News
Student Research Team Studying Unmanned Maritime Search and Rescue Operations wins UMD Libraries’ 2024 Gemstone Research Award
On Monday, Team OARS edged out Team VIRAL and TOXINS to clinch the UMD Libraries’ Gemstone Research Award at the finalists presentations, where each team presented their research to a panel of judges. UMD Libraries awarded a first place prize of $2,000 and a $1,000 prize to both runners up. The Gemstone Research Award recognizes student teams that demonstrate excellence in the integration of principles of information literacy into their work and who conduct research with integrity and diligence.
UMD Government Information Librarian Celina McDonald awarded 2024 Bernadine Abbott Hoduski Founders Award
Celina McDonald, UMD Libraries’ Government Information and Criminology Librarian, has been awarded the 2024 Bernadine Abbott Hoduski Founders Award for Federal Government Information by The Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) of the American Library Association for her outstanding work in the field of government documents librarianship. McDonald has been an integral part of UMD Libraries and our role as a Federal Depository Library since she started in 2012.
Three UMD librarians among inaugural cohort of Provost’s Do Good Innovator Awardees
The Do Good Institute, in partnership with the Office of the Provost, has announced the inaugural recipients of the Provost’s Do Good Innovator Award. The award recognizes excellence by members of the campus community who create, nurture, expand and amplify social impact through education, programs, and research, both in and outside the classroom.
Celebrate the Leap from Black History Month to Women’s History Month with these 29 Books by Black Women Authors
February 29, more affectionately known as Leap Day, is a “bonus day” once every four years that helps our calendar more closely match up with Earth’s rotation around the sun. It just so happens to sit at the intersection of Black History Month (February) and Women’s History Month (March), which we think makes it the perfect opportunity to celebrate both black history and women’s history. Spend this extra time exploring this list of 29 books by Black women authors, poets, and activists compiled by UMD librarians and staff.
UMD Libraries announces go-live date for migration to new library search platform
This spring, UMD Libraries along with the 17 libraries across the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) will be implementing a new integrated library system (ILS) and searching/discovery service that will go live on May 23, 2024. UMD Libraries will migrate to the Alma and Primo systems, after having been on the Aleph system for over 20 years. Both of these systems are created by Ex Libris®, part of Clarivate.
The 1856 Project releases inaugural research report
The 1856 Project held its First Annual Research Update event at McKeldin Library on February 7 to discuss the project’s first research report, Reconstructing the Truth. Researchers shared findings based on historical information from UMD Libraries’ special collections and archives, uncovered by members of The 1856 Project, Summer Research Initiative participants, Fall 2023 semester undergraduate student interns, and community historians.
UMD Libraries manager James Spring awarded campus MVP Impact Award
James Spring, Library Services Unit Manager in McKeldin Library, has been named a recipient of UMD’s inaugural MVP Impact Award alongside 17 staff members from units and departments across campus. The MVP Impact Award recognizes staff members who, over the past year, have demonstrated a Fearlessly Forward attitude of excellence, outstanding service to the university and their colleagues, and a commitment to improving their workplace. Spring and fellow recipients were honored at a reception hosted by university leadership and each received a $1,000 cash award.
Student research teams to compete for cash prizes in UMD Libraries’ Gemstone Research Awards
Thirteen student teams from the Gemstone Honors Program have begun to meet with Faculty Librarians to develop research projects on subjects ranging across the academic spectrum. Projects this year include research on how to track and mitigate the Lionfish Invasion of the North Atlantic, how to improve systems to generalize the production of medicines targeting cancer and how socioeconomic status impacts the early diagnosis of children with autism.
New UMD Libraries’ Information Literacy Toolkit supports campus faculty and instructors
University of Maryland faculty and instructors can now incorporate asynchronous information literacy lessons right into their courses with UMD Libraries' new Information Literacy Toolkit. Each year, UMD Libraries’ Teaching and Learning Services provides nearly 200 in-person information literacy instruction sessions to students taking English 101. Now even more students can benefit from this instruction even if faculty can’t fit an in-person library session into their course schedule.
University of Maryland Libraries receives 2024 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award
The University of Maryland Libraries has been named a recipient of the Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine. The LEAD Award honors academic libraries that encourage and support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across their campuses in areas including research, technology, accessibility, exhibitions and community outreach.