Student worker in the spotlight: Q&A with Sam Morton

Sam Morton is an 18-year-old freshman graphic design major from Ranger, GA. She comes to Reinhardt from Sonoraville High School, where she was captain of the Academic Bowl team and editor-in-chief of the yearbook, as well as participating in Key Club, Beta Club and the Photography Club. We lucked out at the library when we hired Sam as a student worker. She's stepped right into some of our special projects and quickly made herself indispensable around here! I know I wouldn't want to do without her.

Readers of this blog know Sam from her guest post about the Humans vs. Zombies game. You may have seen her in the library, too, wheeling around book carts piled high with materials she's been helping us process. I recently asked Sam to take a break from all of her hard work and answer a few questions for me. So, without further ado, let's get to know Sam Morton!

Why did you choose to attend Reinhardt University?

The campus is absolutely beautiful and everyone I've met here has been so nice. It's been so easy to make friends, and I get the feeling I'll have these friends for a very long time. And the art program here is astounding.

What prompted you to apply for a student worker position at the library?

I wanted to work in the library because libraries are some of my favorite places. I love being surrounded by all the books. It's like stepping into a different world.

Tell me about some of the activities in which you've been involved since coming to RU.

I work in the library (obviously), I'm a member of the Anime Club, just participated in Humans Vs. Zombies, and I'm also trying to start a yearbook for next year.

What's the best thing about Reinhardt so far?

The people. Everyone here is amazing and the teachers really know what they're doing. Coming to Reinhardt was probably the best decision I ever made.

What's the best thing about the library?

You, of course! :D And Michael. And Joel. And Keershton. And Stephanie. I love you guys!

Aww...(blush).. we're kind of fond of you, too. What are your favorite books?

The Harry Potter books have been a huge part of my life and they are definitely my favorite. I love all of them. They're absolutely fantastic. But the Ender series by Orson Scott Card is also fantastic... but so is all of Ray Bradbury's work. And Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, that's a great book. Oh! And Kurt Vonnegut! I love him. I also really love Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

How about a favorite movie?

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It's Jim Carrey's best work. (He's also my favorite actor, if you were wondering.)

What do you want to be "when you grow up?"

If I could have my way, I'd read books for the rest of my life. But unless I want to edit them as well, that's not really a possibility. Editing books would drive me insane. I can't stand grammatical or spelling errors. I'd like to be a photographer, but yet again, that's something that might be a little out of my reach. So majoring in Graphic Design and getting a job in advertising is where I am right now. I want to be the person behind the logos that we see every day. That unknown person with the small, yet surprisingly significant, work that is taken for granted.

Anything else?

I like answering interview questions, obviously. :)

Thanks, Sam! It's a pleasure to have you on board!

We have our first Year of Oceania contest winner!

I am extremely excited to announce MS. KELSEY FLOYD as the first winner of our Year of Oceania essay contest!!! Kelsey wrote a great piece on the Luau and has won a T-shirt and flash drive.

Congratulations to Kelsey and to all who participated!

If you didn't win the T-shirt, don't despair! We having a essay contest each month. All you have to do is read a book or watch a movie about the Oceania region from our library, or attend any Year of Oceania event. Then write a two to three paragraph summery on the movie, book, or event. Turn it in at the library to either Michael Martinez or Stephanie Olsen. The deadline for our next contest is October 28.

The next "Year Of" event will be the movie Ned Kelly on Oct. 5 at 2 pm.

The “Year of Oceania” books and movies are located on the main floor of the library near the service desk.

You could be next!

Think for yourself! Let others do the same! Banned Books Week 2010

Welcome to Banned Books Week 2010! The last week of September every year is set aside to celebrate intellectual freedom. We observe Banned Books Week by highlighting the benefits of free and open access to information and emphasizing the dangers of censorship.

What does intellectual freedom mean? It means you have the freedom to access information and express ideas no matter how unorthodox or unpopular (or politically incorrect) those ideas might be. In a free society, information is not restricted, and access to unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints is protected for all who wish to read them.

In other words, it's your brain--you get to decide what goes into it! No one makes that decision for you, and you don't make it for anyone else.

The books spotlighted during Banned Books Week have all been the targets of an attempted ban. They range from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to The Lorax, from The Decameron to Twilight to Captain Underpants.

Stop by our banned books display on the second floor of the library, and then check out this website to see a list of books that have been banned or challenged. You may be surprised!

My favorite joke:

It was high noon when he walked into the saloon. Despite the dust clinging to his black and white fur, everyone knew immediately the gunslinger was a panda. You could cut the tension with a knife as the panda lumbered to the bar.

