Check Us Out!

ATTENTION EDUCATION STUDENTS (and teachers, and parents, and babysitters, and "inner children)"

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

I am excited to tell you about one of our newer databases. Education majors, you will find this resource to be priceless! Picture Book Database brings you bibliographic information about thousands of picture books and illustrated books. This is tailor-made for your curriculum. You can search books based on age level, author, illustrator, artistic media, artistic style, character education, literacy ties (from audience participation to interlocking narratives,predictable patterns to phonemic awareness to rhythm and rhyme and wordplay), literary devices, origin, subjects and themes. You can even search specifically for picture books which have been made into movies. Soon they plan to incorporate Lexile and Accelerated Reading measures.

You can tell the people who designed this database were committed to education, too. Not only is it very user-friendly, it also offers clear instructions on how to search and get the best use out of the database, including a full list of subject terms.

If you want one of the books reviewed on the database and we don't have it in our library, you can always contact Stephanie, our Interlibrary Loan Specialist, and see if she can get it for you. You can email Stephanie at sfo@reinhardt.edu. (Remember to allow time for the book to ship from another library).

You can access Picture Book Database from our library home page. It will be on the right-hand side of the site under "What's New."

I'd love to hear what you all think of this resource! I hope you are as excited about it as I am.

Irish Roots Music Lesson with John Falstaff

2012-01-25T13:33:00.000-08:00

Doing anything Monday night? Do you love music? Would you like to hear about the roots of a musical tradition that has informed and inspired artists as diverse as Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, and Metallica? Then you're in luck! The Year of Ireland and Irish Heritage Program is sponsoring a talk by John Falstaff, the host of "The Celtic Show" on WRFG Atlanta (89.3FM). Mr. Falstaff, a Dublin native, will be at the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center on Monday, January 30th, at 6 pm. The music lover and DJ has been sharing his passion for Celtic music on Atlanta's airwaves since the mid-'90s. (I'm completely in awe of the fact that he interviewed Paddy Moloney of the Chieftains--truly the best band I've seen live...EVER). He's also chatted with other luminaries such as Susan McKeown, fiddler Kevin Burke and Riverdance composer Bill Whelan, among others. I can't wait to hear Mr. Falstaff speak!

Happy Holidays! Winter Break Hours

2011-12-14T12:37:00.001-08:00

The Hill Freeman Library will be OPEN from 8am to 5pm Dec. 12-16, Dec. 19-22, December 27-30, and January 3-6. We will be closed on weekends. We will also be closed on December 23, December 26 and January 2. We will reopen regular hours on Monday, January 9.

We wish all of our students, faculty, staff and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

2011-10-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

Laziness…Boredom…Distraction (will your roommate EVER stop talking?)… These are but a few of the vicious brain-eating zombies that can keep your from doing your best in college. Thankfully, the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center is here to help! We offer a safe haven from those brain-eaters, with the tools you need to make your year successful! We’re talking 24-hour access to our study areas and online resources, access to over 50,000 print books, access to over 126,000 e-books, and access to nearly 200 databases with 34,000 full-text journals! Best of all, we have trained and dedicated staff members on hand to help you make the best use of these resources. With our help, you can even defeat the most dreaded brain-eaters of all: term papers and final exams!

TOMORROW at 6pm! SPOOKY Irish tales at the Hill Freeman Library!

2011-10-17T08:45:00.000-07:00

Halloween is fast approaching. Get into the spooky mood tomorrow evening at 6pm in the Hill Freeman Library for Spooky Irish Tales with storyteller Betsy Doty! This free performance will send a chill up your spine with traditional tales from the darker side of the Emerald Isle. Sponsored by The Year of Ireland and Irish Heritage. (Note: this performance may be too intense for small children, but feel free to bring your "chicken" roommate).

More groups that fight Censorship!

2011-09-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

In honor of Banned Books Week, here is a shorhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gift list of nonprofit organizations committed to preserving your right to read freely. You can join any one of these to show your support and stay informed about First Amendment issues! (Thanks to the American Library Association for these links).

The Freedom to Read Foundation is the only organization in the US whose primary goal is to protect and promote the First Amendment in libraries. Members receive a quarterky newsletter, The FTRF News.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifThe Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression promotes and protects the free exchange of ideas, particularly those contained in books, by opposing restrictions on the freedom of speech.

The National Coalition Against Censorship is an alliance of 50 national nonprofits, including literary, artistic, religious, educational, professional, labor, and civil liberties groups that works to educate both members and the public at large about the dangers of censorship and how to oppose it.

And yes, this geek blogger's favorite:

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund works to protect free speech in comics by supporting First Amendment rights for members of the comics community, fans, and professionals alike. (Gotham City Public Library librarian Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, would surely approve).

More ways to defend your right to read

2011-09-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

(From Robert Doyle and the American Library Association)

Report censorship to ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom tracks attempts to remove or restrict books across the country. By reporting censorship incidents, you can help identify trends in censorship cases and document responses and solutions to censorship. All identifying information is kept confidential. You can file a report online here.

Attend and participate in public hearings.

Write letters to public officials.

Send a letter or an op-ed article to local news organizations.

Work with community groups--professional associations, civic organization, religious groups--to spread the word about intellectual freedom and ask them to lend public support to efforts to protect the right to read in your community.

Form a coalition to oppose censorship in your community. These folks did.

Seek assistance from national groups.

And importantly, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES. Join the PTA. Join Friends of the Library groups. Participate in Banned Books Week (hey we still have a couple of buttons left).

"We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."

-- John F. Kennedy. Remarks made on the 20th anniversary of the Voice of America at H.E.W. Auditorium, February 26, 1962

How You Can Protect Your Right to Read: Stay Informed

2011-09-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

In honor of Banned Books week, here are some tips from Robert P. Doyle and the American Library Association on how you can arm yourself with information in the fight against censorship:

Be aware of what's happening. When you encounter censorship, be prepare to speak up or let others know. Ask your public, academic or school librarian if there are any current attempts to remove materials from their shelves.

Attend school board, library boards and PTA meetings. Learn about policies governing access to information.

Subscribe to print and online news publications to stay current on First Amendment rights and censorship issues.

Here are a few links to get you started:

The ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom:publishes the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom and maintains a blog, a Twitter account and the IFACTION mailing list.

The First Amendment Center: maintains an online First Amendment Library and provides breaking news about First Amendment issues via its RSS newsfeed.

The McCormick Foundation's Post-Exchange has original reporting and commentary on First Amendment and intellectual freedom-related news and also publishes an electronic newsletter aggregating news from around the country and the world on these issues.

"Books won't stay banned. They won't burn. Ideas won't go to jail. In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost. The only weapon against bad ideas is better ideas." ~Alfred Whitney Griswold, New York Times, 24 February 1959

We're with the BANNED

2011-09-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

“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.”—First Amendment

It's Banned Books Week 2011, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Banned Books Week is a celebration of the freedom to read: not only the freedom to choose what to read, but the freedom to select from the full array of possibilities. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are rooted in the First Amendment. We are fortunate to have a greater quantity and availability of information than ever before, but we must all work to ensure that access to this material is not infringed.

Frequently a challenge is brought against a book out of the desire to protect children from material that someone finds objectionable, usually because the book contains language that is sexual, profane or racially charged. The desire to protect children is commendable. However, it is important that a parent make that decision for his or her own child, and that an adult be able to choose for himself or herself what to read. Banning or challenging a book isn't just someone expressing a point of view: it is an attempt to remove that book from the shelf of a school or library, effectively taking away your ability to make that choice for yourself or for your children!

In honor of Banned Books Week, we in the library have assembled a display of some banned and challenged books, from Huckleberry Finn to Harry Potter, from Twilight to I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. We invite all of you to stop by and have a look. Maybe one of your favorites is in there. Maybe one of your least favorites is in there, too. We hope that you will find the exhibit thought-provoking.

Do you have a favorite banned or challenged book? Come by and tell us! We also have a limited supply of Banned Books Week buttons. Pick one up and advertise your commitment to a free society that reads freely.

“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. Were an opinion a personal possession of no value except to the owner; if to be obstructed in the enjoyment of it were simply a private injury, it would make some difference whether the injury was inflicted only on a few persons or on many. But 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.”—On Liberty, John Stuart Mill

“Only the suppressed word is dangerous.”—Ludwig Börne

Year of Ireland speakers THIS THURSDAY in the Library!

2011-09-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

Slainte!

The Year of Ireland and Irish Heritage will present two very special programs this Thursday, September 22, and the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center is fortunate to host both of them.

At 2pm on the third floor of the library, Dr. Elizabeth Corrie of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University will be here to discuss the East Belfast Mission and provide an overview of religious conflict and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. Dr. Corrie traveled to Northern Ireland this past summer as part of Emory's Journeys of Reconciliation program. Dr. Corrie is dedicated to the preparation of young people to become citizens of the world. Her research interests include nonviolent social change, the religious roots of both violence and nonviolence, international peacebuilding initiatives, and character education and moral development in children and youth.

Then at 6pm, also on the third floor of the library, Kevin Conboy will speak on the topic of economic development in Ireland and its ties to the southeastern United States. A dual citizen of Ireland and the United States, Mr. Conboy serves as the president of the Atlanta chapter of the Ireland Chamber of Commerce. He has worked with Irish clients as well as U.S. clients doing business in Ireland, and led a trade mission to Ireland and Northern Ireland in 2007 with Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. He has served as interim president and on the board of directors for the Atlanta St. Patrick's Foundation, a nonprofit group that works with the Atlanta St. Patrick's Day Parade and raises funds for children's charities.

Click here for a complete schedule of upcoming Year of Ireland and Irish Heritage events.

9/11 Remembered

2011-09-11T07:08:00.000-07:00

If you have a chance to come by the library today from 2pm to 11pm, Melissa Doyle has put together an excellent display of books on topics related to the attack on America and its aftermath. Something profoundly changed in our nation that day ten years ago. I don't think we ever considered ourselves safe or untouchable again. Most of our students were just children on 9/11. I am very interested to hear their recollections. They may not remember what life was like before that day. Sometimes I can't.

There was division in our country before, and there was division afterward, but for a little while there none of that mattered. We were united in our shock and grief. This blogger had a small daughter who was two days away from celebrating her first birthday, and I wondered what kind of a world we had brought her into. I couldn't envision what 9/11/11 would be like. I am proud to see that ten years later, our flag is still waving.

