Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Student Ceramics at the Library

We at Carmichael Library have had a long association with Montevallo's talented student and faculty artists so we're especially excited to present this latest display of student art. Now through Thursday you can see the work of Scott Meyer's student artists in the library foyer.

Students taking Dr. Meyer's advanced ceramics (ART325) class have not only expanded their skills on the pottery wheel, but have also taken a bold approach for students at their level. Writes Dr. Meyer, "It became evident that the group was capable of progressing along a single line of thought for the entire course. Therefore, the pieces displayed here attempt to move a single concept along as a progression from piece to piece." Meyer adds, "Most professional artists work in this fashion, but students at this level in their training typically do not gain the opportunity. This group of young artists is a rare exception."

Thanks to Scott Meyer and his students for allowing us to display their work here in the library. For those who can't come by and see this work we now have photos on our Facebook Fan Page.

Photo by Joel Bullock.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Montevallo Organization of Gaming Gets Caught Reading

Photo and graphics by Joel Bullock

Our latest edition of Get Caught Reading highlights another one of Montevallo's student organizations. In just a few short years, the Montevallo Organization of Gaming (MOG) has rapidly grown its ranks. The MOG hosts bi-weekly meetings during which they enjoy a wide variety of diversions, from classic board games to the latest action games for Playstation 3 and X-Box. We caught up with the MOG during one of its Tuesday evening meetings in Comer Hall. As you can see in this photo, the MOG is a fun group of people!

Special thanks to our own Rachel Crisson, who also serves as MOG president, for her assistance in scheduling our latest installment of Get Caught Reading.

Monday, November 23, 2009

MLK Oratorical Contest Deadline, December 1st

***Update***

This news from Robert L. Robinson, Coordinator of Multicultural Affairs:

The auditions for the MLK Oratorical Contest have been moved to Friday, December 4, 2009 from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. The location is the Multicultural Office (east wing of Main Hall aka the old Caf Office )

Photo credit: Creative Commons license


____________________

UM's Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society are sponsoring a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Contest. Participants in the contest must submit their application by Tuesday, December 1st. Contest participants will give a two-minute summary of their speech exploring the theme "How Can My Generation Fulfill King's Dream" on Wednesday, December 2nd.

The top five finalists will receive a cash prize and must agree to present their speech at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Program in the spring semester.

For more information visit the Multicultural Affairs website.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Adam Kamerer Gets Caught Reading

Photo and graphics by Joel Bullock

Adam Kamerer joined the Carmichael staff as a Reference Assistant in May of this year. His appearance on our blog marks the first time we've featured a member of the library staff in our Get Caught Reading segment. Adam, 24, graduated from Montevallo in May 2008 with a Bachelor's degree in History with a minor in Writing. Adam worked as a student assistant at the circulation desk during his undergraduate studies. Adam describes himself as an avid supporter of independent artistry, especially the Weblit movement. Adam himself is a Weblit author who publishes most of his writing on the Web under the pen-name Gabriel Gadfly.

We caught up with Adam before a shift at the Ask Here Desk.

Carmichael Library: What are you reading?

Adam Kamerer: World War Z by Max Brooks

Carmichael Library: Why did you choose this book?

Adam Kamerer: I'm a big fan of zombie culture. Movies, books, games, you name it. Max Brooks is one of the more well-known authors in that niche and his book World War Z is a collection of anecdotes from survivors of a fictional zombie apocalypse -- the characters come from all walks of life: soldiers, Buddhist monks, Girl Scout counselors, even an unscrupulous Colombian transplant surgeon.

Carmichael Library: We know it's a strange question to ask one of our own, but how do you use your campus library?

Adam Kamerer: Aside from a paycheck? [laughs] Actually, I use the library a lot even when I'm not on the clock. I don't have internet access at my apartment, so the free WiFi is a big help, and I like checking out the DVD collection. As a writer, I've found the reference collection and various academic databases really helpful -- if I need to check a fact (with more accuracy than Wikipedia provides), I can usually find a text in the reference collection to help me out. I used one just the other day to look up some info about some Jewish folk myths.

Stay tuned for another edition of Get Caught Reading coming soon!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Our New Facebook Address



It's now easier than ever to connect with Carmichael Library on Facebook. Just point your browser to http://www.facebook.com/umlibrary. There you'll find all of our latest news and photos. You can even ask us a reference question from Facebook! It all happens at http://www.facebook.com/umlibrary.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Thank You Veterans

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.

In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971.

Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on November 11.

The Difference Between Veterans Day and Memorial Day

Memorial Day honors service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military -- in wartime or peacetime.

Photo taken from Creative commons user uhuru1701. Information found at military.com.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Day of the Dead Presentations, Friday the 30th


For the eighth consecutive year, Carmichael Library will commemorate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead.) 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 is showcasing ceremonial altars built by students of Dr. Eric Vaccarella's Spanish 101 classes. This year's altars are dedicated to Elvis Presley, Patrick Swayze, Marilyn Monroe, and Paul William "Bear" Bryant. In addition, an altar has been constructed to commemorate the victims of cancer.

The public is invited to meet UM students when they present their work at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 30th. The altars will be on display in the library through Friday, November 6th.

Above is a photo from last Friday's altar setup day. The students in this photo are putting the finishing touches on their altar to Elvis Presley. For those who can't make it to the library to see these works of art in person, we'll have photos of the completed altars and other main floor decorations on our Facebook and Flickr accounts.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Spooks in the Stacks! This Friday, October 30th


We're now just four days away from Spooks in the Stacks! We've got a full program planned for this Friday, October 30th, starting at 7:00 p.m.

Birmingham Paranormal will be at the library to present the spooky sounds and activity they've documented in King House and Main Hall. Walking tours of the campus will take visitors directly to the sites of some of the school’s most famous ghost stories. Finally, the library will conduct a costume contest with prizes provided by the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce.

For those planning to participate in the costume contest, please plan to be at the library at 8:00 p.m. Judging of costumes will take place at that time and contest participants must be present to win.

