A message from Library Director, Jan Lewis
Is it 2021 yet? Like many of you, I can’t wait to get to the other side of this pandemic. We mourn those who lost their lives or have been sickened by COVID-19. We regret the opportunities our students have missed by not being able to have a normal academic experience. We recognize the need to address the inequalities in our country. However, we also celebrate the perseverance of ECU students, employees and supporters as, together, we have made it through a year like no other and have learned valuable lessons along the way.
Chief among these are the importance of people, relationships and values. I want to take this opportunity to thank the employees of Academic Library Services who have gone the extra mile to ensure that students had the resources and expert guidance they needed to continue with their studies, that faculty had seamless access to research materials, that our physical environment was safe, and so much more. The Year in Review illustrates how our behavior and actions are driven by our shared values of service, respect for others, lifelong learning, information access, innovation, accountability, diversity and safety.
In 2020, we translated our values into an actionable commitment to build a sustainable model of scholarship by engaging with information vendors that emphasize open access, transparency in pricing, and financially viable business models; by educating researchers on best practices in making research openly available; and by supporting those practices by investing in systems that foster open scholarship and information sharing. These principles will shape how we steward academic research produced by ECU researchers and acquire information in a manner that is accessible openly and widely to the community of scholars.
We have not been able to host physical events or programs since March 20, but those activities have continued using online platforms. Many of these activities are discussed in the Year in Review. I do want to draw your attention to the Paraprofessional Conference which drew a record-setting attendance in excess of 300 people and our virtual exhibits available 24/7.
Finally, I want to focus on the legacy of 2020. This year marked the 57th anniversary of Dr. King’s March on Washington and the 65th anniversary of the murder of Emmett Till. But racial justice and equity still elude us. At Academic Library Services, we are trying to take positive steps through actions such as our anti-racism statement, Black Lives Matter anti-racism resource guide, commitment to diverse and inclusive collections, staff training and Social Justice Community Collection.
2020 also marked the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and women's constitutional right to vote. Amazing to think about, isn’t it? I think about my Aunt Beth who celebrated her 103rd birthday in August, loves to discuss politics, and was alive when women could not vote. There are still opportunities to document these stories, and we are doing so through the “She Changed the World: NC Women Breaking Barriers” project. I was humbled to be included in this project along with former legislator and education leader Edith Warren (chair of the Joyner Library Advancement Council) and others in our community.
Thank you for your support of Academic Library Services and ECU. Together we can advance our shared values and grow stronger. Go Pirates!
Joyner Library is the intellectual heart of East Carolina University. We connect people to information and empower their lifelong learning by developing robust collections, superior services, and people-friendly spaces.
A virtual tour of Joyner Library
The library looks a little different these days. Take a virtual tour through the building with Jan Lewis.
Equipping Students
Many ECU students rely on library computers to complete their assignments and research. Unfortunately, after leaving campus, many of these students did not have access to a computer, or the necessary internet connection needed.
We loaned laptops, wifi hotspots, webcams and other equipment to students who needed them to be able to continue their studies remotely.
Last year, ECU students borrowed technology equipment from the Library more than 43,000 times.
Being able to access quality materials for free through the library helps students succeed and encourages creativity and experimentation. Demand is often higher than availability, though, and students aren’t always able to borrow what they need when they need it.
We loan more than 25 categories of equipment including calculators, digital and video cameras, zoom lenses, projectors, hotspots, laptops, Blu-Ray players, tripods, microphones and portable sound systems.
Providing Service & Access
After campus shut down, students who were suddenly off campus and studying remotely worried about access to the books and materials they needed.
We made sure that materials and resources got to those students and faculty that needed them, no matter where they where located.
Many institutions stopped their interlibrary loan (ILL) services during 2020. Joyner Library maintained our ILL services and went above and beyond in answering the call. Providing service and access to eastern North Carolina and beyond is central to our mission; Joyner continued to make our materials available to students and researchers at other institutions.
Our circulation team worked to ship books and other materials or scan and email journal articles so that our students had access to the resources they needed.
Virtual Assistance
Helping Students
Many students who suddenly found themselves learning remotely struggled to complete assignments. Thankfully, our librarians were there to help.
