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Recent Support
During the 2011 academic year, the Friends provided support in the following ways:
Strengthening Library Collections
The Friends provided these reference works:
The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts. Spencer C. Tucker, editor; Priscilla Mary Roberts, editor; Documents Volume.
Wind Power Generation and Wind Turbine Design. Wei Tong, editor.
A Cultural History of Sexuality. Julie Peakman, general editor.
Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period (1644-1912). Arthur W. Hummel, editor.
Revolts, Protests, Demonstrations, and Rebellions in American history: An Encyclopedia. Steven L. Danver, editor.
The American Economy: An Historical Encyclopedia. Cynthia L. Clark, editor.
Improving Library Spaces and Equipment
The renovation of the Friends of the Libraries Reading Room stands as a major accomplishment for the Friends. Since the Reading Room’ opened in November 2010, students have enjoyed this comfortable and quiet space. In September 2011, three paintings by artist Thomas Locker were installed thanks to gifts from President Emerita Jill Ker Conway and the family and classmates of Frana Larrabee Low ’50.
The Friends purchased several Kindles for students and iPods for reference staff.
Supporting Students
The Friends help boost attendance at Library Orientation with a $5 gift to each attendee's One Card. This has led to record attendance – 96% of new students in the fall of 2011! Orientation is an important first step in getting to know the Libraries' resources and services.
The Friends provided students with an important service during the Reading Period in December 2010 and May 2011 by offering tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cookies during study breaks. These treats were served at 9 p.m. over four nights, and lines formed 20 minutes before refreshments arrived!
In May, the Friends presented 59 new books to the libraries, each one plated in honor of a graduating student library assistants.
Supporting Staff
Art librarian Barbara Polowy availed of the FSCL Staff Development Fund to attend the Association of College and Research Libraries Intentional Teacher Immersion Program in July 2011. She was the fifth librarian to attend the week-long program. Barbara indicates that the training informs her information literacy teaching daily.
Supporting the Smith Community
This year, the Friends began a pilot program that provides access to JSTOR (a digital archive of academic journals and scholarly resources) to Smith alumnae through a link on the Alumnae Association website.
The Friends supported travel stipends for four doctoral students to conduct research at the Sophia Smith Collection (SSC.)
During the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians at UMass in June 2011, the Friends sponsored a reception in the Alumnae Gym for historians and archivists to promote awareness of Smith's womens history archives.
The Friends also sponsor events in the spring and fall that are open to the public and draw a great deal of interest. Former Smith professor and novelist Susan Miller spoke of her work in October 2010, and several alumnae authors shared their expertise during a panel discussion entitled, “Romance Literature: Love it or Leave it” in April 2011.