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- Tom Wilson: Power Outage On, Friday December 26, the power in the building will shut down for preventive maintenance on our transformers. Please turn off all computers, and computer related equipment at the power strip. Please unplug all space heaters, fans and any other type of electrical items. Refrigerators may be left on but please clean them out in case power is off longer than expected. Please contact my office for questions. Have a safe and happy holiday season! |
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- John Keane: Staff Lounge/Café Improvements All, As a result of feedback from VPDLC staff and café users, we have scheduled the following changes in the staff lounge/café area:
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- Sandra Kerbel : Alert: Scheduled Downtime for Dec. 26-Noon, Dec. 27 Dear Colleagues: The University's Facilities Services will be doing maintenance electrical work in Van Pelt Dietrich Library Center on December 26, 2003. Consequently the Library's Catalog (Franklin), Web Services, and Blackboard will not be available from 6:00 a.m. on December 26 until Noon on December 27. Van Pelt Dietrich Library Center was already scheduled to be closed but the Biomedical Library will be open on Friday, December 26 (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) and Saturday, December 27 (10 a.m.-6:00 p.m.). We hope to be able to provide access to frequently used electronic resources during this time but the list of e-resources will not be comprehensive. As soon as electrical power is restored to Van Pelt Dietrich Library Center we will bring up services. Information about the status of services will be posted on www.library.upenn.edu on December 26. We will be posting notices on the Library's website, Franklin, Blackboard, etc. on Monday alerting users about the scheduled downtime on December 26. The following services* will be affected during the downtime:
Please let me know if you have questions. Also I am asking that liaisons contact their departments about this scheduled downtime. Sincerely, |
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- Roy Heinz (Library Systems ): Electric outage in Van Pelt/Dietrich on Dec. 26th Electricians will shut off electricity in all of the Van Pelt/Dietrich Library complex on Friday, December 26th. We ask that when you leave work for your holiday -- whether that is today or a day next week -- you not only log off your computer but also turn off power to your computer, monitor screen and printer. The best way to do this is probably to find the power strip where the electric wires are plugged in and turn off that power strip. If you need assistance, contact your local service provider or call Systems at 898-4824. Thank you. |
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- Debra Bucher : Texts and Their Users Panel Presentation I'm happy to announce that we have another group of graduate students willing to share their library experiences with us. Mark your calendars for Thursday, January 15, 3-4pm. VMD/PhD students from the School of Veterinary Medicine will talk about their dissertations and how they do library research. Join them in the Class of '55 Conference Room, Van Pelt Library. |
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- Sandra Kerbel : Update on Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Search Dear Colleagues: Here is the link to position ad and description for Vice Provost and Director of Libraries: http://www.library.upenn.edu/employment/viceprovost/search.html Best, |
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- Rick Bobst : Holiday Party Pictures I asked David Toccafondi to post the Holiday Party pictures I had taken last Thursday. They can be viewed at the link provided: http://staffweb.library.upenn.edu/pictures/parties/holiday2003/ |
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- Nicholas N. Sohier (University of Pennsylvania ISC
Networking and Telecommunications): Voice Mail Announcement The University's voice mail system will be temporarily unavailable during routing maintenance on Tuesday, December 30th, beginning at 10:00am. |
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- Sandra Kerbel : Update on Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Search Dear Colleagues: Just a brief update on the search for Vice Provost and Director of Libraries. A position ad and position description have been finalized and the search firm is in the process of posting the ad. We will be posting the position ad and description on the Library's website later this week and I will notify you when the page is available. Thanks. |
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- John Keane: Café Hours All, Mark's Café will be open longer during reading days and exams. Schedule: Monday 12/8 through Thurs 12/11 8am to 2am Friday 12/12 8am to 11pm Saturday 12/13 noon to 10pm Sunday 12/14 noon to 2 am Monday 12/15 through Thurs 12/18 8am to 2 am Friday 12/19 8am to 3pm The Café will then be closed until January 12th. |
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- Randy Rice: Holiday Party Next Thursday Hi everyone, This is just an early reminder that this year's Holiday Party is actually next Thursday, Dec. 11th, from 2:30 - 5:30pm on the 6th Fl. of Van Pelt Library. Traditionally, the party is on a 'Friday' but just in case you've misplaced your invitation, please note that it's on 'Thursday' this year. Well, this is just a wordy way of reminding you about the party. :-) Thank you, |
