The JKM Library Blog - JKM Library at Chatham University

March 2022

We at the JKM Library know how difficult COVID-19 has been on our Chatham community. Many of us have never had the opportunity to meet, when in normal circumstances there would have been plenty of moments for librarians and library staff to meet you, help you personally, and put faces to names. Now that we are mostly back on campus, and some faces are being revealed, we decided to put together a fun “Staff Picks” book display and Spotify playlist to help you get to know us a bit better! Stop into the JKM Library in March to browse our physical book display showing off some of the library staff’s favorite books from our collection, and visit our Spotify account to listen to a playlist of some of our favorite songs. We have a broad range of tastes, and we’re always delighted to talk to you about books, music and more! If you’d like to get in contact with one of the librarians, you can find our emails on our Staff Directory page of our website. All books included in the display are available for you to checkout and read yourself. Perhaps you’ll discover a new personal favorite. Keep reading to learn more about your library staff, our areas of academic expertise (that we’re more than happy to help you in), fun facts and interesting hobbies about each of us, and then the book and song we each picked!

Jill Ausel
Job title: Library Director
Favorite part of job: I really enjoy my job, and the
best part is helping students and making the library a place of learning and fun.
A fun fact: I’m an Ancient Greek History nerd!
My book pick: The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across the Ancient World by Adrienne Mayor
My song pick: “In These Shoes?” by Kristy MacColl

Kate Wenger
Job title: Head of Access Service
Liaison areas: Accounting, Business, Economics, Criminology, Psychology, Social Work
Favorite part of job: Working with students, including our wonderful student workers!
An interesting hobby: I enjoy vegetable gardening,
and I love the snow and am excited to use my new cross-country skis again soon!
My book pick: Think Again by Adam Grant
My song pick: “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker” by O.A.R.

Dana Mastroianni
Job title: Head of Public Services
Liaison areas: Health Sciences, Art & Design, Communication
Favorite part of job: Being a practical help to students. Helping them discover, think and rethink,
and successfully fulfill their information needs. And my fellow librarians are pretty awesome
An interesting skill: My car karaoke skills are on point.
My book pick: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
My song pick: “Where the Streets Have No Name” by U2

Daniel Lincoln Nolting
Job title: Head of Technical Services
Specialty areas: Data and materials management.
Favorite part of job: Stickers! Putting call numbers on books! Never gets old…
An interesting skill: Along with an MFA in painting, while in NYC, I also learned an old Japanese woodcut method.
My book pick: These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore
My song pick: “Keep It Comin’ Love” by KC & The Sunshine Band

Molly Tighe
Job title: Archivist & Public Services Librarian
Academic expertise: Archives, preservation, and museums
Liaison areas: History, Political Science, Policy Studies, Bio, Chem, Math, Physics
Favorite part of job: Sharing and discovering (or helping others discover) Chatham history and how it informs campus activities today.
An interesting hobby: I sew my clothes! While I still
wear a fair bit of ready-to-wear, I try to include a me-made in every outfit.
My book pick: Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia by Steven Stoll
My song pick: “Jolie Holland” by All the Morning Birds

Jocelyn Codner
Job title: Reference & Outreach Librarian
Liaison areas: Food Studies, Sustainability,
Environmental Science, Education, English, Creative Writing/MFA
Favorite part of job: Working one-on-one with students!
An interesting skill: I play Irish flute.
A fun fact: I used to DJ my high school dances.
My book pick: The Diviners by Libba Bray
My song pick: “No Quiero Saber” by Selena

Carina Stopenski
Job title: Access Services Associate
Academic expertise: Gender and cultural studies, media studies, comics
Favorite part of job: Getting to see all the
interesting titles that patrons request!
A fun fact: I love to collect natural curios, like rocks, herbs, crystals, and resins!
My book pick: Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
My song pick: “Calamity Song” by The Decemberists

Jennifer Langilotti
Job title: Technical Services Assistant
Favorite part of job: Learning from more experienced librarians.
A fun fact: Good at Tetris!
My book pick: A Lost Lady by Willa Cather
My song pick: “Dennis Quaid” by Taylor Janzen

