V-12/NROTC program and the changes it brought to the Tufts campus. |
| February 1, 2002 5-6 pm Special Collections Room Health Sciences Library, Boston |
Authors Talk by Esther Wilkins, who wrote A Little Book of Dental Hygienists' Rules and Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist. Wilkins is a D.M.D. and Clinical Professor, Dental Periodontology. Book signing before and after Authors Talk. There will be an Exhibit of Wilkins' books in Health Sciences Library during tJanuary and February. |
| March 6, 2002 6:30-7:30 pm Braker 001, Medford |
Authors Talk by Anne Sauer, J91, G98 and Tufts Assistant Archivist for Reference and Digital Projects, will speak on The Story Behind the Images in the photo history entitled Tufts University, which was published by Arcadian Press in honor of Tufts 150th Anniversary. A book signing sponsored by Tufts University Bookstore will follow the talk. The exhibit will be in the Tisch Library lobby January 3-March 6, 2002. The first Gordon Prize will be awarded before the Author Talk. |
| March 7-May 31, 2002 Tisch Library lobby, Medford |
150th at Tisch Exhibit: Library Technology provides photos of the evolution of technology from a totally manual library to a digital library. |
| April 17, 2002 10am-4pm Roof of Tisch Library, Medford |
Tisch Rooftop Cafe: In celebration of Tufts 150th Anniversary, Tisch Library hosts a showcase for the wide range of talents of our students, faculty, staff and alumni across the University. Billed as "music, skits, dance and readings to highlight Tufts' past and present." Sponsored by Tisch Library, the Music Department, Admissions and interested academic departments, and various student and alumni organizations. Drop by or stay awhile. Light refreshments provided in a tent on Tisch Library's roof. |
| May 18, 2002 10-11am begin on patio in front of Tisch Library, Medford |
Tufts Poetry Walk will remember and celebrate Professor John Holmes, "Tufts Poet" and professor of English from 1930-1962, who was known for his commitment not only to the craft of poetry, but also to teaching that craft to the many students in his classes. The Poetry Walk will also honor more recent poets by bringing listeners to a selection of sites around the Medford campus where poems will be read aloud. Sponsored by Tisch Library and the English Department. |
| May 18, 2002 10am-4pm Tisch Library, Medford |
Friends and Alumni Self-Guided Tours of Tisch Library. Also Digital Collections and Archives Open House with online demo of Tufts History, a Concise Encyclopedia created for Tufts' 150th anniversary in 2002. |
| Any of the books featured in the Authors Talk may be obtained in advance from the Tufts Bookstore, (617) 627-2060. | |
| Latest calendar information at http://www.library.tufts.edu/friends/events.html. Please bookmark this URL. | |
The Friends continue to collectively make increasingly significant contributions to the financial well-being of Tufts Libraries and consequently to the services and collections offered to our current and future students, faculty and staff. So far this year, the Friends have raised $36,108 to support library acquisitions, operating expenses, new technology, book endowments, and more. In addition, a generous gift was made earlier this year to sponsor interns on the Reference Desk, while alumni of the V-12/Navy ROTC program continue to lend their support through ongoing displays of memorabilia.
There's still time this year to become a Friend. If interested, please send a gift designated to the library of your choice to:
Friends of Tufts Libraries
44 Teele Avenue
Somerville MA 02144
With a new president and the University celebrating 150 years, there's no more perfect time to join the Friends in supporting books, libraries, and learning at Tufts!
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