Monday, December 15, 2008

IBM's Next 5 in 5

Pretty interesting stuff here from the engineers at IBM:


The third annual "IBM Next Five in Five" is a list of innovations that have the potential to change the way people work, live and play over the next five years. The Next Five in Five is based on market and societal trends expected to transform our lives, as well as emerging technologies from IBMs Labs around the world that can make these innovations possible.
It would be nice to have reminders about the people that I have met. I've always been weak on remembering names. At any rate, will technology save the day, or simply lead to more information overload? Feel free to add your comments below.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Fall 2008 Finals Week Schedule

The library's late hours continue through next week for all of your last minute study needs. Here are our hours of operation for Finals Week:
  • Sunday, December 7th 2:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M.
  • Monday, December 8th 8:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M.
  • Tuesday, December 9th 8:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M.
  • Wednesday, December 10th 8:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M.
  • Thursday, December 11th 8:00 A.M. - 12:00 – A.M.
  • Friday, December 12th 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Librarians are available Sunday through Thursday at the Ask Here Desk until 9:00 P.M. The library will be closed on Saturday, December 13th and Sunday, December 14th. Good luck to all students during Finals Week!

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Happy Holidays!

Wednesday is the day the Library staff throws its annual holiday extravaganza for our student workers. It's our way of thanking our students for their hard work and many contributions to the library. When I came to Montevallo in 1999, the Library staff told me that I was to bring the cheese ball. Apparently, the previous director had always made this particular cheese ball, and the staff really liked it. So I tracked down the recipe, and I've made the cheese ball ever since.

This cheese ball is always a hit. I think it has a lot to do with the quantity of cream cheese and butter that go into it.

Curious? Here's the recipe!

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese -- it's okay to use low fat, but the non-fat will not set up properly

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

Soften the butter and cream cheese at room temperature. Mix them together thoroughly. Blend in 1 cup of chopped dates and 2 or 3 tablespoons of brandy. Roll into a ball and refrigerate overnight.

Before serving, roll the ball in 1/2 to 1 cup toasted almonds.

Serve with crackers.

Enjoy!

Monday, December 01, 2008

Jamie King Gets Caught Reading


Jamie King, an English Major here at UM, was named Senior Elite in English at Elite Night this year. We caught up to Jamie before the Thanksgiving holiday and asked her a few questions.

What are you reading?

I am reading A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.

Why did you choose this book?

Anthony Burgess is one of my favorite authors. I first read this novel in high school and fell in love with the very nature of the book, and Kubrick’s film adaptation just furthered my love of this novel even more. Now, as an English major, there are so many ways in which to analyze and read A Clockwork Orange. I love Burgess’ command of the English language—his use of the English language is almost as good as Vladimir Nabokov’s in Lolita. But most of all, I find Alex, the main character, one of the most captivating villains (or is he?) in literature. I hope in the future, Sigma Tau Delta’s Book Club will read this novel. I bet that we would have wonderful discussions on A Clockwork Orange.

How do you use your campus library?

The campus library is wonderful place to go to get sources for my papers. The website and databases that the library provides help me find articles and books for my research. Furthermore, I like how the library is always quiet whenever I visit. Because of this quietness, the library offers a perfect place to study. There have been a couple of times when my friend and I have went to the library to study, and each time we go, we always accomplish what needs to be done. Last but not least, I really appreciate the fact that the faculty and staff at the library are willing to let Sigma Tau Delta’s Book Club hold our meetings there for when we do not have a place to conduct our meetings. This fact will be helpful to us in the future for when Hill House is booked. Overall, my experiences with the campus library have been pleasant and rewarding. Keep up the good work!


Special Thanks to Joel Bullock and Jason Cooper for their work in this installment of our Get Caught Reading Series.

Messiah Concert to take Place on UM Campus

Palmer Hall will be the site of tonight's performance of Messiah, by George Frideric Handel. Messiah remains Handel’s best-known work and is among the most-popular works in Western choral literature. It includes the widely known "Hallelujah" chorus. The 100-voice chorus will feature members of the University Concert Choir, University Chorus, University Chamber Singers and the Montevallo Chorale. Dozens of UM student, faculty and staff choristers and several faculty soloists will be performing this evening.

For more information on tonight's free performance, check out the UM press release. Also, you may be interested to know that the library's Classical Music Library database contains two full performances of Messiah, as well as highlights of the oratorio in another six recordings. (Here's a permanent link to one of those performances.) Members of the UM community may stream all of these tracks from the CML web site.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule


Carmichael Library will close today at 2:00 p.m. for the Thanksgiving holiday. We'll reopen our doors on Sunday, November 30th, when we'll be open from 6:00 p.m. until midnight.

Have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

Photo credit: "Thanksgiving Centerpiece," by alasam. Creative Commons license

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Internet Connectivity Restored

Computer Services reported that our Internet connectivity has been restored as of late this afternoon. If you continue to experience connectivity issues, please contact the Help Desk at (205) 665-6520.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Internet Outage Friday Morning

This news from Computer Services: Our Internet Service Provider is currently experiencing technical difficulties, which prevents Internet connectivity from campus...

This service outage affects all external websites including the library's databases, although the UM website, ForUM, and the library catalog remain available. Although we will not get your e-mail if you're trying to reach us from off campus, remember that we can still answer some questions over the phone at (205) 665-6100. We'll post here again once the connectivity problem is resolved.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

International Information Sources


The University of Montevallo is host to students from more than 20 countries this fall. We've put together a page of links to newspapers and other media services representing those nations.

Our International Information Sources page contains links to media outlets from the following countries:
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • Indonesia
  • Japan
  • Kenya
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Russia
  • Serbia
  • South Africa
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Trinidad
  • United Kingdom
Want to suggest a link for our page? Contact me at cooperjd@montevallo.edu.

Photo credit: "United Nations Building," by Zane Edwards. Creative Commons license

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Harbert Writing Center Competition Winners Reading

The Harbert Writing Center is hosting a reading of Montevallo's student writers this Wednesday, November 19th at 12:00.

