Spring Semester Review for UC Clermont

This spring, we had many exciting things happening in the Marcotte Library @ UC Clermont.

  • Our first floor upgraded the computers, including installing a public access computer for visitors.
  • Faculty in our ATIP program began the work in replacing their traditional textbook with affordable materials.
  • We partnered and offered exciting events for everyone, such as the Women’s History Month series, Poetry Readings, and more.

This summer we hope to make more facilities changes based on feedback from our student survey. Keep an eye for these changes in the Fall semester!

CECH Library Spotlight: Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino

CECH Spotlight highlights recommended books in the the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library.

This book was purchased with funding provided by a 2024 CECH Diversity Grant and selected using the Framework for Selecting Children’s Literature With d/Deaf Representation created by Emma Kist’s ASL 2003 students.

Give Me a Sign / written by Anna Sortino (2023)

Anna Sortino’s summer camp contemporary romance Give Me a Sign will pull at your heartstrings the entire read, while also leaving you giddy with what is to come next. 

This novel follows Lilah, a seventeen-year-old who happens to be deaf in one ear. All her life, her parents encouraged her along the oral route, where she got hearing aids and took years of speech classes to blend in with those around her. To Lilah, the only time she’s ever felt seen is when she attended Camp Gray Wolf, a summer camp for the Deaf and Blind. So, when she gets the opportunity to be a junior counselor for the upcoming summer, Lilah can’t say no. Throughout the summer, Lilah immerses herself in Deaf* culture, American Sign Language, true friendship, and romance. But she still has some things to learn about herself, and parts of her identity to come to terms with. 

Give Me a Sign is more than just a fun, summer romance. It shines a much-needed light on the spectrum of Deafness*, the importance of accommodations, the negative aspects of having a disability, and the struggle of accepting one’s identity. One of the biggest topics that carries throughout is the idea of ‘being Deaf enough’. Lilah struggles with this as she is surrounded by people who are fluent in ASL, who are more immersed in the culture, who are from a multi-generational Deaf family. 

Early on we are introduced to Lilah’s brother, Max, who happens to have the same type of deafness, though slightly more advanced. Max acts as a foil to Lilah, being shown to prefer the oral route to Lilah’s manual preference. Max’s character helps open the discussion of hearing devices like hearing aids and cochlear implants, which are often given to young children in hopes of integrating them into the hearing world more easily. Sortino’s novel examines so many hard-hitting topics that impact the Deaf* community such as hearing people using ASL for clout or even faking disabilities when it is convenient.

There is a quote from Sortino’s author’s note that I felt extremely poignant: “I simply hope [my novel] gives readers a glance into the depth and complexities of Deaf culture, as well as an understanding of why I and so many others are proud to be Deaf”. This novel shines a light on the ups and downs of Deafness* and basks in the pride it has for the Deaf* community. 

This book is available for checkout in the CECH Library, as well as via the OhioLINK and SearchOhio lending networks.

NOTE: In alignment with the UC ASL/Deaf studies department, I use Deaf* above to include and acknowledge the different cultures and ways of being Deaf.

Review by Alice Somers, CECH Library Student Assistant | Early Childhood Education and Deaf Studies, CECH 2026

Meet the newest Preservation Lab staff members at the Open House May 2nd

Meet the newest two Preservation Lab staff members, Matt and Nicole, at the annual Open House on Thursday, May 2, 2024, 2-4pm, Walter C. Langsam Library 300 Level.

In May of 2023, Matthew McCoy joined the Preservation Lab as a conservation specialist with over seven years of library experience with the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library collections. He received a MLIS from San Jose University. Additionally, Matt comes with experience in construction and remodeling, bringing his ability to perform detailed work requiring manual dexterity in a variety of forms. Matt is also an accomplished jazz double-bassist with a B.A. in music performance from Northern Kentucky University, and he still performs in his spare time. 

matt mccoy
nicole browning

Nicole Browning joined the Preservation Lab March 18, 2024 as a conservation assistant. Nicole holds a BA in anthropology from Eastern Kentucky University. Her background with collections and exhibits include experience at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Cincinnati Museum Center. Most recently, Nicole has worked as a library customer adviser at the Bond Hill Branch at the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library. In her personal time, she crochets and rides horses.

Meet Matt and Nicole, along with the rest of the talented people who work in the Preservation Lab, at their upcoming Open House on Thursday, May 2 from 2pm-4pm as they celebrate Preservation Week. Located in the 300 Level of the Walter C. Langsam Library, the Preservation Lab’s Open House theme is “Back to Basics” and will feature samples of their work, opportunities to meet and greet preservation colleagues and cookies!

preservation lab graphic

CECH Library Spotlight: Harriet Versus the Galaxy by Samantha Baines

CECH Spotlight highlights recommended books in the the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library.

This book was purchased with funding provided by a 2024 CECH Diversity Grant and selected using the Framework for Selecting Children’s Literature With d/Deaf Representation created by Emma Kist’s ASL 2003 students.