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- Bob Eash: Severe Weather Policy All Staff: Our annual Weather Policy, which relates most generally to winter snow and storms, can be downloaded as a Word document from this link. Please review the policy and discuss with your supervisor your role in unit coverage in the event of inclement weather! The Penn Closing Policy is online at http://www.hr.upenn.edu/policy/policies/707.asp |
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- John Keane: Café Survey All, Thanks to everyone who responded to my recent café survey. Your input is very helpful and should help us make improvements to the café. The ARAMARK staff are learning what works and what doesn't and have been very receptive to our suggestions. In reading the comments recently received, it is clear that sushi, soup and smoothies are big hits, while improvements are called for in sandwiches, tidiness, inventory re-supply and the physical space. While some people were quite complimentary about the coffee, others were less so. I realize tastes are subjective, but it seems the café is unable to provide a "Starbucks-like" blend that many people are hooked on. Not being a coffee drinker, I don't really understand the nuances, but I will talk to ARAMARK to see if they can come up with something more "Starbucks-like." I invite comments at any time that will help us provide better service and products in the café. The café will be closed over the Winter break and we hope to make several physical improvements to the space at that time. |
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- Bob Eash: Learning & Education Seminars Attention Library Staff: Learn valuable skills through American Management Association (AMA) programs, Brown Bag Matinees, Satellite Broadcasts, and other programs. To register for any of these courses, please visit www.hr.upenn.edu/learning/. (Click on Course Catalog) Tuesday, December 2, 11am - 12:30pm, FREE Satellite Broadcast - "Organizational Transformation Featuring Lou Gerstner" As chairman and CEO of IBM, Lou Gerstner navigated one of the most dramatic turnarounds in corporate history. He provides a unique perspective on the critical interrelationships between strategy, execution and culture, and focuses on a handful of overarching business and leadership lessons that transcend industries, technologies, or economic cycles. Wednesday, December 3, 12pm - 1pm, FREE Brown Bag Matinee - "Leadership: Reach for the Stars" In this innovative program, Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin teaches employees that everyone has the potential to develop into a consistent and effective leader by learning the right set of characteristics and behaviors - and by reaching for the stars. Friday, December 5, 12pm - 1pm, FREE Career Focus Brown Bag - "Dressing for Professional Success" One aspect to stepping up in your career involves your professional image. This workshop offers practical tips for men and women: how to present yourself most professionally and how to build your working wardrobe in practical and economical ways. Wednesday, December 10, 1pm - 3pm, FREE Satellite Broadcast - "Power Tools For Women! Featuring Joni Daniels" This energetic program will help charge up your personal and professional image. Learn and laugh your way to finding the interpersonal tools and strategies to access the power you already possess, and how you can transfer that power from the kitchen to the boardroom and back. Thursday, December 11, 9am - 11:30am, $50 Career Concepts - "Stressed" Stress is a common denominator for most of the business world. It is not always a negative thing; in fact, there are positive or good stresses in all our lives. This session turns the concept of stress avoidance inside out. Friday, December 12, 12pm - 1pm, FREE Career Focus Brown Bag - "Interviewing For Your Next Job" Be confident and prepared for your interviews. This video presents key interviewing advice which will help you be a better communicator about your own personal characteristics and career skills. |
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- Stephanie Brown : Web calendar hours rollover November 24 Dear Web Calendar Editors: On Monday, November 24, 2003, Mike Winkler rolled over the 2003 hours data into the 2004 library web calendar. To insure accuracy, you should proofread the posted hours for your library/point of service and edit the information using the calendar editing tool, even if you plan to have the same hours next year as you had in 2003. Be especially sure to check your library/point of service hours for holidays, transitions between terms, and other dates when you are likely to have irregular hours or a change in hours. It is also recommended that you confirm hours information with your colleagues in your library/service unit before editing the calendar. SPRING SEMESTER HOLIDAYS/TRANSITIONAL DAYS Spring semester classes begin: Monday, January 12
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (observed; no classes): Monday, January 19
Spring Break begins at close of classes: Friday, March 5
Classes resume: 8 a.m., Monday, March 15
Spring term classes end: Friday, April 23
Reading days: Monday-Wednesday,
Final examinations: Thursday-Friday,
Alumni Day: Saturday, May 15
Commencement: Monday, May 17
The URL for the calendar editing tool is http://events.library.upenn.edu/cgi-bin/calendar.cgi?&mode=admin. A tutorial for using the editing tool is online at http://www.library.upenn.edu/sitedocs/tutorials/calendar/. |
