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Library robot hits million-item milestone (posted July 21)
Wednesday afternoon, July 15, marked a milestone for UBC Library’s automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) – otherwise known affectionately as the Library robot.
That’s because the one millionth item was loaded into the ASRS on that day. A ceremonial title was used to commemorate the special occasion: A Management Plan for the University of British Columbia Research Forest, a UBC thesis by Peter R.W. Sanders. This tome was chosen for its UBC connection and as an homage to Irving K. Barber, a longtime professional forester and the donor whose generosity led to the construction of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, which houses the ASRS.
UBC Library is the first Canadian library to install an automated storage and retrieval system, and it remains one of the largest library-specific systems in North America. It holds books, maps, records and more, and features four GPS-guided robotic cranes that retrieve items from more than 19,000 bins in a racking system that is about 45 feet high, 60 feet wide and 160 feet long. During UBC’s busy winter session, about 200 requests for ASRS items are received from Library patrons each day.
The ASRS is located on level two of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, adjacent to the Library Circulation Desk.
Ernest Dick, Library Assistant, loads the commemorative one millionth title into the ASRS. Photo by Jill Pittendrigh.
Antarctica: Passion and Obsession Photo Exhibit @ Gallery in IKBLC (Posted July 13, 2009)
Please join us at IKBLC’s Gallery for our new photograph exhibition: Antarctica: Passion and Obsession. The photographers, Pat and Rosemarie Keough have shared their experiences with enthusiastic audiences in the South Pacific, Middle East, Europe, United Kingdom and North America. The Keoughs’ lectures accompanied by their imagery give insight into the creative journey that has resulted in the tome ANTARCTICA: the photography, the bookarts, and the frozen continent. The Keoughs have presented their lectures to scientists, students, artists, bibliophiles, explorers, and businessmen and women around the world. Antarctica: Passion and Obsession has also been exhibited at:
Western Washington University: Bellingham, Washington USA, April 2008
(three lectures)
Colorado Christian University: Denver, Colorado USA, February 2008
Colorado Christian High School: Vail, Colorado USA, January 2008
The Explorers Club, Rocky Mountain Chapter: Boulder, Colorado USA, December 2007
Zayed University: Dubai, UAE, October 2007 – two lectures
Emirates Natural History Group: Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE, October 2007
Athenaeum Club: Melbourne, Australia, October 2007
The World Presidents Organization, Australian Chapter: Norfolk Island, South Pacific, October 2007
Norfolk Island Community: Norfolk Island, South Pacific, October 2007
The University of Victoria: Victoria, British Columbia, April 2007
The Explorers Club: New York City, March 2007
Convent of the Sacred Heart School: New York City, March 2007
Chapin Middle School: New York City, March 2007
University of Colorado at Boulder, ICE FEST – Arts and Sciences in the Arctic and Antarctic: Boulder Colorado, USA, March 2007 (four lectures)
Hungarian National Natural History Museum: Budapest, Hungary, January 2007
Canadian Embassy: Budapest, Hungary, January 2007
Lafayette College: Easton, Pennsylvania USA, November 2006 (two lectures)
Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies, Ninth Annual Symposium: Seattle, Washington USA, May 2006
National Arts Club: New York City, USA, December 2005
FotoFo Photography Festival, Academy of Fine arts and Design: Bratislava Slovakia, November 2005
Comenius University, Faculty of Natural Sciences: Bratislava Slovakia, November 2005
The Explorers Club, British Columbia, Canadian Chapter, September 2005
Foto Clave Photography Conference: Sacramento, California USA, October 2005
Photographic Society of America Annual International Conference: Salt Lake City, Utah USA, September 2005
Canada Art Photographers Association: Nanaimo, Canada, 2004
The Explorers Club, Pacific Northwest Chapter: 2004
Sierra Club, Victoria, Canada: 2004
Rare Bird Club, Linnean Society: London, UK, February 2002
BirdLife International: Cambridge, UK, February 2002
National Audubon Society, Board of Directors: Levenworth, Washington USA, 2002.