Alley Lindner
Job title: Reference Associate
Specialty areas: English Literature with a focus in Queer Theory
Other areas of interest: Juicy pop culture takes!
Favorite part of job: I love working with students–helping with research, talking through book recommendations, etc.
A fun fact: I was named after my grandmother’s three-legged dog.
My book pick: Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson
My song pick: “Motion Sickness” by Phoebe Bridgers

Chelsea Gabrielson
Job title: Reference Associate
Specialty areas: Health Sciences and Children’s Literature
Favorite part of job: I love when I can help students with research!
A fun fact: I once did a 185-mile bicycle ride down the coast of Oregon.
My book pick: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
My song pick: “Dark Red” by Steve Lacy

Amy Melnyk
Job title: Reference Associate
Specialty areas: Social Sciences
Favorite part of job: Definitely helping students!
A fun fact: I have 51 tabs currently open.
My book pick: Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
My song pick: “Family Affair” by Mary J. Blige

Jackson Adkins
Job title: Access Services Aide
Major: Management Information Systems, Data Science minor
Favorite task at the JKM Library: Getting journals and scanning them from the basement!
A hobby: I have been snowboarding for 12 years.
An interesting skill: I can clap with one hand!
My book pick: Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black
Youth’s Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa by Mark Mathabane
My song pick: “Footsteps in the Dark” by The Isley Brothers

Trai BreenLusen
Job title: Access Services Aide
Major: English, Creative Writing and Studio Arts minors
Area of academic interest: Animation
Favorite task at the JKM Library: Pulling books for EZ Borrow and packing mail.
Something interesting about me: I’m an artist hoping to start my own business.
My book pick: The Hobbit: There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkin
My song pick: “Hey Look Ma, I Made It” by Panic! At The Disco

Riley Hurst Brubaker
Job title: Access Services Aide
Major: Journalism and Film
Favorite task at the JKM Library: Shelving and interacting with staff and fellow students.
An interesting skill: Arranging flower bouquets.
My book pick: A Black Women’s History of the United States by Daina Ramey and Kali Nicole Gross
My song pick: “Highway Unicorn” by The Highwomen

Leyla Fevola
Job title: Access Services Aide
Major: Mathmatics and Secondary Education
Favorite task at the JKM Library: I love helping and creating projects with other staff members!
Something interesting about me: I am a dual citizen, I am a citizen of the USA and Italy!
My book pick: Beautiful Boy by David Sheff
My song pick: “All For Us” by Labrinth and Zendaya

Becca Pennington
Job title: Access Services Aide
Major: Exercise Science
Favorite task at the JKM Library: Stack searches (searching for missing books)
A hobby of mine: I run cross country and track
My book pick: Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
My song pick: “Runaway” by Linkin Park

Jolie Phan
Job title: Access Services Aide
Major: Human Biology
Favorite task at the JKM Library: Checking books in and out to patrons
A hobby of mine: I love playing the piano and violin
My book pick: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
My song pick: “Heroes” by David Bowie

Stephanie Spano
Job title: Access Services Aide
Major: Cell and Molecular Biology
Area of Academic Interest: Genetics
Favorite task at the JKM Library: Stack searches
(searching for missing books) or helping patrons at the desk!
A fun fact about me: I’ve been to 25 out of 50 states in the US!
My book pick: Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
My song pick: “Oh My God” by Adele

Julia Windsheimer
Job title: Access Services Aide
Major: Interior Architecture, Music minor
Favorite task at the JKM Library: Shelving books
A hobby of mine: I like playing the flute
My book pick: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
My song pick: “Rock and Roll” by The Velvet Underground

Savannah Wood
Job title: Access Services Aide
Major: Psychology
Favorite task at the JKM Library: Doing inventory
An interesting skill of mine: I can twirl batons and was the majorette captain at my high school.
My book pick: Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur My song pick: “Thelma + Louise” by Bastille