We provided virtual assistance to students when they needed it, and in the most convenient ways for them.
Joyner has long offered virtual assistance to our community, particularly through our "Ask a Librarian" services, so we were well positioned to serve our students remotely.
Assisting Faculty
Faculty members teaching multiple face-to- face classes, many of whom were not familiar with teaching online, had to quickly transition their classes to virtual platforms.
We assisted faculty in transitioning their courses and necessary resources to virtual platforms, and helped ensure student access to information they needed to excel.
From research consultations to assistance navigating Joyner's digital collections and more, our librarians have been able to serve our students and faculty, wherever they might be.
In addition, the Teaching Resources Center's Ann Rhem Schwarzmann Production Center went full-service to offer the following services to students, faculty and staff: making buttons, comb binding materials, laminating materials and printing posters.
Textbook Affordability
Affordability Initiatives for ECU Students
Since 2015, the Library’s textbook affordability programs have saved ECU students more than $1.4 million.
Our Faculty Program provides monetary and librarian support to instructors who want to replace commercial textbooks with options that are free to their students. These could be open textbooks, online articles from the library’s subscription databases or primary source materials from our collections.
Through the Course-Adopted Textbook Program, the library acquires e-book versions of selected textbooks that can be made available to an unlimited number of simultaneous users.
Because many textbooks are not available this way, the third prong of our program is our Print Reserve Textbook Collection. Each semester, we purchase copies of the texts used in the highest-enrollment courses and place them on reserve. In some cases, we scan chapters and place them on electronic reserve or in Canvas, ECU’s course management system. The library also pays for hundreds of streaming media, so that students do not need to pay to watch the films required for their courses. This year especially, Lisa Barricella and Cindy Shirkey worked to ensure that professors had access to as many streaming videos as we could provide.
Sustainable Scholarship
In 2020, Academic Library Services made a commitment and took action to build a sustainable model of scholarship.
As a library, we choose to work with information vendors that emphasize:
- open access
- transparency in pricing and
- financially viable business models.
We work hard to educate faculty and researchers on best practices in making their research openly available.
Changes in our Building
The library was prepared for more students returning to campus. We ensured a physical environment that follows new safety protocols and allows people to create, collaborate and be productive.
Plexiglass was installed at our service desks. Furniture and computer stations were rearranged to promote physical distancing. Occupancy limits were lowered for study rooms. The library added numerous hand sanitizer stations and of course, required masks. These measures have helped keep our students and staff as safe as possible while they're in the library.
Did you know? Students love our 100+ private and group study rooms. Last year, group study rooms were reserved for 287,000 hours!
Pictured: Floyd Conner and Matt Clark install plexiglass near the library's security desk.
Safe Study Spaces
Many of our study spaces already promoted appropriate distancing. Moving and rearranging flexible seating provided ample spaces for students to work.
Student Awards
While we weren't able to gather in person to recognize and celebrate outstanding student work this year, we are proud to honor their achievements.
W. Keats Sparrow Writing Award
The W. Keats Sparrow Writing Award recognizes excellence in research and writing by students in East Carolina University’s English 1100 and 2201 composition classes. The award is sponsored by the Friends of Joyner Library and is named in honor of Dr. W. Keats Sparrow, Professor Emeritus of English and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
SOAD Graduate Student Exhibition
This annual exhibition features artworks by current graduate students in ECU's School of Art and Design. Diverse works include paintings and drawings, textile and metal designs, sculpture, photography, pottery and more.
Into Waking Bloom by Noelle Gunn, left, received the Friends of Joyner Library Purchase Award.
Joyner Library offers numerous awards supporting student success. Please visit the library awards page to learn more!
Documenting COVID19
The pandemic will one day be part of our history; documenting and collecting stories from our community will help future generations better understand how it affected our campus, community and region.
Nearly 100 submissions have been received, including written reflections, oral histories, photographs and artwork – even a psychology study on COVID-related stress – from across our greater ENC community: middle school students, senior citizens, local organizations, ECU students and faculty.
