The JKM Library Blog

May 2016

Spring semester is over, the weather is (getting) warmer- it’s a great time to explore Pittsburgh and meet new people! The popular social networking site, Meetup, has a mobile app available for both Android and iOS. Founded in 2002, Meetup provides an online platform to help people organize groups and events off-line. Access to your phone’s GPS data tells the app where you are. There are tons of Pittsburgh meetup groups to choose from. Events are organized around common interests such as hiking, music, art, movies, politics, dancing, foreign language learning, or computer coding. There’s even a meetup group for introverts! User accounts are free. However, organizers have to pay based on the size of their event or group. Within the app, you can: Create an account or log in to an existing one. After selecting from a set of general interests, Meetup will begin recommending groups and events to you. Join groups to receive event notifications. Get event details and view profiles of other users. RSVP to events. Receive and manage messages from organizers or other users of the site. There are four main tabs: An activity homepage featuring a vertical list of upcoming events, recent comments, and new groups that may fit your interests A calendar of upcoming events hosted by your groups, displayed as a vertical list by date and time A visual tile listing of groups you currently belong to and more groups you may be interested in joining Section for reading, composing, and otherwise managing messages It could be easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of groups and events featured on the app, but the design is simple and intuitive. The color scheme and layout remind me of the Gmail app, which many users may already be familiar with. Message notifications are pushed to your phone’s home screen and can be archived to keep your inbox clean. The app also links out to other web pages- some organizations on Meetup have their own websites or an event may require the purchase of tickets on a separate site. I would highly recommend using the Meetup app this summer, especially if you are interested in learning about inexpensive events around town or just want to expand your radius of activity in the city! 

May 4, 2016

Christine:
Wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up
Her favorite thing about living in Pittsburgh is the friendly people
Likes to watch bad TV with her teen-aged kids
What do you do here at The Jennie King Mellon Library?
I am a Reference Associate which means I help you find the information that you need when you stop by the reference desk at the library, call or use the Ask-A-Librarian feature.
What made you choose your current profession?
I am still in graduate school earning my Masters of Library Science at the University of Pittsburgh. I have chosen to become a librarian because I love to connect people with the information that they need. I was a paralegal for many years and my favorite aspect of that job was researching. Add that to my lifelong love of books and learning, and becoming a librarian was a no-brainer.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A veterinarian. Instead, I have two dogs and two cats.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is teaching people how to find information. Sometimes that means showing them a new search strategy or a new database. It’s fun to help
them advance their learning and by searching unfamiliar topics, I learn something new every day!
If you could do one thing to change/improve the JKM Library- with no worries about time or expense, what would you do?
I would add an internet free lounge where students could go to concentrate on work without being interrupted by texts or social media. This would be a room where you
could take your laptop, but would be unable to receive any WiFi due to special blocking technology. It would be great if it had a mix of seating enabling people to work or even just relax.
What do you like to do on your days off?
Not surprisingly I guess, I like to read. If I have the time, I like to cook long involved meals that dirty every pan in the kitchen and watch really bad TV with my teenaged kids.
What’s the last thing you checked out? (Brief reviews are appreciated)
The last thing I checked out was Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff. A dense book that starts off slowly, but picks up well in the second half. Really good character
development. You may not like the characters, but they are written, as is the book, incredibly well.
What book do you think everyone should read? Why?
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This book is a classic because it deftly explores issues of race and justice through the eyes of a child Everyone should read (and reread!) To Kill a Mockingbird because it helps us to remember the essential kindness of people.
Some of our student workers update the popular reading display and are always looking for recommendations. If you could please list 5 or so of your favorite books that JKM has, that would be great!
The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood
A Visit From The Goon Squad Jennifer Egan
Middlesex Jeffery Eugenides
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Junot Diaz
What’s your favorite thing about living in Pittsburgh?
My favorite thing about living in Pittsburgh is the friendly people!
What’s one thing you think everyone should do while they live in the city? (This includes restaurant recommendations, of course)
Go to one of the amazing museums, walk along one of the river trails, see a play or a sporting event and have a Primanti’s sandwich with as many fries as you can stuff on there!
Tell us some surprising things about yourself (2/3 would be great):
I start every morning with a diet coke. Or two.
I played the flute for seven years. I was never very good, but I enjoyed it!
For two years in college I worked as an international operator connecting US numbers to countries that had outdated equipment. Remember those old pictures of operators with headsets who would plug a cord in a wall to connect a call? I did that!