M.S. Explorer: Southern Ocean, December 1999
OTHER LECTURES:
Keoughs’ International Photography:
Professional Photographers of Canada: Winnipeg, Canada, 1994
Keoughs’ Niagara Escarpment Portfolio:
Royal Botanical Gardens: Hamilton, Canada, 1991
Keoughs’ Nahanni Portfolio:
McGill University, Montreal: Canada, 1989
Ontario Science Center: Toronto, Canada, 1988
Carleton University: Ottawa, Canada, 1988
London Public Library: London, Canada 1988
Prince of Wales Heritage Centre: Yellowknife, Canada, 1988
Fort Simpson Community: Fort Simpson, Canada, 1988
Keoughs’ Ottawa Valley Portfolio:
National Capital Commission: Ottawa, Canada 1987
Canadian Wildlife Federation: Ottawa, Canada 1986
m-Libraries 2009 Conference Presentations Available (Posted July 6, 2009)
The second international m-Libraries Conference, held and sponsored by the University of British Columbia in conjunction with Athabasca University,The Open University and Thompson Rivers University, was held June 23rd and 24th of 2009 at University of British Columbia’s Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and the First Nations Longhouse.
This conference aimed to explore and share work carried out in libraries around the world to deliver services and resources to users ‘on the move,’ via a growing plethora of mobile and hand-held devices. The conference will bring together researchers, technical developers, managers and library practitioners to exchange experience and expertise and generate ideas for future developments.
Final Program (Print Version) Available Here
Presentation Abstracts (Print Version) Available Here
Presentation Powerpoints Available Here
Connecting with the Community: The Irving K. Barber Learning Centre Advisory Committee (posted June 22, 2009)
The Irving K. Barber Learning Centre has established an advisory committee to help guide its efforts with BC communities.
“I am looking forward to interesting and engaging discussions with our advisors. They represent an exciting cross section of education and community-based services,” says Sandra Singh, the Learning Centre’s Director. “As well, they bring diverse geographic and individual perspectives.”
The advisory committee, which features 25 members, will serve as a forum for discussion and consideration of the Learning Centre’s role and activities as it seeks to fulfill its wide-ranging Statement of Purpose (found at www.ikebarberlearningcentre.ubc.ca/about/charter.html).
Indeed, Singh is keen to expand the Centre’s community-oriented services. “We have an expansive and inspiring mandate in terms of supporting British Columbians, and we need to better understand what role we might play that does not duplicate existing services – such as those provided by public libraries, post-secondary institutions, and service centres or agencies – but rather enhances and supports them.”
The committee was established as a strategic point of connection between the Learning Centre, internal UBC stakeholders and the broader community. The committee is set to meet twice a year, with the inaugural gathering planned to take place this summer.
Community connections and the development of community-oriented services are vital to the Learning Centre’s mandate, as it strives to support lifelong learning opportunities for those at UBC and throughout the province.
In 2004, consultations were held across B.C. to find out what kinds of resources and services would best suit the Learning Centre’s wide range of users. Those results are now helping foster new discussions with the Advisory Committee and other community groups.