"We don't want any trouble here," the bartender told him nervously.

"I'm here for lunch. Gimme a sandwich and your best sarsaparilla," the black-and-white stranger said.

The saloon's patrons began to relax when the bartender slid the panda his food, and the furry stranger started to eat.

When the panda finished his meal, he stood up, whirled around, pulled out his six-shooters and began to fire. Folks were diving for cover under tables. Bottles were shattering behind the bar. Broken glass rained down from the chandelier amid the hail of bullets. Without a word, the panda returned his pistols to their holsters and started to make his way out the door.

From behind the bar where he was cowering in fright, the bartender asked in a shaky voice: "Why, Mr. Panda? Why did you do it?"

The panda turned around coolly, a grim smile on his fuzzy face. "I'm a panda, pal. Look it up." And he was gone, the saloon doors swinging in his wake.

The town schoolmarm, who was hiding in the back corner, opened her dictionary with trembling hands and read the following:

"Panda: a bear-like marsupial originating in Asian regions. Known largely for its stark black and white coloring. Eats, shoots and leaves."

Happy National Punctuation Day

Special Guest Blog: Undead Confessional!

Well, the first Humans vs. Zombies game of the 2010-2011 school year ended Wednesday night when the last human (I understand it was King Aaron) fell to the shambling hordes.

I'm always vastly amused by the HvZ shenanigans, and also tremendously jealous because I don't get to play! Fortunately I get to live (and die) vicariously through my student buddies (and Jamie Thomas's hilarious writeups on Facebook).

I recently asked library student worker (and my right-hand woman) Samantha Morton, an HvZ newbie this semester, to write a guest blog for me about Humans vs Zombies from a player's perspective. Here's Sam to tell you all what it's like to go from mild-mannered college freshman to fearless zombie fighter to undead menace and back again:

Nerf guns. Sock grenades. Bandannas. Fake blood.
Running. Shooting. Chasing. Falling. Tagging.
Missions. Story lines. Paranoia. The thirst for a kill.

This is Humans Vs. Zombies.

As a freshman, it's been my goal to immerse myself in the different activities here at Reinhardt. I couldn't think of a better way to do that than to take up my Nerf gun, and go kill some brain-obsessed zombies.

After securing my bandanna to my arm, snapping my Flip Clip into my Deploy, and stuffing two balled up socks in my pockets, I headed out, ready for a fight. I had no delusions about the game; I knew how it worked. The humans almost always lost, while the zombies were vicious and ready to win.

My goal: survive long enough to make it through the first mission.

I achieved my goal, but not much more.

After the first mission, I was tagged by my roommate, Original Zombie (OZ) Kat Abrams. At first I was disappointed, but as the second mission neared, I realized that being a brain-hungry zombie was much better than a paranoid human.

To zombies, the mission is kill. Turn as many humans as you can, and then feed your fellow zombies. The camaraderie you gain as a zombie is unparalleled. By rushing as a group, it was easy to tag those humans who couldn't shoot their guns fast enough. It's easy to make friends when you're all fighting for the same goal: victory.

HvZ was a life changing experience for me. Here I sit, bruised, bug-bitten, and sore, but pleased. I made so many new friends, found people with common interests as me (braaaains), and had a ton of fun along the way.

I'm so excited to don that bandanna again in October. I think this time though, I'll register to be an OZ.

The eyes have it...

Reinhardt students! Here's another chance to win a nifty "Year of Oceania" t-shirt!

Study this picture of a French Polynesian tattoo. Count how many eyes are in it. Send your answer to Stephanie Olsen, library staff member and "Year of Oceania" representative, at sfo "at" reinhardt.edu, or come to the library and put your answer on a slip of paper and put it in our jar. The one with the closest number wins.

According to Stephanie, the Marquesan and Lapita cultures believe that tattooed eyes give all-seeing protection. The more eyes the more protection.

All Reinhardt students are eligible. If there is more than one correct answer, we will draw three names.

The t-shirts are light blue with the turtle logo (designed by Stephanie).

Good luck!

A long-expected party...

It's September 22nd! That means it's the shared birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien's furry-footed protagonists, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. You may remember that it was the occasion of Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday and Frodo's thirty-third birthday that figured in the opening chapter of The Lord of the Rings. If you've never read Tolkien's masterwork of fantasy, this would be an excellent day to begin (it's available on the third floor of the library, under the call number PR 6039.O32. L6 1975). If you've read it before (even several times, as I have), perhaps it's time to revisit it.

