Christmas in the Archives

Stop by the Archives and check out our festive new look!  Swedish Christmas magazines along with a few intriguing Swedish bibles are on display.  

The Christmas lights and decorations will bring holiday cheer to your research, so come in and unwrap new knowledge!

Tools to Help You Focus

Do you feel that Facebook is nibbling away at your attention span? Do you find yourself checking status updates when you should be studying for the chemistry exam? There's an app for that - or at least a browser extension that will help you focus.

For Firefox users, the Leechblock add-on will let you set up a list of sites that you want to block during certain times during the day or that you want to limit to a limited amount of time - such as "I'll spend no more than five minutes on Facebook every hour."

For Safari users, try the WasteNoTime extension, recommended by a student in the Simple Living First Term Seminar.

And by the way, if you want tips on how to simplify your life and why you should, that class has published a lot of excellent advice and researched background papers.

Pearl Harbor and Gustavus

Dr. Peterson's Exposition

The United States of America remembers the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that occurred on 7 December 1941, seventy years ago.  You might be wondering how Gustavus responded in the event's immediate aftermath.  Editors of the Gustavian Weekly printed their first post-attack newspaper two days after the bombing.  While the infamous action failed to make the paper's headline, a story about the women participating in St. Lucia served that purpose, it did get a blurb below the fold.  Conrad Peterson, longtime Gustavus history professor, wrote about our need to prepare for war and turn away from pacifism or "soon become another queer little sect along side the Quakers and the Mennonites."  Peterson's comments were from the heart.  He supported the war effort passionately and spent much of his time during this period giving supportive speeches.  

To read additional issues of the Gustavian Weekly from the World War II era, please visit the archives digital collections page.  As might be expected, Gustavus was a very different place in the early 1940s.  In fact and as can be seen in the attached image, only four buildings from that period remain on the campus today.

Gustavus Adolphus College, Summer 1942

Need the Book Longer?

Did you know that as a student you can literally have a book for an entire semester without late notices, fines, and/or being billed for the item you borrow? For Gustavus owned titles the general collection book can be borrowed for 6 weeks and renewed one time so............. if you borrow the book on Sept. 15, it will be due Nov. 1., you renew it and now it is due the week of finals!

Renewing online is so easy! On the library website locate in the left hand column "My Library Account".

If the instructions rattle your nerves always feel free to contact the library directly or email library@gustavus.edu for quick replies to questions!!!

Spring Courses @ The Library - Seats Open!

Seats are still available in NDL 201 - Reading Workshop, a .25 credit pass/fail course offered by library faculty that meets half a semester on Wednesday afternoons, from 2:30 - 3:50. Students read and discuss a book together, read a book of the student's choice, write a review of their chosen book to share, and reflect on their personal reading tastes. The purpose of this course is to enjoy reading and to prepare students to choose their own reading material after college as part of lifelong learning and personal identity.

Barbara Fister will teach a section of this course in the first half of the semester. The book we'll read together is Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, a book about a man living in New Orleans who stayed behind when Katrina hit. It's a compelling story about his experiences in the flooded city, his eventual arrest and detention, and how his family tried to discover what had happened. It offers a lot to talk about, including how we as a people respond to disasters, both natural and man-made, how Arab-Americans are viewed in post-9/11 America, what is just, and what it means for an individual to do the right thing. We'll also talk about how to tell true stories in a way that does justice to the complexity of truth.

In the second half of the semester during the same time slot, Anna Hulseberg will teach another section of NDL 201, with Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother as the common reading. This book about "extreme parenting" raises questions about how families interact, what the role of parents should be, and cultural differences that shape family dynamics. It's a funny, sometimes disturbing, tender, and controversial book about "a mother, two daughters, and two dogs" and "a bitter clash of cultures." It should provide interesting fodder for discussion.

Patricia Lindell Scholarship - Application

Patricia Lindell Scholarship 2011-12

Every other year, the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library awards a junior or senior student the Patricia Lindell Scholarship, established through the generosity of the Gustavus Library Associates. The recipient will be awarded $1,200 to undertake a research project for the library that benefits the wider Gustavus community.  Most recipients have also made this project the focus of a credit-bearing independent study project.

