MSL buzz: the Michael Schwartz Library blog

Connect with CSU Faculty
featuring Dr. Jeremy Genovese
Emeritus Associate Professor of Human Development and Educational Psychology
Presenting “ESPERANTO: The Rise and Fall and Rise of the International Language”

Tuesday, April 8, 2025
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Rhodes Tower, Michael Schwartz Library

Free and open to all CSU faculty, staff, and students and the general public.

The constructed language Esperanto was invented in 1887 to facilitate international communication and understanding. Esperanto was designed to be easy to learn with phonetic pronunciation and a simple, consistent grammar. The Esperanto movement grew rapidly but suffered a severe setback in the run up to the Second World War. The language was specifically condemned by Hitler. Stalin labeled it “the language of spies.” 

In recent decades, Esperanto has regained ground with the rise of the internet. Today the Esperanto movement is a growing transnational community of speakers who regularly communicate either virtually or in person.

Join us for this free event on Tuesday, April 8th

Dr. Jeremy Genovese Jeremy E. C. Genovese is an emeritus associate professor of human development and educational psychology at Cleveland State University. He has a long standing interest in utopian communities and movements and is the author of The Earth for All: Henry George, Utopian Communities and Market Socialism (McFarland). He is a member of the Communal Studies Association, a group of scholars focused on communal societies, and he has lived in several intentional communities. Dr. Genovese serves as the Great Lakes coordinator for Esperanto-USA, working to rebuild the Esperanto community in the Cleveland area.

“Connect with CSU Faculty” is a pilot project initiated by the Friends of the Library to recognize the research of Cleveland State University faculty. 

Celebrate National Library Week at the Michael Schwartz Library, April 6–12, 2025

What draws people to the library? Everything! From books and digital resources to study spaces and programming, libraries are essential to thriving communities.

National Library Week, April 6–12, 2025, is a time to celebrate the many ways libraries bring people together, spark imagination, and support lifelong learning. At the Michael Schwartz Library, we invite the campus community to join the celebration! Whether you're a longtime patron or haven’t visited in a while, now is the perfect time to explore all the library has to offer.

Our library provides books and online resources, individual and group study spaces, personalized research help, computers with a variety of software, unique local resources, and so much more, ensuring that everyone has access to resources that educate, inspire, and connect.

Whatever draws you in, the library has something for everyone. Whether you’re doing research for a paper, preparing for a presentation, creating a multimodal project, or looking for a place to study, the Michael Schwartz Library is here to support your journey. Libraries serve as hubs for learning, creativity, and connection, helping people explore new ideas and opportunities.

JOIN US FOR THESE SPECIAL NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK EVENTS

Library Mural 
What draws you to the library? Visit the 1st floor all week and help us create a library mural.

ESPERANTO: The Rise and Fall and Rise of the International Language
Join us on April 8th, 2025, at 11:30 am on the 1st floor of the library for this Connect with CSU Faculty event featuring Dr. Jeremy Genovese, PhD. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

National Library Workers’ Day
Tuesday, April 9th is a day for library staff, users, administrators, and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.

AI Tools for Academic Research
Join us for this virtual workshop where we will discuss AI-based tools for academic research and reference management on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 11:30 am. Register now at https://go.csuohio.edu/register/ai-research.

This National Library Week, take time to rediscover the library and see how it draws us together as a campus community. Whether you're visiting for books, resources, or a place to connect, the Michael Schwartz Library is here for you.

First celebrated in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April.

AI Tools for Academic Research
a free Zoom workshop
Thursday, April 10, 2025
11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

This live Zoom workshop, presented by Hanna Bernstein, will discuss a variety of AI-based tools to assist with academic research and reference management, as well as dive into ethics and citation guidelines relevant to academic research and publishing. Participants will have the opportunity to experiment with these tools and are encouraged to come with a research topic and/or scholarly articles they would like to explore.

Presented by the College of Graduate Studies and the Graduate & Professional Student Association, as part of their Graduate & Professional Student Appreciation Week celebration. GPSAW celebrates the accomplishments of our graduate & professional students and their contribution to the CSU community.
https://www.csuohio.edu/gsrc/graduate-student-appreciation-week

Hanna Bernstein is a student in the Masters of Library and Information Science Program at Kent State University, currently working with Diane Kolosionek, librarian at CSU’s Michael Schwartz Library. She is also a graduate of Cleveland State with a Bachelors in Spanish and Education and has a Masters in Hispanic Linguistics from University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research interests include Information Literacy, Critical Information Literacy, and the effects of Artificial Intelligence on Higher Education and Library Sciences.

Library Services Platform Migration
CSU faculty and staff will transition to state-of-the-art library software


We are excited to announce that as a member of the OhioLINK consortium, the Cleveland State University Libraries will be upgrading our library services platform to Ex Libris Alma/Primo in the summer of 2025. Alma/Primo is the most-used library system in U.S. academic libraries, and is used to manage day-to-day operations as well as to help faculty and students find and access the information they need for teaching, learning and research.

