Thursday, December 18, 2008

Favorite Films Festival Winning Films


Voting for the 2009 Favorite Films Festival closed last night. 274, or 11.2 % of the college community, participated this year. This was 38 more participants than last year.

The winning films are:

* Film Noir – Chinatown (16 votes)
* Foreign Film – Amelie (21 votes)
* Animated Film – Beauty and the Beast (16 votes)

The complete list will be posted in Burling Library's Listening Room and on the festival blog at PioneerWeb.

The Favorite Films Festival is scheduled for January 23-25, 2009. Locations and times will be announced later. The festival is sponsored by the Grinnell College Libraries and the Student Government Association Film Committee.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

The LR Diva

Monday, December 1, 2008

Burling Study Breaks


The libraries will be hosting study breaks featuring entertainment, cookies and milk at 9:00 P.M, Sunday(December 14), Monday (December 15), and Tuesday (December 16) of finals week.

Sunday night come listen to a cappella music with Con Brio, Monday night enjoy some bluegrass with Muskelunge Highway and Tuesday night take a break with Improv!.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

2009 Favorite Films Festival Survey is Underway

Members of the college community are invited to vote for the films to be shown at the third annual Grinnell College Favorite Films Festival.

The three categories this year are:

Film Noir
Foreign Film
Animated Film
The only limit is that the films selected must be part of the Grinnell College Libraries' collections.

The survey will be open for voting on PioneerWeb from Sunday, November 2th through Sunday, November 16th. The winning films will be announced shortly afterwards and will be shown on campus Friday, January 23, through Sunday, January 25, 2009.

BTW, the films the campus community selected last year’s festival were:
Action/Adventure - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Childhood Favorite - The Lion King
Science Fiction - Star Wars: A New Hope
The Favorite Films Festival is co-sponsored by the Grinnell College Libraries and the Student Government Association Films Committee. For more information, contact Randye Jones at jonesran@grinnell.edu or the Films Committee at films@grinnell.edu.

Ask a Librarian via Instant Messaging

http://www.lib.grinnell.edu/ask/

And add us to your “buddy list” for online reference service!

• AIM/iChat: query@grinnell.edu
• MSN: query@grinnell.edu
• Google Talk: grinnellcollegelibraries
• Yahoo: grinnellcollegelibraries

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Meet the 2008/2009 Library SEPC

Solomon A Akesseh '11 (Library)
Peter Henry '09 (SGA)
Chris Johnston '09 (Senator)
Kim Knudsen '10 (Library)
Sam Stragand '10 (Senator)
Andrew Walsh '09 (Library)
Hannah Yourd '09 (Library)

The Library SEPC (Student Educational Policy Committee) is a student/library liaison group that provides the Libraries with student input on quality of library services, performance and hiring of librarians, and other important issues. SEPC works with a group of librarians and library staff as part of a Student Outreach Committee that provides advice and suggestions to the Libraries regarding services, collections, events, facilities, library promotion, and other issues. The SEPC also helps organize the Libraries' finals-week study breaks, surveys students and summarizes their opinions regarding the professional performance of librarians during contract reviews, and participates in interviews of candidates for librarian positions.

The Library SEPC includes:

• 4 library student employees, elected at the beginning of the fall semester by all the current library student employees;

• 1 student appointed early in the fall term by SGA;

• 2 students elected early in the fall term by the representatives of the residential clusters (Joint Board) (each representing a different cluster).

Monday, September 15, 2008

LibX Browser Toolbar

The LibX toolbar gives you easy access to many of the Grinnell College Libraries' resources, right in Firefox or Internet Explorer. You can search the catalog and online journals by highlighting, dragging and dropping—no typing required!

Down load the toolbar for Firefox at http://libx.org/editions/download.php?edition=7866E019.

Down load the toolbar for Internet Explorer at http://libx.org/editions/78/66/7866E019/libx-7866E019.exe.

If you don't want the full LibX toolbar, you can also add the library catalog to your browser's search box.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Fall Semester Events Hosted by the Libraries

Come join us for Wednesday Nights @ Burling, a series of events that showcase the talents of local writers, singers, and musicians!

