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Library recognizes peers for outstanding contributions
At all-staff meetings held in summer quarter 2019, Library Human Resources acknowledged four UCR Library employees for their outstanding contributions.
These team members became the sixth round of employees to be recognized through the KUDOS program.
Under the KUDOS program, non-probationary staff and academic employees at the UCR Library can be nominated by a peer for actions or contributions related to the UCR Library's mission that have a significant, positive impact on colleagues, library users, or others.
Nominations were submitted anonymously by library non-probationary staff and academic employees, and then were reviewed by members of Library Cabinet to determine which staff members would receive the KUDOS awards.
The summer quarter 2019 recipients received the following comments on their nomination forms. Please join us in celebrating these library employees’ contributions!
Lori Alaniz
She always is very helpful and cheerful working the circulation desk. Lori always puts forth her very best to make sure that the students, staff and faculty are helped with positivity.
David Rios
David is the Swiss army knife of librarians – whether we ask him for help with teaching a class, participating in outreach, or answering a reference question, he is always up for lending a hand. Even if something is brand-new to him, we can count on David to give it a try. One of David’s most commendable qualities is his positive attitude toward trying new things and exploring new opportunities. We appreciate David as a colleague, a professional, and a researcher!
Nicole Valencia
During the recent Annual Equipment Request (AER) and acquisition cycle, Nicole provided outstanding service in the timely processing of hundreds of information technology items. The process is frequently challenging, particularly when vendors change product lines and pricing. Using her expertise and attention-to-detail, Nicole addressed these challenges, enabling the acquisition effort to be successful. Nicole has a positive and noticeable affect on library staff, students, and faculty. Kudos to Nicole!
Margarita Yonezawa
She works hard with multiple departments to move the library forward; either with new equipment or upgrades to the spaces in the library. She is very nice, and courteous to staff, students, and faculty. Margarita helps the library and colleagues with anything they might need extra help with, and isn't afraid of getting her hands dirty.
Memories... Library 2018 Retirees
The end of each academic year brings many goodbyes, both farewells to graduating students and to members of our career staff who will retire in 2018.
We would like to recognize and celebrate the following UCR Library colleagues, who shared snippets of their UCR history with us:
Diane David
Music Cataloger Diane David started as a student assistant in UCR’s Music department in 1971 and later transitioned to working in the Music Library’s listening room. After finishing her B.A. in 1973, she was hired as a music cataloger, one of three in UCR Library’s history.
With 45 years of service, David might hold the record for the longest-running career at UCR Library. “It has been interesting to see the industry change and to see the impact technology has had on our work,” she said, recalling her earliest days with hand-typed cards for the public catalog and all the various changes in technology she has witnessed since then.
Those years have also contained many great memories, including having Maya Angelou as the commencement speaker when David earned her M.A., Scot’s Week, and a very distinct campus prank in the early 1980s. “One year, we arrived early in the morning to find that the Bell Tower had a giant arrow through the top of it,” David explained. “Remember Steve Martin, the comedian who would come on stage with a headband that looked like an arrow through his head? This was a giant version of that.”
After retirement, David will miss seeing friends and colleagues on a daily basis, but looks forward to continuing her career in theater, which is booked well into the next year.
Kit Rembert
Preservation Assistant Cynthia “Kit” Rembert started her career at UCR Library in September 1977 as a typist clerk, and will retire this year from her role as a supervisor of special projects and processing. “Coming to work at UC Riverside in the libraries has been a blessing,” Rembert said.
Her favorite memories include special moments with colleagues at celebrations to acknowledge retiring staff. “I also have a lot of good memories from working on special projects with different people in all areas of the libraries,” she said.
Rembert recalls one day when she and a few colleagues got locked down in the sub-basement at Rivera Library for about 30 minutes. “The elevator broke down and we had to wait for someone to come around to open the side entrance,” she explained. “The only thing we could do was look at some old books and tell some family stories.”
Another vivid memory, Rembert said, was when the library’s namesake Dr. Tomás Rivera passed away on May 16, 1984. “He was held in the highest regard on this campus,” she added. “He was gone too soon.”
Julia Ree
Metadata Cataloger Julia Ree has held many roles at the UCR Library since 1978, when she was hired as a student assistant in the Reserve Book Room on the first floor of Rivera Library. She has also worked in stacks maintenance, public services, acquisitions, cataloging, and for 12 years as the subject specialist for the Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
She met her husband of almost 36 years, Bob, at the public services counter in December 1980 when he was looking for weekend box office statistics for the Star Trek motion picture. “You could say that Star Trek brought us together! You could also say that having the same last name at birth was a contributing factor, but it’s the UCR Library space that made it all happen,” Ree said.
