Friday, October 30, 2009

Happy Halloween (and All Saints' Day)

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope everyone has a safe weekend, whether you're partying at the Monster Mash tonight, handing out candy tomorrow night or scaring up some fun some other way. Your blogger is going to Netherworld haunted house tonight if she doesn't chicken out. It's pretty remarkable that we have one of the best (regularly ranked in the top 2) haunted houses in the entire country practically in our backyard.

As for spooky tales literally in our backyard, I've been talking with Reinhardt folks who've told me about "Catherine," who haunts the Administration Building, the strange bumps in the night at Gordy Hall and the terrifying something in Paul Jones. I also have witnesses who swear the drawers in Captain Reinhardt's desk open on their own sometimes. I understand the good captain himself has been spotted on campus sometimes, although I prefer to believe the college's founder is enjoying a more peaceful, well-earned repose. (Even if he does feel the need to check in with us, I think he'd be pleased with what he saw, don't you)?

However you celebrate All Hallows' Eve, take some time on Sunday to remember your lost "saints," and be grateful for those who came before you.

Happy Halloween from your friends at the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center! (Look around for me today--I'm the one dressed as Amelia Earhart).

Thursday, October 29, 2009

TWO "Year Of" events today at 2 pm


Greetings! It's my pleasure today to tell you about TWO events happening on campus this afternoon, both of which tie into our "Year of North American Indigenous Peoples" observance.

Of course, we have our weekly film series, shown at 2 pm every Thursday in the Funk Heritage Center. Today's offering is Geronimo: An American Legend. This 1993 film stars Wes Studi as the Apache warrior, and features Jason Patric (of Lost Boys fame), Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall and Matt Damon, and was directed by Walter Hill.

In the film, the Apache Nation is chafing under the government's orders to settle on a reservation and adopt a lifestyle alien to their culture. Several Apache are fed up with the government's broken promises and decide to strike back. Under the leadership of the warrior Geronimo, a group of Apaches go on the attack to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. The movie dramatizes the events leading up to Geronimo's capture in 1886.

Library director Michael Martinez will be on hand to discuss the film and answer questions. Remember, if you attend you can write a brief review and submit it to Karen Preslock for entry into our monthly contest!

Also at 2 pm will be the Chapel Moment for this month. Today chapel will meet in the Echo Garden rather than in Hagen Chapel. The Reverend Ed Swehla will lead a presentation on Native American worship. For more details, contact Chaplain Leigh Martin. It should be a beautiful day for the service.

It's a shame to have to choose between these events, but whichever one you attend, I'm sure you'll get something out of it!

Type to ya again tomorrow, when I will be dressed as a Historical Figure, the subject of a movie currently in theaters! Until then...

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Zombies in the databases!


Check out the October 2nd blog by Elizabeth Millar in the Pop Culture Universe database. She writes about the new movie Zombieland(no spoilers--I'm going Friday) and other zombie films (Ms. Millar is a self-professed "zombie junkie").

I'd like to second Ms. Millar's recommendation that you seek out other spooky subjects in PCU's database, such as vampires and ghosts, and especially check the film studies reference section for articles on midnight movies and the horror genre! You'll be well-prepared to make fascinating small talk at the Monster Mash this Friday!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Reinhardt College PARANORMAL ACTIVITY??? Duh duh dummmmm....


Several months ago I came across this site which collects stories of "haunted places" in the state of Georgia. Mind you, I take these stories with a pillar of salt, but it is the time of year when we like to speculate on such things. The site mentions Cobb, Gordy and Paul Jones halls at Reinhardt as potentially "haunted" places. A friend of mine confirms the Paul Jones story from his own experience. In addition, there has been some spectral speculation about the library, specifically Captain Reinhardt's desk...

I'd like to issue an invitation to readers of this blog. If you have any "haunted Reinhardt" stories, or if you have historical evidence to "bust" any of the ghost myths, please leave a comment or email me at amm "at" reinhardt.edu. I will protect your anonymity if you wish...

