In a ceremony held April 2 during Research and Innovation Week, librarians Ted Baldwin and Eira Tansey were recognized for their contributions to colleagues and to their fields. The Office of the Provost and the Office of Research jointly sponsor the awards to honor faculty who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, research and/or service. Continue reading
Author Archives: Melissa Cox Norris
Peter Poulos taking on new role as technology lead and information technology manager
Peter Poulos has taken on a new role in UC Libraries as technology lead and information technology manager for the Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library, effective April 1. Peter has worked for the Health Sciences Library for over 25 years providing information technology services. During this time he has worked closely with teaching faculty, staff and students in the College of Medicine in support and administration of online computer-based testing and managing digital learning spaces and the library IT help desk. In his new broader role, Peter will also manage three library IT staff as well as a number of IT student workers.
Congratulations, Peter!
Hungry? Bite into an Edible Book with UC Libraries, April 5-9
Celebrate books good enough to eat at the International Edible Books Festival to be held online April 5-9.
At the event, over 30 participants will present their edible creations that represent a book in some form. There are few restrictions in creating an edible book – namely that the creation be edible and have something to do with a book. Submitted entries include such edible titles as “Coffee,” “LuLu’s Giraffe Bakery,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Donut Feed the Squirrels.” Best sellers “Lord of the Rings,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Catch-22” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” are represented along with children’s books like “Super Fudge,” “Hair Love,” “Rainbow Fish,” “Little Blue Truck Leads the Way” and “Madeline,” among other literary greats.
Rather than gathering at a designated time and place, this year’s Edible Books Festival will take place the week of April 5-9. Each day, a few edible book entries will be showcased on the Libraries Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram feeds. As in previous years, entries will be judged according to such categories as “Most Delicious,” “Most Creative,” “Most Checked Out.” At the end of the week, the entries that receive the most likes will be crowned “Top Student Entry” and “Best Overall Entry.”
According to the International Edible Book Festival website, the edible book was initiated by librarian and artist Judith A. Hoffberg during a 1999 Thanksgiving celebration with book artists. It became an international celebration in 2000 when artist Béatrice Coron launched the Books2Eat website. Traditionally, the event is celebrated on April 1st (April Fools’ Day) to mark the birthday of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), a French lawyer and politician who became famous for his book, Physiologie du gout (The Physiology of Taste).
Upcoming changes in off-campus access links to library resources
User access to library electronic resources is controlled by UC credentials and the Libraries proxy server. To improve management of this, UC Libraries is changing proxy servers at the end of the spring semester. As a result, all URLs containing the library proxy will need to be changed to the new server address. The Libraries has created tools to assist users in changing/creating proxy URLs. For anyone who bookmarks or includes library resource links in communication, course syllabi, canvas, etc., please plan to change library resource links starting in the month of May to the new proxy URL. The Libraries will maintain the old server through the end of 2021, so access will be continuous for summer semester and ample time is provided for the URLs to be updated.
- May 3rd: server address changes
- FROM: http://proxy.libraries.uc.edu/login?url= http://www.abc.com
- TO: (beginning May 3rd): https://uc.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://www.abc.com
- After May 3rd, example of new proxy URL for the title: Very short introductions https://uc.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://www.veryshortintroductions.com/
- May 3rd through 2021: change library resource links in course syllabi, canvas, personal bookmarks, etc.
- January 2022: outdated URLs will no longer work for library resources
- The proxy tools page will be updated May 3rd to assist with editing URLs
If you have any questions about how to access electronic library resources, please contact a library liaison.
‘CAN UC my mask’ canned food sculpture temporarily installed in Langsam Library
“CAN UC my mask” canned sculpture. Photo/Melissa Cox Norris
The masked Bearcat is showing school pride while reminding everyone to stay safe by wearing a mask
“CAN UC my mask,” a canned good sculpture currently on display on the fourth floor of the Walter C. Langsam Library, is the creation of students in UC’s Construction Student Association. The students spent the fall semester designing and preparing the sculpture with hopes to participate in Cincinnati CANstruction, an annual event where students and local businesses construct large structures out of cans of food, which are then displayed around Cincinnati before the cans are donated to a local food pantry. Due to the pandemic, the organizers of the 2021 Cincinnati CANstruction moved the event online. Looking for an opportunity to construct their design, and with the desire that their UC-themed sculpture could be seen on campus, the group’s faculty adviser, Mandy Albrecht, assistant dean of academics in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, reached out to UC Libraries to inquire if the Walter C. Langsam Library could play host to their canned sculpture. Of course, the answer was yes.
