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It’s been 13 years…

Posted by cboyce on September 11, 2014 No comments

Thirteen years ago terrorists attacked the East Coast cities of New York and Washington, D.C. Thousands of people died.

The Argus and other IWU publications from those months are available, digitally, through the Tate Archives & Special Collections.

On the 10 year anniversary, the New York Public Library called for us to look back and remember; now, think about where we were and where we are now.

The following resources are taken directly from the NYPL’s blog.

“Oral Histories and Archives

September 11 Digital Archive – collection of first-hand accounts of the attacks and aftermath as well as born-digital materials.
Understanding 9/11: A Television News Archive – One week (3,000 hours) of news broadcasts for study, research and analysis.
“New York Stories: An Oral Historian Takes on 9/11” The Atlantic
Archival materials at NYPL from the authors of City in the Sky: The Rise and Fall of the World Trade Center
- Eric Lipton World Trade Center research files, 1945-2003.
- James Glanz World Trade Center research files, 1885-2003.

Personal Narratives in the NYPL Catalog

A Decade of Hope: Stories of Grief and Endurance from 9/11 Families and Friends by Dennis Smith
Before & After: Stories from New York edited by Thomas Beller
Never Forget: An Oral History of September 11, 2001 byMitchell Fink and Lois Mathias
September 11: An Oral History compiled by Dean E. Murphy
Tower Stories: An Oral History of 9/11 edited by Damon DiMarco
What We Saw CBS News”

Rainy Day? Explore Ames!

Posted by cboyce on September 9, 2014 No comments

Ames Plaza in the Rain

It’s looking like it’s going to be a pretty rainy day, if you believe the weather forecasters. What to do then?

Spend some time exploring the library, of course!

The Ames Library has little treasures hidden on each floor. We’ve shown you where the most recent Student Art Purchase Award is kept, but did you know there’s student art throughout the library, with the most pieces on the second floor. This award goes back almost twenty years – see if you know any of the artists.

What other hidden treasures does Ames hold? We’ve got a globe from a former Illinois congressman featuring the USSR. Talk about historical! Can you figure out which floor it’s on?

Globe featuring USSR from former Illinois congressman

Here’s a hint – it’s right next to some really comfortable rocking chairs. Want to learn about the congressman who donated the globe, talk to Meg Miner in the Tate Archives and Special Collections.

Historical objects aside, we’ve also got some great spaces for you to kick back in and watch the rain. Do you prefer to curl up? Try and find one of our Sumo chairs. Do you prefer to be surrounded by dark woods and award winning literature and scholarship? Check out the Bates & Merwin Reading Room.

Sumo Chairs – Great for Studying and Napping

Is it too early in the semester to be thinking about in-depth research assignments? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered for that as well. There’s a Popular Reading Collection near the Circulation Desk that’s sure to have stress-free reading for everyone. Check one out, and go curl up in a Sumo chair or find the Bates & Merwin Reading Room. If you’re having any trouble finding anything, though, make sure you ask for help. Help@Ames and the Circulation Desk are both on the first floor.

Bates & Merwin Reading Room

Bikes in the Library!

Posted by cboyce on September 2, 2014 No comments

Bike Rack Located on East Side of Ames Library Entrance

If you’ve been around the Illinois Wesleyan campus in the last few years, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the rapid growth in the number of bikes on campus. For many students, the best way to get around town is by bike. Not owning a car means more flexibility with parking, much lower cost of repairs and insurance, and never needing to buy gas. For the university, bike racks are significantly more efficient – each bike parking space costs an order of magnitude less to create and maintain than each car parking space, and they can be placed much closer to building entrances, alleviating many concerns about lack of convenient parking.

Still, while almost all of our students know how to ride a bike and would gladly use one to get around town, only a small percent of students have their own bikes on campus. Queue Titan Free Ride, the Illinois Wesleyan bike share program. Much like books in a library, ten bikes are available for checkout for 24 hours at a time at the Help@Ames desk or the Hansen Student Center Information Desk by anyone with an Illinois Wesleyan ID card, free of charge. A few helmets are also available for checkout at the Hansen desk.

