The JKM Library Blog

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 10

Ethan 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.

January 2024

It’s not uncommon for folks to come into the library and ask where our Young Adult books are. Up until this month, our answer was always, “the Curriculum Collection!” But what is the Curriculum Collection? And   how has it changed this semester? Many academic libraries have something they call the Curriculum Collection, which is a collection of items (mostly physical books) that support the education department. It’s designed to help education students develop curriculum plans for literacy, usually for pre-K through 12th grade students. A typical Curriculum Collection will include popular fiction and nonfiction books for those age ranges, as well as reference texts for college students studying to become teachers. This is a highly specialized collection built for a specific purpose. A Curriculum Collection will include everything from popular picture books for toddlers to YA books for teens and older, all in the same space. This causes some confusion for folks looking for a book to enjoy over the weekend but have to sift through a bunch of picture books to get to the books they actually want to read. The JKM Library’s Curriculum Collection has moved a few times over the last several years. Before the COVID19 lockdowns, it was housed where the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s current exhibit space lives now on the first floor of the library. In order to make room for that exhibit space, the librarians moved the Curriculum Collection to a new room built in Lab 101 specifically for these books. This new room also included (along with the books) furniture and toys for children, a study table, and comfortable seating. It doubled as a space where students who were also parents or guardians could bring their kids while they studied. Librarians understand that childcare is expensive and hard to coordinate, and we were happy to provide a more convenient space for parents to bring their kids while trying to get their own schoolwork done. Over winter break, IT Support Services (which includes the help desk) moved over to the first floor of the JKM Library. This move will be beneficial to students getting work done in the library, but it did mean some changes to the building. The 24/7 space has been decreased but still offers access to plenty of group study space, computers, and printers. The main computer lab has been moved from Lab 101 to room 103, the Teaching and Learning Commons has moved across the first floor to room 111 (and is still closed and undergoing renovations), and the Curriculum Collection has moved again. If you are looking for picture books, children’s nonfiction, specialized literacy reference materials for students studying to be teachers, and some middle grade fiction titles, you can find all of those down on our ground floor on shelving units up against the wall near the study tables. You’ll also find children’s toys and children’s furniture down there, and we encourage you to bring your children with you to the library if needed. Curriculum Collection’s new home on the ground floor near the study tables. Children’s toys are in the plastic bin next to the bookshelves. In order to make this move work (and to fit the Curriculum Collection on those shelves on the ground floor), we made the decision to separate the collection. Traditionally, YA and middle grade titles are included in the Curriculum Collection to help serve the purpose of the collection itself. The JKM Library has separated out our YA and most middle grade titles from the Curriculum Collection and integrated those books with our general circulating collection. They will now be shelved up on the second and third floors with adult nonfiction and fiction. Separating the books does make it more difficult for education students to use the Curriculum Collection for its intended purpose, but we’re working to help preserve the magic of that specialized collection with a browse-able online list. This can also help anyone interested in seeing what YA books we have in our collection. When that list is available, we will share it with the Chatham community. If you are interested in a specific book title or want to know how you can browse our physical book collection in the library building, stop by the main library service desk on the first floor and talk to a librarian. 

November 2023

The library supports faculty and students’ academic pursuits during their time at Chatham by providing access to academic databases, journals, and specialized research services. But the library also supports rest and recreation! Ensuring time for adequate relaxation and creativity supports better physical and mental health and allows for individuals to accomplish more in the long term. To this end, the library has always acquired recreational reading and viewing materials. We purchase bestsellers, comic books, cookbooks, buzzy nonfiction, and popular book club picks alongside our academic titles. And while we’ve always maintained a Popular Reading display, this year we’ve put a spin on it. The library’s new Quick & Easy Reading Display has taken the space of the Popular Reading Display after a request from English as a Second Language faculty inspired ideas around how the library presents its collections. We know that the Chatham community is busy, especially students. We also know that learning English is challenging. It’s not an easy language. But reading engaging books written in English at a more attainable level is a great way to extend proficiency in the language. Thus, the Quick & Easy Reading Display was born. Chatham community members can browse a selection of Young Adult, Middle Grade, and less challenging Adult titles written in English, as well as poetry collections, graphic novels, and comic books. The goal is not to patronize students, but to give them something they can quickly enjoy and easily digest. Stop into the JKM Library today to browse this display, which lives on the built-in bookshelves to the right of the main entrance when you walk in (against the windows). Questions about this or any other displays in the library? Contact Reference & Outreach Librarian Jocelyn Codner. 

September 2023

ILLiad is one of the two interlibrary loan services that the JKM Library provides access to. Through it, Chatham students, faculty, and staff can request items (both digital and physical) from our partner libraries. It is most often used to acquire digital journal articles not readily available in our databases, or to request textbooks and course materials from partner libraries. Up until recently, the sign-on process for ILLiad was slightly cumbersome and required users to maintain a separate account with different login information. But recently, Head of Access Services Kate Wenger was able to switch Chatham’s ILLiad access over to a single signon (SSO) model, thus making it much easier and faster to log into your account. The SSO uses your Chatham email and password (like everything else on campus does). It should work seamlessly as long as you do not edit your preferred email. ILLiad will only work with an active Chatham email address. You may encounter the familiar Chatham login screen, prompting you to go through the multifactor authentication process in order to access Chatham materials and websites. But if you’ve already done that, you should automatically be signed in to your ILLiad account. You can access your ILLiad account through the “Borrow from Other Libraries: EZBorrow & ILLiad” button on our homepage (below the main search bar), and on that page you will be able to access an FAQ list to help you troubleshoot any issues. If you have issues with your ILLiad account or questions about a request that the FAQ page cannot answer, email ill@chatham.edu. 

August 2023

Textbooks are expensive, but it’s possible that you may be able to request some of those textbooks through the JKM Library or interlibrary loan for free! Whether it’s sitting on our shelves, waiting in our eBook collection, or calling your name from one of our partner libraries, your textbook might be available for free! What’s even better? You won’t be risking a computer virus that those shady websites (like Z-Library and LibGen) often have attached to their “textbook” offerings. Below are your options for finding free textbooks and course materials through the JKM Library in order of how we, your librarians, recommend you attempt them in. 

• Option 1. Search the JKM Library Catalog to see if we have the book you need. If you find it, place a hold, and we’ll email you when it’s ready for you to pickup! Or come to the library and ask a librarian to help you find it on the shelves. 
• Option 2. We have over 1 million eBooks! You can search them for the titles you need by using the eBooks tab on our homepage. Most eBooks will require you read them in the browser window, so if you would prefer to have a physical book, try… 
• Option 3. Search EZBorrow to find books from other libraries. The books usually arrive in 2-5 business days, and you have 14 days to pick them up at the JKM Library. You can keep these books for the entire semester. EZBorrow works great for textbooks and fun reading! 
• Option 4. E-ZBorrow doesn’t have the book? Try ILLiad. ILLiad takes longer (9 days on average), and the library that sends the book decides how long you can keep it and whether it can be renewed. Loan times can be as short as two weeks, although a month or two is more common.   
• BONUS: Do you have your Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh library card yet? The CLP system us large and has many options available to its users. Students are eligible for library cards with their student ID. The closest CLP branches to Chatham University’s Shadyside and Eastside locations are Squirrel Hill (5801 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15217) and East Liberty (130 S. Whitfield Street Pittsburgh PA 15206). Learn more about CLP locations here. For student up at Eden Hall, the Northern Tier Library (4015 Dickey Rd. Gibsonia PA 15044) is a wonderful public library close to campus that offers many services to Chatham students. 

We hope these options are helpful in your search for free or affordable textbooks during your time here at Chatham. If you ever have a question about how to use interlibrary loan services or locating books in our collection, please ask a librarian! You can ask in person at the library, or email the librarians at reference@chatham.edu. 

The Chatham University Archives & Special Collections is pleased to present “Europe `72: The Chatham Choir Tour Scrapbook” in the lobby of the JKM Library. The exhibit features materials documenting the Chatham Choir’s tour of Europe in 1972 with the Hamilton College Choir. Preserved in a scrapbook held by the Chatham Archives, the exhibit materials include a tour itinerary and photographs of choir activities ranging from sleeping in an airplane to performing in a 15th century church and sightseeing. Of particular interest in the exhibit is a selection of audio from the Chatham Choir tour performance in Lucca, Italy on June 12, 1972. Those unable to visit the exhibit at the JKM Library are encouraged to explore the online exhibit, created by a Chatham undergraduate student, which describes the tour in great detail. A recording of the performance in Lucca, Italy, preserved through support from the Council of Independent Colleges, is accessible through the exhibit. 