If you have an interest in supernatural tales, check out our database Daily Life Online and do a search for ghost stories in "Tales, Myths and Legends." You can find creepy-crawly stories from Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, from ancient times to the present day. Don't be scared to do a little research! You may just find it spellbinding.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Give Blood TODAY-- 12-5pm at the Glass House

Free Halloween Logo - http://www.halloweentext.comReinhardt College's fall blood drive for the American Red Cross is going on today from 12 noon to 5 pm in the Glass House. To schedule your appointment, go to www.givelife.org and enter the sponsor code "Reinhardt" or contact Jenny Smoller or Nichole Cholakian. All participants will receive a discount coupon for Saw VI compliments of Fandango, plus other goodies to celebrate Halloween.

One pint of blood can save as many as three lives!

New music database!


Hello all! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I know I did--I attended the Reinhardt Trick-or-Treat with my kids, Snake-Eyes and Bubbles the PowerPuff Girl. As usual, it was a riot. Kudos to you students who outdo yourselves every year with the costumes and the decorating! You make me so proud!

Some of you may not know that my primary responsibility at the library is the maintenance of our journal collection. I try to keep our subscriptions up-to-date and get the most useful titles for the Reinhardt community. At the same time, I try to save our budget and help out the environment by limiting our print journals to those not covered in the databases. As a result, I'm pretty familiar with what the databases cover. I was really thrilled to see one of our newest databases added to the collection: International Index to Music Periodicals.

It's rare to find a database that covers music journals, and I really want to thank our director, Michael Martinez, for getting this one for us. IIMP contains the full text of more than 100 music journals (some scholarly, some less so), and the indexes of more than 300 more. These contain a range of titles from International Journal of Music Education to Ethnomusicology to Rolling Stone. A wide range of subjects are included, from the teaching of music to music composition to performance in all musical genres. Whether you're researching Rachmaninoff or rap, you'll find a good resource here.

A couple of things I particularly appreciate about this database: you can easily limit your search to the full-text collection if you wish, and you can view title lists from both the complete collection and the full-text collection of journals. That not only makes my job easier, it makes it easier for you to find the resources you can use. Remember if you find an article you want, and it's not available in full-text from the site, we can get it for you through interlibrary loan.

Check this one out, music students!

Friday, October 23, 2009

RIP Soupy Sales


You kids are too young to remember--heck, this blogger is too young to remember--the work of comedian Soupy Sales. However, all of us who've ever laughed at someone getting a pie in the face owe a debt of gratitude to Milton Supman, who passed away yesterday at the age of 83. Before Captain Kangaroo, before Mr. Rogers, before big yellow birds and purple dinosaurs, Soupy Sales was the meringue-smeared face of children's television. Yeah, his jokes were cornier than the corn bread in the Gordy Center, but that didn't matter. Soupy drew on vaudeville and borscht-belt tradition, employed some hand puppets, dressed up as a wacky ensemble of memorable characters and cracked up whole families in the '50s and '60s. Now, through the magic of YouTube, the pies fly on.



I have to admit, the sight of a pie-faced Alice Cooper still has the power to warm the cockles of your heart. Soupy was beloved by generations, and he'll be missed.
If you want to learn a bit about the Soupman's impact on popular culture, look no farther than my favorite database, Pop Culture Universe. Here is a biography of Sales from The Encyclopedia of Jewish American Popular Culture, courtesy of PCU.

Now, in honor of Soupy Sales, I want all of you readers to go into your roommates' wallets, pull out those funny little pieces of green paper and send them to the archive room in the library. And I'll send you an e-mail from Puerto Rico. ;)

Rest in peace, Soupy.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

"Year Of" Movie: "Fort Apache" 2:00 TODAY at the Funk

Greetings, Reinhardt! I hope everyone attended the Body and Soul Expo today in the Glass House and got their flu shots! The Expo is going on until 3 p.m. Go now and get your shot, and then head over to the Funk Heritage Center at 2:00. You can recuperate while you check out the 1948 John Ford film Fort Apache, starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda.

The storyline is based very loosely on the Battle of Little Bighorn and the Battle of the Hundred Slain (aka the Fetterman Massacre). Wayne stars as respected Civil War veteran and Cavalry officer Captain Kirby York. York is expected to receive the command post at Fort Apache, however he is passed over for the position in favor of Fonda's character, Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday. Thursday is a West Point graduate and a Civil War general who, despite his military training and record, lacks experience and understanding of the Native Americans he is expected to oversee.