This year's winning poets are Josh Womack for his works "The Trielegiad" and "Adieu Zeus," and Vicki Jones for her poem "You Must Be Born." The honorees for prose are Andrew Hill for "Thoughts Passing By," Matthew Lindon for "The Schism," and Abbey Davis for "Art; Defined."

The event will last for about an hour at the Writing Center, which is located in room 311, Comer Hall. Light refreshments will be served. You may RSVP for this event on Facebook.

On another note, I'd like to acknowledge the work of the Men's Soccer team. The squad's season came to an end this weekend at the NCAA South Region Tournament as they lost a close and hard-fought match to No. 11 ranked University of Tampa, 1-0. The Falcon men end the 2008 campaign with an impressive 15-6-0 record after making their third-straight NCAA Tournament. Congratulations on a great season, guys.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Heatherly, Hanbury Interviewed for Shelby County Reporter Story

With less than three and a half hours until our Spooks in the Stacks event tonight, what better time to read a story about UM's ghosts? Amy Gordon of the Shelby County Reporter interviewed Carmichael Archivist and Reference Librarian Carey Heatherly for a timely feature story. Also quoted is our Archives student assistant Dallas Hanbury.

This story appeared in the Reporter on October 29, 2008.

Access to The Chronicle of Higher Education

We just recently noticed that it's not clear in the catalog how to access the most current content in The Chronicle.

The following link should work:

The Chronicle of Higher Education

If you are a student or faculty, you should be able to get the most current content by clicking on the above link and entering your university ID.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Spooks in the Stacks Is Almost Here!

If you've been following our blog this week you may have seen our Spooks in the Stacks countdown clock in the sidebar. Soon it will be less than 24 hours before the haunting begins!

Don't miss us tomorrow night starting at 7:30. Witness the thrills of Carmichael Hall and enjoy our new take on one of UM's longest running traditions: the retelling of ghost stories. Also happening tomorrow night:

- Meet members of Birmingham Paranormal, who will be on hand to play sound clips of the spooky activity that they've recorded in UM's King House.

- Observe the work of Dr. Eric Vaccarella's Spanish students in the library foyer. Ten ceremonial altars are now on display as part of the library's annual Day of the Dead celebration.

- Watch an episode of "Real Scary Stories" that aired in the year 2000. The show was taped in Main Hall and other campus locales and later aired on cable television.

- Peruse original documents that our librarians have located in the University Archives, including some of the papers that concern Montevallo's legendary ghost stories. You'll be able to look at these real relics on the library's Ground Floor.

Lastly, be warned that we've got a couple of surprises that we're not going to reveal until you walk through the doors of Carmichael Hall. Tomorrow night, enter the library at your own risk!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Day of the Dead Setup Shots


Here are just a few shots from today's action on the Main Floor of the library. The setup for our annual Day of the Dead event is always a flurry of activity, and it's also a lot of fun. These pictures give you an idea of what it's like to watch our students exercise their creativity and apply what they've learned about other cultures.


Stay tuned to this blog next week for pictures of our students' completed altars, and don't forget to mark your calendar for next Friday when Dr. Vaccarella's students return to the library to present their work. We will also be joined by visiting students from Montevallo High School and from Alabaster's Thompson Middle School.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Charlie Conway Interviewed for UM Theatre Website

Carmichael Library's own Charlie Conway was recently interviewed for UM's Theatre website:

On the verge of his graduation from UM, Music major and philosophy student Charlie Conway reflected on his time and work with UM Theatre as he prepared to open his third original performance piece at the university. Conway also performed in UM Theatre productions of The American Clock and The Normal Heart; created the sound score and played multiple instruments for The Serpent; played guitar for Godspell; and was co-sound designer and stage manager/assistant director on Molly Sweeney (while also taking a variety of acting and academic theatre classes)...

You may know that Charlie will soon be leaving us for New York City. You can read the full text of his interview at the Division of Theatre website.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Robert L. Robinson Gets Caught Reading


Photo Credit: Joel Bullock

For our latest installment of Get Caught Reading, we asked Robert L. Robinson, UM Coordinator of Multicultural Student Affairs, the following:

1) What are you reading?

The Autobiography of Medgar Evers, with commentaries by Myrlie Evers-Willams and Manning Marable. I also just finished The Shack by William P. Young. I would highly recommend both books.

2) Why did you choose this book?

Medgar Evers has been a hero of mine since I was a child. I was born and raised in Mississippi and learned about the courage of Medgar Evers and other civil leaders at a very early age. I have always felt that "history" has never given him the recognition he deserves. The Shack was a recommendation from my wife.

3) How do you use your campus library?

I often go there to gather information on or research a specific topic and end up leaving having learned something on multiple topics. The librarians are some of the friendliest and smartest people on campus. It is just a great environment in which to learn.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Voter Registration Deadline This Friday, October 24th


Alabama voters have until this Friday, October 24th, to register for the November 4th general election. If you're a UM student remember that you have the right to vote in Montevallo even if your permanent address is different than your current address (although you may need to update your registration.) To check your registration status use the Alabama Secretary of State's Alabama Votes website. To find registrars for other states, or to pick up a registration form, visit us here in the library.

The Alabama Votes website also has sample ballots, information on absentee ballots, and a number of other resources for voters. You can also reach the Secretary of State's Elections Division toll free at (800) 274-8683.

Día de los Muertos, October 31st


For the seventh consecutive year, Carmichael Library celebrates Día de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead in English.) Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated mainly in Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage living in the United States and Canada. The holiday is dedicated to the remembrance of friends and relatives who have died.

Following the customs of this tradition, the library's foyer will contain ceremonial altars built by students of Dr. Eric Vaccarella's Spanish classes. The altars will be constructed on the morning of Friday, October the 24th, and will be on display through the first days of November.