October 2022

A chill has finally settled over Chatham University beckoning in sweaters and pumpkins. Some people revolve their entire year around this season, some will mourn the end of 70-degree days and green trees. No matter which category you fall into, JKM carries DVDs for all attitudes during the Halloween season. Thinking DVDs might be a little retro to compete with all of the streaming platforms out there? These are guaranteed to always be available, while movies come and go off of Netflix and HBO. Didn’t bring a DVD player because… why would you? We have you covered there too, with DVD players that plug into your laptop and TV that with the JKM’s Movie Collection can be checked out with your Chatham ID. Now on with the horror! (And not-so-horrific) For the Classic Jump Scare Modern Horror Fans The Conjuring (2013)- If you’re a horror fan then I’m sure you’ve ticked this one off of your list a long time ago. This 2013 film is classic secluded house horror, where the living just won’t leave the paranormal alone. If you like this one, you’re in luck because there is a whole universe that follows the characters introduced. Movies like Annabelle and Insidious can be linked back to the plot of The Conjuring. The Theater Major Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)- If you’re a fan of Halloween then there is no point in even suggesting this one. A timeless cult classic, this is the only time I would recommend looking beyond the library and seeing if you can catch a live show somewhere around the city. From the catchy songs to Tim Curry as Frank-N-Furter, there is something about the original movie that will capture you every Halloween. Bite-size Horror The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Episodes (Various seasons)- Let’s face it, sometimes we just don’t have the time or attention span to watch over an hour of gripping horror. And while you might not think of turning to The Simpsons for a scare, Treehouse of Horror has become a Halloween staple in my home. Filled with classic creepy cliché and tons of pop culture references these are sure to get the Halloween vibes going for any level of horror fan. The Anti-Halloween Academic To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)- Maybe you aren’t a fan of ghosts, killers, or witches and prefer to spend your time watching classic films and reading novels. While To Kill a Mockingbird might seem a little random on this list, the costumed climax of the film along with the southern gothic feel is why I would recommend it to someone who isn’t a fan of the typical horror genre. The Horror Expert Get Out (2017)- This movie caused quite a stir when it was released and for good reason. Jordan Peele’s Get Out is horrifying for its cinematography and social commentary on race relations in America. Psychologically, this movie will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time and might have the best twist in a movie that will come in our generation. HTV Mom Vibes Practical Magic (1998)- Dreaming of spending a Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts? Practical Magic will help you achieve that in your living room. A little bit of rom-com, a little bit witchy, and a lot of crazy, it’s required to have a midnight margarita or mocktail to sip on while this plays. These are far from the only options you can find for a Halloween Movie Marathon, so make sure you stop by the JKM to browse the rest of our media collection. Make sure you have a safe and spooky Halloween season, Cougars! 

McKenna DiRienzo is a senior communications student at Chatham. When she’s not working at the library, she likes walking through Schenley, finding the best bagels in Pittsburgh, or catching up on classic horror movies. 

October 2022

October is National Book Month! The JKM Library has thousands of best sellers and fun reading for you to enjoy along side our academic and research focused resources. You can check out any book using your Chatham ID as a library card,  and you can keep them for the entire semester. For more borrowing policies, check our “Borrowing Policies” page on our website. There are multiple ways you can go about finding the perfect book in the JKM Library:

1. Ask the Reference Librarian. The Reference Librarian can be found at the main desk to the left when you walk into the library building, or you can email them at jkmref@chatham.edu. If you aren’t sure where a particular book is, or if you’d like a book recommendation, the Reference Librarian is always happy to help! 
2. Browse our in-library book displays. The first floor of the library building has multiple themed displays that feature books and films that you are welcome to check out at any time! These displays are to the right when you enter the building, around the comfortable seating. 
3. Browse the bookshelves in the library. Use this handy reference sheet to locate specific genres in our collection, and enjoy browsing until a title grabs your attention.
4. Watch our how-to videos on how to search for books in our catalog. We have a few quick videos that may be helpful to you as you try locating books in our collection through our catalog on our website: A. Browsing JKM Library Catalog Online B. Finding Books in the Library Catalog (discusses keywords and how to locate the book in the building) C. Placing Holds on Library Items 
5. We have over one million ebooks! For those of you who can’t visit us in person, you can still browse and checkout ebooks through our website. We have everything from biographies to poetry, academic titles to best sellers. Select the “ebooks” in our main search box on the homepage and search away. 

We hope you can find a book that delights you in our collection, but if we don’t have what you’re looking for, ask us about EZBorrow! Happy reading!  

