We were thrilled to host the University of Iowa Libraries Advancement Council (LAC) on campus Nov. 29–31, 2024, and already look forward to their next meeting, scheduled for April 2025.
The LAC actively champions the Libraries and provides guidance and feedback to help UI Center for Advancement efforts to increase support through fundraising, advocacy, and engagement. Members bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences that enrich and broaden the Libraries’ efforts in supporting student success, high-impact research, and creative work.
Left to right, first row: Amy Sullivan; Paula Wiley, associate director of development, Libraries; Jane Roth; Linda “Lin” Phillips, vice-chair; LeAnn Lemberger; Sharon Tinker; Barbara McFadden; and Beth Stence. Left to right, second row: Aaron Schaefer; Christie Krugler, chair; Jack B. King University Librarian John Culshaw; Virginia Eichacker; and Tom Rocklin.
The LAC had a busy agenda, which included getting out and about around the Libraries and campus. Sara Pinkham, exhibition and engagement coordinator, provided a tour of the fall 2025 Main Library Gallery exhibit,Hawkeye Histories | Sporting Stories. It examined the role sports has played at Iowa throughout the changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics and explored Iowa’s first men’s and women’s teams at the turn of the 20th century, the emergence of big-time men’s sports in the mid-1900s, and the rise of women athletes from the 1970s onward.
The group also visited the Marvin Pomerantz Business Library and heard from Kim Bloedel, director of the library in the Pappajohn Business Building’s Biz Hub. The multi-service space is an ideal location for the library to provide assistance to Tippie College of Business students since it also includes a business writing center, tutoring services, and a café.
Sara Pinkham, exhibition and engagement coordinator, provides a tour of the Main Library Gallery exhibit.The group tours the Marvin Pomerantz Business Library with Kim Bloedel, director of the library.
Barbara McFadden, an LAC member and Stanley Museum of Art docent, guided the group on a tour of its collections, which included the exhibit To My Friends at Horn: Keith Haring and Iowa City. The celebrated pop artist created the previously hidden mural as a gift for Iowa’s Ernest Horn Elementary School.
LAC members had the opportunity to experience a behind-the-scenes look at the Libraries Annex thanks to Maggie Halterman-Dess, Annex coordinator. The 60,000 square-foot-facility is the only off-site high-density library storage facility in the state of Iowa and can hold up to 4.8 million volumes in its temperature controlled environment.
Barbara McFadden, an LAC member and Stanley Museum of Art docent, guided the group on a tour of the Stanley Museum.LAC members experienced a behind-the-scenes look at the Libraries Annex with Maggie Halterman-Dess, Annex coordinator.
COURTESY: THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF PUBLIC DOMAIN AT DUKE LAW SCHOOL
As of Jan. 1, 2025, all the books, films, songs, and art published in the 1920s or earlier are now public domain. Audio recordings up to 1924 are also in the public domain, following slightly different rules of a 100-year copyright, compared to the 95 years for film, literature, and written musical compositions.
When a work enters the public domain, the public no longer needs to seek the artist’s permission to copy or use the work. This opens the door for creative riffs on the classics and makes these materials available free of charge.
So, what are the big titles newly in public domain? The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner, A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, and A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf are a few notable literary works. In film, you can find works by legendary directors from Alfred Hitchcock to John Ford. Other works feature Mickey Mouse, the Marx Brothers, Popeye, Tintin, and the musical number Singin’ in the Rain.
Here are some places to check out the newest creative works now in the public domain:
Interested in finding out more about U.S. copyright law and how to determine a work’s copyright status? The Scholarly Impact Department helps faculty work through complex copyright issues, such as what can be used in the classroom, how to retain your rights as an author, and how to apply Creative Commons licensing. Feel free to email Mahrya Burnett at mahrya-burnett@uiowa.edu to set up a consultation. You might also try the Libraries Copyright Guide. This guide provides the basics on copyright issues, such as Fair Use, seeking permissions, author rights, and licensing.