Here is a complete list of advisory committee members:
COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES
Nancy Henderson, Executive Director, Social Policy and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC)
Sue Hanley, Coordinator, First Nations Technology Council
Marie Gallant, Executive Director, Community Futures British Columbia
Doug Chapman, General Manager, Financial Services, Campbell River
Paul Whitney, City Librarian, Vancouver Public Library (Co-chair, Learning City)
Nancy Levesque, University Library Director, Thompson Rivers University
Rory M. McIvor, Director, Community Futures Development Corporation of Okanagan Similkameen
Doug McLachlan, Senior Instructional Officer, Dean of Instruction, College of the Rockies
Baljit Sethi, Executive Director, Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society, Prince George
Eve Hope, Head Librarian, Hazelton District Public Library
Chris van der Mark, Assistant Superintendent, School District 54, Bulkley Valley
Andy Ackerman, Trustee, Fort St. John Public Library Board
President, British Columbia Library Trustees Association
UBC REPRESENTATIVES
Mrigank Sharma, VP Academic, Graduate Student Society, UBC
Johannes Rebane, VP Academic and University Affairs, Alma Mater Society, UBC
Ian Cavers, Associate Dean, Curriculum and Learning, Faculty of Science, UBC
Janet Giltrow, Associate Dean, Students, Faculty of Arts, UBC
Linc Kesler, Director and Senior Advisor to the President on Aboriginal Affairs, First Nations House of Learning, UBC
Michelle Lamberson, Director, Office of Learning Technology, UBC
Janet Teasdale, Director, Student Development, UBC
Jan Wallace, Head Librarian, David Lam Management Research Library, UBC
Marie Earl, Executive Director, Alumni Association, UBC
Judith Plessis, Director, Continuing Studies, UBC
Stephen Owen, Vice-President, External, Legal and Community Relations, UBC
Cynthia Mathieson, Acting Dean, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, UBCO
Leonora Crema, Associate University Librarian, Planning and Community Relations, UBC
Ex officio: UBC University Librarian
Ex officio: Irving K. Barber
Asia Leading English Language Novelist Xu Xi at IKBLC, May 26th, 2009
Xu Xi (許素細), one of Asia’s leading English language novelists and author of seven books of fiction and essays, including The Unwalled City (2001), Hong Kong Rose (1997), Chinese Walls (1994), Overleaf Hong Kong (2004), History’s Fiction (2001) and Daughters of Hui (1996) performed a reading at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre on May 26th, 2009. A Chinese-Indonesian native of Hong Kong, the city was home until her mid-twenties, after which she led a peripatetic existence around Europe, America and Asia. She now inhabits the flight path connecting New York, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
As part of asian Heritage month in Canada, which coincides with Asian-American History Month in the US, the I.K. Barber Learning Centre celebrated the event by having Xu Xi as its special guest.
Please take a click here for photos and here for poster of the event.
Bowen Island digitization project launched on April 23, 2009
The Bowen Island Community Museum and Archives has launched its photographic database, which features more than 3,000 photos. This project was supported by the B.C. History Digitization Program, an initiative of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.
For more information on the Bowen Island project, please visit www.bowenhistory.ca.
B.C. Digitization Program wins BCLA award on April 20, 2009
The B.C. History Digitization Program (BCHDP), an initiative of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, has been awarded a Programs and Services Merit Award by the British Columbia Library Association (BCLA). The award was presented at the annual BCLA conference in April. The awards committee noted that the organization was impressed with the project’s scope and its ability to connect communities across the province through their histories.
The BCHDP, launched in 2006, provides matching funds for digitization projects that provide free online access to B.C.’s unique historical material. In 2007, funding was awarded to 17 successful program applicants from around the province; that number increased to 21 in 2008. For more information, please visit www.ikebarberlearningcentre.ubc.ca.
Congratulations to University Archivist Chris Hives, and his team members Bronwen Sprout and Rob Stibravy, who developed and administered the program. Congratulations also to the adjudication team members: Pat Roy, George Sipos, Mark Jordan, Chris Ball, Patrick Dunnae and Simon Neame. Thank you all for your vision and commitment.
Bella Coola Digitization Project Completed on April 16, 2009
The Bella Coola Valley Museum has completed its digital heritage project about logging in the region. This project was supported in part by the B.C. History Digitization Program, an initative of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.
You can find out more about the Bella Coola project here:
http://www.bellacoolamuseum.ca/en/digital_heritage/logging/index.php
Northern B.C. Archives launches digital photo project supported by the Learning Centre On March 30, 2009
The Northern B.C. Archives & Special Collections at the University of Northern British Columbia has digitized more than 1,700 historical images of exploration in northern B.C. This project received support from the B.C. History Digitization Program, which was launched by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.
You can find out more about the project here:
http://library.unbc.ca/UNBCArchives/nexplore/northernexplorations1.html