A Statewide Collaboration

CSU Library staff, along with colleagues at OhioLINK and 115 member libraries across the state, have been working tirelessly since June 2023 to bring this system migration to life. The project is right on track, and we can't wait to share the benefits with our community.

Enhancing User Experience

"We're looking forward to streamlining library resource management and providing new features that will better serve our faculty and students," notes Marsha Miles, Interim Director of the Michael Schwartz Library. Our campus can look forward to a more intuitive interface that makes finding print and electronic articles, books, and other library materials easier than ever.

What to Expect

For now, the most important thing to be aware of is that from May 23 - June 13 there will be an OhioLINK Borrowing/Lending Freeze, during which there will be no requesting, checkout, or renewal possible for OhioLINK items. 

As we approach the "go live" date, keep an eye out here for more information about the new system and the changes it will bring. 

Questions?

If you're curious about the new system or have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We're here to help!
 

This upgrade is not just about technology; it's about creating a more seamless and user-friendly experience for everyone on campus. Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to elevate library services and support the academic success of our community!

WHO ARE YOUR HEROES? NOMINATE THEM FOR A TEXTBOOK HERO AWARD!

Co-sponsored by the Michael Schwartz Library and the Student Government Association, the Textbook Hero Award is awarded annually to a faculty member who has put forth significant effort to replace a traditional textbook with a low-cost or open alternative, and whose efforts had a high impact on textbook costs, classroom engagement, and student achievement.

STUDENTS:  Do you have a professor who has chosen to use low cost or free course materials? Show them how much it means to you by nominating them for this year’s Textbook Hero Award!  Nominate your prof today - it only takes a few minutes - and help us encourage others to get on the bandwagon.  We've already saved CSU students over 2M in textbook costs!


FACULTY: If you are an affordability advocate, please encourage your students to nominate you for a Textbook Hero Award!  This teaching award, presented by the CSU Student Government Association, can be a valuable addition to your promotion and tenure portfolio.  Give your students a chance to formally say thank you! 
 

Textbook Hero Award Application, due April 8th, 2025:
 Nominate Your Hero Now!

Breaking News from Cleveland Memory:

The Cleveland Press Collection is digitized at last!

After years of anticipation and hard work, the 104-year run of the Cleveland Press has finally been digitized.  This monumental achievement marks a significant milestone in preserving Cleveland's rich history and making it accessible to the public.
 

Background

Several years ago, a surge in public and private interest sparked a detailed plan to digitize the Cleveland Press, the evening newspaper that played a pivotal role in Cleveland's journalism landscape from 1878 to 1982. The Cleveland Press Collection, now part of Cleveland State University's Special Collections, includes hundreds of thousands of photographs which the Michael Schwartz Library at Cleveland State University has shared for over 20 years through our Cleveland Memory web site.  But the bulk of the content – the stories, columns, and editorial commentary – have only been available to researchers on microfilm… until now.

The Digitization Process

Cleveland State University partnered with Newspapers.com to bring this extensive archive into the digital age, marking a crucial step in preserving this priceless historical resource. This timely collaboration has not only digitized the collection but also safeguarded it from the threat of vinegar syndrome, a chemical degradation process that affects cellulose acetate-based microfilms produced before the mid-1980s. 

While initial access to the digitized archive is limited, this preservation effort ensures the long-term viability of the collection and paves the way for wider availability in the future. The digitization process has effectively rescued decades of Cleveland's history from potential loss, allowing future generations to explore and study this rich journalistic legacy.

Access Details

• On-Campus Access: For now, free digital access is contractually limited to on-campus use by Cleveland State University students, faculty, staff and patrons for academic or research purposes. This access will expand after a three-year embargo period, potentially through platforms such as CSU's institutional repository, EngagedScholarship @ Clevelend State University.             
   
• Community Users and Independent Researchers: A dedicated workstation will be available in the library, allowing researchers to use the Newspapers.com interface. 
   
• Paid Subscriptions:  If you already have a paid subscription to Newspapers.com, or an all-access membership to Ancestry.com, you have access now! 
   

Visit the Cleveland Press Archive Online

Why This Matters

Preserving historical newspapers like the Cleveland Press is crucial for understanding the past and its relevance to the present, and allows future generations to grasp the complexities of history beyond the immediacy of social media.  As they say, history is written by the winners.  The editorial voice and viewpoint of the Press differed significantly from that of the Plain Dealer and other newspapers, and these insights and perspectives were in danger of being lost forever. 

“The staff here at CSU's Michael Schwartz Library has been eager to fully digitize the Cleveland Press for many years, and we're thrilled that digital access to the Press is finally a reality”, said Marsha Miles, Interim Director of the library. ”We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the "Friends of the Press," including former Press writers, editors, and photographers, whose unwavering advocacy has been instrumental in preserving this invaluable piece of Cleveland's history. Their insistence on bringing this project to fruition has ensured that this priceless archive is now available in perpetuity for research and exploration by the public."
 

