News Updates and Briefs

Chinese Delegation Visits UMUC On December 10, a delegation from Northwestern Polytechnic University (NPU) in Xian, China, visited UMUC. UMUC has had a relationship with NPU for about 20 years. Pictured from left are Shuigen Xiao, University of Maryland, College Park; Xu Demin, former vice president, Northwestern Polytechnic University; Lynne McNamara, director of International Programs, UMUC; Yang Shukang, vice president, NPU; and Huang Weidong, former director of international affairs, NPU.

UMUC's Center for Teaching and Learning is sponsoring a symposium, entitled "Faculty in the Global UMUC Community," February 4–18, 2002. The symposium offers an asynchronous environment for participants to share information, explore, and discuss relevant issues and concerns. Faculty can participate at any time during the symposium.

"Faculty in the Global UMUC Community" builds on last year's symposium, which addressed various pedagogical issues. This year's symposium focuses on key organizational and structural issues as UMUC pursues a more focused global identity.

One important difference in this year's symposium is that interactive conferences do not run concurrently and have time limits. To make allowances for time differences, conferences will be available the day before and after the time they are scheduled (Eastern Standard Time).

For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.umuc.edu/facdev/workshops.html or call 301-985-7770.

UMUC Paintings on Loan to State Senate Building

"The Maryland Million" by Baltimore artist Christine Herman Merrill

Works from UMUC's Maryland Artists Collection will be on display in the Second Floor Gallery at the Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. Senate Building in Annapolis, Maryland, from January 24 through November 2002.

Among the works featured in the exhibit is "The Maryland Million," by Baltimore artist Christine Herman Merrill. Known for her extraordinary 19th-century-style animal portraits, Merrill studied at Baltimore's Schuler School of Fine Arts. Her popular paintings are collected internationally and have been shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Merrill has also illustrated several children's books.

The works from the UMUC collection can be seen 9 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays. Admission to the gallery is free and open to the public.

ILS Introduces New Intranet Services

UMUC staff members will now have direct access to a number of library services through the Intranet, complementing the services Information and Library Services already offers on its Internet web page, at www.umuc.edu/library. Through the Intranet, staff members will have access to information on book and document delivery, a guide to databases relevant to staff information needs, the new library handbook, an ILS staff directory with contact information, and more.

Contact ILS at library@umuc.edu and let them know if you would like to see other services added.

Immediate Access to New Library Databases and E-journals

UMUC staff members may access new subscription databases as soon as ILS gets them and before they are even mounted in MdUSA. Look for the link next to the MdUSA logo on the MdUSA login page.

Full issues of a number of electronic journals are also available. The link to them is located in the electronic databases, e-books, and e-journals section of the ILS Web page at www.umuc.edu/library.