Thanks to the UM Office of Public Relations, the UM Office of Student Life, and Montevallo Chamber of Commerce for their help in publicizing this week's event.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week

October 18th through the 24th marks National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week. This awareness campaign was created by the BACCHUS Network in 2008 to educate college students and young adults about both alcohol abuse and alcohol-impaired driving. Carmichael Library is working with the UM Counseling and Career Center to present resources to raise awareness of these important issues on the Montevallo campus.

Research has shown a direct correlation between alcohol consumption and academic achievement. In spite of the many risks associated with binge drinking, the average college student spends twice as much money annually on alcoholic beverages than on textbooks. Check out our display in the library foyer to learn more facts and the risks associated with alcohol abuse.

Local Resources

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with an alcohol problem, the UM Counseling Center can help. They can reached at (205) 665-6262. Other area resources include Birmingham Alcoholic Anonymous and Birmingham Al-Anon.

Library Resources

Following are several books that cover the topic:

Carson-DeWitt, Rosalyn, ed. Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior. New York: Macmillan Reference, 2001. Ref. HV5804 .E53 2001

Dodes, Lance M. The Heart of Addiction: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors. New York: Quill, 2003. RC565 .D597 2003

Kuhn, Cynthia. Buzzed: The Straight Facts About the Most and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstacy. New York: Norton, 2003. RM316. K84 2003

Other Web Resources

Alcohol: Problems & Solutions - This site contains a wealth of content from drinking and driving to alcohol fun facts

College Drinking Prevention - From the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's Task Force on College Drinking this site serves college students and their parents, as well as school administrators

Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention - From the U.S. Department of Education, this site is geared more toward administrators but has a number of up-to-date facts and statistics on alcohol abuse

Special thanks to Kassie Doggett and the UM Counseling and Career Center for their assistance with this display.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Spooks in the Stacks! October 30th


For the second year, Carmichael Library will be open late for a special Halloween event that we call Spooks in the Stacks! The thrills and chills will take place Friday, October 30th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The library is located at the corner of Highland Street and Bloch Street on the University of Montevallo campus. Attendance is free.

We've got an exciting, educational, and largely new program lined up so even if you joined us last year, you won't want to miss this special night of Carmichael Hall hauntings. Birmingham Paranormal will be on hand to play recordings of the paranormal sounds and activity they've documented in King House and Main Hall. Walking tours of the campus will take visitors directly to the sites of some of UM’s most famous ghost stories. Finally, the library will host a costume contest with prizes provided by the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce.

Spooks in the Stacks! is sponsored by the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce and the UM Office of Student Life.

Stay tuned to this blog (or our Facebook Fan Page) for more information as the night before Halloween approaches. In the meantime, mark the date and plan to join us on October 30th--if you dare!

Photo and graphics: King Family Cemetery by Joel Bullock

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Happy 57th Birthday, Barcode!


If you're using Google today, you'll notice a special logo at the top of the page. The Washington Post reports that today is the 57th anniversary of the barcode. TechCrunch.com contributor Michael Arrington writes that inventors Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver filed the patent for their idea on October 20, 1949. Nearly three years later, the barcode was patented on October 7, 1952.

It's hard to imagine life before the bar code. Not only do groceries and other companies use the ubiquitous line patterns in retail outlets, but they are also used on vehicles to aid identification. They are also now used on airline boarding passes. Finally, every one of the nearly 260,000 cataloged pieces at Carmichael Library has a bar code attached!

Remember when you're Googling today this invention that has changed the way we shop, travel, and conduct business. You go, bar code!

Photo credit: Creative Commons license

Monday, September 28, 2009

Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read
September 26−October 3, 2009

Announcement of the American Library Association:

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted bannings. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections. Imagine how many more books might be challenged—and possibly banned or restricted—if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society.

Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

Friday, September 25, 2009

A Night with W. Ralph Eubanks

W. Ralph Eubanks, author of The House at the End of the Road: The Story of Three Generations of an Interracial Family in the American South, will be on campus Monday, September 28th, for “A Night with W. Ralph Eubanks.” The event will begin at 6:30 p.m., in the Montevallo Room, Anna Irvin Dining Hall. Light refreshments will be served.

In 1914, in defiance of his middle-class landowning family, a young white man named James Morgan Richardson married a light-skinned black woman named Edna Howell. Over their more than 20 years of marriage, they formed a strong family and built a house at the end of a winding sandy road in South Alabama, a place where their safety from the hostile world around them was assured and where they developed a unique racial and cultural identity. Jim and Edna Richardson were Ralph Eubanks’ grandparents.

The event is sponsored by Multicultural Affairs, in association with Carmichael Library.

Related:

Thursday, September 17, 2009

College Life 2009 Display and Booklist

As students head back to school this semester there are a lot of issues, both personal and academic, that must be faced. For those just entering or re-entering the university, the transition to college life can be difficult. That's why the library has teamed up with the Counseling and Career Center to present this information about adjusting to life as a college student.

In the library's foyer you'll find our College Life 2009 display, which includes a selection of books available for checkout. You'll also find a series of handouts dealing with issues such as homesickness, time management, reducing stress, maintaining healthy relationships, and more. We invite you to visit our display and check out a book or take a flyer. We also hope you'll consider these resources for friends and classmates who may be having difficulties adjusting to college life.