Ree’s favorite memories include organizing the 2013 Eaton Conference, at which they presented the Eaton Lifetime Achievement Award to Stan Lee. Another fond memory was in 2014, when Ree received the “Staff Who Make a Difference” award from Campus Staff Assembly. “I have worked many decades to create a quality to my work,” she said. “This, above all else, recognized my commitment to those we serve and I will be forever grateful to be singled out in this meaningful way.”
Josie Arreola
Josie Arreola was first hired at UCR as a receptionist in the Physical Plant / Grounds department; she joined the library in 1980. This year, she will retire from her position as a Collection Maintenance Assistant in Rivera Library.
In her 38 years at UCR Library, Arreola said she has been most fond of gatherings with student employees and staff colleagues, particularly the Thanksgiving Feast, as well as other on-campus events including University Club and holiday parties. Of the most unusual thing that happened to her on the job, Arreola said, “One week, I took like three security reports due to people trying to steal books, or damaging them.” What she will miss most about working at UCR Library is her co-workers and friends.
Maria Mendoza
Assistant Unit Supervisor of the Interlibrary Loan Unit, Maria Mendoza has been part of the UCR Library team since 1992. During that time, Mendoza said that she has collected too many fond memories to choose any favorites among them.
“But what I will miss the most is superior staff, our splendid students and phenomenal faculty,” she said.
In addition to her work at the library, Mendoza also taught Hawaiian dance classes to a group of UCR staff, faculty and students as part of the Mobile Fit program. A dedicated group of her dance students would sometimes perform as part of the Mission Inn’s Festival of Lights and at other community events.
After retirement, Mendoza plans to visit her native state of Hawaii and also to travel to the Philippines for the first time.
Rhonda Neugebauer
Collection Strategist for the Arts and Humanities Rhonda Neugebauer joined the UCR Library in 2001 as the Bibliographer for Latin American and Iberian Studies.
Her favorite memories include National Library Week postcards, “Edible Book” celebrations, the 2-millionth volume panel and reception, and celebrations with colleagues such as the library’s Student Employee Picnic and Thanksgiving Feast and Staff Association events. “I enjoyed seeing us as a group, united in our efforts to wholeheartedly support the library and library colleagues and enthusiastically serve our students, faculty and staff,” Neugebauer said.
When asked what she will miss most about working at UCR Library, she replied, “Co-workers who helped me, supported me, nurtured me, mentored me, stood with me during the rough times, and empathized with me when the news was sad, bitter and unthinkable.”
Her funniest memory was when an earthquake hit during a job candidate’s presentation in the Rivera Library. “When the speaker momentarily suspended his remarks ad asked, ‘Was that an earthquake?’ All the library colleagues who had already logged on to the shake map were able to report immediately to the candidate, ‘It wasn’t too bad, it was just a 3.4,’” she said. “Then we all laughed at how quickly everyone felt, reported and critiqued the shaking!”
***
The UCR Library would like to thank each of our retiring staff members, both those who are named here and those who wish to remain anonymous. We are grateful to have had you as our colleagues and friends, we appreciate your many years of excellent service, and we wish you all the best in your future!
David Brin Papers
Located in: Special Collections & University Archives
Glen David Brin (born October 6, 1950) is an American scientist and multi-awarding winning author of science fiction and nonfiction. For his science fiction novels, he has won the Hugo, Locus, Campbell and Nebula Awards; his nonfiction book The Transparent Society won the Freedom of Speech Award of the American Library Association and the McGannon Communication Award.
New Soundproof Study Rooms in Rivera Library
Recently, our UCR Library facilities team completed the installation of upgrades to five study rooms on the second floor of Tomás Rivera Library, which are designated as the “David W. Musso Quiet Study Rooms.”
These improvements were made possible by the generosity of David W. Musso, a UCR Class of 1959 alumnus. During his time at UCR, if Musso wasn’t practicing on the football field, one could find him in the library, where he jokes that he spent most of his academic career. As a result, Musso has fond memories of the library and argues that it is the “heart” of the campus.
The renovations to Study Rooms 206 through 210 took several weeks for Head of Facilities, Dave Schuster, and Senior Building Maintenance Workers Robert Wong and Rocco Berges to complete.
Updated features include new sound-proof carpeting, ceiling tiles, and door sweeps, which allow students to speak at regular volume without their noise negatively impacting students in neighboring study rooms. “The sound-proofing is really good,” commented Wong. “We actually took decibel measurements to make sure it was working.”
Additionally, all of the David W. Musso Quiet Study Rooms have Idea Paint, which allows students to write directly onto one designated “Idea Wall”; a basket of dry-erase markers and erasers for brainstorming on the Idea Wall; and 32-inch flat screen TVs with HDMI, VGA, and audio connectors to foster group collaboration. Each room has also been freshly repainted and cleaned.
Additionally, Room 206 also has Idea Paint on the table surface, as well as on the Idea Wall itself.
