The Southworth Library Learning Commons is participating in World Book Night U.S. and serving as a distribution point for volunteer book givers.

“I revel in the idea of sharing my favorite book with people who haven’t read it,” said Library Customer Service Specialist Loreen B. Murphy. “This is a great way for me to share what means the most to me with people who aren’t active readers.”

World Book Night U.S.is an ambitious campaign to give thousands of free specially printed paperbacks to light or nonreaders across America on one day. Volunteer book lovers help promote reading by going out into their communities and sharing free copies of the books they love. The mission of World Book Night is to share literature with those who do not have the means or access to printed books. The event is slated for April 23 with distribution points around the United States.

Area World Book Night U.S. volunteers in the community will be picking up their books at Southworth Library and sharing them in locations such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, food pantries, and more.

Murphy and Assistant Librarian Cori Wilhelm have chosen respectively “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood and “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris. They plan to circulate on campus to find people who don’t read for pleasure.

SUNY Potsdam volunteers involved with the project include librarians Elizabeth C. Andrews, Abby L. Smith and Marianne Hebert, who will run a World Book Night U.S. table from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Barrington Student Union. They will be giving away 60 free books: 20 each of “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Jester, “The Girl with the Pearl Earring” by Tracy Chevalier, and “Me Talk Pretty One Day.”

For more information about the World Book Night national event, visit: http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/

The Southworth Library is involved in several other innovative projects, including one in celebration of Poem in Your Pocket day. SUNY Canton faculty and students digitally recorded their own poetry and distributed it via a podcast and other downloadable digital formats. For more information, visit www.canton.edu/library.

Panelists will share their personal stories about the impact of the women’s movement on the North Country at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 21, at SUNY Canton’s Southworth Library. Speakers will include: Ellen Rocco, station manager for North Country Public Radio; Karen St. Hilaire, St. Lawrence County administrator; and Veigh Mehan Lee, director of accommodative services at SUNY Canton.

“In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the social and political rhythms of the women’s movement were alive and well in the North Country, said SUNY Canton Interim President Carli C. Schiffner. “The activism and drive of these women led to many of the hallmarks of our community — Birdsfoot Farm, the Little River School, ReachOut and Renewal House. The synergy from these activists has forever left its influence on our community in northern New York, and many of these community leaders remain active.”

Every three years, all SUNY colleges and universities administer the survey to assess the quality of student life on each campus and use the results as a barometer to grow and adapt.

Cierra Wells uses a loaned iPad at SUNY Canton’s Southworth Library, which was rated highly in a student survey for its resources and services.

“The results of the survey reflect the tremendous job our faculty and staff do to help students reach their educational goals,” said SUNY Canton Interim President Carli C. Schiffner. “It is to their credit that we were rated first in these categories.”

When compared against other SUNY technology sector colleges, SUNY Canton’s Southworth Library Learning Commons scored highest for providing resources and services. The library has recently undergone major student-centered renovations, including expanding its laptop loan program, creating an iPad loan program, and adding new furniture.

“Much of the content students are expected to read for their education is available digitally,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Molly A. Mott. “What has traditionally been a storehouse for books has become a hub of technological innovation.”

The College’s computer network was also top among its peer colleges, according to the survey. Most of the College’s Information Services Operations are housed in the Southworth Library Learning Commons.

The College was also first among tech sector colleges in the areas of:

• General academic advising
• Financial aid services
• Availability of courses within a given major

Additionally, the College’s new athletic facilities received high praise from students. SUNY Canton’s new Roos House athletic center was listed first among similar SUNY colleges. Other areas that ranked high in the survey were student health services and personal counseling.

The information is gathered from a sampling of undergraduate students and gauges their satisfaction with services, facilities, environment and more. SUNY Canton’s rankings were calculated when compared against seven other colleges of technology within the SUNY System.

Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.

Mary Karr, author of award-winning memoirs, was one of the previous guest speakers at SUNY Canton’s Living Writers Series. The series will be funded through the College Foundation this spring.

The SUNY Canton College Foundation recently announced the recipients of the 7^th annual Campus Enhancement Awards.

“These projects are made possible through unrestricted donations, which are an important resource the College utilizes to fund creative and innovative projects that benefit our community,” said Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the SUNY Canton College Foundation David M. Gerlach. “We are extremely grateful to all of the donors who have supported the Foundation.”

Some unrestricted donations come directly from SUNY Canton faculty and staff members. Last year, more than 230 employees donated approximately $60,000 to the Foundation via payroll deductions.

Among this year’s Campus Enhancement Awards are:

• The Living Writers lecture series during the spring semester.
• Instructional software for nursing students.
• A professional practice field trip for students in the graphic and multimedia design program.
• Healthy lifestyle training programs.
• A student field trip to the United Nations building in New York City.
• Funds for students to attend the 2013 Regional Steel Bridge Competition.
• New equipment and other upgrades to the student resource library.
• Problem-solving software for engineering students.

In addition to the annual Campus Enhancement Awards, the College Foundation also funds student scholarships, professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, and unique learning and research fellowships.

College Librarian Mary L. Bucher, 59, of Canton, died on June 6th following an illness. She was a 34-year employee of the College and much revered for her wisdom and helpful nature.