Charmirose “Sugar” Durante’s journey to the Rita Benton Music Library at the University of Iowa began an ocean away in her home country of the Philippines. It was there that Durante first lifted a violin’s bow and played the opening notes of a lifelong career. Years later, her passion for her instrument has brought her to the United States, where she earned a master’s degree from Western Illinois University before coming to the University of Iowa to pursue a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in violin performance. And Durante is now entering her third year as a student library employee at the Music Library’s circulation desk, a role she calls “a big part of my life here in Iowa.”
One of Durante’s favorite perks of her job is finding out about new materials the moment they join the Libraries’ collections; many of these works are so new or rare that they are not yet available or accessible elsewhere. For a musician driven by curiosity, it’s a gift to have the chance to explore these newly acquired scores. It’s discoveries like this, “the broad scope of resources available to patrons,” that characterizes the Music Library, according to Durante.
Durante also places a premium on the time she’s been able to spend working with the Music Library’s full-time staff, including its director, Katie Buehner. With Buehner’s help, she’s been able to request materials that support her own scholarship, including hard-to-find transcriptions of Filipino folk songs, two of which have become part of Durante’s repertoire.
“It was a complicated process, but the scores got here,” says Durante. “And [Buehner is] very helpful in purchasing scores or books that students need in their studies, so the collection is continually growing.”
Of course, work at the circulation desk has a significant interactive component, which has helped Durante build confidence. “I’m constantly talking to patrons,” says Durante. And while Durante loves helping current students find scores, she also has a soft spot for returning alumni.
“Sometimes alumni visit the library and ask to see their thesis or dissertation, and it is always great to see their happy faces when they find them,” says Durante. “They often talk about their own experiences as students, and it is fun to listen to their stories.”
One case that charmed Durante recently involved an alumni couple who dropped by to view their theses. “It turned out that the husband’s thesis was out on loan. He was so happy when he found out that someone had checked his thesis out and was actually reading it—probably citing it, too. He kept repeating ‘I’m on loan!’”
Amy McBeth, a library assistant at the Music Library who works regularly with Durante, has high praise for her supervisee. “[Durante] brings a great attitude, terrific dependability, and an exceptional work ethic to the Rita Benton Music Library,” says McBeth.
After she graduates, Durante hopes that her skills will take her into academia again, this time as an instructor. When that happens, she says she will take the lessons learned during her time at the Music Library and be as helpful to her students as her co-workers were to her.
Janna Lawrence retired as the director of the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences in November 2024. She was a cornerstone of Hardin Library for 17-and-a half-years, serving the last five years in the top leadership role as the director of Hardin with unparalleled dedication and vision for the organization.
During her tenure at Hardin Library, Janna made significant strides in enhancing its teaching and outreach programs. She spearheaded comprehensive renovations across all floors of the library, creating an enriched environment for learning and research. Her leadership has left an indelible mark on the library community.
Janna Lawrence celebrates her storied career during a retirement celebration in November 2024.
Janna’s professional journey is distinguished by numerous commendations. She was named a fellow of the Medical Library Association (MLA) in 2021, a prestigious honor that recognized her remarkable contributions to the field. Among her many achievements, a few stand out:
MLA President’s Award, 2020
MLA Virginia L. and William K. Beatty Volunteer Service Award, 2014
MLA Board member, 2021–2024
Editorial Board, Journal of the Medical Library Association
Midwest Chapter MLA president, 2011
In addition to her professional service, she authored numerous articles and book chapters, which can be explored in Iowa Research Online.
As we bid farewell to Janna, we are also looking ahead. A national search for a new director for Hardin Library will commence in the spring of 2025. We are confident that the foundation Janna has laid will guide us to find a leader who will build upon her legacy.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Janna for her years of service and wish her all the best in her retirement.
Carson Hartzog has been working at the Art Library for three years, since she first arrived in Iowa City from Oswego, Illinois.
When she enrolled as a first-year student, Carson Hartzog was already a few years out of high school. She’d tried her hand at college before and ended up withdrawing, an experience that left her feeling somewhat rattled. She wasn’t sure what to expect from her college experience, especially given her status as a nontraditional student.
