Public Domain Day is January 1st!

Top Row (left to right): George Washington Carver; Sergei Rachmaninoff; Shaul Tchernichovsky
Middle Row (left to right): Sophie Taeuber-Arp; Nikola Tesla; Kostis Palamas; Max Wertheimer
Bottom Row (left to right): Simone Weil; Chaim Soutine; Fats Waller; Beatrix Potter

January 1st, 2014 was Public Domain Day. A day that serves as an important reminder that there are great benefits to being able to share and build on the creative works of others without having to seek permission or pay licensing fees.

Public domain is essential to the creation of new ideas and works. Although it’s important for an author or artist to control what happens to their work initially, the U.S. copyright law was designed to place limits on those rights in order to encourage new creative endeavors. 

Works are considered in the public domain in three instances: creators can choose to place their works in the public domain, releasing all rights and control over their creations. Some works are not eligible for copyright protection, such as government documents or common collections of data like a phone book. Finally, all works will pass into the public domain after their limited copyrights have expired. Once a work is in the public domain, we are free to copy, share, and enjoy those works. 

Why celebrate Public Domain Day on January 1st? It marks the day when the duration of copyrights for certain works have expired and are now in the public domain. So what has passed into the public domain in recent years? How about these gems:

• The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
• Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
• Ulyssess by James Joyce
• The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats

So what’s passing into the public domain this year? Unfortunately, nothing. The Center for the Study of Public Domain explains,

“When the first copyright law was written in the United States, copyright lasted 14 years, renewable for another 14 years if the author wished. Jefferson or Madison could look at the books written by their contemporaries and confidently expect them to be in the public domain within a decade or two. Now? In the United States, as in much of the world, copyright lasts for the author’s lifetime, plus another 70 years. You might think, therefore, that works whose authors died in 1943 would be freely available on January 1, 2014. Sadly, no. When Congress changed the law, it applied the term extension retrospectively to existing works, and gave all in-copyright works published between 1923 and 1977 a term of 95 years. The result? None of those works will enter the public domain until 2019 and works from 1957, whose arrival we might otherwise be expecting January 1, 2014, will not enter the public domain until 2053.”

The Center goes on to further explain that as a result of these legislative changes, works like Atlas Shrugged, The Three Faces of Eve, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas will not pass into the public domain this year. 

Want to learn more about copyright, public domain, and alternatives to sharing your work?  Try some of these resources:

• The Illustrated Story of Copyright (also available in the Reference area: ref KF 2994 .S26 2000) 
• Center for the Study of the Public Domain 
• Creative Commons

Michelle Armstrong,
Scholarly Communications and Data Management Librarian

Library Winter Intersession Hours

Photo by Joe Buckingham, Flickr

The library and the rest of the Boise State campus will be closed during the Winter Break. The library will be open limited hours during Winter Intersession:

Friday, December 20: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (Commencement!)
Saturday, December 21 through Sunday, December 29: Closed
Monday, December 30: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm
Tuesday, December 31:  7:00 am to 5:00 pm
Wednesday, January 1, 2014: Closed
Thursday, January 2: 7:00am to 7:00 pm
Friday, January 3: 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
Saturday, January 4: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
See our calendar page for our complete list of operating hours.

Congratulations to all our graduates, and Happy Holidays to our extended Boise State family!
 

Workshop: Data Management Plans

 

All researchers can benefit from developing a data management plan. They save crucial time, preserve data integrity, facilitate long-term preservation, and help increase the visibility of the research. Representatives from the Office of Information Technology, Office of Sponsored Programs and Albertsons Library will help researchers learn about the basics of data management plans and the tools and resources available to help  develop one. 

The last 45 minutes of the session will be set aside to answer questions and to discuss specific data management needs. Researchers are welcome to attend all or part of the session.