College Life 2009 Bibliography

Anderson, Debra J. College Culture, Student Success. (2008) LC 191.94 .A46 2008

Arrington, Zach. Confessions of a College Freshman: A Survival Guide for Dorm Life, Biology Lab, the Cafeteria, and Other First-year Adventures. (2001) LB 2343.32 .A74 2001

Baer, Justin. 7 Secrets of Savvy Students: Study Smarter, not Harder. (2006) DVD LB 2343.32 .S48 2006

Disbro, William. 100 Things Every College Freshman Ought to Know: An Abridged College Orientation Catalog of Definitions, Customs, Procedures, and Plain Old Good Advice about Adjusting to the Start of College. (2007) LB 2343.3 D57 1995

Fogg, Neeta P., et al. College Majors Handbook with Real Career Paths and Payoffs: The Actual Jobs, Earnings, and Trends for Graduates of 60 College Majors. (2004) Ref. HF 5382.5 .U5 F644 2004

Gelb, Alan, et al. A Survival Guide For Students: Tips From the Trenches. (2004) LB 2343.3 .G45 2004

Hanson, Jennifer. The Real Freshman Handbook: A Totally Honest Guide to Life on Campus. (2002) LB 2343.32 .H36 2002

Humphrey, James H., et al. Stress in College Athletics: Causes, Consequences, Coping. (2000) GV 347 .H 86 2000

Kadison, Richard, et al. College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What to Do About It. (2004) RC 451.4 .S7 K336 2004

Lindsay III, C. L. The College Student's Guide to the Law: Get a Grade Changed, Keep Your Stuff Private, Throw a Police-Free Party, and More! (2005) KF 4243 .Z9 L56 2005

Litt, Ann S. The College Student’s Guide to Eating Well on Campus. (1994) RA 777.3 .L58 2000

Oz, Daphne. The Dorm Room Diet: The 8-step Program for Creating a Healthy Lifestyle Plan that Really Works. (2006) RA 777.3 .O9 2006

Smith, M.S., et al. The Smart Student’s Guide to Healthy Living: How to Survive Stress, Late Nights, & the College Cafeteria. (2006) RA 777.3 .S63 2006

Tyler, Suzette. Been There Should’ve Done That II: More Tips for Making the Most of College. (1997) LB 2343.32 T95 2001

Tyler, Suzette, Been There Should’ve Done That: 995 Tips for Making the Most of College. (2008) LB 2343.32 .T95 2008

Vye, Christopher, et al. Under Pressure and Overwhelmed: Coping with Anxiety in College. (2007) LA 229. V94 2007

Wilder, Jenifer. The Doctor’s Complete College Girls’ Health Guide: From Sex to Drugs to the Freshman 15. (2006) RA 778 .W53 2005

The library would like to thank Kassie Doggett and the staff of the UM Counseling and Career Center for their expertise and continued partnership. Thanks also to my colleague Amanda Melcher for selecting materials and supervising students who helped with the display. Finally, we thank our student assistants Robin Hyche, Kate Lewallen, and Kimberly Newton for their contributions to this project.

Information needed about the Hill House Collection


A few weeks back, Karen Neal in Hill House contacted Carmichael Library about a rediscovered collection that had suffered water damage. The collection contains biographical information on noted Alabamians and consists mostly of newspaper clippings. The bulk of the articles are from the 1950s and 1960s.

With the help of Dallas Hanbury, archives student worker, and Jamie Rawls, archives intern, we were able to save this collection. After allowing the paper to fully dry, Dallas and Jamie organized the articles and rehoused them in archive appropriate containers. The material has been named the Hill House Collection.

If anyone has any information on this material, please contact me at heatherlycw@montevallo.edu or Karen Neal at nealkg@montevallo.edu

To see photos of the collection, click here.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Access to NetLibrary Audiobooks Restored

Access to Carmichael Library's collection of audiobooks that can be downloaded from NetLibrary has been restored. To download an audiobook, you first need to create a free account in NetLibrary and then use that account to "check out" the audiobook. Download the book to your PC or portable device, and you're good to go! Some of the books available through NetLibrary cannot be played on an IPod, so check compatibility before you download.

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Information Literacy Discussed on NBC's Meet the Press 9/5/09

Perhaps I should have described Tom Brokaw's and Thomas Friedman's comments on NBC's Meet The Press as concerning our society's lack of information literacy skills. Below is an excerpt from the transcript.

MR. GREGORY: You talk about Van Jones (a special assistant to the President) as well, you know, the fact that in this, in this media age, what he said, by anybody's estimation, was objectionable, to sign a petition saying the government was behind 9/11. But it goes to something that's going on in this information age...

MR. FRIEDMAN: David, yeah...

MR. GREGORY: ...which is you can be a target real fast.

MR. FRIEDMAN: David, when everyone has a cell phone, everyone's a photographer. When everyone has access to YouTube, everyone's a filmmaker. And when everyone's a blogger, everyone's in newspaper. When everyone's a photographer, a newspaper and a filmmaker, everyone else is a public figure. Tell your kids, OK, tell your kids, OK, be careful. Every move they make is now a digital footprint. You are on "Candid Camera." And unfortunately, the real message to young people, from all of these incidents, OK, and I'm not here defending anything anyone said, but from all of these incidents, is you know, really keep yourself tight, don't say anything controversial, don't think anything--don't put anything in print. You know, whatever you do, just kind of smooth out all the edges, and maybe you too--you know, when you get nominated to be ambassador to Burkina Faso, you'll be able to get through the hearing.

MR. GREGORY: OK.

MR. BROKAW: Well, I've--one of the things I've been saying to audiences is this question comes up a lot, and a lot of people will repeat back to me and take it as face value something that they read on the Internet. And my line to them is you have to vet information. You have to test it the same way you do when you buy an automobile or when you go and buy a new flat-screen television. You read the Consumer Reports, you have an idea of what it's worth and what the lasting value of it is. You have to do the same thing with information because there is so much disinformation out there that it's frightening, frankly, in a free society that depends on information to make informed decisions. And this is across the board, by the way. It's not just one side of the political spectrum or the other. It is across the board, David, and it's something that we all have to address and it requires society and political and cultural leaders to stand up and say, "this is crazy." We just can't function that way.

MR. FRIEDMAN: You know, David, I just want to say one thing to pick up on Tom's point, which is the Internet is an open sewer of untreated, unfiltered information, left, right, center, up, down, and requires that kind of filtering by anyone. And I always felt, you know, when modems first came out, when that was how we got connected to the Internet, that every modem sold in America should actually come with a warning from the surgeon general that would have said, "judgment not included," OK? That you have to upload the old-fashioned way. Church, synagogue, temple, mosque, teachers, schools, you know. And too often now people say, and we've all heard it, "But I read it on the Internet," as if that solves the bar bet, you know? And I'm afraid not.

