News

Amy Brady, a graduate student in the English Department at UMass Amherst, has been selected as the 2012 awardee for Research in the Center for Research Libraries’ Primary Source Awards. The UMass Amherst Libraries is a member of the Center for Research Libraries (CRL). CRL recognized the awardees in Chicago in April.      Press Release

May 16, 2012

The installation of a video camera atop Du Bois Library is providing new information about the mating pair of peregrine falcons that have taken up residence each spring on the 274-foot perch for the last decade. Thousands of watchers have followed along in real time since mid-April as three of four eggs hatched successfully and the falcon parents began feeding the chicks.  Fans of the FalconCam are logging onto the site from their smart phones and iPads and keeping an eye from home and work on their computers.   Press Release

May 14, 2012

James L. Craig, Biological Sciences and Instructional Services Librarian for the Science and Engineering Library at UMass Amherst, was named to the Continuing Education and Advisory Services Committee of the Massachusetts Library System (MLS).  Craig has been elected to serve on several other boards and committees for both professional and service organizations.  Press Releases

May 3, 2012

The Department of Special Collections and University Archives at the UMass Amherst Libraries is pleased to announce the winners of the third annual Emily Silverman Book Collecting Award and the fourth annual Friends of the Library Undergraduate Research Award (FLURA).

Press Release

April 26, 2012

A pair of Peregrine Falcons, which have successfully nested on the roof of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library at UMass Amherst for the past ten years, now have a live webcam thanks to the UMass Amherst Facilities Planning Division, the Office of Information Technology (OIT), the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), the Libraries' Systems and Web Management Department, and the Friends of the Libraries. Live images of the falcons brooding their eggs and caring for their hatchlings can be viewed at www.library.umass.edu/falcons.  Press Release

April 17, 2012

The Hampshire Council of Governments and UMass Amherst Libraries recently selected 44 historic documents to reproduce and offer for sale as a cooperative fundraising effort and to commemorate the 350th Anniversary of Hampshire County. The reproductions were selected from the collection of dockets, session books, maps, and other paper records dealing with Hampshire County business from as early as 1677 that the Council transferred to UMass Amherst Libraries last year.  Many are available for view online, and all are available for use on site by appointment.  Press release

April 13, 2012

The Du Bois Library will offer a number of sustainability-related activities for this year’s expanded Earth Day Festival from Wednesday, April 18, to Monday, April 23, 2012. The activities at the Library include a film screening of “Rivers and Tides,” a self-guided garden tour, a demonstration of "BuildingGreen Suite,” a resource dedicated to green building materials and practices, and a celebration of the gold rating for our campus from STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System). For a full calendar of events, visit: http://bit.ly/2012earthday.        Press Release

April 11, 2012

Yankee Publishing Incorporated of Dublin, New Hampshire, has donated its corporate records to UMass Amherst Libraries’ Special Collections and University Archives. The materials offer insight into the early years and growth of the corporation and its remarkable survival in an age of media conglomeration, as well as its flagship publications Yankee Magazine and the Old Farmer's Almanac. The Yankee Publishing Incorporated collection adds rich context to Special Collections’ extensive historic New England holdings, providing students, scholars, and researchers a wide window into New England social life and customs.  Press release

April 9, 2012

On Saturday, April 14, 2012, at 6:30 p.m., the Friends of the UMass Amherst Libraries will host the tenth annual “Dinner with Friends” at the Du Bois Library. Yankee Publishing’s Editor-in-Chief Judson Hale will spin stories about New England’s past and present. During a gourmet feast featuring New England fare, food historians and University of Massachusetts Press authors Keith Stavely and Kathleen Fitzgerald will cook up some tasty tales from the region’s entertaining culinary history. The evening will include a champagne and hors d’oeuvre reception with music by UMass Amherst student jazz musicians.  Press Release

March 30, 2012

Special Collections and University Archives in the Libraries is accepting applications for fellowships in digital humanities. Experiential Training in Historical Information Resources (ETHIR) is an initiative designed to provide students with structured, hands-on experience using and interpreting historical documentary resources. Graduate students from any department enrolled at UMass Amherst are eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is April 20, 2012. For more information visit http://bit.ly/ethir_fellowship.    Press release

March 9, 2012

The UMass Amherst Libraries will offer short-term residential fellowships to assist younger scholars in conducting research in Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) in the Du Bois Library. Full-time graduate students, faculty, or independent scholars (with a PhD) are eligible to apply. Fellows will receive a stipend of $2,500 for a four-week residency. The deadline for applications is April 20, 2012. For more information: http://bit.ly/dubois_fellowship.               Press release

March 7, 2012

Sunday, February 26, 2012, 3:00 p.m.

