The library is now on Facebook!
The William R. Jenkins Architecture and Art Library is now on Facebook. The library staff will post news, research tips, and discussion topics. Students, faculty members, and other researchers are invited to participate in online discussions and recommend helpful resources.
Become a fan today!
New look for the library catalog
The William R. Jenkins Architecture and Art Library will begin beta-testing a new catalog interface next week. It functions exactly like the existing interface, but its look will be more closely integrated with the University of Houston websites. You can begin using it now by visiting http://library.uh.edu:2082/search/X. The catalog search screen and results will be in the center of the page. The search tabs are at left and other helpful information is at right. If you have any feedback, complements, or complaints, please send them to archlib@mail.uh.edu. We’ll gather the information and pass it on to our library system programmers.
Historic map collection now available
The University of Houston, which has previously provided access to only the Texas maps, has now purchased Digital Sanborn Maps for all states.
Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970 provides academic and public libraries digital access to more than 660,000 large-scale maps of more than 12,000 American towns and cities. Users have the ability to easily manipulate the maps, magnify and zoom in on specific sections, and layer maps from different years.
Sanborn fire insurance maps are the most frequently consulted maps in both public and academic libraries. Sanborn maps are valuable historical tools for urban specialists, social historians, architects, geographers, genealogists, local historians, planners, environmentalists and anyone who wants to learn about the history, growth, and development of American cities, towns, and neighborhoods. They are large-scale plans containing data that can be used to estimate the potential risk for urban structures. This includes information such as the outline of each building, the size, shape and construction materials, heights, and function of structures, location of windows and doors. The maps also give street names, street and sidewalk widths, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers. Seven or eight different editions represent some areas.
Library customers may access the maps at http:sanborn.umi.com or by selecting Digital Sanborn Maps from the “Architecture Databases” list on the William R. Jenkins Architecture and Art Library homepage.
Thesis collection now searchable
Hundreds of College of Architecture undergraduate theses, mostly written in the 1970’s, are now cataloged and searchable in the University of Houston Libraries online catalog (library.uh.edu). This collection contains valuable information about Houston history and architectural trends. Research subjects and proposed projects include the Riverside General Hospital, Houston’s Fourth and Sixth Ward, River Oaks Garden Apartments, and South Texas Junior College. The thesis collection may not be checked out, but may be used in the library. Copiers and a scanner are available.
Viewing station installed
The William R. Jenkins Library has installed a dvd viewing station for academic use only. Headphones may be checked out, or viewers may bring their own.
Closed May 16th
The William R. Jenkins Library will be closed May 16th for the Collection of Architecture’s graduation. During intersession the library will be open from 8-5 on weekdays only. During the summer, we will be open from 8-6 Monday-Thursday, 8-5 on Friday, and 1-5 on Saturday.
UH Libraries receives multiple awards
The University of Houston Libraries was a multiple award winner at the Annual Conference of the Texas Library Association last week.
Dana Rooks, Dean of Libraries, was awarded the 2009 TLA Distinguished Service Award. Dean Rooks is a former TLA president and winner of the 1997 Librarian of the Year award for her work on TexShare, a cooperative program that enables the sharing of resources among academic, special and public libraries.
The UH Libraries also received two Branding Iron Awards for marketing, including the Best in Show Award for Student Video Network-produced library commercials. The Demco Award, another marketing prize, also honored the commercials.
Finally, a team of library employees won the annual Book Cart Drill Team competition. The employees, including Dean Rooks, performed a dance routine titled “Materials Girl” with book carts. The team may now advance to the national competition at the Annual Conference of the American Library Association.
The commercials and Book Cart Drill Team competition may all be viewed at YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lqnzz0u2Ww
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qk0R0dpzmI
Encore – a new way to search the catalog
A new way of searching the Library Catalog, Encore, utilizes a single starting point to find and locate library content. The powerful features of Encore allow you to refine and narrow your search with a simple click of the mouse. See what Encore can discover for you and let us know what you think.
Student Art Exhibit on Feb. 12th
The 2nd Annual Student Art Exhibit hosted by the University of Houston Libraries will open on February 12, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. The artwork will be exhibited on the third floor of the M.D. Anderson Library’s red wing. The exhibit will be open to the public during library hours, February 12th through April 15th.
This year we have 25 pieces, selected by a jury from the Museum of Fine Arts, Blaffer Gallery, Lawndale Art Center, the Menil Collection, and UH Art Department.
Please come enjoy some refreshments and help us congratulate the students whose works were selected and will be gracing the Library walls through mid-April!
The Student Art Committee, who arranged the exhibit and reception, consists of Nancy Linden, Carolyn Meanley, Catherine Essinger, Chad Thome, and Wilbert Taylor.
Closed on January 31st
The Architecture and Art Library will be closed on January 31st, so that repainting and revarnishing can be completed. We will resume normal hours on Monday.