Monday, August 31, 2009

A New Chapter

This year, one of the many activities during Take Flight was a discussion of Ralph Eubanks' book The House at the End of the Road. About 25 new students, librarians, orientation leaders, and Student Affairs staff met on Friday afternoon for a lively and thoughtful discussion of the book. We're inviting students who participated in the discussion to continue the discussion through our blog.

Ralph Eubanks will be speaking on campus on September 28, thanks to Robert Robinson, Coordinator of Multicultural Student Affairs.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

eRes Again Available

Thanks to Chris Porter and our partners in the Technology Services office, our eRes course reserves system is again available for your use. You can access eRes from the library's home page or directly at eres.montevallo.edu.


In addition to moving to a new server, we have upgraded the eRes software. If you've been using the system for a while, you'll notice some minor changes as you navigate the various menus. Many questions about this new release of eRes may be answered on the Help Pages link at the right-hand side of the eRes home page. As always, you can also call, e-mail, or IM us with questions about eRes.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

eRes Update

[Update 8/19 8:35 AM - We're still working to re-establish access to eRes. We'll post here again as soon as this work is completed.]

[Update 8/18 5:20 PM - Off-campus access to databases has now been restored. eRes is still unavailable.]

Our eRes service is currently offline as part of today's server maintenance project. Off-campus access to databases will also be unavailable for a couple of hours as we continue this work. Stay tuned to this blog for updates on all library services.

Monday, August 17, 2009

eRes to Be Unavailable Tuesday, August 18th

We will be applying server and software upgrades to our electronic reserves system tomorrow, August 18th. While eRes will remain visible online throughout the upgrade, faculty and staff are advised not to upload new documents or make other changes to course reserves pages tomorrow as these modifications will be lost in the transfer to a new server.

This maintenance will begin at approximately 9:00 AM and we'll post here when the work has been completed.

Thanks for your patience as we upgrade eRes!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Blog About A Blog


The University of Montevallo men’s soccer team is making an historic trip for the program. For the first time since the programs inception in 1994 the team will travel overseas. The Falcons are spending 10 days training on foreign soil. Throughout the trip the team will keep their fans updated with a blog written by some of the players and coaches. To follow the Falcons on their foreign tour go to http://umfalconsoccer.blogspot.com/

Please join Carmichael Library in following the Falcons in England.

Monday, August 10, 2009

E. B. Sledge and The Pacific

HBO Films’ 10-hour miniseries, The Pacific, is scheduled to air in March 2010. The miniseries is based in part on the life of the late Eugene B. Sledge, who taught biology at the University of Montevallo for nearly 30 years before his retirement in 1990 and who wrote, With the Old Breed, the highly acclaimed account of his time in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.

Click here for more information.

A trailer showing scenes from The Pacific can be viewed at www.hbo.com/events/pacific/

Monday, August 03, 2009

New Audiobooks for August 2009


Here's a sample of some recent additions to our downloadable audio book collection. All of these titles are available in the library catalog:

Abraham Lincoln: A Presidential Life, by James M. McPherson (2009). McPherson follows Abraham Lincoln from his early frontier days through his turbulent years in the White House.

The Best of Everything, by Kimberla Lawson Roby (2009). The Reverend Curtis Black has made his share of mistakes, a fact his daughter Alicia is all too aware of. When Alicia marries Phillip, the assistant pastor of her daddy's church, she knows she's landed a good man. But Alicia also thinks she deserves every little thing her heart desires. And her out-of-control spending just might cost her much more than a few black marks on her credit report.

The Job Search Solution: The Ultimate System for Finding a Great Job Now!, by Tony Beshara (2009). Beshara presents a step-by-step system that allows listeners to take control of their own day-to-day job search process. In addition to illuminating real-life job search stories, the audiobook contains interactive exercises, practical dos and don'ts, and more.

The Last Place, by Laura Lippman (2009). Baltimore investigator Tess Monaghan has her hands full with five murder cases that have gone cold. Each has a domestic violence angle, and the cases also share a disturbing connection-- one that points to Tess herself.

Queenmaker, by India Edghill (2009). The childhood sweetheart of David, Michal is the daughter of King Saul, David's good friend and even greater enemy. Although they are married as teenagers, David abandons Michal only to remarry her 10 years later after ascending the throne as King. David is a greedy and ambitious man, but Michal refuses to compromise her soul and thrives in her own ways under his rule.

The Rustler, by Linda Lael Miller (2009). Wyatt Yarbro, the new deputy marshal of Stone Creek, has his eyes on secretive banker's daughter Sarah Tamlin. But Sarah is a strong, independent woman--no damsel in distress.

Where the Heart Leads, by Kim Vogel Sawyer (2009). With a college diploma safely in hand, 20-year-old Thomas Ollenburger is torn between his Mennonite roots on the Kansas prairie and his affluent life in Boston society--and by romantic entanglements in each world. And now even Heaven seems deaf to questions about his choices of vocation, wife, and home.

Carmichael's collection of over 2,300 downloadable audio books are available to all UM students, staff, and faculty. Instructions on how to access the audio books are available on our website.

Happy listening!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Death of Dr. Marvin Narz

We at the library are extremely saddened to learn that Marvin Narz, associate professor in the Michael E. Stephens College of Business and a member of the UM faculty since 1978, died Friday, July 24, of apparent complications from open-heart surgery performed earlier that week.

Services will be held Wednesday, July 29th, at 1:00 p.m. at the Church of Brook Highland. The address is 7160 Cahaba Valley Road in Birmingham.

Dr. Narz taught in the Stephens College of Business for more than 30 years. We wish his friends, family and colleagues our deepest sympathies.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Recycled catalog cards = C-art-alog

Cartalog!

Ever wonder what to do with old movie ticket stubs or stock cards of any type? Look to the University of Iowa's digital cARTalog. There you will find wonderful examples of art made from old catalog cards and an inspiration for repurposing in this increasing paperless society.