When a corrupt government agent causes unrest among the Natives, Thursday rejects York's counsel that he treat them with respect. Thursday refuses to address their grievances and defends the agent, exacerbating the situation and driving the Apache into open revolt. Things pretty much go downhill from there...

Fort Apache was one of the first movies of its kind that attempted to portray Native Americans in a sympathetic light. Library director Michael Martinez will be on hand for the showing today, and he'll offer some insight as to the accuracy of the portrayal.

Go to the Expo, take care of yourself, and then go to the film! I got my shot today. Did you get yours?

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Native Sun News now available in the library

This year, as part of the Year of North American Indigenous Peoples, the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center has obtained a subscription to Native Sun News, a weekly newspaper committed to, in its own words, "bringing freedom of the press to Indian Country."

Native Sun News is in its first year of publication, but its founder and editor Tim Giago is hardly a novice in the world of journalism. Giago, a member of the Lakota Nation, has been in the newspaper business for more than three decades. He began his career at the national Native American newspaper Wassaja, then worked as a reporter and editor with other publications before starting his own paper The Lakota Times, in 1981. During the Times' years of operation, the offices were firebombed and their windows were shot out three times. Giago received numerous death threats and survived at least one attempt on his life, but he maintained his commitment to investigative journalism. The Times was renamed Indian Country Today in 1991. Giago started another publication, the Lakota Journal in 2000, and "retired" in 2004.

He came out of retirement this year to start the Sun, seeing the need again for a solid investigative newspaper to serve the indigenous Nations of America.

In a world that often trumpets the demise of print journalism, Native Sun News is a rarity. There is no online edition, because, as Giago says, many of his readers have no access to the Internet. This is a publication by the Native community for the Native community.

This blogger is inviting you to power down your computers for a few minutes, come out of your dorm rooms and offices, blink into the light, and actually walk to the library, pick up the Native Sun News and give it a good read. Get Native news from a Native perspective.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

What your Library can do to help YOU get into Grad School!

My apologies for being just a few days "overdue" with this one. I'll now wrap up my series on graduate school planning with some wisdom from our head of reference, Karen Preslock!

At the graduate school workshop this semester, Ms. Preslock emphasized the library's strength in research. Over and over again the panelists referred to the importance of research when applying to graduate school: research the major; research the job market; research the school, the program and the faculty; research financial aid. Well, if you need help with that research, come to us! We have books to help you every step of the process.

Ms. Preslock offered three pieces of advice to keep in mind: Never say never, ditch your preconceived notions (for example, did you know that financial hardship is more common among undergraduates than among graduate students?), and become well-informed. Knowledge, she pointed out, is power.

Ms. Preslock offered several starting points for your research, including your library's own Delicious page for student success. This page has links some of the best sites for graduate school research that we've found.

One of the best sites we've found, Ms. Preslock said (and I agree), is EducationPlanner.com. This site is full of tips on every stage of the process, from selecting a college to applying to it and paying for it. Sample topics include writing a killer essay, application dos and don'ts, and why NOT to choose a school.

Another place to look would be the Web sites of professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association or the American Bar Association. Many of these organizations offer special reduced membership rates for students. Join the organization, find an active chapter in your area and attend the meetings. You'll make great contacts in your field and be privy to some of the newest information out there. Also, these organizations often have information on scholarships, grands and funding opportunities for their members.

If you're going to go the Google route, Ms. Preslock recommended Google's advanced searches to help you narrow your results to the most precise information you need. You can research programs which match your interests and qualifications. You can research scholarships to the specific colleges you're considering. As an example, Ms. Preslock did a search for federal money for education. Did you know that many federal agencies will repay your student loans if you work for them? Check out the Web sites for agencies like the Veterans' Administration or the Census Bureau. Learn about the careers available. Some sites offer virtual job shadowing. Search current federal job openings at www.usajobs.gov.

Often the best way to secure an internship and get a foot in the door is to contact the staff person with whom you're interested in working, and see if they're interested in working with you. Don't be afraid to ask!

And if you need help with your research, don't be afraid to ask a librarian--or indeed, anyone here at Reinhardt. We're here for you!