Room 210 has seating for six people; Rooms 206, 207, and 209 can accommodate up to eight people; and Room 208 has seats for 12 students.
Beginning in August 2017, patrons will be able to reserve the David W. Musso Quiet Study Rooms through the library website.
University Librarian Steven Mandeville-Gamble recently confirmed that an additional five quiet group study rooms will be added in the near future, thanks to Mr. Musso's continued support.
If you are interested in supporting the UCR Library, please contact Clyde Derrick, Director of Development.
More about our benefactor:
Currently a resident of San Jose, David W. Musso was born and raised in Moreno Valley, California. While enrolled at UC Riverside, Musso belonged to the football team, Big “C” Society, German Club, and served as the ASUCR Treasurer. After graduating in 1959 with a degree in Physical Sciences - Mathematics, Musso served in the US Army. In 1960, he received an award for the highest grade in a computer programming course across the entire Army. He later earned his MBA from the University of Arizona and then spent more than 30 years working for IBM, where he specialized in the IBM 709 computer, before retiring in 1997.
New archival collections available for summer quarter 2017
Special Collections & University Archives staff are constantly working to process recently acquired collections and make those materials ready for use by students, faculty, and researchers.
Each quarter, we will provide a list of UCR Library's newly processed archival and primary source collections. Check out the list below to see if there are any items that fit your research area, or share with a friend!
Below you'll find brief descriptions and links to the finding aids or collection guides for each new collection. To use any of these materials, simply click the "Request Items" button at the top to submit a request, and log in with our Special Collections Request System. For more on conducting research in Special Collections, see this page.
SCUA is open to the public on weekdays from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm. Check here for closures or other changes to our regular hours.
For questions, email specialcollections@ucr.edu.
Newly Processed Collections – Summer 2017
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection contains correspondence, science fiction convention programs, and a floppy disk from science fiction author Vernor Vinge. The correspondence mostly concerns other authors and publishers sending Vinge their works for his review or comments.
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
The Abbie Voorhies De Verges papers contain photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, certificates, and other material from Abbie Voorhies DeVerges, a nurse in the Air Force who worked at the Tuskegee Army Air Field during the Second World War.
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection contains materials related to the publication and distribution of Dreams and Nightmares, a fantasy and science fiction poetry magazine edited by David C. Kopaska-Merkel. Items in the collection include original page proofs for a number of issues, art and poetry submissions, and correspondence and records related to some distributors of the magazine.
0.21 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection contains signatures of British nobility and members of the British royal family and includes some signed letters and government documents. Notable signatures in the collection include those of Queen Victoria, Prince of Wales Albert Edward (later Edward VII), Princess May of Teck (later Queen Mary), and multiple Dukes and Duchesses.
0.21 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection consists of correspondence from 19th century British politician Charles Philip Yorke to various family members and fellow politicians. The collection also contains letters from Yorke's brother, Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke, to Charles. Most of the correspondence concerns British political events of the early 1800s, most notably the ministries of Henry Addington and William Pitt the Younger.
0.21 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection contains correspondence written by clergy members from the Church of England during the 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily from bishops of various dioceses. Correspondence in the collection concerns mostly regular church business.
18.35 linear ft. (45 boxes)
This collection consists of notes, proofs, manuscripts, and other material related to the written works of Patricia Beatty, an award-winning author of children's books including Lupita Manana and Charley Skedaddle. The collection also includes materials on books Beatty co-authored with her husband John Beatty.
2.5 linear ft. (2 boxes)
This collection contains administrative records, press clippings, and other material from the Riverside Youth Concert Series, an organization in Riverside, California that provided affordable fine arts performances to local children from 1962-1978.
2.25 linear ft. (2 boxes)
The Collection on Philip K. Dick consists of press clippings, publications, short stories and manuscripts regarding Philip K. Dick, an American novelist who has published almost entirely in the science fiction genre. His works have been published in numerous literary magazines, such as Galaxy, Amazing Stories, and Fantasy and Science Fiction. The collection also consists of newsletters from the Philip K. Dick Society, and photographs and press booklets from the film Blade Runner.
9.67 linear ft. (9 boxes, 2 flat folders)
This collection consists of the professional and personal papers of actor and science fiction writer George Nader, including manuscript drafts, photographs, financial information, audio cassettes, and a film poster. Notable manuscripts in the collection include Nader's unpublished work The Perils of Paul, and Trio of Forever Friends, an autobiographical work written by Nader's partner Mark Miller about their friendship with actor Rock Hudson.
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection consists of documents, programs, and fliers from conferences and events on turfgrass management held mostly in California in the 1950s and early 1960s.
0.21 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection contains publications written and co-written by Walton B. Sinclair, a pioneer plant biochemist who worked at the Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside beginning in 1932 and was a professor emeritus of biochemistry at the University of California, Riverside. Publications in the collection focus on Sinclair's research regarding the biochemistry of various citrus fruits, as well as an article Sinclair wrote regarding the state of higher education in the Southern United States.