Once on the site look for the gallery where you can see all the examples of this unusual art. Maybe you'll become a cartalogist!

Patsy Sears

Monday, July 20, 2009

New Online Resources: Cabell's Directories of Publishing Opportunities


The library has acquired online access to all four of Cabell's Directories of Publishing Opportunities in the fields of business. The four areas covered by the directories are Accounting, Economics & Finance, Management, and Marketing. In addition to the business directories, we still have access to the Educational Psychology & Administration directory.

The online directories are continuously updated and will replace the print versions in our Reference Collection. These resources are accessible via our catalog or databases by name web page. As with all of our subscribed content, access is restricted to the UM community.

SOAR: Student Orientation And Registration

Carmichael Library is pleased to welcome Transfer Students, Freshmen, and Parents to campus this week for the 2009 Student Orientation and Registration (SOAR). The purpose of orientation is to help transition you into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of Montevallo. Please feel free to stop by the library to see what we can do to assist you throughout your college career, or to rest a bit and check your Email and update your Facebook. While you're at it, become a fan of Carmichael Library!

The Library will also be represented at the Orientation Expo July 20th-22nd. Please consider stopping by the Carmichael Library table in the Anna Irving Dining Hall on these days to see a selection of the types of resources the library has.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Introducing: American History in Video


We're excited to announce our newest database, American History in Video. This collection of streaming video includes commercial and governmental newsreels, archival footage, public affairs footage, and documentaries. The collection now includes over 1470 titles, including new documentaries from PBS, equaling approximately 460 hours.


American History in Video is produced by Alexander Street Press, which is also the publisher behind one of my favorite Carmichael databases, Classical Music Library. The Flash player is needed to watch the video in this collection and access is restricted to members of the Montevallo community. Should you have questions about how to use this online collection for research or in the classroom, please contact us.

Monday, July 06, 2009

Catalog Working Again

Thanks to our partners in the Technology Services offices the catalog is again working and ready for your research needs. Remember to track this blog for updates on any catalog or database outages. As always, we appreciate your patience!

Library Catalog Down

The library catalog is currently unavailable. We're having a problem connecting to the server, and we've notified Technology Services. We'll post here again when the catalog is back online. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Library Closed July 3rd - 5th


Carmichael Library will be closed tomorrow, Friday, July 3rd through Sunday, July 5th in observance of the Independence Day holiday. We'll resume our normal business hours on Monday, July 6th at 8:00 AM. Have a safe and happy Fourth!

Photo Credit: Creative Commons license

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Introduction to Public History

During May Term 2009, Dr. Ruth Truss taught Introduction to Public History. Dr. Truss designed this course to give students a glimpse of Public History graduate programs and the job market in this new and growing field. Among many activities, the class toured the Alabama Department of Archives and History, American Village, and Carmichael Library's University Archive (May 26th).

While visiting the library, yours truly provided the class with information ranging from what our University Archive contains and how we preserve it to what it's like working as an Academic Librarian. In addition, the class visited the Archive room and viewed some of Montevallo's treasures.

Click here for more photos.

For more information on UM's Introduction to Public History course, please contact Dr. Ruth Truss or Carey Heatherly.

For more information on Public History, click here to visit the National Council on Public History website.

Ben Franklin and William Strunk

It was on this day in 1731 that Ben Franklin founded the first circulating library, a forerunner to the now ubiquitous free public library. He started it as a way to help settle intellectual arguments among his group of Philadelphia friends, the Junto, a group of civic-minded individuals gathered together to discuss the important issues of their day.

Each of the 50 charter members bought an initial share into the company (40 shillings), which helped fund the buying of books, and then paid a smaller yearly fee (10 shillings) that went to buying more books and maintaining the library. In exchange, the members could borrow any of the books. Donations of books were gladly accepted.

They called their charter the Library Company of Philadelphia, and the next year, Franklin hired America's first librarian, Louis Timothee. At first, the books were stored at the librarian's house, but by the end of the decade, they were moved to the Pennsylvania State House, which is now known as Independence Hall.

It's the birthday of grammarian William Strunk Jr., born in Cincinnati, Ohio (1869). He was a professor at Cornell University for 46 years, and during that time, he created the "little book" known as The Elements of Style (1918) in order to make it easier to grade his students' composition papers.

Strunk's book included seven "rules of usage" and 11 "principles of composition." He advised, for example, "USE THE ACTIVE VOICE" and "PUT STATEMENTS IN POSITIVE FORM" and "OMIT NEEDLESS WORDS." He elaborated: "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts."

Under this, he proceeded to give a table of bad examples and counterpart good examples. He lists an expression that is a violator of the conciseness principle: "There is no doubt but that." In its place, he recommends the word "doubtless." In that same section, he says, "In especial the expression the fact that should be revised out of every sentence in which it occurs." In his table of bad usage and good usage, "owing to the fact that" is replaced with "because" and "in spite of the fact that" is replaced with "although."

He self-published the book, and for years, it was mostly only known around Cornell University in Ithaca. One of his students at Cornell in 1919 was E.B. White, who became an editor at The New Yorker magazine. White wrote an essay about Strunk's book for The New Yorker in 1957; it began, "A small book arrived in my mail not long ago, a gift from a friend in Ithaca."

In 1959, E.B. White, re-edited and resurrected his professor's book. Though White claimed that he was reluctant to pose as an authoritarian on rhetoric, he insisted, "Unless someone is willing to entertain notions of superiority, the English language disintegrates, just as a home disintegrates unless someone in the family sets standards of good taste, good conduct, and simple justice."