Carson Hartzog is a student library employee from Oswego, Illinois. (Photo: The Daily Iowan)
“There was a lot of fear for me in coming back to school,” says Hartzog. “I was a bit older than the average student and wasn’t sure how well I’d fit into the student culture. The Art Library was one of the first places I connected to on campus.”
Patricia Gimenez, director of the Art Library, and Jim Hall, library assistant, immediately welcomed her into the library’s light-filled floor in Art Building West.
Hartzog’s return to college has been a resounding success. Now in her final semester, the journalism and social work major is an enthusiastic participant in campus life, including serving as opinions editor for TheDaily Iowan. Her interests have also taken her into the wider world, from an internship with the Coralville Community Food Pantry to a summer stint with BlueGAP, a National Science Foundation project that uses storytelling to take action against nitrogen pollution. According to Hartzog, the confidence to pursue these opportunities began behind the Art Library gates.
“I think that’s one of the most crucial moments for any college student—finding a space where you can be yourself while also moving beyond what you sometimes think is possible for yourself,” says Hartzog.
Hartzog’s experience having Hall as a supervisor has been so positive that in 2023 she joined her fellow student library employees in nominating him for UI Student Supervisor of the Year. Out of 106 nominees, the Pomerantz Career Center selected Hall for the honor.
The appreciation is mutual. Hall praises Hartzog’s “knowledge, experience, reliability, and diligence,” which he says have made her “an integral and vital” member of the Art Library staff.
“Her intelligence, humor, and personality make her a joy to work with and a genuine pleasure to have around,” says Hall.
Though Hartzog is not an artist herself, she says she’s learned a great deal about visual art by osmosis, thanks to friendly library users. She’s also familiarized herself with the Library of Congress classification system, which organizes millions of Libraries resources by subject. One of the things she loves most about the Art Library is its openness to students from all backgrounds and all areas of study.
“Because of the architecture and design that went into Art Building West, students are drawn to it,” says Hartzog. “And I know I’m biased in saying this, but I do think the Art Library is one of the most inclusive spaces on campus. Patricia does an amazing job of curating book displays that represent all of our readers.”
Like many undergraduates, Hartzog is enjoying exploring potential careers. She hasn’t yet pinpointed what comes after graduation, but she knows which values will guide her in the future—and they’re the same ones she’s witnessed in action with her supervisors at the Art Library.
“My end goal in terms of a career is ensuring information is as accessible as possible while also making sure that information reflects as many voices as possible, not just the voices of folks that look like me or share similar experiences,” says Hartzog.
She’s also developed a new litmus test for use in her future career.
“I’m always asking myself: Would I want to work for me? If the answer is no, I know I need to adjust and start asking myself: What would Jim and Patricia do?”
Inside the University of Iowa Libraries is your look behind-the-scenes to meet the people and discover the stories making our organization unique and valuable. From cutting-edge databases to rare books, join us to explore a world of research, preservation, and discovery that fosters student success through countless touchpoints.
For many students, Andrea Anderson is the first touchpoint with the University of Iowa Libraries and becomes their personal guide to the vast resources available at its seven branches and beyond. From teaching classes to providing support at the Just Ask Desk in the Main Library, Andrea helps students develop important research skills and fosters a sense of curiosity about the information around them. She sees herself as a friendly expert who can bridge the gap between students and the research expectations of their instructors.
Andrea joined the Libraries in the fall of 2023 as an undergraduate engagement librarian, after serving seven years at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) as a library instruction coordinator. She graduated from CSUB with a Bachelor of Arts in history and earned a Master of Library Information Science from San Jose State University.
Now, Andrea’s work goes beyond teaching library and research skills that help students navigate their academic work. She collaborates with colleagues to engage students in a variety of resources and experiences that support holistic student success while they are on campus and in the libraries. Embracing the lasting impact of her work, Andrea approaches her time with students as an opportunity to encourage lifelong learning.
Q: When does your job feel most rewarding? A: It’s always rewarding to hear from students that something I showed them helped make their academic life a little easier. Sometimes it’s at the Just Ask Desk. Students are surprised by the resources that are so quickly available. Sometimes it’s a faculty member mentioning that students found a workshop helpful. And sometimes it’s a student who just needed to talk their way through an assignment and hear someone tell them they were on the right track. We don’t always get feedback from the help we provide or see the impact it all eventually makes. So, it can be really rewarding to hear back from some of the people we’ve helped along the way.