The library invites all members of the UM community to meet Dr. Vaccarella's students when they present their work at 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM on Friday, October 31st. Refreshments will be served.

You may RSVP for Día de los Muertos or see photos from last year's event on Facebook.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Spooks in the Stacks, October 30th


On the night before Halloween, Carmichael Library and the University Program Council (UPC) will bring you plenty of spooks! We'll have readings of Montevallo's legendary ghost stories and we'll show a Real Scary Stories episode that was filmed on the UM campus and later aired on national television. The Birmingham Paranormal group will be on hand to demonstrate the paranormal sounds and activity they've documented in King House. Our annual Day of the Dead display will be visible in the library foyer. Refreshments will be served. On Thursday, October 30th at 7:30 pm join us at the library, if you dare!

Special thanks to the UPC for co-sponsoring this event! If you'd like, you can RSVP for Spooks in the Stacks on Facebook.

Photo by Joel Bullock

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Rolling Stone Gets New Look

The Associated Press reports that Rolling Stone magazine is making the move to a standard size for the first time in over 40 years:
Rolling Stone magazine is shrinking with the times.

After more than four decades of standing out with a larger format than other magazines, it will step back and look like everyone else starting with the Oct. 30 issue, due out this week.

The adoption of a standard format could boost single-copy sales and reduce production costs for advertising inserts such as scent strips and tear-out postcards. The magazine says any cost savings, though, will be offset by the inclusion of more pages and the shift to thicker, glossier paper... (read on)
You'll be able to see the new-look Rolling Stone later this week in the library's Browsing area, which immediately to your left as your enter the library on the Main Level.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Find Carmichael Library on Facebook!

We first announced our Facebook Fan Page back in the spring. Since then, we've found dozens of fans among Montevallo students, staff, and faculty, as well as a few others who are following us in the popular social networking site. Join us today! Here's some of what you'll find on Carmichael Library's Facebook page:
  • The library's Flickr photo collection
  • Information on schedule changes and upcoming library events
  • The newest additions to the library's Browsing book collection
  • Headlines from this blog, and more!
If you're a Facebook user, let your friends and contacts know that you're a fan of Carmichael Library. Just click on the Find us... button below to get started.


Thursday, September 25, 2008

Municipal Run-off Elections, October 7th

If you're not already on the voting rolls, tomorrow is the deadline to register for the October 7th Municipal Run-off Elections. As a result of the votes that took place in August, several area towns and cities will hold run-offs for some offices. Voters in the cities of Montevallo, Pelham, and Columbiana will chose mayors on this Election Day.

For information on the run-offs in your area, check with your county's Board of Registrars. Links to a couple of Boards' websites are below. One nice feature on the Shelby County Board of Registrars' site is the ability to check your registration status and polling place online. Again, be sure to sure to verify your polling place with city or government officials to avoid confusion on Election Day.

Coming up soon in our Alabama Votes series: The deadline for the fall general election will soon be here!

Encyclopedia of Alabama

The Alabama Humanities Foundation, Auburn University, and various others have collaborated to produce the Encyclopedia of Alabama. EOA offers comprehensive information in the areas of history, culture, geography, and environment. It is frequently updated.

EOA gives the following essay on Alabama (by historian Wayne Flynt) as an introduction to the site's content.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Lisa Loeb Talks Libraries

I've long been a fan of Lisa Loeb. The singer-songwriter is best known for her song "Stay (I Missed You)," which reached no. 1 on the pop charts. The song was also featured in the film "Reality Bites" and a music video directed by the film’s star, Ethan Hawke. Loeb recently appeared in this short video produced by the American Library Association's Public Information Office.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Catalog Working Again

The catalog is working again! Yippie! We'll let you know through this blog if additional problems arise.

Library Catalog Down

The library catalog is currently down. We're having server problems, and Computer Services is working with us to solve the problem. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

An Encyclopedia for Alabama

Such was the title of a recent op/ed in the Birmingham News about the state's new online reference website. The Encyclopedia of Alabama, which was officially launched this Monday, contains more than 500 articles, 2,000 photographs and more than four hours of video and audio clips.

The editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia is Wayne Flynt, professor emeritus of Auburn University's history department. Flynt, whose published works include Alabama in the Twentieth Century, has worked for several years to make this resource a reality.

This impressive website is a project of the University of Alabama Press, Auburn University, and the Alabama Humanities Foundation. This is a very worthwhile resource, one of the few of its kind in the nation, and something that all Alabamians should be proud of.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Electing a US President in Plain English

I saw this piece on a friend's blog recently and I knew I'd found the library's latest Alabama Votes post. The Common Craft Show is devoted to making "complex ideas easy to understand using short and simple videos." Lee and Sachi LeFever usually take on highly technical topics, such as social bookmarking, Twitter, and RSS, but this time they've turned their attention to national politics and the electoral college.



We'll be returning next week with our Alabama Votes series. Stay tuned for a post about the runoff municipal elections taking place in October.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

metacritic.com

If you're looking for movie, CD, and game reviews, check out metacritic.com. Metacritic links out to reviews in several online publications.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

ForUM Intro for Students Today, September 3rd


We're teaming up with the Student Government Association to host a ForUM introductory session in the EBSCO Electronic Classroom in Carmichael Library. ForUM Committee Chair Rosemary Arneson will give an overview of Montevallo's new online portal and an introduction to many of the features. Personnel from the Computer Services Help Desk will be available to help students who are having difficulty accessing ForUM or ForUM email.

Today's session will begin at 5:30. All participants will get a free ForUM mousepad (pictured above) as well as other goodies. We hope to see you there!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

New EBSCOhost 2.0 Interface

You may have noticed some fairly extensive changes to the EBSCOhost Interface. The Alabama Virtual Library hosts both a training session via Flash Player and PowerPoint for the new 2.0 interface. Please see the links below.

Basic Searching for Academic Libraries

(Flash 5:25 min,

PowerPoint 1.35 mb)

If you're interested in learning more about new EBSCO 2.0 features and would like to see a demo, please contact me by phone or email.