About CSU's Cleveland Press Collection

Shortly after the Press ceased publication, a collection of over a million clippings and half a million photos from the Press's editorial library or “morgue” was donated to Cleveland State University's Michael Schwartz Library by the newspaper's owner, Joseph E. Cole, who was then a CSU Trustee.  

Since the inception of Cleveland Memory, we have dedicated ourselves to documenting and preserving the history of journalism in Cleveland, offering curated pathfinders celebrating and showcasing the photojournalists, journalists, columnists, editorial cartoonists, and independent, community and citizen journalists who have enriched Cleveland's vibrant tradition of news reporting.  Together with over 22,000 historical photographs, our Cleveland Press Collection site offers a rich selection of evocative and enlightening autobiographical accounts of Press workers, many of them to be found nowhere else.  

For over 20 years, the images from the Cleveland Press Collection have served as the foundation and heart of Cleveland Memory. It is fitting that these images are now complemented by the words and ideas they were originally intended to illustrate.
 

What's Next?

When the 3-year embargo period ends in 2028, we can expect broader access to this invaluable resource, enriching historical research and community engagement. The digitization of the Cleveland Press is a testament to the importance of preserving our collective memory and making it accessible for generations to come. 
 

Visit the Cleveland Press Archive Online today!

The Cleveland Memory Project, launched in 2002, is a freely searchable online collection of photographs, texts, oral histories, maps, drawings, postcards, videos and other local history resources, built by the Michael Schwartz Library at the Cleveland State University in collaboration with a host of community partners around Northeast Ohio.  

donate to Special Collections
(select “Library Special Collections” under Fund Designation)

https://www.clevelandmemory.org/
 

Call for Lightning Talk Proposals: OpenCon 2025
 

OpenCon Ohio 2025, a free, virtual conference about open education and textbook affordability, will be held online the week of May 19-22, 2025. During the week, asynchronous conversations will be held online in Discord to discuss prerecorded lightning talks. On Thursday, May 22, 2025 we will have virtual presentations, interactive conversations, and a keynote presentation delivered by Apurva Ashok, The Rebus Foundation’s Executive Director!

We are currently accepting proposals for 7-15 minute prerecorded lightning talks.

Submission form: https://forms.office.com/r/L7ehVEK7GC  

All proposal submissions are due on March 18th, 2025, and decisions about accepted submissions will be communicated by March 31, 2025, if not earlier. Proposals will be evaluated according to the proposal rubric.

Talks should preferably be related to the theme of Empowerment, Care, and Community in Open Education, though other topics are welcome. More information about the OpenCon Ohio 2025 event can be found at the conference website. 

Please feel free to direct any questions to OpenCon Ohio Planning Committee Co-Chairs, Mandi Goodsett at a.goodsett@csuohio.edu and/or Heather Caprette at h.caprette@csuohio.edu.

 

It's Open Education Week!
THURSDAY, MARCH 6th, 2025
 

Open Education week is an annual international celebration of the power of open education to improve student learning, faculty flexibility, and access to education.  We’re taking this opportunity to highlight some of our Affordability @ CSU initiatives. 

Affordability Syllabus Review Service

Are you a faculty member interested in using open education resources or other free course materials in your class but not sure where to start?

An affordability syllabus review offered by the Michael Schwartz Library is an opportunity for faculty to partner with their Personal Librarian to discover ways to integrate open educational resources into their course.

An affordability syllabus review ... 

• In no way obligates the faculty member to adopt any particular resource 
• May include a variety of options, including open educational resources, library-licensed content, and free materials online 
• Can be requested multiple times by a faculty member for different courses 
• May be returned to you up to 4 weeks after your request was submitted 
• Can be followed up with a conversation with the librarian for clarification or additional help

Get started now! Use the form below to submit your syllabus for review by one of our librarians:
Affordability Syllabus Review Submission Form

And don’t hesitate to reach out to your librarian with questions! 
 

It's Open Education Week!
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5th, 2025
 

Open Education week is an annual international celebration of the power of open education to improve student learning, faculty flexibility, and access to education.  We’re taking this opportunity to highlight some of our Affordability @ CSU initiatives. 

OhioLINK Spring 2025 OER Course Redesign Grant Program

Faculty are invited to apply for OhioLINK's OER Course Redesign Grant program. From May 19th, 2025 to June 13th, 2025, participants will engage in an asynchronous introduction to Open Educational Resources Course online. Participants will explore the basics of open education, review an open access or low-cost resource, learn how to align course content with learning outcomes, and reflect on advocating for affordable or open access course materials in the future. A small stipend is offered to participants.

The deadline to apply is April 18, 2025.

Details can be found on OhioLINK's Course Redesign Grant Page at https://www.ohiolink.edu/content/affordablelearning/course_redesign_grants

CSU faculty who participated in a previous OER Course Redesign Grant program include Michael Baumgartner, Professor, School of Music; Mike Okrent, Part-time Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Operations and Supply Chain Management; and Sathish Kumar, Associate Professor, Computer Science. There were 29 faculty from other institutions who also participated. 

Please reach out to Mandi Goodsett at a.goodsett@csuohio.edu with questions about this program!