Photo of masks for sale along Greenville Blvd in the spring of 2020 submitted by Charlotte Fitz Daniels
Black Lives Matter: Anti-Racism Resources
ALS created a list inclusive of resources on learning, teaching and dismantling racism and injustice. It serves as a general guide and information resource on race, racial relations, the Black experience in the U.S., and for addressing white and other forms of privilege.
As a reminder, this list is not meant to be comprehensive, but a starting point for education and conversation. We see this as a community effort, and invite you to help us build this resource by suggesting links or content.
Additionally, the Teaching Resources Center created “Race Relations, Racism, and Injustices” bibliographies for the Curriculum and Ronnie Barnes collections, which are available online. Visit the TRC https://library.ecu.edu/trc/
Social Justice Collection
As East Carolina University works to build an anti-racist environment, Joyner Library Special Collections seeks to document the marginalized voices in the community through a Social Justice Community Collection. Our aim is to preserve the stories of those who experience social injustice and/or are part of the current civil rights movement, particularly in Eastern North Carolina.
We are seeking photographs capturing demonstrations, protests and other relevant events; written experiences and recorded short narratives. We are also happy to schedule a time with you to record an interview. We accept anonymous submissions as well. If you’d like to tell your story, we welcome you to contact us at specialcollections@ecu.edu.
Protesters walk away from 10th Street toward Ninth, Sunday May 31, 2020 (Photo by Cliff Hollis)
Virtual Exhibitions
When our physical space closed in the spring, we moved exhibits online so that our community could continue to enjoy them safely.
Virtual exhibits featured this year included: "BBQ Capital of the World: Eastern North Carolina and the Jones Family Legacy;" the 12th annual Joyner Library School of Art and Design Graduate Student Art Exhibition; "First in the Family: East Carolina University's Centennial Oral History Project;" and "Ways of Making: Hanging Tree Guitars" by Greene County native Freeman Vines (pictured at right).
Virtual Programming
Library staff hosted several virtual talks and seminars during 2020. You can catch up with them online. Here are some highlights:
Genealogy Workshop: Discovering the Hidden Women in Your Family Tree
HUAC vs the “Greenville Benevolent Association”: Investigating the Klan in Eastern NC 1965-66
Paraprofessional Conference 2020
The 16th Annual Joyner Library Paraprofessional Conference was held virtually June 17-18, due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The conference provides professional development opportunities for paraprofessionals in public, academic and school libraries. Despite a pandemic and shifting to a virtual setting, we found new opportunities as we worked to achieve our goals.
This year's conference welcomed over 300 registered attendees and had an average of 100 viewers per session. Participants hailed from western North Carolina as well as nearby states like Tennessee and Florida. Our online format also made it possible for international attendees, from Nigeria, West Africa and from Tbilisi, Georgia, to join us! In addition to expanding the geographic reach of our attendees, we were able to learn from presenters from across the state and the Midwest.
We received incredibly positive feedback on our presenters, keynote and our willingness to hold the conference during these uncertain times. While we enjoy hosting the event in-person, knowing that we were able to successfully move the conference online provides us many new options as we navigate an unknown future. Most important, the success of the Paraprofessional Conference arose from the creative problem solving and dedication of a team of people who were focused on the goals of the event. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's conference and we look forward to hosting another successful one in 2021!
This year's committee was made up of co-chairs Joe Barricella and Andrew Grace as well as John Dunning, Kelsey Dwyer, Colise Hunt, Walter Lanham and David Wilbourne. Colise received the conference's 2020 VIP award for her many years of dedicated service planning the event.
State Library of North Carolina "She Changed the World" Grant
The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women's constitutional right to vote. Despite decades of marches and petitions, the passage of the 19th Amendment, it did not grant voting rights for all. The fight for equity continues today.
“She Changed the World: NC Women Breaking Barriers,” an initiative by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, celebrates the achievements of North Carolina women and explores the diversity of their experiences and impact on our history.
Women interviewed for Joyner Library's project included Greenville City Manager Ann Wall; Judge Wendy Hazelton; ECU Associate Dean of Students Lauren Thorn; ECU Joyner Library Director Jan Lewis; Edith Warren, former legislator and education leader and chair of the Joyner Library Advancement Council; and Pitt County Sheriff Paula Dance.
