The TechSearcher
The Newsletter of Wisconsin TechSearch
January - September 2007
Order Tracking Now Available
The WTS web site now allows clients to easily track their orders. From the homepage (http://wts.wisc.edu), click on the "Order Status" link in the left sidebar. You'll be prompted to log in if you're not already, and then you'll see a list of your orders. Clicking on a request, anywhere in the field, will reveal all its pertinent information. Clicking on it again will hide the information. You can also search for a request by your reference number, confirmation number, or WTS number. If you have us send articles directly to your end user, this is a great way for you to confirm that the item has been shipped. We think this is a fabulous enhancement to our web site. We hope you like it, too!
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It's a Boy!
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WTS would like to welcome its smallest staff member. Rachel Watters, WTS Librarian, and her partner Erik welcomed their first child on April 16, 2007. Jack Roman Wilhelm was born quickly after a relatively short labor. He weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces at birth and was 19 inches long. Rachel happily reports that he is a healthy, wonderful baby -- he sleeps through the night, giggles a lot, loves "talking" to people, and always smiles when he hears a song. And WTS staff enjoy the times Jack visits the office! Rachel returned from maternity leave in late August and is now working part-time, Wednesdays through Fridays. |
WTS Contributes More Than 700 Books to New Orleans Schools
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Carolyn Tweten and Jennifer Velasco exhibited WTS services at the American Association of Law Libraries conference in New Orleans this past July. Instead of giving away the usual booklight tchotchke, we donated more than 700 children's books to New Orleans schools through AALL's Social Responsibilities Committee. Prior to the conference, we purchased paperback books, laminated the covers, and adhered custom bookplates inside. When visitors stopped by the booth, they could write their name, or anyone else's name, on the bookplate, and the book was then donated by Wisconsin TechSearch on that person's behalf. The New Orleans Times-Picayune recognized AALL's book donations to New Orleans schools on the front page of their July 17, 2007 issue.
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Staff Changes
New Librarian: Anne Rauh
WTS welcomes our newest librarian, Anne Rauh, who will start on October 1. Annie graduated from UW Madison's School of Library and Information Studies this past May. She previously worked as a records manager for the UW School of Nursing and as membership coordinator for the UW Madison Friends of the Libraries. Annie brings an enthusiasm for hunting down difficult citations and excellent customer service skills to WTS.
In addition to working for WTS, Annie will also spend time as a reference and instruction librarian for Wendt Library.
Welcome, Annie!
So Long, Brett!We bid a fond farewell to Brett DeMars in August, who left WTS after graduating from UW Madison's School of Library and Information Studies. We'll miss Brett's hard work and dry wit. Brett is currently job hunting in the Minneapolis area.
New Voices: Paul Mulkern, Lyndsay Meisel, Noor Che Mat Rosli
Having more visible roles in the office these days are Paul Mulkern, Lyndsay Meisel, and Noor Che Mat Rosli. They are backing up our office manager and librarians, mainly by answering the phone, directing student employees, and ensuring that documents are shipped on time.
Paul has worked for WTS since 1993, and when he's not backing up office work, he reports copyright and works on billing (read more about Paul in the staff profile below). Lyndsay is a senior business major at the UW and has been one of our student workers since 2003. Noor is a senior chemical engineering major who has worked for us since 2006.
The next time you call WTS, please say "hello" to Paul, Lyndsay, and Noor!
New Student Employees
WTS currently employs 26 part-time students, and 14 of them are new this semester. WTS staff have been quite busy hiring and training for the last few weeks. Providing exceptional service can be harder when the office experiences a little more than the usual chaos, but we're up to the challenge!
Staff Profile: Paul Mulkern
Paul Mulkern started at WTS back in 1993 when he was a grad student. His first duties were as a Wendt Library runner and shipper. Now, Paul reports requests to the Copyright Clearance Center, updates and files billing records, and helps out in the office.
Paul has a BA in History from North Dakota State University and a PhD in History (Modern Britain and Ireland) from UW-Madison. He enjoys fishing, sports, and spending time with his two children.
WTS at SLA and AALL 2008
WTS staff will be exhibiting at the Special Libraries Association and American Association of Law Libraries conferences next summer. SLA will be held in Seattle from June 15-18 and AALL will be in Portland from July 12-15. Pencil in some face time with WTS staff!
Color Scanning Now Available
WTS has purchased a color scanner and installed it at the university's Ebling Library for the Health Sciences. If you need a photocopy in color, please indicate it in the Instructions field of your request. Since we have to travel across campus to get to the scanner, please allow us a little extra time to fill your color requests.
What WTS Does in Its Spare Time (we have spare time?!)
When request volume on a given day is lower than usual, WTS staff seek out projects to do for Wendt Engineering Library. This summer, we helped the library gather books to ship to Google for scanning, helped our catalogers add 13-digit ISBNs to our OPAC's records, scanned the tables of contents of new books, and helped our serials librarian with journal check-in.
For more information on Wisconsin's involvement in the Google Project, see http://www.library.wisc.edu/digitization/.