St. John’s Congregational Church (Springfield, Mass.), in collaboration with The W.E.B. Du Bois Center at UMass Amherst Libraries, host the 2nd Annual “The Soul of W.E.B. Du Bois: A Tribute to the Black Church.” The high-energy program will feature inspirational songs, poetic expressions, and other tributes to the Western Massachusetts native.

More information

February 24, 2012

The Libraries will host “Get Your Game On” on Thursday, March 1, from 10:00 pm to 2:00 am, in the Learning Commons on the Lower Level of Du Bois Library. The event is part of the UMass Night Out event series. “Get Your Game On” is a gaming event including table top games such as Bananagrams, Chess, Guillotine, Jenga, Munchkin, Poker, Scrabble, and Settlers of Catan. All students are invited to attend.  More information

February 24, 2012

The Libraries have renovated the Science and Engineering Library (SEL) to accommodate more students and optimize the available space. Construction was completed for the spring 2012 semester, and the area is now open for student use.  More information    Watch a video

February 22, 2012

The Libraries are pleased to announce that users can now browse and borrow media materials (i.e., DVDs, videocassettes, music CDs, CD-ROMs) and music monuments (collections of scores) in the Media and Music service area on Floor 3 of the Du Bois Library.  More information

February 21, 2012

The Libraries host an exhibit, “To the Village Square: An Experiment in American Democracy,” through May 1, 2012, in Du Bois Library on the Lower Level and continuing on Floor 25 in Special Collections and University Archives. The exhibit features photographs by photojournalist Lionel Delevingne covering the antinuclear movement.  Press Release

February 1, 2012

The Libraries will host the 18th Annual Du Bois Lecture on February 23, 2012, at 4:30 p.m., in the Cape Cod Lounge, Student Union. Derrick P. Alridge will give a talk, “Ideas Have Consequences: The Radical Pedagogy of W.E.B. Du Bois.” He will explore Du Bois’s many meanings of pedagogy and offer a genealogy of Du Bois’s ideas about a variety of issues faced by black Americans during the 20th century. Refreshments will be served. The event is open to the public.  Press release

January 30, 2012

The Libraries host an exhibit, “The Gesture in Light: Illuminated,” by Theresa Antonellis from Monday, January 9, through Sunday, May 11, in the Science and Engineering Library, Lederle Lowrise. The exhibit consists of a related series of framed prints featuring photo-enhanced light photography. A reception will be held Thursday, February 2, from 4-6 p.m. The event is open to the public.  Press Release

January 3, 2012

The Libraries invite submissions for two student awards: the Emily Silverman Book Collecting Contest for undergraduates and graduate students, and the Friends of the Library Undergraduate Research Award. The deadline for both contests has been extended to March 9, 2012. Submission guidelines and evaluation criteria for both awards are available at: http://bit.ly/contest_award.  News release

December 7, 2011

The high cost of commercial textbooks, both print and electronic, is a major concern for today’s students and their parents. In an effort to reduce these costs, the UMass Amherst Provost’s Office and the University Libraries launched a program in the spring of 2011—the Open Education Initiative—that supports faculty interested in pursuing non-traditional educational resources as an alternative to the traditional commercial textbook.  Press Release

December 1, 2011

In October, Jay Schafer, Director of the UMass Amherst Libraries, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Research Libraries. Schafer was elected by the membership and will serve a three-year term.

Press Release

November 28, 2011

Kenneth Feinberg, an esteemed attorney known for achieving comprehensive settlements in high-profile liability cases and for victims of large-scale human and natural disasters, today announced the donation of his papers and related materials to the University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.   Press Release

November 7, 2011

The Libraries will host the Seventh Annual Colloquium on Social Change at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 10, 2011, in the Cape Cod Lounge at the Student Union, UMass Amherst. Social justice activist Tom Weiner will give a talk on his recently published book Called to Serve: Stories of Men and Women Confronted by the Vietnam War Draft.  Press Release

October 25, 2011

The Libraries host an exhibit, “1,000 Cranes for Breast Cancer,” through October in the Lobby of Du Bois Library. A reception will be held on Tuesday, October 25 at 2 p.m. in the former Circulation Office on the Entrance Level of Du Bois Library.  News release

Collegian article

October 17, 2011

The Libraries announce an Open House for faculty in the Teaching Commons on Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Floor 26, Du Bois Library. The program includes welcoming remarks at 2:30 p.m., followed by discussion and tours of the facility. Representatives from several faculty and student support services will be available to talk about resources available to faculty on campus.  More information

October 14, 2011

Join Special Collections and University Archives to celebrate the launch of Credo, the new digital repository featuring the papers of W.E.B. Du Bois, Thursday, October 27 at 10 am.  Scholars and librarians will highlight features of Credo and demonstrate its use.  More information