When: Noon-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10
Where: Student Union Bishop Barnwell Room

Michelle Armstrong,

Scholarly Communications and Data Management Librarian

Ask a Librarian 24/7

Check out our "Ask a Librarian 24/7" widget on the library's homepage:

 



What does it do, you ask? Well, if you're doing homework in the wee hours when the library is not open and you need quick on-the-spot online access to a librarian, this widget will connect you to one in seconds, 24/7. It may not be an Albertsons Library librarian all the time, but a librarian from another college or university, ready to answer your reference questions.

It's just another way to connect with knowledgeable staff to help you and your research needs, day and night, all the time. Cool? We think so.
 

Library open 24 hours for Dead & Finals Week

We have the awesome @BoisePD here at the library during the wee hours.
#open24hours #finals ^MC From: http://instagram.com/p/TYKJYhJgGq/

The Albertsons Library will be open 24 hours a day for Dead AND Finals Week. Yes, you read that right! We will have the second floor open as well, which includes the library's computer classroom (L203) with its 30 additional computers.

Here's the schedule for Dead & Finals Week (1st & 2nd floors only):

• Monday, Dec. 9th: open at 7:00 AM until Friday, Dec. 13, when we close at midnight.
• Saturday, Dec. 14: open 10:00 AM to midnight.
• Sunday, Dec. 15 open at 10:00 AM until Thursday, Dec. 19 we close at 7 PM
• Friday, Dec. 20: open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Commencement day!)

During the late night hours staff will be on hand to answer questions and check out first-floor reserve materials. Free coffee and treats will be provided each night (while supplies last!) by the Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU). An officer from the Boise Police Department will be on duty in the library all night and can provide escort service as needed.

 

For a complete list of holiday hours, please refer to our calendar. Of course, you can always access our online resources 24/7.

 

Best of luck on your finals!

Thanksgiving Holiday hours

The Library will be open limited hours for the Thanksgiving Break holiday:

• Saturday 11/23 - 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
• Sunday 11/24 - 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Monday 11/25 - 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Tuesday 11/26 - 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Wednesday 11/27 - 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Thursday 11/28 - Saturday 11/30 -- CLOSED
• Sunday 12/1 - 10:00 AM to 12 Midnight

 Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Meet our newest Archivist/Librarian

My name is Gwyn and I’m so happy to be joining the Boise State community as an Archivist/Librarian in Special Collections and Archives at Albertsons Library.

I’m a long way from where I grew up on the coast of Maine! I received my BA in Theatre and Drama at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and my Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Long Island University in 2010. After a brief stopover in Cleveland for a summer internship at the Library and Archives at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, I moved to Ashland, Oregon in 2011 where I was an archivist at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Four weeks ago I moved to Boise and began my new role here at Boise State.

I’m having a blast exploring the amazing things Boise State's Special Collections and Archives holds and I’m looking forward to sharing these materials with you.

As a timely example of why I love my work, I’m posting a scan of something I just happened to come across today: an invitation to the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. With the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination being remembered around the world today, this era in history has obviously been on a lot of people’s minds lately. And then, there I was at work in Albertsons Library and found myself holding a small piece of this history right in my hands.

Boise State's Special Collections and Archives are chock-full of interesting gems such as this, as well and boxes upon boxes of materials loaded with information that can benefit your research—and make it more fun too.

Whether you’ve been here to Special Collections and Archives before or are a first-timer, I hope you'll feel free to come by soon to explore the variety of things we have and to see how we can help you with your projects.

Hope to meet you soon!
Gwyn
gwynhervochon@boisestate.edu or 208-426-1674

50th Anniversary of JFK’s assassination

November 22, 1963 is a date that will live in infamy and today marks 50 years since the assassination of John F. Kennedy. As the nation mourned, newspapers documented the events for days. Special Collections and Archives has a few original copies of Idaho newspapers with these headlines:

Additional resources:

Warren Commission Report: http://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/warren-commission-report/

John F. Kennedy Library: http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx

Civil Rights Digital Library: http://crdl.usg.edu/people/k/kennedy_john_f_john_fitzgerald_1917_1963/

Cheryl Oestreicher,
Head, Special Collections and Archives

Save the Date for the Ninth Annual University Author Recognition Event

Albertsons Library’s ninth annual University Author Recognition reception will take place from 3:30-5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, with a short program beginning at 4 p.m. in the McCain Room of the library.