Of course, you could always screen Peter Jackson's film version. Pay close attention to the scenery. As New Zealand stands in for Middle-Earth in the film, you could even consider it "Year of Oceania" research! (The screening of Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated version is not recommended by this blogger).

The occasion really should be marked with fireworks and pints (pints!), but those aren't feasible options for the dorms. Unless it's a pint of root beer. The fireworks wouldn't live up to Gandalf's anyway.



Say what you will of Bilbo Baggins; he knew how to make an exit.

Year of Oceania Luau TODAY in the Gordy

Roasted Pig, Hawaiian Chicken, Coconut Rice Pilaf, Sesame Green Beans, Lemon Pepper Broccoli, Curry Chicken Salad, Ham and Pineapple Pizza
Fresh Cut Fruit, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Whipped Coconut Cake, Pina Colada Mocktails, mmm, mmm, mmm... come out and have a taste of Oceania today from 11 am to 2 pm in the Gordy Center.

Students on the meal plan - please bring your meal cards. Students not on the meal plan, guests and faculty and staff will pay regular meal prices: $6.50 for guests,$2.25 for faculty and staff.

Library staff member and artist Stephanie Olsen will be on hand to give out temporary tattoos of her own design and traditional motifs, including the fantastic "Year Of" turtle!

Luau Tomorrow!

Now you, too, can smell like a library!

Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled with digital libraries and online collections, but there is at least one thing that digitization can't replicate: the smell of a library. Whenever I step into a library, I like to inhale deeply and revel in the book-scent. The more computers take the place of old volumes, the fainter and fainter that good old scent becomes, replaced by something like plastic and humming wires.

Well, I've found the solution. Book collector and perfume artisan Christopher Brosius of I Hate Perfume has created a new scent called "In the Library." He describes it as "a warm blend of English Novel*, Russian & Moroccan Leather Bindings, Worn Cloth and a hint of Wood Polish

*The main note in this scent was copied from one of my favorite novels originally published in 1927. I happened to find a signed first edition in pristine condition many years ago in London. I was more than a little excited because there were only ever a hundred of these in the first place. It had a marvelous warm woody slightly sweet smell and I set about immediately to bottle it."

It even comes in a room spray. Watch out--I may be wandering around the computers and spritzing that wonderful library scent all around!

Yarr!

Ahoy there, library patrons!

As ye may or may not know, September 19 is officially "Talk Like a Pirate Day!" If ye lubbers don't know what that is (what, were ye marooned on an island or something?), click the link there to find out.

Personally, I'm a big fan of Talk Like a Pirate Day, and I think there should be more silly-actin' and talkin' holidays--maybe Act Like a Ninja Day? But I must admit, in the Pirate vs Ninja debate, I am on the pirate side all the way.

So what does this have to do with the library? Well, for one thing, we do have some piratical resources for ye. Everything from an excellent biography of William Dampier to The Barefoot Book of Pirates to Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes. We have a video of the old "Captain Kidd" movie starring Charles Laughton.

For another thing, I just found out that I myself will be captaining the circulation desk on Sunday, September 19th. Hill Freeman Library, prepare to be boarded.

If ye come to the desk between the hours of 2 to 7 pm on Sunday, AND ye talk like a pirate to me, well, there just might be a little treasure for ye in it...

See ya then, lubbers!

Move over Rosetta Stone..

Salve! Salut! Hola! Hallo!

I'm excited to tell you about one of our newest acquisitions! TellMeMore v.10.0 is a self-paced, web-based language learning program accessible from your library homepage.

Just come to the library and set up your account, and soon you can be learning Dutch, English (British or American Flavor), French, German, Italian or Spanish (in Latin American or Original Spanish Spanish varieties).

The program teaches you both to write and to speak the language (so you'll need a microphone and speakers--or check out a headset microphone from the library). The voice analysis is so exact you can hear the word or phrase, then speak it, and compare a visual representation of your speech to one of the native speaker's. Also, any time you see an underlined word, you can click on it to get a definition, hear it spoken, practice saying it or get the conjugation (if applicable).

Are you starting Dutch from the beginning or just want to review your high school French? You can select your current skill level from complete beginner to advanced. You can also track your progress. If you leave in the middle of a lesson, you can return to that lesson when you log back in?

Intrigued? Check out this tutorial.

Ciao!

Don't miss Oceans8 Thursday, Sept. 16!

The Year of Oceania has a rare treat in store for you tomorrow at 2 pm in the Falany Performing Arts Center. Jon Bowermaster--adventurer, writer and filmmaker--will be presenting his video Oceans8.