Monday, October 19, 2009

And the winners are....


Hello all! Sorry for the delay in blogging--I'm back in business now! And the first order of that business is to congratulate this month's winners in the Year Of North American Indigenous Peoples contest! JAMIE LANDERS is our first place winner for her review of the film The New World. She received a stylish 'Year Of" t-shirt and a 4-gig flash drive from the Year Of committee. Coming in with a close second-place finish is CONSTANCE CHASE with an excellent review of the book Power and Place: Indian Education in America. Constance also received a t-shirt. Congratulations!

Speaking of those stylish tees, our library director and "Year Of" chairman Michael Martinez has informed me that we are now selling the t-shirts at a special reduced rate for students: $10!

Of course, every month brings a new opportunity to win a shirt. Just see one of our "Year Of" movies or read a "Year Of" book, write a brief (one- or two-paragraph) review, and submit it to public services librarian Karen Preslock at kp1@reinhardt.edu. Each month's winner receives a t-shirt and flash drive, and ALL participants will be entered into the drawing at the end of the year for the Nintendo Wii. Entering more than once improves your odds!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Thursday movie at the Funk: Cheyenne Autumn!

Come out to the Funk Heritage Center this Thursday, October 15, at 2 pm for this week's "Year of North American Indigenous Peoples" movie. This week's offering is the 1964 western Cheyenne Autumn.

The movie features Khan, I mean Ricardo Montalban, and Gilbert Roland as Cheyenne chiefs. When the government fails to deliver supplies to their desert reservation in the Oklahoma territory, the starving Cheyenne embark on a brutal trek back to their homeland in Wyoming. The government and the press take this desperate measure as an act of rebellion and send the cavalry after them. During the pursuit, US Cavalry Captain Thomas Archer comes to respect the Cheyenne for their courage and nobility.

This was the last western John Ford directed. Ford said he intended it to honor the Native Americans who had been abused by the American government.

"Cheyenne Autumn" was shot in Monument Valley Tribal Park on the Arizona-Utah border, and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography. While Ford used non-native actors for the tribal leaders (including Khan of course), he did use several members of the Navajo nation in the production.

The movie also features this blogger's FAVORITE actor of all time, James Stewart, as Wyatt Earp--in a bit often edited out of the picture.

As usual, the library's own Michael Martinez will be on hand to discuss the film and give background information. Remember, if you see one of our "Year Of" films (or read one of our "Year Of" books) and write a brief review, you could be eligible to win a t-shirt and a flash drive, and be entered into a drawing for a Nintendo Wii to be given away at the end of the year. Send reviews to Karen Preslock at kp1@reinhardt.edu. Good luck!

Yeah, I couldn't resist--sorry

Professors offer perspective on graduate school

This is the third in a series of posts about the recent Graduate School Workshop held in the library at Reinhardt College.

Dr. William DeAngelis, Dean of the School of Math and Science and Professor of Psychology, has degrees in both Psychology and Law, so he was able to speak with authority on both academic graduate school and law school. He urged students to approach the search for the right program the way they approach life, specifically the dating process. You don't run off and marry the first person you meet. You take the time to get to know people and see with whom you're compatible. Similarly, take the time to research different schools and programs and find the one that's the best fit for you. "What kind of program do you want to marry yourself to for the next couple of years?" he quipped. "Graduate schools vary quite a bit. You have to look at the data and see what they want."

For example, the graduate program in Psychology is very competitive, with a heavy emphasis on research. Dr. DeAngelis said the school only accepts nine people a year, and 77% of students in the program have presented at least one paper at a national or state convention. If that's not you, you don't have to give up hope (or stop rooting for the Bulldogs). Look at other schools, maybe some which don't emphasize research quite so heavily.

Dr. DeAngelis recommended the book Getting In, published by the American Psychological Association, which details different graduate programs in Psychology and how to match your qualifications to the programs. (We have two copies of this book in the library. One is a circulating copy, and one is in Reference. The call number is BF80.7.U6 G47 2007).

Law school, Dr. DeAngelis said, is extremely competitive, and they're not just looking for students with Pre-Law degrees.