Recent Posts

10th International Edible Book Festival

Chatham celebrated a big edible book milestone this spring with our 10th International Edible Book Festival event! The JKM Library has been partnering with Chatham's food studies program since 2012 to host this celebration of food and literature. After a three-year hiatus during the heights of COVID-19, the tradition was revived in 2024, and on March 31st, 2025 we celebrated our 10th event!To make this year extra special, we welcomed additional collaborators to help grow the festival. Chatham's Student Success and the Academic Success Center hosted an Essential Needs Item Drive to benefit Chatham's Essential Needs Corner. Anyone who donated to the item drive was entered into a raffle for a $100 gift certificate to Mad Mex.The PA Hunger Free Campus Task Force hosted a silent auction (sans real money) for kitchenware kits, funded by the PA Department of Education. Students were given five tickets that they could use to bid on the specific kits they were interested in. There were five kits auctioned off.And in addition to those amazing activities, we also had honey tasting and education provided by the Eden Hall Apiary. Attendees could taste honey from different seasons and learned a bit about how the flowers from each season alter the flavor profile of the honey created by the area bees.This year's edible book contest was judged by our amazing volunteer faculty members: returning judges Heather McNaugher and Barbara Ann McMonigal, and new judge Laura Livingston. Thank you to our judges for their time and taste buds! Winners of the 10th International Edible Book Festival are:People's Choice Award: "Pete the Cat: I Love My White Choux" submitted by Maggie Vargo and Evelyn FayBest Tasting: "Franks 'N' Brine" submitted by Anne St. JeanMost Creative Literary Interpretation: "Demon Copperhead" submitted by Karin ChipmanThe Rachel Carson Award: "Pete the Cat: I Love My White Choux" submitted by Maggie Vargo and Evelyn FayGrand Prize: "The Masque of the Red Death" submitted by Kate EmoryA huge thank you to Chatham’s food studies program, Alice Julier and Rebecca Nathan in particular, for their sponsorship and support and enthusiasm in planning. Thank you to the Academic Success Center, Chatham Student Success, the PA Hunger Free Campus Task Force, and the Essential Needs Corner for their help growing this event this year. And thanks to all of our ‘edible book’ contestants! ...

Whiteboards Replace Chalk in Study Rooms

We are excited to announce that all group study rooms are now equipped with whiteboards for collaborative work. Prior to this semester, only the third floor group rooms had mounted whiteboards. The second floor rooms had either aging chalkboards or nothing at all, making collaborative group work challenging. This has been a project long in the making, and the library thanks ITS for ordering and installing the remaining whiteboards. In addition to the mounted whiteboards, the library has several portable whiteboards on wheels that can be easily moved around and are heavily used by big groups working at the larger study tables. The library has plans to add more of these portable whiteboards in the near future....

What We Can Learn from Teachers (1984)

As the JKM library's highly respected resident film critic (my boss asked if I'd review one of the movies on the shelves) I’ll admit that this review took longer than I thought and that is mainly due to the truly unique inventory that the library has to offer. For example, there are dozens of films in the collection that I know for a fact aren’t on streaming, such as the 1999 Kevin Smith film Dogma, or the 1992 Rick Seback documentary simply titled Downtown Pittsburgh. This very exciting collection of films left me eager to review the movies that I hadn't heard of before, and that's exactly what I hope to do with this series. The film I chose was 1984’s Teachers– a movie I've never heard of before despite its totally incredible cast, featuring karate kids and McFly's alike with the duo of Ralph Macchio and Crispin Glover as trouble-making students who sneak out of school and hot-wire cars.This fun casting choice (and the DVD cover of an apple with a stem lit like a stick of dynamite) would make you think that this would be a wacky comedy where the school staff (Nick Nolte, Judd Hirsch, and Morgan Freeman) struggle to teach a group of trouble-making students, and end up learning new unorthodox ways to teach the students. Instead of the comedy basics I expected from a 1980s movie called Teachers, I was surprised to see that the movie focused on very real issues of gun violence, budget cuts, and the neglect of children in a massive public school. It goes without saying that these are real problems, and if you have talked to a teacher about difficulties in teaching, or even just had the experience of attending an underfunded school, I feel you will take something away from this movie.While the film tackles very dark subject matter, it is able to find ways to add humor undermining the real world issues it portrays–something I feel many movies often struggle with. In short, Teachers may not be laugh out loud funny, but it still gives the audience funny moments while exploring what it means to work in a difficult profession. Rating: 8 cartoonishly dark red apples out of 10Ethan Newton is currently a freshman at Chatham University (and JKM Library student employee) who has decided that instead of choosing a major he will start smaller and choose different films from the library to review. Ethan urges cool Chatham students to come up to him to discuss old movies and 70s comic books....