Live Help! Internet Message a Librarian

The Librarians at Carmichael are launching a new service called Live Help.If you need online help with library resources and you want to chat with a UM librarian within the designated hours, click here and type in the Live Help box. Note: be sure you've disabled your pop-up blocker before you use this service.

If you see that our status is "offline," please contact us through one of the following links:

What do librarians fear most?


Water! No, we don't melt like the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz when you throw water on us, but water and books do not go together very well. Bindings warp, paper expands, and, worst of all, mold grows very well on damp books.

For this reason, we were alarmed to learn late yesterday afternoon that the recent heavy rains had caused our roof to leak in several places. Staff members Carey Heatherly, Amanda Melcher, Joel Bullock, and Charlie Conway immediately started covering the books stacks under the leaks with plastic, and, fortunately, no books were damaged.

David Pritchett, head of the Physical Plant, told me this morning that we're going to be getting a new roof on the library before too long.

What should you do if you have a book that gets wet? If it's a library book, please get it back to us immediately so that we can take appropriate action! If you can't get the book to the library quickly, wrap the book in freezer paper (if possible) and put it in the freezer. Really! This won't "solve" the problem, but it will keep the damage from getting any worse. A frost-free freezer will help the water in the book evaporate over time.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Welcome Back!

Welcome back! We've had a busy summer here in the library, and we're looking forward to even more excitement as the academic year unfolds. There are not a lot of immediately obvious changes in the library or its website, but there are a number of changes afoot.

First, we're beginning the planning process for transforming Carmichael Library from a conventional academic library into a Learning Commons. This transformation is one of the goals included in the University's Strategic Plan, which will be presented to the Board of Trustees in November. We'll be posting more information on the Learning Commons planning process to this blog as the year goes along.

Second, you'll notice that the Library has a number of channels in ForUM, the University's new web portal. I have served as the chair of the committee, and Alan May and Jason Cooper have put a lot of work into connecting ForUM to the library's services. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to make ForUM more useful to you, and stay tuned for news about additional features to be implemented this fall.

Third, Carey Heatherly, our University Archivist, worked with a number of interns from the History program over the summer on getting our archives better organized. There's still a huge amount of work to be done, but we're making slow, steady progress. Space for the Archives is also included in the Strategic Plan.

We hope your year is getting off to a good start. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Wedgwood and Squirrels

A recent donation of Wedgwood china, to the University Archives, has ignited a flurry of curiosity here at Carmichael Library. Beginning in the 1920s, the famed Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Company would often team up with colleges and universities to create decorative china. Frequently, the selling of this dinnerware was a means for alumni offices to raise funds.

In 1946, the Alabama College Alumnae Office formed a partnership with Wedgwood to highlight this campus. Reynolds Hall was chosen for the first plate in the series. The official description of this piece reads, "Combining beauty and usefulness these commemorative plates will be of interest to all graduates, students, and friends of Alabama College. The center depicts a charming view of Reynolds Hall and is framed by a border of wisteria, squirrels and nuts."


"Squirrels?!" Graduates and current students can certainly attest to the fact that our campus features an abundant population of squirrels. But if other schools chose pines, dogwoods, and other ornate symbols, Alabama College choose the squirrel?

Further archival research suggests the administration lead a campaign to introduce a scurry of squirrels in 1927. While we haven’t found evidence as to why the administration pursued squirrels, we can assume a healthy population existed by the 1940s. During this era, the student newspaper introduced an editorial cartoon that touted campus situations as seen by a squirrel.


Whatever the reason for their introduction, squirrels are now a common sight and cherished icon at the University of Montevallo. For more information, please visit our display cases on the first floor Carmichael Library or view photos on our Flickr account.

Photos taken by Joel Bullock

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

New Reference: Cultural Studies, the Environment and More

The Carmichael Library has recently accumulated a bevy of new and and exciting reference books. The diversity of the new additions to the reference collection speaks to the focused flexibility the library can provide at any step in a research project.

Historical Dictionary of the Green Movement

Elim Papadakis, Professor of Modern European Studies at The Australian National University, has provided a lucid account of the various machinations of environmental activism. Loosely speaking, the book devotes itself to a kind of clear archeology of green movements and parties over the course of human-occupied millenia.

African American National Biography

A product of the union of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University and Oxford University Press, the African American National Biography examines 4,100 commonly and uncommonly known lives in an effort to scan an image of African American experience. To its credit, the book attempts to circumvent the limits of the typical lists based on celebrity and recognized ingenuity, opening the field of vision to include some of those everyday lives that tend to disappear into more private geneologies.

Saving the Earth as a Career

For anyone interested in becoming a conservation professional, Saving the Earth as a Career opens the field up in a clear way to provide a practical guide to the various possible entry points.

The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Love, Courtship, & Sexuality Through History


Engaging the span from prehistory to an era some have called 'the end of history', this Greenwood volume attempts to look at love and sexuality on the myriad, diffuse terms of each respectively. The denotation of the umbrella terms 'love', 'courtship', and 'sexuality' serves as a kind of provisionally essentialist grounding upon which to draw up similarities and dissimilarities across borders. When removed from the context of the broad, binding terms in the title, the entry list of the book reads like an list of disparate or eclectic errata: abortion, daoism, Joan of Arc, bestiality, painting, virginity, Ottoman women, Benjamin Franklin, geisha, divorce, etc.

Icons of Hip Hop

This Greenwood 2-volume set seeks to balance an attentive devotion to 24 prominent hip-hop artists with the extended family of the genre, its influences as well as the objects of its post-productive appropriations. From DJs Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash to Kanye West, the iconology limits its primary focuses in order to smoothly and helpfully digress into such subjects as "the mixtape, the concept of a "beef," the 808 drum machine, and anti-Semitism in rap, to name a few. A timeline of hip hop history is also included." (Reference & Research Book News August 2007)

Encyclopedia of American Indian Literature

So often glossed over in even the more substantive typical North American literary bibliographies, the work of American Indians finds itself lit in this particular encyclopedia. The book provides an insightful lauch pad for private projects as well as for more expansive programs in American-Indian studies.