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- Sandra Kerbel : Update on Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Search Dear Colleagues: Just a brief update on the Vice Provost and Director of Libraries search. The Search Committee members all expressed that they felt the meetings with library staff were very useful. The Search Committee has selected a search firm, Diversified Search Companies, to assist in the search process. Kim Morrisson from Diversified Search Companies has met with the Search Committee as well as Library and University officials. Currently the Search Committee is working on a final draft of the position narrative that will form the basis of the position ad. The Committee welcomes nominations for candidates, and you can send your nominations directly to Joe Turow (Chair, Search Committee) and Ray Simon (Staff, Provost Office) or through me. Thanks. |
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- Bob Eash: Special Winter Vacation All Staff: As you may know, this year the University has designated FIVE days (December 26, 29, 30 & 32, and Jan. 2) as the "official" SWV days. As usual, particular libraries may be open on some of these days, so some staff are scheduled to work. For this reason, each year the Library designates a period of time in December and January during which staff, who are scheduled to work on an official SWV day, can take alternative time off. This year, the SWV period is December 22, 2003 through January 11, 2004. Please remember that if you are NOT scheduled to work on one of the official SWV days, that day IS one of your five SWV days. Please consult with your supervisor as to your unit's, and your individual, work schedule during this Holiday period! Have a good Holiday season! |
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- Bob Eash: Snow Day Child Care 2003/04 Human Resources is once again arranging for Snow Day Child Care for the children of Penn faculty and staff, from twelve weeks through twelve years of age. The program will run from December 8, 2003 through March 26, 2004. It will be available when the University is open but the Philadelphia schools are closed due to inclement weather. Children attending schools in other districts also are welcome. Snow Day Child Care will operate between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. in the Penn Children's Center at Left Bank Commons, Suite 100, 3160 Chestnut St. Pre-enrollment is required in order to participate. Additional information on the program, including how to enroll, is available at If you have any questions about the program, please contact Human Resources at 215-898-5116 or orna@hr.upenn.edu |
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- Bob Eash: Flu Shot Reminder REMINDER: FLU SHOT REGISTRATION for FACULTY & STAFF Sponsored by Human Resources & Administered by Occupational Medicine Spaces are still available between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for pre-registration time slots at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and The Wharton School. Take advantage of this opportunity to get your flu shot at a location convenient to you. Pre-registration is required, by the end of business on Wednesday, November 12th. To view available time slots and locations, go to Have your PennKey ready so that you can complete your registration online. If you do not have access to a computer to register on-line, please contact Human Resources at 215-898-5116 or 215-898-1012. Please bring the following to the flu shot site:
See the complete schedule |
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- Emily Batista: Recruiting singers Dear Library Staff: If you sing, and you like holiday music, and you enjoy performing for an audience, please join the Library Chorus and share your talents at the holiday party! The chorus formed six years ago and performs annually at the party. The first meeting of the chorus is this Thursday, November 6, from noon to 1 p.m., in the Class of '55 Conference Room, second floor, VP-DLC. If you are interested, or even only potentially interested, please email me and let me know whether you sing soprano, alto, tenor, or bass/baritone. |
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- Bob Eash: Financial Workshops Planned ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL STAFF: Retirement Education & Financial Planning Workshops are being presented by the Division of Human Resources on Monday, November 10 - Thursday, November 13 at Houston Hall-Bodek Lounge, 3417 Spruce Street. Click here for details: |
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- Bob Eash: Reminder Notice- Talk & Reception- This Friday All Staff: This is to remind you that Carton Rogers will be speaking this Friday, Oct. 31, at 9:30 AM in the Dietrich Reading Rm. on the topic, "The Library In The Year Ahead: Where We Are and What To Expect During Our Transition." You may wish to refer to my memo of Oct. 7th for details regarding our newly-formed Speakers Bureau and other info! Happy Halloween, Bob |
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- John Keane: Vending Machines All, After a long wait, the vending machine company has finally come out to rearrange the machines. The room next to the staff kitchen will have a Coke machine (no cans, because we don't want uncovered drinks in the public areas) and a snack machine. The milk/juice machine will be moved to the ground floor elevator lobby on the Dietrich side of the building and will only be available to staff. We are still waiting for the card readers in the staff lounge area to be activated, but we hope that will be done soon. Thanks for your patience. |