This year’s project, in celebration of the upcoming 40^th anniversary of the current library building, will be to create visual displays (both physical and electronic), to write a textual history of the Gustavus Library, and to write a biographical essay of the library’s namesake, Folke Bernadotte.  The recipient of the scholarship, working during the spring 2012 term with Professors Jeff Jenson and Dan Mollner, will use archival and secondary sources.  The final project will be displayed in the library, posted on the Library Webpage, and included in the College Archives.  The successful candidate must be able to work independently and with initiative, possess strong oral and written communication skills, and have a keen sense of visual presentation.

To apply:

1.      Submit an application using the form found below.

2.      Attach a letter of recommendation from a faculty member who can speak to your credentials for this project.

3.      Return to the library administration office by NOVEMBER 22, 2011.

For more information, contact

Jeff Jenson (jjenson@gustavus.edu) or

Dan Mollner (dmollner@gustavus.edu)

Application for Patricia Lindell Scholarship

Name: __________________________________________

Major: __________________________________________

Junior ____ Senior _____

In a one- or two-paragraph statement, please describe why you would like to carry out this project and what special qualifications you would bring to it.

Want to be the library's next Marketing Intern?

SparkNotes version of this post:  

HEY GUSTIES!  Apply for the library's marketing internship!  I've been interning here all semester and I've really enjoyed it.  If you love the library, doing research, graphic design, video production, writing, and you have good communication skills, this could be perfect for you!  If you're interested, contact me, Tristan Richards (trichard@gustavus.edu) or Michelle Twait (mtwait@gustavus.edu) for more information.  (Or just stop being lazy and read the long version of this post)  :)

Interesting version:

Are you interested in a career in Marketing?  Do you love the library?  Do you want to find out what goes on behind the scenes in the library and have your very own desk and computer?  Do you want to be just like Tristan Richards? (Of course you do).

Hey everyone!

My name is Tristan Richards and I'm the library's marketing intern this semester.  I'm a Junior Spanish and Communication Studies major interested in a career in video production, marketing, or teaching Spanish (I realize that these are all very different career paths.  I'm working on it.)  On campus, I'm a Co-PR executive for Habitat for Humanity, I'm a poetry editor for Firethorne, I'm involved in the GOLD program, I'm in choir, and I play intramural soccer.

I've been working in the library for the past three years at the Circulation desk, which is probably the best work-study job on campus (no big deal).  I also worked here over this past summer in just about every department of the library.  One day, (probably a Monday.  Mondays are usually when epiphanies happen, right?) right before my lunch break, I was aimlessly wandering the Gustavus Career Center website (GustieJobs, more specifically), trying to figure out what to do with my life (disclaimer: I promise I did real work during the summer too.  When it's the middle of July and classes aren't in session, there's not a whole lot to do during a Circulation shift).

I figured I should probably look at some internships, because that's what smart college kids do.  They get internships, and then future employers see that they have experience and they think, "Oh man oh man!  I better snatch this person up before someone else does, look at all that experience."  So I looked at internships.

Eventually, I came across a marketing internship at my very own place of work, the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library.  I thought, "Could it be?" and then I clocked out, biked back to my apartment, made myself a pizza bagel, and watched a rerun of Saturday Night Live.  After lunch, I worked my Gov Docs shift, shelved some books, and then came back to the location of this discovery, the good ol' Circ desk.  I pulled up the job description again, and decided we were meant for each other.  I approached Michelle Twait about the internship, and she asked me to send her my resume and a small portfolio of my work with video production, Photoshop, and photography (which can be found here if you'd like to check it out).

A few days later, (if you were wondering, I was sitting at the Circulation desk during this moment as well) Michelle came up to me and said, "Oh!  By the way, we'd like you to be our marketing intern this fall if you're still interested!"  YES!  I was really excited about this internship, especially since I already knew everyone in the library, which meant I wouldn't even have to go through any awkward introductions!

The rest was history.

