USA Libraries June 2022 Newsletter

University Libraries Newsletter

June 2022

Summer Semester Building Hours

Marx Library Hours

May 9 - July 29

Mon. - Thurs. 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

Fri. 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sat. 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sun. 1:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Click here to get a complete schedule for the Marx Library

Biomedical Library Hours

McCall Library Receives Grant from the David Mathews Center for Civic Life

Wilber F. Palmer Collection, The Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of South Alabama. (1973 image)

The McCall Library again received a grant from the David Mathews Center for Civic Life for the successful Delta Fellows program piloted in 2019. This program supports a cohort of students who engage in a semester of study on civic engagement and local history and then a related hands-on summer internship.

Next year the focus will be on Mobile’s Most Pure Heart of Mary school and its legacy of education and social action with Mobile’s African American Catholics.

Dr. David Messenger, Dr. Ryan Morini, Dr. Doug Marshall, and McCall Interim Director Deborah Gurt make up the project team representing a multi-disciplinary approach. We will explore the MPHM collection held by McCall, and record additional interviews in the community focusing on the school and its legacy. Much of Mobile's important Civil Rights history is connected to the Most Pure Heart of Mary school. Founded in 1899 as a Mission to serve Mobile’s Creoles of African descent, the Parish continued as a spiritual beacon to Black Mobilians during the Civil Rights Movement of the late Sixties and early Seventies.

Most Pure Heart of Mary was the public meeting location for the Neighborhood Organized Workers (NOW), and diocesan priests and nuns participated in the boycotts and marches in support of the Black community, and students at the school participated in a variety of direct action and organizing efforts as well. Most Pure Heart of Mary parish continues as a foundation for Black Catholics in Mobile. The Delta Fellows will explore this rich history and continue the McCall Library’s effort to document and learn from this strand in Mobile’s tapestry.

USA Biomedical Outreach Librarian and Students Present at the Indiana University National HIV Conference

Rachel Fenske, Outreach Librarian at the Charles M. Baugh Biomedical Library at the University of South Alabama, presented with her colleague, Debbie Cestaro-Seifer (Columbia University) a workshop entitled, “University Peer Educators Leverage Technology to Cultivate Conversations About HIV” at the Indiana University National HIV Conference (IUNHC). The conference, held in Indianapolis, IN on June 8-11, had leaders from around the country discussing the evolving response to HIV as it enters the 5^th decade. Rachel and Debbie discussed the development of a series of vodcasts and podcasts that were moderated by students from the University of South Alabama (USA) and the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) that engaged in conversations with HIV experts about HIV prevention and testing among university students. The goal of the project was to equip student peer educators with information and skills to target and engage university students on important health issues, thus expanding student HIV knowledge in a relatable way. Co-presenters with Rachel and Debbie were students from both universities who gained national recognition for their participation in this effective strategy to disseminate information about sexual health issues on their respective university campus.

Left photo: USA Librarian, Rachel Fenske, (center) with students from USA and UVI: Jhamori Sargeant, Conner Thurtell, AJ Lindsey, Ryswick Felix, Jackeima Flemming.

Right photo: Pictured on the left: Bruce Smail, IUNHC Conference Chair, Conner Thurell, Rachel Fenske, AJ Lindsey (USA team).

Pictured on the right: Jackeima Flemming, Debbie Cestaro-Seifer, Jhamori Sargeant, Ryswick Felix (UVI team).

USA Libraries and Cambridge UP Read and Publish Agreement

Have you ever been interested in publishing in Open Access journals but been hesitant to do so because of the exorbitant author fees? The University of South Alabama’s agreement with Cambridge University Press may alleviate your fears.

The University of South Alabama Libraries and Cambridge University Press have partnered to provide USA faculty opportunities to publish in Cambridge’s nearly 400 Gold and hybrid Open Access journals without having to pay any publishing fee. This agreement is active until December 31, 2023.

Papers submitted under the Read and Publish agreement still undergo the same peer-review process that any manuscript submitted to a Cambridge subscription journal does, guaranteeing the same high quality of research across all Cambridge Journals.

Kathy Wheeler

Assistant University Librarian for Collections

The journals covered under this agreement span a wide variety of disciplines, including history, business, language, psychology, mathematics, classics, biology, medicine, engineering, music, and literature, among others.

In order to take advantage of this opportunity, all submitted articles must meet the following criteria:

Have a corresponding author who is affiliated with USA
Be original research. This can include research articles, review articles, case reports and more
Be accepted for publication in a Cambridge Journal included in the agreement.
Be accepted for publication between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023.

More information can be found on the University Libraries and Cambridge University Press Read and Publish Agreement LibGuide.

USA Libraries Art Galleries Partners with the Black Ink Coalition to form the J.A.W.S. Fest Celebration

Paula Webb, Outreach and Communications Librarian, and Willie Dinish, Black Ink Coalition, partnered to form J. A.W.S., Jazz Arts Writers South. The new association kicked off its creation by holding the first J.A.W.S fest in the USA Marx Library in May & June 2022. The celebration included: jazz-based art created by the Boys & Girls Club, exhibits featuring local artists, and a free public concert by Mobile's own Excelsior Band.

The J.A.W.S. Association would formally like to thank the Boys & Girls Club, Mobile Arts Council, Mobile Art Association, the USA Student Government Association, and especially, Aramark, who provided a delicious meal and helped to conclude the celebration in style.