Encyclopedia of American Indian History

From precontact history to the shift marked by European assimilation, research in American Indian experience over time would do well to begin here. The book works to manifest an implicit dialog between the scholarly historical narratives of both Native and non-Native Americans.

Power Restored, August 20th

The Library lost power at approximately 2:20 p.m. There were a number of students in the building at the time and we apologize for the inconvenience. Power was restored to the building at approximately 2:45 p.m. Our Reference Commons terminals and wireless access are all up and running. We remain open to assist UM students, staff, and faculty until 5:00 p.m. today.

Power Outage, August 20th

As I write, Carmichael Hall is currently without power. It's our understanding that other parts of town are also in the dark. Stay tuned to this page for further information.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Monday, August 18, 2008

Muncipal Elections, August 26th


Another voting day is rapidly approaching and will be here a week from tomorrow, August 26th. Elections for city offices, including mayors and city and town council representatives, will take place on that Tuesday across Shelby County.

Montevallo residents may be interested in another candidate forum, which will take place this Wednesday the 20th at Eclipse Coffee and Books on Main Street. All candidates appearing on the Montevallo ballot have been invited to participate in this moderated session. Meeting organizers will allow questions from citizens. The forum begins at 7:00 p.m.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Back to School Bash '08, Coming August 25th

The University Program Council (UPC) has announced that this year's Back to School Bash will take place on Main and King Quads on Monday, August 25th. Music, food, and prizes will be in the mix, and there will be a Rockband/Guitar Hero Competition. DJ Big Sweatt will again be back to spin the soundtrack for another fantastic Montevallo welcome!

For those of you who Facebook, the UPC is promoting the bash there.

For those wondering what B2SB is all about, check out one of our blog posts from last year.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Physicist Debunks Cellphone Popcorn Viral Videos

Our own Skeptic-in-Residence, Amanda Melcher, found this cool story on Wired.com's blog The Underwire:
YouTube videos that show a group of friends apparently cooking kernels of popcorn with their cellphones have been viewed more than a million times since they were uploaded last week.

The clever parlor trick (see embedded clip) looks amazing enough, but there's a hitch: It's not physically possible, according to University of Virginia physics professor Louis Bloomfield... (read on)



I was reminded of how much effort libraries and librarians put into teaching their users how to recognize the authority of the information they find on the Internet. A well-known example of this problem is illustrated by a web site that appears to be dedicated to a civil rights icon of the 20th century. At first glance, the site appears to be a legitimate source of information, but one sees warning signs a mere click or two into the content.

In addition to the popular Snopes.com, there are a number of terrific library guides that show you how to evaluate the information you've found. My favorite is the CRAAP (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose) Test, developed by the library at California State University in Chico. (Here's one page devoted to the CRAAP Test, hosted by the library at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.)

Just for fun, here's another recent and widely circulated urban legend. I wonder how many bottles of soda were wasted on this one: The Mountain Dew Glow!

Monday, August 04, 2008

E-Journal Cleanup Complete


Our sentiments exactly! We have removed over 1,300 outdated records from the catalog over the past week. The problem that I described last week is now resolved.

Thanks for your patience as we update the catalog!

Image credit: I Can Has Cheezburger

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Municipal Election Forums

If you're a Shelby County resident you may be interested in a series of upcoming forums taking place next month. The forums, sponsored by the Shelby County Reporter and the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, will take Monday, August 11th through Wednesday, August 19th in cities and towns across the county that have a contested mayoral race. All candidates who have qualified in the municipal election have been invited to the forums.

All of the candidate forums will begin at 6:30 p.m. Locations and dates are as follows:
  • City of Alabaster @ Thompson H.S., August 11th, 2008
  • City of Chelsea @ Chelsea H.S., August 11th, 2008
  • Town of Wilton @ Montevallo H.S., August 11th, 2008
  • City of Montevallo @ Montevallo H.S., August 12th, 2008
  • City of Columbiana @ Shelby County H.S., August 12th, 2008
  • City of Pelham @ Pelham H.S., August 12th, 2008
  • Town of Vincent @ Vincent Middle-H.S., August 12th, 2008
  • Town of Westover @ ServPro, August 18th, 2008
  • City of Calera @ Calera H.S., August 19th, 2008
  • Town of Wilsonville @ Wilsonville Town Hall, August 19th, 2008
On the Web:

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

E-Journal Cleanup Currently in Progress

A quick note from the Technical Services Department, where we are now busy rooting out some older e-journal records. One of our routine tasks is to remove records for journal titles for which we no longer have full text access. (As part of this process, many journal titles are added every month as well.)

Due to a technical issue with a vendor we have an unusually large number of records to remove this month. I'm posting a note here because it's going to take our small staff several days to resolve this problem.

In the meantime, you may encounter a message that looks like this when you click through from the catalog to our Full-Text Electronic Journal List screen:
If you get this message, you've stumbled onto one of the records that needs to be removed. My (ambitious) goal is to have this work completed by the end of the week, and I'll post here again when we've gotten the issue resolved.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Kay Ryan Named U.S. Poet Laureate

Kay Ryan replaces Charles Simic as Poet Laureate. An article on Ryan from the International Herald Tribune can be found here.

See more on Ryan, read her work, and hear her read her poems at the Academy of American Poets website.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Justice For Vandals Is Poetic

I wanted to share a link from a recent edition of NPR's Talk of the Nation.
Last December, students from Middlebury College broke into the Homer Noble Farm in Ripton, Vt. — the place where poet Robert Frost spent his summers — to hold a party. Before it was over, the house was trashed, with broken china and furniture throughout. Some of the 28 people charged with trespassing and vandalism accepted an unusual plea agreement — they had to take a class on Robert Frost.

Jay Parini, a professor of English and creative writing at Middlebury College, talks about instructing some of these students in poetry and poetic justice.

I thought this a fascinating interview on how poetry can be used to teach life lessons. While we don't yet have his latest book, Why Poetry Matters, you'll find many others written by or edited by Dr. Parini in our catalog.

Friday, July 11, 2008

SOAR Information Fair, July 15-16

Carmichael Library will be among the nearly 20 campus organizations and offices represented at the SOAR (Student Orientation and Registration) Information Fair. The Fair will feature representatives from the McNair Scholars program, the Office of Student Support Services, the Black Student Union, the Office of Student Life, and Gold and Purple Side leaders just to name a few.

Carmichael faculty and staff will be on hand to greet incoming freshmen and their parents, and to answer any questions our new students have about library services. The Fair will take place Tuesday, July 14th and Wednesday, July 15th from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.

Please join us at the SOAR Information Fair in King House Quad (just across from the library) next week!

Catalog Problems Resolved

Our apologies to those who were inconvenienced while attempting to use our public catalog earlier today. As always, please call or e-mail us should you experience any problems while using the catalog. Some issues, such as today's minor glitch, can be resolved in just a few minutes.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

McNair scholars' presentations, July 2nd


Dallas Hanbury, McNair scholar
Originally uploaded by carmichaellibrary

Today marks the fifth annual McNair Scholars Program Research Presentations. Most of the librarians are dividing their time between Wills and Carmichael Halls to watch our talented students present their research.

Many believe the McNair program is a bright spot for the university, a sentiment that was offered by UM President Philip Williams in his remarks this morning. The library continues to support UM's McNair scholars by pairing each student with a librarian, one of two faculty mentors who guide students through the research process.

The presentations will continue through the three o'clock hour in the Wills Hall Master classroom on the second floor.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

New DVDs for June 2008


New DVDs!
Originally uploaded by carmichaellibrary

Here are just a few of the titles that will be available for checkout tomorrow at your campus library. New feature films, documentaries, and more are here, just in time for the weekend!

The new titles include:

Dreamgirls - Three young women Deena Jones, Effie White, and Lorrell Robinson desire to become pop stars. They get their wish when they are picked to be backup singers for the legendary James "Thunder" Early. When they are set free for leads, Curtis Taylor and Effie's brother C.C. decide that Deena should be the lead singer, which upsets Effie. The girls discover exactly what it takes to be in the music business and what they must give up to realize their dream.

7 Secrets of Savvy Students: Study Smarter, not Harder - The Cracking College DVD teaches proven suuess tactics that show students how to attack college efficiently and effectively from the very first day.

Aida - In this opera by Giuseppi Verdi, Aida, an Ethiopian princess, is captured and brought into slavery in Egypt. A military commander, Radames, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh. To complicate the story further, Radames is loved by the Pharaoh's daughter Amneris, although he does not return the feeling. This San Francisco Opera edition features Luciano Pavarotti and Margaret Price.

The House of Sand - A woman and her mother are sent to an island and spend almost 60 years trying to leave it. Follow three generations of the woman's family as they all try and find happiness on a lagoon surrounded by shifting dunes.

La Vie en Rose - Raised in a brothel, then wrested from the only life she knew by her father, so they could join the circus, Edith Piaf spent her teen years on the streets. She is finally "rescued" by a crime figure who gives her career a start and, ultimately, by her international success and final illness. Always frail, sickly, malnourished, and wildly temperamental, she was often on drugs or alcohol and was always in search of true love. Middleweight boxer, Marcel Cerdan, captures her heart and gives her something to live for, besides her music--at least for a while.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Mississippi State University Library 2.0 Summit

Rosemary Arneson, Jason Cooper, and I are attending the MSU Library 2.0 Summit. For some time, we've been using "2.0" technologies to reach out to students and faculty through different online resources.

At this very moment, I'm sitting in a session on Facebook (if you haven't before, check out our Facebook page).

(Must. Type. Quietly.)

Later on, Rosemary will lead a session on work she's done with our wikispace account for her Honors 308 class (you can see the wikipage here).

Here's a shoutout to everybody at Carmichael Library. Happy Friday!

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Harbert Writing Center Summer I Term Hours

Looking for help with your papers? The Harbert Writing Center is open Monday-Friday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

HWC offers one-on-one assistance to writers at all stages of the writing process. The Center also offers computers for composing and revising papers, as well as grammar handbooks and MLA, APA and Chicago style books.

The Center is located in Room 311, Comer Hall

For more information visit HWC online: www.montevallo.edu/hwc/

Monday, May 26, 2008

Memorial Day at the Anagama Kiln

I wanted to share a couple of thoughts from my trip to UM's anagama kiln today. I was there for over an hour in the mid-afternoon and had a chance to chat with Scott Meyer, a couple of our student artists, and some visiting artists from the faculty at UAB.

This weekend's action is the twelfth firing of the anagama kiln since its maiden blast back in the spring of 2002. Once again, I was impressed with the mammoth effort that it takes to keep Fat Bastard up and running. While I was there, I caught the four o'clock temperature reading, which registered just above 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit in two rear locations and 2,375 degrees in the front fire pit. No more than five or ten minutes passed between stoking and feeding the flame.

The artists participating in this May 2008 firing have started a photo pool, which you can check out here. There's not too much there at this point, as most of the people involved in the project have likely been too busy to post their shots, but we'll be adding the library's photos there. As always, you can view all of the pics we've taken on our Flickr.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Photos: Anagama Fire!


Anagama fire!
Originally uploaded by
carmichaellibrary

This is the view from campus today as UM Professor of Art Scott Meyer, along with dozens of volunteers and area artists, celebrate the latest firing of Montevallo's own anagama kiln, also known as Fat Bastard.

The firing will continue through the holiday weekend and the unloading will take place on the 3rd of June. Visitors are welcome!

Check out a few more shots of today's events at our Flickr.