Authors are encouraged to review the current bibliography and contact ScholarWorks (208-426-2580 or scholarworks@boisestate.edu) with any needed additions.

Additional questions can be directed to Mary Aagard (maryaagard@boisestate.edu) or Michelle Armstrong (michellearmstrong1@boisestate.edu).

Congratulations to all of Boise State’s incredible authors and we look forward to seeing everyone in February!


Michelle Armstrong,
Scholarly Communications and Data Management Librarian

Find our Bald Eagle

Seeking  happiness and instant gratification? Find our Bald Eagle, Clint. Bring him down to the Circulation Desk and pick out something from our prize box. Keep on looking for him because there is no limit to the number of times you can find him. 

Thanks for the help, you are AWESOME!!

Audrey Williams,
Circulation

Creative Commons

October 21-27th is Open Access Week, an event dedicated to free, immediate, online access to scholarly research. Creative Commons, which you may have seen on such as social media sites as flickr, provides essential tools to promote this type of access to research, education and artistic creations.

According to their website (http://creativecommons.org/about) "Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that enables the sharing and use of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools. If you want to give people the right to share, use and even build upon a work you've created, you should consider publishing it under a Creative Commons license."

There are a number of works in Albertsons Library's ScholarWorks which were published under a Creative Commons license, including a book chapter by Boise State's provost, Dr. Martin Schimpf. Here are some examples:

Caspase-Cleaved Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Within Cerebellar White Matter of the Alzheimer's Disease Brain
http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/bio_facpubs/284/

Innovation as Determining Factor of Post-M&A Performance: The Case of Vietnam
http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/internationalbusiness_facpub/11/

Reconfigurable Threshold Logic Gates using Memristive Devices
http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/electrical_facpubs/224/

Situational Qualities Exhibited by Exceptional Presenters
http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/edtech_facpubs/38/

Statistical Thermodynamics of Material Transport in Non-Isothermal Mixtures
http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/chem_facpubs/42/

Apples or Sticks: The Promise and Pitfalls of Merit Pay Policies
http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/pubadmin_facpubs/49/

Accessible High-Throughput Virtual Screening Molecular Docking Software for Students and Educators
http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/chem_facpubs/76/

Michelle Armstrong & Elizabeth Ramsey,

Librarians

Happy Open Access Week!

This week, Albertsons Library is celebrating Open Access Week, an international event designed to highlight and bring attention to the incredible benefit that is achieved by making the research produced at universities, like Boise State, openly available to the public.

“Open Access” refers to the free, immediate, online access to the results of scholarly research, and the right to use and re-use those results as needed. Currently, most research produced at universities is distributed through peer-reviewed journals that are then sold for profit. Although journals serve important functions, such as managing the peer-review process, the subscription and licensing costs charged to universities, researchers, and the general public, creates an incredible barrier to being able to access that research. Additionally, increasing journal prices are placing tremendous strains on library budgets, further restricting access to important discoveries.

In response, libraries, like Albertsons Library, along with other groups such as the Alliance for Taxpayer Access, Association of Research Libraries, and Creative Commons, are working to raise awareness and make scholarship openly available. Locally, Albertsons Library manages ScholarWorks, a collection of services designed to capture and showcase Boise State’s scholarship.

By working with faculty, ScholarWorks staff identify Boise State publications, review and secure the necessary rights, and then posts the publications openly online. In many cases, the faculty member has transferred their copyrights to the publisher who then limits what can be done with that research. Sometimes however, they will grant back to the author the right to post an earlier, peer-reviewed version of their manuscript. In those cases, ScholarWorks staff will work with the author to post the allowed version, making their scholarship discoverable.