I've had an excellent experience this semester.  I know what you're thinking.  "Of couuuuurse you've had an excellent experience.  Why else would you be writing this blog?  To tell us not to apply?"  Well, clever reader...you have a point.  I do want you to apply.  However, this blog post would not be nearly as entertaining if I hadn't enjoyed my internship.  I've noticed huge amounts of growth, both in my skills and in how I approach work.  (That was the most informative sentence in the world, I know).

During the first week of my internship, I was told that I was part of the team now.  I was surprised by how much freedom I have in this internship to choose projects that interest me and complete them in the ways that I want to.  In many ways, I've learned to trust myself and my judgment in handling my work.

"But Tristan, what is this work you keep babbling about?"

Thanks for the reminder.  I'm sure you're wondering what I've done this semester.  Here's a few of the projects I've been working on:

• Poster design.  Photoshop has become my best friend.  Check out the Photoshop section of my portfolio for some examples.
• Research.  I've been looking into how students perceive the reference librarians and the amount of knowledge students have about the reference desk.  I did a survey before fall break, and I'm using the results from that survey in many ways, including....
• Video production.  I'm working on a video about reference - including students' experiences, how professors use the desk, and some testimony from the librarians themselves.  I'll also be making a video about the Archives in the near future.
• Social media.  I've recently been working on revamping our Facebook page in order to use it as an effective form of communication (www.facebook.com/gaclibrary - "like" it now) and I've also been writing some blog posts.
• Faces of Folke.  Remember when you were invited to play night games in the library on Halloween weekend?  Yeah, that was us.  FoF is a student group I started to increase student interaction in the library.  Right now, it's made up of all student library employees, but we will likely be accepting non-employees for membership in the spring.  Check out our website here.

I've also been a part of the library's Outreach and Promotions committee all semester.  In the beginning of November, I had the opportunity to present my internship to a group of librarians from private colleges all around the state, which was a really cool experience!

Here's where you come in.  Right now, we're working on finding the next marketing intern.  If my above rant enticed you in any way, I encourage you to contact me (trichard@gustavus.edu) or Michelle Twait (mtwait@gustavus.edu) for more information.  Want to grab coffee and talk about the internship?  I'd be more than happy.  Want to shadow me for an hour or two?  That can probably be arranged.  Want to show off your Photoshop skillz?  Bring it on.  You can also just send an email, but where's the fun in that?

I really hope this blog post has helped you to understand what is involved in this internship, and again, let me or Michelle know if we can help you out in any way.  Looking forward to hearing from you all!

-Tristan Richards '13

PS:  Make your life library count.  :)

Past Acquisitions

If you are interested in finding out what books and videos were added to the library catalog within the past academic year click on the Past Acquisitions button found on the New Acquisitions page. The categories are arranged in Library of Congress classification so you can find titles within your field of interest.

Autumn in the Archives

It's autumn in the archives so drop on in and find something fantastic.

Spring Courses @ The Library

Library faculty are offering four courses this January and spring. Jeff Jenson's January IEX course on genealogy has already filled, but you still have a chance to sign up for these spring courses.

NDL 201 - Reading Workshop is a .25 credit pass/fail course that meets half a semester on Wednesday afternoons, from 2:30 - 3:50. Students read and discuss a book together, read a book of the student's choice, write a review of their chosen book to share, and reflect on their personal reading tastes. The purpose of this course is to enjoy reading and to prepare students to choose their own reading material after college as part of lifelong learning and personal identity.

Barbara Fister will teach a section of this course in the first half of the semester. The book we'll read together is Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, a book about a man living in New Orleans who stayed behind when Katrina hit. It's a compelling story about his experiences in the flooded city, his eventual arrest and detention, and how his family tried to discover what had happened. It offers a lot to talk about, including how we as a people respond to disasters, both natural and man-made, how Arab-Americans are viewed in post-9/11 America, what is just, and what it means for an individual to do the right thing.  We'll also talk about how to tell true stories in a way that does justice to the complexity of truth.

