The World of Color – New Langsam Library exhibit showcases the work of Isay Balinkin

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An exhibit on the 4th floor lobby of the Walter C. Langsam Library showcases the work of University of Cincinnati professor Isay Balinkin, a pioneer in the field of color studies. From being an impassioned teacher, awarded the prestigious Godlove Award for his lifelong contributions to color in art, science and industry, Balinkin’s impact was far reaching. His colorful book collection is available for use and study in the Geology-Mathematics-Physics Library, while his personal communication, lab notes and various other belongings are available for research in the Archives and Rare Books Library.

graphic of isay balinkin

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UC Data Day, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 5, to focus on bias, miscommunication and equity in data

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UC Data Day 2021, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, will offer online panel discussions and a keynote address by Heather Krause, founder of We All Count and the Data Equity Framework, centered around the theme of bias, miscommunication and equity in data. The event will also include a week-long virtual screening of the documentary film Coded Bias and an afternoon panel discussion on Good vs Bad AI.

In order for data to be equitable, the processes involved in the data life cycle must consider the ethical nuances of each step in the process. Careful consideration must be paid to the way that we collect, analyze, interpret and distribute data in order to ensure that bias is not integrated (consciously or unconsciously) into the process. Today we are barraged with information, couched as fact, that is misleading, potentially harmful and that is replete with biases. These miscommunications can lead to the reinforcement of negative stereotypes, poor decision making, social upheaval and mistrust of vetted, factual information. Social Media is often a “mixed bag” of facts and fiction, and many people have difficulty navigating and drawing the line between them. UC Data Day 2021 will take aim at data miscommunication and bias and discuss ways in which data can be re-examined through an equity lens.

More information about Data Days past and present, along with a link for registration, is available on the Data Day website.

data day graphic

In October of 2020, we celebrated our 5th Annual Data Day event. As we prepare for subsequent similar events, we would like to assess the impact of our previous events on those that attended. We are asking that if you have attended any Data Day event in the past that you would kindly take a few moments to participate in a survey to assess your experiences. Your responses will be confidential unless you choose to submit your contact information for further inquiries regarding the events.

Please use this link to access the survey: https://redcap.link/ucdataday. Please know that your feedback is very important to us, and we appreciate your time filling out the survey.

Print Periodicals Routing Available Again on UC Clermont’s Campus!

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Clermont College Library is excited to announce that we are bringing back periodicals routing!

This means that when print periodicals come in, we will first circulate them through inter-office mail to those on the routing list. When everyone on the routing list is done reading the magazine and passing it on, it will be returned to the library and go onto the public shelf.

Please fill out this form to indicate which periodicals you would like routed to you, if any.

Feel free to contact our Collection Services Manager, Emily Wages (wageser@uc.edu), with any questions.

Mozart in the Library

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In the middle of the 4th floor of the Walter C. Langsam Library are three Yamaha digital grand pianos nestled in front of the Multimedia Productions Department. At different times of the day all three pianos are in use. When walking by, all you can hear from the pianos are the keys bottoming out, nothing harmonious, but rather a thud sound as each player presses the keys. Jay Sinnard, manager of the Multimedia Productions Department, recorded one of the students making those non-harmonious sounds, but from a different perspective. The student is freshman geology major Ian Rogers.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsV6sfxjfiQ&w=560&h=315]

 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHFUY5brFrc&w=560&h=315]

 

A collaboration between UC Libraries and the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), the keyboards are open to anyone wanting to play on a first come-first served basis, but bring your own headphone as they are required.

Preservation Lab hosting Instagram Live event Wednesday to showcase Japanese bindings

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Join the Preservation Lab staff on Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 3pm (EST) for a quick Instagram Live event centered around a collection of Japanese bindings that were recently conserved and are now in the process of receiving specialized, custom enclosures. They will talk about the two different types of bindings in the collection, creating Japanese four-sided enclosures, why they make models, and answering any questions you might have!

japanese bindingsMark your calendars, or better yet, follow them on Instagram @thepreservationlab for updates, because you won’t want to miss this behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in the Lab. See you then!

Langsam Living Room opening Wednesday, Oct 13

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Stop by the 4th floor of the Walter C. Langsam Library beginning at 10am on Wednesday, Oct 13 to check out the new Langsam Living Room space. The first 100 visitors will receive a water bottle.
 
The updated space features a variety of seating and work options ideal for studying or taking a break between classes.
langsam living room graphic

“Griffin Warrior”: Movie Night in the Classics Library, October 29!

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World of the Griffin Warrior - Archaeology Magazine

Classics at the University of Cincinnati has again created a world sensation as seen on PBS, BBC, The Discovery Channel, and many more TV channels and numerous newspapers and magazines around the world, now also on the Smithsonian Channel!

For details, see flyer:

MOVIE NIGHT, GRIFFIN WARRIOR!!!