Maybe with the passage of time, we can reflect on actions we did or did not take personally or as a nation. Not everyone is in agreement with the paths we took. There will always be time for debate on important issues like war and individual liberties. Some of the books in our display can give different perspectives as we wrestle with these questions. I am proud to be associated with an institution of higher learning in which we can discuss these issues seriously and openly. I am even more proud to live in a country where this is possible.

Ten years ago our world changed

2011-09-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

Check out Irish music in the library!

2011-08-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

Cead Mile Failte! A hundred thousand welcomes to you!

As part of the Year of Ireland celebration at Reinhardt, the library has several CDs of Irish music on reserve for your listening pleasure. These range from very traditional tunes to music about the Irish immigrant experience, from Celtic/country fusion that reveals the roots of Appalachian music to the Pogues and Dropkick Murphys for those who like a little punk with their world music.

Currently we have "Another Country," "Further Down the Old Plank Road," and "The Essential Chieftains" by the Chieftains. We also have the concert video for "Another Country", in which the Chieftains perform with Nashville stars such as Ricky Skaggs, Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris. (I must add from personal experience, if you ever have a chance to see these fellows perform live, TAKE IT)! We also have The Pogues: Very Best Of, The Green Fields of America, Dropkick Murphys: The Singles Collection, and Gaelic Storm: Special Reserve (you may remember Gaelic Storm as the "steerage band" in the movie "Titanic"). More music will likely be added to these. The CDs are kept behind the circulation desk and are available for two-hour checkout.

Here's a preview of some of the offerings:

And this one you may recall from the Subaru commercial where the hockey mom shuttles her kids around:

Just ask at the desk to see any of these CDs!

Get ready for the Year of Ireland and Irish Heritage

2011-08-24T13:42:00.000-07:00

A blogger named McGee can't help being excited about this year's "Year Of" program, so much so that I gave the blog a green makeover for the occasion!

As most of you probably know, the "Year Of" program focuses each year on a different region of the world. Through cross-disciplinary study and special events, students gain understanding of different cultures' faiths, practices, beliefs, social norms, art, literature, businesses and geographies. Since its beginning in 2003, the "Year Of" program has explored the Americas, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia, the Mediterranean, the Indigenous Peoples of North America, Oceania, and now Ireland and the Irish diaspora. The "Year Of" program helps prepare members of the Reinhardt community to become true "citizens of the world."

"The 'Year Of' program is extremely important because it allows the students, the faculty and the staff to explore and learn about different regions, different cultures and different peoples they would probably never learn about in ordinary circumstances: their cultures, beliefs, lifestyles, histories, folktales and literature," said Michael Martinez, director of the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center and chair of the Year of Ireland committee. "With this new understanding, hopefully everyone will come to better realize that even though people have different languages, live in different areas and have different beliefs, we are still people of one world, and must learn to coexist in...peace and harmony."

Of this year's subject, Martinez said, "Ireland is extremely interesting because there are a lot of people in this region whose ancestors came from Ireland and intermixed with other cultures and the native population. You must understand your past if you are going to have any kind of a future."

The first major event for the Year of Ireland is a visit from speaker Kevin Conboy on September 22 at 6pm right here in the library. Mr. Conboy is a dual citizen of Ireland and the United States and the current president of the Atlanta chapter of the Ireland Chamber of Commerce. He will be speaking on economic development in Ireland and its ties to the southeastern United States. On October 18, just in time for Halloween, acclaimed storyteller Betsy Doty will be here to tell spooky and traditional Irish tales. The event to which I'm looking forward the most is the visit from the Atlanta Irish Music School in February. After their performance the group will lead attendees in a brief Irish dancing lesson! You can also look forward to an Irish Country Fair in March, timed to coincide with St. Patrick's Day.

There will be a film and discussion series again this year, starting with the comedy Waking Ned Devine on September 15. Other movies scheduled for this semester will be Michael Collins, My Left Foot, Circle of Friends and The Kings. Watch this space for further information about the film series.

We will be having the "Year Of" essay contest again this year. To enter, submit an original essay on an Ireland-related subject to Stephanie Olsen in the library. This can be a review of an Irish movie, book, or "Year of" event, a paper written for a class, or original research of your own. The essay must be at least a page in length. The writers of the best essays of each month will receive a Year of Ireland t-shirt (designed by our own Ms. Olsen) and be entered into a drawing for a Nintendo Wii to be given away at the end of the year.

We will also be having periodic Irish trivia questions. This month's trivia question is "According to Celtic mythology, who had four eyes in her back and led the Fomorii into battle against Partholon?" If you think you know the answer, email Stephanie at sfo@reinhardt.edu. A winner will be chosen each week from among the correct responses; this winner will also be awarded a Year Of Ireland t-shirt. The luck of the Irish be with you!

For more information about the Year of Ireland, see the official page here. I will also be keeping this space updated with Year of Ireland events and activities. Slán leat!

Welcome back! Happy New Year!

2011-08-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

It is so good to walk out on the Reinhardt campus, blinking into the light to see the place filled with students again! We've missed you this summer. Stop by and tell us of all your adventures, and we'll be happy to clue you in about what's been going on here. We have a lot of exciting events planned for the Year of Ireland and Irish Heritage, and some new resources for you as well.

There's something about the beginning of a new school year. It's like New Year's Day. It's a chance to make a fresh start. Do you have any "new year's resolutions" for 2011-2012? Whatever they may be, there's a very good chance that we can help. Take a look at your class schedule, and then come by the library and scout out the resources you'll need. We'll be here to help you every step of the way from First Day to graduation and beyond.

Library resources are music to dean's ears

2011-08-12T06:26:00.001-07:00

When Dr. Dennis McIntire, Interim Dean and Assistant Dean of the School of Music, first came to Reinhardt in the fall of 2003, the music department was part of the School of Communication, Arts and Music. Dr. McIntire came to help start the music education program. “We had 17 music majors,” he said. “Now we have just over 100 undergraduate music majors and 18 graduate students.” The music program currently offers a Master of Music Degree in the fields of Conducting, Music Education and Piano Pedagogy, with evening and summer classes to accommodate working teachers.
Dr. McIntire says he is pleased with what Reinhardt’s library offers his students. “There are wonderful databases. We have an excellent representation. I think we have everything that Alexander Street [Publishing] offers. We don’t have to buy CDs because we can do all of our listening through the databases.” When asked to pick a favorite music database, Dr. McIntire shook his head. “I like all of them.” He did indicate that he’s found Naxos Music Library to be particularly helpful, that many students have discovered Opera in Video, and that the graduate students appreciate the International Index to Music Periodicals and Oxford Music Online, the home of Grove Music Online.
The music databases are accessible to faculty and students anywhere with Internet access, but those aren’t the only library resources at the music program’s fingertips. Many resources are housed at the music library, located at the Falany Performing Arts Center. These materials are not for check out and must be used in the library. “The music library runs on the honor system, and it works on the honor system,” Dr. McIntire said. He is beginning his ninth year at Reinhardt, and he said in all that time the music library hasn’t lost anything as far as he can tell. The books and other materials are all catalogued in the library’s system, and student workers come in regularly to shelve books and keep things tidy. There students have access to monument editions of the collected works of major composers (a collection that grows every year), music education resources and four computer stations where students can do research. “And if that’s not enough, the piano lab upstairs has twelve more computer stations,” Dr. McIntire added.
The music department is currently preparing for the process of renewing its accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Music. “When they came five years ago, one of the evaluators was from [a major state university] and he was astounded. We have a lot of stuff that they didn’t have,” Dr. McIntire said. “We have as much or more than all the schools around us, plus our music library is very friendly, open and accessible. It’s important that the library is here. Our faculty can walk down the hall, take something and use it for a class. It’s a very hands-on library.”

A staff member returns from Peru!

2011-06-06T05:19:00.000-07:00

Congratulations and welcome back to library staff member Melissa Doyle! Melissa just returned from a three-week stint in Peru, studying abroad and helping out with a library automation project. Melissa shares details about the journey here at http://librarymelissainperu.wordpress.com/.

This map of Peru was taken from one of my favorite library databases, Global Road Warrior, a great guide for practical business and pleasure travel as well as a resource for studying about other countries and cultures.

Peru just had its second round of presidential elections yesterday. For timely political and economic updates about countries around the world, check out another library database, CountryWatch. Both CountryWatch and Global Road Warrior are accessible from the library website.

Zombies love libraries!

2011-05-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

Libraries improve brains! Zombies eat brains! Therefore, zombies have a vested interest in protecting libraries! It's a no-brainer!

This article shows how Oakland residents got creative--and creepy--to protest library closings. Well done!

Finals Time! Library Study Hours Announced

2011-04-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

April 13th & 14th: 24 Hours (Tentative)
April 15th: 8-5
April 16th 1-6
April 17th (starting at 2 pm)-April 21st:24 Hours
Library CLOSED for Easter holiday: April 22-April 24
April 25th-27th: 24 Hours

Check back with us for further updates!

Getting Ready for Grad School Part Two – The Application Process

2011-04-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Special Guest Blog by Kirsten Rodning

In this chapter of my “Getting Ready for Grad School” blog series, I am going to discuss the steps that each student should take before and during the process of applying to graduate schools. At this point, you have already figured out what to do when the time comes to take the GRE, but what are the next steps?

Before you do anything else, you should make a list of all of the universities you are interested in. Go to their websites and determine what the application due date is for each school. Every school will have a different due date, and it is imperative that you keep track of when materials are due for each school.

Next, narrow down which schools you will actually apply to. Do this by researching your program of interest within each university. Make sure you look at the faculty and what their individual specialties are, the courses available in the school’s academic catalog, and the location and physical appearance of the campus itself. Since application fees are often very high, narrowing down your school choices to three or four options is a good idea.

Once you’ve chosen a few schools, your next step is to look at the application itself and find out exactly what you are required to submit. Usually the requirements will be different for each department, so make sure you look at the department requirements and not just the overall school requirements. For instance, when I applied for Georgia State University, each applicant was required to look at a specific page for their department, and applications were sent directly to a specific school, or college, within the university. As an English major, I looked at the English department’s page for application requirements, and I submitted my application directly to the College of Arts and Sciences through an online form (See an example of a degree requirements page here and an example of an application checklist here.

