From the Dean 
Stanley Wilder
Dean, LSU Libraries
Our renaissance begins now. After a prolonged period of struggle under extraordinarily challenging circumstances, the LSU Libraries has begun a dramatic and sustainable period of renewal. Improvements will affect all our operations, but today I'd like to draw special attention to the University's plans to upgrade and replace Middleton and Hill Memorial Libraries.
Short term renovations are in fact already in place in two instances: the recently opened Math Lab installed on Middleton's 3rd floor, an 8,000 square foot facility that supports math tutoring in a mediated computer lab setting, and the new Access Services desk and offices, moved from 1st to 2nd floor just in time for fall semester.
But the real short-term plan involves the University's contract with architect David Moore, of McMillan, Pazdan, Smith, to present a phased approach to renovations at Middleton and Hill, with construction to begin this fiscal year.
Mr. Moore's contract also calls for him to begin our planning for the longer term, by producing a high-level list of specifications for a new library to replace Middleton and Hill. These specifications will provide direction for the University's efforts to raise money for the project.
To this buffet of new investments we can include some significant improvements to the structural integrity of our current buildings. We have entered the design phase of projects that would replace the leaky roof at Hill, and to waterproof Middleton's basement. These projects are fairly expensive, but as our recent floods demonstrated, they are indispensable.
There is no overstating the importance of the broad consensus that drives these projects: LSU understands the contribution that its libraries make to academic success, and we are so grateful to have that support. Our renaissance starts now, with opportunities for everyone to participate. Together we can build a 21st century library that will set LSU apart for decades to come.
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Dean's Advisory Council
Local community leaders to support LSU Libraries
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Ty Hingle, chair of the Dean's Advisory Council
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Seventeen Baton Rouge community leaders have been chosen to voluntarily serve on an LSU Libraries Dean's Advisory Council (DAC). The council will advise on, assist with, and support the Dean's efforts to promote the recognition, welfare, and progress of the Libraries.
Ty Hingle, a 1998 LSU graduate, serves as the council's first chair. While at LSU, Hingle was the president of the Poultry Science Club, was on the Dean's List, and was involved with Chapel on the Campus. He also played outside center on the LSU Rugby Team. Hingle is co-owner of Mattress Direct, a regional chain of retail mattress stores, and an active member of Healing Place Church. He coaches his boys in a variety of youth athletics and serves on the Board of Directors of the Capital Area United Way and the Greene Team Charitable Foundation. "As the cornerstone of education for the university, the LSU Libraries needs to offer students and the community an exceptional place to cultivate ideas and promote higher level learning," notes Hingle." Additionally, the LSU Libraries should serve as a centerpiece the university uses to recruit new students, top researchers and premier instructors. I am encouraged about the future of the LSU Libraries as it evolves into a world class global learning center driven by Dean Wilder's vision. We have assembled a powerful and diverse Advisory Council and are excited about the support we have already received from the University President, Provost and the LSU Foundation." Members of the DAC represent a unique blend of business and community leaders from a variety of organizations and backgrounds, culminating in a group with a great enthusiasm for LSU Libraries and a devotion to its mission. They are: - Stephanie Anderson, CPA; Executive VP & COO, Woman's Hospital
- Reid B. Bateman; Attorney
- Ken Bordelon; BASF
- R. Brian Haymon; CEO, SGS Petroleum Service Corporation
- Melanie Hebert; Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker, Business Consultant
- Emilie Hebert; Miss LSU 2016, Student Representative for Board
- Ty B. Hingle - Chairman; Owner, Mattress Direct
- Leo B. Honeycutt; Author
- Natalie Laborde; Assistant Secretary, Department of Public Safety and Corrections
- Jared S. Loftus; COO, MasteryPrep
- Layne R. McDaniel; President & CEO, Credit Bureau Foundation of Baton Rouge
- W. Shelby McKenzie; Attorney, Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips; Retired Counsel, LSU
- Dianna Payton; CEO, YWCA of Greater Baton Rouge
- Christy O. Reeves; CEO, Single Stop USA
- Susan D. Rolfs; Community Philanthropist
- Christel C. Slaughter, PhD; Partner and Co-owner, SSA Consultants
- Collis B. Temple III; National Sales Director & Agency Owner, Primerica Insurance.
