News and Events
Transformed! Closing the Loop with Worms
Science Café: May 24, 2012. Join us as we learn how vermicomposting can turn organic waste into high quality compost at Cal Poly and at home. See worms in action in a standard worm box and learn about why worm compost is prized by gardeners.
» Get more information on the May 24th event
Cal Poly Authors event on May 4 — Authors Michael Boswell, Adrienne Greve and Tammy Seale in conversation with Elizabeth Lowham discuss action plans for planners, municipal staff and officials, citizens and others working at local levels.
» Get more information on the May 4th event
Data Studio Opens at Kennedy Library April 26
April 5, 2012 — Kennedy Library's new Data Studio opens. In this new collaboration space, Cal Poly students, faculty and staff can access and explore a wide variety of data resources and tools, get hands-on experience with data, and participate in informal instruction.
» Find out more about the Data Studio event
Digital Commons expands access to El Rodeo legacy
March 8, 2012 — DigitalCommons@CalPoly, the campus’ digital archive hosted by Kennedy Library, announced that it has digitized the Cal Poly yearbook, El Rodeo, for the four Cal Poly classes celebrating their reunion in 2012 (1932 – 1962). El Rodeo years 1927-1930 have also been digitized.
» Learn more about El Rodeo legacy
Joe Schwartz photography exhibit documents virtues of diversity
February 27, 2012 — Kennedy Library announces an exhibit of Joe Schwartz's photography. The images are on display in Special Collections and University Archives on the fourth floor.
» Learn more about the Schwartz exhibit
Spring exhibit: Pressing Forward
February 28, 2012 — Kennedy Library is proud to exhibit Pressing Forward: The Book Club of California at 100 beginning April 5 and going through June 8, 2012. The exhibit celebrates the club's centennial and showcases fine press books, keepsakes, and ephemera published by the Book Club of California, and includes selections from Kennedy Library's Special Collections Fine Print and Graphic Arts Collection.
» Learn more about the spring exhibit
Enter the Pitch Perfect 60-Second Video Competition!
February 9, 2012 — Your objective is to create a 60-second elevator pitch for the Kennedy Library that inspires people. What do you value — even love — about your library? This fourth-annual event (sponsored by Kennedy Library and OCOB) has more than $3000 in cash prizes, so enter soon.
» Learn more about the competition and enter
Tim Strawn named recipient of Esther J. Piercy Award
February 1, 2012 — Tim Strawn, director of information resources and archives at Kennedy Library, has been selected for the 2012 Esther J. Piercy Award by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association.
» More about Tim Strawn and the Esther J. Piercy Award
Enter the Kennedy Library Book Collection Competition
January 27, 2012 — Kennedy Library is holding a Book Collection Competition in conjunction with its spring exhibit, Pressing Forward: The Book Club of California at 100, which opens April 5, 2012. You're invited to enter!
» Learn more about the Kennedy Library Book Collection Competition
DIY: Physical Computing At Play
Science Café: February 10, 2012. Join us for a morning of making, strategizing and playing as we extend computers into the physical space to create a large-scale, interactive game in the library. Arduinos, breadboards, circuits and code all factor into the equation in this hands-on workshop.
» Learn more about DIY: Physical Computing At Play
Kennedy Library increases access to research articles
January 19, 2012 — Kennedy Library has acquired access to scholarly article citations from 1972-1981 through the Web of Science database, increasing Cal Poly's access to science and social science indexing from a critical period of US and international research.
» Learn more about the library's increased access to research articles
A Californian's Guide to the Trees Among Us
Cal Poly Authors: January 25, 2012. Listen to Matt Ritter talk about California's most commonly grown trees and his writing process, followed by a conversation with Enrica Lovaglio Costello and Q&A with other attendees.
» Learn more about the Trees Among Us
Campus-wide access to The Chronicle of Higher Education
November, 2011. Cal Poly faculty, staff and students now have full access to The Chronicle of Higher
Education and The Chronicle of Philanthropy through a campus-wide subscription secured by the Kennedy Library.
» Learn more about access to the Chronicle
Peter Runge co-authors architecture book
November, 2011. Peter J. Runge, Head of Special Collections and University Archives, is the co-author of Northern Arizona University: Buildings as History with Regents Professor Lee C. Drickamer.
» Learn more about the book
Papercraft workshop offered as part of "Assembly Required" fall furniture exhibit
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011. A hands-on workshop in making papercraft furniture is offered in conjunction with the exhibit, which features the work of Polytechnic furniture artists and Vellum Design winners. All materials are supplied and the papercraft assembly is open to everyone.
» Learn more about the Papercraft Workshop
Kennedy Library Joins Western Regional Storage Trust (WEST)
October, 2011. Kennedy Library announced it is a planning partner in the Western Regional Storage Trust (WEST), a collaborative and sustainable journal archiving program of the California Digital Library.
» Learn more about the Library's membership in WEST
Taste test! Can you taste good coffee?