White revised the book further in 1972 and 1979. White said that while he was working on revisions of the book, he could visualize Strunk's "puckish face, short hair with middle part and bangs, blinking eyes, steel-rimmed glasses, nervously nibbled lips, and repeated adjurations to his students to be concise." The Elements of Style, in its various editions, has now sold more than 10 million copies. It's now often referred to simply as "Strunk & White." While many American college freshman and some aspiring writers have considered the book indispensable, others find it a source of great angst, and many esteemed writers have openly defied the conventions set forth, including Strunk's fellow Cornell literature professor Vladimir Nabokov. A new 50th anniversary edition of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style was published this year, and has brought a new wave of attention to the book. An article in The Chronicle of Higher Education a few months ago lambastes the book; Professor Geoffrey K. Pullman said that English syntax is "much too important to be reduced to a bunch of trivial don't-do-this prescriptions by a pair of idiosyncratic bumblers who can't even tell when they've broken their own misbegotten rules."

American author Dorothy Parker once wrote, "If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second-greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first-greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they're happy."

Patsy Sears by way of:
Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac

Monday, June 29, 2009

Information Resources: Le Tour de France


This Saturday, July 4th, marks the start of the world's premier cycling event, le Tour de France. This year is the 96th running of the famed race. The Tour will make its start (known as the grand dèpart) in the Mediterranean coast city of Monaco.

For an interesting visual peek at this year's first stage, check out this video from the official Tour de France YouTube account:



Those interested in reading more about the Tour and its history may be interested in a book in our Circulating Collection, The Tour de France: A Cultural History, by Christopher S. Thompson. This book can be found on the library's second floor at GV1049.2.T68T56 2006.

Here are a few websites that you can use to keep up with this year's Tour de France:
Photo credit: Creative Commons license

Friday, June 26, 2009

Super Summer Book Sale 2009

Starting this weekend you'll find some sweet summer savings at Carmichael Library. Announcing our Super Summer Book Sale 2009. Hundreds of books are now available for purchase in the library lobby. Are you looking for some low-cost entertainment during these challenging economic times? If so, pinch those pennies and take advantage of these super prices:
  • Hardback books $2.00
  • Paperback books $1.00
  • Multi-volume sets $1.00 per volume
  • Compact discs and audio tapes $2.00
All proceeds go to benefit Carmichael Library, so stop in and start saving this weekend!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Iran in the News


The recent days have brought a number of political developments in Iran. The disputed results of the June 12 presidential election in that country inspired millions around the world to take to the streets in protest. Demonstrations within Iran are now dying down as the government has cracked down on its detractors, sequestered independent and foreign journalists, and expelled foreign diplomats.

Because reliable information about Iran is hard to come by at this time, we've compiled a short list of websites containing news and analysis:
  • BBC News - from the leader in world news coverage this page contains a profile of Iran, a time line of recent events, and links to the latest news
  • Iran in Crisis - from Al Jazeera's English language website, updated video and news from the network's Iran Desk
  • Payvand.com - an independent organization of Iranian expatriates living in the San Francisco Bay Area. This page is frequently updated and provides news and analysis of current events
  • Tehran Bureau - this frequently updated and independent wesbsite is described as "a virtual bureau connecting journalists, Iran experts and readers all over the world."
Lastly, readers who are looking for the official positions of Iran will be interested in Press TV. While this website provides current information for English readers, remember that this news organization is funded and administered by the Iranian government.

Photo credit: Creative Commons license

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Exciting Archive News from Auburn


(from the Birmingham News/al.com) "Auburn University has acquired an original copy of Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1865 letter to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, setting the terms of surrender for the Army of Northern Virginia."



click here to read the story in its entirety on al.com

Monday, June 15, 2009

A New Painting For Our Reading Area


On Friday, we hung Amy Feger's painting "Panorama at Ebenezer Swamp" in the reading area just to the left of the library's entrance. It's a beautiful depiction of a beautiful locale. Come check it out!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Twitter, in the 1930s? Well, sorta...

While doing some research for Kathy Lowe earlier today, I stumbled upon some interesting gems from the Shelby County Democrat, circa 1930s. Check the photo below (click the image for a larger view).



Apparently, it was common practice in the 30s for the local paper to publish the day-to-day doings of the townsfolk. Many of these little blurbs could easily fit into any of today's Twitter accounts or Facebook statuses. "Claud Coppinger spent the weekend with the home-folks," for example, or "Mrs. Len Cochrane spent Tuesday shopping in Selma."

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Monday, June 08, 2009

Photos from President Williams' Trip to Japan

Last week, Dr. Williams and family (sans Zorro) traveled to Montevallo's sister city, Echizen, Japan. They were joined by UM professors Hollie Cost and Ted Metz. Dr. Williams kept in touch with us here in Montevallo through his Twitter account, UMPrez, and posted a ton of great photos from his trip. Here are a few photos from the trip.


The UM crew meet with city officials from Echizen, Japan.


A Japanese craftsman shows how he customizes paper designs.


Dr. Williams plants one of 10 oak trees to commemorate the Montevallo-Echizen sister-city relationship.



The temple at Nara, Japan.

These photos and more can be found at Dr. William's Twitpic page.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Librarians Gone Wild: Our Trip To The Cahaba Lilies 2009

Joel Bullock goes native at the Cahaba River
Yesterday, several members of Carmichael Library's faculty and staff escaped the confines of the stacks. Though armed (with walking sticks), they were not considered dangerous, and the suspects were soon rounded up and returned to their posts by the afternoon.

Every year, the library crew takes a trip out to the Cahaba River to see the lilies bloom. The swift currents made it difficult to actually get out to the lilies this time, but a few of us managed to brave it and Gloria Beasley snagged some great photos for us to share with you.

About The Cahaba Lily

Hymenocallis coronaria (Cahaba Lily or Shoals spider-lily) is a species of the genus Hymenocallis, native to the Southeastern United States. It is an aquatic perennial flowering plant found only in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Within Alabama it is known as the Cahaba Lily, outside of that state it is known as the Shoals spider-lily because it requires a swift, shallow, water current and direct sunlight to flourish. The plant grows to about 3 feet (0.9 m) tall and develops from a bulb that lodges in between rocks in the shoals. It blooms from early May to late June. Each fragrant flower blooms for one day. (source)






From left to right: Michael Price, Amanda Melcher, Gloria Beasley, Rosemary Arneson, Joel Bullock, Adam Kamerer, Joie Molden, Brian McConnell, Mary Seagle

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

News from Harvard's Open Collections Program

"Expeditions and Discoveries: Sponsored Exploration and Scientific Discovery in the Modern Age" is the newest addition to Harvard's Open Collections Program. The digital collection contains over 250,000 pages scanned from 700 books and serials, plus 50,000 manuscript pages, 1,200 photographs, 200 maps, 21 atlases, and numerous drawings and prints. Among the treasures, materials include field notes and letters about exploration and scientific discovery from 1626 to 1953.

