Join Us in Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15th to October 15th to honor the contributions and influences of Hispanic and Latinx cultures on America. Please browse our materials on display on the 4th floor of the Walter C. Langsam Library all month and join us for presentations on Spanish and Hispano-Arabic culture.

On Thursday, September 27th, from 11:30am -12:30pm, professor Frederic Cadora and professor Grace Thome will present, “The Arabic Spice Road,” discussing how not only spices made their way to Europe from the Arab World, but also other goods—linguistic and cultural—that linked the two regions for centuries. The presentation serves as a sample of the course, “Hispano-Arabic Culture, Literature, Music, and Architecture/Art,” which will be offered in spring semester of 2019. Thyme pies and rolled grape leaves will be served to exemplify the delicious impact of Hispano-Arabic culture.

On Thursday, September 27th, from 2:00pm – 3:00pm, professor Maria-Paz Moreno will present, “Tasking Power: The Bittersweet History of Chocolate” about the fascinating history of chocolate and the origins of this food and the myths around it. This presentation serves as a sample of the course “Food and Culture of Spain,” which will also be offered in spring semester of 2019. You will get the chance to sample several kinds of chocolate and cacao beans from different parts of the world to experience the variety chocolate has to offer.

Sponsored by the University of Cincinnati Libraries, the presentations will be held in the Digital Commons space located in the back of the 4th floor of the Langsam Library. They are free and open to the entire UC community. We hope to see you there!

Exhibit Celebrates Leonard Bernstein at 100

Bernstein Centennial Celebration
Performer. Composer. Teacher.
These three descriptions of world-renowned musician Leonard Bernstein, who was born 100 years ago this year, are celebrated in a new exhibit on display on the 4th floor lobby of the Walter C. Langsam Library now through the end of the calendar year. The exhibit includes biographical and professional information about Bernstein, recordings, books and images. It corresponds with a display in the Albino Gorno Memorial (CCM) Library of additional Bernstein materials and recordings.

ccm displayThe exhibit was designed by UC Libraries communication co-op student Sophia Yu with assistance from co-op student Sam Kane. It was curated by Jenny Doctor, head of the CCM Library, and Paul Cauthen, assistant music librarian, and produced by Melissa Cox Norris, director of library communications.

For more about Leonard Bernstein, read the full exhibit text below by Jenny Doctor. Interested in attending a Leonard Bernstein Concert, visit https://ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice/bernstein-festival.html, to learn about how CCM is celebrating Leonard Bernstein at 100! Continue reading

Rebecca Olson Joins UC Libraries as Business and Social Sciences Informationist

Today, Rebecca Olson joined UC Libraries as business and social sciences informationist. Rebecca has many years of experience as a law librarian. She was certified in 2018 in School Media from Southern Connecticut State University.  Prior to beginning her career in libraries, Rebecca received her MLS from Indiana University and her BA from the University of Connecticut.

Rebecca’s main responsibilities will be to develop and deliver innovative research and instructional services to the UC communities in business and the social sciences. She will work collaboratively with business and social science faculty and with UC Libraries faculty and staff to design, develop and implement a suite of cohesive services for faculty and students in business and the social sciences for data access, management and preservation.

Welcome to UC Libraries, Rebecca!

 

 

Hannah Stitzlein Joins UC Libraries as Metadata Librarian

Today, Hannah Stitzlein began work at the University of Cincinnati Libraries as the metadata librarian. Hannah was previously visiting metadata services specialist for the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In this role, she developed best practices for the Illinois Digital Heritage Hub, taught metadata workshops, assessed digital collection metadata and developed workflows. Prior to her visiting position, Hannah spent three years with the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Her library experience also includes internships with Wisconsin Library Services, the Lloyd Library and Museum and the Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions. Hannah holds an MLS from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a BFA from Pacific Northwest College of Art.

In the role of metadata librarian, Hannah will be responsible for providing leadership and guidance in the development and implementation of metadata and data management strategies to support discovery, access, management and preservation of the libraries physical and digital collections.

Welcome back to Cincinnati and to UC, Hannah!

Jelly Beans and Politics

By:  Alex Temple, Benjamin Gettler Papers Project Archivist

I’m currently working through Benjamin Gettler’s political work, and have just finished the first of six folders on his political correspondence.  So far I’ve identified 150 items, representing approximately 30 years of his work, views, correspondence, and recognition.  Largely, Gettler placed his energy into the Republican party, notably towards the Reagan/Bush campaigns.  His campaign aid for politicians earned him various accolades, such as an honorary address to the House of Representatives from Representative Brad Wenstrup; invitations to Inaugural Balls for Ohio Governor Bob Taft and President Ronald Reagan, and an invitation to visit the White House in 1982.

White House InvitationWhite House Invitation Continue reading

Most UC Libraries Closed Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3

labor dayUC Libraries will be closed Monday, September 3 for Labor Day, except for the Donald C. Harrison Health Sciences Library, which will be open 9am-5pm. This closing includes the Walter C. Langsam Library 4th floor space, which will close Sunday, September 2 at 11pm and re-open Tuesday, September 4 at 7:45am.

A complete listing of library hours can be found online at www.libraries.uc.edu/about/hours.html.