October 11, 2011

Assistant professor of Anthropology Whitney Battle-Baptiste will discuss gender, race and class and the development of Du Boisian archaeology on Friday, October 14, from 3-5 pm on Floor 26 in the Du Bois Library. She will also read from and offer signed copies for sale of her new book, Black Feminist Archaeology. Light refreshments will be served.   More information 

October 10, 2011

Open Access Week, a global event in its fifth year, will be held from October 24 to October 28 this year. As part of the 2011 Open Access Week, the UMass Amherst Libraries will host a series of events relevant to copyright and fair use, open educational resources, open data, and the launch of Credo, an online repository containing the digital collections of Special Collections and University Archives. All events are free and open to the public. The full schedule is available at http://scholarworks.umass.edu/oa/2011/.  Press Release

October 5, 2011

To kick off Open Access Week (October 24-28), keynote speaker Patricia Aufderheide will give a talk, Beyond the Copyright Wars: Fair Use, Free Speech, and Reframing the Policy Debate, on Monday October 24, at 4:30 p.m. in the Amherst Room, on the 10th floor of the Campus Center. A reception will follow the talk.  Press Release

October 4, 2011

The Libraries are pleased to announce the opening of the new Microform Viewing Room in the Learning Commons on the Lower Level of the Du Bois Library. The room has microfilm and microfiche readers, scanners, and printers. The Libraries have also acquired ScanPro 2000, a next generation microform machine that creates a scan or a print-out of a selected area within seconds.      Press Release

September 9, 2011

The Libraries host an exhibit, “Saturday’s Rivals: Football Memories from the ‘Aggie Eleven of 1879’ to the MAC of 2011,” September 15, 2011 to January 3, 2012, on the Lower Level, Du Bois Library. The exhibit highlights posters, programs, brochures, artifacts, and photos of the UMass football team in action. A reception will be held on Thursday, October 6, 2011, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.      Press Release

Online exhibit

September 9, 2011

The winners of the Libraries’ Du Bois Fellowships, Markeysha Davis and Rickey Fayne, will give talks based on their research on Friday, September 16, from 4 to 6 p.m., in the Conference Room on Floor 26, Du Bois Library.    Press release

September 8, 2011

The Libraries host an exhibit, Fine Art Scanography from Nature, by Easthampton, Massachusetts based artist/naturalist Marty Klein ’72, G’96, from September 3 to December 28, 2011, at the Science and Engineering Library, on Floor 2 of the Lederle GRC Lowrise. A reception will be held on Thursday, September 22, 2011, from 4-6 pm.         
Press release

August 30, 2011

The Libraries will host “Get Your Game On!” on Sunday, Sept 4, from 7:30-10 p.m., in the Learning Commons on the Lower Level in Du Bois Library. “Get Your Game On!” is a gaming event including table top games including Jenga, Munchkin, Poker, Scattergories, and Settlers of Catan. New and returning students are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served and a chance to win any of the games played.  More info

August 24, 2011

On Saturday, October 1, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the Friends of the UMass Amherst Libraries will host the 13th Annual Fall Reception on the Lower Level of the Du Bois Library at UMass Amherst. The keynote speaker, Michael Haley ’65, will give a talk “Ready When You Are C.B.! War Stories from Behind the Lens.”  Emmy Award-winning producer, director, and actor, Michael Haley has had a 40-year career in the film industry, starting in the late ’60s after he graduated from UMass Amherst.     Press release

August 1, 2011

UMass Amherst Libraries will launch the Masha Kabakow Rudman Issues in Children’s Literature Collection on Saturday, September 17, 2011, at the Du Bois Library. The event will include a self-guided tour of the collection from 2-3 p.m. on Floor 11 and a multimedia program from 3-5 p.m. on the Lower Level. The program will include an introduction to the collection and comments by authors Jane Yolen and Jacqueline Woodson, and other special guests.  Press release

July 26, 2011

Five Colleges, Incorporated, is pleased to announce that the member schools of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) have become affiliate members of the Five College Library Depository.  Managed by the Five College consortium of Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the Five College Library Depository is a trusted repository of persistent print collections.  Press Release

July 11, 2011

The Libraries officially open Credo (http://credo.library.umass.edu), an online repository containing the digital collections of Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA).