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New location for Access Services
Book borrowing, reserves, and interlibrary loans relocate
 Middleton Library's Access Services unit, which includes the Circulation Department, InterLibrary Loan Department, and Reserves, has moved to room 241 on the second floor of Middleton Library. Books can be borrowed at this new location or by using the self-serve station on the first floor. The book return on the first floor remains functional, and books may be returned on either the first floor or at the new desk. The move frees up first floor space for exciting student-centered space planned for the future.
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Math lab opens in Middleton Library
 Students in Math 1021, 1022, and 1023 are now able to do their required lab hours in rooms 300X and 300Y Middleton Library, in the newly-opened math lab on the third floor. Formerly located in Pleasant Hall, the math lab's new location makes it more centrally located and available to the more than 5000 students who take the three respective math courses each year.
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LSU Libraries' collections escape flood damage
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Boxes of damaged material are preserved in LSU Libraries' freezer until they can be restored.
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LSU Libraries sustained minimal damage following heavy rains and flooding that devastated Baton Rouge and surrounding are as beginning on August 13, 2016. The Libraries closed on Friday, August 12 and reopened on Monday, August 22, 2016.
Middleton Library, the main library, experienced water intrusion in its basement, which was already known to leak during heavy rain. The basement suffered extensive water intrusions at multiple points. Libraries staff covered collections and cleaned up water, and a remediation service provided dehumidifiers and fans. Six boxes of wet books were quickly moved to an onsite freezer for preservation and future restoration. Hill Memorial Library, which contains the Special Collections, took in a small amount of rain water through its roof. Library staff was able to act quickly to move and cover library material near the leaks. A small number of books were minimally affected by water, with no permanent damage and only air drying required. Besides freezing six boxes of books from the main library, LSU Libraries' freezer is preserving 13 boxes of flooded material from St. Alphonsus Church in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana, and about 50 boxes of material from the LSU Ag Center that were damaged previous to the flood.
Three LSU Libraries employees' homes were completely flooded, with more employees experiencing at least some flood damage. The Baton Rouge Area Foundation has established a fund to help LSU employees who are affected by disasters and hardships such as the recent flood. See http://www.lsu.edu/floodrelief for ways to help.
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Libraries welcomes new faculty member
Naquin joins Resource Description & Metadata Services Department
 LSU Libraries welcomes Elisa Naquin as a Catalog Librarian. Although she is new to this position, Naquin knows about being a Tiger. She holds a BS in geography, an MA in linguistics, and an MLIS, all from LSU. Before earning her MLIS, she worked as an ESL instructor in the LSU English Department. While earning her MLIS at LSU, Naquin worked as a graduate assistant in the LSU Libraries' Cataloging Department (now the Resource Description & Metadata Services department). That position gave her hands-on cataloging experience, and it was during that time that she developed her strong interest in metadata creation. After completing her MLIS, Naquin worked as a cataloging and research librarian at the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library at the Louisiana House of Representatives. "I'm excited to return to the LSU Libraries as Catalog Librarian," says Naquin, "I'm looking forward to working with my colleagues to create bibliographic descriptions which enable discovery by LSU students, faculty, and staff and growing in my cataloging expertise." Originally from Morse, Louisiana, Naquin has lived in Louisiana all her life. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, son, cat, and dog.
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Investigating Sherlock: The Russell Mann Sherlock Holmes Research Collection
On exhibition October 3, 2016 - January 28, 2017
Main Gallery, Hill Memorial Library
The first fans of the original Sherlock Holmes stories satisfied their appetites for adventure by reading about A. Conan Doyle's super sleuth and sidekick in the pages of the British magazine, The Strand. Serialized across several issues, stories were illustrated with iconic imagery by artist Sidney Paget and paused with cliffhanging chapters that left their audience wanting more. In the decades since Doyle first put pen to paper, Holmes enthusiasts have come into the fold by reading new adventures from a variety of authors, and have viewed both faithful adaptations and modern transformations on stage and screen. The Russell Mann Sherlock Holmes Collection reflects the full of spectrum of "Sherlockiana" that is sure to pique the curiosity of the purist and iconoclast alike.
The "Investigating Sherlock" exhibit will introduce visitors to the wide variety of material available for research, from canonical "Adventures" to modern Zombies, and all points in between.
So what is the secret to viewing "Investigating Sherlock?" No mystery there - simply arrive and browse! As always, exhibitions are free and open to the public.
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