Questions about the program can be directed to Michael Gorman, IWU Bike Committee Chair, at mgorman@iwu.edu or 309-556-3262.

Student Art in the Library

Posted by cboyce on August 28, 2014 No comments

“Octopot” by Kate Robertson

Introducing the 19th Annual Ames Library Senior Art Purchase Award

Octopot

Ceramics by Kate Robertson ’14

Since 1996, the Illinois Wesleyan University’s library has purchased a piece of artwork selected from among works exhibited annually by Senior, Bachelor of Fine Arts students in the School of Art. The Student Art Purchase Award is presented during the opening reception of B.F.A. show held each April. The winning work is displayed on the entry level of Ames Library for one academic year, after which it is relocated to the Ames Library second floor where the entire collection of student artwork is permanently displayed.

For additional information, contact Robert Delvin, fine arts librarian for The Ames Library, at (309) 556-3003.

Scholarly Walls & Bridges: Paywalls and Open Access

Posted by cboyce on August 26, 2014 No comments

Over 20 courses are being offered in the 2014-2015 academic year related to the course cluster theme of Walls & Bridges. Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, this theme seeks to question the purpose of walls and bridges: are they built for protection to keep the “bad” out or as an exercise of power to keep the “good” in?

From the course cluster them open access logo e description:

“The world continues to be mark
ed by the construction and demolition of both walls and bridges, physical, economic, ideological, and political. Walls and bridges serve to both separate and unite; however, the reasons for building walls and bridges is complex – informed by history, power, and ideas.”
Libraries deal with these sort of complex issues daily as they relate to scholarship. Many libraries pay millions of dollars each year in order for you to access scholarly resources. There are normal costs associated with publishing scholarship, but what happens when the costs of journals rises so far that even elite research-intensive universities cannot afford to keep up.

Are publishers building walls around scholarship by charging so much for access?

If publishers are building walls, are there “bridges” into scholarship? The Open Access movement has gained momentum in challenging the publishing industry to account for increasing profit margins. There are, however, many misconceptions about open access
, perpetuated by the publishing industry.

Want to learn more? Check out our display on the first floor of the Ames Library or ask a librarian about how licenses, paywalls, embargoes, and open access affect your experience at IWU.

Welcome, Titans!

Posted by cboyce on August 20, 2014 No comments

Don’t Panic – Ames is here to help.

Ames Library is excited to see all the new faces on campus this week. It was a very quiet summer and we’re glad you’re joining the IWU family.

As you prepare for academic advising and registration, here are a few things you might need to know.

Titan Orientation Leaders (TOLs) will be in Ames 129 from 8:00am until 5:00pm on Thursday, to help out with the registration process. You just need your campus ID and password to log into the computers. Do not hesitate to ask these TOLs if you have any questions.

You can also at the staff at the Help@Ames desk (309-556-1551 or walk-up) if you have technical problems.

DO NOT PANIC, someone will be able to help.

There are also drop-ins available at the Help@Ames Desk from 3-5pm on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week as part of Turning Titan My Way. Learn more about it in the First Year Orientation Handbook and the Transfer Handbook.

Turning Titan Week – Ames Library Hours

Wednesday – Friday, August 20th – 22nd: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 23rd: Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, August 24th: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Come Work for Us!

Posted by cboyce on August 18, 2014 No comments

Help@Ames, located on the entry level near the Information Commons, provides both research assistance and technology support.

Have you started thinking about student employment at IWU? If not, you should come work for Ames Library!

Students work in all the Ames Library departments, helping us stay open late and provide the IWU community with the best services possible.

Ames Library student assistants gain valuable life skills working across the library, including time and project management, organization, leadership, and information seeking skills.

Interested? Learn more about the kinds of jobs available at Ames Library. Or apply now!

Ames Welcomes International Students!

Posted by cboyce on August 15, 2014 No comments

An impressive number of international students will be joining IWU this fall. Ames Library is excited to welcome them to campus, and librarians and staff cannot wait to meet everyone.

On Friday, 8/15, Ames will host the international students from approximately 9:30am until 3pm. Students will rotate through various orientation groups, going to the bank, learning about the library, setting up email and IT accounts, and getting campus tours.

Welcome!

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