September 10, Wednesday night at 7:45pm—Jeff Dickey-Chasins will read from his latest works of fiction. J.C. Dickey-Chasins’ stories have appeared in Lullwater Review, The North Atlantic Review, The Apalachee Review, The Portland Review, Gulfstream, Emrys Journal, 580 Split, Lumina, Taproot, Owen Wister Review, and other publications. He is a 1981 graduate of Grinnell College and has studied with Lee Abbott, Adam Haslett, and Thomas Averill. Refreshments will be served.
Location: first floor, Burling Library


October 1, Wednesday night at 7:45pm—co-hosted with the Faulconer Gallery—Open Mic night for fiction, poetry, and music. Join the Grinnell College Libraries and the Faulconer Art Gallery for an evening of literature and music. Read from your own poetry and fiction or that of a favorite author or poet; perform music that you've written yourself or any piece that you've been working on. Share your literary and musical passion in a beautiful setting with other members of the college and the community of Grinnell. Come early for refreshments. If you have questions or want more information, contact Tilly Woodward [woodward] or Liz Rodrigues [rodrigel].
Location: Faulconer Gallery

October 29, Wednesday night at 7:45pm—Tom Simmons will be reading from his forthcoming collection of poetry, One Book of Poems. Simmons studied the writing of poetry at Stanford University with Diane Middlebrook, Timothy Dekin, Kenneth Fields, Donald Davie, and Henri Coulette and received a Wallace Stegner Fellowship in Creative Writing in 1978-1979. He is also the author of several works of nonfiction and literary criticism. Having previously taught at Stanford, UC Berkeley, MIT, and Grinnell College, he is currently Associate Professor of English at the University of Iowa and lives with his family in Grinnell. Refreshments will be served.
Location: first floor, Burling Library

November 19, Wednesday night at 7:45pm—co-hosted with the Faulconer Gallery—Open Mic night for fiction, poetry, and music. Join the Grinnell College Libraries and the Faulconer Art Gallery for an evening of literature and music. Read from your own poetry and fiction or that of a favorite author or poet; perform music that you've written yourself or any piece that you've been working on. Share your literary and musical passion in a beautiful setting with other members of the college and the community of Grinnell. Come early for refreshments. If you have questions or want more information, contact Tilly Woodward [woodward] or Liz Rodrigues [rodrigel].
Location: Faulconer Gallery

December 3, Wednesday night at 7:45pm—The students of Khanh Ho's Fiction Writing Seminar will read from the work they have been writing throughout the semester. Come enjoy the results of their creative efforts and provide them with an attentive audience. Refreshments will be served. Location: first floor, Burling Library

Friday, September 5, 2008

Vending machine in Burling now takes P-cards!

A vending machine with a variety of cold drinks is located on the Basement level of Burling by the elevator and now takes P-cards! Please keep your beverage container tightly capped to prevent spills in the library -- and please remember to recycle empty containers. Hot water and free tea bags will continue to be available throughout the year on Level 1 (bring your own mug -- it's better for the environment!). During finals week, we'll also serve free coffee each evening.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Re-Discovering Roots

“Re-Discovering Roots,” a series of programs related to the history-making miniseries, Roots, will be presented on the Grinnell College campus between September 19th and 28th. The presentations are designed to examine the miniseries both from its impact when it premiered in 1977 and its relevance today.

“Remembering Race, Turning to Television,” presented by Grinnell College English Department professor Theresa L. Geller, will open the programs on Friday, September 19, at 4:15 p.m. in the Forum South Lounge. Professor Geller will explore how televisual culture has represented Black America and the continuing challenge of understanding these representations as well as discuss the continuing affects and impact of Roots on television today and what led up to its historical intervention.

Roots will be shown in six episodes from Sunday, September 21, through Friday, September 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the Forum South Lounge. Immediately following each showing, a presenter will lead a 20-30 minute discussion of the miniseries from a perspective related to his/her area of specialization. The presenters are:

Sun., Sept. 21 (Episode 1) –Roger Vetter, Grinnell College Music Dept.
Mon., Sept. 22 (Episode 2) –Khanh Ho, Grinnell College English Dept.
Tue., Sept. 23 (Episode 3) –Al Lacson, Grinnell College History Dept.
Wed., Sept. 24 (Episode 4) –Todd Crites, Grinnell High School Social Sciences Dept.
Thu., Sept. 25 (Episode 5) –George Barlow, Grinnell College English Dept.
Fri., Sept. 26 (Episode 6) –Shanna Benjamin, Grinnell College English Dept.