"They are looking for really good students who can read and write well and express themselves," Dr. DeAngelis said, naming English, History and Psychology majors as good law school candidates. Again, research the programs, look at the Web sites, and be realistic about your chances. The LSAT is required for most programs.

Dr. Kevin Crawford, Assistant Professor of English and Theatre, offered his take. Students applying for graduate school in this day and age have an advantage over their forebears. "There is so much information out there now...for the potential grad student who plans ahead." Net-savvy students can visit any program's Web site and learn details about the program's requirements and who's filling the slots, not to mention information about the school itself and the professors. Research can potentially yield ways to fund your academic pursuits. Look for programs which offer teaching assistantships and fellowships, and apply for them.

Dr. Crawford emphasized letters of recommendation. Professors get requests for letters from students they barely know. To have a recommendation letter which stands out, cultivate a good relationship with your professors. Find someone who knows you well, who can go beyond a mere listing of your accomplishments and say something personal, tell why you stand out.

Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Irma Santoro used to review graduate applications in her previous position as Director of Academic Services for graduate students in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech. Before you go to graduate school, she advised, have some idea of what you want to do with your degree. That is important not only in choosing which program will best prepare you, but will help you when writing the cover letter for your application. Talk about your past--your experience--and your future.

Dr. Santoro said many schools use GRE scores as a cutoff when evaluating applicants. Some schools value a high GPA more than others do, as it's hard to compare grades from different schools, but they do look at it as a long-term indicator of how well you will perform your job as a student. Usually programs look at your junior and senior grades. Recommendation letters are highly considered, and Dr. Santoro echoed Dr. Crawford's advice: form letters aren't very good. You want a recommendation letter that's personal.

Dr. Santoro advised talking to current graduate students to find out what their programs are like, and what the program is looking for in an applicant. Talk to the professors, too. "In my field, many students go to grad school already knowing who they're going to work for," she said. If a professor wants you to assist her, she may pull for you with the department to get you accepted!

Come back Friday for the THRILLING conclusion of the series (and of course one close to this blogger's heart): Karen Preslock speaks about what your LIBRARY can do for you in preparation for graduate school.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Grad School at Your Own Alma Mater: Reinhardt's graduate programs discussed.

This is the second installment of my summary of Reinhardt's recent graduate school workshop.

Many of our graduates will further their education at institutions all over the country. Some may even study abroad. And some will pursue a graduate education a lot closer to home, at Reinhardt College's own master's programs. Currently Reinhardt offers a master's degree in Business Administration and a master of arts degree in teaching. Representatives of both programs were on hand to offer their insights.

Assistant Professor of Business Dr. Katherine Hyatt spoke about the MBA program. Reinhardt's first MBA degrees were awarded last spring. Now the third MBA cohort is enrolled at our North Fulton campus, and a fourth cohort is being considered for the Waleska campus. (A cohort is a group of students who progress through the program together and take the same classes at the same times).

The program is tailored to working adults; classes are offered one night a week. In most MBA programs, it is recommended that a recent college graduate spend some time in the workforce first. Reinhardt does reserve a few slots in its program for Reinhardt grads. Still, Dr. Hyatt said, they do encourage students to get work experience first.

Reinhardt MBA hopefuls need to take the GMAT, and Reinhardt does offer workshops periodically to help you prepare for the test. For more information, see MBA program director Dr. Richard Brisebois.

Assistant Professor of Education and MAT Coordinator Nancy Carter spoke about the master's of arts in teaching program, now in its first year with one cohort at North Fulton and one cohort in Waleska. This graduate program is geared toward students whose undergraduate degree is in a subject other than education.

"These are people who have decided after studying other things and working other places, that they want to teach. Everyone in the program has a story of how they realized they wanted to teach," Ms. Carter said. "We do have seven graduates of Reinhardt College in the program." The GACE is required, and workshops are planned to help students prepare for the test.

"We're very excited about [the program]," Ms. Carter said. "If you think you're interested, don't hesitate to call me or e-mail me!"

Of course, I would like to remind you that we do have study guides for both the GMAT and the GACE available at the library!

