Friends of the UNCG Libraries

On Friday, April 20, as part of UNCG's Reunion 2018, librarians in the Research, Outreach and Instruction department provided a workshop to the Class of 1968 entitled, "Books, Bots and Everything in Between!" Led by Amy Harris-Houk and Jenny Dale, participants learned how librarians support student success every day by helping students with research projects and evaluating information online. Alumnae also toured Jackson Library with Kathy Crowe and saw first-hand how students use a variety of learning spaces and technology.  They learned how the Digital Media Commons staff helps students complete their multimedia projects and enjoyed an overview of the makerspace by Armondo Collins.

University Libraries’ Digital Media Commons (DMC) partnered with the Aspire IT (“IT is for Girls/Women”) Summer Camp, a Women In Information Technology (WIIT) initiative and AAUW Greensboro during the week of July 24 through July 28 to encourage middle school girls to pursue paths and careers relevant to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields and build leadership, teamwork and collaboration skills.    While the camp offered students insight into the many aspects of IT, it also included talks from women in various STEM fields, demonstrations in 3D printing, robotics and a visit to Analog Devices in Greensboro.  The camp, led by Dr. Lakshmi Iyer, UNCG Associate Professor and Director of Information Systems and Supply Chain Management Graduate Programs, began in 2009. This year, the camp hosted four sessions for 68 middle schoolers and 22 high school/college mentors. The workshops included app development, robotics, filmography and creating Arduino/Makey-...

The UNCG University Libraries will award stipends to three faculty members to provide support for the revision of their spring 2017 courses to more fully integrate information literacy and increase librarian involvement into the classes. The stipend recipients are: Shana Scudder, English 305 Daniel Christen, Chemistry 355 Liz McNamara, Honors Seminar 228  Dr. Scudder will collaborate with Jenny Dale, University Libraries’ liaison to the English department, and Armondo Collins, Head, University Libraries’ Digital Media Commons, on her contemporary rhetoric class. Students will complete scaffolded information literacy assignments throughout the semester culminating in a final multimedia project. Dr. Christen will collaborate with Karen Grigg, University Libraries’ liaison to the Chemistry department on his intermediate organic chemistry laboratory. Students will learn information literacy skills through writing formal lab reports and creating a guide for important reso...

 Armondo Collins   Brown Biggers   Brown Biggers and Armondo Collins have been awarded the University Libraries’ annual Innovation and Program Enrichment Funding Award. Their project title is “DMC Makerspace.” With the grant, the Digital Media Commons in Jackson Library will expand its multi-media support services to include 3D printing through purchase of a “Replicator 2” 3D printer from Makerbot Industries. 3D printing is the process of making a physical object from a digital file - enabling rapid prototyping of design concepts and functional, working models. A handful of libraries, including NC State’s Hunt Library, have devoted resources to “makerspaces”, with 3D printing as a flagship service.  Makerspaces are promoting creation and research by providing users with access to materials, technology and community resources. This purchase introduces the concepts and processes associated with makerspaces into the Library, promoting growth of new ideas...

Armondo Collins of the University Libraries submitted an essay to the National Council for Black Studies titled "Breaking a Slave's Mind: A New Reading of Omar Ibn Said and Solomon Northrup" last Spring. He wrote the essay for Sallyann Ferguson's ENG 735: Slave Narratives course.  In additiion to his work with the Digital Media Commons in the University Libraries, Armondo is a graduate student in the English Department. For the essay, Armondo did a close reading of narratives written by two men who were taken into slavery as adults, one from Africa, the other New York. The essay tied for 3rd place in the graduate division. Congratulations Armondo on this prestigious award!