Enjoy the long holiday weekend.

Join UC Libraries for “The Great American Read” and Vote for Your Favorite Novel

The Color Purple, Harry Potter, Gone Girl – is one of these your favorite novel? Did you enjoy or struggle reading The Grapes of Wrath, War and Peace or Heart of Darkness when assigned for class? Did you sneak read The Stand or Twilight when your teacher wasn’t looking? These favorite, or not-so-favorite, books are amongst the 100 best-loved novels up for consideration as “The Great American Read.”

The University of Cincinnati Libraries and CET are partnering to host three screenings of “The Great American Read,” 8-9 p.m., Tuesdays, Sept. 11 and 25 and Oct. 9 in the Digital Commons Space on the fourth floor of the Walter C. Langsam Library. The PBS series features some of the 100 best-loved novels with testimonials from celebrities, authors, notable Americans and book lovers across the country talking about their pick for “The Great American Read.” Fresh popcorn and refreshments will be served.

The themes of the three screenings will include:

  • Sept. 11 – The Great American Read Fall Kick-Off
    Join host Meredith Vieira in the search for America’s best-loved novel.
  • Sept. 25 – Heroes
    Take a journey with some literary heroes to examine what makes them complex and relatable.
  • Oct. 9 – What We Do For love
    Fall in love all over again with some of literature’s most beautiful romances.

 

RSVPs not required, but attendees are encouraged to mark “going” on the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/298457014220539/.

Can’t join us for the screenings? Visit “The Great American Read” at http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/home/ to learn more and vote for your favorite novel.

Dean’s Corner: Welcome Back UC!

I am currently visiting Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) World Library and Information Congress along with some of my colleagues from UC Libraries, but I’m excited to return to UC and greet our new and returning students and faculty.

At IFLA’s World Conference with Library Chief Technology Officer May Chang and Global Services Librarian Hong Cheng. Behind us is Kuala Lumpur’s famous Petronas Towers.

Before we dive into the fall semester, here’s a brief overview of the last few months at UC Libraries.

Several key library positions were filled over the summer, including: associate director of business affairs Jeremy Berberich; business and data analytics librarian Maggie Patel; associate dean of library services Brad Warren; and content analyst Dorcas Washington. The Digital Scholarship Center also continued to grow, welcoming digital scholarship library fellow Erin McCabe and data visualization developer Ezra Edgerton. They joined software developer Zhaowei Ren, with the support of a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

UC Libraries joined HathiTrust, a national and international partnership of research institutions and libraries.

The Winkler Center Advisory Board hosted the annual Cecil Striker Society Lecture, “Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Impacting the Health of Children in Our Community and the World: The Past, Present and Future,” with co-lecturers Michael K. Farrell, MD and Bea Katz, PhD.

Continue reading

Jeremy Berberich joins UC Libraries as the Associate Director of Business Affairs

Today, Jeremy Berberich joined UC Libraries as the associate director of business affairs.  Jeremy comes to UC from Northern Kentucky University where he was the business officer for the College of Health Professions. He previously served as associate vice president for Knowledge Management at Gateway Community and Technical College and prior to that as a reference librarian and associate director for library and information services at Gateway. Jeremy holds a BA in political science with a minor in economics from the University of Louisville, an MLIS from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from Northern Kentucky University.

Jeremy will be a member of the Dean’s Cabinet and will lead the Business Office and HR operations.

Welcome, Jeremy, to UC Libraries.

Native Voices Children’s Programming Event a Success

Last week several UC Libraries (HSL, CECH, Langsam) collaborated to produce the first installment in our Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness public programming. This inaugural event focused specifically on children as Langsam Library received a visit from twenty-four students of the Arlitt Child & Family Research & Education Center. Cheryl Ghosh, Senior Librarian at UC’s CECH Library put together an amazing program of dramatic skits, activity stations, and multi-media fun.

First, the 3 to 5-year-olds were treated to an introduction and brief play about the Iroquois legend of the Three Sisters and its corresponding gardening tradition. This tradition of planting corn, beans and squash (the sisters) in close proximity is widespread among Native American farming. At the same time the story functions as a metaphor for supporting and helping one another.

After the skit, the children were divided into groups and each group moved on to an activity station. One group and its chaperones built a teepee. The other, shucked corn and picked beans from bean plants. After ten minutes the groups switched and tried the other activity.

After fifteen minutes of activities, the students had a brief snack then proceeded to the Student Technology Resource Center (STAC) where video was taken of them in front of a green screen. At that point the video was superimposed onto an image of the Great Plains and an American Indian village complete with moving buffalo.

Finally, as a parting gift, each child received the book D is for Drum: A Native American Alphabet by Debbie and Michael Shoulders and Irving Toddy. The event lasted approximately an hour and at no time did our worries of waning attention spans among the children materialize. They never once lost interest. A success, if we  do say so!  And a huge thanks to all who assisted.

Please plan to attend the Native Voices: Native American Concepts of Health and Illness opening event on Thursday, July 26th in the CARE/Crawley Atrium of the UC  Medical Sciences Building.  And stay tuned for the six weeks of supplementary programming the HSL has planned.

Please see the gallery below for more images of the event.