Harriet Versus the Galaxy / written by Samantha Baines (2019)

If you were ever a fan of The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Samantha Baines’ debut juvenile book Harriet Versus the Galaxy would be right up your alley.

The novel follows Harriet Green, a ten-year old from England who happens to be hard of hearing. After moving in with her Gran, she learns that her hearing aid can do more than just help her hear. She can understand alien languages. One day she’s moving in with her Gran, the next she’s being tasked to save Earth from aliens! 

Baine explores more than just Deafness* throughout her novel, however. Gender identity, while small in detail, makes a mighty difference in the way it is presented in this novel. Baines shows readers that gender identity is a topic for all ages and can be mentioned without trauma being present. This novel represents the Deaf* and gender identity with compassion without calling attention to them. 

Throughout the novel, Baines takes the opportunity to explore how bullying can have an effect on children, and how to handle it with grace. Harriet Versus the Galaxy stands tall and teaches readers how to be brave in the face of a problem, and how to be compassionate to one another without putting another person down. In the end, this book helps to encourage all of us to authentically be ourselves. 

Throughout the novel, you can find artwork reminiscent of Diary of a Wimpy Kid or The Dork Diaries. With illustrations from Deaf artist Jessica Flores, you truly feel like you are with Harriet as she learns about the world of aliens — or should I say galaxy?

This book is available for checkout in the CECH Library.

NOTE: In alignment with the UC ASL/Deaf studies department, I use Deaf* above to include and acknowledge the different cultures and ways of being Deaf.

Review by Alice Somers, CECH Library Student Assistant | Early Childhood Education and Deaf Studies, CECH 2026

Two UC librarians elected to the SWON Libraries Consortium Board

Ted Baldwin, director of the Science and Engineering Libraries and the interim head of Library Collections, and Emily Wages, collection services manager at the University of Cincinnati Clermont’s Frederick A. Marcotte Library, have been voted in by the Directors Council to join the SWON Executive Board in June. They join existing UC Board member Gerry Wagner, unit operations manager in UC Libraries Collection Development Services and Engagement Department.

SWON Libraries formed in 1973 as the “Greater Cincinnati Library Consortium” (GCLC) when a group of library directors in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky wanted a vehicle for pooling resources, sharing knowledge and collaborating to better serve their patrons. They continue that mission today as one of the State Library of Ohio’s Regional Library Systems.

2024 Systematic Review Cohort at the Health Sciences Library

The Health Sciences Library is launching a systematic review cohort where researchers can work through the review process with the support of our experienced librarians.

Systematic reviews are large projects that are rigorous, multi-faceted, and lengthy undertakings. By bringing together a cohort of researchers, we hope to provide a supportive and collaborative environment as you progress from research question to publication.

If you are interested in conducting a systematic review or other type of comprehensive review, join us May 6th or May 14th to learn more about this exciting opportunity. At these informational sessions librarians will give an overview of the cohort and workshops and will be available to answer any questions you have about the systematic review group.  

This informational session is being offered twice but there is no need to attend both.

Registration can be found at Faculty OneStop.

ORCID and GitHub Sign Memorandum of Understanding – ORCID

ORCID profiles can now be linked to Github profiles.  What does this mean for you?  Now you can include your ORCID number on your Github profile.  It is also possible to add the URL of your Github account to your ORICD landing page.  If you need some help setting up your ORCID or linking these two resources, please contact askdata@uc.edu

To learn more check out the ORCID blog post on the memorandum.

2024 Striker Lecture to cover the world impact of the 77-year history of the UC neurology department

By Richard A. Puff, Chief Communications Officer, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Charles Aring, MD, had a profound impact on the Cincinnati region and, through his founding of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s Department of Neurology, a tremendous influence on the health of people throughout the world.

Cincinnati-born, Aring lived in a nearby home for orphans. In 1919, he began working as a 15-year-old office boy at the College of Medicine and went on to receive his medical degree from the college 10 years later. Aring quickly became an internationally known neurologist and returned to UC in 1947 as the founding chair of the Department of Neurology after having founded the neurology department at University of California at San Francisco.

Aring and much more, including how modern neurology and the Beatles are related, will be discussed Tuesday, May 7 when Joseph Broderick, MD, Class of 1982, presents the 2024 Cecil Striker Lecture “Cincinnati Neurology: From Astute Human Observations to Life-changing Therapies.” The lecture begins at 5 p.m. in the Kresge Auditorium and also will be streamed online. Register to attend the free presentation.

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Langsam Library offers extended hours through exams

Need a place to study for exams? Working late on that final class project? The Walter C. Langsam Library has extended building hours beginning Sunday, April 14 through exams. The Desk@Langsam will maintain regular hours.

Extended Building Hours April 14-24:

Sunday-Thursday: 8am-3am
Friday: 8am-10pm
Saturday: Noon-10pm


Extended Building Hours April 25-27:

Thursday: 8am-8pm
Friday: 8am-5pm
Saturday: CLOSED

Break hours begin Sunday, April 28.

extended hours graphic