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- Bob Eash: Flu Shots & November Quality of Worklife Workshops All Staff: Human Resources & Quality of WorkLife Programs Announce: 1. Faculty/Staff Flu Shots 2. November Workshops Pre-registration is required for both the flu shots and the workshops. See below for details. FACULTY/STAFF FLU SHOTS OFFERED ON CAMPUS Sponsored by Human Resources - Administered by Occupational Medicine Dates:
Please register and reserve your time slot for the flu vaccine by Wednesday, November 12. To view location details and to register, go to www.hr.upenn.edu/quality/wellness/flushots.asp or follow the instructions below. If you do not have access to a computer to register on-line, please contact Human Resources at 215-898-5116. Note: You will need a PennKey logon and password to register on-line. For information on PennKeys, go to www.upenn.edu/computing/pennkey. Please bring the following to the flu shot site:
* Pre-Registration Instructions:
Quality of Worklife Programs, Division of Human Resources To enhance your professional and/or personal well-being join us for these workshops presented by experts from Penn Behavioral Health (PBH)*, Penn's Employee Assistance and Work & Family Service provider, and Independence Blue Cross, one of Penn's Wellness Partners. To registration online go to the course catalog at www.hr.upenn.edu/training_coursecatalog/search_criteria.asp and select "Quality of Worklife" from the "Browse by Category" drop down menu, and then click on the workshop/s of your choice. Thursday, November 6 - "Elder Care 101: How to Plan Before the Crisis" 11:30 am - 1:00 pm As your parents or relatives age, they experience significant changes, both physically and emotionally. Your response to these changes, as well as the response of your elderly relatives, will be many and varied. In this workshop, participants will be engaged in a discussion of these questions:
Wednesday, November 12 - "Workplace Ergonomics" 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Learning how the body is meant to work, and identifying and eliminating ergonomic hazards can help prevent injuries both on and off the job. Injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow and lumbosacral strain are just a few of the problems that can result from excessive force, or improper body alignment. Participants will learn how to identify potential ergonomic hazards in their workplace and home and devise solutions for modifying jobs, tasks, and workstations to reduce the risk of injury. Friday, November 14 - "Tackling Insomnia" 12:00- 1:00 pm Video Presentation and Q & A with Dr. Charles Cantor of Penn Sleep Medicine Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep affects nearly everyone at some time. This video, part of the Time Life Medical series, will give you specific solutions for getting a good night's sleep to give you more energy during the waking hours. It helps patients understand what is happening inside their bodies, and provides information about how a diagnosis is made. The video presents options for treatment which patients can discuss with their doctors, and frequently asked questions are answered. Dr. Charles Cantor, a staff physician with Penn's Division of Sleep Medicine, will be on hand to provide additional information and to answer your questions Thursday, November 20 - "Managing Conflict in the Workplace" 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Gain the skills necessary for effectively reducing opportunities for conflict. Learn the varied styles of conflict resolution and the options for managing conflict when it arises. * Note: For personalized assistance with dependent care issues and personal well-being, contact Penn's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Work & Family Services provider, Penn Behavioral Health, at 1-888-321-4433 or go online to www.hr.upenn.edu/quality/wellness/eap.asp. For questions on QOWL programs, contact Human Resources at orna@hr.upenn.edu or 215-898-5116. |
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- Roy Heinz: Scanning for viruses on POBOX Currently in testing and scheduled to start this week, all inbound and outbound mail from POBOX accounts will be scanned for viruses by a well known commercial vendor (Messagelabs.com). These scans will maintain your privacy and should prevent viruses from appearing in your mailbox. This process uses "virus signatures" to identify problematic messages which will be quarantined for one month and then deleted. You do not need to do anything to configure or monitor this process. The process does NOT remove Spam messages from your mailbox, only known viruses. A message from the POBOX administrator about the new feature is posted at |
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- John Keane: Mark's Café All, Please direct all issues relating to Mark's Café to me. I am the Library's liaison to the operator, ARAMARK. |