“FOLLOW ARCHAEOLOGISTS [JACK DAVIS AND SHARI STOCKER, UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI] AS THEY EXAMINE A TOMB THAT THEY HOPE WILL REVEAL THE MYSTERIOUS ORIGINS OF THE ANCIENT GREEKS.”
— The Smithsonian Cable Channel

“The Griffin Warrior Project has been excavating the area surrounding the Palace of Nestor since May of 2015

The project, which is sponsored by the University of Cincinnati and operates under the auspices of the American School of Classical Studies, follows in the footsteps of Dr. Carl W. Blegen, the Cincinnati-based archaeologist who explored much of the Bay of Navarino region in the mid-twentieth century. In 1939, Blegen, along with his team and Greek counterpart, Dr. Konstantinos Kourouniotis, first discovered the Palace of Nestor, the most completely preserved Bronze Age palace on the Greek mainland. For fifteen seasons, Blegen, archaeologist Marion Rawson, and their team excavated the site, which proved to be a remarkably intact Mycenaean palace. Now, half a century after Blegen’s last season, a University of Cincinnati team has returned to the site to continue excavating.

The ongoing project’s most significant discovery has been the grave of the Griffin Warrior. The unlooted shaft grave contained dozens of intricate seal stones, hundreds of gold and bronze artifacts, and the remains of a prominent Mycenaean nobleman from around 1500 B.C. Its discovery was heralded in the press around the world as one of Greece’s most significant archaeological finds in decades.”
— griffinwarrior.org

Photo Gallery
New PBS-BBC series 'Civilizations' spotlights Griffin Warrior sealstone artifact in season premiere, University of Cincinnati

Dean Xuemao Wang elected to HathiTrust’s Board of Governors

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xuemao wangThe members of HathiTrust have elected four new members to its Board of Governors, including UC’s Xuemao Wang, dean and university librarian and vice provost for digital scholarship, who will serve a three-year term (2022-2024). Other new board members include Theresa Byrd, University of San Diego, Anne Houston, Lafayette College, and Beth Namachchivaya, University of Waterloo.

Holly Mercer of the University of Tennessee Knoxville and Chair of the HathiTrust Board of Governors, said, “the energy and vision promised by these new board members is invigorating as we look forward to HathiTrust’s future.  We’ll benefit greatly from their leadership in their own organizations and in our member community. I am grateful for their willingness to serve and can’t wait to get started.”

Dean Wang supports the HathiTrust Board’s primary goal to “sharply focus on ‘strategic’ roles for the organization’s continuing evolving future.” He advocates for finding ways “to broaden multidisciplinary scholar engagement from disciplines beyond humanities and social sciences.” Dean Wang’s 35+ year-career spans multi-library sectors from the academic, public, consortium and international library worlds. He has served on several professional organizations’ governing boards, standing and advisory committees, task-forces and working groups, including the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) and OhioLINK. His roles leading UC Libraries and working to achieve the university’s digital scholarship agenda will provide him with valuable insights to contribute to the goals of HathiTrust.

Founded in 2008, HathiTrust is a not-for-profit collaborative of academic and research libraries preserving 17+ million digitized items. The University of Cincinnati Libraries joined as members in 2018. The HathiTrust Board of Governors has ultimate responsibility for HathiTrust’s activities, strategy, finances and operations. It includes six at-large members elected by the membership and six members appointed by the founding institutions, which include Indiana University, the University of California, the University of Michigan, and members of the Big Ten Academic Alliance. The current members of the Board can be found on the HathiTrust website.

3C GIS Day(s) 2021: Save the Date and Call for Proposals 

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3C GIS Day(s) 2021: Save the Date and Call for Proposals 

Save the Date 

Join us during the week of November 15-19 for a virtual GIS Day program featuring a keynote speaker, lightning talk sessions, and a digital map gallery. This event is free and open to the public, and registration details will be available soon. 

GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems.  It is a powerful research tool that makes use of the geospatial attribute of data.  One of the oldest and most famous examples is the map showing how John Snow was able to determine the source of a cholera outbreak in London from the location of sick individuals.   

 3C GIS Day(s) 2021 is a collaboration between Case Western Reserve University, The Ohio State University, and the University of Cincinnati. 

Lightning Talk Call for Proposals 

The 3C GIS Day(s) planning committee invites submissions for lightning talks (10 minutes) from any faculty, staff, or students affiliated with one of the three organizing institutions. We encourage submissions from any disciplines that use geospatial information in any format, such as agriculture and environmental sciences, geography, engineering, business, health sciences, urban planning, and the humanities and social sciences, among others. We especially encourage submissions from graduate and undergraduate students who would like to showcase their work through a fun and informal presentation opportunity. 

Please submit your lightning talk proposal by Friday, October 15: Lightning Talk Submission Form. 

Information collected during the submission process includes presenter name and affiliation, availability during proposed sessions times, and presentation details (title, brief description, and any collaborators). 

If you have questions, please contact geospatial@osu.edu. 

Stay Tuned 

As part of this program, we’ll also be organizing a digital map gallery for affiliated faculty, staff, or students to showcase their original cartographic work, including both static and interactive maps. More information and a map gallery submission form will be available in the coming weeks.