Collected interviews and images will be made freely available through our Digital Collections in the near future!
Alston Cobourn, University Archivist, and Jennifer Daugherty, North Carolina Collection Librarian led this grant effort along with many other library employees.
National Film Preservation Grant
Thanks to a 2019 National Film Preservation Foundation grant, Academic Library Services was able to restore and digitize “Greenville in Reelife,” a silent film recorded by Reelife Motion Pictures in 1941 that captures scenes of Greenville, North Carolina, including East Carolina University. While It presents many aspects of life at the time, it is only a snapshot of a segment of Greenville and is not representative of the entire community.
Joe BarrAlston Cobourn, University Archivist, and Jennifer Daugherty, North Carolina Collection Librarian led this grant effort along with many other library employees.
North Carolina Humanities Council Grant
An extension of our previous "Beyond Bricks and Mortar" project, this grant extends documentation in our community. As a multifaceted project, the work shares a missing piece in the history of African American communities in Greenville that were displaced in the 1960's and 1970's. Through oral history and photo documentation, online and traveling exhibitions, and community training workshops, this project places developments in Greenville within the context of race relations and urban renewal in North Carolina.
Collected interviews and images will be made freely available through our Digital Collections in the near future!
SLNC Cares Grant
"Learn at Home" Kits
Thanks to a State Library of North Carolina CARES grant, we were able to add "Learn at Home" kits to the equipment available for our students to borrow so that they have the technology they need to continue to learn remotely.
Pledge to Act Against Racism & Injustice Mini-Grant
Equity in Action: Fostering an Antiracist Library Culture
Congratulations to Amy Curtis and all members of the Staff Development Committee for receiving one of the “Stand With OED: Pledge to Act Against Racism & Injustice Mini-Grants” for the Equity in Action: Fostering an Antiracist Library Culture three-part virtual workshop series.
Primary Pledge Commitment: Educate. This grant funded Joyner Library employees to sign up for and participate in the “Equity in Action: Fostering an Anti-racist Library Culture” series. The program centers on library-specific equity issues and how to create and maintain an anti-racist library environment.
Donating PPE
Library donates essential supplies to frontline healthcare workers
"University Libraries Help Hospitals with PPE Donations - Preservation specialists rush to fill shortages of protective gear"
Lawrence Houston, conservator at East Carolina University’s Joyner Library, teamed up with the university’s Maritime Conservation Lab. “While we use N95 masks for conservation work on mold-damaged paper, and [the Maritime Conservation Lab] used N95 masks for the dusty work of chipping away the dross from archaeological shipwreck concretions, we both recognize that preservation of life means more during any time of crisis,” Houston says. “In some cases, our objects had waited hundreds of years for conservation treatment; they could wait just a little while longer.”
Serving our Community
Even during a pandemic, Joyner Library and its staff are dedicated to finding ways to serve our community. The Stewardship Committee worked with ECU Sustainability to volunteer at the Community Garden on Friday, October 2. Library volunteers weeded out beds of arugula and learned about the good the Community Garden does for Greenville. This was a great opportunity for some outreach and community engagement!
Stewardship committee member Andrew Grace was honored in December as one of ECU's Treasured Pirates for 2020.
Sharing the gift of safety
Feature: Tracie Hampton
Tracie Hampton works in Preservation and Conservation at Joyner Library.
Realizing the overwhelming need for protective masks, Tracie put her sewing skills to work. She made more than 300 face masks and 100 ear savers, which she gave away free of charge.
Additional thanks to Joyner staff including Lisa Barricella, Joseph Thomas, Larry Houston and Ann Carol Stocks for donating supplies for this wonderful effort.
COVID19 Contact Tracing
A reflection by Charlotte Fitz Daniels
"In early August, Joyner Library Director Jan Lewis shared that Provost Hayes was asking for faculty and staff to volunteer as contact tracers. I was immediately interested, feeling that during this time of upheaval, I wanted to do something to help. The first day I began my service, the stack of papers I was given with student names on them was thick and a little intimidating, and I stuttered over my words as I made my first few calls. Now it has become second nature to ask students questions.
"During these conversations, I am digging for specific details about their symptoms and recent activity, but other things begin to emerge along with the plain facts. I get a tiny door into these students' lives. While quarantined alone in a dorm room or in their apartment bedroom, they need someone to talk to. One of the questions I always ask is if they feel nauseous; one student admitted he did but added that it might be because he feels so much anxiety right now. I try to calm him by reminding him his temperature has continued to decrease and that he has passed the worst part of his illness.
"We also talk about things like what they are studying, their plans after they graduate or how their family is doing. As an ECU staff member who organizes and implements events and programs to engage our students in pre-Covid days, I am engaging with students in a very different way now and hoping that I am a caring voice on the other line that helps them feel not so alone."
Charlotte Fitz Daniels is Joyner Library's programs and events coordinator and curator of the Janice B. Hardison Faulkner Gallery.
Mark Sanders, Assistant Director for Public Services, speaks about the impact of donor support.
RARE FIND
Donor’s rare book collection, all 4,000 volumes, is going to ECU
“It’s been a lifetime of collecting. I’ve been to thousands of bookstores and book fairs and antique fairs, looking, buying and negotiating for books. I don’t want them to be wasted,” Kingery said. For that reason, he made a will bequest donating his prized volumes to ECU, in addition to an endowment to maintain the collection permanently as the Terry H. Kingery Special Collection at Joyner Library.
“We are grateful to Mr. Kingery for his planned gift of rare books. His passion and dedication for his hobby has resulted in a wonderful collection that will enhance our special collections and will be used by future generations of students and researchers,” said Jan Lewis, director of Joyner Library.
Friends of Joyner Library
The Friends of Joyner Library was established to foster the role of Joyner Library as a university and global resource. The Friends sponsor programs focused on raising awareness of the library’s resources and support fundraising activities to develop and preserve collection development and facility upgrades.
"In my 21 years at ECU I have been fortunate to be well served by our libraries, both Joyner and Laupus. Our institution’s mission benefits greatly from these two wonderful academic assets. In turn, each of our two libraries is blessed to have a FRIENDS group who give and organize giving to benefit library programming. We all benefit from their generosity of time, talent and (Pirate) treasure. Thank you, Friends!!" - Ron Mitchelson, Interim Chancellor
Virtual Joyner Library Town Hall
View the recording of ECU's virtual Town Hall with Jan Lewis and learn how Joyner Library is navigating during this unique time, its recent accomplishments and its plans for the future.
We’ve always shown up when we’re needed most. Supporting Joyner Library is another way to bolster our important work across Pirate Nation. We are grateful for the many library supporters who share their time, talent and resources to ensure our students have the tools they need to succeed. Will you stand with us?
Thank you to our supporters. You make a difference.
In Memoriam
Reflection by Library Director, Jan Lewis
This year, we lost two long-time supporters of Joyner Library and ECU. More than that, we lost two compassionate, civic-minded individuals who were dear friends.
James B. Thompson’s legacy will live on through the many individuals who received the James and Marie Thompson Student Award over the past decade in recognition for their outstanding work in the classroom and as Joyner Library student employees. For many years, James coached a high school girls’ golf team. Marie wholeheartedly supported using gifts made to the library in James’ memory to purchase books about women and girls for the Teaching Resources Center. We thank the friends and family who are helping enhance our collections and honor James in this way.
Betty Debnam Hunt’s legacy will live on through her endowment to fund the Librarian to Librarian Networking Summit and through her life’s work, "The Mini Page," which was syndicated nationally for many years. After her passing, Joyner Library employees shared their childhood memories of "The Mini-Page," including these: “I will remember my grandmother saving 'The Mini-Pages' for when I came to visit.” “Several Mini Page recipe clippings are in my recipe box.” “Reading 'The Mini Page' with my Grandpa is one of my lasting memories of him.” “I am excited to have discovered the online archive for 'The Mini Page' and have fond memories when I look at them now.“ I am glad I was able to have a socially-distanced lunch with Betty on her porch this fall. As always, she was interested in what was happening at ECU and the library, and wanted to know when I’d be back for another visit.
James and Betty were true friends of the library and ECU. May their memories be a blessing.
Credits:
Created with images by Goumbik - "phone phones headphone" • Hermann - "books education school"