Q: What is an academic library to you? A: To me, an academic library is the heart of an academic community. It includes our resources, but, just as important, it holds our people and their differing ideas and experiences. It’s both a space to just be and it’s also a place where curiosity leads to new knowledge and understanding of people and the world around us.
Q: What activities do you enjoy outside of work? A: In the spare time I don’t have, I enjoy adding miles to my minivan by driving my four children around to their activities/sports, going on long walks around my neighborhood and commenting on my neighbors’ lawns, and attempting to resuscitate all the plants in my yard.
Q: What might colleagues or students find surprising about you? A: I am currently teaching a first-year seminar on celebrity memoirs. I love memoirs in general but have recently enjoyed diving into this celebrity memoir boom. It’s been interesting sharing different excerpts and seeing themes and experiences that resonate with our students even though most tend to be leading far different lives. So far, my favorite celebrity memoir is Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime.
To find support from Andrea and other librarians, visit the Just Ask Desk in the Main Library or the Contact a Librarian webpage.
Izabella Botto is a second-year student in the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) from Santa Rosa, California. Her role as an advanced student employee is funded by the University Librarian’s Student Employment Fund.
A conversation with Izabella Botto makes one thing immediately clear: Botto is a true believer in the Libraries. In her work with the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Department, the SLIS student has taken on an admirable array of responsibilities, from helping students at the Just Ask desk on the Main Library’s first floor to organizing book displays and working to increase the accessibility of library instruction. For Botto, libraries are a lifelong point of connection.
“I chose the SLIS program at Iowa because libraries have always been a big part of my life,” says Botto. “And as a history student during undergrad, I loved working and studying in the library.”
Botto’s dedication and adaptability have amazed her supervisor, Katie DeVries, a social sciences librarian and SLIS instructor.
“Izabella holds herself to lofty standards,” says DeVries. “She never shies away from learning something new, whether it’s a new research topic or a library work process. Our department can rely on [Botto’s] efforts.”
Botto received a BA from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and spent a year before graduate school studying visual arts in Florence, Italy. When she returned to Iowa to begin her graduate program, she applied the same adventurous spirit to her studies—and her student employment with the Libraries. She’s quickly become indispensable to DeVries and her colleagues in HSS, who prize her ability to take on tasks in areas previously unfamiliar to her. That has included stepping in to hold office hours for students in the Nonfiction Writing Program. Botto has applied herself enthusiastically to the role, viewing it as an exciting opportunity to learn on the job. As she takes on more advanced work, Botto has especially come to value the mentorship she’s received from DeVries.
“I’ve loved all my professors, but before this position, I’d never really had a mentor,” Botto says. “[DeVries] has all these great ideas and experiences and has really helped guide my work. It’s been very important to me.”
Botto also was nominated and selected to serve on the Ada M. Stoflet Lectureship Committee, an internal body that works together to select the recipient of Ada M. Stoflet Lectureship. The event brings experts in the field of librarianship to campus to deliver a lecture on a topic of interest to Libraries staff and other professionals in the field. Botto, the only student employee on the committee, says she looks forward to bringing lecturers to campus to benefit the Hawkeye community.
“I think it’s a really amazing opportunity to sit down and hear what the other people on the committee have to say,” says Botto. “We can bring in lecturers with different areas of specialization who can speak on what’s happening in the field.”
Botto’s inclusion on the committee will make all the difference, according to DeVries. “In small project teams she listens intentionally,” she says. “Her insights improve project outcomes. She is self-motivated and confident, willing to take risks and apply for new opportunities. We feel lucky to have a student employee like her.”
After she graduates in May 2025, Botto hopes to become a liaison librarian, connecting students and faculty with the world of resources academic libraries offer. Along the way, she says she also hopes to take part in initiatives to modernize and improve the field, including digital library exhibitions and the decolonization of archives. She believes her time at the Libraries has prepared her well to do just that.
