Meni Johnson joins UC Libraries as Senior Human Resources Coordinator

meni johnsonMeni Johnson began work Monday, December 12 in the UC Libraries Business Office as the senior human resources coordinator.

Meni joins UC after six years with Amazon. At her previous employer, she served as a senior human resources assistant and a human resources generalist. In these roles she managed day-to-day HR processes and organized employee engagement activities. Meni has additional experience working with the United States Census Bureau. In this role she trained employees, evaluated and reviewed assignments, monitored staff performance and approved payroll and leave submissions. Meni’s educational background includes a master’s degree in human resources development from Xavier University.

Welcome, Meni, to UC Libraries!

The University of Cincinnati seeks the next dean and university librarian

The University of Cincinnati seeks a visionary and dynamic leader to serve as dean and university librarian. Reporting directly to the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, the dean is the chief administrator over numerous venues, facilities, collections, and oversees a diverse faculty and staff. The dean is also a member of the Council of Deans and actively participates in the governance of the university. As the intellectual and administrative leader of the Libraries, the next dean will play a key role in developing new ideas and forging consensus among stakeholders to build upon current and past successes and further strengthen the Libraries’ presence on campus.  Continue reading

‘Indigenous Dispossession.’ UC Libraries exhibit highlights laws, treaties and policies that resulted in mass Indian Removal

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the University of Cincinnati Libraries’ RESPECT (Racial Equity Support Programming to Educate the Community Team), presents the exhibit “Indigenous Dispossession: U.S. laws & policies promoting European settlement and Western Expansion resulting in Indian Removal from tribal, ancestral lands.”

illustration of native american woman

Rant Che Wai Me. From the McKenney and Hall digital collection.

On display on the 4th floor lobby of the Walter C. Langsam Library, the exhibit begins by listing the justification for European Settlement on Native American lands through the Doctrine of Discovery and Manifest Destiny, the ideas that the United States is destined to expand its dominion and to spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent. The exhibit then goes on to list laws and acts such as the Northwest Ordinance, Indian Removal Act and the General Allotment Act that all contributed to the removal of Native American peoples from their tribal homes. It also includes information on the Indian Civilization Act, which aimed to “civilize” and “Christianize” Native children. What resulted was a loss of their culture and identity and a system of abuse.

native american man

Ne Sou A Quoit – A Fox Chief. From McKenney and Hall digital collection.

The second part of the exhibit, on display on the 5th floor lobby, outlines steps to rectify the early treatment of Native Americans by granting citizenship and ending allotment of tribal lands with such policies as the Indian Citizenship Act, the Indian Reorganization Act and the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. It is noted, however, that while legislation around self-determination and self-governance offers a certain degree of independence and protection under the law, the legacy of displacement, oppression and neglect in American public policy affects Native communities and families to this day.

The exhibit highlights the collections of UC Libraries by featuring prominently illustrations from George Catlin who traveled the North American continent from 1830-1838 to chronicle the people, customs and traditions of Native American tribes and from Thomas Loraine McKenney and James Hall’s “History of the Indian Tribes of North America.”

native american village

From George Catlin’s “The Printed Works.”

To learn more, a bibliography of works from the collections of UC Libraries is available in print at the exhibit and online as a PDF.

The exhibit helps the RESPECT group in their mission to draw awareness of Systemic Racism, defined as “policies and practices that exist throughout a whole society or organization, and that result in and support a continued, unfair advantage to some people and unfair or harmful treatment of others based on race.”

Announcing the poets for the Nov. 30 Poetry Stacked

The University of Cincinnati Libraries and the Elliston Poetry Room announce the next set of poets for Poetry Stacked, a semi-regular poetry reading series held in the 6th floor east stacks of the Walter C. Langsam Library.

At the next event, scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 4:30pm, three poets will read original works.

photos of poets

  • Rebecca Lindenberg is the author of Love, an Index (McSweeney’s) and The Logan Notebooks (Mountain West Poetry Series), winner of the 2015 Utah Book Award. She’s the recipient of an Amy Lowell Traveling Poetry Fellowship, an NEA Literature Grant, and a seven-month fellowship from the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, among other awards and honors. Her work appears in Poetry, American Poetry Review, Tin House, The Believer, McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, The Missouri Review, Best American Poetry 2019 and elsewhere. She’s a member of the poetry faculty at the University of Cincinnati, where she also serves as poetry editor of the Cincinnati Review.
  • Manuel Iris. Poet Laureate Emeritus of the City of Cincinnati, Ohio (2018-2020). He received the “Merida” National award of poetry (Mexico, 2009) for his book Notebook of Dreams, and the Rodulfo Figueroa Regional award of poetry for his book The Disguises of Fire (Mexico, 2014). In 2016 two different anthologies of his poetic work were published: The Naked Light, in Venezuela; and Before the Mystery, in El Salvador. His first bilingual anthology of poems, Traducir el silencio/Translating Silence, was published in New York in 2018. This book won two different awards in the International Latino Book Awards in Los Angeles, California, in that same year. In 2021, he became a member of the prestigious System of Art Creators of Mexico (Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte). His latest book The Parting Present/Lo que se ira received the Reader’s choice award from the Ohioana Library Association, and was also recognized at the 2022 International Latino Book Awards.
  • Rome Hernández Morgan is a second-year doctoral student in English, Creative Writing at the University of Cincinnati where she is a Provost Fellow. She received her MFA from the University of Arkansas. She translates from Spanish and Portuguese and her poetry has appeared in BlackbirdThe Journal and New Ohio Review.