Another important way Albertsons Library is helping promote the discovery of original research is by providing methods for student researchers to disseminate their scholarship. Working with other groups on campus, such as the Graduate College and Student Research Initiative, ScholarWorks openly posts theses, dissertations, project reports, and conference posters for students who would like to share their work and showcase their academic accomplishments. Since beginning ScholarWorks, student research is one of the most frequently downloaded types of scholarship. In fact, the theses and dissertations collection alone has received over 150,000 downloads.

Openly accessible scholarship has tremendous benefits for authors, universities, and the community at large. Not only does it make Boise State’s scholarship more readily available, it empowers the public, often the direct funders of such research, to benefit as well. Additionally, businesses, not-for-profits, and government agencies also benefit from being able to gain access to needed research for development and decision-making.

Happy Open Access Week, Boise State!

Still not sure you get it? Try this video for a quick overview of Open Access.
http://youtu.be/L5rVH1KGBCY



Michelle Armstrong,
Scholarly Communications and Data Management Librarian

ScholarWorks First Open Access Journal Launched!

This month, ScholarWorks launched its first Open Access journal. The BOGA: Basque Studies Consortium Journal is published by the Boise State Basque Studies program and is a multi-disciplinary, peer-reviewed, academic publication dedicated to the scholarly study of all aspects of Basque culture. Besides including works by authors from as far away as Japan, it also features an article on the Albertsons Library’s Special Collections and Archives.

As an open access journal, each article in the bi-annual publication is released with a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license. As long as credit is given, each article can be freely shared and adapted, creating opportunities for new scholarly works.  

Since 2009, ScholarWorks has been working to make Boise State’s scholarship openly accessible by providing a variety of services. ScholarWorks staff work with faculty to review their publications, identify applicable copyrights restrictions, and when possible, post the articles and other works in ScholarWorks. ScholarWorks also features a gallery of over 400 faculty SelectedWorks sites, showcasing each professor’s unique scholarship. Finally, ScholarWorks provides regular reports on the usage and total number of full-text downloads each work has received. With over 750,000 full-text downloads to date, ScholarWorks is able to demonstrate the value and impact Boise State’s scholarship has.

Another way ScholarWorks is supporting the dissemination of Boise State’s scholarship is by openly publishing unique, original research, such as the BOGA journal. Unlike traditional, licensed publications which can limit access to scholarship, the ScholarWorks open access publishing model allows faculty and staff to share their work without a fee barrier. This not only increases access, it also improves visibility and impact as researchers are able to more readily utilize the work.  

The ScholarWorks platform can disseminate a variety of different types of publications. The book gallery features allows entire books to be loaded into the system which can then be download as an entire text or chapter-by-chapter. The journal feature is a fully functioning electronic journal publishing system which includes support for peer-review processes. Each journal can have its own unique design and customized editorial workflow. ScholarWorks can even publish image galleries and audio/video collections.  

To discuss options for making your scholarship openly accessible, please contact ScholarWorks at scholarworks@boisestate.edu or 208-426-2580. 

Michelle Armstrong
Librarian/Asst. Professor 

October is American Archives Month!

What is an archives? An archives is a place where people go to find information. But rather than
gathering information from books as you would in a library, people who do research in archives
often gather firsthand facts, data, and evidence from letters, reports, notes, memos, photographs,
audio and video recordings, and other primary sources.

MSS 006 52-002 - Len Jordan and Dwight Eisenhower,
Western Governors Conference in Boise, 1952

Why do archives exist? In the course of daily life, individuals, organizations, and governments
create and keep information about their activities. Archivists are professionals who assess,
collect, organize, preserve, maintain control of, and provide access to the portions of this
information that have lasting value. Archivists keep records that have enduring value as reliable
memories of the past, and they help people find and understand the information they need in
those records.