Click here for "Expeditions and Discoveries."

Click here for information about Harvard's Open Collections Program.

Sensitive Data Missing from National Archives

The breach includes Secret Service procedures, data from the Clinton administration, and the personal information of one of former VP Al Gore's daughters. Click here for more information.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Summer 2009: American Classics @ Carmichael Library


Now on display in the library lobby: American classics.

Summertime is the right time to dive in to a classic of American literature. Here is but a sample of the great works by American authors you’ll find @ your campus library. From poetry to prose, Melville to Morrison, we’ve got something for everyone. Check out of these American classics today!
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine, 1996. PS3503.R167 F3 1996

Buck, Pearl S. The Good Earth. New York: John Day, 1931. PS3503.U198 G6

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences. New York: Random House, 2002. HV6533.K3 C3 2002

Cooper, James Fenimore. The Leatherstocking Tales. New York: Viking, 1985. PS1402 1985

Crane, Stephen. The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War. New York: Norton, 1982. PS1449.C85 R4 1982

DeLillo, Don. White Noise. New York: Penguin Books, 1986. PS3554.E4425 W48 1986

Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. New York: Chelsea House, 1996. PS3555.L625 I5 1996

Faulkner, William. The Sound and the Fury. New York: Modern Library, 1992. PS3511.A86 S7 1992

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner’s, 1953. PS3511.I9 G7 1953

Franklin, R. W., ed. The Poems of Emily Dickinson. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard UP, 1998. PS1541 .A1 1998

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Columbus: Ohio State UP, 1962. PS1868.A1 1962

Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Scribner, 1997. PS3515.E37 F3 1997

Hughes, Ted, ed. The Collected Poems of Sylvia Plath. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. PS3566.L27 A17 1981

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: Harper, 2006. PS3515.U789 T5 2006

Kerouac, Jack. On the Road. New York: Penguin, 1976. PS3521.E735

Lathem, Edward Connery, ed. The Poetry of Robert Frost. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1969. PS3511 .R94 1969

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: HarperCollins, 1999. PS3562.E353 T6 1999

Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. New York: Norton, 2002. PS2384.M6 2002

Morrison, Toni. Beloved: A Novel. New York: Knopf, 1987. PS3563.O8749 B4 1987

Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead. New York: Penguin, 1993. PS3535.A547

Sinclair, Upton. The Jungle. New York: Modern Library, 2002. PS3537.I85 J85 2002

Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 2002. PS3537.T3234 O2 2002

Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. New York: Knopf, 1995. PS2954.U5 1995

Thoreau, Henry David. Walden; and, Civil Disobedience. New York: Penguin, 1983. PS3048.A1 1983

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Berkeley: U of California P, 2003. PS1305.A2 F46 2002

Vonnegut, Kurt. Cat's Cradle. New York: Delta, 1998. PS3572.O5 C3 1998

Wharton, Edith. The Age of Innocence. New York: Collier, 1993. PS3545.H16 A35 1993

Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Paddington, 1976 PS3201 1976

Williams, Tennessee. Collected Stories. New York: New Directions, 1985. PS3545.I5365 A6 1985
There are so many great works out there, so we'll put the question to you: What books what you place on a list of American classics? Enter your picks in the comments section below!

Acknowledgments: Thanks to Ruth Bishop and the Office of Student Life for printing assistance, Joie Molden and Eric Cottingham for their compilation of the bibliography, and Joel Bullock for graphic design and display set up.

Are You On Twitter?

Hey Montevallo!

We need your help finding our students. If you're on Twitter, follow us and we'll follow you back, or send us a Tweet suggesting other UM students we can follow.

Got a reference question? Send us a Tweet, and we'll see what we can do to help you out.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Harbert Writing Center May 2009 Hours

The Harbert Writing Center is open during May Term 2009 at the following times:
  • Monday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Tuesday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Wednesday 12:00PM - 2:00 PM
  • Thursday 12:00PM - 2:00 PM
  • Friday 12:00PM - 2:00 PM
The Writing Consultants in the Center are trained to work with writers in all disciplines at all stages of the writing process. The Writing Center is located in Comer Hall, room 311. The phone number is 665-6438.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Catalog Again Available

Thanks to the efficient work of our catalog vendor and the Computer Services department the catalog is again up and running. Thank you for your patience as we perform our system maintenance.

Friday, May 08, 2009

Catalog to Be Unavailable May 11-12

Our catalog will be unavailable this coming Monday, May 11th for planned system work. This outage will continue through Tuesday, May 12th. For these two days, we will still have access to some holdings information on WorldCat. Feel free to contact us should you need assistance searching for items on those days. We'll post here once the system is again available.

Friday, May 01, 2009

UM Graduate Students Get Caught Reading


Our latest edition of Get Caught Reading marks the first time we've captured Montevallo graduate students in the act. Pictured above is Dr. Lee Rozelle's Graduate Seminar on Literature and Film. The class has been studying the films of Stanley Kubrick and David Cronenberg. You can also see some of the books the class has been reading this semester, including works by Stephen King, William S. Burroughs, J. G. Ballard, and Anthony Burgess.

These students represent both the Master's program in English and the Master's program offered by the College of Education. Pictured from left to right (back row) are: Scott McClellan, Lee Rozelle, Emily McCaffety, Jacqueline Cooper, Judy Le, Susan Smith, and Shannon MacMichael. Front row: Richard Scott, Amanda Dinsmore, Leigh Anne Henry, and Quinn White.