Science Café: November 4 & 5, 2011. This is a two-part series. First, learn about coffee and your tasting abilities on campus Friday morning. Then, challenge your taste buds to more nuanced flavors Saturday at a pour-over event in town at Sally Loo's Wholesome Cafe.
» Learn more about the Taste Test
Assembly Required: An exhibition of Polytechnic furniture artists and Vellum Design winners
Monday, November 7 through Saturday, January 6, 2012. Assembly Required highlights the craftsmanship and innovation of Cal Poly student furniture artists. The winners from the 2011 Vellum/College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) Furniture Competition and Exhibition are a central feature of the exhibit.
» Learn more about the exhibit
Neo-Noir: Contemporary Film Noir from Chinatown to The Dark Knight
Cal Poly Authors: November 18, 2011. Listen to author Doug Keesey talk about contemporary film noir and his writing process, followed by conversation between the author and Josh Machamer from the Theatre and Dance Department. A Q&A with other attendees will round out the discussion.
» Learn more about the book and the conversation
Kennedy Library welcomes David Beales
October, 2011. Beales joins the Kennedy Library as the College Librarian for the College of Engineering, bringing with him a balanced background in critical areas of engineering and academic librarianship.
» Learn more about David Beales
Kennedy Library offers new courtesy borrowing program to cooperating teachers
October, 2011. The Kennedy Library at Cal Poly recently extended courtesy borrowing privileges to area K-12 teachers who invite Cal Poly School of Education students into their classrooms as student teachers.
» Learn more about our courtesy borrowing program
Kennedy Library welcomes Karen Lauritsen
September, 2011. Karen Lauritsen joins the Robert E. Kennedy Library in a newly established position of Communications and Public Programs Coordinator.
» Learn more about Karen Lauritsen
Launched! The library has a new mobile-friendly site
September, 2011. Now, when you visit our website using an iPhone or Android device, you will find a launch-pad to our mobile-friendly content and web applications.
» Read about our new mobile-friendly site
DigitalCommons@CalPoly reaches one million mark
September, 2011. A service of the Robert E. Kennedy Library, DigitalCommons@CalPoly.edu is the university's digital archive. It recently marked its one-millionth download since its launch three years ago.
» Read about DigitalCommons@CalPoly
Three library faculty published in C&RL journal
September, 2011. Librarians Bodemer, Scaramozzino and Ramirez have articles in the upcoming May 2012 issue of College & Research Libraries. Available now as preprints.
» Read about the articles
Welcome Mark Bieraugel, College Librarian for Orfalea College of Business
September, 2011. Bieraugel joins Kennedy Library as the College Librarian for the Orfalea College of Business, bringing with him real-world experience of working at start-ups, midsized firms, and multinational public companies.
» Learn more about Mark Bieraugel
Robert E. Kennedy Library faculty co-creator of new open access journal
September, 2011. Digital Repository Librarian Marisa Ramirez, in collaboration with Isaac Gilman from Pacific University in Oregon, announce the creation of the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, a new open access, peer-reviewed journal.
» Learn more about the creation of the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication
New furniture spruces up the atrium
August, 2011. Students suggested that the Atrium needed a makeover, and we listened. The new furniture takes advantage of this light–filled space by providing more comportable seating for study, reading, and relaxing.
» Learn more about the new furniture in the atrium
Upgrades for the grad study rooms
August, 2011. Cal Poly graduate students are in for a pleasant surprise the next time they visit Kennedy Library. Both the 3rd-floor Group Study and the 4th-floor Quiet Study rooms have been upgraded with new furniture and white boards. In addition, both still have computers and reservable mobile lockers.
» Learn more about the grad study rooms
Anna Gold Named New University Librarian
May 2011. Kennedy Library Associate Dean Anna Gold has been named to the new position of University Librarian, effective July 15, 2011, reporting to Michael D. Miller in his recently announced new role as CIO and head of a new campus division, Information Services.
» Learn more about Gold and the new position
Colonial Project, National Game: A History of Baseball in Taiwan
Cal Poly Authors: May 13, 2011. Hear author Andrew Morris talk about the book's themes and his writing process, followed by conversation between the author and the invited respondents, and Q&A with other attendees.
» Find out more about the May Conversations with Cal Poly Authors event
Harm Reduction: Intravenous Drug Use Solutions in SLO County
Science Café: May 4, 2011. Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies that reduce negative consequences of drug use, incorporating a spectrum of strategies from safer use, to managed use to abstinence. Mett community members and activitists working in the SLO community.
» Get more information on the Harm Reduction Science Café
3rd Annual Student Video Competition Winners
April 19, 2011. The Third Annual Student Video Competition winners have been announced!
» See the competition web site for the winners as well as links to their videos
Look the Other Way: An exhibition of photographic truth and fiction
Thursday, April 14 through Friday, June 3, 2011. A photography exhibit using student-engineered images, sounds and text with University Archives materials. Exploring the history of spirit photography through the re-envisioning of history.
