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University Library E-News Archives

CSUN University Library Dean Mark Stover

Message from the Dean - Golden Pages: Celebrating 50 Years of the CSUN University Library

eNews Edition: Fall 2023

As we usher in the Fall semester, we have much more to celebrate than the changing weather and the promise of a new academic year. This season marks a monumental milestone: the 50th Anniversary of the completion of the magnificent CSUN University Library building in October 1973, originally known as the Oviatt Library. For half a century, our Library has served as the intellectual hub of our campus, a sanctuary of learning, and a facilitator for community engagement. This is not merely a testament to longevity; it's an affirmation of the vital role the CSUN Library has played in shaping minds, nurturing scholars, and enriching the broader community.

Gabriel Castañeda

We Would Like You to Meet: Gabriel Castañeda

eNews Edition: Fall 2023

He is more than a friendly, familiar face on the front lines of the University Library, but also a charismatic leader with a passion for training and developing student employees to provide memorable customer service. As a champion of the Library, Gabriel Castañeda has dedicated twenty years to the intellectual heart of the campus, starting as a student assistant to becoming a pivotal staff member as the Guest Services Lead.

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Thanks & Recognition: Library Student Employee Scholarship Donor Appreciation

eNews Edition: Fall 2023

Contributed by Gina Flores

The University Library was honored and overjoyed to present thirty awards to distinguished student employees at the 8th Annual University Library Student Employee Scholarship Reception in March 2023. As one of the largest employers of student assistants on campus, the Library takes great pride in fostering valuable student work experience and creating a supportive learning environment. One of the exciting benefits students love about working here is the opportunity to earn a scholarship – and sometimes, more than one!

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Spotlight: Eating the Archives

eNews Edition: Fall 2023

The latest exhibit from Special Collections & Archives, “Eating the Archives” opened in August 2023. The exhibit explores the way food-related archival materials “preserve community memories while reflecting and engaging with broader societal issues related to identity, representation, and daily lived experiences.”

Trees, planters, and new pavers at the CSUN University Library

What's New - Portico Project: Paving the Way to a Grand Transformation

eNews Edition: Fall 2023

The iconic University Library at California State University, Northridge is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It sits in the center of campus and the Library’s Mission, Vision and Values describe it as “the intellectual heart of the CSUN campus.” Learn more about our Portico Project and how the Library is improving every day!

Featured - Fifty Years of Resilience and Innovation: A Retrospective on the CSUN University Library

eNews Edition: Fall 2023

As the calendar marks another year, the CSUN University Library (formerly known as the Oviatt Library) approaches a historic milestone—the 50th anniversary of its opening on October 24, 1973. From its inception to its current status as a dynamic hub for learning, innovation, and collaboration, the University Library has seen significant transformations, triumphs, and challenges. This retrospective provides a lens into the Library's rich history and architectural growth, its recovery from natural disasters, and its continuous innovation over the last half-century.

CSUN University Library Dean Mark Stover

Message from the Dean: Diversity, Innovation, and the Preservation of History

eNews Edition: Spring 2023

The CSUN University Library is a hub of information and activity, constantly evolving and expanding to meet the diverse needs of our students, staff and faculty. This issue of the University Library eNews is a testament to that diversity, as it covers a wide range of topics that demonstrate the breadth and depth of the resources and services available to the CSUN community. The articles also show a clear alignment with CSUN’s mission and strategic principles that permeate all aspects of our work.

Dr. Karin J. Duran and Richard Nupoll Education Librarian, Lisa Cheby

We Would Like You to Meet: Lisa Cheby

eNews Edition: Spring 2023

In July 2022, Lisa Cheby joined the Library as the first Dr. Karin J. Duran and Richard Nupoll Education Librarian. In addition to her librarianship, Lisa has worked as a high school English teacher and a poet. She has published two poetry chapbooks, the latest being Buffy Averts a Mid-life Apocalypse. Lisa holds an MLIS from San Jose State University and an MFA from Antioch University. We sat down to talk with her about her experiences.

Maybelle and Eugene Bishop Wedding Portrait, 1945

Thanks & Recognition: Jannette and Cameron Carothers for the Baldwin-Shaffner Archives

eNews Edition: Spring 2023

The Baldwin-Shaffner Collection contains archival materials that document parts of the Baldwin, Sackett, Bishop, and Bacon families' stories as they made their way west from Ohio and Colorado to settle in Los Angeles in the 1890s. The family of Earl and Jennette Shaffner and their children Maybelle (Bishop), Rosalia (Bacon), and George are especially well-represented. Processing Archivist Claire Gordon is currently arranging, preserving, and describing the collection. As part of this, she's creating a finding aid, or guide to the collection, that will be available and searchable online. Once processing is complete, the collection will be available for anyone to use in person in the Special Collections & Archives reading room.

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Spotlight: Students Talk Back to the Library

eNews Edition: Spring 2023

Every two years, the CSUN University Library sends a survey to current CSUN undergraduate and graduate students. Recently Dr. Laura Wimberley, Assessment Librarian and Chair of the Research, Instruction and Outreach Services Department, shared key findings from the most recent November 2022 survey at a Library employee town hall. We are pleased to share selected highlights from the presentation.

The survey was conducted on the Qualtrics platform, with an alternative ADA-compliant version made available. The survey link was emailed directly to a randomly-selected subset of the student body, 10,928 undergraduate and 10,072 graduate students. Of those, 13% responded – the highest response rate yet in the history of the survey – with the response proportionally a bit higher from graduate students, for a total of 1,586 responses.