See what new science books have been recently added to the Geology-Physics-Math and Langsam Libraries.
Click here to access the May-June 2017 list.
Author Archives: Aja Bettencourt-McCarthy
A Few Alembics : Notes from the Oesper Collections, No. 45, July/August 2017
A reproduction of a circa 17th-century alembic
with an “ostrich”-necked cucubert, clay luting, various
receiving flasks, charcoal furnace, bellows, tongs, and poker
The 45th issue of Museum Notes gives a brief history of the oldest known distillation apparatus as illustrated by various reproductions found in the Oesper Collections.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from the Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.
Two Chemical Slide Rules : Notes from the Oesper Collections, No. 44, May/June 2017
Closeup of part of the Ch scale for the circa 1960 Hemmi 257 chemical slide rule.
Issue 44 gives a glimpse of two classic chemical slide rules found in the Oesper Collections, one dating from 1814 and the other from 1960.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from the Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.
A Few Calculators : Notes from the Oesper Collections, No. 43, March/April 2017
A circa 1930 American-made “Comptometer”
hand-cranked mechanical calculator.
Issue 43 gives a brief overview of some of the desktop and hand-held calculators used by chemists over the years and currently on display in the hallway outside of the Oesper Collections in Rieveschl Hall.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from the Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.
A Zeiss Butter Refractometer : Notes from the Oesper Collections, No. 42, January/February 2017
The circa 1920 Zeiss butter refractometer recently acquired by the Oesper Collections.
Issue 42 describes a new addition to the museum’s refractometer collection – a circa 1920 Zeiss butter refractometer – and its historical importance as a means for rapidly differentiating between pure butter and margarine.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from the Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.
Librarians from Northeast Normal University, China Visited UC
From left: Xuemao, Don, Bo, Bella, Becky and Hong
From left: Dan, Debbie, Lorna, Bo and Bella
From left: James, Sean, Linda, Thomas, Nathan, Bo and Bella
Changhong (Bella) Wu and Bo Sun, librarians from Northeast Normal University (NENU) in Changchun, China, visited the UC Libraries November 15th-17th through a librarian exchange program between Ohio University and NENU. As the first cohort, Bella and Bo will stay in the United States for three months visiting libraries across the country and conducting research. Topics they are interested at UC Libraries are Ohiolink, collection development strategies, digital collections and digital and information literacy education. We look forward to meeting more visitors from NENU in the future.
A Varian E-4 EPR Spectrometer : Notes from the Oesper Collections, No. 41, November/December 2016
The Varian E-4 EPR instrument as it appeared while still in use in Dr. Bobst’s laboratory.
Issue 41 describes a new addition to the instrument collection on the mezzanine of the chemistry-biology library. Dating from the early 1970s, this desktop Varian E-4 Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectrometer was donated by Dr. Albert Bobst of the UC Chemistry Department.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from The Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.
Georgian Researcher Dr. Tengiz Simashvili Visited the UC Libraries
Left to right: Sally, Mark, Hong, Tengiz, Arlene, and Ted
Left to right: Sally, Ted, Mark, Tengiz, Arlene, Tiffany
Sponsored by UC’s Office of Research, the UC Libraries welcomed the first IREX scholar, Tengiz Simashvili, with six library faculty members at Langsam on October 25, 2016. Dr. Simashvili is the head of Caucasus Scientific-Research Center at Telavi State University, Georgia. He came to UC with a mission of learning how American universities utilize new strategies and methods to support researchers. As a collection of research hubs on campus, the UC Libraries have a lot to share with him. Continue reading
Liebig and Combustion Analysis : Notes from the Oesper Collections, No. 40, September/October 2016
Justus von Liebig (1803-1873) posing with his apparatus for combustion analysis.
Issue 40 outlines the history and importance of the chemical technique known as combustion analysis and highlights a reproduction of Liebig’s famous 1831 instrument for this purpose made by the late Dr. Melvyn Usselman of the University of Western Ontario and donated to our museum collections in 2005.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from the Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.
The Steelyard Balance : Notes from the Oesper Collections, No. 39, July/August 2016
A recently acquired 19th-century Chinese steelyard or so-called “opium balance” with an 11” ivory beam and accompanying “teardrop” storage case
Issue 39 briefly outlines the history and principles underlying traditional single pan or “steelyard” balances and illustrates their evolution using examples from our museum collections.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from The Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.