» Get more information about Look the Other Way
Peter Runge joins Kennedy Library
March, 2011. Kennedy Library welcomes Peter Runge as Head of Special Collections and University Archives. His duties include providing vision and direction for the acquisition, arrangement, preservation, advancement and promotion of the Kennedy Library's archival and manuscript collections and related services.
» Read about Peter Runge
New this Spring! Weekend Hours Expanded at Kennedy Library
March 28, 2011. SLAC took a student survey and discovered 60% of students wanted the library open later on the weekend. In response, Kennedy Library expanded weekend hours, staying open until 6pm on both Friday and Saturday nights, during Spring Quarter.
» Read about the survey and our new hours
DigitalCommons@CalPoly Passes the 10,000 Item Mark
March 2011. Congratulations to Joseph Lynch (Philosophy Dept) and the editors of Between the Species, whose journal helped DigitalCommons surpass the 10,000 item mark. DigitalCommons is the university's archive.
» Learn more about DigitalCommons and publishing eJournals
Mar. 22, 2011. Kennedy Library at Cal Poly has received a generous donation of books from the Nippon Foundation through its program "100 Books for Understanding Contemporary Japan."
» Read the story
» See the list of titles donated
Kennedy Library celebrates 30 years
Mar. 21, 2011. Join us on April 8th in celebrating the 30th anniversary of the dedication of Robert E. Kennedy Library. There will be a rededication ceremony, tours of the library, refreshments and entertainment
» Read more about our 30th Anniversary
» Read the Cal Poly press release about the event
Conversations with Cal Poly Authors
Mar. 11, 2011. Join us for our inaugural event. Author and City & Regional Planning Chair, Hema C. Dandekar will discuss her book Michigan Family Farms and Farm Buildings. Campus guests include Joel Orth (History Department) and Hunter Francis (Center for Sustainability).
» Find about more about Conversations with Cal Poly Authors
Celebrating Black History Month: Where We Stand
Feb. 14 – Mar. 3, 2011, Library 1st Floor Gallery. Where We Stand draws from Mustang Daily articles, student club documents, and oral accounts to construct a brief history of African American advocacy on the Cal Poly campus from the Civil Rights Movement to the present day.
» Find about more about this exhibit
Cal Poly Acquires Mark Mills Architectural Archive
Kennedy Library's Special Collection department recently acquired the architectural archive of architect Mark Mills — a California mid-century modernist. The archive includes hand-drawn architectural tracings, Morley Baer photographs, correspondence from Ansel Adams and scrapbooks of Mill's designs.
» Read the Mills press release
Third Annual Student Video Competition Announced
This year's theme: The Kennedy Library — Thirty Years in the Making. What’s Next?
Cash prizes, celebrity guest judge, and screenings this spring. Entries not due until April 1, 2011 — plenty of time to get started now.
» Learn more about the Student Video Competition!
TAIWAN: Plugging into the world
Thursday, November 18 – Thursday, December 2, 2010. Photography exhibit featuring Taiwan's transformation from an agrarian past into a high-technology nation at present.
» Get more information about our Fall exhibit
Kaffir Boy Author Mark Mathabane to Speak at Cal Poly
In response to the recent controversy surrounding his autobiography Kaffir Boy, author Mark Mathabane will be speaking at Cal Poly’s Spanos Theater on October 21.
» More details about author Mark Mathabane speaking
Kick start your senior project with this helpful session. Led by our CLA Librarian, you will learn ways to approach research for your project, about key tools available to you through the library, as well as other services. The session is only one hour long, but will set you up for Senior project success.
» More details about Senior Project SOS
Take a LibRAT led tour of the library any Thursday in October. Two tours offered a day. No sign up necessary.
Knowing the library better — where things are and what services we offer — helps you get the most out of the library which in turns helps you achieve your academic goals.
» More details about Thursday Tours
Cats visit the library: 10/07/10
Back by popular demand: The Paws the Refreshes. Some of the cats from the Cal Poly Cat Program will be visiting the library from 11am to 1pm Thursday, October 7th. Stop by to hang out and pet the cats.
» More details about Cats in the Atrium
Banned Books Week: September 25 – October 2, 2010
Banning books is a challenge to your First Amendment rights and takes away an individual's right to choose material that is appropriate for yourself or your family. See our display on the 2nd Floor, check out our web page or read the list of the Top 100 Banned books.
» Learn more about Banned Books Week
Second Annual Student Video Competition Winners Announced
The theme this year was Hidden Treasures within the Kennedy Library.
» Find out who won and how you can enter next year.
Cats in the Atrium: The Paws that Refreshes
On June 7, the first day of the last week of the 09-10 academic school year, the library hosted four feline visitors from the Cal Poly Cat Program.
» More details about Cats in the Atrium
Nisei Diploma Project: Stories from California Polytechnic State University
June 8 through July 5, 2010. Kennedy Library is presenting an exhibition highlighting Cal Poly Japanese American students who were unable to complete their education due to their forced relocation and internment during World War II.
» More details about the Nisei Diploma Project Exhibition
