Many Hands Make Libraries Work, Part 2

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Last fall, my colleague Cody Mansley wrote an article about the broad collaboration he led to reorganize a fifth of the Theology & Ministry Library’s collection, entitled Many Hands Make Libraries Work. In the same spirit of appreciation and collaboration, I am pleased to report on another large project recently completed at the TML. The BC Libraries received a gift of over 9000 books on Islamic Theology- the personal library of incoming faculty member Gerhard Bowering. These items, mostly in Arabic, greatly expand the BC holdings on this topic. It is truly a unique and valuable collection! Creating the shelf-space for such a large gift proved to be a challenging task at the TML.

30 stacks of crates, each 4 crates high, stand against a ground-floor wall in an open area.
Crates full of the books of the Bowering collection of Islamic Theology await shelving space in the Theology and Ministry Library atrium at Boston College
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BC Libraries Renovations Summer 2021

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Blue scaffolding supports criss-cross in front of a neogothic window of Bapst Library.

To avoid disrupting study in the (typically) crowded libraries, summer is often the only time that significant renovations can occur in the BC Libraries, and this summer is no exception. We are expecting some serious dust and noise in the O’Neill Library, the Theology and Ministry Library, and the Bapst/Burns building. Please expect periodic restrictions to spaces and collections and all the typical construction noise (we do provide ear plugs to the needy).  In each of the projects, contractors will be following BC Covid Protocols while on campus. Here are more details about what to expect during and after the renovations.

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Remote Access to Library Resources with OpenAthens

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Most library e-resources grant access to any device connected to an address on the institution’s IP range, so an on-campus user doesn’t need to enter their username and password. Traditionally, libraries have relied on proxy servers such as EZproxy to manage off-campus access to electronic resources.

Detail of a whimsical gargoyle-like stonework figure of two students resting back to back while reading, and holding their heads in confusion.
Detail above doorway on John J. Burns Library.
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Going Online with BC Libraries

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When the plum trees in the O’Neill Library quad last blossomed, we had all suddenly moved online. The library–and many publishers–made immediate accommodations for increased online content and contact to adapt to the sudden change, but it took some time to make deeper systemic changes. By summer, many library staff were helping groups of instructors with online course design under the auspices of CDIL and the CTE. By the time fall courses got underway, library staff had worked with faculty members to transition over 200 courses in both the Morrissey School of Arts & Sciences and the Woods School, offering help with everything from quick tutorials in copyright and fair use to ordering articles and streaming video content. Now that we’ve made a quick digital transition, consider expanding library content to enrich your courses.

Close-up of white plum blossoms catching the sun on a dark branch with blue sky in the background
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