The JKM Library Blog

February 2012

We’ve had a few questions from some of you who will be spending Spring Break catching up on schoolwork. Never fear, we’ll be here. Our library hours stay the same over Spring Break, and the librarians will be just as available as they always are to help you with your research. So, if you have work to do over break, why not do it at the library? Our hours are:
Monday – Thursday: 7:45am – midnight
Friday: 7:45am – 7pm
Saturday: 8am – 7pm
Sunday: noon – midnight
 

February 2012

Thanks for all the great feedback on our “I wish my library would…” poster! We have posted print responses where the poster used to be and will be posting a series of responses here on our blog as well. Request for More Electronic Resources We are always striving to provide you with the online resources you need. We added ScienceDirect over the summer, Environment Complete in the fall, and we will be adding America: History and Life with Full Text at the beginning of April. We are looking at others for the next fiscal year as well. The cost of these resources, especially those with full text, can be prohibitive. In 2011-12, we spent over $200,000 dollars on online resources alone. These resources are not one-time fees. We have to pay for yearly access and the price goes up every year. One of our full-text databases cost us $27,000 this academic year. However, if you know of resources you would like us to look into, please let us know! Also, if we don’t have access to a particular journal, magazine, or newspaper, you can still get articles from it by using Interlibrary Loan – articles usually arrive within 2-5 business days and most are PDFs that we send right to your email. It’s also a free service for you to use – we don’t pass any of the costs onto you. 

February 2012

If you’re looking for a good book to read, check out these recommendations from Rachel Leftwich, one of the library’s excellent student workers! So, what’s in the water? Lake Effect by Nancy A. Nichols is a look into a family history full of toxic secrets. Set in Waukegan, Illinois on the shores of Lake Michigan, Nancy seeks to find a connection between her sister’s untimely death from cancer, and her own bout with illness. In the process, the author discovers exactly what the companies were dumping into the lake all those years, and the lengths to which those companies will go to avoid paying. In the tradition of famous environmental writers like Devra Davis and Sandra Steingraber, Nancy A. Nichols tells a “family memoir with public policy implications.” How do you feel about your body? Why do you see it that way? In Bodies, psychotherapist and writer Susie Orbach seeks to explain the widespread body hatred that saturates our culture. In this eye-opening book, Orbach explains that the way we see our bodies, as a totally customizable project that conveys our success in life, is a new phenomenon. Our bodies are no longer tools with which to build or make something, but the object to be built or made. There are many industries that make their money on this body hatred, like the fashion, weight loss, and beauty industries. If everyone was happy with their appearances, what would these companies sell? Read this book for a closer look at why we see our bodies the way we do. You can find these books, as well as many other books to read for fun, in our popular reading display on the main floor of the library. ~All reviews by Rachel Leftwich. 

February 2012

If you are looking for a good movie to watch, Angela Wiley, one of the library’s fabulous student workers, suggests the following DVDs from the library’s collection: Well-Founded Fear (2000) I know, you really want to grab Zoolander, or some Johnny Depp movie to calm your mind…after all, films are about escaping, right? Consider Well-Founded Fear, a documentary about people seeking political asylum in the United States. Their flight from ‘home’ finds them across the desk from a number of immigrant officials who have the power to grant or deny entry. You’ve gathered by this point that the escape of a political refugee is much different than the temporary peace one can find in a dark movie theater. While watching this film, I became fascinated with the role chance can play in such a high stakes meeting – your immigration official may be jaded, or an empathetic rookie. And what in the world constitutes “well-founded fear”? I still don’t know, but certainly stayed up at night thinking about it after watching this film. Gasland (2010) If this film were a person, it would put both hands on your shoulders, shake you, and shout “HOW CAN YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?!” The exploration of hydraulic fracturing in Gasland finds landowner Josh Fox up to his elbows in water samples, polluted landscapes, and powerful personalities. People affected by “fracking” tell the story here, because they live with it every day. After several decades in practice, the rules and ingredients of this extractive process remain contested in growing public debate. Receiving wide popularity in the Marcellus Shale region among activists, Gasland has also been recognized with an Oscar nod and special jury prize at Sundance. Do not leave Pittsburgh or Chatham without watching this! Blade Runner (2000) Before Lady Gaga, there was Daryl Hannah in a post-apocalyptic junk room with one haunting black stripe smeared across her eyes. Blade Runner presents breath-taking lighting, spectacular cinematography and just enough action to make you crave a little more. The story settles on pertinent destruction of replicants, a danger to society…it seems simple enough, but can be read from a political, gendered, or even biblical perspective. Alternatively, you can be wowed by the beautifully crafted film and dig no further for signs and symbols. ~All reviews written by Angela Wiley. 

February 2012

Are you planning to study or travel abroad soon but don’t know what to expect? Consider using Global Road Warrior to learn more about the country or countries you’ll be visiting! This great resource provides tons of useful information for travelers, including communications, health & medical, money & banking, transportation, and travel essentials. It also contains information for business travelers with a special section for businesswomen. Discover the details of traveling by water in Venice, learn how to start an informal conversation with someone in Indonesia, find out more about the Hidrellez festival in Turkey (May 5-6), or cook up some traditional German recipes.