Activities and Events 2010-2011

Technology Specialist Desk:

Following feedback from our 2009 Libqual survey and from in-house library surveys, it was clear that we needed to provide more technology support for patrons in the Dobbs Ferry Learning Commons, especially with the addition of loaner laptops, smart rooms and the increase in curriculum activities utilizing technology such as eportfolio and digital storytelling.  In the fall of 2011, we began an initiative to locate tech-savvy students who would function as specialized student workers focusing on providing technology troubleshooting and guidance.  Similar to the Apple Store approach, the students would wear white shirts to distinguish their role and occupy the Technology Support Desk centrally located in the Commons.  By roving and making themselves available at the desk, student specialists were able to assist patrons with everything from printing to Blackboard issues.  

Reciprocally, by receiving training from our Media Services team, and through exposure to diverse, on-the-ground troublshooting scenarios, the students themselves increased their technology knowledge base and fluency, adding to their resume of marketable skills and activities.  While for 2009-10 the Student Specialist Progam has been an enormous success for the Library Learning Commons, our challenge for 2011-12 will be in locating students that have the foundational technology knowledge, interest and background to participate in the program.  Becuse our Spring, 2011 Specialist Students either graduated or changed campuses, we were not able to locate qualified students until January, 2012.  SInce them, we have been lucky to utilize a Graduate Assistant as the sole Specialist, and will continue to utilize him as long as possible.

Art Galleries and Lobby Monitor

In its nearly three years as a venue for contemporary art, the Dobbs Ferry Learning Commons Art Gallery has provided a space for displaying a variety of art produced by Mercy students as well as established local artists.  For students in our Computer Arts and Technology Program (CART), the Gallery provides a venue for showcasing their art in a learning process that enables viewer feedback to provide immediate and direct assessment of their work.  The process of displaying their art, in itself is a huge personal and academic achievement for our students.  In 2009-10, graphic, commercial-oriented posters designed by students in a show entitled Made @ Mercy have been displayed in the Gallery.  The work exposes Mercy students to artwork and diverse perspectives and the CART students reciprocally receive rich and valuabe feedback to strengthen their academic and professional pursuits.  In fall 2010 and spring 2011, professional artists have displayed their work in the Gallery.  But these shows also serve an educational purpose by providing Mercy Art History students with opportunities to view and learn about art in a formal, gallery setting. Brochures from the show are in the Attachments section.

One of the highlights of the Art Gallery was the fall 2011 show, Selected Works by Paula Blumenfeld.  The show was important because Art History 101 students were brought into the Gallery to observe the work and to write a research paper based on their observations.  The artist also visited campus and gave an Artist's Talk in which Art History students were in attendance.  This elegantly represents an integration of cultural and curriculum programming.

Larry Bone Room Art Gallery 

In the fall of 2011, the Library announced the opening of the Larry Bone Room Gallery, offering yet another intimate venue to celebrate art work by faculty and other artists.  The opening fall show, Botanical Watercolors, by esteemed Mercy professor Barbara Dodsworth, featured glorious depictions of natural flora painted with an agile eye toward the sublime.  The works filled the space with color, warmth and a meditative calm - providing another opportunity for students to view professional works of art.

The 55 inch LCD Lobby Monitor mounted on a stand at the entrance of the library similarly serves a vital purpose as a showcasing vehicle for the CART students who focus on animation and moving images as their primary pursuit.  Through collaboration between the library, CART staff and Media Services staff, artwork has been burned and looped onto DVDs and displayed on the monitor at regular intervals during the 2010-11 semesters.  Currently, the monitor has been temporarily moved into Library Classroom A for a special, screening project for Film courses. 

Athletics Power Hour

The Mercy College athletics program has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years and continues to build on its unique position nationally and locally.  With an increase in the numbers of students participating in athletics and with concern over their academic success, Athletics requires that its athletes spend a recorded portion of each week in the Learning Commons focused on their course work and assignments. Student athletes are assigned a number of library hours depending on their cumulative GPA.  Six hours per week is mandatory for all freshmen and incoming transfer students in athletics.  A logbook records their hours spent in the library, roving reference librarians and tutors provide research and study assistance and Tech Specialist Students provide troubleshooting on technical issues for the athletes.  The program represents a collaborative initiative between the libraries and students to positively impact their success.  The following represents their required Power Hours commitment in the library:

Ambassador's Club Events

In support of Mercy's internationalization efforts, in April 2011 the library created a special exhibit related to the country of Kazakhstan in coordination with a visit to Mercy from its UN Ambassardor, Byrganym Aitimova on April 26.  Displays were arranged around the Circulation Desk displaying information, articles, resources and images related to the culture, politics and economy of this central asian nation and its region.  As a result of this work, the library was recognized by the Ambassador and given a gift of books and an honorary medallion.

Disability Services Enhancements

In keeping with the Mercy mission and in order to better serve our students that are challenged by physiological impairments, the Learning Commons continues to seek methods of increasing the accessibility and usability of library resources and services.  As part of this commitment, at the start of fall 2011, the Dobbs Ferry library invested in computer software called Jaws and Zoomtext to enable speech and sight impaired patrons to better read material on computer screen, and to enable voice enhancements.  We hope to continue to add these software enhancements to the branch libraries as well.

Writer's Corner Events

The Library Learning Commons has partnered with the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning in bringing a number of activities in to the Library Learning Commons. Among those activities is a Writer's Corner event that brings writers to the Mercy College Library to share their published works with colleagues and students in the Mercy College community. Both writers from inside the College and without have participated. The events include the author's talk followed by Q&A and book signings.  

To date the following authors have visited Mercy College's Writer's Corner: 

Roxana Saberi, international journalist, American-born of Iranian descent, Saberi was imprisoned in Iran's notorius Evin Prison. She wrote a book about her experience, "Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran, which was released by Harper Collins on March 30, 2010.   Saberi spoke at October 2010 Faculty Seminar Day and then held a workshop for students in the Faculty Center and a book signing in the library.

Gemma Whelan, is an Irish-born theatre director and educator. After moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, she directed more than sixty stage productions and was founding artistic director of GemArt and Wilde Irish Productions. Gemma is also an award-winning screenwriter and film director.  Her book, "Fiona: Stolen Child" was a published in October 2010 and she visited Mercy for Writer's Corner in November.

Tom Milton is professor of Business at Mercy College. He is the author of several books.  His most recent publication, "A Shower of Roses," was the topic of his book talk at Writer's Corner in December 2010.

• Posters for Writer's Corner are designed by two of Mercy College's CART (Computer Arts) students:  Pascal Marino and Krystal Salem, students in Professor Jen Roos' Manhattan design studio class. They are in the attachments section below.