Episodes 1-3 will be repeated on Saturday, September 27, beginning at 1:00 p.m, and Episodes 4-6 will be repeated on Sunday, September 28, beginning at 3:00 p.m. All showings will be held in the Forum South Lounge.

Because Episode One contains brief nudity and there is intense violence in several scenes throughout the miniseries, parental discretion is advised for the showings.

The closing program, “Roots Reactions, 1977 and Today” will feature panelists Lisa Adkins, Jon Andelson, Waldo Walker of the Grinnell College community who will discuss their recollections of Roots when it premiered in 1977. There will also be an “open-mike” discussion of reactions from today’s point-of-view, with perspective from licensed master social worker Chelyne Cunningham. This program will be held on Sunday, September 28th, at 2:00 p.m. in Burling Library.

In addition to the scheduled programs, the Grinnell College Libraries are organizing a variety of displays related to Roots. There is a selection of books on the economics of slavery now on display on the first floor of Burling Library. A list of a few recordings from the Libraries’ video and compact disc collections has been compiled under, “African-American Influences in Music,” which is available in Burling Library’s Listening Room and online at http://www.lib.grinnell.edu/collections/RootsRelatedFilm-CDList.pdf. Special Collections will soon place a display of materials on life in the Grinnell community at the time of the 1977 miniseries premiere. Their display cases are located on the basement level of Burling Library.

The programs, sponsored by the Grinnell College Libraries, Student Government Association Films Committee, and Cultural Films Committee, are all free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served at each event. For more information, please call Randye Jones 641-269-3365 or email jonesran@grinnell.edu.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

What's New Fall 2008

Summer is a busy time in the Grinnell College Libraries as we work on projects to create new services for the fall semester. Look for these improvements in Burling Library and Kistle Science Library as you start the new year!

"The Living Room" and West Lounge: We have created two new lounge and browsing spaces in Burling, across from the circulation desk and in the northwest alcove by Current Periodicals -- with new upholstery and a new look. Floor lamps for both these areas are under construction and should arrive soon. Let us know what you think.

A computer and ceiling-mounted projector are being installed in the easternmost group study room of Kistle Science Library (Rm. 2110). This will provide a convenient spot for small groups of students who need to practice presentations or have other audiovisual needs. This room is available on a firstcome-first-served basis.

ILL Requests now easier: Most of the Libraries' citation databases now link directly to an interlibrary request form if the Libraries do not have a print or online copy of an article -- and the citation information is automatically entered into the form. (But be sure to check the citation before hitting 'Submit' -- computers aren't infallible.)

Laptop Tables: 2nd floor south terrace: We have added two small laptop tables on the second floor of Burling (south terrace, behind the Black Library). We also plan to add a new floor lamp there soon, to improve lighting during the evening. Let us know if this helps.

White board: 1st floor south. Students will find a small white board on wheels on the south side of Level 1 in Burling. Feel free to use this for group study sessions.

NEW COLLECTIONS AND DATABASES: Available everywhere on campus, and to all students, faculty and staff off campus. Connect through the Journal Finder and Databases and Indexes on the Libraries' home page.