After you have all of that straightened out, it’s time to write a statement of purpose and an academic resume, along with pulling together a writing sample or portfolio. Some schools don’t require all of these items, but chances are good that you will have to submit each of them for at least one school. I can’t tell you exactly how to write each of these, but we do have several good books and resources here in the library to assist with this process. Just ask a librarian at the reference desk for help, and he or she can lead you to the books that discuss graduate school applications (Some examples of book titles that are held behind the circulation desk include Kaplan’s Get Into Graduate School, Graduate School: Winning Strategies for Getting in With or Without Excellent Grades, Graduate School Companion, and Graduate Admissions Essays). You can also visit the Center for Student Success for more help with your application process.

Two other things that you need to keep in mind during this process are your letters of recommendation and your college transcripts. Make sure you request your letters of recommendation from teachers or employers several weeks before the application deadlines, so you can give your letter writers plenty of time to write the letters and mail them to the schools. The resources we have in the library will also assist you with picking letter writers and asking them for letters. Having your transcripts mailed to your prospective schools is a much easier task. All you have to do is visit the Registrar’s office and fill out a short form and pay a small fee, and they will mail a copy of your transcript to your school of choice. If you have attended any other school before Reinhardt, you will also have to request transcripts from each school you attended.

This concludes part two of the “Getting Ready for Grad School” blog series. Good luck with your applications!

Meet Charlie!

2011-03-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Meet Charlie the Robot, our newest art installation here at the library. Charlie was created by Jamie Thomas and Bo Higgins.

Subject: Getting Ready for Grad School Part One -- Preparing for and Taking the GRE

2011-03-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

The following is a guest blog by Reinhardt alumna and Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center employee Kirsten Rodning

Hello, Kirsten here. I am one of the newest members of the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center team, having started work here after graduating from Reinhardt last spring. After graduation, I had to think through a lot of different options for my future, and while I was fortunate to get a job here at the library, I also decided to start planning for a future in Graduate School.

One of my first steps in preparing for Grad School was to take the GRE (the Graduate Record Exam). After doing a bit of google research and asking the friendly Reinhardt library staff for help, I discovered that I could easily sign up for a test date at a local test center on the Educational Testing Service’s website (http://www.ets.org/gre/). I signed up for a date that was a couple of months away, so I would have time to study before taking the test. The website also gave me many useful pieces of information regarding the GRE. The most important piece of information that I needed to know before signing up, however, was that there was a $160 fee that I was required to pay at the time of sign-up. This means that if you choose to take the GRE, you should make sure you have saved some money for the process.

After I had signed up for a test date, my next step was to visit Amazon.com and purchase study books to help with preparation for the test. I read reviews of various different study books, and finally chose the Princeton Review’s Cracking the GRE, along with a book of advanced study of the verbal section from Kaplan (this was especially important for me as an English major, since English programs look almost exclusively at the verbal section of the test). I also used the books and resources that we have available here in the Reinhardt library. These books included sample questions, practice tests, and other hints and tips for test day. Prospective GRE testees may wish to note that after taking the exam I donated all of my GRE test books to the library, so they will be available to other Reinhardt students as needed.

Finally, two months later, my test date arrived. While I cannot tell you what was on the test (I was sworn to secrecy!), I can tell what you should expect from the testing center and the conditions in which you will take the test. The first thing I am going to tell you is of vital importance: do NOT stress out too much over the test. Working yourself into a panic will only cause you to leave the test with worse scores than you were expecting. As long as you have given yourself plenty of time to study (several months – preferably more than two, as I felt rushed with that amount of study time), there is nothing else you can do. Just relax. It is also important to visit the testing center prior to your test date. This way you won’t get lost on the way and you’ll have a better feel for what the place is like.

The following is a list of things that you might want to bring with you when you go to take your exam: food/ drink (these will be left in a locker, but you will have a break in which you can grab a quick snack), Jacket (though if you choose to wear it, you must keep it on the whole time. If you take it off during the test, someone will interrupt you to take your jacket away – yes, I speak from experience), Earplugs (the testing center may have some they can give you, but you probably want to have these, as you will be in a room where other people are typing, sneezing, and tapping their pencils), your up-to-date Driver’s License or state issued ID (It can not be expired, and you will not be allowed to take the test without this), and a printout of your confirmation for your test date.

I also have a list of things that you might think are necessary, but should be left at home, in your car, or in the provided locker: study books (these are no longer needed!), a watch (you will not be allowed to have this in the test room), and your cell phone (also contraband).

Once I finished the test, my scores on the verbal and quantitative sections were shown to me (the writing score came in the mail a few weeks later). After I signed out of the testing center, I was free and clear! My scores were mailed to the Universities of my choice, and my next step was to begin filling out grad school applications (which will be covered in the next exciting blog entry!).

The Irish in Southern Cultures

2011-03-21T05:12:00.000-07:00

Check out the current issue of Southern Cultures from the University of North Carolina Press. It focuses on the Irish in the American South and the "outsized imprint" they left on southern culture in history, literature and music. I'm excited about it personally as a southerner and an Irish-American, but in light of next year's "Year Of" focus on the Irish diaspora, I think many of you would like to read up and get a head start. From Irish soldiers in the Confederacy to African-Americans and Irish-Americans making music together, from U2 and BB King to Gone With the Wind, there's some fascinating material in this issue.

We just got the print copy on our shelves, but we also have access to this publication on many of our databases. Check out the E-Journal link on our library home page.

Happy Freedom of Information Day!

2011-03-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

Freedom of Information Day is held annually on or near March 16. Why March 16? Because this is the birthday of our fourth President and political philosopher James Madison, widely known as the Father of our Constitution and held as the foremost advocate for openness in government.

"A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both."
James Madison

Enacted in 1966, and taking effect on July 5, 1967, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) protects the rights of American citizens to obtain access to federal agency records. A FOIA request can be made for any agency record. For more information about the Freedom of Information Act and your rights under it, see the official government site at FOIA.gov.

The New York Public Library, in its blog for The Huffington Post, asked Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter David Barstow of the New York Times some questions about FOIA, freedom of information and freedom of the press. (Both the current and previous presidential administrations have been the subject of controversy about how much access they've allowed the public to have). Join in the conversation here.

Women's History Month

2011-03-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of women whose commitment to nature and the planet have proved invaluable to society.

Before the 1970s, the topic of women’s history was largely missing from general public consciousness. To address this situation, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978 and chose the week of March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day.

In 1987, the National Women’s History Project petitioned Congress to expand the celebration to the entire month of March. Since then, the National Women’s History Month Resolution has been approved every year with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

Source: National Women’s History Project

About This Year's Theme: Our History is Our Strength
“Our shared history unites families, communities, and nations. Although women’s history is intertwined with the history shared with men, several factors - social, religious, economic, and biological - have worked to create a unique sphere of women's history.”

Source: National Women’s History Project

Women’s History Month @ Your Library
Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center is celebrating all women of the world this month. From the female convicts who were forced into Australia by the British government in the Nineteenth Century to the American feminists of the 1960s, the library has books and other sources of information about the illustrious history of women.

There is a display of recommended titles and other media on the second floor of the library which reflect women’s history in America as well as around the world throughout time.

Books include:
Convict Maids: The Forced Migration of Women to Australia, by Deborah Oxley (This is a Year of Oceania book!)
Madame Curie: A Biography, by Eve Curie.
Rural Women in Urban China: Gender, Migration, and Social Change, by Tamara Jacka
Who Cooked the Last Supper? The Women’s History of the World, by Rosalind Miles
A German Women’s Movement: Class and Gender in Hanover, 1860-1933, by Nancy R. Reagin
Women in Revolutionary Paris, 1789-1795, by Levy, Applewhite, and Johnson

…and many more!

The library also has access to databases such as Women and Social Movements and North American Women’s Drama, both available through the library’s website.

Additional Resources Online

Women’s History Month at the National Women’s History Project

Women’s History Month at the Library of Congress

Women’s History Month Activities, History, Timelines, Ideas, Facts and Quizzes

Free Resources for Women’s History Month

Wikipedia Beneath the Surface

2011-03-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/wikipedia/

This excellent short video from North Carolina State University's libraries takes you "behind the scenes" of a Wikipedia page.

March Trivia Contest

2011-03-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

Time to put on your thinking caps for another Oceania Trivia question.

To win an Oceania T-Shirt answer the following:

Why do the Maluka people call the outback the Never-Never?

Contact Stephanie Olsen at sfo@reinhardt.edu with your answer!

Today at 2pm in Tarpley 213: Ten Canoes

2011-03-10T09:28:00.000-08:00

Check out a parable of forbidden love from Australia's past. "Ten Canoes" will be shown today at 2pm in Tarpley 213. This film is sponsored by the Year of Oceania.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

2011-03-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Mardi Gras everyone! At a loss as to how to celebrate Fat Tuesday in Waleska? Want a last blast before the fast? Maybe you just want to see Reinhardt faculty and staff let their hair down (what's left of it)?

Check out the fourth annual Reinhardt Hootenanny performance, starting tonight at 7 pm in the Glass House. Jessica Akers, Dr. Donna Coffey, Monica Daniels, Dr. Robert Driscoll, Glowka, Joel Griswell, Shalyn Hernandez, Kenny Johnson, Mary Laing, Dr. Roger Lee, Dr. Dennis McIntire, Randy Dobson, Dr. Julie Schultz, Nicole Weston, Dr. Kenneth Wheeler and Dianna Zima will be singing and dancing for you, performing their versions of songs by Peter, Paul and Mary and the Beatles, and just maybe a few newer tunes too.

The Reinhardt community looks forward to this event every year that brings together faculty, staff and students to have some good, clean fun--and just maybe that scary tough professor won't seem so intimidating after you've heard his version of "Proud Mary."

Welcome Back! Congratulations to our winners!

2011-03-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a fun break and is coming back rested and rejuvenated for the second half of the semester!