SCUA presently houses more than 30,000 linear feet of archives and rare books, the vast majority of which are available only to users who are able to visit the Du Bois Library.  press release

July 7, 2011

Jay Schafer, Director of the UMass Amherst Libraries, was elected by his peers to the Board of Trustees of LYRASIS, the nation’s largest regional non-profit membership organization serving libraries.   Schafer has been a member of the UMass Amherst community for the past ten years and has been Director of Libraries since 2004.  Press release

June 28, 2011

The Department of Special Collections and University Archives announce the winners of the fellowships in digital humanities, Thomas Hohenstein and Emily Oswald. Both winners are graduate students in the history department at UMass Amherst. The Libraries created the Experiential Training in Historical Information Resources (ETHIR) fellowship program to provide students with a structured, hands-on experience using and interpreting historical documentary resources.  Press release

June 14, 2011

The Libraries announce the winners of the W.E.B. Du Bois Fellowships, Markeysha Davis in the Afro-American Studies Department at UMass Amherst and Rickey Fayne of the English Department at Northwestern University. The Du Bois fellowships assist younger scholars in conducting research in Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) in the Du Bois Library.  Press release

June 13, 2011

The Libraries host an exhibit “Second Wave in the Valley: Reflections of the Valley Women’s History Collaborative Collections,” through August 30, 2011, on the Lower Level, Du Bois Library. The theme of the exhibit is based on the Valley Women’s History Collaborative, formed in 1998 by UMass Amherst history professor Joyce Berkman, Hampshire College professor Susan Tracy, and community activist Kaymarion Raymond, to document and preserve progressive women’s activism in the Pioneer Valley. A reception will be held on Friday, June 10, from noon to 2 p.m.  Press release

June 2, 2011

The Libraries announce a major gift of materials to Special Collections and University Archives. The donation consists of paper records dealing with Hampshire County business from as early as 1677. The records include court dockets; road, railroad and dam construction documents; censuses; and maps.  Press Release

Channel 22 news story     Springfield Republican article   WAMC story

April 28, 2011     See slideshow

The Department of Special Collections and University Archives is pleased to announce the winners of the second annual Emily Silverman Book Collecting Award and the third annual Friends of the Library Undergraduate Research Award.

Press Release

April 21, 2011

The Libraries host an exhibit “Human Solidarity, Polish Solidarność,” from April 6 through May 20, 2011, on the Lower Level of Du Bois Library, UMass Amherst. The exhibit consists of twenty plates portraying the history of Solidarność through maps, photos, press clippings, and a narrative that also makes connections with the history of the American labor movement. An opening reception will be held on Wednesday, April 6, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Press Release

April 4, 2011

The Libraries will conduct a survey, LibQUAL+™, of faculty members and graduate students, and a random sample of 2,800 undergraduates starting March 30. Participants will be emailed and asked to participate in the brief web-based survey. A free beverage from the Procrastination Station Café in the Du Bois Library will be offered as an incentive to complete the survey.  Press Release

March 16, 2011

In response to Friday’s earthquake in Japan, the Libraries have compiled a list of resources for the campus community and the public, available at http://guides.library.umass.edu/jpnearthquake. The web page includes links to live video streaming in Japanese and English, newspaper resources, official web sites, and scientific information regarding this tragedy.  Press release

March 14, 2011

On Saturday, April 9, the Friends of the UMass Amherst Libraries will host the ninth annual “Dinner with Friends” in the Learning Commons at the Du Bois Library. The event features talks by two notable speakers: Roy Blount, Jr. and Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina, as well as a champagne and hors d’oeuvre reception with UMass Amherst student jazz musicians, and a gourmet dinner.  Press Release

March 14, 2011

The Libraries will offer short-term residential fellowships to assist younger scholars in conducting research in Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) in the Du Bois Library. Full-time graduate students, faculty, or independent scholars (with a PhD) are eligible to apply. Fellows will receive a stipend of $2,500 for a four-week residency. The deadline for applications is April 15, 2011. For more information: http://bit.ly/dubois_fellowship.    News Release

February 25, 2011

The Department of Special Collections and University Archives is accepting applications for fellowships in digital humanities. In an initiative designed to provide students with structured, hands-on experience using and interpreting historical documentary resources, the Libraries announce Experiential Training in Historical Information Resources (ETHIR). Graduate students from any department enrolled at UMass Amherst are eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is April 15, 2011. For more information visit http://bit.ly/ethir_fellowship.

February 25, 2011     News Release

The Libraries extend the deadline for two student contests: the Emily Silverman Book Collecting Contest for undergraduates and graduate students, and the Friends of the Library Undergraduate Research Award. The deadline for both contests is now Tuesday, March 1, 2011. Submission guidelines and evaluation criteria are available at http://bit.ly/contest_award.         News Release

February 16, 2011

The Libraries host an exhibit, “Friends and Helpers: Women and W.E.B. Du Bois” through April 10, 2011, on Floor 25, Special Collections and University Archives, Du Bois Library. The exhibit explores Du Bois’ various relationships with significant women in his life including his wife and daughter, friends, secretaries, and colleagues.  News release

February 15, 2011

The Libraries invite submissions for a sticker design contest to help direct students where to get research help. Contestants must be UMass Amherst students. The deadline for the contest is Friday, March 11, 2011. The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to the University Store. Submission guidelines can be viewed at http://bit.ly/stickercontest.  News Release

February 10, 2011

In response to the upheaval in the Mid-East, Librarian Peter Stern has created a list of resources for the campus community and the public.  The web page includes links to international news coverage as well as library resources for background information.    Guide to Mid-East

February 8, 2011

A five-year partnership agreement signed today by the UMass Amherst Libraries will provide St. John’s Congregational Church with new educational and cultural resources while building awareness of the Libraries’ W.E.B. Du Bois Center.   press release    Boston Herald  Springfield Republican     Editorial in Republican

February 7, 2011

The Special Collections and University Archives Department has digitized all of the UMass Amherst yearbooks, the Index and the Shorthorn (Stockbridge School of Agriculture).  Both the Index and Shorthorn are available at http://bit.ly/onlineindex.  More info

February 7, 2011

The Libraries host an exhibit “Gravestones and Cemeteries: Physical Markings of Death,” through March 31, 2011, on the Lower Level of Du Bois Library. The exhibit includes rubbings, photographs, manuscripts, and rare books from the Association for Gravestone Studies in Greenfield, MA.  A reception will be held on Thursday, March 24, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Press release

January 20, 2011

The Libraries invite submissions for two student awards: the Emily Silverman Book Collecting Contest for undergraduates and graduate students, and the Friends of the Library Undergraduate Research Award. The deadline for both contests is February 18, 2011. Submission guidelines and evaluation criteria for both the Book Collecting Contest and Undergraduate Research Award are available at: http://bit.ly/contest_award.  Press release

January 19, 2011

The Libraries will host an exhibit of photographs by Gloria Kegeles, "Chrome Dreams," through May 13, 2011, in the Science and Engineering Library, Floor 2, Lederle Lowrise.  "Chrome Dreams" blends Automotive Fine Art and the beauty of chrome and shiny images produced through a lens of a photographer with an artist's eye.  A reception will be held 1/26 from 4-6 pm.  Press release

January 18, 2011

The Libraries will host the 17^th Annual Du Bois Lecture, “W.E.B. Du Bois: Personal Stories/Political Reflections,” by Bettina Aptheker, on Monday, February 28, 2011, at 4:30 p.m., in the Cape Cod Lounge, Student Union.  Bettina Aptheker is Distinguished Professor of Feminist Studies and History at the University of California, Santa Cruz.  The event is free and open to the public.  More information

January 13, 2011

"Heavy machinery was airlifted to the top of the Du Bois library early Monday, as part of a project to replace the building's elevators.  The area surrounding the library and campus pond was roped off and the library closed for the day as a helicopter dropped the machinery on the roof of the 28-story building."  Story, video, photos

December 20, 2010  •  MassLive.com

On Monday, December 20, 2010, the Du Bois Library will be closed for work associated with the elevator replacement project.  More information

December 14, 2010

The UMass Amherst Libraries now provide access to the following databases and electronic resources, which can be found at www.library.umass.edu/.  These and many other resources are available to users anywhere with an OIT account and to all walk-in users.  More information

November 19, 2010

Camcorders, digital audio recorders, and their accessories are available to UMass Amherst students to assist them with multimedia class assignments thanks to the collaboration of OIT, the Provost's Office, and the Libraries. The equipment is available for 3-day loans at the Circulation/Reserves desk on the Lower Level of Du Bois Library.  More information

November 17, 2010

The Library will hold a holiday gift fair on December 10, from 10 am to 3 pm, on the Lower Level, Learning Commons (north side), Du Bois Library.  The fair will include hand-made crafts made by Library staff and students, including jewelry, woodcrafts, ornaments, cards, quilts, and much more.

November 16, 2010

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS) is the newest provider in the Learning Commons.  OURS is located next to the Advising Link on the Lower Level of Du Bois Library.  Staff are available to answer questions about undergraduate research, internships, and other out-of-classroom academic opportunities, as well as application support for these opportunities.  The desk is staffed from 4:30pm to 7:30pm, Monday through Thursday.  More information

November 9, 2010

The vast archival collection of Mark H. McCormack, creator of the sport management and marketing industry, will be housed in the Library, providing an unprecedented opportunity for research and education in the field. The gift comprises McCormack’s writings, photographs and client-related memorabilia, dating to 1960 when a handshake with legendary golfer Arnold Palmer launched what would become the world’s largest sport management firm. Press Release   Boston Globe   CNBC  YouTube video