International Edible Book Festival FAQ

Do you like The Great British Bake Off? How about puns? Do books and/or food delight you? If the answer is yes to one or all of these questions, the International Edible Book Festival is for you! This time-honored tradition here at Chatham is co-sponsored by the JKM Library and Chatham's food studies department and seeks to bring people together over a shared love of books and food.We know many of you have never had the pleasure of experiencing the International Edible Book Festival, so this post is here to answer all (or hopefully most) of your questions. Have more? Contact the library at reference@chatham.edu.What is the International Edible Book Festival? Started in 2000, this celebration of food and reading brings communities together to share creative literature-inspired food or beverage items (the ‘edible books’ in question). Contestants sign up to bring an ‘edible book’, and on the day of the event they present their book to judges and attendees. The judges taste and evaluate each entry and award prizes, and the attendees vote on their favorites for the People’s Choice prize. A wonderful time is had by all!What does the event look like? We set up a bunch of tables in the JKM Library’s first floor lobby. Contestants set up their ‘edible books’ for display, and the judges begin their tastings and deliberations. Once the judges have had a chance to taste all entries, the tasting is opened up to all attendees. Attendees enjoy the ‘edible books’ and vote for their favorite (the People’s Choice Award). After everyone has had a chance to taste, vote, and socialize, we then announce our winners and distribute our prizes!Who is allowed to participate? Everyone! This event is open to all Chatham students, staff, and faculty. It’s also open to the public at large! Anyone can enter an ‘edible book’ into the festival’s contest.How can I participate? You can attend as just a spectator and vote for your favorite ‘edible book’, or you can participate as a contestant in the festival’s contest! Either way, we ask that you register. It’s important to know how many folks are planning to show up so we can plan for how many people to feed.What do I need to know if I’m submitting an ‘edible book’ to the contest? Register for the event on Happenings and be sure to mark that you will be submitting an ‘edible book’. You will then receive informational emails from the librarians. Your ‘edible book’ can be as simple or complicated as you’d like. It can be a food or beverage item, but it has to have some tie to literature, libraries, or reading. You should include with your ‘edible book’ a list of ingredients (for both judging and dietary restriction purposes) and a copy of the book that inspired you! You are expected to stand with your ‘edible book’ during the judging process to answer any questions, but then are are free to go sample other contestant’s ‘edible books’ and vote for your favorite.‘Edible books’ can be as complicated as an ornate cake or as simple and low maintenance as bringing in pre-made candy or cookies. Below are some examples of ‘edible books’ submitted to our past events: What are the prize categories? Each ‘edible book’ entry is eligible to win prizes. Prizes usually include items like water bottles, cookbooks, gift baskets, gift certificates, honey from Eden Hall, and more. Our current categories are:Best Tasting: This one is fairly straight forward. It’s not how good your ‘edible book’ looks, but how good it tastes.Most Creative Literary Interpretation: Taste is not as important in this category. Instead, it’s your creativity the judges are looking at. The most creative ‘edible book’ wins!People’s Choice: This is the popular vote! All attendees get to taste the ‘edible books’ and vote for their favorite.The Rachel Carson Award: This is awarded to the ‘edible book’ that honors sustainability and/or nature. This could mean that the ingredients are locally or ethically sourced, that the ‘edible book' was created with environmental impact in mind, or that is represents something in nature. Those who would like to be considered for this award need to indicate on their ingredients list if something is local/sustainable or if environmental concerns went into the creation of the food item.Grand Prize: Awarded by the judges, this prize is best in show. It is awarded to the ‘edible book’ that really knocked it out of the park in both taste, creativity, and presentation. Winners from our 2019 event:We hope this piques your interest and that you’ll enter an ‘edible book’ creation of your own in one of our upcoming International Edible Book Festivals. You can also visit the JKM Library's International Edible Book Festival virtual display for book more delicious literary fun!...

Staff Picks Book Display

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