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Prominent civil rights attorney Al Gerhardstein donates papers to the University of Cincinnati

Al Gerhardstein, noted Cincinnati civil rights attorney, has donated to the University of Cincinnati Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library, papers documenting his nearly 50-year career in civil rights litigation and advocacy, with focuses in reproductive rights, prisoner’s rights, policing, employment discrimination, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights.

Material to be found in the extensive collection includes briefs, pleadings, depositions, trial transcriptions, newspaper, magazine and journal articles, as well as correspondence and speeches spanning Gerhardstein’s career and notable legal cases. There are 184 boxes available for research, with 45 more boxes sealed under court order.

supreme court letter

Excerpt from letter notifying Mr. Gerhardstein that his case was entered into the Supreme Court.

Prominent cases in the collection include:

  • Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case establishing marriage equality for same-sex couples in all 50 states. Gerhardstein represented Jim Obergefell in this fight to be recognized as the husband of John Arthur.
  • Planned Parenthood Association of Cincinnati v. Project Jericho, et al., which was a lawsuit against anti-abortion groups for their continued harassment of women seeking abortion and their providers, after a member of one of the groups firebombed the Margaret Sanger Center abortion clinic in 1985.
  • Prisoner rights lawsuit in response to the 1993 Lucasville Prison riots, where Gerhardstein represented inmates against prison officials for failure to protect them during the riot and the forces that caused the riot.
  • Litigation to declare unconstitutional Article XII, which was voted into the Cincinnati City Charter in 1993 and actively prohibited Cincinnati from protecting LGBT people from discrimination.
  • Creation of the Collaborative Agreement as a partnership between the ACLU, Black United Front, the city of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police, which re-oriented the philosophy of policing in Cincinnati towards a Community Problem Oriented Policing (CPOP) model. It was the result of a civil rights action filed on behalf of a class of African American citizens of Cincinnati based on discriminatory policing including racial profiling, excessive force and disproportionate arrests of African Americans. The success of the Collaborative Agreement made Cincinnati a national role model for police reform.

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Read Source for the news, events, people and happenings in UC Libraries

source graphicRead Source, the online newsletter, to learn about the news, events, people and happenings in UC Libraries.

In this issue of Source, we document the record number of students visiting and studying in the Walter C. Langsam Library this fall and feature the services and resources available in the Albino Gorno Memorial (CCM) Library. We spotlight Hannah Harper, a student worker in the Science and Engineering Libraries and the generous support of retired University of Cincinnati professors Laura and Richard Kretschmer.

Fall semester is a busy time for events in the Libraries. The Robert A. Deshon and Karl J. Schlachter Library for Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) are displaying selections from the library’s collection about hair. Our upcoming Poetry Stacked series, scheduled for Oct. 19, will raise awareness of the collections of both UC Libraries and the Elliston Poetry Room by engaging students and others in attendance with UC and community poets, including a student poet. On Thursday, Oct. 20 the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services (CECH) Library is hosting a talk by Dr. Debbie Reese, noted children’s literature scholar, former classroom teacher, and founder/co-editor of the American Indians in Children’s Literature blog.

Read these articles, as well as past issues, on the website. To receive Source via e-mail, contact melissa.norris@uc.edu to be added to the mailing list.

Selecting Books and Materials About Native Peoples for Your Library or Classroom with Dr. Debbie Reese — Free Zoom lecture

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Societal changes in recent years have been unsettling to people who seek accurate and authentic materials for their libraries and classrooms. What should be added to the shelves? And, what should be set aside?

Join the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services (CECH) Library for an evening with Dr. Debbie Reese, noted children’s literature scholar, former classroom teacher, and founder/co-editor of the American Indians in Children’s Literature blog. Dr. Reese will offer suggestions on how to move forward — with confidence. This dynamic lecture will be centered on children’s and young adult books and materials about Native peoples.

Tribally enrolled at Nambé Pueblo, Dr. Debbie Reese has studied representations of Native peoples in children’s and young adult books for over 30 years. Her book chapters, journal articles, and professional writings are taught in education, library science, and English courses across the United States and Canada. Her blog is widely recognized as a go-to resource for writers, reviewers, editors, teachers, librarians, and parents.