If you didn't get to travel as much as you'd like, or if you're still in the mood for adventure, I'd like to remind you of our ongoing Year Of Oceania activities! What better destination for a mental escape than the exotic South Pacific, from Hawaii to Australia? Remember, you can always stop by the library and check out one of our "Year Of" books or "Year Of" movies just for enjoyment. If you'd like, you can write a brief review of the book or movie and submit it to Stephanie Olsen in the library (sfo@reinhardt.edu) for consideration in our monthly essay contest. Our essay winner for February is Mi Vuong.

We also have the winners for our February trivia contest. The question:

"According to the Maori, what is the term used to denote 'descendant,' and what is its meaning?"

The answer:
The Maori term for "descendant" is uri; its precise meaning is "offspring or issue".

The winners are:
Thomas Bagley
Ashley Davis
Karen Garland
Jayne Hunter
Denny Jones
Jamie Landers
Lauren Long
Kirsten Mazur
Morgan Sparks
Sandra Zuniga

Congratulations to all of our winners. Each will receive a super-sharp "Year of Oceania" t-shirt, designed by our own Stephanie Olsen.

There's still a chance to get your t-shirt! Be watching for our next contest.

Don't forget the ongoing "Year of Oceania" film series. The next movie, "The Man from Snowy River," will be shown at 2 pm this Thursday in Tarpley 213.

HAPPY SPRING BREAK!

2011-03-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Hope you all are enjoying your Spring Break! If you need us, we'll be open from 8 am to 6 pm Monday through Thursday, and 8 am to 5 pm on Friday. We'll be closed on Saturday and Sunday, but we'll open up again for our regular hours at 8 am Monday morning! Have a safe and fun break!

Screenwriter visits the Hill Freeman Library

2011-02-24T17:28:00.000-08:00

It was wonderful to see so many of you here yesterday for the visit by screenwriter Brenda Fontaine! We had a full house for the table read from Ms. Fontaine's script for The Magic Man. The script was delightful, and so were the actors, including Wayne Glowka, Cassie Wright, Jamie Thomas and Connor Williams as the Magic Man. This particular script focuses on a seriously ill young mother, a writer of adventure stories, who determines to bring one of her adventures to life as a last gift to her family.

While there was little she could say about it due to nondisclosure agreements, Ms. Fontaine revealed that she has recently signed a contract for a new film, Harry's House.

The audience, which I believe consisted mostly of creative writing students and other aspiring writers, was excited to hear Ms. Fontaine tell the story of how she get her start as a screenwriter. Since writing her first script less than 5 years ago, she has found her passion. Writing "defines her life," as she put it. A natural storyteller, Ms. Fontaine says her ideas begin in fantasy but soon become rooted in her personal experience. She writes, she said, from the universal experiences we all share.

While Ms. Fontaine has written poetry and prose, it is screenwriting that is her natural medium. She credited the screenwriting guides by Syd Fields with helping her learn the nuts and bolts of the craft, and some classes she took from Academy Award winner Ernest Thompson (On Golden Pond) with changing her life. She promised she would give Dr. Donna Coffey some information about these classes, so please see Dr. Coffey if you're interested in taking some. (I know I am).

Check out Coretta Scott King award winners

2011-02-22T06:28:00.000-08:00

In honor of Black History Month, stop by and check out our display of Coretta Scott King Book Award winners in the library! The American Library Association awards this distinction annually to African American authors and illustrators for "outstanding inspirational and educational contributions." The award honors Mrs. King's courage and determination to work for world brotherhood and non-violent social change. Coretta Scott King Book Award winners are recognized for their "understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their advancement of the American dream of a pluralistic society."

"Year Of Oceania" winners announced

2011-02-15T11:54:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the following winners of our Year Of Oceania Valentine's Day contest: Marlana Camp, Heather Crook, Anna Dollar, Nahum Vigo-Fas, Kellie Richardson, Ontarius Shelly, Ann Smith, Cathy Wilson, Sandra Zuniga! These folks each won a "Year of Oceania" t-shirt for sharing with us which "Year of" events have touched them the most this year. Their input will help the Year of Oceania committee plan more events in the future!

Hope all of you had a wonderful Valentine's Day! We <3 our Reinhardt patrons!

Review of our library, by an actual user!

2011-02-09T08:36:00.001-08:00

A marketing student at Reinhardt wrote the following paper for a class. We obtained permission to share it here! All views expressed here are his:

The Library

Over the past few years at Reinhardt University, I have used the library many times. This past semester I took eighteen hours so I was in the library three to four nights a week. I feel that the library is a great service that is provided to the students by the university. The library's many resources and tools help students to better complete their schoolwork, study, or use the internet.
In my opinion, the best thing about the library is the twenty-four hour internet access. Not everyone on campus has their own laptop, and I think that it is great that the students here have a place to go to get on the internet whenever they need to. Also, the internet in the residence halls can be very bad at times, and it's nice to know that one can just go to the library if they really need to use the internet.

The research tools that the library provides are very helpful as well. One tool that is very helpful are the databases that provide copious amounts of information on various subjects. I have used these databases on numerous occasions, and they are great if one is scholarly source that is reliable. Google and Wikipedia aren't alwys trustworthy, and these databases are a solid source of legitimate information.

Books are another great source of information. There is a librarian on duty until 11 pm [Monday through Thursday],...and he or she will be able to help one find the book that they are looking for. Although the selection of books is not that great, it is sufficient enough to do research. One can also check out books for leisurely reading. The fees for late books are not very severe, either. I accidentally kept a book for an entire summer once, and I think the fee was about six dollars.

The library is also great for studying. There are cubicles on the third floor, which is usually deserted, that students may use to study their books or notes from class. This is a great alternative to studying in one's room, which can be very distracting at times. Overall, the library is a great tool for success at Reinhardt. One is able to have unlimited amounts of research at their fingertips twenty-four hours a day. The staff is very helpful if one needs to find something or use the hole punch machine or stapler. I do not have any serious complaints about the library. My main concern is about the noise level on the second floor. This is the room with most of the computers and it can become crowded at times. Occasionally people will begin to talk too loudly or even play music using their cell phones. This can be very distracting, and depending on who is working at the time, something may never be said to the noise polluter. Other than this small problem, I think the library is one of the best services that Reinhardt offers its students. A survey of various Reinhardt students revealed that approximately 80% of students thought that the library was a sufficient resource for students to enhance their learning experience. This survey had a relatively small sample size and the data may not accurately reflect the opinion of the student body of Reinhardt University as a whole.

Readers' theatre brings local history to life

2011-02-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

Got plans for this weekend (other than Homecoming activities of course)? Well, scrap 'em, because you won't want to miss "Echoes of Cherokee County," presented by Reinhardt University Theatre. This readers' theatre features letters, newspaper reports, legal documents, and other primary documents outlining just a few of the important events and movements that affected this area during the half-century leading up to the the Civil War.

"It's about 40 minutes of legal documents, letters, diaries, and newspaper reports. It covers gold rushes, school building, preaching, Indian removal and oppression, and, for the finale, a truly terrifying speech delivered on the eve of the war to the Cherokee Riflemen by a women's sewing guild. Goes WAY beyond "war of northern aggression" rhetoric," said RU professor of English and Theatre Dr. Kevin Crawford.

Crwaford was helped in researching the material for the show by RU History professor Dr. Ken Wheeler and local historian/library favorite G. Richard Wright.

"It's a fun way to interact with this material," said Wright, who will also be speaking at the event.

"Echoes of Cherokee County" will be held at the historic Canton Theatre in downtown Canton on February 11th and 12th at 7:30 pm. Tickets are only $5 (cash or check only). Don't miss it! I won't.

Black History Month: 1966, Reinhardt integrates

2011-02-07T09:46:00.000-08:00

February is African American History Month. As I sat thinking about the display I might assemble in the library this month (I'm thinking it will be a collection of Coretta Scott King Book Award winners), it suddenly occurred to me that I didn't know anything about when Reinhardt was integrated. I didn't even know the name of our first African American student. Fortunately I do know our archivist, Joel Langford, and he pointed me in the right direction.

As it turns out, compared to some other colleges and universities in the South, the desegregation of Reinhardt was relatively peaceful. There were some minor tensions in the early years, but for the most part, the integration of Reinhardt went very smoothly.

Upon receiving notice from the United States Office of Education that Reinhardt would have to sign an agreement not to discriminate in the admission of students if it wanted to continue to receive federal financial aid, then-president Dr. Rowland Burgess called a meeting of the executive committee of the board of trustees. Burgess suggested that they vote to sign the agreement, providing there was no protest from the other members of the board. According to Burgess's memoirs, chairman Mills Lane responded, "No. Let's authorize the agreement and notify them that we have done so." Burgess expected that he would have to cast the deciding vote, but the committee vote was unanimous. Reinhardt would integrate.

Reinhardt University, then Reinhardt College, was integrated in the fall of 1966 with one African American student. His name was James Jordan. Burgess's memoirs describe Jordan as "a...young man with a ready smile...a very popular student." Jordan was a member of Omega Kappa Pi fraternity and was elected to the Student Government Association.

Jordan graduated from Reinhardt (which was then a two-year junior college) in 1968. Some time later, Burgess related, he and his wife saw Jordan and his girlfriend at a gas station in Newnan: "As we rushed toward each other to shake hands, I noticed the nervous movement and scowling faces of some men sitting nearby. Suddenly the thought hit me! This is the first time in your life you forgot that a person was black."
Above, James Jordan from the 1966-1967 Cherokee Phoenix, Reinhardt's yearbook. Right, Dr. Rowland Burgess, the same year.

The Lord of the Libraries

2011-02-04T06:20:00.001-08:00

Hello all!

I wanted to share with you this wonderful video from the library at the University of Kansas! It was written and directed in 2004 by Emmy award-winning writer Chris Martin ("Heroes") when he was a student. Enjoy!

TIME-SENSITIVE! Read all you want--for two days!

2011-02-03T06:42:00.000-08:00

Springer has offered us a trial of their excellent multidisciplinary book and image files. These contain over 43,000 books and 2,843,990 images.

You can find the link on the library home page, on the left-hand side under "Trial Databases."

If you see a green box by a book title, we have temporary access to it.

Take advantage of these now! The trial ends Saturday. Trial databases are only accessible from campus.

Check it out here.

OCEANIA TRIVIA CONTEST

2011-02-02T10:27:00.000-08:00

We have a winner of our January trivia contest--three winners to be exact!