August 30, 2022

May 2022

Did you know that the JKM Library has hundreds of thousands of eBooks available to you? They range from bestselling fiction to course texts. We know that sometimes our eBooks can be overlooked, so we decided to show them a bit of love with this roundup of some interesting fiction titles that you can read right now through the JKM Library. A few things to know about our eBooks…most of them come to us packaged as a larger subscription, so we don’t actually hand pick all of our eBooks (although we do handpick some of them!). We trust the third-party academic vendors to include titles of worth in these subscriptions. That being said, sometimes you can find some surprising titles in these packages. Make sure to always evaluate your sources, even if they’re coming from the library. Because many eBook titles are included in larger subscriptions, they operate a bit like movies on Netflix. Sometimes they are removed from the package and we no longer have access to them. This is up to the third-party vendor, and can result in broken links on our end. Lastly, our eBooks are not compatible with most eReaders, like Kindle. You need a browser to read them. This is again due to the ways the third-party academic vendors operate. Just an fyi! All summaries comes from the publisher. Images are from Goodreads. A Million Aunties by Alecia McKenzie American-born artist Chris is forced to reconsider his conception of family during a visit to his mother’s Caribbean homeland. Told from different points of view, this is a compelling novel about unlikely love, friendship, and community, with several surprises along the way. The story takes place against the backdrop of rural Jamaica, New York City, and Paris, France. An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon Aster lives in the low-deck slums of the HSS Matilda, a space vessel organized much like the antebellum South. For generations, the Matilda has ferried the last of humanity to a mythical Promised Land. On its way, the ship’s leaders have imposed harsh moral restrictions and deep indignities on dark-skinned sharecroppers like Aster, who they consider to be less than human. When the autopsy of Matilda‘s sovereign reveals a surprising link between his death and her mother’s suicide some quarter-century before, Aster retraces her mother’s footsteps. Embroiled in a grudge with a brutal overseer and sowing the seeds of civil war, Aster learns there may be a way off the ship if she’s willing to fight for it The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda In the 1960s, 17 people die of cyanide poisoning at a party given by the owners of a prominent clinic in a town on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The only surviving links to what might have happened are a cryptic verse that could be the killer’s, and the physician’s bewitching blind daughter, Hisako, the only person spared injury. The police are convinced Hisako had a role in the crime, as are many in the town, including the author of a bestselling book about the murders written a decade after the incident, who was herself a childhood friend of Hisako’s and witness to the discovery of the killings. The truth is revealed through a skillful juggling of testimony by different voices: family members, witnesses and neighbors, police investigators and of course the mesmerizing Hisako herself. The Bear by Andrew Krivak From National Book Award in Fiction finalist Andrew Krivak comes a gorgeous fable of Earth’s last two human inhabitants and a girl’s journey home. Coming In Third by Amber Kell Fancy some erotica? With his mother plotting to have him wed, Niall decides to sneak out of the fae palace and fulfill one of his greatest fantasies. At the Unconventional bar, he finds a pair of lion shifters looking to spice up their love life. Unable to resist the strong attraction between them, Niall lets the persuasive pair take him home. Daughters of Smoke and Fire by Ava Homa Set in Iran, this extraordinary debut novel takes readers into the everyday lives of the Kurds. Leila dreams of making films to bring the suppressed stories of her people onto the global stage, but obstacles keep piling up. Leila’s younger brother Chia, influenced by their father’s past torture, imprisonment, and his deep-seated desire for justice, begins to engage with social and political affairs. But his activism grows increasingly risky and one day he disappears in Tehran. Seeking answers about her brother’s whereabouts, Leila fears the worst and begins a campaign to save him. But when she publishes Chia’s writings online, she finds herself in grave danger as well. Monsterland (aka North American Lake Monsters) by Nathan Ballingrud Recently adapted into a tv show for Hulu! Nathan Ballingrud’s Shirley Jackson Award winning debut collection is a shattering and luminous experience not to be missed by those who love to explore the darker parts of the human psyche. Monsters, real and imagined, external and internal, are the subject. They are us and we are them and Ballingrud’s intense focus makes these stories incredibly intense and irresistible. Monsters of the Week: The Complete Critical Companion to The X-Files by Zack Handlen and Emily Todd VanDerWerff TV critics Zack Handlen and Emily Todd VanDerWerff look back at exactly what made the long-running cult series so groundbreaking. Packed with insightful reviews of every episode—including the tenth and eleventh seasons and both major motion pictures—Monsters of the Week leaves no mystery unsolved and no monster unexplained. Mr. Cadmus by Peter Ackroyd A wickedly satirical novel, filled with mystery, revenge, outlandish killings, greed and jealousy, from the multi-award winning author. The arrival of an enigmatic stranger wreaks havoc on the denizens of the idyllic English village of Little Camborne; most notably two apparently harmless women. Miss Finch and Miss Swallow, cousins, have put their pasts behind them and settled into conventional country life. But when Theodore Cadmus – from Caldera, a Mediterranean island nobody has heard of – moves into the middle cottage, the safe monotony of their lives is shattered. My Greek Island Summer by Mandy Baggot Becky Rowe has just landed her dream job house-sitting at a top-end villa on the island of Corfu. What could be better than six weeks laying by an infinity pool overlooking the gorgeous Ionian waters while mending her broken heart. Elias Mardas is travelling back to Corfu on business whilst dealing with his own personal demons. Late arriving in Athens, Becky and Elias have to spend a night in the Greek capital. When they have to emergency land in Kefalonia, Becky’s got to decide whether to suck up the adventure and this gorgeous companion she seems to have been thrown together with or panic about when she’s going to arrive at Corfu… Finally reaching the beautiful island, Becky is happy to put Elias behind her and get on with her adventure. Until he turns up at the villa… Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? The Revelations by Erik Hoel Monday, Kierk wakes up. Once a rising star in neuroscience, Kierk Suren is now homeless, broken by his all-consuming quest to find a scientific theory of consciousness. But when he’s offered a spot in a prestigious postdoctoral program, he decides to rejoin society and vows not to self-destruct again. Instead of focusing on his work, however, Kierk becomes obsessed with another project—investigating the sudden and suspicious death of a colleague. As his search for truth brings him closer to Carmen Green, another postdoc, their list of suspects grows, along with the sense that something sinister may be happening all around them. Sea Change by Nancy Kress In 2022, GMOs were banned after a biopharmed drug caused the Catastrophe: worldwide economic collapse, agricultural standstill, and personal tragedy for a lawyer and her son. Ten years later, Renata, a.k.a. Caroline Denton, is an operative of the Org, an underground group that could save the world from itself. Their illegal research is performed and protected by splinter cells, which are hunted by the feds. Now a mole is in the Org. Who would put the entire Org in jeopardy? Renata is the only one who can find out–and she will need to go to her clients in the Quinault Nation for answers. Search History by Eugene Lim Search History oscillates between a wild cyberdog chase and lunch-date monologues as Eugene Lim deconstructs grieving and storytelling with uncanny juxtapositions and subversive satire. Frank Exit is dead–or is he? While eavesdropping on two women discussing a dog-sitting gig over lunch, a bereft friend comes to a shocking realization: Frank has been reincarnated as a dog! This epiphany launches a series of adventures–interlaced with digressions about AIgenerated fiction, virtual reality, Asian American identity in the arts, and lost parents–as an unlikely cast of accomplices and enemies pursues the mysterious canine. In elliptical, propulsive prose, Search History plumbs the depths of personal and collective consciousness, questioning what we consume, how we grieve, and the stories we tell ourselves. The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church’s double standards and their own needs and passions. With their secret longings, new love, and forbidden affairs, these church ladies are as seductive as they want to be, as vulnerable as they need to be, as unfaithful and unrepentant as they care to be, and as free as they deserve to be. Temporary by Hilary Leichter In Temporary, a young woman’s workplace is the size of the world. She fills increasingly bizarre placements in search of steadiness, connection, and something, at last, to call her own. Whether it’s shining an endless closet of shoes, swabbing the deck of a pirate ship, assisting an assassin, or filling in for the Chairman of the Board, for the mythical Temporary, “there is nothing more personal than doing your job.” This riveting quest, at once hilarious and profound, will resonate with anyone who has ever done their best at work, even when the work is only temporary. The Tiger Flu by Larissa Lai In this visionary novel by Larissa Lai–her first in sixteen years–a community of parthenogenic women, sent into exile by the male-dominated Salt Water City, goes to war against disease, technology, and powerful men that threaten them with extinction. Bold, beautiful, and wildly imaginative, The Tiger Flu is at once a female hero’s saga, a cyberpunk thriller, and a convention-breaking cautionary tale–a striking metaphor for our complicated times. 

December 2021

The JKM Library is honoring the cultures and history of Native Americans through a book display. Native American and Indigenous Peoples’ Heritage Month may have already passed (please take a look at our related resources page), but we should continue to reflect on the past, present, and future of these communities and their relationship to of the United States of America: how Indigenous people were colonized, how they were almost decimated, and how they are still oppressed. We recognize that we occupy the unceded, ancestral land of many Indigenous peoples, including the Delaware, the Shawnee, and the Seneca Nation, who were members of the Haudenosaunee (hoe-dee-no-SHOW-nee) Confederacy. As recently as the 1960s, nearly one-third of the Seneca’s tribal lands were taken by the U.S. government to build the Kinzua Dam northeast of the Pittsburgh (for more on land acknowledgments, see this handout). Located in the first floor, the display offers a curated selection of more than 40 books with an interdisciplinary focus, ranging from literature and history to environmental studies. Part of our goal is to make these resources more visible, which often remain hidden in the stacks. In addition, we wanted to center texts by Indigenous voices. In the case of books by non-Native American authors, we have tried to include works that are inclusive in their approach and do not reproduce problematic stereotypes. For instance, we excluded a critically acclaimed book, S.C. Gwynne’s Empire of the Summer Moon, because of its description of the Comanches as “primitive” and “barbarian.” Such language harks back to the racist discourse of past centuries, but the book was published only ten years ago and was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize. We also did not choose to share most of our Native American art books because they perpetuate the colonialist idea that Indigenous cultures are to be collected by white institutions without any attention to Native American perspectives. It is therefore urgent to share correctives to these narratives, especially from the perspective of institutions like ours, which not only occupy unceded land but also play a role in the formation of collective memory. In addition, the library’s DVD collection does not include any films directed by Native Americans except for Reel Injun, a documentary about the depiction of indigeneity in Hollywood movies, which is part of the display. We hope to be adding more items to our collection that reflect these concerns. We invite everyone to experience the exhibit and check out any books that might interest you. Some books that we would like to highlight because of their importance for Native American history and cultures are: Roxane Dunbar-Ortiz, An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States (history) Two-Spirit People: Native American Gender Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality (gender and sexuality) Natalie Diaz, When My Brother Was an Aztec (poetry) Cherie Dimaline, The Marrow Thieves (fiction) The Book of Elders: the life Stories of Great American Indians (testimony) Terese Marie Mailhot, Heart Berries (memoir) Native Americans and the Environment: Perspectives on the Ecological Indian (environmental studies) David J. Silverman, This Land is their Land: the Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled history of Thanksgiving (history) Sean Sherman, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen (cooking)
~Khalila Chaar-Pérez (she/they) is Reference Associate at the JKM Library and also works at the People’s Media Record, a grassroots video archive in Philly. She’s a proud trans Puerto Rican committed to cultivating transformative justice, antiracism, and a world without capitalism. She is also an avid hiker, a film nerd, and a trekkie. 

September 2021

Subscribe: https://bit.ly/JKMNews 

The JKM Library has recently begun a new monthly newsletter that sends the goods directly to you inbox! That is, if you’re subscribed… What you can expect to find in this new newsletter of news includes (but is not limited to): information about upcoming events, ways you can find textbooks for free, announcements about the library building and services, updates from the University Archives, highlights of library resources, secrets of the universe, and more! Faculty can expect important information about critical resources and services, like course reserves, in-class library instruction, and incorporating library digital resources into Brightspace course modules. We really aren’t joking about the secrets of the universe thing. We do actually include those. But you’ll have to subscribe to learn what they are.