Nature and Science: We have established online subscriptions to the two premier science journals. Science includes a backfile to 1997 (issues before 1997 are included in JSTOR). The Nature subscription goes back to 2004. We will maintain our print subscriptions to both journals for the next year, and then consult with science departments.
Elsevier's Science Direct Article Download Service: Faculty and students may now access any article from any journal in any year that is part of Elsevier's ScienceDirect database. Each download will cost $22.00 which will be charged against the Libraries' account. In March 2008, Elsevier discontinued the Web Editions program through which we received online access to the journals for which we had print subscriptions. We will discontinue those 55 subscriptions in January 2009. We will maintain print subscriptions for 15 journals that faculty recommended we keep in that format. A password is required: please see the Libraries' home page for further information.
Education Research Complete. A database covering scholarly research and information relating to all areas of education. Topics covered include all levels of education from early childhood to higher education, and all educational specialties. This will replace Education Abstracts.
Early American Newspapers, Series I and III: We have added these series to our existing subscription to Series II, extending coverage back to 1690 (the beginning of newspaper publishing in North America) and forward to 1922.
Nineteenth Century UK Periodicals: This collection includes 1.2 million pages of periodicals published in Great Britain between 1800 and 1900. It includes publications on women, children, leisure and sport, and humor.
The Chronicle of Higher Education: We have established a site license for this popular weekly review of news and issues in higher education. The site license includes complete access to the Chronicle Web site, the text from the current print edition, posted every Monday morning, a searchable archive of every issue published since September 1989, all the commentary and essays from the weekly magazine The Chronicle Review, and all the data from the annual Almanac and other special reports.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Food! Prizes! Fun! Library Open House


The Grinnell College Libraries will host an Open House on Friday, August 29, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at Burling Library. There will be tours of the library facilities, informational handouts, and staff available to answer questions about Burling, Kistle Science Library and the various collections in the Libraries. There will also be a contest and drawing for Bookstore gift certificates. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call 269-3360.

New Faces in the Libraries


Julia Bauder is the new Data Services Librarian. (In plain English, that means she’s the librarian to see when you need numbers—statistics, data, facts and figures, etc.) She is also the library’s resident techno-geek and a hopeless news junkie. Prior to joining the Grinnell College Libraries she was a Detroit-based freelance writer. She received her B.A. in Politics from Simon's Rock College of Bard in Massachusetts, and her M.L.I.S. from Wayne State University.

Liz Rodrigues has a Master of Arts in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida and is completing an MFA in poetry at Florida Atlantic University. She received her BA in English from Kenyon College and is thrilled to return to small town Midwestern life as a one-year term Reference & Instruction Librarian.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Grinnell College Libraries' Article Download Service for the Elsevier Science Direct Database

Background: In March 2008, Elsevier discontinued the Web Editions program through which we received online access to the journals for which we had print subscriptions. To restore online availability and to expand the range of titles and years to which we have access, the Libraries have established a deposit account for article-level access to the ScienceDirect database as a replacement for subscriptions to 55 Elsevier journals. Those 55 subscriptions will cease in January 2009. We will maintain print subscriptions for the 15 journals that faculty recommended we keep in that format. Under the new program, faculty and students are able to access any article from any journal in any year that is part of the ScienceDirect database. Each download will cost $22.00 which will be charged against the Libraries' account.

How Do I Find the Journal I Need?
All Elsevier journal titles (except for 15 that we will keep on print subscription) will be listed in the Libraries' e-journal finder at http://www.lib.grinnell.edu/research/articlelinker.html. The e-journal entry will link you to the ScienceDirect database.

Citations in databases like PsycInfo will also link you to our e-journal finder through the "search for full text" link, and from there you will be linked to the ScienceDirect database.

What Happens Then? How Do I Access an Article I've Found?
Individual articles in the ScienceDirect database are password protected.

Faculty: Passwords are available in P-Web under the "Services" tab. To access the full text of an article in Science Direct, click on the "login" option in the top right corner of the ScienceDirect screen and type in the user name and password. You can log in at the point you see the abstract for the specific article you need (or you can log in on any ScienceDirect screen). You will remain logged in until you click the "logout" option in the top right corner or close your browser.

Once you log in, a "PDF" tab will appear for that article. Click that tab. A screen will appear that will say "This article is not included in your organization's subscription. However, you may be able to access this article under your organization's agreement with Elsevier. Click the 'Continue' button below to proceed."

Click "Continue" and the full text of the article will appear.

Students may request access to an article from any librarian or library staff member, whenever Burling or Kistle Library is open (see http://www.lib.grinnell.edu/ask/) We will retrieve it and send it to the student electronically within 24 hours (usually sooner).