“CAN UC my mask” under construction. Photo/Kaikou Uchiyama
On display now on the fourth floor of the library, “CAN UC my mask,” was assembled by a team of students led by Matthew Adkins, construction management major pursuing his MBA, and Blake Reinstedler, construction management major, and including Phillip Stoll, Blake Brower, Jacob Mitsch, Colby Sipos, Nicholas Bartholomew, Kaikou Uchiyama and Andrew Bush. Inspired by their Bearcat pride, and a desire to spread a message of being safe during the pandemic, the 6.5-foot cubed rendition of the UC Bearcat wearing a mask took 4,700 cans of food to create and 10 hours to construct.
“We really appreciate the opportunity to construct ‘CAN UC my mask’ in Langsam Library and are very grateful to the library for letting us display it in such a prominent location,” said Adkins. “We explored other potential locations on campus, but this one seemed the safest for the cans and social distancing and will allow for the most attention and publicity.”
The canned sculpture will remain in Langsam until mid-April when it will be dismantled and the cans of food donated to the UC Bearcats Pantry. “The messages we are spreading through the donation of canned goods and staying safe from Covid-19 are positive ones creatively expressed through art,” Adkins concluded.
Students from the Construction Student Association pose in front of their canned sculpture. Photo/Kaikou Uchiyama
“This project is always fun because it’s a great learning opportunity for the students, as well as a great way to encourage donations to local food pantries. It’s an especially great way for freshmen and sophomores to get involved in the Construction Student Association and to contribute to their community in a meaningful way,” said Albrecht. “Students who haven’t yet learned about construction estimating, scheduling and logistics can start flexing those muscles by designing, estimating, procuring and building a canned food structure like this.”
The Classics Library Commemorates the 200-Year Anniversary of Greek Independence
The universities of Cincinnati and Michigan and all partner institutions in the “Greek Digital Journal Archive” (GDJA) program commemorate the 200-year anniversary of an independent Greek state.
Had it not been for the Covid-19 pandemic, the John Miller Burnam Classics Library would have celebrated this important occasion with talks, book exhibitions, Greek music, and Greek foods inside the physical library. As it is, this blog post will serve as a “poor” substitute. However, you will get to hear a conversation recorded for this blog with Associate Professor Alexander Christoforidis, Division of Experienced-based Learning and Career Education at the School of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at the University of Cincinnati and the Director of the Greek School at the Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Cincinnati, along with links to information about the War, to songs detailing the fight for independence, as well as a book exhibition of scanned Classics Library journal and book pages, and photos of Greece, Greeks, Greek-Americans, Philhellenes, Greek foods, and Greek music. Try to picture the day when we can celebrate with each other in person! Until then, Happy Bicentennial Greeks, Hellenists, and Philhellenes!
Watch Greek TV live of a special Independence Day Parade on March 25 in front of Syntagma Square in Athens and listen to the historic narrative!
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution, was waged against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Revolution is celebrated by Greeks around the world on March 25 as Greek Independence Day. On that day this year, 2021, Greeks commemorate the 200-year anniversary of the official beginning of the Revolution leading to a new independent Greece after almost 400 years of Turkish rule. Continue reading
Faster Access to Full Text Articles Available at UC
Link to available full text with one click by downloading the browser extension, LibKey Nomad. You will be prompted to log in with your UC username and password as needed.
- Download LibKey Nomad at libkeynomad.com. Available for Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Vivaldi and Brave browsers.
- After download, enter University of Cincinnati as your institution. More details: https://thirdiron.com/products/libkey-nomad/.
When the browser extension is in place and full text is available, you will see “Download PDF”, “Article Link”, or “Manuscript Link”.
When full text may not be available at UC, you will see “Access Options”.
Please note: When you see “Access Options”, locate the UC Article Linker button for that reference citation to ensure the best results in accessing existing full text or requesting the article. The UC Article Linker button may be visible in the summary view or the full record view of the reference citation. Or the button may not be visible, instead you may see “Link to full text”.
Browser Extension Also Works with Google Scholar
As you may know, you can search Google Scholar and connect to full text articles at UC once Google Scholar has been configured for UC Libraries access.