November 4, 2010

Gordon Fretwell, retired Associate Director of UMass Amherst Libraries, has received the 2010 Library Assessment Career Achievement Award from the Association of Research Libraries.  Fretwell was instrumental in creating the definitions for standardized use of statistical data for research libraries.  He helped make it possible for research libraries to contribute and use high quality comparable data for effective library management.  Press Release

November 1, 2010

The Libraries have initiated a project to replace all five elevators in the Du Bois Library.  One elevator at a time will be taken out of service and each elevator replacement will take approximately 12 to 16 weeks.  The project is expected to be completed in 2012.  More information

October 21, 2010

The Libraries are pleased to offer a new discovery tool, UMass Amherst WorldCat, for finding books, journals, articles, media, maps and more in libraries and collections locally and around the world.  Available as the default search box on the Libraries home page, UMass Amherst WorldCat gives searchers a simple gateway to find and retrieve a broad range of materials.  More information

October 21, 2010

Students studying in the Du Bois Library between midnight and 4 a.m. were interviewed in a feature story, "3 a.m. is for books. Spending all night at the UMass library," on the front page of the Living Section in The Hampshire Gazette.  Full story

October 13, 2010 • The Hampshire Gazette 

The Libraries host an exhibit, “From Gay Liberation to UPride and Queerfest: Four Decades of LGBT Activism and Visibility at UMass Amherst,” on the Lower Level of Du Bois Library through 1/14/11.  The exhibit includes two events on October 20 in the same location: a panel discussion on LGBT history from 3-5 pm, and an opening reception from 5-6 pm.  More information

October 15, 2010 

The University of Massachusetts ranks 159th among the top 200 users of arXiv.  Pronounced “archive,” arXiv is a highly automated electronic archive and distribution server that provides open access to over 630,000 electronic preprints of scientific papers in the fields of physics, mathematics, computer science, quantitative biology, and quantitative finance and statistics.  More information

October 13, 2010

Open Access Week, a global event in its fourth year, will be held from Oct. 18 to Oct. 22 this year. As part of 2010 Open Access Week, UMass Amherst Libraries will host a series of events relevant to open access journals, open conference proceedings, open educational resources, open data, and copyright and author rights. Full schedule at http://scholarworks.umass.edu/oa/2010/.  More information

October 8, 2010

The Libraries will host “Exploring Open Access Journals: Celebrating the Launch of Landscapes of Violence” on Oct 21, 2010, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., in the Teaching Commons, Floor 26, Du Bois Library. The event will provide an overview of the field of open access journals and ScholarWorks@UMassAmherst, and celebrate the launch of the new interdisciplinary open access journal Landscapes of Violence.  More information

October 4, 2010

Looking for streaming video or audio materials to integrate into instructional sessions or student projects?   The Libraries provide access to fourteen streaming audio and video databases containing thousands of documentaries, staged productions, film, and video segments, classical music, jazz, blues, and much more.   More information

October 5, 2010

September 27, 2010

The Libraries host an exhibit, “Uncertain Futures: Americans and Science Fiction in the Early Cold War Era,” through October  31, on Floor 25, Du Bois Library.  The exhibit can be viewed Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm and includes science fiction magazines from 1945-1965, as well as documents and photos of prominent cold war-era science fiction authors, editors, and fans.  More information

September 23, 2010

On Friday, Oct. 1, 2010, Steven Lerner will give a talk, “Sacrifice Zones: the Front Lines of Toxic Chemical Exposure," from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., in the Conference Room at Gordon Hall, 418 North Pleasant Street, Amherst.  On Thursday, October 28, 2010, at 6:00 p.m., Amy Bass will give a talk, “Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars? The 1968 Olympics and the Creation of the Black Athlete,” in Room 803, Campus Center, UMass Amherst.  More information

September 22, 2010

The Libraries will host "Ethics Day: Engaging Librarians in the Responsible Conduct of Research," a professional development program for New England area science librarians, on Friday, October 8, from 9am to 5 pm., on Floor 26, Du Bois Library.  More information

September 13, 2010

The UMass Amherst Libraries have implemented several changes over the summer to improve service to users and optimize space.  These include a redesigned website, enhanced searching ability, a combined Circulation/Reserves Desk, a Teaching Commons, and more.  News Release

September 7, 2010

An exhibit of photographs by Les Campbell are on display in the Science and Engineering Library in Lederle Lowrise through January 6, 2011.  An opening reception will be held on September 23, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.   More information

September 1, 2010

The UMass Amherst Libraries will host a panel discussion on Open Educational Resources, “How Can a Textbook Be Free? Keeping Higher Education Affordable with Open Resources,” on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., in Room 163C of the Campus Center, at UMass Amherst. The panel will include Stephen Carson from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Eric Frank ’92 and Michael Boezi from Flat World Knowledge.   More information

August 25, 2010

On Wednesday, September 1, 2010, the UMass Amherst Libraries host “Promoting Academic Honesty and Preventing Plagiarism with Turnitin” from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., in Room 2601, Du Bois Library. The session provides an overview of the software Turnitin and shows instructors how to utilize it as a tool for evaluating written work.  More information    Register by going to OIT calendar

August 25, 2010

On Sunday, October 3, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Friends of the UMass Amherst Libraries will host the 12th Annual Fall Reception in the Cape Cod Lounge, Student Union. The keynote speakers, authors Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd, will give a talk "To Eat: Murder and Vegetables in a Bucolic Setting." The program starts at 2:30 p.m.; the event is free and open to the public.  Full story

August 10, 2010     invitation

Students, artists, and community members are helping to repaint a mural depicting the life of W.E.B. Du Bois, the Library's namesake, in Great Barrington.  Du Bois was born there and went on to become one of the leading black thinkers of the 20th century.  

When artist Brett Parson and Jake Reiny arrived at the Taconic parking lot on Sunday at 10 a.m. to being repainting the W.E.B. Du Bois mural, there were already about a dozen people waiting for them, raring to go. More than 40 community members showed up on Sunday to help Parson and Reiny redo the mural.

July 26, 2010 •  Berkshire Eagle

UMass Amherst Librarian Dave Mac Court is featured in an article by a teacher on how he helped his students use librarians in their coursework.  "Today's librarians bear about as much resemblance to the tight-bunned owlish matrons of 1950s films as laptops do to manual typewriters..."  Full story

July 21, 2010 • Inside Higher Ed

The new Circulation/Reserves Desk on the Lower Level of the Du Bois Library provides service all hours the building is open. This single desk combines the services of the Circulation Desk (checkout, return, billing, and pickup for Five College and Interlibrary Loan books) with those of the Reserves Desk (circulation and return of print reserve materials, laptop computers, and digital cameras).           More information

July 15, 2010

The UMass Amherst Libraries present an exhibit, "10 Years of Massachusetts Book Awards," on the Lower Level of the Du Bois Library, through September 30, 2010. A reception will be held on September 16, 2010, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The exhibit features the prizewinners in several categories across the decade of the Award's existence to date.  More information

 June 29, 2010

The UMass Amherst Libraries provide RefWorks at no charge to UMass Amherst alumni. RefWorks is a web-based citation management program used to organize citations, retrieve references, and generate bibliographies.  More information

 June 23, 2010

Officials from the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife conducted the annual banding of peregrine falcon chicks in the nesting box atop the W.E.B. Du Bois Library on May 28. Richard P. Nathhorst, facilities and campus planning, says more than 20 chicks have been fitted with the identification bands in recent years. Birds from this site have been seen up and down the East Coast and in Colombia, according to state officials.

 June 1, 2010 • The Springfield Republican  full story and falcon video

May 10, 2010

The UMass Amherst Libraries announces the opening of the Teaching Commons on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 and will host an Open House for faculty on that day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Teaching Commons on Floor 26, in the Du Bois Library. The program includes welcoming remarks at 2:30 p.m., followed by discussion and tours of the facility. Refreshments will be served. 

May 7, 2010      press release    invitation

The University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries have been awarded a grant of $314,787 from the National Endowment for the Humanities' We the People program to complete digitization of the papers of African-American intellectual and activist W.E.B. Du Bois.

 May 4, 2010    press release

The Department of Special Collections and University Archives is pleased to announce the winners of the first annual Emily Silverman Book Collecting Award and the second annual Friends of the Library Undergraduate Research Award. 

April 21, 2010     press release

 The UMass Amherst Libraries now provide access to the following databases, which can be found at http://www.library.umass.edu/. These resources are available to users anywhere with an OIT account and to all walk-in users.

April 16, 2010    New databases

UMass Amherst Senior Jake Walker has created the New England Chowder Compendium, an online collection of chowder recipes, pictures, and ads from the 1870s to the 1970s.  Working in Special Collections, he created the site from the Beatrice A. McIntosh Cookery Collection in the library.  In using the compendium one can find how chowder has been transformed from its layered preparation centuries ago to its current conception.  New England Chowder Compendium   Read review in Eat Me Daily

April 15, 2010

 Alumna Betty Londergran has written a piece in her blog about her love of UMass, particularly the Du Bois Library.