Monday, May 19, 2008

GreenFile

EBSCO has made GreenFILE freely accessible via the WWW. GreenFILE is an ecology database that focuses on the relationship between humans and the environment. You can use this resource to find information on environmental topics such as global warming, recycling, and alternative fuel resources.

According to EBSCO's website, GreenFILE includes abstracts and indexes for more than 600 titles and "comprehensive coverage – from volume 1, issue 1 to present – for Bioscience (back to 1964), Conservation Biology (back to 1987), Journal of Ecology (back to 1913) and Journal of Environmental Planning & Management (back to 1948). The total number of records is approximately 295,000, and full text is provided for more than 4,600 records from open access titles."

You can access GreenFile by clicking here and logging in through our proxy server, or you can use the following direct link for easy access:

http://www.greeninfoonline.com

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Library Services Restored, May 17th

We've been checking access to the library web site and catalog throughout the day and these services have now been restored. We'll be back in the library Monday morning at 8:00 AM to assist you with all of your research needs.

Friday, May 16, 2008

University Servers Down Tomorrow, May 17th

We have received the following information from Computer Services:
Please be advised that necessary maintenance to the university’s server room electrical system will be performed tomorrow Saturday, May 17th beginning at 6:30 am. At that time, all systems (including email, the Admin system, Banner, web access, internet connectivity, network shares, etc) will be unavailable while this work is performed. Services will be restored as quickly as possible. We estimate that it could take more than 12 hours to complete all tasks, but some services will be restored as soon as they become available. Please direct any questions or concerns to the Help Desk at (205) 665-6520 or via email to helpdesk@montevallo.edu.
This outage will affect the library's catalog and remote database access. We'll be checking the status of the library's servers throughout the day tomorrow and we'll post here when our systems are again available.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Harbert Writing Center May Term Hours

This information comes from Glenda Conway, Associate Professor of English and Coordinator of the Harbert Writing Center:
The Harbert Writing Center is open during May Term from 10:00-2:00.

Members of the University of Montevallo community are welcome to come to the Center to meet with a Writing Consultant or to use the resources (including computers, grammar and documentation guides, or simply the comfortable space).

Harbert Writing Center consultants are trained to work with writers at all stages of the composing process.
The Writing Center is located in Comer Hall, room 311. The phone number is 665-6438.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Are You a Fan of Carmichael Library?


If so, connect with us on Facebook!

Last week, we launched our new Facebook page, which is loaded with photos, useful web links, and general information about the library. What's more, you can interact with us there by adding your own links, photos and comments. This week we're asking our Facebook fans to sign off on the Discussion Board. Our question: What's on your summer reading list?

We've added two dozen student and staff fans in our first few days, and we're ready for more! Our Facebook page is a convenient way for you to keep up with what's new at your campus library.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

University Web Site Access Restored

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the earlier problems with the UM web site appear to resolved. We lost access to the university web site shortly before 11:00 AM. The site was again working as of approximately 11:15. Thankfully, this outage did not affect the library catalog or access to full text journals, but it's never a bad idea to have these links bookmarked should we experience further problems.

As always, you can check our blog for any news we receive from Computer Services about planned down times.

Monday, April 21, 2008

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month


Sexual Assault Awareness Month is a time for individuals and organizations to come together to raise awareness and to take action against sexual assault. Carmichael Library is teaming up with our partners in the Counseling and Career Center to present a collection of books and other resources in an effort to raise awareness among the UM community.

The following resources were selected by Kassie Doggett of the Counseling and Career Center:
  • SafeHouse of Shelby County - www.safehouse.org Crisis Line: (205) 664-SAFE or 1-800 650-6522
  • Crisis Center - www.crisiscenterbham.com Rape Response Line: (205) 323-7273 (RAPE) or 1-888-323-7273 (RAPE)
  • Alabama Coalition Against Rape - www.acar.org
  • Rape Abuse Incest National Network: The nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization - www.rainn.org
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline - 1 (800) 656-4673 (HOPE)
Additionally, the following books may be of interest:
Finally, the Counseling and Career Center is partnering with the Office of Student Life and SafeHouse to host a sexual abuse awareness presentation entitled "Sexual Assault: What Women and Men Should Know." The program will conclude with a candlelight vigil this Wednesday, the 23rd. This event begins at 7:00 PM in Harman Hall, Room 103. For more information on this event, call the Counseling and Career Center at 665-6262 or Student Life at 665-6565.

Related: Recognizing RAINN Day

Inman Majors at Carmichael Library

I was thrilled to be in the audience this past Friday afternoon to hear Inman Majors read from his hilarious novel Wonderdog (2004). Majors was in the library to deliver the Fiction Keynote Reading for this year's Montevallo Literary Festival. Congratulations to our own Alan May and the many other individuals who made this year's festival a success!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Montevallo Literary Festival, Friday and Saturday, April 18th and 19th

We're gearing up for the Montevallo Literary Festival which is this Friday and Saturday, April the 18th and 19th.

This years headliners include Barry Hannah, Claudia Emerson, Steve Harper, and Inman Majors

Also Starring:

Chad Davidson, Todd Dills, Susannah Felts, Wayne Greenhaw, Tina Harris, Pete McCommons, Aaron Parrett, Chelsea Rathburn, Philip Shirley, Jeff Weddle

Click here to see the Literary Festival's website, and schedule of events.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Find the Best Career @ Your Library

Among the 31 careers listed by US News and World Report as offering strong outlooks and high job satisfaction is the profession of librarianship! US News calls librarians "high-tech information sleuths, helping researchers plumb the oceans of information available in books and digital records." The work is fun, rewarding, and never boring, especially as the technology for finding and delivering information evolves.

Interested in checking out library work? We have some slots available for student workers for May and Summer terms, and it's not too early to put in your application for next year. Stop by the Circulation Desk on the main floor and ask for an application.