Date/time: Thursday, October 20th @ 6:30pm via Zoom

Use our RSVP form to register today!

This lecture is sponsored by the Kretschmer Fund for Native American Children’s Literature.

Oct. 19 Poetry Stacked poets announced

The University of Cincinnati Libraries and the Elliston Poetry Room announce Poetry Stacked, a semi-regular poetry reading series held in the 6th floor east stacks of the Walter C. Langsam Library.

Aditi Machado Rae Hoffman Jager Dior J. StephensAt the inaugural event, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 4:30pm, three poets will read original works.

  • Aditi Machado is a poet, translator and essayist. Her second book of poems Emporium (2020) received the James Laughlin Award. Her other works include the poetry collection Some Beheadings (2017), an essay pamphlet titled The End (2020), a translation from the French of Farid Tali’s novella Prosopopoeia (2016) and several poetry chapbooks. Her writing appears in journals like BOMB, The Chicago Review, Lana Turner, The Rumpus, Volt, and Western Humanities Review among others. She works as an assistant professor of poetry at the University of Cincinnati.
  • Rae Hoffman Jager is the author of American Bitch (Kelsay Books ‘22). Rae’s poetry and essays have appeared in a wide variety of online and print magazines: Atticus, Contrary, Glass, a Journal of Poetry, Honey Lit and Kveller—to name a few. She has work forthcoming in New York Quarterly. Additionally Rae was named one of the ‘22 Emerging Artist Fellows for the Ish Festival in Cincinnati. Rae holds a BA from Warren Wilson College and an MFA from Wichita State University. When she is not writing, publishing and teaching yoga, she is spending time with her spouse, daughter Ivy and two old dogs.
  • Dior J. Stephens is a proud Pisces hailing from Midwestern waters. He is the author of the chapbooks SCREAMS & lavender, 001 and CANNON!. Their debut full-length collection, CRUEL/CRUEL, is forthcoming with Nightboat Books. They tweet at @dolphinneptune and Instagram at @dolphinphotos.

The mission of Poetry Stacked is to celebrate poetry and raise awareness of the collections of both UC Libraries and the Elliston Poetry Room. Each reading will engage audiences via exposure to contemporary poetry and increase appreciation for both the talents of UC and community poets, as well as for poetry itself. Poetry Stacked is free and open to all to attend. Following each reading, guests will be invited to tour the Elliston Poetry Room.

The intent of the series is to enrich and engage the UC campus and Cincinnati communities in accordance with the Libraries’ Strategic Framework and the Next Lives Here Strategic Directions in support of Academic Excellence and Community Engagement. It aligns with the Libraries’ vision as the globally engaged, intellectual commons of the university – positioning ourselves as the hub of collaboration, digital innovation, and scholarly endeavor on campus and beyond.

And don’t forget to join us Wednesday, Nov. 30 for the next installment of Poetry Stacked.

poetry stacked flier

Artists’ Books Exhibit-DAAP Library

The Robert A. Deshon and Karl J. Schlachter Library of DAAP is hosting Professor Mark Harris’s BFA “Topics in Contemporary Art-Art Criticism” class exhibit.

Professor Mark Harris writes this about the exhibit:

This display of artists’ books comes from the DAAP Library Special Collections. Last spring semester these books were selected by BFA students in my Topics in Contemporary Art—Art Criticism class for a writing assignment. Students were asked to select two books by different artists and write a 1,000 word evaluation and comparison. They were welcome to experiment with writing approaches. What you see here are short extracts from their essays.

Mark Harris

The writing samples are by these students—

Sabrina Argotte, Sheridan Ave, Aliesha Caldwell, Trinity Campbell, Grace Casella, Katherine Donaghy, Sam Engel, Callie Gaines, Kat Hardy, Catherine Hummel, Vicky Lee, Nathalie Lorenz, Nicole Moore, Ashton Morris, Hugh Moscoe, Arisa Nakahata, Emma Schutte, Vidushi Shrivastava, Kara Yeomans

Professor Harris installed the exhibit with shelves askew and books displayed at haphazard angles, which makes the exhibit a colorful, jumbled visual delight. It will be up until October 20th, 2022; come and take a look.

Exhibit of artists' books on shelves

Exhibit of artists’ books on shelves

Exhibit of artitsts' books on shelves

Exhibit of artists' books on shelves

Exhibit of artists’ books on shelves

“Music in the CCM Library” reconvenes! Friday, 16 September, 12:00-12:50pm

The lunchtime recital series “Music in the CCM Library” reconvenes this Friday, 16 September, 12-12:50pm.
Conflicts and Meditations, performed by the OLEA chamber music ensemble, features the following works:
       DISAGREE! by Miguel del Águila (b. 1957)
       Wave Hands Like Clouds by Owen Hopper (b. 1995)
       Rodeo Queen of Heaven by Libby Larsen (b. 1950)
For more details…