“I’m excited to be gaining experience working in an R1 institution and hope to continue fostering student research and sharing all the resources that the Libraries have to offer,” says Botto. “Iowa has been a wonderful opportunity to explore my interests and prepare me for a future career in academic libraries.”
Inside the University of Iowa Libraries is your look behind-the-scenes to meet the people and discover the stories making our organization unique and valuable. From cutting-edge databases to rare books, join us to explore a world of research, preservation, and discovery that fosters student success through countless touchpoints.
Being forklift certified is not typically a part of a librarian’s job requirements, but Maggie Halterman-Dess operates one daily to reach shelves up to 22 feet high at the University of Iowa Libraries Annex. The unique skill allows Maggie and her team to be the connection to more than 2.1 million items in storage at the Annex, which the university community and beyond can request for delivery to the seven library locations and other offices on campus.
Maggie has served as the Annex coordinator since 2017, managing the only offsite high-density library storage facility in the state of Iowa. It’s a temperature-controlled environment that can hold up to 4.8 million items.
In her role, she provides circulation and interlibrary loan services to patrons, supervises the Annex staff, coordinates collection storage in the stacks warehouse, and processes materials moved from campus libraries. She also collaborates with Special Collections and Archives and Conservation and Collections Care staff to ensure safe storage and housing environments for a variety of physical content formats, including 16mm film, archival collections, microfilm, microfiche, books, and software.
A proud UI School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) alumna, Maggie is active in the Iowa Library Association and the Iowa Association of College and Research Libraries chapter. In September 2024, Maggie also started a temporary assignment serving as the supervisor for the Main Library’s Interlibrary Loan and Document Services, splitting her work time between the two locations.
Speaking of the Main Library, Maggie had a big and very special life event take place on the fourth floor. We propose that you read Maggie’s Q&A below to find the full story.
Q: How does your work support student success? A: My role is largely “backstage” or “behind the scenes,” but it directly impacts how our students and campus community experience the Libraries. If we are doing our work right, resources just seem to magically appear on the hold shelf or are delivered via e-mail. Sometimes this involves more than a little bit of detective work on our end! That could be either trying to correct a citation, or merely figuring out why the catalog won’t allow a request to be put through.
Since my position and job duties are fairly unusual, I am always happy to speak with SLIS classes or have them visit us for a tour. It can be very difficult to get your head around the way materials are shelved at the Annex, or the sheer scale of both the collections and the facility! I never imagined doing this when I was in graduate school. So, I really value exposing students to a different way to “library.” I might not inspire a burning love of collections storage, but I hope to get them imagining more expansively what working in the library field might include.
Q: What might someone find surprising about your work? A: I know it’s a clichéd joke that nobody goes to library school and learns to troubleshoot printers, but I have learned a ton about environmental engineering and HVAC systems in my work, as well as getting forklift certified.
Q: How did you find your way to the Libraries? A: I was taking a health-related leave of absence from finishing my undergraduate degree here at Iowa and met someone working as a media specialist (though not a teacher librarian) in a middle school and thought, “Hey, I could do that!’”
Cue copious research and applying to library school. During my time in SLIS, I taught information literacy and worked in the Iowa Women’s Archives. Then, I bounced in and out of the Libraries due to life circumstances for a bit before landing out at the Annex.
Q: What advice would you have for those just embarking on their own careers? A: My dad told me when I was in undergrad not to get too stuck on one path. He had five different majors and, at the time of this conversation, he really enjoyed what he had ended up working on. However, when he had first joined his company, that kind of role didn’t exist. Technology had changed just that much in just the dozen or so years in between. So, given that advice and my own unusual experience, I would advise keeping an open mind, staying curious, and being aware that the world is going to change a lot over the course of your working life.
Q: What might colleagues or students find surprising about you? A: I often speak about my strong family connections to the university. My parents are alumni who met back when Currier Hall had a cafeteria for their mutual friends to hang out in, and my two siblings and I hold five degrees from Iowa between us. But something I don’t think I mention often publicly is that my spouse proposed to me on the fourth floor of the Main Library in the “PL” section.
To request materials from the Annex, search for them on InfoHawk+.