In the second half of the semester during the same time slot, Anna Hulseberg will teach another section of NDL 201, with Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother as the common reading. This book about "extreme parenting" raises questions about how families interact, what the role of parents should be, and cultural differences that shape family dynamics. It's a funny, sometimes disturbing, tender, and controversial book about "a mother, two daughters, and two dogs" and "a bitter clash of cultures." It should provide interesting fodder for discussion.

Students might also be interested in NDL301: Information Fluency. This .5 credit course, which will meet Tuesdays from 2:30 to 4:20, is designed to give students interested in going to graduate or professional school—or who simply want to know more about research—an immersion in the structure of the literature of their chosen field and exposure to research tools and collections. Students will conduct a literature review on a topic of their choice and will analyze aspects of their discipline’s traditions, compare them to traditions in other fields, and explore the social and ethical dimensions of research. It sounds a bit dry, but it's actually fun. Students who are working on a major research project in another course may find this class helpful.

If you are interested in NDL301 but have a conflict with the Tuesday afternoon meeting time, let the instructor, Barbara Fister know (fister @ gustavus dot edu). We can find a time that works so that you can take the course by arrangement. 

photo courtesy of Alfred Hermida.

Library Website - Tell Us What You Think!

The library made some big changes to the website over the summer. If you have ideas, concerns, likes, or dislikes, we'd love to hear about them as we work to tweak and improve the site.

Click here to comment on the website.

Thanks for letting us know what you think!

Stellar Students

Congratulations to Tricia Weyland (ILL) and Jacob Schueler (Circulation) on being chosen as the Library Star Students for fall semester!

Star Students are library student employees who have demonstrated superior performance in their departments. The library depends heavily on student workers and wishes to recognize those that go above and beyond the call of duty.

My Pet Peeve

This post is for everyone who believes library books "borrowed" belong personally to them. There is a word for the disease that irks me most and it is "marginalia"! The need of a person to write notes in the margins, underline or highlight text, use pen, marker, pencil, or anything that is either impossible or time consuming to remove. The next reader of the book doesn't care what you thought and needs to form an impression for their own research!

If you need to mark pages for reference in library books for your research, use post its, page markers (not dog earring the page please!), slips of scrap paper, anything but writing on the pages!

All That Jazz

Featured database: Jazz Music Library

This growing collection of streaming jazz currently includes over 10,000 albums and more than 130,000 tracks. It provides access to thousands of jazz artists, ensembles, albums, and genres. Click here to enter the Jazz Music Library. Also available from the library homepage: click "Research Guides" then "Music."

Want to learn more about library resources? Visit with a reference librarian.

Need to Do Online Research During Reading Days?

If you need to use online library resources from off campus over Reading Days, a word to the wise: check now to make sure your account is active:

• Go to the Library home page (https://gustavus.edu/library/)
• On the list of links on the left, Click "My Library Account"
  
• User ID/Barcode: enter the 14-digit number (begins with 20110...) from your Gustavus ID
• Password: enter your last name

Problems? If your account does not work, contact the Circulation Department for help: 507-933-7557

Thinking About Grad School in English or Library Science?

Come join faculty for an informational session on grad school and programs.

Thursday, October 20, 2011, 3:30-4:30 PM, Confer 331

Presenting Faculty:

Sean Cobb, Film Studies
Yurie Hong, Classics
Anna Hulseberg, Library & Information Science
Kate Keller, History
Rob Kendrick, Renaissance Studies
Matt Rasmussen, Creative Writing

Circumpolar Region Display

Are you interested in learning more about the Circumpolar Region? This “cool” region is the Global Insight topic this year and the library has a display full of books on Alaska, Greenland, Northern Canada, Finland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. The topics on these areas range from history, politics, and the people living in these areas. There is also a section on climate change and just for fun some literature from this region.

Along with the Global Insight Program we will be highlighting a different region each month. Look for our display on the main floor of the library near the new book shelf.

If you want to learn more about the Circumpolar Region go to our library resources page.

The Global Insight Program is a campus-wide initiative designed to increase cultural and international awareness. See all of the upcoming events on their website.