 April 14, 2010      Blog

 On Saturday, April 10, 2010, at 6:30 p.m., the Friends of the UMass Amherst Libraries will host the eighth annual "Dinner with Friends" in the Learning Commons at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library on the UMass Amherst campus. The event features talks by three notable speakers: authors Bernard A. Drew and Jacqueline Sheehan, and illustrator and 2009 Caldecott medalist Beth Krommes MAT '80, as well as a champagne and hors d'oeuvre reception with the UMass Jazz Quartet, and a gourmet dinner. Press release.

 March 23, 2010

Academic research libraries across the U.S. are experiencing budget challenges due to the economic downturn and the cumulative effect of an annual inflation rate of 5 - 8 % on the cost of books, journals, electronic resources and other materials used by students and faculty. At UMass Amherst since FY 08, the campus has struggled to maintain level-funding of the library materials acquisitions budget... Full text and additional information

March 11, 2010

The W.E.B. Du Bois Center hosts its inaugural symposium on Thursday, March 25, 2010, at 5:30 p.m., Cape Cod Lounge, Student Union, UMass Amherst.  Lonnie G. Bunch, III, Ph.D., will speak on "The Challenge of Building a National Museum."  Dr. Bunch is the director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.  The event is free and open to the public.

The UMass Amherst Libraries will make improvements to the W.E.B. Du Bois Library during the week of March 13 to March 19, spring break.  The Du Bois Library will be closed Saturday, March 13 and Sunday, March 14 to install a new fire protection system and for water service work.  The library will re-open on Monday, March 15, at 8:00 a.m.   press release

March 5, 2010

The UMass Amherst Libraries present an exhibit, "Digitizing Du Bois: One Year Later," through May 21, 2010, in Special Collections and University Archives, Floor 25, Du Bois library.  The exhibit features noteworthy items discovered during the process of digitizing the Du Bois Papers. The items include photos, letters, posters, and other papers relating to W.E.B. Du Bois's life and the history of the 20th century.   press release

February 22, 2010

Rob Cox, head of special collections and university archives, is interviewed by UMass Magazine on the digitization of the Du Bois Collection, "...students and teachers at all levels will soon be able to access Du Bois' experiences, thoughts, and writings as a basis to conduct research in American history and social studies."  Read story

February 16, 2010 • UMass Magazine

I can’t tell you how much this means to students, having this resource,” said Ngozi Mbawuike, president of the Student Government Association. “No matter what your needs are, there is a place for everyone here.”  Provost James V. Staros said that the Learning Commons, with its high-tech work stations and group learning environments, has “transformed the library, the campus and student life.”

February 11, 2010 • In the Loop   full story

Continuing coverage of the Learning Commons expansion by The Boston Globe. The expansion includes a 20 percent increase in overall space to 30,000 square feet, a 60 percent boost in seating to 450 and eight new group study rooms.

 Febuary 9, 2010 • The Boston Globe  full story

"As part of an ongoing, five-year, $8.5-million renovation project, the University of Massachusetts celebrated a 20 percent expansion of the Learning Commons in the campus' main library yesterday.  The 6,000 square-foot addition, which opened at the beginning of the semester, boosts available seating by 60 percent - from 250 to 450 - in the W.E.B. DuBois Library's Learning Commons..."  watch video    read full story

February 9, 2010 • The Daily Collegian

Director of Libraries Jay Schafer and Chancellor Robert Holub comment in Springfield Republican article on Learning Commons expansion celebration. "While it's not the only such space on college and university campuses," Holub said, "it is one of the most innovative and most emulated."          Read article

February 9, 2010 • The Springfield Republican

The University of Massachusetts Amherst held an event celebrating the expansion of the Learning Commons at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, where students have access to research tools and assistance, academic advising, tutoring and writing assistance - all in a comfortable, high-tech environment that fosters small group interaction.  video  press release   invitation

 February 9, 2010                                      

The UMass Amherst Libraries hosts the 16^th Annual Du Bois Lecture, by Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 7:00 p.m., Cape Cod Room, Student Union, UMass Amherst.  Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Ph.D.  is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of History and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University.  The event is free and open to the public.

February 1, 2010    video       invitation       press release

 In response to the earthquakes in Haiti, the UMass Amherst Libraries has compiled a list of resources for the campus community and the public. This list is available at http://guides.library.umass.edu/haiti The web page includes links to local/international news coverage of this tragedy and organizations that are providing assistance, as well as library resources for background information. Press release.

January 19, 2010

 The UMass Amherst Libraries is hosting an exhibit "Writing the Landscape: Books from the Library of American Landscape History." The exhibit features several books developed by the Library of American Landscape History (LALH) and photographs by noted landscape photographer Carol Betsch. The exhibition is on view from February 1 - May 20, 2010. A reception will be held on February 4, 2010, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The exhibit and reception will be in the Learning Commons on the Lower Level of Du Bois Library at UMass Amherst. Press release.

January 12, 2010