The senior from Iowa City is entering his fourth year as a library support associate at the Lichtenberger Engineering Library.
Jiberle Mustefa’s final undergraduate year is underway. In May 2025, he’ll cross the stage at graduation to receive a BBA in management and a certificate in international business. But he’s also on track for another milestone: four years of student employment at the Lichtenberger Engineering Library. For Mustefa, the sight of the finish line has prompted a surge of reflection.
“[The Engineering Library] has been central to my experience as a Hawkeye and my exposure to the community.” Mustefa says. “It has been the primary way that I have built connections, through interactions with people who were first patrons or coworkers and then became friends; it’s been the place on campus that I have spent the most time.”
Mustefa’s time at the Engineering Library has been foundational to his college experience, in part because his employment began right away with a placement through the First Gen Hawks program. The program aims to provide incoming first-generation students with holistic support, and that includes matching interested first-years with campus jobs where they can receive mentorship.
One of Mustefa’s primary mentors at the Engineering Library is his supervisor, James M. Cox, public services and emerging technologies librarian. Cox, who was once a first-generation student himself, has watched Mustefa’s personal and professional development with admiration.
“It has been a true pleasure to witness [Mustefa’s] growth in skills, confidence, and engagement with the university,” says Cox. “His journey exemplifies the benefits of student employment that we strive for, and he epitomizes what it means to be ‘outstanding.’”
Mustefa has plenty of praise for the Engineering Library, too, which he believes is among the university’s friendliest environments. “The full-time staff really make an effort to make the space welcoming, and you can really feel it once you walk through the doors,” he says. “I genuinely feel like it might be one of the most social places on campus.”
Observing the Engineering Library’s operations and assisting the students, faculty, and researchers who form his user base has also been beneficial to his studies. Mustefa has chosen the human resources (HR) track within his major, and he hopes to have a long career in the field.
According to Cox, Mustefa’s “friendly nature and strong work ethic” make him a natural when it comes to interpersonal communication and relationship-building, and his skills have only grown.
“He has encountered nearly every situation at the Service Desk,” Cox says. “These experiences enable him to deliver exceptional customer service to our library users and mentor fellow student employees.”
Mustefa arrived on campus in August 2021 with clear goals: to learn, to open his mind to new people and experiences, and to become part of the Hawkeye community. He now credits his work at the Engineering Library with helping him achieve them.
“I can say with absolute certainty that this position at the Engineering Library was able to do that for me, thanks be to God,” says Mustefa. “I always imagine that in the future, when I look back on my time in college, the Lichtenberger Engineering Library will be the first place my mind goes to.”
International Open Access Week 2024 is here! This year’s theme is “Community over Commercialization” —and from Oct. 21 to 27, the Libraries is highlighting some of the many ways you can leverage community resources and support to make your work open access (OA) for free.
Welcome to day three of International Open Access Week 2024. Today, we’re going to focus on the Libraries’ open access agreements, which remove financial barriers for University of Iowa authors on the path to freely and openly sharing the results of their research.
Gold OA (or publisher-facilitated OA) accomplishes the goal of making your work open and available to readers everywhere. But publishers pass along the costs of publication to authors in the form of Article Processing Charges (APCs). Depending on the journal, these fees can be quite expensive (for example, theAPC to publish OA in Nature is $12,290), creating barriers to OA publishing for authors without grants or other funding.
To expand the OA publishing options for UI authors, the Libraries has entered into open access agreements with publishers. Under these agreements, the Libraries pay publishers a single fee to give UI authors the opportunity to publish open access in their journals without paying APCs. The Libraries has contracted 18 open access agreements so far, with major scholarly publishers like Wiley, American Chemical Society, and Cambridge University Press. The terms of the agreements can differ, but eligibility is determined at the point of submission or acceptance, to make the process as easy and seamless as possible for authors.
Since the Libraries entered our first OA agreement in 2019, UI authors have saved over $3.36 million in APCs to publish hundreds of OA articles.
We’re negotiating new agreements with publishers whenever possible, so check the list of OA agreements or contact us to find out if you can publish your article OA for free.
