What's New in the Grinnell College Libraries, Fall 2011

Published:
August 29, 2011

New Faces!

Marilyn O’Brien arrives at the Grinnell College Libraries with a B.A. in Elementary Education, and a Masters in Public Administration from Drake University. Marilyn also has considerable training in library science through courses in the field taken at the University of Iowa. Having spent over ten years as Circulation Manager and Library Specialist at the Des Moines Area Community College, Marilyn brings a wealth of experience in educational environments and in librarianship. She also has CPR training and has been involved in speech contests, community service, and leadership activities – we are excited to have her here and hope you see her at the Burling Circulation desk soon!

Betty Santema begins her career at Grinnell College Libraries as a Library Assistant having gained considerable experience in education and librarianship through recent positions with the South Tama School District. Her most recent position within their Media Center found her at the circulation desk providing friendly service to patrons and she hopes to do more of the same at Grinnell. Betty has B.A.s in English & Communication Arts and in German from Westmar College, and a Masters of Arts in Education from the University of Northern Iowa.

Sara Smith joins the Grinnell College Libraries as a Term Reference Librarian. With her B.A. in English from Manchester College and her M.L.S. from the University of Indiana in Bloomington, and an extensive background in reference and instructional services, Sara looks forward to engaging with the Grinnell College community this year. Sara will be visible at the Burling Library reference desk as well as within the classroom, as she will assist with Tutorials this Fall.

Laureen Cantwell comes to the Libraries from Philadelphia, PA where she earned her M.L.S. at Drexel University this June, after obtaining a B.A. in English from Vassar College in 2006. While in Philadelphia, she worked as a Reference and Instructional Services intern for 2 years at the University of Pennsylvania’s Van Pelt Library. As Term Reference and Instruction Librarian, and Assistant Professor, Laureen will be consulting librarian for American Studies, Classics, French & Arabic, German, Music, Russian, and Russian/Central/Eastern European Studies for the next year. She will also be the library liaison for several Tutorials this Fall and will serve as the Social Coordinator for the Early Career Faculty Group.

Becky Yoose is an exciting addition to our Library as Systems Librarian. While earning her B.A. in Comparative Studies in Religion from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, she worked at their McIntyre Library within the stacks and within Technical Services. While obtaining her M.A. in Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, she worked as an Information Service Assistant before working as a Public Services Project Assistant. After graduation, she gained the position of Bibliographic Systems Librarian within Miami University’s Technical Services Department. Becky will be carving out time from her busy schedule of helping to keep the library systems healthy so that she can work the reference desk and spend time with a few Tutorials during the Fall semester.

Leah Oren-Palmer ’01 will serve as an intern with the Libraries’ reference and instruction services during the fall semester.  Leah holds a B.A. in English from Grinnell, an M.B.A. from the University of Iowa, and is currently a student in the University of Iowa’s graduate program of Library and Information Science.  Leah has worked in marketing at Rice University and development at the University of St. Thomas, both in Houston, TX.  We’re pleased to have a graduate intern working with us, and look forward to welcoming more in future semesters.

New Places!

The lower level of the Burling Library features a newly-renovated Listening Room – containing approximately 7,000 documentary and feature films in DVD and VHS formats and over 22,000 audio recordings! Our films cover a wide spectrum of genres and eras, from silent films to present-day productions, from American domestic films to foreign films. Want to browse our films? Try our Movie Browser Online! Our audio recordings have a focus on Classical music from the European tradition, extensive Jazz and World music collections, and a growing collection of popular music. Looking for recordings of Grinnell College performances and productions?? Look no further. The Listening Room houses decades of concerts from our musical groups, faculty, students, staff, and guests! Come and check it out!

New Purchases!

…In Reference Materials: Check out these additions to our collection

Milestone documents in world history: exploring the primary sources that shaped the world and Milestone documents in African American history: exploring the essential primary sources are both 4-volume reference sets recently purchased by the Grinnell College Libraries.