Many thanks to Dr. Rozelle and his class for participating in Get Caught Reading. Also, thanks to the library's Joel Bullock for his excellent photography and graphic work.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Mercedes in Brazil, April Update


The adventures of Mercedes in Brazil continue as we enter the spring months. She's made recent trips to Brasilia and the southern city of Florianopolis. Above is a postcard that we received around the time of our last update on Mercedes. It's always neat to get a look at the stamps from different countries! Below is Mercedes' photo of Brasilia's Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady Aparecida. The style of this building really captures the modernistic look of Brazil's capital city.


Last month, Mercedes wrote a post that should be of particular interest to current students who are considering Montevallo's study abroad opportunities. Among her tips for making the most out of the exchange program: "fully commit" to studying the language of the country that you'll be visiting.

With the spring term ending back here in the states it is easy to forget that our friend is in the thick of her studies down in Brazil. Thanks, Mercedes, for sharing your travels with those of us back home!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Extended Hours Continue Through May 7th


The library's end-of-semester extended hours began yesterday and will continue through Thursday of this week. The library will be open until midnight for the next four nights. We'll also be here late next week during final exams.

Monday, April 27 8:00 A.M. - 12:00 A.M.
Tuesday, April 28 8:00 A.M. – 12:00 A.M.
Wednesday, April 29 8:00 A.M. – 12:00 A.M.
Thursday, April 30 8:00 A.M. – 12:00 A.M.
Friday, May 1 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Saturday, May 2 10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Sunday, May 3 2:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M.
Monday, May 4 8:00 A.M. – 2:00 A.M.
Tuesday, May 5 8:00 A.M. – 2:00 A.M.
Wednesday, May 6 8:00 A.M. – 2:00 A.M.
Thursday, May 7 8:00 A.M. – 12:00 A.M.
Friday, May 8 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Saturday, May 9 Closed
Sunday, May 10 Closed

Photo credit: Creative Commons license

Catalog Problems Resolved

Our apologies to those who experienced problems while attempting to access our catalog yesterday and this morning. We were notified of the issue a few moments ago and the problem has now been resolved.

As always, please report any problems you may have with our website by calling us at (205) 665-6100. You may also send us an e-mail at library(at)montevallo.edu.

Information Resources on Swine Flu

The outbreak of swine flu that started in Mexico and that is spreading into the United States has many people concerned. Listed below are some authoritative sites providing information on the disease.

World Health Organization

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CDC's Swine Flu and You

CDC's Key Facts about Swine Flu

Overview of swine flu from epidemiologist Tara Smith

WebMD

Swine Flu FAQ from WebMD

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Behind the Hedges...

Behind the Hedges...lurks secret deals, out of control personal spending, adultery,feuds, cover-ups, backstabbing, corporate shenanigans!

No I'm not talking about an episode of Days of Our Lives or Bernie Medoff's Wall Street firm! The phrase "between the hedges" refers to the famous football field at the University of Georgia in Athens. The late Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Rich Whitt has entitled his book Behind the Hedges, mowing down the duplicitous facade of the University of Georgia's President, Michael Adams.

Whitt alleges and presents evidence of misuse of funds($138,000 spent on parties in Hawaii and Georgia, for example). He presents many incidents of the rampant misconduct that occured on a personal and official level! Various constituencies such as the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board,even officials at the state capital level become players in Whitt's investigation.

The book's publicity has upset students and faculty who fear a drop in donor support and a tarnishing of their school's reputation.

Let us appreciate the University of Montervallo's continued reputation for integrity and transparency. And let us wish our neighboring University the best and a swift plan to get their hedges out of the mud!

Sheldon Hackney, historian, former provost, Princeton University, former President of Tulane and the University of Pennsylvania writes about this book:

" This authoritative tale of colorful characters thrashing about in a tangled web of compromised moral principles should be required reading for everyone in higher education. Behind the Hedges is a clear demonstration that within our universities, the highest ethical precepts should be the foundation of both good politics and effective leadership."

There have been allegations that the book has been mysteriously disappearing from places that could sell it. I received my copy from amazon.com.

Patsy Sears

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Spring Reading Photos Now Online

Today marked our third library reading in as many weeks and we now have photos from all of them posted to Flickr and Facebook. Here's a sample:



University of Alabama Professor of English and Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, Hank Lazer, read his poems here on Tuesday, March 31st.



Mary Ward Brown read from her award-winning collections of short stories here on Friday, April 17th as part of the seventh annual Montevallo Literary Festival.



Lastly, Carmichael Library's own Alan May read from his recent book of poetry, Dead Letters, Tuesday, April 21st.

Check out our other online spaces to see more photos!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Alan May Reading


Alan May will be reading selections from his poetry on Tuesday, April 21, at 3:30 in the Carmichael Library lobby. Alan has authored two books of poetry, Notes toward an Apocryphal Text and Dead Letters.

Poet Hank Lazer describes Alan’s work as "poetry rich in a nightmarish beauty made of music, image, and vision." His works have appeared in The New Orleans Review, and others. Alan is the editor of the online poetry journal Apocryphal Text. Alan holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

2009 Montevallo Literary Festival, April 16-17


This week brings the seventh annual Montevallo Literary Festival.

This year's headliners include Rebecca Gilman, Anthony Grooms, Maurice Manning, and Mary Ward Brown. The festival will also feature Daniel Anderson, Emma Bolden, Christopher Chambers, Hartford Gongaware, The EatingAlabama Bloggers, Ariana-Sophia Kartsonis, and Michael Morris.

More information is available at the MLF website.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2009

This is the second year that the library is teaming up with our partners in the Counseling and Career Center to raise awareness about sexual assault.

Just inside the library's doors you'll find brochures, books, and other resources designed to educate you, your friends, and your loved ones. All of the brochures are free for you to take and share with friends, and all of the books in the display are available for checkout.

In addition to the materials here in the library, you may consider the following list of organizations, which were compiled 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)
Thanks to Kassie and her colleagues for their continued efforts on this important issue.

Related on Carmichael blog: