Long overdue? Descartes' letter found in college library

Here's an interesting bit of news I just read from the Associated Press. A letter by 17th century philosopher Rene Descartes was recently discovered in the library of Haverford College in Pennsylvania. Evidently it had been in the collection, unnoticed, for over a century. The letter was one of thousands stolen from French libraries in the 1800s. Haverford officials returned the letter to Paris yesterday, with great fanfare.

What treasure will you find in your college library? (Nothing larcenous, one hopes).

For philosophy buffs, I now share my favorite Cartesian joke: Rene Descartes was in a restaurant. The waitress asked him if he would like coffee. He said, "Yes, please." She asked if he would like sugar in his coffee. He said, "Yes, thank you." (This is in the English translation, naturally). Then she asked him if he would like cream. Descartes said, "No, I think not"--and promptly vanished.

(Do you think that was bad? My philosophy professor had a joke I've since forgotten, but the punchline was something about putting Descartes before dey horse).

I ain't 'fraid of no...

Who ya gonna call?

Hello, all! I want to thank you all for taking my survey about your serials use. I am currently preparing my subscription "shopping list," and checking prices on the titles you requested. I will do my best to get as many of those in some format as possible.

In the meantime, here is something for your amusement. I assume you've seen the '80s classic movie Ghostbusters. (If you haven't, stop reading this right now and remedy that situation). The movie opens with a memorable scene in the reading room of the New York Public Library.

Fast-forward 26 years (yes, it really has been that long). The New York Public Library, like most libraries these days, is facing budget cuts. The library wanted some cool, inexpensive way to get some publicity and remind people of what a great treasure it is. They decided to hire Improv Everywhere (a group well-known for flash mobs and stunts such as the pantsless subway ride and the great "people wear blue polo shirts and invade Best Buy" caper) to stage a happening in the library. The result was this clever tribute to the library's famous movie role:



You can read more about the event and past Improv Everywhere performances at their official website.

Shout-out to Jen at epbot.com for cluing me in to this one!

Check this out! (Is this name clever enough?)

First of all, let me brag on the old boss man here. Check out this lovely article about library director Michael Martinez on the Reinhardt University website.

(Is it bad that I feel personally traumatized by the Associated Press's decision to change "Web site" to "website"? It took me months to get used to "Web site," and now I have to change it again?)

In other news, I have been presented with a challenge from the aforementioned boss man. It seems Salem Press has announced the winners of their Library Blog Awards, and (sob) "Check Us Out" isn't among them! I've been told I have to step up my game, and one of my tasks is to find a new, catchier name for the blog. "Check Us Out" isn't catchy enough.

If you have any ideas, let me know!

In the meantime, check out the winning blogs! I'll be looking at them for something I can steal inspiration. Congratulations, bloggers. (We'll get them next year!)

Don't forget the Farmer's Market TODAY starting at 4:30!

Don't forget the Waleska Farmer's Market at Reinhardt University! Today the market will be held from 4:30 to 8:30 pm in the parking lot of the former Waleska Baptist Church at the intersection of 140 and 108.

Vendors will include:
Zach White (Reinhardt greenhouse)- Flowering bedding plants
Anne Sherhouse (Waleska Nursery) -shrubs and flowering plants
Natalie Durrham - Cupcakes, fudge and cakes (All proceeds go to raise money for 3-day Cancer walk in October)
Charlotte Bell - Flowering bedding plants and vegetable plants
Vivian Tritt- Fruit Sorbet ice cream
Robin Helms - Japanese maple trees
Robert Czeraza - plants, azaleas and hosta
Larry Speights (a.k.a. Loose Lip) -Homemade barbeque sauce and spices
Eddie and Elizabeth Smith family - Pottery, certified eggs, squash and plants<--Reinhardt Faculty Member
Stephanie Olsen -Handmade Jewelry<--LIBRARY STAFF MEMBER!!!
Susie Carter - Handmade candles
Rachael Kaplus - Homemade sock toys
Megan Baker - Homemade soap
Dennis Cochran - Birdhouses
Cindy Mcrae (Ladies of Cherokee County 911) - Baked goods and desserts (all proceeds go to raise money for 3-day cancer walk in October)
Edna O'Conner - Handmade quilts
The Cantrell Family Farm - squash and cucumbers
Cherokee County Master Gardeners with expert gardening advice

Farmer's Market organizer and Reinhardt horticulturist Zach White announced today the addition of three more dates to the market calendar! The market will be held July 1st, July 15th, July 29th, and August 5th. There will be a huge Welcome Week Farmer's Market on August 26 for all Reinhardt faculty, staff and students to celebrate the beginning of a new school year and the close of a very successful inaugural season of the farmer's market!

Rain or shine!

Ethnographic Video Online

Hello!

Today I've been browsing one of our new databases, Ethnographic Video Online from Alexander Street Press, and I must say I think our professors (particularly those teaching history, sociology and religion) are going to find it very useful! When complete, this collection is going to have more than 1,000 films and more than 750 hours of streaming video. According to the publisher, this database provides the largest and most comprehensive resource for the study of human behavior. Every region of the world is covered, and the collection features the work of many of the most influential documentary filmmakers of the 20th century, including John Marshall, Timothy Asch, Robert Gardner, David MacDougall, John Bishop and David Plath, among others. You can find not only completed films but also interviews, previously unreleased raw footage and field recordings.

The database is searchable by culture, geographic area, subject type (for example, colonialism or gender roles), content type (for example, a documentary or an interview), date or ethnographer's name. The films are accompanied by a searchable, synchronized transcript. There are playlists (for example, one covers the work of Margaret Mead) with study guides included, or you can make your own playlist. You can even edit your own clips from the featured videos and add them to a playlist. You can annotate your playlist and share it with a static URL for watching in class or as an out-of-class assignment. This is a great alternative to putting films on reserve in the library.

I experimented first by searching for videos related to Oceania, thinking ahead to our next "Year Of," and found a fascinating documentary about the people of New Guinea. New Guinea was one of the last places on earth to be colonized by Europeans, and this particular film, aptly named "First Contact," told about the indigenous people's first contact with outsiders, with eyewitness testimony from both sides. I've browsed several other videos on this site, and I really recommend you take a look. This could be an exceptionally useful resource. How will you use it?

Librarians Go Gaga!

I can't stop laughing about this great video from the University of Washington's Information School!



Great job!

(They do give some really good research advice, folks).

WELCOME TO REINHARDT UNIVERSITY!!!

The day has finally arrived! Today, Reinhardt College is a thing of the past. The name of Reinhardt University will proudly carry our legacy into the future!

Everything we do today takes on a new significance!

WHO WILL BE THE FIRST PERSON TO CHECK OUT A BOOK AT REINHARDT UNIVERSITY?

We are all very proud to be a part of this university and to see this day come to pass.

Edited: it was Dr. Peter Bromsted!