Stay tuned tomorrow for more coverage of my grad school workshop coverage, with tips from Dr. DeAngelis, Dr. Santoro, Dr. Crawford and our own Karen Preslock!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Grad school workshops help you put your best foot forward


Last week a panel of faculty and staff members, headed by Director of the Center for Student Success Dr. Catherine Emanuel, convened on the third floor of the library to give Reinhardt undergrads some great advice about planning (and paying) for graduate school. I know those who attended got a lot out of it. If you weren't able to make it, don't despair. They are planning to have another one in the spring. Not to mention the great thing about Reinhardt is that these experts are always available to help you, if you just take advantage of the resources they have!

Incidentally, there was another graduate school workshop last spring. If you didn't have the chance to attend that one, I blogged about it here.

Last week, the overwhelming themes of the panel speakers were research and communication. Research the schools, research the programs, research the people in the program, and then communicate with them so you know how best to present yourself. There are people out there willing to help you, if you know where to look and how to ask. (Some of the people who want to help were the ones sitting on the panel).

Brandi Berger, Records and Registration Coordinator, gave the nuts-and-bolts of how to use the Registrar's Office when applying to graduate school. They're the ones who have your college transcripts. There is a fee of $5 for each official transcript you request. The Registrar's Office can mail the transcripts for you, but you have to let them know where to send it, what the deadline is, and if there are any particular forms which need to be included. The Registrar's Office can mail the transcript to you, but you have to be sure not to open it--a transcript is only official if it is sealed. If you are still an undergraduate, most graduate programs will require two transcripts--one current one, and one after all of your courses have been completed. Usually your degree from Reinhardt is conferred a couple of weeks after graduation, but if you need your transcript sooner than that, let the Registrar's Office know.

Director of Career Services Peggy Collins spoke of how their office can help you evaluate your own strengths and goals when choosing a future career, and also talked about some web sites that show which college majors and degrees best prepare you for which jobs. On the Career Services section of Reinhardt's web site, there are links to sites which show you in more detail what a graduate school application looks like.

"The process you go through when applying to graduate school parallels the process of looking for a job," Ms. Collins said. The cover letter is extremely important. It is your opportunity to sell yourself. You want to show your accomplishments and what you have to offer, why the program should choose you over someone else. Graduate school is highly competitive.

Before applying to a graduate program, it's imperative to research both the school and the industry thoroughly. If you're interested in a particular profession, you should talk to people who are in that profession and see if that's really what you want to do with your life, Ms. Collins suggested. Ask the person if he or she would choose that particular field today, and why or why not.

Know your future plans and have an idea of what you want to do with your degree when you get it. Research the school. Talk to your professors, and talk to the professors and the students in the program you're considering. Manners count too--don't forget to send a thank-you note! You never know when somebody will be influential in your future, and you always want to leave a good impression.

To Be Continued Next Week... stay tuned for advice from Reinhardt professors, from Reinhardt's own graduate programs, and from Public Services Librarian Karen Preslock!

Have a good weekend!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

YONAIP at the Fall Festival

Library director and Year of North American Indigenous Peoples chairman Michael Martinez "represented" at the Reinhardt College Fall Festival last weekend, selling t-shirts and bowls of his authentic Navajo chili. Looks as if he has a satisfied customer!

Dances with Wolves: 2 pm TODAY at the Funk

Greetings!
This week's movie for the Year of North American Indigenous Peoples is Dances with Wolves, directed by Kevin Costner. This movie won seven Academy Awards in 1990, including Best Director, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, and it also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture--Drama.

Dances with Wolves stars Costner as Dunbar, an accidental Civil War hero transferred to the western frontier. Circumstances leave Dunbar isolated at his new post in the South Dakota Badlands, except for a wolf that he befriends and names "Two-Socks." After initially-strained relations with his Lakota neighbors, Dunbar finds himself drawn to their lifestyle and customs. Eventually he abandons his post to join the tribe. This leads to his arrest as a traitor. After his Lakota friends rescue him, Dunbar has to make a difficult decision for the good of the tribe.

The movie will be shown at 2 pm in the theater at the Funk Heritage Center on campus. Library director and "Year Of" chairman Michael Martinez will be on hand to speak about the film, and I think he'll have a lot of interesting (and maybe amusing)things to say about it.