Boise State University Special Collections and Archives in Albertsons Library holds more than 300 manuscript collections of letters, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, and other
primary-source materials that document Idaho history, particularly the Boise and Southwest Idaho, Idaho’s past and present political and environmental history, and the literary history of the state. Research topics include politics, environment, Basque culture, filmmaking, literature, ethnicity, gender, music, geosciences, and many others.

MSS 062 p11 - Article about the opening of the new student union
at Boise Junior College, 1942

The University Archives is the repository for university publications and the official records of the President, Faculty Senate, ASBSU, administrative offices, and academic departments. Materials include the student newspaper, university catalogs, budgets, yearbooks, photographs, audio and video, books, posters, and other ephemera. Research topics include faculty, students, campus life, buildings, academic departments, athletics, student organizations, and university departments.

Everyone is welcome to do research or just look at something you find interesting. We welcome students, staff, faculty, and anyone from the community. We hope you come visit!

Cheryl Oestreicher,
Head, Special Collections and Archives

The One Way Club

Figure 1. A Wooden boat for floating the Salmon River. Marshall.
Edson Collection.

September is National Wilderness Month and the library has lots of resources for those interested in Idaho’s wilderness. You can learn more about the dangers and thrills you can find when visiting Idaho’s wilderness areas by stopping by the Special Collections and Archives (Room 222). Idaho’s Salmon River, one of America’s wildest rivers and is often called “The River of No Return.” Today, both the Middle Fork and the Main Salmon rivers are popular destinations for whitewater rafting and kayaking. This sport gained popularity after World War Two when the Army and Navy sold off its surplus of rubber rafts. Before then, the primary way to float a river was in a wooden boat called a skiff.

Figure 2. Marshall Edson (left) and another crew member operate
two large oars for maneuvering the boat. Edson collection.

Figure 3. The One Way Club navigates white water on the
Salmon River.  Edson collection.

You can find a perfect example of the end of the wooden skiff era for river rafting in the Marshall C. Edson Papers. In 1946, Edson and a crew of five other rafters took a trip down the Main Fork of the Salmon River – they called themselves the “One Way Club”. While they were not the first to accomplish this – in fact Lewis and Clark made a similar trek over 140 years earlier, but Edson’s trip was rare enough to make local news. Edson worked for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the goal of his trip was to document the variety and quantity of big game along the river. The wooden boat had two oars on front and back, a gasoline motor to navigate flat water, and even a small refrigerated box to preserve food. The trip took about two weeks and provided some publicity for the growing tourism industry in Idaho’s central mountains.

Edson’s trip down the Salmon River was in many ways an indicator of what was to come for Idaho’s wilderness. The recreation industry was slowly growing in Idaho’s mountains, while at the same time mining, timber, and conservation groups debated proper use of Idaho’s land. The 1964 Wilderness Act defined wilderness to be “where man himself is a visitor, who does not remain,” which essentially reserved select areas exclusively for conservation and non-motorized recreation. Sixteen years later, Congress added the River of No Return Wilderness to the list of protected wilderness areas. In 1984, it was renamed the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness. To view Marshal Edson’s scrapbook of his trip down the Salmon River, request MSS 155 from Special Collections and Archives.

Figure 4. The One Way Club give the hand signal for “everything okay.”
Edson collection.

Jim Duran,

Special Collections & Archives 

Student Research Initiative Fellowships

Developed by Boise State students who wanted to expand research opportunities, the Student Research Initiative (SRI) fellowships provide money for both undergraduates and graduates to pursue their own research projects.

Unlike many funding opportunities, the SRI fellowships are open to all academic disciplines, and provides research opportunities to students who wouldn’t typically have the opportunity to engage in this kind of scholarship. Additionally, participants are given the opportunity to develop their presentation and publishing skills, while also engaging in interdisciplinary networking.

Since the launch of the program this past spring, students have done research on identifying isotopes in fossil bones, immigrant brides in Taiwan, chemical warfare agents in plants, and neoliberalism in universities. A collection of presentation abstracts and final reports can be found in ScholarWorks in the Student Research Initiatives collection.

