I hope that you and yours had a wonderful holiday season and are off to a good start in the new year. At the River Campus Libraries, we are excited about a number of initiatives for 2020.
The Gleason Library Refresh Project continues to be a source of excitement. Scheduled to be completed by the start of the fall semester, the refresh will bring new life to the library, a mainstay for 24-hour collaborative, safe, and secure study in the Rush Rhees Library.
We are also looking forward to another fall semester opening within Carlson Science and Engineering Library: Studio X, a program, service and space for students and faculty to explore, experiment and experience immersive technologies (e.g., augmented and virtual reality) in their coursework, teaching and research.
One special 2020 milestone is the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote. We’re marking the occasion with a major exhibition that opens March 19. We Want More and We will Have It: Women Running Rochester will tell the stories female groundbreakers—featuring Susan B. Anthony, Midge Costanza, Ruth Scott, and Louise Slaughter—in the City of Rochester and Monroe County, before and after the passage of the 19th amendment. On a related note, the hiring of archivist Weckea Dejura Lilly has allowed us to begin processing the Louise M. Slaughter Congressional Archive!
Something I’m personally looking forward to this year is the opportunity to host the UR Travel’s trip to the Grand Canadian Passage. From August 2 to August 8 we will cross the spectacular Canadian Rockies aboard the glass-domed cars of the Rocky Mountaineer train. If you’re interested in joining us, please contact Corinne Dagen at corinne.dagen@rochester.edu.
Lastly, I need to mention how excited I am about the changes occurring on the River Campus Libraries website. It’s a work in progress, so we would love to have your feedback!
These highlights represent only a handful of what we have planned. I look forward to sharing more details on the organization’s progress as the year unfolds.
On behalf of our team, I wish you a delightful, prosperous, and enriching 2020!
Mary Ann Mavrinac
Vice Provost and Andrew H. and Janet Dayton Neilly Dean
University of Rochester Libraries