Remember, write a brief (one- or two-paragraph) review of this movie or any of the other movies and books in our "Year Of" collection, and you can be eligible to win a flash drive and a t-shirt. At the end of the year, all participants will be entered into a drawing for a Nintendo Wii. Just send your review to Karen Preslock at kp1@reinhardt.edu. Good luck!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month at the Library

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a time designated both to honor the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the United States and to celebrate Hispanic Heritage and Culture. It is observed from September 15 to October 15 each year. The starting date of Sept. 15 was chosen because it is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The independence days of Mexico, Chile and Belize also occur within this 30-day period.

During National Hispanic Heritage Month, we invite you to check out our display on the second floor of the library, featuring books on the achievements of several notable Hispanic Americans. Also, please browse one of our newer databases, Latino Literature from Alexander Street Press. This database encompasses more than 100,000 pages of poetry, fiction and drama written in English and Spanish by hundreds of Chicano, Puerto Rican, Dominican and other Hispanic authors working in the United States. You can read more about this database here.

(The novel pictured here, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez [PS3551.L845G37 1991] is available on the third floor of the library. It is a coming-of-age novel about four sisters, immigrants to New York from the Dominican Republic, and their struggle to determine their own identities while balancing their lives between two cultures. Good read)!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Exercise Freedom! Read a Banned Book Today!


"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing."

The above quote is from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This book is one of the most frequently challenged and banned books nationwide for its use of racial slurs and its depiction of adult themes.

Other frequently challenged books include The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Catcher in the Rye, The Grapes of Wrath, The Great Gatsby, Gone With the Wind, The Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Flies, Schindler's List, Beloved, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Call of the Wild, A Farewell to Arms (burned in Nazi bonfires), and Of Mice and Men, among others.

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based on the objections of a person or a group. A challenge is not simply one or more people expressing an opinion; it is an attempt to deny others access to the material by removing it from a curriculum or a library's shelf. Sometimes this is done with the best of intentions: to protect others, especially children, from difficult ideas and information.

Even if the challengers have positive intentions, Free Access to Libraries for Minors, an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (ALA's basic policy concerning access to information) states that, “Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources.” Censorship by librarians of constitutionally protected speech, whether for protection or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."


"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind...the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error."-John Stuart Mill, On Liberty.



A more complete list of challenged classics, along with the reasoning behind their challenge, can be found here.

Addendum: My library director has requested me to add The Adventures of Captain Underpants to the above list of challenged classics. It is duly noted.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

"Year Of" movie today, Drums Along the Mohawk

Okay, guys, I gotta couple of great options for you this afternoon, and I'm not talking about a post-lunch nap (as attractive as that option always is). First of all, there's the graduate school workshop on the third floor of the library at 2:00 (that's where I plan to be). But if that doesn't float your boat, the "Year Of" movie this week is the 1939 Technicolor classic from John Ford, Drums Along the Mohawk. It was nominated for two Academy Awards (in a year when the competition included such tiny little films as The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind). The movie stars Henry Fonda, Claudette Colbert, Edna May Oliver (Best Supporting Actress nominee for this picture) and John Carradine.

The movie is set in 1776. Newlywed American colonists leave a comfortable existence in Albany, New York, to settle in a small farm on the western frontier of the Mohawk Valley. When the American Revolution starts, the couple finds themselves under attack by the natives, who are working in concert with British sympathizers.

It's supposed to be an exciting, "blood and thunder"-type movie. I personally would like to hear Michael's take on it. Michael Martinez is, of course, the library director and the chairman of the "Year Of" committee. He will be at the showing today to give some historical background and lead discussion before and after the film. Show up at the Funk at 2:00, and you may win a t-shirt!

(You can take that nap afterwards).

It was Coosa!


I had a great time last night at the Year of Native American Peoples lecture last night by Richard Thornton. We had students, faculty and members of the general public attending. One smart fellow came up with the name of the mystery Georgia city-it was Coosa! Thornton is shown here with the prize, a bowl he made from local raw clay. The bowl features the Long-Nosed God, a figure from Mayan cultural tradition. One of the most interesting topics from last night's talk was the relationship between the Mayas of Latin America and the mound-builders of Georgia. Fascinating stuff!