She joined SUNY Canton in in 1978. She was recognized with the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Library Service in 1990, and SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy appointed her as university archivist in 1994.

“Mary is deeply missed by all of us,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Molly M. Mott, who oversees the Southworth Library. “She revered our campus and its unique history and she would light up at the chance to relay the stories and reflect on the personalities that made the campus what it is today.”

She was a member of the SUNY Librarians Association and the Eastern New York Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries, in addition to serving as secretary for the College’s chapter of United University Professions.

Mary was an active and dedicated member of the St. Lawrence County Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW).  She was chair of the committee for their AAUW Endowed Scholarship with the Canton College Foundation.  The scholarship is awarded to a SUNY Canton female student from St. Lawrence County who is planning to transfer into a four-year academic program.

This scholarship program was very close to her heart as she was a strong advocate for its promotion and support of SUNY Canton students.  Those who would like to make a gift to the scholarship as a tribute may do so by donating to the Canton College Foundation, Inc., 34 Cornell Drive, Canton, NY  13617.  Checks may be made payable to the Canton College Foundation. Please note in the memo section, “In Memory of Mary L. Bucher for the AAUW Endowed Scholarship.”

A complete obituary is available at North Country Now.

We invite the campus community and anyone who knew Mary well to leave comments below.

The lecture and presentation portion of the Scholarly Activities Celebration will be held Thursday, April 29, in the Richard W. Miller Campus Center’s Kingston Theater. The poster and artistic display portion of the celebration will be held Friday, April 30, in the Southworth Library. In order to participate, all student and faculty presenters must complete an abstract, found at www.canton.edu/abstract.

“There is a lot of wonderful research and innovation that occurs across all of our curricula,” noted Willam R. Trumble, SUNY Canton Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “The Scholarly Activities Celebration gives us a way to bring all of the highlights from the past year together and really focus on what we’ve accomplished as students and academics. Students get the added bonus of the excitement and experience of presenting their work and have the chance to win one of several $100 prizes.”

Last year’s celebration had more than 100 student and faculty presentations, ranging from art and design projects to poster presentations detailing the latest advancements in the Engineering Technology fields.

“We’ve expanded the Scholarly Activities Celebration to encompass lectures and presentations,” Jeffrey H. Taylor, chair of the celebration committee and Assistant Professor of Biology. “We’ve made this addition to allow a greater range of subjects to be highlighted at the celebration.”

Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Coordinator, or call 315/386-7528.

During most of the year, the library loans out its laptop computers nearly 500 times a week, according to Molly A. Mott, Dean of Academic Services and Retention, who supervises the library and it’s evolution.

“The expansion of digital communication methods has spurred growth and innovation in the way our library operates,” Mott said. “The library has grown into an interactive learning environment with more opportunities for research and student engagement than ever before. It’s not just a location to store printed materials, but a place to create and share ideas.”

SUNY Canton will be holding an open house to highlight some of the most recent upgrades beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 16, in Southworth Library. The event is free and open to the public.

Recently, the library integrated the college’s learning support centers, including the math, writing, and technology tutoring labs, and a dedicated “Silent Zone” area for students. Southworth is also home to a new “Connection Room” which was designed as an innovative teaching and learning space for students and faculty. “Graphic and Multimedia Design students will be using this new space to videotape living histories of our emeriti faculty and distinguished guests,” Mott said.

The circulation desk also holds reserve copies of textbooks for many courses and on-demand video technology rooms give students the convenience to view class-required videos. The library is also home to the Information Services Help Desk, which provides computer support. The Writing Center and Math Lab are also housed at Southworth.

“Many of our most recent upgrades stemmed from student suggestions,” noted Library Chairperson Andrew R. Urbanek. “We have more laptops to lend at the circulation desk and we’ve extended our hours to become more flexible and convenient. If a student needs help after hours, they can use our ‘24/7’ on-line library support.”

Approximately two years ago, the College began the physical renovations of the library building. Upgrades are part of the overall master plan to enhance the entire campus in line with the growth and expansion in enrollment and degrees offered. The library has been totally repainted using a dynamic color palette and new vibrant furniture and carpeting adorns the public spaces.

The open house will begin with an address by SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy, and will feature the College’s Gospel Choir and Sassy Steppers. Student artwork is also on display throughout the library. There will be drawings for Amazon Kindles at the event.

Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Coordinator, or call 315/386-7528.

SUNY Canton Graphic and Multi Media Design student Adam Gardam designed a poster promoting the Southworth Library’s Silent Zone, loosely based on the television classic “The Twilight Zone.”

Students are now also utilizing the new “Silent Zone,” located in the Math Lab from 4 p.m. to midnight during normal library hours. The space was designed for students who prefer intensely quiet surroundings for their studies.

The newly implemented extended hours and the Silent Zone are only two of the many changes and improvements that Southworth Library staff members have implemented to help students. In the past year, the library has upgraded signage, technology, and furniture. It has also expanded its laptop program and archive section.

Staff members have been responsive to suggestions received by students through the SUNY Canton Customer Service Committee and an online suggestion box. Further ideas for improvements and changes can be made through the online suggestion box at www.canton.edu/library.