The question: New Zealand has a healthy population of marine mammals, thanks to its extensive coastline. What are the three main groups?

The answer: Whales, Dolphins, and Seals/Sea Lions.

Congratulations to Ashley Bryant, Michael Cass, and Peggy Collins Feehery! Their names were drawn from the correct entries.

Didn't win this time? Don't give up! Our February Trivia Contest has begun. This month's question is:

According to the Maori, what is the term they use to denote "descendant", and what is its meaning?

Stop by the library this month to submit your answer! Winners will be drawn... from correct entries. Good luck!

News from Egypt

2011-01-31T06:22:00.000-08:00

At a historic but turbulent time in world events, here's a dispatch from Egypt. The nation may be in chaos, but the Library is safe.

From bibalex, the new Library of Alexandria

To our friends around the world: The Events in Egypt
30 Jan 2011

The world has witnessed an unprecedented popular action in the streets of Egypt. Led by Egypt’s youth, with their justified demands for more freedom, more democracy, lower prices for necessities and more employment opportunities. These youths demanded immediate and far-reaching changes. This was met by violent conflicts with the police, who were routed. The army was called in and was welcomed by the demonstrators, but initially their presence was more symbolic than active. Events deteriorated as lawless bands of thugs, and maybe agents provocateurs, appeared and looting began. The young people organized themselves into groups that directed traffic, protected neighborhoods and guarded public buildings of value such as the Egyptian Museum and the Library of Alexandria. They are collaborating with the army. This makeshift arrangement is in place until full public order returns.

The library is safe thanks to Egypt’s youth, whether they be the staff of the Library or the representatives of the demonstrators, who are joining us in guarding the building from potential vandals and looters. I am there daily within the bounds of the curfew hours. However, the Library will be closed to the public for the next few days until the curfew is lifted and events unfold towards an end to the lawlessness and a move towards the resolution of the political issues that triggered the demonstrations.
Ismail Serageldin
Librarian of Alexandria
Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Friday Funnies

2011-01-28T07:12:00.000-08:00

Q. Do you know how many librarians it takes to screw in a light bulb?
A. No, but I know where you can look it up!

Q. How many reference librarians does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Well, what kind of light bulb were you thinking about?

Why did the librarian slip and fall on the library floor?
Because she was in the non-friction section.

Customer: I am looking for a globe of the earth.
Librarian: We have a table-top model over here.
Customer: No, that's not good enough. Don't you have a life-size?
Librarian: [pauses] Yes, but it's in use right now.'

Marion [none too bright] walks into the library and says to the librarian, 'Can I have a burger and fries?'
Librarian [whispering]: 'Ssssh…Sorry, this is a library.'
Marion: [whispering also] 'Oh, may I have a burger and fries.'

And for my fellow Star Wars fans..
Dark Side of the Library

* Adventure. Heh! Remuneration. Heh! A librarian craves not these things.
* You must learn the ways of the MARC.
* AACR can have a strong influence on the weak-minded.
* Sir, the possibility of successfully negotiating a pay rise is approximately 3,720 to 1.
* When ten years long service you reach, look as good you will not.
* If this is the the diplomatic section where is your copy of Statesmans Yearbook?
* You are a member of the vandal alliance and a traitor. Take her away.
* The Wheel has turned full circle. When we last met I was but a library assistant. Now I am a librarian.
Only a Librarian of Evil, Darth.
* I see you have constructed a new Marc Record. Now your skills are complete.
* The Cataloguer will show you the true nature of Dewey.
* And now Mrs Abathnot we will discuss the location of the missing library books.
* Fear will keep the outlying patrons in line. Fear of this work station.
* This was your Fathers card catalogue. Not as clumsy or as random as an OPAC. A more civilised catalogue for a more elegant age.
* That's no small branch library.

Year of Oceania Movie Today

2011-01-27T06:35:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for some entertainment this afternoon, don't forget today's Year of Oceania movie, "The Year of Living Dangerously," starring Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver. The movie will be shown today at 2 pm in Tarpley 213.

This 1982 Peter Weir film is set in Indonesia in 1965. Journalist Guy Hamilton (Gibson) is a foreign correspondent on his first assignment. He makes key contacts in the form of a Chinese-Australian photographer named Billy Kwan (a male character portrayed by a female actor, Linda Hunt) and a British diplomat named Jill Bryant (Weaver). Bryant and Hamilton fall in love. When Bryant learns that the Communist Party of Indonesia (the PKI) are planning to overthrow the government with the help of Communist China, she warns Hamilton so he can escape before the bloodshed. Hamilton instead wants to stay and cover the rebellion and the overthrow of President Sukarno.

Linda Hunt won an Academy award for her portrayal of Kwan. The movie was banned from being shown in Indonesia until 1999.

Dr. Theresa Ast will be on hand to lead discussion of the film and answer any questions.

This is an excellent opportunity to enter the Year of Oceania essay contest! All you need to do is read any "Year Of" book (available in the library), see any "Year Of" film or attend any "Year Of" event. Write a brief review of the book, movie or event and submit it to Stephanie Olsen or Michael Martinez in the library. One winner will be chosen each month to receive a free "Year of Oceania" t-shirt with the turtle logo.

Another way to win a t-shirt is by entering our monthly trivia contest. This month's question:

New Zealand has a healthy population of marine mammals, thanks to its extensive coastline. What are the three main groups?

Stop by the library to fill out a form with your answer. All correct answers will be put into a drawing. Don't forget to include your phone number! Good luck.

2011-01-26T05:56:00.000-08:00

Hello,

Just wanted to remind everyone of two of our newer databases! I know many of you, particularly faculty and staff, come to the library to read The Chronicle of Higher Education, and with good reason. The Chronicle is a premier source of news, information and advice about the world of academia.The journal is a nine-time finalist for the National Magazine Awards, and one of its columnists was a finalist for a 2005 Pulitzer Prize. In 2007, an Erdos & Morgan survey ranked The Chronicle among the 10 most credible news sources. Recently, the library purchased a site license for
The Chronicle of Higher Education online. This gives you online access to all Chronicle content, plus daily news and advice columns, job listings, active discussion forums, and career-building tools such as online CV management, salary databases and more.

We have also added a site license to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. This is a news source for nonprofit leaders, fund raisers, grant makers, and others involved in the philanthropic world. It offers such service features as lists of grants, fundraising ideas and techniques, statistics, reports on tax and court rulings, summaries of books, and a calendar of events.

Check them both out!

This date in history: Georgia secedes

2011-01-19T07:50:00.000-08:00

One hundred and fifty years ago today, a special Georgia state convention met in Milledgeville, which was then the state capital. The convention had debated for three days before voting 208-89 to leave the Union, becoming the fifth state to do so (the first four were South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama).

The following Articles of Secession were adopted:

""We, the people of the State of Georgia, in Convention assembled, do declare and ordain, and it is hereby declared and ordained: "That the ordinance adopted by the people of the State of Georgia in Convention on the second day of January in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and eight-eight, whereby the Constitution of the United States of America was assented to, ratified and adopted; and also all acts and parts of acts of the General Assembly of this State ratifying and adopting amendments of the said Constitution are hereby repealed, rescinded and abrogated. "We do further declare and ordain, That the Union now subsisting between the State of Georgia and other States, under the name of the "United States of America," is hereby dissolved, and that the State of Georgia is in full possession and exercise of all those rights of sovereignty which belong and appertain to a free and independent State."

This would be a great day to come to the library and check out our Triplett Memorial Military History Collection. We have more than 3,000 materials in this collection on the shelves, with more being added every day, and almost a third of them focus on various aspects of the Civil War. I think you'll find it quite impressive! We'll be planning a number of events in conjunction with the war's sesquicentennial, so be on the lookout!

Sources: The Georgia Historical Society, History.com, Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Photo: The old state capital building in Milledgeville. The building is now part of the campus of the Georgia Military College, and serves as a museum. Image source: Library of Congress

Yes, we're open today! Finally!

2011-01-14T07:47:00.000-08:00

Hello, Reinhardt folks, did you enjoy your unexpected week off? I sure did! It's back to business as usual in snowy Waleska today. The library is warm, the computers are functioning, and our stacks of books are inviting, so come on in and take the chill off! I would advise you to watch your step, though, especially if you're attempting to navigate the rear entrance near the first floor study area. The last time I checked, that was still pretty icy. The front entrance looks to be a little safer (and check out those beautiful icicles on the crape myrtle just to the right)!

Congratulations are due for PHOEBE BUDD! Phoebe is the winner of this month's Year of Oceania essay contest. Her prize is an Oceania t-shirt and a 4-gig flash drive.

There are still several chances to win! To enter, all you have to do is read any book or watch any movie about the Oceania region (located near the service desk on the 2nd floor of the library) or attend any "Year Of" event. Then write a 2- or 3-paragraph summary of the movie, book, or event. Turn it in at the library to either Michael Martinez or Stephanie Olsen by the 28th of each month for your chance to win.

In case you're wondering, we do encourage "double-dipping." If you read a book or watch a movie about Oceania for one of your classes this year, we will accept the work you did for that class as an entry. There's no reason not to enter!

Good luck!

Check out Cherokee Tribune 1/6/11

2011-01-06T09:30:00.001-08:00

Check out today's issue of the Cherokee Tribune, either online (at cherokeetribune.com) or at the library for a couple of interesting front-page articles.

Your eye will first be drawn to a great picture of chemistry major Cam Rosenfeld hard at work in the stacks of the Hill Freeman Library. There's an accompanying article by Kristal Dixon discussing Reinhardt University's plans for the near future, including new graduate programs in Education and in Spanish and the possibility of fielding our own football team. (College football in Waleska? I have to admit, I'm rooting for a "yes" decision from the Board of Trustees this May).

After you check that article out, be sure to read the lead story about Cherokee County's 2011 budget. The good news is the budget has been balanced without the need to cut county government staff or government-provided services--but outside agencies that receive county funding--including the Sequoyah Regional Library System--may see a shortfall.

Check it out.

(Photograph by Todd Hull of the Cherokee Tribune)

Library now open on SATURDAYS!

2011-01-05T07:18:00.000-08:00

Welcome back, students! I hope you all had a nice break, with whatever appropriate winter holidays and a happy new year's included! Now, you're all nice and rested, recharged and ready for a new semester, RIGHT?