Milestone documents in world history includes key documents from many important world cultures, from the ancient Near East and ancient Egypt, the Greek and Roman empires, medieval Islam, Renaissance Europe, and modern Africa and Asia. Primary sources here include constitutions, speeches, letters, and legal cases – from the Code of Hammurabi and the Meiji Constitution to the Treaty of Versailles, from the Magna Carta to the Communist Manifesto and Osama bin Laden’s Declaration of Jihad against America.

Milestone documents in African American history includes important legislative documents, Supreme Court decisions, iconic speeches and writings by African American leaders, key congressional reports, executive orders, and letters. Gathered together, the information within these volumes makes a powerful collection of primary sources on topics and individuals, such as the Reconstruction era, Plessy v. Ferguson, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Barack Obama.

The Encyclopedia of Muslim-American history addresses the role of Islam, Muslims, and Muslim-Americans across American history, from colonial to contemporary times, with over 300 articles spread over two volumes. This valuable reference text covers issues, events, people, court cases, themes, and Muslim-American-related activism.

Green’s dictionary of slang – a fun, scholarly tool comprised of 3 volumes, this dictionary looks at English-language slang from the past five centuries up through the present day, from all the different English speaking countries and regions. Whether you’re looking up terms used in a Ben Johnson play, or creative terms to use on your friends, this collection of over 50,000 entries is unmatched by any other in its field.

…In Databases:

The Black Abolitionist Papers are now available in print and online through the Grinnell College Libraries. A collection that, in print, makes up 5 volumes of text is now also available to Grinnell College students, staff, and faculty. It’s full-text searchable, with PDFs available for viewing and download, and addresses a unique set of primary sources (letters, speeches, editorials, sermons, and essays) from African Americans actively involved in the movement to end slavery in the United States from 1830-1865. Content originates not only in the United States, but also from England, Scotland, Ireland, and Canada.

The Filmmakers Library Online holds documentaries heavily used in the humanities and social sciences, looking at topics such as race and gender studies, human rights, globalization, multiculturalism, criminal justice, bioethics, arts, literature, and the environment. The database can be searched, but also browsed, and browsing can be done by topic, by place, and by directors/producers. Whether you’re looking for media to integrate into course content or into a research paper for a course, the FLO has nearly 1,000 videos, or about 750 hours of film, waiting for you!

Thesaurus Linguae Latinae is also available in print and online for Grinnell College users, in German and in English, from Vol. I through Vol. X, or from A- to pulsio. This resource can be used by all levels, from novice student to established scholar.

The Digital National Security Archive is available through ProQuest and the National Security Archive and is the most comprehensive set of declassified government documents available. This resource has 36 collections made up of over 80,000 indexed documents – over 500,000 pages compiled by top scholars and experts! Here, you’ll find coverage of critical world events, countries, and U. S. policy decisions from post-WWII through the 21st Century. Glossaries, chronologies, bibliographies, overviews, and photographs are also included.

Rock’s Backpages, the online library of rock writing, is now available. Search by artist, by writer, by subject, by publication. Look at top articles, A-Z lists of artists, writers, subjects, and publications, and writer’s blogs. You can even listen to interviews between journalists and musicians from the 1960s to the 2010s. You’re automatically logged in as a paid subscriber – so enjoy, be you a music lover or a music scholar – or both!

…And Special Collections Exhibitions, too!

  • Tutorial: celebrating 40 years 
  • Curated by Brooke Yoder '12
  • On display for the academic year in the Iowa Room

The open curriculum, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, is still shaping the way Grinnell students think, question, and learn. This exhibit, located in the Iowa Room, follows the development and refinement of the Tutorial over the last 40 years.

  • From Papyrus to Kindle: A Glimpse at the History of Printing in the Western World
  • Curated by Chris Jones
  • Burling Library Levels 1 and 2, August 24 - November 21

This exhibition of books from Special Collections offers a peek into the history of print culture in the West. With an emphasis on the physical format of the book, the evolution of the title page, and the use of illustrations, From Papyrus to Kindle provides an opportunity to follow the history of written text from papyrus and animal skin to paper and silicon. This exhibit is meant to complement the exhibit "From the Book Forest," which will be shown in the Faulconer Gallery from September 23 through December 11.

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