Students who are interested in participating in the fellowship program can complete an application by October 25^th. For complete information, please visit the Student Research Initiative website.

Michelle Armstrong,

Assistant Professor, Librarian

Check Out What’s Happening at the Circulation Desk

Fall 2013 is in full swing and if you haven’t taken advantage of everything that the Circulation Desk has to offer you might be missing out on some very valuable resources!

Technology
Did you know that the Circulation Desk has more than 50 laptops available for checkout? As well as computer and phone chargers, iPads, headphones, microphone headsets, and even calculators. Although most items must remain in the library, our lending policy has recently changed and many items can now be checked out until 30 minutes before closing with no need to renew! We’ve also eliminated the $0.50 per minute fine in favor of a 3-strike policy. Return technology items late 3 times in one semester and you’ll lose technology lending privileges until a new semester begins. Visit the Circulation Desk to find out about all available items!

Reserves
You’ve ordered your textbook, but it hasn’t arrived. Maybe you just don’t want to haul around ten
pounds worth of Chemistry. Perhaps finances are tight. Whatever the reason may be, course reserves can be a wonderful resource for many students. Textbooks and required reading books are kept on special shelves behind the Circulation Desk and check out for shortened periods, usually for in-Library use only. This allows multiple students to have regular access to the materials without having to purchase them. Unfortunately, the library is not able to carry every book that is required for every class and professors must request that specific items be added to the reserve shelves, so check with your professor or the Circulation Desk to find out what materials may be available. Reserve items are arranged alphabetically, so knowing the title of the book will help us find it for you the fastest. 

Clint the Bald Eagle
Our beloved scarlet macaw had to fly away at the end of the Spring 2013 semester, but happily a new friend swooped in to take his place. Clint the Bald Eagle is currently soaring through the stacks. Find him and bring him to the Circulation Desk to choose something special from our prize box! There’s no limit to the number of times you can find our feathered friend.

Heather Grevatt
Access Services

It's the Library's Birthday Today. Get Some Cake!

It's the Library's birthday today and you're invited to celebrate with us by getting some cake! We'll be giving away cake slices on the front steps of the library from 1:00PM to 3:00PM (or until the cakes are gone).

In 1990 J. A. and Kathryn Albertson and Albertsons, Inc. donated six million dollars to enlarge and remodel the library (completed in 1995) to what you see today. We've come a long way since, so stop by the library and get yourself a treat!

The History of Labor in Idaho

Minutes from the first meeting in 1890, From the Boise City Typographical Union Records

Labor Day receives much national attention, but what about the history of labor in Idaho? Special Collections and Archives has several collections that help document this history. 

Boise City Typographical Union Records: In 1890, there were three daily newspapers in Boise, at least two printing shops, and enough individual members of the International Typographical Union working in the city to form the nucleus of a union local. They applied to the ITU for a charter, which was granted in November 1890.

Morrison-Knudsen Company Labor Relations Records: Morrison-Knudsen (also known as M-K) was an engineering and construction firm founded in Boise in 1912. M-K is mostly known for their participation in the construction of the Hoover Dam, San Francisco Bay Bridge, Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center and 153 miles of the Trans-Alaskan pipeline.

Henry K. Doll Correspondence with the Banner Mining and Milling Company: 80 handwritten letters and a few printed documents received by Henry K. Doll between 1909 and 1923 relating to the operation of the Banner Mine, a silver mine in Silver City, Idaho, operated by the Banner Mining and Milling Company of Silver City and Boise.

Several politicians had involvement in labor relations, including U.S. Senator Len Jordan, Idaho Congressman Larry LaRocco, Governor Cecil Andrus, and U.S. Senator Frank Church. We also have collections about Idaho farmworkers, including the Idaho Farmworker Policy Research Project and Patricia K. Ourada Collection on Migrant Workers in Idaho.

For more information about Special Collections and Archives, please visit our website: http://library.boisestate.edu/Special/.

Cheryl Oestreicher,
Head, Special Collections and Archives