0.21 linear ft. (1 box)
The George A. Zentmyer papers is a collection of newsletters, monographs, and magazines related to UC Riverside professor emeritus George A. Zentmyer’s research on phytophthoras, which are a genus of plant-damaging molds that can cause damage to crops and natural ecosystems. The collection also includes obituaries for Zentmyer, and a booklet from his funeral service in 2003.
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection includes documents, correspondence, photographs, and other material regarding Christena L. Schlundt, Professor Emerita of Dance and founding faculty member at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). Materials in the collection include items pertaining to the UCR Department of Dance, the study of dance, and modern dancers and choreographers like Ted Shawn and Barton Mumaw.
0.21 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection contains documents regarding Boysie E. Day, a former professor of Plant Physiology at UC Riverside. Items in the collection include a biography of Day, as well as an unpublished manuscript written by Day about a sailing expedition he took in the Pacific.
1.25 linear ft. (3 boxes)
The Riverside School Study collection is a collection of reports and newsletters that document the joint research performed in the late 1960s by the Riverside Unified School District and the University of California, Riverside on the relationship between the desegregation of public schools and emotional adjustment and academic achievements of children. The collection also includes publications and guidelines for educators placed in newly desegregated school environments.
2.5 linear ft. (4 boxes, 1 flat folder)
The George Boyce papers consists of the professional papers and manuscripts of George Arthur Boyce, a Native American historian and former Director of Navajo Education for the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. This collection documents his work with Navajo education and includes materials from his research and photographs depicting Navajo schools and students. Additionally, the collection includes oversize posters of day school budgets and Navajo translated newsletters.
2.92 linear ft. (8 boxes)
The John DeChancie papers is a collection of documents consisting of manuscripts, page proofs, and correspondence relating to the literary works of American comic fantasy and science fiction writer, John DeChancie.
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
The collection contains press clippings, letters, and other material related to the research of historian John Hunt, focusing on the people and landmarks of Desert Hot Springs, California.
1.58 linear ft. (1 box)
The collection consists of an album of photographs depicting the Allison V. Armour expedition to the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico, a research expedition undertaken in 1895 by curators from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Photographs in the album focus mainly on the Mayan ruins visited by members of the expedition, with additional photographs of local scenery and the expedition group.
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
The collection consists of a photograph album of nearly 200 black and white images taken by photojournalist Enrique Díaz Reyna of the festivities relating to the 1920 inauguration of Mexican President Álvaro Obregón.
0.5 linear ft. (2 boxes)
This collection contains lantern slides published by the London Missionary Society regarding David Livingstone, the noted explorer and medical missionary who traveled to Africa in the 19th century. The lantern slides in this collection depict Livingstone’s life in color illustrations and are accompanied by a pamphlet that provides descriptions of the slides. The collection also includes a handwritten piece on David Livingstone by an unknown author.
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection contains several items related to composer William Berwald, including photocopies of several of his compositions, performance programs, articles, and a copy of a manuscript remembrance of Berwald written by his daughter.
4.67 linear ft. (4 boxes)
The collection consists of television scripts from Seasons 1-5 of the Canadian-American science fiction television series, Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda (2000-2005), also known as Andromeda, which was based on unused material from screenwriter Gene Roddenberry. The collection also includes a script of an unaired episode from Season Two. The majority of the scripts are rough drafts and written before their air date.
0.42 linear ft. (1 box)
This collection contains programs, newspaper clippings, fliers, posters, and other materials related to minority issues both on and off the UC Riverside campus in the late 1960s. Topics addressed in the collection include information on ethnic studies, African American students, Mexican American students, protests, and related campus events. The collection also includes items related to civil and labor rights issues happening off campus affecting students, on topics such as housing discrimination, farm worker strikes, and politics.
Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy
The Eaton Collection of Science Fiction & Fantasy is one of the world's largest, richest, and deepest collections of science fiction, fantasy, horror, utopian literature and related genres. The collection originated with the personal library of Dr. J. Lloyd Eaton, consisting of about 7,500 hardback editions of science fiction, fantasy and horror from the Nineteenth to the mid-Twentieth centuries, which was acquired by the UCR Library in 1969.
Sheila Finch Papers
Located in: Special Collections & University Archives
This collection contains press clippings, correspondence, and other material regarding Sheila Finch, a science fiction author and professor of creative writing. Includes correspondence regarding her science fiction stories with Valerie Smith, Jonathan Matson, David Brin, and Roger MacBride Allen as well as material pertaining to her teaching career.
Publications Based on Research Conducted in SCUA
This list highlights publications that have used or cited materials held by Special Collections & University Archives.
We hope you find this list to be a valuable resource for your own research. We regularly add new publications to this list, so please check back often.