In 1999, Bowermaster and his team of photographers, scientists, filmmakers and navigators embarked on an expedition. The goal was to visit each of the seven continents, plus Oceania, by sea kayak. The dramatic result became National Geographic's Oceans8, a thrilling and eye-opening view of the world that has been rarely seen.

This presentation is free and open to the public. Don't miss your chance to see this amazing video and hear firsthand the story behind it. Here's just a taste:



You can preview more of Oceans8 at the official Youtube site for The Heliconia Press. Then come see it in high def at the FPAC tomorrow and hear Jon Bowermaster describe his thrilling exploits in person!

YOO Movie TODAY: Australia!

Come out to the Hoke O' Kelley room in the Administration building at 2pm today to see the old-fashioned, sweeping epic Australia. Set in pre-World War II Australia, the movie stars Nicole Kidman as an English aristocrat who inherits a cattle ranch in Australia. In order to protect her new property, she is forced to team with rugged cattle drover Hugh Jackman to drive her 2,000 head of cattle across the (equally rugged) outback. Their journey puts them on a direct course with the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces.

Funk Heritage Center director Dr. Joe Kitchens will be onhand to introduce the movie and answer any questions.

This is a great opportunity to enter our contest and win a "Year Of" t-shirt!

Win a "Year Of Oceania" turtle logo t-shirt!

I've been hearing a lot of you expressing your admiration for the "Year of Oceania" turtle logo. Library Circulation and Interlibrary Loan specialist (and in-house artist) Stephanie Olsen designed the logo based on traditional South Pacific body art designs.

Some of you have also been asking how you can obtain one of those nifty Year of Oceania shirts featuring Stephanie's logo. I am here to tell you how.

Just come to the library and check out a Year Of Oceania book or movie. These are located on the second floor near the circulation desk. Even better, come out to a "Year Of" event. Then write a brief (two- or three-paragraph) summary of the movie, book or event, and submit to either Michael Martinez or Stephanie Olsen at the library by Sept. 28.

You can get started on this project today by attending the screening of the movie Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, in the Hoke O'Kelley auditorium at 2 pm.

Another great opportunity comes up on Thursday, September 16th at 2 pm in the Falany Performing Arts Center. We are very lucky to have Mr. Jon Bowermaster, of the National Geographic Oceans 8 project, coming to speak. Mr. Bowermaster has just returned from nearly three months exploring Antartica by sailboat and sea kayak. You won't want to miss the stories he will have to tell!

If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Olsen at sfo@reinhardt.edu.

Good luck! I hope you all win t-shirts. The Year of Oceania looks great on you!

Have a great LONG weekend!

Just a reminder... the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center will be CLOSED on Sunday, September 5, and Monday, September 6, in observance of the Labor Day holiday! Of course, our 24-hour study area is always open for Reinhardt students with their Eagle cards, and you can peruse our electronic journals, books and databases from WHEREVER you're spending your day off (provided you have internet access of course). If you've got a long drive ahead of you, might I suggest coming by today and picking up one of our audiobooks to keep you company?

Have fun, be safe, and we'll see you back here on Tuesday!

Now Hear This! WilsonWeb will talk wordy to you

Listen up!

WilsonWeb, the purveyor of our online databases OmniFile Select and Art Abstracts, has a new feature for those who like to multitask, those with a print disability, those who need a little more help studying those technical journals, and those who still like a bedtime story read to them (and honestly, who doesn't?)

When you pull up an article, the new ReadSpeaker function will give you the option of hearing HTML full-text as an streaming audio file. You can read along just like you did with your audiobooks when you were a kid (back in my day, I had a little record player, and they would ring a bell when it was time to turn the page--but I'm dating myself). I'm not kidding, sometimes it helps you keep your mind from wandering when you're reading a scholarly article full of jargon. Or perhaps you'd like to listen to the article while you're doing something important on another site, like tending those Farmville crops or playing Bejeweled. You can even download the articles as mp3 files to play back later when you're working out or driving or doing some mindless task like folding laundry.

It's not exactly like listening to an audiobook. Wilson didn't shell out for Samuel L. Jackson to record The Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology for you with full inflection (although wouldn't that have been awesome). The voice is kind of robotic, although you can control the reading speed and even select whether you want a male robot or a female robot. You know, for those of you who care what sex your robot is. You know who you are.

It really is a good idea. I have to admit, it makes me more likely to search the Omnifile first just in case there's a good article I want to listen to while taking my nap break. As busy as we all are, we need all the help we can get, and if listening to the robot makes studying more efficient and helps me get more done, I'm going to do it!

Check it out!

AJC Decatur Book Festival this weekend!

For the interested...