Well, we've got some great news for you! This semester, for the first time, we've added SATURDAY hours to our schedule! The library will be open from 1 pm until 6 pm on Saturdays all semester long (excluding holiday weekends and school breaks).

We also got a lot of positive feedback for our 24-hour study days during finals last semester, so you can look forward to more of those around finals time in April.

Of course, as always, students have access 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to our after-hours area. All you need is your Eagle card to gain entry.

Good luck to all of you! We at your library are here to support you and help make Spring 2011 your best semester yet at Reinhardt!

Oceania in the News: Killer Flood in Rockhampton, Australia

2011-01-03T05:37:00.000-08:00

NPR story here

A human face on a national tragedy

2010-12-17T05:34:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of American History magazine features an article on the Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War photographs at the Library of Congress. Nearly 700 photographs depicting mostly young and unknown Union and Confederate soldiers were donated to the Library of Congress by Tom Liljenquist and his three sons (Jason, Brandon, and Christian) of McLean, VA.

As the Civil War nears its 150th anniversary, the passage of time and the magnitude of the suffering (more than 600,000 killed) can obscure the individual human sacrifice and commitment from each of the combatants. These photographs have a shocking immediacy to them. They're just ordinary young men, most about the same age of our students, the same age as (if not younger than) the men and women who are currently serving our country.

The Library of Congress is planning to open an exhibit, "The Last Full Measure: Civil War Photographs From the Liljenquist Family Collection," in April to mark the sesquicentennial. Until then, you can view most of the images at www.loc.gov/rr/print/caption/captionliljenquist.html.

(Photograph from the Liljenquist Collection at the Library of Congress)

The Triplett Collection's OTHER Donor

2010-12-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

I've written before in the blog about the massive donation by Don Wesley-Brown that serves as the core of our Triplett Military History Collection. There is another major donor to the collection who hasn't gotten as much press, and that is the Poe family from Ball Ground,GA. Robert and Mary Poe donated about 1,100 books to the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center.

The books belonged to Mrs. Poe's brother Frank James Farkus III. Farkus fought in World War II as a member of the US Army's 160th Engineer Combat Battalion. He served under General George S. Patton and participated in the liberation of France. Farkus' time in the service led to a lifelong interest in the European theater of operations. About a quarter of the books in his collection are in German. Many of the books focus on various divisions and units, American and German as well as troops from Australia, New Zealand, India, and South Africa. Mr. and Mrs. Poe inherited the books when Farkus passed away two years ago. They decided to donate the books to Reinhardt, believing that Farkus would have wanted to share them with students.

"While by call number and location they are placed in the Triplett Memorial Military History Collection, they are also designated in the catalog and by a book plate as in memory of Frank James Farkus III," said technical services librarian Joel Langford.

"Say Cheese!" Our Photo Winner

2010-12-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Bonnie Medford! Bonnie submitted the winning entry in our Library Photo Contest. In this picture, Bonnie and fellow sociology major Josh Quintanilla hang out with North Fulton Library Assistant Drew Childers '10 in the Hill Freeman Library. What better place to be on a rainy pre-finals afternoon? The picture was snapped by Anna Dollar.

Bonnie has won a "Year of Oceania" t-shirt.

We will have another photo contest in the spring. Start practicing your smile and planning your photo ops! The most creative library picture will win!

SAY CHEESE!!!!

2010-11-23T12:05:00.000-08:00

JUST IN TIME FOR OUR 24-HOUR STUDY SESSIONS--A NEW LIBRARY PHOTO CONTEST!

HOW TO ENTER:

Just snap a picture of yourself and/or your friends in the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center sometime between now and the end of finals on December 8. Then send the pictures to Amy McGee at amm@reinhardt.edu, or turn in a hard copy at the desk.

RULES:
The picture must be G- or at least PG-rated. (We know you love the library, but don't get too carried away).
All people in the foreground of the picture should be identified by first and last name. They do not all have to be current Reinhardt students, but the preference is for at least one of the subjects to be currently enrolled at RU.
By submitting an image, you are giving permission for the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center to use the image on the website, blog, Facebook page, Twitter, in the newsletter or in other promotional materials. You retain the copyright for all other uses (although a Creative Commons licensing would be way cool).
Be creative--but don't do anything dangerous. ;)

Prizes are involved, as is the chance to see your goofy study smiles preserved for posterity!

Have fun--and say cheese!

From memory to history: JFK, 47 years later

2010-11-22T06:03:00.000-08:00

Today is the 47th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

"Where were you when JFK was shot?" When I was growing up, it was something I heard asked of my elders from time to time as the classic cultural touchstone moment. Everyone remembered; the tragedy crystallized mundane tasks like grocery shopping or routine experiences like sitting in an 11th grade language arts class into moments frozen in time and space.

Where were you when JFK was shot? I'm guessing a great many of you, especially you students, were... well... wherever I was. Not present. (I experienced the same sort of freeze-frame in my life when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, for which I know most of you students still weren't around, and much more so on 9/11).

I read an interesting article today in The Dallas Morning News Online about the Sixth Floor Museum, and how it is transitioning from preserving the history for those who remember to explaining the event to those of us who weren't yet born.

"We're at a pivotal moment right now," said Nicola Longford, the museum's executive director. "We're changing from memory to history."

USA Today's site has a great special section today on JFK's America.

If you're interested in the subject, don't neglect your library's resources. We have a number of excellent books, e-books and videos. I recommend the database American History in Video from Alexander Street Press for their selection of contemporary newsreels associated with the assassination and also some great documentary programming from A&E and PBS.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

2010-11-17T05:54:00.000-08:00

Would you like an insider's view of the world of public broadcasting? Thursday at 2 pm on the third floor of the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center, Nancy Hall, the former executive director of Georgia Public Broadcasting, will be giving a talk entitled "Public Broadcasting: Life in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood."

As Executive Director of Georgia Public Broadcasting, Nancy Hall served as the general manager of Georgia’s statewide public television, public radio and satellite- and web-based, distance learning networks. She was also President of the Foundation for Public Broadcasting in Georgia. She retired in October 2008. Before joining GPB in 1995 as director of External Affairs, she served as Special Assistant to Georgia School Superintendent Werner Rogers, working in public affairs, including intergovernmental initiatives such as The Family Connection and Governor Miller's Policy Council on Children and Families. While living in Virginia, she worked in Jimmy Carter's campaign for president and the Henry Howell campaign for Governor. She is currently treasurer of Georgia Women for a Change, a member of the Board of the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy and the Atlanta Press Club, where she serves on the scholarship committee. She was recognized as a Woman of Achievement by the Greater Atlanta YWCA in 2007 and recently received the Linda Torrence Award for Leadership in Media and Arts, given by the Georgia Women's Institute. She is a graduate of Leadership Georgia, the Regional Leadership Institute and the Georgia Executive Leadership Institute. Nancy graduated from the University of Georgia, where she was a news reporter and editor of The Red and Black. From Savannah, she graduated from Savannah High School, and was a classmate of Reinhardt's own Assistant Professor Larry Webb.

Thank you to Larry Webb for this information! It should be a fascinating talk for communications majors and anyone who enjoys the quality programming of public broadcasting. After all, we all live in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood!

IMPORTANT LIBRARY BULLETIN!!!

2010-11-15T05:11:00.000-08:00

It's crunch time again, kiddoes, and the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center has some exciting news for you. The library will of course be closed on Thanksgiving and the day after, and we have traditionally been closed the following Sunday as well. This year, however, not only will we be open for business at usual on 2 pm November 28, but that will also be the start of our 24-HOUR STUDY DAYS. After we open on the 28th, we will not close again until 11 pm on December 2. The stacks will be open, and the library will be staffed. We will also have the usual finals-time complimentary coffee, tea and hot chocolate available.

Pulling all-nighters on major papers can be a lonely business. Come study with us.

(Photo is licensed under Creative Commons by umjanedoan. Thanks for using Creative Commons to share your work with the world).

Happy Veterans' Day, and Thank You...

2010-11-11T02:53:00.000-08:00

In honor of the day, I wanted to share this video from PostSecret.com.

Don't forget the Veterans' Day event today in the library at 2 p.m. And don't forget all who have served and are now serving.

This blogger is giving personal thanks to Noble McGee, Kyle Klincko, Clay Limbaugh, Matthew Puckett and Don Wesley-Brown.

"Year of Oceania" Veterans' Day Event!

2010-11-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

You will not want to miss tomorrow's speaker! On November 11 at 2 pm in the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center, Reinhardt's artist-in-residence George Lucktenberg will be speaking on the Battle of Midway and how it affected the outcome of World War II. Lucktenberg has had a passion for the subject of World War II, specifically the Pacific theater, ever since he was a young teenager looking up to his veteran older brother. Come relive the stories of American heroism and ingenuity, and honor the sacrifices made by all veterans in protecting our nation's freedom!

Congratulations to our "Year of Oceania" trivia contest winners!

2010-11-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the winners of the Oceania Trivia contest:

Christie Mason
Janet Rodning
Cathy Wilson

The answer to the question “Without the use of their eyes, what three things did the early Polynesian people know about the ocean water that enabled them to navigate from island to island?” is:
1) Hearing- The change of rhythmic set of waves against the hull could indicate an island out of sight.
2) Taste and smell- The salinity of the water becomes less as you get closer to land due to the fresh water runoff, and they would be able to smell the vegetation from the islands.
3) Feel- The temperature of the water changes as you come closer to land.

WINNERS, you came closest to the answer so please stop by the library to receive your T-Shirts!
THANKS FOR ENTERING.
--Stephanie Olsen

"Year of Oceania" Movie tomorrow: "Whale Rider"

2010-11-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

Come out to Tarpley 215 at 2 pm on Tuesday, November 9, for a screening of the 2002 New Zealand film Whale Rider, presented by The Year of Oceania.

Whale Rider stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea "Pai" Apirana, a 12-year-old Maori girl. Pai believes she is destined to become the chief of her people, despite the fact that only males have traditionally held this role. Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for the Academy Award for her performance, the youngest Best Actress nominee in history.

Dr. Zach Felix will be on hand to lead discussion of the film and answer any questions.

Remember our ongoing "Year of Oceania" essay contest! You could win a sharp-looking "Year Of" t-shirt if you write the best review of a "Year Of" book, movie, or event! See any library staff member for details!

"Year of Oceania" Speaker Thursday!

2010-11-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

Come out to the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center this Thursday, November 4, at 2 pm to hear Reinhardt's own Dr. Zander speak on "Captain Cook and the Search for the Southern Continent."

Thrill to true stories of maritime exploration! Remember, you can write a review of this event and be eligible to win a sharp=looking "Year of Oceania" t-shirt! See Stephanie Olsen or any library staff member for details!

Happy Halloween from the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center!

2010-10-29T05:44:00.000-07:00

Have a spooky but safe holiday this weekend!

If you don't have a costume, or you just want to get into the "spirit" a little early, come on out to the library today for face-painting and temporary tattoos, "Year of Oceania"-style, courtesy of Stephanie Olsen. She will be decorating the
student body" until 5:00 today! Come check it out, and check out how cool you can look!

Here's a video from RUTV about last weekend's impressive Trick or Treat event! My children go every year, and I am always so proud of how you guys go all-out to decorate and dress up for this event! The kids of Waleska thank you!

Face Painting in the Library this Friday!!! Happy Halloween!!!

2010-10-27T07:58:00.002-07:00

Year of Oceania Presentations this Thursday in the Library!

2010-10-27T07:58:00.001-07:00

Please come out to the library on Thursday, October 28th, to hear some informative presentations on the Year of Oceania from two of Reinhardt's own! From 2pm to 2:45, Dr. Theresa Ast will present "The Island of the Colorblind." (Can you imagine what it would be like to live in a society in which everyone was literally colorblind since birth? How would that affect the way you perceived things and spoke about the things you saw and experienced?) Then from 3pm to 3:45, Professor John Yelvington will speak on the liberation of the Philippines in World War II.

As always, remember our ongoing essay contest! Just read any Year of Oceania book, see any Year of Oceania movie, or attend any Year of Oceania event--for example, this one! Then write a brief review (two paragraphs are sufficient, and send it to Stephanie Olsen at sfo@reinhardt.edu. The winning essay each month wins a "Year Of" t-shirt!

Meet Melissa Doyle, our newest staff member!

2010-10-25T06:38:00.001-07:00

"Are we allowed to ask you what you're doing in there?"

Our newest staff member has been a source of some curiosity to students studying on the third floor of the library. She wears a lab coat and has been spotted wheeling book carts out of a plastic-sheeted room in the back corner. Well, I am here to put the mystery at rest! Melissa Doyle, who started working with us last month, is not our resident mad scientist, and we don't keep her locked away in a plastic room so she can conduct her nefarious experiments in seclusion. She's been hard at work cleaning books for our new Triplett Military History Collection.

There were over 120 boxes of books, magazines and other media which needed to be cleaned before they could be processed and put on the shelves. Melissa expects to complete the job this week. After that, she'll finally get to emerge from what she calls "the bubble" to work at the reference desk and help with the next phases of the Triplett process.

I asked Melissa a few questions about her background, career goals and impressions of Reinhardt so far:

Where did you go to school?

MD: I went to Florida State University, where I double majored in Creative
Writing and Humanities with Art History concentration. I am in the MLIS
program at University of North Texas for my Masters in Library Science.

What attracted you to library work?

MD: I think it’s what I was always meant to do. I love books and learning, and
I especially love sharing information with other people.

What do you like best about working at the library?

It’s such a comfortable place, with couches and artwork and books
everywhere, and great people I’ve gotten to know so well. After too many
years in a cubicle farm, I look forward to work every day.

What are your future career plans?

I hope to become a full librarian here at Reinhardt one day. I’ve been
inspired by working on TMMC and want to expand on the Southern history and culture theme of the collection, as well as continue to develop the libraryas it grows. I’d love to see our library become a predominant institution in Southern history and culture one day, especially with so much of it in this area.

What do you think of Reinhardt?

It’s a great school! When I first came up here I immediately felt at home.
Everyone is so nice and easy to talk to, and I love all of the activities
the school has going on.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I read a lot. I also hula hoop, craft, and explore. I love getting in my
car and just seeing where I end up.

Technical services librarian Joel Langford says Melissa has been a wonderful addition to the library staff. "She has taken on a rather daunting, unexciting project with great enthusiasm. She is very self-motivated and works tirelessly all day on a very tiring task. She is careful and precise in her work, and I hope her experience here will benefit her in her pursuit of a library career as much as she will be beneficial to us."

Special guest blog: "Rising from the Ashes," Part One: My Yearbook Experience by Sam Morton

2010-10-21T05:23:00.000-07:00

A visitor to the Reinhardt archives in the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center can learn much about the history of the school just from perusing old yearbooks. Our collection of the Cherokee Phoenix dates back to 1948, but stops abruptly in 2004, the last year Reinhardt had an official yearbook. What record will current Reinhardt students leave behind them if they have no yearbook?

One Reinhardt student, Sam Morton, is embarking on a quest to raise the Cherokee Phoenix, like its mythical namesake, back up from the ashes. She will be chronicling this effort here on the library blog. Here in the first installment, Sam describes her personal experience of working on her high school yearbook and what it has meant for her.

I do believe that Reinhardt University is in dire need of a yearbook.
How did I come to this conclusion? It’s a simple, professional opinion.

During my sophomore year of high school, I joined the yearbook staff. It wasn’t my first choice for an elective class (I wanted to take Drawing 1 with all my heart), but it turned out to be the best accident ever. I was assigned to the ads section and realized quickly, that even though working in ads wasn’t the most interesting section in the book, I loved everything about the yearbook process. I loved researching stories, interviewing people, and designing layouts. The photographic aspect however, was my favorite. I loved learning about the cameras, the techniques used to take a great photo, and how the photos should be placed in the book to achieve ultimate aesthetic value.

Yearbook class gave me something to be passionate about. Because I knew this product would be given to people in my school and displayed around the community, I always wanted to do my best. As a newbie though, it was difficult to get my ideas in the book.

My junior year was where I realized my love for graphic design. This has come to be my major in college and I’m lucky that I realized my love for the art so early. I know what I want to do with my life because of my experiences in yearbook.
No longer a newbie, I was able to have a real influence over the content of the book. My stories were published. My photos were chosen. My ideas were listened to and expounded upon. I really felt accomplished and productive. It was a new feeling to me. My passion simply grew. I worked harder in that one elective class than I had ever worked in any of my core classes during my entire life. I wanted to do a good job so badly that I frequently lost sleep due to photo editing jobs. Making deadline was paramount.

Because of all of this hard work, I was chosen by my advisor to be Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook staff during my senior year. This, by far, was the hardest, yet most rewarding thing I had ever done.

I had to learn to speak publicly and convey my ideas effectively. I had to assign jobs, settle disputes, and even learn to get angry when my staff members were wasting time and not turning in assignments by deadline. I held my staff members to high expectations and when they pulled through, I was very proud of them. It was more work to be an editor than I had anticipated, but when the year was over and our book was published, I felt completely satisfied. My staff had done a great job and created the best yearbook of my high school yet.

Keep watching this space for further updates on the journey to revive the Phoenix! If you're interested in being part of this effort, see Sam, or send me a message at amm "at" reinhardt.edu, and I will pass your contact information on to her. Sam, thanks for sharing your experience with us!

Dingo ate my baby: Year of Oceania movie this Thursday

2010-10-20T04:52:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, October 21, at 2 pm in Lawson 104, the Year of Oceania program will present the 1988 Australian film A Cry in the Dark, starring Meryl Streep and Sam Neill. The film is based on the real-life case of Azaria Chamberlain, a 9-week-old infant who disappeared from a campground near Uluru in August of 1980. Her body was never found.
Azaria's mother Lindy (Streep) claimed she saw a dingo carrying off the child. Although an initial inquest accepted Lindy's account as true, public opinion began to swell against the Chamberlains, who were accused of killing their baby and trying to cover it up. Eventually Lindy was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor. Three years later new evidence caused the case to be reopened.

Meryl Streep was nominated for an Academy award for her performance. The movie won the Australian Film Institute's award for Best Film. Streep and Neill both took home the Australian Film Institute's best acting awards, and Fred Schepesi won as best director. In 2008 the American Film Institute included A Cry in the Dark in its list of the top ten best courtroom dramas.

Library director and Year of Oceania committee member Michael Martinez will be on hand to lead a discussion and answer questions about the film.

Remember the ongoing essay contest! Just read any Year of Oceania book, see any Year of Oceania movie, or attend any Year of Oceania event. Then write a brief review (two paragraphs are sufficient, and send it to Stephanie Olsen at sfo@reinhardt.edu. The winning essay each month wins a "Year Of" t-shirt!

Australian Consulate to speak at Glasshouse Oct. 20

2010-10-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, October 20, the Year of Oceania will present a special guest speaker. Duncan Cole, the Australian Consulate General and Trade Commissioner in Atlanta, will speak at the Bannister Glasshouse (located in the Hasty Student Center) from 2 pm until 3:45 pm.

As Consulate General, Mr. Cole serves as a representative of the Australian government and works to encourage trade and friendship between his home country and the United States. He also assists Austalian citizens living or traveling in the southeastern US.

Year Of Oceania Trivia Contest!

2010-10-18T07:20:00.001-07:00

Without the use of their eyes, what three things did the early Polynesian people know about the ocean water that enabled them to navigate from island to island?

Check your Reinhardt student email for a message from Stephanie Olsen. Reply to the email with your answer, or else come by the library to submit your entry in person.

This contest will run through November 7. All winners will receive a beautiful Year of Oceania turtle logo t-shirt!

Good luck!

Check out the newest addition to the Hill Freeman Library serials collection

2010-10-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

INSIDE LACROSSE is now available at the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center!!!

Photoblog from Alumni/Family Day 2010

2010-10-11T11:40:00.001-07:00

Reinhardt's Family & Alumni Weekend Preview!

2010-10-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

Congratulations!

2010-10-07T06:31:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Zach Dunbar, Deena Hutson and Gigi Martinez! They are the winners of the Year of Oceania Eyes Tattoo contest!

The aim was to provide the correct number of eyes in the French Polynesian tattoo design pictured here. There are 182 eyes in this tattoo! Zach was closet with his guess of 184, and Gigi and Deena were right behind him with their answers of 185 and 186 respectively.