What Are the Restrictions on Use of these Downloaded Articles?
You may not post an article in a course-management system or send it to other readers. Articles are intended for individual use only. You may view, download, and locally store the articles. Please note that once you view an article the deposit account is charged. Please download it within 24 hours if you intend to view it again. After 24 hours, the deposit account will be charged again with a new "transaction."

Faculty: If you want to use an Elsevier article for reserve, please use standard procedures for an e-reserve request. We will handle copyright permission and post the article in the e-reserve system.

What About the Libraries' Print Subscriptions?
This deposit account will replace most of the Libraries' current Elsevier subscriptions. Beginning in January 2009, 55 subscriptions to Elsevier journals will be discontinued. 15 print subscriptions will be maintained, based on faculty recommendations.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Yes, You May Check Out Books for the Summer!


Library books may be checked out for the summer. Books will be due August 23, 2008, the day New Student Orientation begins. There is a grace period for returning books and if you return books by the time classes start there will not be any fine.

If you currently have books checked out that you would like to keep for the summer, you may renew them online at https://cat.lib.grinnell.edu/patroninfo

RECALLED BOOKS: Remember to check your Grinnell email during the summer. If a book you have is recalled for use by another patron, you will need to return it by the NEW due date. You will have to bring the book in or have it delivered to us in a timely manner (via UPS, USPS, FedEx, etc.). Recalled books are due in 3 days from the date of recall.

Audio and video recordings and bound periodicals check out for their normal loan periods and are not available for summer checkout.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Burling Study Breaks


The libraries will be hosting study breaks featuring entertainment, homemade cookies (made by the library staff!) and milk at 9:00 P.M, Monday (May 12), Tuesday (May 13), and Wednesday (May 14) of finals week.

Monday night come hear Buckthorn (student blue grass band) with Too Many String Band (community band). Tuesday night enjoy the G-Tones (male acapella choir). Wednesday night take a break with Con Brio (female acapella choir).

Friday, April 25, 2008

Reference Chat with Librarians: Ask A Librarian

Have reference questions? Librarians are available through reference chat at Ask a Librarian http://www.lib.grinnell.edu/ask/.

Our online/offline button is not working but despite appearances, we are online especially during the hours of 1-5 and 7-10 p.m.

Friday, April 4, 2008

5-Question Survey for Human-Computer Interaction Class

Students in Janet Davis' Computer Science 295 class, Human-Computer Interaction, have written the following survey in consultation with the Libraries to determine the usability of the Libraries website. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=DQ8OP2vBaJK0sk7qY_
2byrcw_3d_3d
. It has only five questions!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Turkish Mission Photograph Collection Online

Tarsus, Turkey in the early 20th century

The Grinnell College Libraries has mounted the Turkish Mission Photograph collection from the Nilson-Fyfe Papers on PDID (Pioneer Image Database)at http://pdid.grinnell.edu/.

Paul and Harriet Nilson were Congregational missionaries and teachers in Turkey during the first half of the 20th Century. This collection of photographs documents their time in Turkey and contains many rare images of the cities of Tarsus, Talas, Diyarbakir, and Mardin.

More information about the Nilson-Fyfe collection is available at
http://www.lib.grinnell.edu/collections/specialcollections/Manuscripts/
findingaids/NilsonFyfeMss.html


Copyright © 2008 Grinnell College Libraries

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

CRL Collections in Library Catalog


The Libraries' catalog has been enriched with over 2,000 records describing selected microform and other collections available through the Center for Research Libraries that may be of interest to Grinnell students and faculty. As a member of CRL, Grinnell College may borrow materials from CRL collections for extended periods. Most requests are filled within a week. Each catalog record contains a link to a special Interlibrary Loan form through which the materials may be requested; in some cases, records also contain links to online guides to the contents of the microform The Creation of Modern Iraq: India Office Political and Secret Files, c. 1914-1921, Mediaeval & Renaissance Manuscripts at Trinity College, Dublin, the Lesbian Herstory Archives, the Comintern Archive, 1917-1940, and the Underground Newspaper Collection.

The Center for Research Libraries is a consortium of North American universities, colleges, and independent research libraries that acquires and preserves traditional and digital resources for research and teaching and makes them available to member institutions for extended loan periods through interlibrary loan and electronic delivery. For more information -- and for a direct link to the full CRL catalog -- please see http://www.lib.grinnell.edu/collections/CRLInfo.html.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

New Copiers in Burling and Kistle Libraries

We have installed new copiers in Burling and Kistle libraries. In Burling, the 3rd-floor copier has been moved to the 4th floor with the bound journal collection, and -- in response to numerous student requests -- the basement-level copier has been moved to the 1st floor near the current journal shelves. We hope these new locations are more convenient.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Monthly Movie Recommendations Available

Each month, the Listening Room and AV Center offer a list of films from their collections based on a specific theme of interest to patrons. This month, the list concentrates on movies rated best by the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), from The Godfather (no. 1) to The Departed (no. 43).

Lists are posted in the Listening Room and in the Movie Browser available in the Listening Room and AV Center. Films listed may be checked out by the college community for the normal one-week loan period.

Past lists have featured dance in honor of the college’s Winter Waltz, holidays like Halloween and Valentines’ Day, and events-based themes such as Black History Month, politics and sports.

Patrons may suggest upcoming themes by contacting the Listening Room supervisor at 3365 or jonesran@grinnell.edu.

Friday, February 29, 2008

Trial Databases Extended

The libraries are participating in an extended trial of the full-text archive of The Nation, 1865-to one month ago; The National Review, 1955 to the present, and The New Republic, 1865 to the present.

You can link to these journals directly or search them through Academic Search Premier. Please let us know what you think in person or send an email to query@grinnell.edu.

The Nation Archive

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=
ehost&defaultdb=nih

The National Review Archive

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=
ehost&defaultdb=nch


The New Republic Archive

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=
ehost&defaultdb=fjh

Monday, February 25, 2008

95% Incandescent-free

Working with Facilities Maintenance and a great crew of volunteers from Free the Planet [http://www.grinnell.edu/student/groups/ftp/], we have replaced almost every incandescent bulb in Burling Library with Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). Fluorescent lamps are much more energy-efficient than the older incandescent bulbs and last longer, too. The Libraries already have a strong recycling program (all the packaging from the new lamps has been recycled or reused, of course), and we’re pleased to add the CFL replacements to our list of environmental initiatives. Thanks for your help, FTP!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Exhibits at Burling Library

The Grinnell College Libraries invite you to browse a number of exhibits currently on display on the first floor and basement level of Burling Library: Portugal in the Context of History, Culture, and Art complements of the Faulconer Gallery exhibit Where are You From? Contemporary Art from Portugal. It features a selection of books that highlight different aspects of Portuguese culture, including its language, politics, art, architecture, and image in popular culture.

The Research Continuum represents the evolution in scholarly thought as represented in books published over half a century in the areas of the presidency and human rights.

Look for exhibits going up right now on visiting authors Ana Castillo (Thursday, April 10: Rosenfield Center, Room 101, 8:00 p.m) and Manning Marable (Thursday, March 13: Rosenfield Center, Room 101, 11:00 a.m.)

Monday, January 28, 2008

Spring Semester Events Hosted by the Libraries


Come join us for an evening of great poetry, literature and music!

February 20, Wednesday night at 7:45 p.m.—co-hosted with the Faulconer Gallery—An open mic for poetry, fiction, or music. Location: Faulconer Gallery. Join the Grinnell College Libraries and the Faulconer Art Gallery for an evening of literature and music. Read from your own poetry and fiction or that of a favorite author or poet; perform music that you've written yourself or any piece that you've been working on. Share your literary and musical passion in a beautiful setting with other members of the college and the community of Grinnell. If you have questions or want more information, contact Tilly Woodward [woodward] or Rebecca Stuhr [stuhrr].

February 27, Wednesday night at 7:45 p.m.--Will Freeman will read from his work in progress, "Road Map". Freeman's book takes the form of journal entries and recounts a father-son cross-country road trip. As with any set of plans, the unexpected, whether chance or fate, is always a determining factor. This is a book about father and son relationships, life choices, and finding one's way. Location: first floor, Burling Library

March 5, Wednesday night at 7:45 p.m.--Mark Montgomery, professor of economics at Grinnell College, will read from his humorous essays and fiction at Burling Library, First Floor. This is one of four events being hosted by the libraries during the spring semester of 2008. This event is free and open to the public. Location: first floor, Burling.

April 7, Monday night at 7:45 p.m.--Betty Moffett, short story writer (and folk singer), will read from her short fiction. Betty will be joined by the Too Many String Band to perform some of her songs. Location: first floor, Burling Library.

April 16, Wednesday night at 7:45 p.m.--David Richter, assistant professor of Spanish will be giving a talk on modern Spanish poetry. In April of 2007, the college celebrated the donation from Mary-Elizabeth Debicki of Andrew P. Debicki's personal library. This year the Grinnell College Libraries are recognizing the life and contributions of Professor Debicki with a lecture, sponsored by Mrs. Debicki, to be given by David Richter. The title of Prof. Richter's talk will be: "Death and Desire in Modern Hispanic Poetry: Reflections on Grinnell College Libraries' Andrew P. Debicki Collection." Location: first floor, Burling Library


April 23, Wednesday night at 7:45 p.m.
--The students of Ralph Saverese's Craft of Poetry class will read from the poetry they have been writing throughout the semester. Location: first floor, Burling Library.

May 1, Thursday night at 7:45 p.m.--Paula Smith, Professor of English, and as of July 2008, Dean of the College, will read from her most recent literary works. Smith recently spent a portion of her sabbatical at Ragdale, an artist retreat near Lake Forest, Illinois, as an artist in residence. Location: first floor, Burling Library.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

New Faces in the Libraries


During the Spring semester, library users will see three new faces at the Burling and Kistle reference desks. Simone Sidwell, Elaine Settergren, and Lorraine Hopper-Wobst will work with us part-time while we complete the search for a Data Services Librarian and while Phil Jones is on research leave.

Simone has an MLS from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a BA in Comparative Literature. Elaine’s MLS is from the University of Pittsburgh, and her BA from Winona State is in English. Lorraine has a Master’s in Library Science from Drexel University and a BA in Spanish and English from Bucknell. Please welcome Simone, Elaine and Lorraine to Grinnell College!

Photo courtesy of the Grinnell College Libraries.

Course-level Passwords for E-reserves

This semester we are implementing a new password system for accessing electronic reserve readings, streaming audio files, etc. The password will restrict access to course materials to the students enrolled in that course. Instructors will provide the password to enrolled students at the beginning of the term. If a student forgets his/her password, it is available from the circ desk supervisor, the reference librarian, academic support assistants, and often, on the PioneerWeb page for the course. Our goal with this procedure is to improve our compliance with copyright law while ensuring that students can get help with lost or forgotten passwords.

Movie Browser Now Available Online

The Listening Room's Movie Browser has been a familiar resource for a number of years. While the hard copy version began as an effort to provide patrons a way to browse the room's video collection, it has grown to include the video collection in the AV Center. Because of this and in response to patron requests, the master list of the Movie Browser is now available online.

To access the Movie Browser Online, go to http://www.lib.grinnell.edu/collections/MovieBrowserOnline.html and select one of the available links. The videos in the Movie Browser Online are arranged in title order and split between six (6) files. The browser includes the film's format (DVD or VHS), call number and whether it is restricted to library use only. If it is located in the AV Center or requires a multi-region player, this information should also be noted; otherwise, the video should be in the Listening Room and playable on standard US equipment. To get more information about a specific title--such as whether a film is checked out, click on the title's link to access its record in the library catalog.

Graduate Programs in Library, Archival, and Information Science

Librarianship and archival work are career choices for many Grinnell graduates, We have begun to post announcements of graduate programs (Master’s and Ph.D.) on the bulletin board outside the Librarian of the College’s Office. If you are curious about career opportunities in this field, contact Catherine Rod (rod@grinnell.edu) or any of the other librarians. We’d be happy to talk with you.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Sculptural Paper Held Over by Popular Demand

The Art 295 “Sculptural Paper” installation will continue on view through the Spring semester. A few pieces have been moved to new locations in Burling. See our original posting about this installation below.