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- Marilyn Kraut: Models of Excellence Nominations Sought - Deadline November 7, 2003 Dear Colleagues: It is time to search for this year's Models of Excellence. The Models of Excellence program, introduced in 1999, offers the campus an opportunity to honor, award, and celebrate outstanding accomplishments by individual Penn staff members and teams. We need your help to identify the individuals deserving of this honor. Nominations of staff members (individual or team) are welcome from any full or part-time faculty or staff members of the University of Pennsylvania, including self-nominations. Nominations should apply to notable staff member contributions to the University during the previous academic year (July 1 through June 30) that are above and beyond job and performance expectations. We have made some changes to the nomination requirements, so be sure to check out the nomination instructions on our website. A Step-by-Step Guide (pdf) is available at this address to help with the process. Our website also showcases previously recognized achievements and details how to submit a nomination. All nominations are due by November 7, 2003. Nominations should be sent confidentially to: Human Resources QOWL - Models Program 527-A 3401 Walnut/6228 If you have any questions about the program or need assistance with developing a nomination, please contact me, Marilyn Kraut, Human Resources Director, Quality of Worklife Programs: email or 215-898-0380. Thank you for helping us recognize the important contributions made by Penn staff members that contribute to our continued success as a premier institution of higher education. |
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- Maureen Rush & Charles Mooney: Penn's Way 2004 - Please DARE TO CARE! Dear Colleagues, Penn's Way 2004 has just kicked off, and this year, we are challenging each individual in the Penn Community to look into their hearts, log on to http://www.upenn.edu/pennsway/ and DARE TO CARE. As in previous years, the Penn's Way 2004 campaign allows you to contribute to your choice of thousands of local charities, and it includes weekly raffles and a grand prize drawing to thank Penn's Way participants. This year, however, participating in Penn's Way is even easier and more efficient. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Comptroller's Office, Human Resources, ISC, the Penn's Way 2004 campaign administration and the Penn's Way charitable partners, Penn's Way Online is here. Full details and instructions, including a searchable database of well-deserving organizations that you can choose to support, are available online at http://www.upenn.edu/pennsway. Thank you again for your generosity. Remember no pledge is too small. This year's campaign will be closing the week of Thanksgiving, so log on early, and be eligible for all of the incentive raffles! So, please click through to http://www.upenn.edu/pennsway/ and DARE TO CARE! |
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- Bob Eash: You're invited! The Library's Committee For Professional Development and Continuous Learning has been planning a network of various staff developmental and communication programs to take place within the Library in the coming months. A variety of topics/areas will include focus in a number of key areas. These include:
Carton Rogers, Interim Vice Provost and Director of Libraries, will present the talk: "The Library In The Year Ahead: Where We Are And What To Expect During Our Transition" There will be a reception immediately following the event! As always, those wishing to attend should seek supervisory approval to ensure proper work unit coverage. |
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- Sandra Kerbel : Mark's Café Opening Dear Colleagues: As you know Mark's Café (Ground Floor, Van Pelt Dietrich Library Center) opened for business on Wednesday, October 1. I am writing to inform you about Van Pelt Dietrich Library Center's policy on food and drink for library patrons once Mark's Café is open. Food will only be allowed in Mark's Café. However, beverages will be allowed in other areas of the Library (with a several exceptions noted in the Food & Drink Policy) if the beverages are in covered containers. This policy was reviewed and approved by the Heads of Van Pelt Dietrich Library Center Service Units. The policy will be posted on the Library's website. We will be working on acquiring more wastebackets in the carrel areas, on having more frequent cleaning of areas, and will be changing the Food and Drink signs posted in Van Pelt Dietrich Library Center. On a personal note my experience at a library that had a less restrictive policy than here at VPDLC was that students were very responsible, the library experienced fewer spills because students no longer had to hide their beverages, and I believe that students were more responsible because the policy demonstrated that there was trust. As I have also pointed out at the open staff meetings on the Café, we do not know under what conditions books are used when they circulate and leave the Library. Because it creates an atmosphere of respect, makes it easy to dispose of trash, and recognizes that library patrons spend many hours in the Library and may need sustenance along with their intellectual work, I think this change in policy will have minimal impact on library operations but will have tremendous impact on our users. I hope that we will see instructors meeting their students in the Café, study groups meeting in the Café, students working on their courses and research, and library patrons using the wireless network in Mark's Café. Please let me know if you have questions about the policy. |
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