These three all won a "Year of Oceania" t-shirt.

Stay tuned for our next contest!

Remember, our Year of Oceania essay contest is ongoing. 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. A new winner will be chosen each month.

Good luck! And sharp eyes there, Zach, Gigi and Deena!

Fall Farmer's Market Today from 2 to 6 pm!

2010-10-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

Make plans today to come out to the first ever Fall Waleska Farmers Market. The market will be held in the Reinhardt University parking lot behind the Red Sea Church (former site of Waleska Baptist Church) at the intersection of highways 108 and 140.

Reinhardt horticulturist and market guru Zach White will be there selling plants to benefit the Burgess Arboretum at Reinhardt University.

The weather is going to be perfect for strolling around the market and checking out the different booths. All of the vendors are local. They will be selling locally-grown plants; handmade crafts, candles and soaps; homemade desserts, jams, jellies and more.

The Master Gardeners of Cherokee County will be conducting a plant clinic at the market today. They will be available to field any of your gardening questions.

Did you know that the Waleska Farmer's Market at Reinhardt University was voted in August as the 4th best farmers market in the state of Georgia in the America's Favorite Farmers Market Contest? Not bad for our FIRST YEAR! Click here for more information.

See you at the market!

Read for the Record TOMORROW Oct. 7, 2010

2010-10-06T05:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, October 7, 2010, you have the chance to help set a world record and help a child in need at the same time.

How? Just go to wegivebooks.org. There you can read the classic, Caldecott-winning children's book The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, and help set a record for the most people reading the same book on the same day.

You don't have to wait until tomorrow to start reading. For every copy of the book read on wegivebooks.org, the Jumpstart organization and We Give Books will donate a copy to a child in need. Why not read it today, to donate a book to a child, and then read it again tomorrow for the record?

Be a part of something. Read for the record!

Year of Oceania Movie TODAY: Ned Kelly

2010-10-05T05:16:00.001-07:00

Join library director Michael Martinez in Tarpley 213 at 2 pm for a screening of Ned Kelly. This 2003 film stars Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom. Ned Kelly was an Irish-Australian bushranger (analogous to an Old West outlaw) in the late 19th century. Some saw him as a cold-blooded killer; some saw him as a folk hero.

This film depicts Kelly, played by Ledger, in a largely sympathetic light, as the victim of anti-Irish prejudice. Unjustly accused of attacking an officer, Ned Kelly and his friends take to the hills to elude capture and plot to clear their names.

Remember our ongoing "Year of Oceania" essay contest! 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 winner receives a sharp-looking "Year Of" t-shirt featuring the turtle logo designed by Stephanie Olsen.

A new winner is chosen each month. The deadline for our next contest is October 28.

Despite budget cuts, public libraries will survive...

2010-10-01T13:12:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-29T04:58:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-28T08:51:00.001-07:00

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:

2010-09-27T04:59:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-24T06:33:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-09-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-09-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-20T09:19:00.001-07:00

Now you, too, can smell like a library!

2010-09-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

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..

2010-09-16T06:05:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

For the interested...

YOO Book Note: Getting Stoned with Savages

2010-08-31T07:15:00.000-07:00

OK, listen up students, and I'll let you in on a secret. If your professor wants you to read a Year of Oceania book for one of your classes this year, pick Getting Stoned with Savages by J. Maarten Troost. It is, in my considered professional opinion, a hoot and a half. I laughed all through it. Troost has got to be one of the most self-deprecatingly witty travel writers around.

In this book, Troost tells about his experiences living on the remote islands of Vanuatu (where cannibalism is, it would seem, a fairly recent memory, and kava--ideally processed through the mastication of prepubescent boys--is the foulest-tasting, absolutely best narcotic social lubricant known to man), and more urban squalor in Fiji. (After reading Troost's narrative, I found myself snickering at the man in front of me at the checkout counter at Target who was buying a massive quantity of Fiji brand bottled water).

Even his (lengthy) chapter titles are hilarious. For example, "Chapter 5, in which the author ponders cannibalism and discovers that he just doesn't get it--not at all, cannot get past the icky factor--and so, left to his own devices by his beguiling wife, he decides to seek enlightenment on the island of Malekula, where until recently, within his own lifetime even, they lunched on people."

or "Chapter 8, in which the author travels to the island of Tanna, where he ascends an active volcano; witnesses the extraordinary Nekowiar ceremony, culminating with the slaughter of two hundred pigs; and meets with villagers deep within the forest who live according to the tenets of kastom, which is another word for naked."

I have to admit, I was a little uncomfortable with the title, as obviously tongue-in-cheek as it was. The progressive in me bristled and was ready to take offense at the colonial term "savages." It is true that Troost shows little regard for political correctness in his writing, but he is far from bigoted against the indigenous people of Oceania. In fact, he is much more at ease drinking kava with the Ni-Vanuatu than hanging around with those of European stock, who tended to have eighteenth- or nineteenth-century attitudes towards the locals. (Troost reserves his sharpest ire for French yacht racers. Boy, there's a bunch of savages Captain Cook would have given a wide berth).

I enjoyed Troost's book so much, I plan to read his previous work The Sex Lives of Cannibals, about his earlier South Pacific experiences living on the island of Tarawa. And lucky me! The library has it through eBrary! Hurrah! So if you have to read two books for The Year of Oceania, there's another option for you.

Take a (virtual) kava break and enjoy the book!

Armed and dangerous...@ your Library

2010-08-30T05:01:00.000-07:00

Check out this great story from the Seattle Public Library's Shelf Talk blog, of how a purse-snatcher was foiled by a resourceful patron and a stack of very heavy library books!

Is any of your assigned reading this semester heavy enough to be considered a deadly weapon? Some of mine might be, but most of it is online. I suppose I could crack someone over the head with my computer.

What's your heaviest book?

Don't miss all the fun today!

2010-08-26T05:18:00.000-07:00

Hey, folks, make sure to stop by the Gordy/Hasty lawn area today. There's going to be all kinds of fun and games going on with several Welcome Week festivities happening today.

From 11am - 1pm today is the Student Activities Fair. Trust me, from my advanced age looking back on my college years, the more you can get involved with what's going on on campus, the better your college career will be. There's sure to be something to catch your interest. Take a look, find out what's going on around you! Especially be sure to check out the table for the Year of Oceania. Library staff member and artist Stephanie Olsen will be giving temporary tattoos of her own design. Stephanie created the turtle logo for the "Year of" this year (and last year's bear logo). I've already got my awesome whorl tattoo she gave me this morning. You can stop by the library and check ME out.

Then from 4:00 until 8:00pm, the Gordy Lawn is the site of the Block Party sponsored by Residence Life, Aramark, Campus Ministry, and the Residence Hall Association. There will be food, music, more games and give-aways (who doesn't love swag?).

At some point, especially if you're into good, fresh homegrown food and local crafts, you're going to want to mosey over across the street to the parking lot behind the former Waleska First Baptist Church. From 4:30 to 8:30 pm the Waleska Farmer's Market at Reinhardt University will be happening. Get some tasty treats or some pretty plants to take back to your dorm room. Reinhardt's own chef John Young is going to be giving a cooking demonstration, preparing fresh local fruit and salads. If you've not been to one of our farmer's markets, you should see all the fun you've been missing out on this summer. The market is the brainchild of Reinhardt horticulturist Zach White. He started it up in May, and it has just become wildly popular. Seriously, it is the place to be in Waleska! You have no idea.

Enjoy it all today!

Year Of Oceania Book Note: "Come On Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All"

2010-08-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, granted, the book is worth picking up for the title alone...

Come On Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All: A New Zealand Story could be described as an anthropological memoir. Author Christina Thompson, a Caucasian woman from Boston, tells the story of how she met and married a Maori man named Seven, interweaving their personal history with the tumultuous history of the Europeans' interaction with indigenous New Zealanders. (You'll be relieved to hear that the title refers to the latter topic--and even then is a probable misquote).

Thompson, an academic by trade, has done her research. The book is at its best when she's detailing the historical side of murder, misunderstanding, tragedy and conquest. Compared to the florid historical details, her own story is surprisingly bloodless. In an author's note at the beginning, she explains that she changed details to protect the anonymity of her in-laws. Thompson fairly points out that her husband's family confided in her as a relative and not as a researcher for a potential book. While she does pepper her narrative with some scattered culture-shock observations, it seemed to me that she approached her own story with a certain restraint. When she told how she and Seven eloped, I was surprised, since I'd no idea at that point that they were even romantically involved!

Thompson seems more comfortable with disclosure when she talks about her three sons and the mixed heritage they share. She also shares some of her own family history, which will resonate with those members of the Reinhardt community who participated in last year's "Year Of" theme. She feels guilt that her family prospered at the expense of an indigenous people, while her husband's people suffered at the hands of colonial interests.

The book is a quick read (I finished it in one sitting), and it packs an impressive amount of historical fact and perspective in 253 pages. I recommend it to anyone who wants a quick education about the Maori people and the European colonization of New Zealand.

WELCOME BACK, STUDENTS!

2010-08-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

Two things are ever constant on the first day of each semester: I will have the theme song to "Welcome Back Kotter" stuck in my head all day, and almost none of the incoming students (although there are exceptions) are old enough to remember the show.

But welcome back students, and welcome to all of you who are just beginning your time at Reinhardt University (yay)! This is the inaugural year for the university, and I know there are a lot of festivities planned to honor it. What's it like being part of history? On behalf of all the library staff, I would like to let you know that we don't bite! Forget all the scary librarian stereotypes you've heard. We actually do want to help you, so if you have a question--whether it's a research query or if you just need to know where the bathroom is--please ask!

Another thing that is a near-constant on the first day of classes is the question of how to log on to the computers in the library. Things have changed a little since last year, so listen up! We are going to try to keep the computers logged on all day, but if someone logs one off, here is how to log it back on. Type "usernopassword" for the name, and leave the password field blank. That should bring the computer up to the desktop.

Once you have the desktop up, you will see a new icon in the upper right corner. That is how you access your personal drive on the network. You can use your regular sign-on for that.

Good luck, everyone! On a personal note, your blogger friend here is also starting school this semester, so good luck to all of us!