Find out more about librarianship and the other top careers at:
http://www.usnews.com/features/business/best-careers/best-careers-2008.html

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Remembering the Titanic


It was 96 years ago today that the RMS Titanic sank while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The massive luxury liner struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage to New York City and sank less than three hours later. The accident, which is still counted among the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history, killed over 1,500 people and had profound implications for ship design, maritime regulations, and seafaring culture.

The display just beyond the library's foyer is the creative work of our technical services student assistant Tiffany Walker. At our display you can browse a selection of materials available for check out or read sections from the April 16, 1912 edition of the New York Times. You can also look at the paper directly online by using our link to Proquest Historical Newspapers.*

In pulling together these materials a few weeks ago I was struck at how this disaster still captures the imagination of millions, even after nearly 100 years have passed. I hope that some of you will be interested in further readings on this significant historic event.

* For more information on the historical New York Times, check out Alan May's previous post on the topic.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Montevallo Rocks the Vote

This news comes from the Office of Student Life:
The University Program Council (UPC) will sponsor “Rock the Vote,” Tuesday, April 15, at 7 p.m., at the McChesney Student Activity Center.

“Rock the Vote” engages youth in the political process by incorporating the entertainment community and youth culture into its activities. It harnesses cutting-edge trends and pop culture to make political participation cool, and mobilizes young people to create positive social and political change in their lives and communities. The goal of “Rock the Vote” is to increase youth voter turnout, with the intention of ensuring that young people take advantage of their right to vote.

“Rock The Vote” will feature hosts Rachel and Shane from MTV's Real World/Road Rules cast. They will give a breakdown of each presidential candidate. In addition, there will be a question-and-answer period, and a meet-and-greet and autograph session with the hosts at the end of the program.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate, let their voices be heard and obtain answers to questions they may have about the candidates and the political process.

Questions about the event? Contact Melvin Milton, UPC Coordinator, at Ext. 6565, or via e-mail at upcmontevallo@yahoo.com.
If you still have doubts that your vote counts, consider this: Rock the Vote has reported that the under-30 vote has quadrupled in Tennessee and tripled in Georgia when compared to the year 2000.

Remember that you can always pick up your voter registration form at the Ask Here desk if you haven't already registered for the November elections. Not sure if you're ready for the fall? Any questions about your registration can be answered by your county's Board of Registrars. A complete list is also available here at the library.

Also on the Web:

New Audio Downloads Now Available

As always, your campus library is busy lining up plenty of quality audio content. If you've followed our blog, you know that Alexander Street Press, the publisher of Classical Music Library, has been making free music downloads available for a while now. The latest of these is Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26. This recording features the Frenchman violin virtuoso Jean-Pierre Wallez in concert with the Luxembourg Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Classical Music Library has been giving away some terrific recordings this year and you can track all of them at the Alexander Street Music blog. Grab your free copy of the Bruch concerto in MP3 or WMA format from the CML free download page. It's available there through next week.

If our downloadable audiobooks are closer to your listening taste, I'd like to recommend a pair of our recent acquisitions. First, Redneck Riviera: Armadillos, Outlaws, and the Demise of an American Dream, by Dennis Covington is a read that's both harrowing and hilarious. Redneck Riviera is the true story of Covington's bizarre encounters with a lawless band of gun-toting swamp-dwellers in Central Florida who've illegally claimed the two-and-a-half acres of land he inherited from his father.

Second and lastly, I enjoyed The Summer We Got Saved, by Pat Cunningham Devoto. Tab and Tina, relatives of a founder of Ku Klux Klan, are whisked away to an interracial Civil Rights school one summer. There, they befriend both a black polio patient and the biracial daughter of a Yankee and a Civil Rights leader. Can the girls be saved from the racist traditions of their Alabama family?

Friday, April 11, 2008

3rd Photo of "Self Portrait"

Self Portrait #2

Self Portrait



Come to the library and see Devon Lilly's installment entitled "Self Portrait." I'll blog a couple more pictures before the day's end. "Self Portrait" is comprised of books that are representative of the artist, and the books in total are equivalent to the artist's body weight.

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month. Come to the library and check out some poetry! We have several books on display at the "Ask Here Desk."

From the archives: "The Love Song of Martin Bormann," a poem and print from Of Desire, and the Circles of Hell: Selected Poems by Dwight Eddins; Illustrations by A. C. Sella; this is on display in a case on the main floor.

Also, check out the Academy of American Poets web site here. Today, in the "Poem a Day" section, they've posted a poem by Theodore Worozbyt, a Tuscaloosan whose book The Dauber Wings was published in 2006 by Dream Horse Press.


Friday, April 04, 2008

Library Closed Friday, April 4th

We received notice just under one hour ago that the university would close at 1:30 PM due to the threat of severe weather. Faculty and staff e-mail will also be unavailable after 2:00 PM today for a system upgrade.

Please stay tuned to local media for the latest on developing weather conditions. The library will be open tomorrow for regular Saturday hours at 10:00 AM.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Minor Work on Commons Computers


Update at 10:30 AM. We're back up and running!

This is just a quick dispatch from the Ask Here Desk to let everyone know that there will be no access to the public computers surrounding the Desk for just a few minutes. Computer Services staff are now working to upgrade some hardware. This work should be completed shortly and does not impact any other computers in the Library building.

Thanks for your patience as we upgrade our systems!

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Who Gets Caught Reading?


With the one year anniversary of a popular blog feature now upon us, we bring you this special edition of Get Caught Reading. Tigger may not be a regular visitor to the library, but we recently learned that he is an avid reader.

In this photo, Tigger is reading The Singing Life of Birds: The Art and Science of Listening to Birdsong, by Donald E. Kroodsma. Tigger tells us that birding has long been one of his research interests.

Thanks to Joel Bullock for his clever Photoshop work here. Not that Tigger wasn't actually reading when this shot was taken. He was, honest! And lest you think that your campus library never has feline guests, take a look at this Carmichael classic from 2004. Warning: the following photo contains extreme cuteness.


Awwwwww.