The browser extension also works with Google Scholar. Instead of seeing “Find Full Text at UC”, you may see “[PDF]” or “[HTML]” and the journal or publisher website address.
Configure Google Scholar for UC Libraries access
Enable Google Scholar to identify UC-licensed full-text of journal articles. Access appears as a “Find Full-Text at UC” link.
- Go to Google Scholar
- Sign in to your Google account (or create one if needed)
- Click the icon in the upper left and select “Settings”
- Click on “Library Links”
- Search for “University of Cincinnati” and add.
- Check the box next to “The University of Cincinnati – Find Full-Text at UC” and click “Save”
University of Cincinnati Art Collection now available online
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo by P. Davison,1940
The University of Cincinnati Art Collection, with over 4,200 works, is now available online for viewing, as well as to be used in teaching, research and in the creation of university exhibits.
Available at artcollection.uc.edu, users of the database can locate works by portfolio, through searching or by browsing by medium/technique, artist/maker or artwork classification. Once located in the database, individual items can be starred and then saved or printed in list format. In addition, the UC Art Collection website includes links to learn more about exhibits, related university collections and archives, the museum studies program and arts news.
Nooning on the Pier by Julie Morrow DeForest
The UC Art Collection is international in scope and includes paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, furniture, ceramics and decorative arts spanning five millennia, from ancient Greece to the present day. Works of art from the U.S. forms one of the core areas in the collection with the art of Cincinnati, especially that produced during the late-19th and early-20th centuries, as a particular strength with pieces from Elizabeth Nourse, Lewis Henry Meakin, Frank Harmon Myers, Herman Henry Wessel, Louis Charles Vogt and John Ellsworth Weis.
In 2020, the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) and the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced a new collaboration to manage the collection and to bring more visibility, accessibility and use of this valuable resource. This creation of the database project has been made possible through the generous support of executive vice president for academic affairs and provost Kristi Nelson; Tim Jachna, dean of DAAP; Xuemao Wang, vice provost for digital scholarship and dean and university librarian; the Art Collection Executive Committee, the Art Collection Advisory Committee and Planning, Design + Construction.
Know of a good book to eat?! Create an Edible Book for UC Libraries International Edible Books Festival, April 5-9
The University of Cincinnati Libraries is seeking people interested in creating an edible book for the viewing enjoyment of all. There are few restrictions – namely that the creation be edible and have something to do with a book – so let your creativity run wild.
Rather than gathering at a designated day, time or place, this year’s Edible Books Festival will take place the week of April 5-9 online. Each day, a few edible book entries will be showcased on the Libraries Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram accounts, as well as on the website.
Attack of the Vampire Weenies
As in previous years, entries will be judged according to such categories as “Most Delicious,” “Most Creative,” “Most Checked Out” and “Most Literary,” as well as “Best Student Entry” and “Best Overall.” The week will culminate with the announcement of the winners.
If you are interested in creating an edible book, e-mail melissa.norris@uc.edu by Friday, March 26 with your name and the title of your creation.
Looking for inspiration? Visit UC Libraries on Facebook to see photos from the 2019 festival.
University of Cincinnati Press publication co-edited by UC’s Rebecca Wingo named the National Council on Public History’s Best New Book of the Year
The University of Cincinnati Press publication edited by Rebecca S. Wingo, Jason A. Heppler, and Paul Schadewald, Digital Community Engagement: Partnering Communities with the Academy has won 2021 Best New Book of the Year from the National Council on Public History. Each year, the Council selects one book in the area of public history theory, study or practice.
Available via open access on Manifold, Digital Community Engagement brings together cutting-edge campus-community partnerships with a focus on digital projects. Through a series of case studies authored by academics and their community partners, this collection explores models for digital community engagement that leverage new media through reciprocal partnerships. The contributions to this volume stand at the crossroads of digital humanities, public history, and community engagement.
“The team at UC Press made the whole process easy, and the TOME grant made the open access publication possible. My co-editors and I decided early on that this book in particular required open access publication. We spoke to a lot of different presses and we most closely matched with UC Press’ mission,” said Rebecca Wingo, editor of Digital Community Engagement.
“It is fitting that our first award-winning book was published in open access and print in order to inspire engagement to the widest audience possible. As a university press focused on publishing interactive books designed to brings authors and readers together, we are delighted to see this edited volume win a national prize in a discipline that connects the academy to the community,” said Elizabeth Scarpelli, director of the University of Cincinnati Press.