Burling Library is privileged to host this installation of paper-based sculptures created by the students in ART295. As digital forms of communication become more pervasive, our relationship to physical place and tangible objects becomes more complex and, some would say, more precious. We invite the Grinnell community to enjoy the surprise of unexpected encounters with these works, and we encourage respect for them. A listing of the artists and the locations of their works is also available at the Circulation Desk.

— Richard Fyffe, Rosenthal Librarian of the College

Artists’ Statement:

Handmade paper has a deep relationship with interior spaces. From Japanese shoji screens to fine Italian wallpaper we all have ideas about the relationship between paper and architecture. Paper is also, historically, the substrate that carries our culture. The library, the gallery, and the archive are all places that house this paper.

The Sculptural Paper class this fall has been given the gift of an invitation to create site-specific works of art that use handmade paper as their primary material for locations throughout Burling Library. The diversity of the work they have created is remarkable. Each of these works uses plant fiber: Cotton, Flax, Hemp, Abaca, or Kozo, as the primary material for form and structure in these objects.

Some of these works will be immediately apparent when one walks in the front door of Burling Library. Meredith Grove's cast human forms will cover a section of the large brick wall on the West side of Burling. Rebecca Johnston has cast scores of round shapes that hang overhead from the second floor mezzanine. Other works are hidden away. Veronica Erb's abaca domes nestle into a tree house, Trevor Austin's quiet alphabet book rests on a shelf below a dictionary. These are only a few examples of the wide range of student responses to this project.

Everyone is welcome to join a public discussion about the development, materials, and process of this project with the artists on November 13th from 1 to 4 pm.

We would like to thank the staff of Burling Library for their generous support of this project.

—Professor Lee Running and the Students of ART295, Fall 2007

Sculptural Paper: Site-Specific Installations in Burling Library

1. Alex Schechter: “Burqa”
Kozo and fabric dye
Location: Front (north) Windows, 1 st Floor.

2. Hugh Redford: Untitled
Abaca and Kozo
Location: Treehouse, 1 st Floor

3. Indrani Singh: “Making Sense of Place”
Kozo and Abaca
Location: Map and Atlas Cases, 1 st Floor

4. Kirsten Aho: Untitled
Abaca and Flax
Location: Central Staircase, 4 th Floor

5. Lindsey Walter: Untitled
Kozo
Location: Reference Collection, 1 st Floor

6. Meredith Groves: “Sense of Self”
Flax and Abaca
Location: Brick Wall, Southwest Corner, 1 st Floor

7. Paula Matallana: “Macondo Lives Only In The Mind”
Abaca, Cotton and Kozo
Location: Latino Collection, 1 st Floor

8. Rebecca Johnston: “The Collective”
Flax and Cotton
Location: Northeast Alcove, 1 st Floor

9. Sabrina Bardonille: “Quilt”
Kozo
Location: Print and Drawing Study Room, Basement Level

10. Trevor Austin: “Letters”
Cotton
Location: Dictionary Stand, 4 th Floor

11. Veronica Erb: “Hemispheres”
Abaca
Location: Treehouse, 1 st Floor

12. Camille Lindsey-Larrabee: “Tie Dye Kite”
Kozo
Location: South Windows, 1 st floor

2008 Favorite Films Festival

The Grinnell College community is invited to see the films it selected as its favorite action/adventure, science fiction and childhood favorite during the second annual Favorite Films Festival on January 25-27. The film schedule is:

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (Action/Adventure)
Fri. Jan. 25th 4:30, 7:30 & 10:30 PM Harris
Sat. Jan. 26th 1:30 PM Harris

Star Wars: A New Hope (Science Fiction)

Sat. Jan. 26th 7:30 & 10:30 PM Harris
Sun. Jan. 27th 1:30PM Harris

The Lion King (Childhood Favorite)
Fri. Jan. 25th 7:30PM & 9:30 PM Forum
Sat. Jan. 26th 7:30PM & 9:30 PM Forum

All showings are free and open to the public.

The films were selected after a campus-wide survey conducted last semester. The festival is co-sponsored by Grinnell College Libraries and the Student Government Association Films Committee.