May 27, 2020

The JKM Library has a new database worth checking out! Academic Video Online (AVON) is a premier database that holds over 68,000 videos spanning a variety of disciplines and subjects. Whether you’re in the mood for a documentary, news, feature films, or interviews, AVON has access across the board. Explore videos of different genres, lengths, and age, and expand your horizons; search for the exact title you’re looking for, or just peruse the homepage! The database’s wide variety provides a wellrounded collection of both educational and entertaining resources, and Chatham users can see it all! Here’s a few titles that both highlight the diversity of AVON and can lift your spirits! 1.) Candide, libretto by Leonard Bernstein Bernstein’s operatic adaptation of Voltaire novella comes to life in the 2004 production with the New York Philharmonic, featuring the musical stylings of theatre giants like Kristin Chenoweth and Patti LuPone. The show tells the story of the eponymous protagonist as he traverses through adulthood meeting bizarre new people and learning important life lessons. Candide boasts an impressive score full of bright, exuberant numbers and an overall feeling of comedy and joy throughout. Viewers can expect to laugh their way all the way through this musical adventure. A true testament to the quality of AVON’s performing arts selection, Candide is fun for everyone. 2.) Land Ho!, directed by Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens Here’s one raucous comedy evokes the feeling of the ’80s road trip movies, but turns the trope on its head with its elderly protagonist. This feature film follows former brothers-in-law Mitch and Colin as they attempt to relive their youth while taking a trip through Iceland. This indie darling is simple and character-driven, and while it has the occasional heavy moment, the majority of Land Ho! is chock full of quirk and witty humor. Coupled with the beautiful scenery of Reykjavik, this movie is a short and sweet romp that prioritizes mischief, friendship, and the idea that we all need someone to be there for us every now and then. 3.) Awake: The Life of Yogananda, directed by Pablo Di Florio and Lisa Leeman In this documentary, the life of acclaimed yogi Paramahansa Yogananda serves as the subject. His story of enlightenment and self-discovery is juxtaposed against his personal struggles growing up, and paints an incredible picture of his journey. Often credited as bringing yoga to the west via his memoir Autobiography of a Yogi, Yogananda’s grounded view of life and practice of self-realization helped to propel yoga into the mainstream. This documentary would be a great fit both for those who want to further inform their practice of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness as well as those brand new to the topic and wanting to learn more. 4.) Fermented, directed by Jonathan Cianfrani Part science, part history, all educational, this documentary explores the roots of one of oldest forms of food preservation, perfect for the sustainability-savvy viewer. Learn all about the different ways that fermentation can occur, from pickling to making alcohol, and their importance to the world of food! Host Edward Lee is incredibly passionate about exploring this food practice, and his enthusiasm could very well extend to the viewer. Considering the growing popularity of food studies and sustainable food practice, this film would serve as a great supplement to learning about current food trends–canning and pickling may make a quarantine comeback! 5.) Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like, directed by John Paulson Nothing says “feel-good” quite like Mister Rogers. 2019 gave us two great movies, Won’t You Be My Neighbor and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, but this earlier documentary pays homage directly to Mister Rogers’ television legacy. Highlighting some of the show’s most memorable clips and performances, and featuring interviews with celebrities on how Mister Rogers shaped their lives, It’s You I Like gives an inside glimpse of the importance of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in its 900 episode run. You’re guaranteed to finish this documentary with a smile on your face, and an even greater understanding of the importance of this hometown hero on children’s television. These are just a few of the thousands of titles available through AVON. Whether you’re interested in a three-minute mindfulness video, a fashion show, or a virtual trip to the orchestra, AVON has something for everyone. Watch with your significant other, your kids, or with friends, maybe host a Zoom watch party–regardless of what you choose, the possibilities seem endless! Access the database here, and remember to also check out our other available library resources during our closure. Happy watching! Carina Stopenski is the Access Services Associate at Chatham University’s Jennie King Mellon Library. They started out as a student worker while getting their creative writing degree at Chatham, and have since started working on their Master’s of Library Science at Clarion University. They enjoy games of both the board and video persuasion, vegan baking, and reading graphic novels. 

May 2020

During this difficult period of shelter-in-place, one can sometimes feel trapped by the ennui of their everyday life. As we all acclimate to our new “normal,” things may feel stale or boring, and it can be hard to keep positive. Have no fear–fiction can provide a welcome escape from the real world turmoil we face! Take a gander at this list to find some titles either available freely online or via our eBook collection that can help you find a bit of respite during this trying time! How to Fracture a Fairy Tale, Jane Yolen (available in the JKM Library eBook collection) This collection of short stories takes some of the most well-known fairy tales and turns them on their heads, exploring new, modern structures and complex, unexpected takes. Yolen even gives notes at the end of the book on how she decided to construct each tale, giving the worlds an even richer history. These stories provide a perfect escape from the real world, and despite being an adult-oriented book, evokes a sense of childlike wonder due to its roots in familiar stories. I highly recommend “The Undine,” a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” and “The Foxwife,” which delves into the folklore of the Japanese kitsune. While some stories in this book may be a bit dark, the nostalgic ties that readers have to fairy tales may just provide a bit of escapism from the comfort of your own couch! The Weekend Bucket List, Mia Kerick (available in the JKM Library eBook collection) This coming-of-age adventure centers around friends Cady and Cooper as they try to burn through their high-school “bucket list” two days before their high school graduation. The story is sweet, adventurous, and full of teenage shenanigans, and provides a great way to get away from the stress of everyday adult life. Kerick captures the adolescent experience well, and the light, fast-paced story is coupled with a really wonderful message about the significance of good relationships. Even though the reader may be stuck at home unable to see friends right now, watching Cooper and Cady engage in these wacky adventures may just fill that space that’s been a little empty. On a Sunbeam, Tillie Walden (available on the author’s website) I personally believe that everyone should read Walden’s graphic novels, not only because of their rich stories but their incredible illustrations. This story takes place in outer space, where protagonist Mia works on a team restoring decrepit intergalactic monuments. It’s a poignant, beautiful story, full of love, family, and self-discovery, but what is most striking is its gorgeous artwork. Through detailed spacecrafts, swirling galaxies, and flashback scenes of a prestigious academy, Walden transports the reader through to a brand new universe that is so unlike our own but still full of humanity. Plus, the whole book is available in an online serialized format for easy access! Rodrigo Salazar: A Warrior’s Tale, David A. Ballentine (available in the JKM Library eBook collection) This historical fiction piece is jam-packed with action and is bound to transport you to 10th-century medieval Iberia! The titular main character encounters everything from monasteries to war to escaping enslavement–talk about a wild ride! While some turn their nose up at historical fiction, the adventure that this story brings to the table is definitely enough to bring you out of your doldrums and allow the reader to explore an incredibly complicated world that may they may never have had experience with before! While the author expresses that the characters are purely fictional, the writing truly makes these characters feel real! Nimona, Noelle Stevenson (available on the Internet Archive) From the creator of the popular Lumberjanes series, this young adult graphic novel focused around the eponymous Nimona, a teen shapeshifter who works with a supervillain in order to showcase a “good guy” as a fraud. Part witty comedy, part fantasy adventure, and part emotional journey about how everything is not as it seems, Nimona has a bit of something for everybody! Stevenson builds a diverse world that diverts the typical fantasy tropes by creating sympathetic characters in typically “evil” stereotypes. Published online in a webcomic format, it makes for easy reading, and Stevenson’s distinctive art style adds fun and flair to an already-interesting storyline! These are just a few interesting titles worth exploring. Remember that the library has a list of COVID-19 digital resources that features thousands of eBooks worth exploring! Also consider checking out the Internet Archive–by making an account, you can get free access to thousands more titles through digital checkout. Hope everyone gets some good reading in during this troubling time, sometimes a little literary escapism can go a long way! 
Carina Stopenski is the Access Services Associate at Chatham University’s Jennie King Mellon Library. They started out as a student worker while getting their creative writing degree at Chatham, and have since started working on their Master’s of Library Science at Clarion University. They enjoy games of both the board and video persuasion, vegan baking, and reading graphic novels. 

March 2020

We at the JKM Library hope you’re all staying healthy and taking all necessary precautions to keep others healthy too. We know this is a stressful time, but the JKM Library’s librarians are here for you and your research needs! That being said, we are limited in how we can help. See the FAQ below, and if you still have questions, please reach out to us through the Ask a Librarian chat on our homepage or via email at reference@chatham.edu. Can I get into the library building? The library building is closed for the time being. The 24/7 space is now also closed to the public. If you have an [urgent, immediate, pressing] need to access the 24/7 space, please complete the Computer Lab Access Request Form on myChatham -> Documents and Forms -> Residence Life -> JKM Library Computer Lab Access Request Form. Can I access the University Archives? Not physically, but the archives’ digital collections can be accessed on their website (https://library.chatham.edu/archives)! You may also email your archives related questions to Archivist Molly Tighe at m.tighe@chatham.edu Can I use E-ZBorrow and/or ILLiad? E-ZBorrow is no longer available at this time. ILLiad is available but limited. Our team is working on setting up remote functionality, and right now we’re working off of an automated system. To increase your chances of receiving your item, be sure to include the ISSN in your request form. Only digital items will be processed at this time, nothing physical. Can I return my library items? If you are graduating and are done with your items, please return them to the library via the drop box in the library vestibule if you are able. If you are graduating but have already left campus or if you will be returning to campus, you can return them by snail mail or in person once we reopen. If you have a question or concern, please reach out to Head of Access Services Kate Wenger (kwenger@chatham.edu). Will I get fined due to Coronavirus related late items? No. If you have any concerns about library items being overdue, please reach out to Head of Access Services Kate Wenger (kwenger@chatham.edu) Can I schedule a research appointment? Yes! Librarians are available to work with you one-on-one via Zoom. Please email your subject librarian or fill out this form to make an appointment. Can I still do research? Definitely! You have access to about 70 digital databases, almost over 750,000 full text eBooks, and over 85,000 full text eJournals. You can search almost all of our digital content via the “All Resources” tab on our homepage. You can search for our individual full text eJournals and ebooks via the “Search for eJournal Titles” button on the homepage. You can search for individual databases alphabetically via our “Find Databases” button on our homepage. See our Research Guides in your subject area or for things like primary sources and citation information via the “See Resources by Subject” button on our homepage. Can I access physical books, journals, movies, or other items in the library? No, unfortunately no physical items in the library building are available at this time. Can I call the library and talk with a librarian? Not right now, but you can email us or Zoom with us, or use our chat Can I chat quickly with a librarian? Absolutely! We will be monitoring our Ask a Librarian chat on our homepage during these hours: 8:00 am – 10:00 pm Monday – Thursday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Friday 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm Saturday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm Sunday We hope this FAQ is helpful and that we can continue to assist you in all your academic endeavors! Please stay up-to-date on library offerings and announcements by checking our social media pages (@jkmlibrary and @chathamarchives on Instagram, library Facebook, archives Facebook) and our website regularly. 

March 2020

JKM Librarians are eager to continue to support faculty, students and staff as we experience the current move to virtual instruction. In keeping with current policy and out of an abundance of caution, librarians will provide remote services only. The library building will be closed for the time being, although at this time 24 hour space is still accessible.
Our Ask a Librarian chat service and Zoom will allow us to continue to provide reference, instruction and consultation services. We will continue to monitor the situation and post information on our home page. https://library.chatham.edu/friendly.php?s=home
We will staff the Ask a Librarian chat service during the following hours:
8:00 am – 10:00 pm Monday – Thursday
8:00 am – 5:00 pm Friday
1:00 pm – 7:00 pm Saturday
12:00 pm – 10:00 pm Sunday
Access our Ask a Librarian chat service on our home page: https://library.chatham.edu/friendly.php?s=home
The Archives and Special Collections will provide remote reference through email.
We have hundreds of thousands of eBooks, journals, and videos available in our databases and searchable from our home page. We can help you locate material that could
perhaps substitute for print resources.
Librarians are available for consultations about classes and student support and can be reached by email (jkmref@chatham.edu) or by chat (Ask a Librarian)
We can provide instruction via Zoom.
If you have any items checked out, we suggest you hold on to them – due dates are flexible.
Take care and stay well,
Jill Ausel, Library Director

January 2020

It’s the year of Morocco! The global focus of the 2019-2020 academic year here at Chatham has turned its eye to this multifaceted North African country. Morocco is located in an advantageous region of the world for trade and travel, which led to a fascinating blending of cultures, customs, goods, and people. The Year of Morocco first floor book display The region of modern day Morocco was originally inhabited by Berber tribes and were under both Phoenician and then Carthaginian rule, acting as a critical resource in trade activity with the Iberian Peninsula. When Roman rule expanded and then collapsed, control of Morocco went back to the Berbers. Arab populations invaded in AD 684, adding yet another cultural element to the region. Over the centuries, Morocco found itself in a unique position in terms of early globalization. As empires blossomed and crumbled, trade expanded and new religious and scientific thought was shared. Morocco’s physical location placed it in the middle of much of this change and movement. Leadership and rule of the region changed as influence in Europe and the Middle East shifted. By the late 19th century, larger Imperialist powers in Europe were arguing over control of Morocco, and it eventually was taken by France and Spain. Morocco eventually gained its independence in 1956 after seeing much strategic action during WWII. Over the next few decades, shifting boundaries continued as previously colonized regions were returned and new boundaries were drawn all over the world, including Morocco. Political unrest also continued, and the country’s governmental structure has gone through changes as recently as the 1990s. Year of Morocco first floor book display Today, Morocco is an Islamic state (Sunni) with a hereditary constitutional monarchy with a two-chamber legislature. While the King retains veto power, there is a selected Prime Minster who runs the government. Modern Morocco has made strides in social reform, granting women increased rights and freedom, working toward decreasing unemployment, and strengthening their global relationships especially with Europe. To learn more general knowledge about Morocco, visiting our Global Focus display on the first floor of the JKM Library and check out any number of the follow fiction and non-fiction titles. You can also visit Credo Reference and read the entry for ‘Morocco’. Special thank you to Luke Peterson, the Faculty Coordinator for the Global Focus this year, for suggesting some of these amazing titles. 
A History of Modern Morocco by Susan Gilson Miller
Amazir by Tom Gamble
Beyond the Veil by Fatima Mernissi
Globalizing Morocco by David Stenner
Secret Son by Laila Lalami
Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325-1354 by Ibn Batuta
This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun
Up Above the World by Paul Bowles
Women and Property in Morocco by Vanessa Maher
Year of the Elephant by Laylá Abū Zayd
And many many more!
 

February 6, 2019

Have you ever checked out a book and noticed it was marked with a sticker that says, “Wray”? Or what about that collection of books on the small bookshelf near the elevator on the third floor marked “Olkes Collection”? Have you ever wondered what Wray and Olkes mean? The JKM Library has, in addition to our main circulating collection, smaller collections of books that are focused on certain topics, aimed at certain age ranges, or were donated by certain people. We give these collections of books different names in order to honor the person who donated the items or to make it clear that there is something special about the items in the collection. For example, our Curriculum Collection is comprised of books for young readers and includes picture books, middle- grade fiction and nonfiction, young adult fiction and nonfiction, and graphic novels appropriate for those age ranges. In the case of the Wray and Olkes collections, these are items donated by Professor Wendell Wray and Dr. Cheryl Olkes respectively. Wendell Wray, a library and information science professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh, was an avid book collector. The first African-American man to graduate from the then Carnegie Institute of Technology’s library science program with a master’s degree in 1952, Wray was an influential voice in the library profession. After graduation, he went on to be one of the first African-American men to be hired by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Raised in Beltzhoover, Wray’s resume includes military service during WWII and working at the New York Public Library, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the inner city outreach program the North Manhattan Library Project. Wray returned to Pittsburgh in 1973 to take a position as a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh in the library school. He was honored the same year with the Distinguished Alumni award from Carnegie Tech. He moved to California in 1988 upon his retirement, where he spent the rest of his life until his death in 2003. His personal book collection largely focused on African-American and Caribbean cultures and histories. Of this collection, over 4,000 were donated to Jennie King Mellon Library. Some items are first edition copies or signed by the author and are housed in Special Collections. The rest of the items donated by Wray are in the circulating collection and are indicated with a spine sticker and a special book plate on the inside front cover. You can read more about Professor Wray on the University of Pittsburgh’s Archives and Manuscripts tumblr post about his papers. The Olkes book collection was donated to the Jennie King Mellon Library by Chatham alumna Dr. Cheryl Olkes as a supplemental element to the formidable Cheryl Olkes African Art Collection. The collection was donated in 1998 and includes more than 600 works of African art meant for study and exhibition. Along with the artwork, over 120 books covering African art, history, sociology, anthropology, and culture were donated to the library. From “The Dynamics of Gender: African Art from Chatham University” at the August Wilson Center After graduating from Chatham in 1970, Dr. Olkes went on to earn a master’s degree in journalism from Ohio State University and a doctorate in communications from the University of Texas, Austin. She then spent time during the 1980s in Niger with the Songhay people, resulting in a book co-authored by her husband Paul Stoller titled In Sorcery’s Shadow: A Memoir of Apprenticeship Among the Songhay of Niger. She continued to make trips to Africa and collected works of art from across the continent. The result is that her collection is wide-ranging and eclectic. Certain pieces from the collection have also been displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. Most recently, a group of Chatham students crafted an exhibit, “The Dynamics of Gender: African Art from Chatham University,” held in Pittsburgh’s August Wilson Center, that included pieces from Dr. Olkes as well as alumna Vivian Lowery Derryck, ’67, and a gift from Richard and Marilyn Finberg. While the Olkes book collection is kept together on the bookshelves near the elevator on the third floor (near our limited textbook collection), the Wray collection is sprinkled throughout our circulating collection and Special Collections, easily identifiable by the “Wray” spine sticker. The Jennie King Mellon Library is proud to hold both of these collections, and while the books are older and well-loved, we encourage you to take advantage of your access to them! 

November 2018

This November, the JKM Library launched a crowd sourced digital mapping project called “Whose Land Are You On?” in honor of Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month. We have a couple of goals for this project, which will be ongoing and updated throughout the years. First, we wanted to document where people in the Chatham Community grew up or considered their childhood home so we can see how far we’ve all come from. We then wanted to help the Chatham community educate each other on which indigenous people call/called that land home before being pushed out. We also aim to generate awareness around indigenous culture and the devastating effects of colonialism. Ultimately, we hope to honor those indigenous people and help stop the erasure of their presence from their own land.
So, how does this digital mapping project accomplish all that, and how can you participate?
We are using two digital tools to build our own map: Native Land and Google’s My Maps. Native Land is a project originating out of Canada and run by Victor Temprano as an engaging tool for awareness and advocacy. It is a dynamic project and comes with the caveat that it may contain inaccuracies. Victor acknowledges the maps many flaws in theory and in practice, but its intention is education, and that is how we are using it with this project. My Maps is a great tool from Google that allows us to create our own map with custom data. Anyone can access it and contribute to the map with their data.
To participate, you first look up your home town on the Native Land map. This website will tell you the different Native and indigenous people who lived on that land.
You then will want to go to our My Maps map, look up your home town again, and then drop and edit a pin in that location! We ask that you insert the Native tribal information into your pin so that others visiting the map will be able to see who called that land home before the colonizers. For in-depth instructions and images, please visit our guide at https://library.chatham.edu/whoseland and contribute a pin of your own!
Once you are done adding your pin, you can return to Native Land and take advantage of the informational links they offer on the Native tribes that pop up when you searched your home town. Click on those links and take 10 minutes out of your day to read up on them and their culture. Take that information with you as you head home
for Thanksgiving, and tell your family about the people whose land you are on. Thank them for being the stewards of that land, and talk about what you and your family can do to support them now.
We encourage everyone from any part of the Americas to participate! That includes Canada, Central, and South America. And don’t forget Hawaii! Native Americans are
not just indigenous folks from what we now call the United States. Borders have a habit of tripping us up, but if you are from a part of the world that has been documented by Native Land, please feel free to add it to our map. We will continue to ask the Chatham community to add to and browse this map in years to come. This project has no end date and will continue to be living and dynamic for as long as the tools we picked will allow. Check back in next year or the year after to see how it grows.
 

October 2018

Every year, the JKM Library creates displays of books and resources related to the country selected as the Global Focus country for that academic year. This year, Chatham has selected Ireland! The Year of Ireland display highlights books written by notable Irish authors or written about Ireland’s history, culture, politics, etc. The intention is to make resources available to the Chatham community so you may further educate yourselves on the country of focus selected by the university.
The display can be found on the first floor of the library in the lobby area next to the New Books display. All the materials on the Year of Ireland display are available to be checked out with your Chatham ID card. Wondering if we have a specific book that you don’t see on display? Ask a librarian! We can check our catalog for any materials you’re looking for.
Some items on display include the following. To browse more, click here!
Dublin: The Making of a Capital City by David Dickson
The Gathering by Anne Enright
The Great Hunger: Ireland 1845-1849 by Cecil Woodham Smith
Ireland’s Pirate Queen: The True Story of Grace O’Malley by Anne Chambers
Time and Tide by Edna O’Brien
Women and Politics in Contemporary Ireland: From the Margins to the Mainstream by Yvonne Galligan
Stories by Elizabeth Bowen 
The Princeton History of Modern Ireland edited by Richard Bourke & Ian McBride
At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O’Brien
The Course of Irish History edited by T.W. Moody and F.X. Martin
The Dancers Dancing by Eilís Ní Dhuibhne
Death and Nightingales: A Novel by Eugene McCabe
Ireland in Prehistory by Michael Herity and George Eogan

September 2018

Here at the JKM Library, our librarians do their best to ensure that the collections and resources we provide fit your needs as students, faculty, and researchers. Our library’s stacks are home to over 144,000 physical books, magazines, print journals, DVDs/Blu-rays, CDs, and more. And through the library’s website, you also have access to electronic resources such as e-books, journals, magazines, and newspapers. Amazing, right?!
While this is a huge number of resources at your disposal, it’s likely that at one point or another throughout your Chatham career you will want to get ahold of something that is particularly unusual, hard-to-find, or simply beyond the scope of our collections as an academic library. Whether it’s because your thesis is on a fairly niche topic and you need to find sources for it, you’re looking for your textbooks for the new semester, or you were just hoping to read the latest YA release that hasn’t made its way to our Curriculum Collection shelves yet – whatever the reason, interlibrary loan can help you access the books, media, and articles that we just don’t have in our collections.
What is Interlibrary Loan?
It would be impractical, not to say virtually impossible, for a library to retain a copy of every single book ever published, so many libraries purchase books they anticipate that their patrons will use and then rely on interlibrary loan (ILL) to help bridge the gaps in their collections. ILL is a resource sharing service used by libraries all over the world that allows their users to borrow books, DVDs, music, articles, theses, and more from other libraries that they have formed cooperative agreements with. The best part is, at Chatham, this service is available to you completely free of charge! The library covers all normal shipping costs for interlibrary loan items. We currently use two different systems to manage your interlibrary loan requests here: E-ZBorrow and ILLiad. Both are useful for finding different types of materials, though there are a few key differences between them and what you would want to use each system for, which we will explain here.
E-ZBorrow: Sharing Print Books across the Region
E-ZBorrow is an expedited regional ILL service that combines the catalogs of over 50 libraries throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia! That means that since all of the participating libraries are located within a relatively small region, this is the fastest way to get a book that we don’t have at the JKM Library – E-ZBorrow books typically arrive within 2-5 business days. E-ZBorrow also allows you to keep the books for a pretty long loan period: for students and adjunct faculty,E-ZBorrow books are due at the end of the semester, and for faculty and staff, it’s 16 weeks from the date of pick up! However, while E-ZBorrow items arrive more quickly and allow you longer loans, one downside is that it is only for print books and sometimes DVDs. Other resources
must be requested through ILLiad, which brings us to the second system.
ILLiad: The Jack-of-All-Loans ILLiad is a resource sharing software which connects us with libraries all over the United States. We have mutual lending relationships with hundreds of libraries, so when you place a request, that item may be shipped from a public library in Oregon, an academic library in Texas, or anywhere in between. It’s a powerful tool that grants us access to a far-reaching pool of potential lenders, and also allows you to request materials in a large number of different formats – including PDFs of journal articles,
DVDs/CDs, dissertations, government documents, reports, microfilm, and print books that you were unable to find using E-ZBorrow (but please do remember to check EZBorrow first!). The electronic delivery of journal articles, reports, and other documents is one of the major advantages that ILLiad provides, as electronic delivery helps to drastically cut down on shipping time and costs and also allows you to access the article from anywhere, without having to stop in the library. Be mindful, though, electronically delivered articles will disappear from your account after 30 days due to copyright guidelines – so be sure to download those articles to your computer! For physical loans, however, shipping times can sometimes take a few days to over a week or more depending on where the library is located, and how long you can keep the materials often varies based on the lending library’s policies. You can keep track of the status of your requests online through your ILLiad account page to monitor whether they have been shipped yet. So as you can see, there are certainly positives and negatives to using both systems, and which one you should use largely depends on the type of materials you are trying to request. But both of them can be incredibly helpful resources to you in your academic work and your leisure time. We’ve compiled a couple of infographics to summarize the main points made here and to help you determine when you should use E-ZBorrow and ILLiad.
Some final tips for using Interlibrary Loan: Check Google Scholar before submitting an ILL request. Open access publishing and authors sharing their research digitally is becoming more and more common these days, and so we have been finding many articles available completely free online!
Don’t wait until the day before a paper is due to find the books and articles you will need to write it. It can take anywhere from 24 hours to over a week for electronic articles to arrive through interlibrary loan, and books can take up to 2 weeks, depending on where it’s shipped from. Our loans come from all over the US, so give us time to get things for you! Make use of the public libraries, as well – as a resident of Pittsburgh, you can get a library card that will allow you access to the millions of print and e-materials available in the Carnegie Library’s catalog. If you don’t mind visiting one of the neighborhood locations, you can save some time so that you don’t have to wait for the book to ship – and also get an opportunity to explore Pittsburgh!
Our ILL staff tries their best to find each item that is requested by our users request. However, for a variety of reasons, some items can be very difficult to obtain, including bestsellers, new books, rare books, foreign journals, dissertations, audiovisual formats, etc. That said, in 2017 we were able to fulfill 95% of E-ZBorrow requests and about 86% of ILLiad requests, so we are able to fill the vast majority of requests. It’s always worth a shot!
If you have any lingering questions about interlibrary loan or either of these two systems, please feel free to check out our Frequently Asked Questions or email the Interlibrary Loan Staff at ill@chatham.edu! We are always happy to answer any of your questions and chat about the joys of resource sharing.
Important links:
Place an E-Zborrow request + read FAQs
Place an ILLiad request + read FAQs
Mikayla Wobrak is your friendly campus interlibrary loan specialist and one half of this year’s Edible Books “Most Sustainable” award-winning duo. When she’s not working toward her MLIS degree or fulfilling your ILL requests, you can find her listening to paranormal podcasts, working on some ambitious new DIY project, or geeking out about her love of public transit. She is also a Teaching Artist with the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.
 

September 2018

JKM Library’s newspaper collection in the basement.
Are you a foodie? Wednesdays are a good day to read about food, especially in the basement of the JKM Library. That’s where we keep our daily newspapers. Yes, we do
continue to receive three national dailies here at the JKM Library (the New York Times, Wall Street Journal our beloved Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). But Wednesdays are
special: the NY Times, as well as our Post-Gazette, have a weekly special “Food Sections” – each dealing with far ranging issues – from global agribusiness to weed-pie
recipes. Of course, you can read any of this online, but if you want to sit a spell, relax, and eat your scone while reading and licking your fingers to turn the pages of living history, come on down to the ground floor of the Library to see what we have in store!

August 29, 2018

For the first time ever, the library is able to offer limited textbooks for checkout! We understand how expensive textbooks can be, which is why we have embraced an idea brought to us by members of the Chatham Student Government. We now accept student textbook donations for our circulating collection. What does this mean? Well, it means that you as a student can check out any of the textbooks we have in our limited collection for a full semester to use for classwork. You can browse the textbook collection on the third floor next to our Olkes collection. You can find them on the shelf to the right as you walk out of the elevator. If you find a book you think will be helpful, you can check it out at the Circulation Desk downstairs on the first floor.
Because these textbooks were donations from your peers, they might not be the most recent editions. This also means that our selection is still small since we rely on you for textbook donations. So what if you want to donate your old textbooks? First of all, thank you! You’re helping your fellow students decrease the cost of their education. In order to donate your textbooks to the library, bring them to either the Reference or Circulation Desk on the first floor.
Faculty are also encouraged to donate materials and make use of our Course Reserve service by putting materials (such as books, DVDs, or articles) on reserve in the
library for your students to access. You can learn more about Course Reserve here. We know that there will still be books for class that you won’t be able to find in our library, but don’t worry! You can still check E-ZBorrow or ILLiad to see if another library has what you need. If you have any questions about our textbook collection or how to find books for class, please contact a librarian! We’re available through email, phone, chat, text, and in person at the Reference Desk, and we’re always happy to help!

March 2018

Ever found a great JKM library book while doing research from your dorm, office, or home? Wish you could have placed a hold on that item so you could pick it up later?
Well now you can!
Look for a link to “Place hold” when searching our library catalog via the Books+ tab on our website. When you are prompted to login, enter your Chatham username and password, and then you’ll be able to place a hold for the item. We will pull it from the shelves and hold it for you for 14 days.
Please be aware that if someone else finds the item on the shelf before we have a chance to pull it for you, they will be allowed to check it out.
Lastly, for items that are checked out or missing, use E-ZBorrow (for books) or ILLiad (for books not available in E-ZBorrow, as well as DVDs and CDs) to order them from other libraries instead of placing a hold. You’ll get them much faster that way.
Any questions? Ask a librarian!

November 2017

There are so many opportunities to connect and interact with the Jennie King Mellon Library online and in person, and we recently added two more: Instagram and Spotify! Our new Instagram account (@jkmlibrary) features library news, updates, and shenanigans. Be sure to follow us for #NewBookTuesdays and #BookfaceFridays. You’ll also get to know our staff and librarians better, as we post fun pictures of our recommendations, displays, and exciting library life. And yes, you heard correctly, the library has a Spotify account. What is Spotify? It’s a music streaming service that allows those with accounts to listen to over 30 million songs for free and create and share playlists. Library staff members love music of all genres and styles. We’re hoping to share our love of music with the rest of the Chatham community in a way that enhances your experience at the library and allows you to get to know us better. Our playlists are specially crafted by librarians and library staff, and while they are certainly educational, they’re also a lot of fun. We create new playlists regularly for different purposes. A playlist could correspond with one of our in-library displays, be a Staff Spotlight playlist of recommendations put together by just one staff member, or something that our student workers have crafted! Our Native American Heritage Month book display is on the first floor of the JKM Library. Our most recent playlist is in honor of Native American Heritage Month, which is also the main book display in the library during the month of November. This playlist features more popular and recent musical artists from all across the genre spectrum that have Native/Indigenous heritage. It occurred to us that many non-native people do not realize the talent and influence of Native/Indigenous people (especially in music), so we wanted to craft a playlist that really brought that point across. Some included artists create music that draws very heavily from their roots, like Tanya Tagaq who has made Inuit throat singing cool again. Some artists are not widely known for their native heritage, like Joey Belladonna (lead singer of Anthrax) who is part Iroquois. Modern indigenous music takes on so many forms as well, from the protest songs of Buffy Sainte-Marie to the modern hip-hop of A Tribe Called Red and Frank Waln. The wide variety of music featured in our Native American Heritage Month playlist insures that there is something for everyone. We’ve got jazz singer Mildred Bailey, thrash metal band Testament, pop star Sky Ferreira, funk band Redbone… the list continues on in impressive fashion. Some of our selections are marked as explicit, which is important to note, but much of that content is speaking to injustices and rampant inequality. Sometimes oppression is met with anger through art, and that is still a valid expression. Get started listening below! If you aren’t able to listen to the playlist during November, don’t worry! We keep all the playlists we have crafted intact and available for continued listening. So what can you expect next? Later this month we have a highly anticipated Study Songs playlist, curated entirely by the JKM Library’s student workers. And you can expect the first of our Staff Spotlight playlists, featuring favorite selections from just one JKM Library staff member, to appear early in the new year. We hope that you enjoy our Spotify playlists as much as we do and can’t wait to see you on Instagram. Please be sure to follow us on all platforms for the most up-to-date information and recommendations. Happy reading and listening!  

November 2017

Every year, Chatham University chooses a Global Focus, and the 2017-2018 school year is the Year of Indonesia. In order to highlight Indonesian culture and society, the JKM Library has partnered with Dr. Greg Galford on displays that celebrate Indonesian culture and help educate our Chatham community. The first is a display of beautiful Javanese batiks purchased in Yogyakarta, Indonesia by Dr. Galford. Each of the batiks on display are incredibly beautiful, but one in particular features golden wax detailing that is truly stunning. The batik has been the source of some controversy over the years concerning the appropriation of Indonesian culture by many of its neighbors. A 2009 New York Times article detailed the struggle for cultural ownership of the batik between Indonesia and Malaysia. This was just one of many conflicts between the two nations. In September of that year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, known as UNESCO, made the decision to add the batik to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, meaning that its cultural meaning and significance is now protected and attributed to Indonesia (Gelling, 2009). According to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the batik is deeply rooted in Indonesian culture and plays a big part in the lives of Indonesians. Different intricate patterns are worn for everyday activities, special events, marriages, pregnancy, and other life events. Batiks feature at the birth of a child and the death of an elder. They are even incorporated into entertainment, such as puppet shows. The incredible designs drawn by craftsmen are indicative of the wide range of cultural influences Indonesia has been exposed to over the centuries. You will see elements of “Arabic calligraphy, European bouquets and Chinese phoenixes to Japanese cherry blossoms and Indian or Persian peacocks.” (Indonesian Batik, 2017) The process includes drawing beautiful designs on fabrics in hot wax which then helps to control which part of the fabric accepts the dyes and colors. This process is repeated on the same piece of fabric until the desired design is achieved (Indonesian Batik, 2017). The results are breath-taking. You can see video examples and up-close images of this process on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage website. In another article by the New York Times that discussed the attempts to revive the batik tradition in the 1990s, batik historian T.T. Soerjanto explains how the tradition dates back 2,000 years and was first mentioned in the 15th  century in the court records of Pakubuwono V, the King of Solo (Rabin, 1990). Take a look at the detailed fabric scans below of some of the batiks we have on display. Come in person to see our gilded batik in all its glory. You can find our batik display on the first floor of the library hanging on the wall partition near the elevator. Feel free to get up close and even touch the fabric, but please proceed with care. The second display is a collection of 18 books on Indonesia, provided by Dr. Galford. These books, which are both fiction and non-fiction, range in topic from history to civil engineering and infrastructure. While you are more than welcome to enjoy these books in the library, please do not remove them from the building. Below is a full list of titles in case you are interested in finding a copy for yourself! Under Construction: The Politics of Urban Space and Housing During the Decolonization of Indonesia by Freek Colombijn Island of Bali by Miguel Covarrubias Planet of Slums by Mike Davis The Traditional Architecture of Indonesia by Barry Dawson and John Gillow Balinese Dance, Drama & Music: A Guide to the Performing Arts of Bali by Wayan Dibia and Rucina Ballinger with illustration by Barbara Anello The Indonesia Reader: History, Culture by Tineke Hellwig and Eric Tagliacozzo The Year of Living Dangerously by Christopher J. Koch Behind the Postcolonial: Architecture, Urban Space and Political Cultures in Indonesia by Abidin Kusno The Appearance of Memory: Mnemonic Practices of Architecture and Urban Form in Indonesia by Abidin Kusno The Past in the Present: Architecture in Indonesia by Peter Nas Indonesia, Etc.: Exploring the Improbable Nation by Elizabeth Pisani Creative Batik by Rosi Robinson A Nation in Waiting: Indonesia’s Search for Stability by Adam Schwartz Indonesia: Peoples and Histories by Jean Gelman Taylor Indonesia: A Lonely Planet Travel Survival Kit by Justine Vaisutis Malay Archipelago by Alfred Russel Wallace The Living House: An Anthropology of Architecture in South-East Asia by Roxana Waterson Krakatoa: The day the world exploded by Simon Winchester We hope you enjoy Chatham’s Year of Indonesia! Take a moment to view our displays the next time you find yourself on the first floor of the JKM Library. References Indonesian Batik. (2017). Retrieved from https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/indonesian-batik-00170 Gelling, P. (2009, September 14). Score One for Indonesia in the War Over Batik. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/world/asia/15iht-batik.html?mcubz=0 Rabin, R.C. (1990, February 18). The Intricate Patterning of Batik. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/18/travel/the-intricatepatterning-of-batik.html?pagewanted=all&mcubz=0  

February 2016

Have you ever wonder how Chatham got its name or why it was changed from Pennsylvania College for Women? If so, you might want to check out the article on the topic in latest Library Newsletter <click here>, which tells the tale of how the school came to cosider a name change, the various names considered, and the reception of
the name at the time.
You’ll also want to take a gander at the images collected below. These selections from the collections of the University Archives illustrate how the school spread the word on the new name and all the events that surrounded this pivotal moment in university history. PCW officials chose to name the college after Lord Chatham in recognition of his passion for education and democratic ideals. On November 5, 1955, the school newspaper led with a bold headline announcing the name change from Pennsylvania College for Women to Chatham College.
David Lawrence, then-mayor of Pittsburgh, stands with Jane Stocker Burfoot from Chatham College’s Class of 1957. Together they are celebrating PCW having changed its name to Chatham College.
Students commemorate the name change by holding a Chatham College banner over the institution’s former PCW-marked entryway. The school produced this small brochure to promote awareness of the new name. The image above is the front cover. The brochure outlines the reasons for the name change and the reason for the selection of the name Chatham.
The brochure closes with an expression of Chatham’s continuing dedication to providing quality education.
A mailing card distributed to alumni around the time the college changed its name.
The front cover of the dedication dinner program, which took place two weeks after PCW changed its name to Chatham College.
…And just the day before, former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower commended President Anderson and the Chatham community on the college’s huge accomplishment!
We’ve got room for just one more picture…
This booklet was distributed to the Chatham community and alumni shortly after the institution changed its name. It contains personal remarks from then-President Paul
Anderson, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees George Lockhart, and Chairman of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development Arthur Van Buskirk on the role of the school in the intellectual and cultural life of the region.
Hungry for more history? Come see us during University Archives Office Hours on Mondays from 1:00 – 5:00 and Thursdays from 1:30 – 3:30 or by appointment. We’d love to share with you more about the name change to Chatham or any other aspect of university history you’re curious about!
 

October 2015

Hi Everyone! 

E-ZBorrow will be down for a portal update Saturday morning, October 31, from 7am to noon. Because of this, you will not be able to access E-ZBorrow Saturday morning. As long as everything goes to plan, the newly updated E-ZBorrow will be even easier to use!

May 2015

alertUpdate 5/18/2015 2:10pm: The upgrade is complete, and off-campus access to library databases is now working. If you have any difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone: 412-365-1670, by email: jkmref@chatham.edu, or by IMing us on our website here: http://library.chatham.edu/.
On Monday, May 18th, we will be upgrading EZproxy, which is the tool that allows you to access our library databases from off-campus. This will mean that access to the databases from off-campus will be spotty at best and possibly down all day.
If you normally have to log-in using your Chatham username and password while on-campus (this often happens for computers connecting to the wireless, as well as the occasional desktop computer), that access will be affected as well.
We hope to have the upgrade completed in as timely a manner as possible. Thank you in advance for your patience.

April 2015

Get out and explore the city this summer with inspiration from one of the books displayed on the First Floor.
Whether you’re interested in art, architecture, or the culture of Pittsburgh, you’ll find a helpful guide to your summer adventures.
Dates to the biggest festivals and events around the city will be posted in the Lobby for your convenience.
Find something that peaked your interest? Make sure to ask a librarian about how you can find more books about the Steel City!

April 2015

Whether you’re planning a vegetable or rain garden, JKM Library has the resources you need!
Stop in to the First Floor and check out books on a variety of garden styles and the plants you’ll need.
Don’t have a green thumb but find inspiration in being outside? Check out either of Jamaica Kincaid’s books on how she finds peace and happiness in the natural world.

March 2015

Spring break is just a few short days away, so you better stop by JKM Library to check out the books on your Spring Break Reading List! Don’t have a list prepared?
Have no fear…the Popular Reading Display has just been stocked!
Here’s what’s new on the table:
Pittsburgh Noir, edited by Kathleen George
The Autumn House Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry, edited by Sue Ellen Thompson
Inside by Alix Ohlin
Dancing on the Edges of Knives, poems by Ed Ochester
Allegheny, poems by Ed Ochester
Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk
Wicked and Son of a Witch, by Gregory Maguire
Prodigal Son, by Dean Koontz
The Pittsburgh Book of Contemporary American Poetry, edited by Ed Ochester and Peter Oresick
 

July 2014

June 2014

June 2014

May 2014

April 2014

April 12014

April 2014

April 2014

April 2014

March 2014

February 21, 2014

October 17, 2013

October 2013

September 2013

August  2013

July 2013

June 2013