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One hundred years ago today, photographer Gordon Parks was born. According to Wikipedia, Parks "...was a groundbreaking American photographer, musician, writer and film director. He is best remembered for his photographic essays for Life magazine and as the director of the 1971 film, Shaft."

The library has a couple of books written by Gordon Parks, a children's book illustrated by Parks, and e-book of Parks' autobiography. We also have a DVD copy of the movie Shaft. Check one or more out today!

If you are interested in Gordon Parks' photography, you can view a few images through the MLibrary Image Collections database.

   

The Library Research Center will be holding its last open research workshop of the semester for students on Tuesday, December 4.

Topics will include:
• Discovering what is new in the library
• How to conduct more effective research

Students will also be able to ask topical questions related to their current research assignments.

The open research workshop will be held in 1212 Mardigian Library on:

Tuesday, December 4 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Contact Teague Orblych at mtorblyc@umd.umich.edu or 313-593-5562 with questions or to RSVP.

We received the following comment about the lack of heat on the fourth floor of the library. We are aware of the heating problem on the fourth floor. Facilities Management is working to resolve this issue. We apologize for the inconvenience.

"The library is unbearably cold. All students studying on the 4th floor are complaining of the temperature and its really a shame that this has not been attended to even after several requests by us students. There is no excuse for our institution to subject us to such study conditions. Something needs to be done immediately to fix this problem."

On this date fifty years ago, Algeria banned the Communist Party and closed its newspaper.

The Mardigian Library has online access to a few historical newspapers that covered this news item. These news articles can be accessed through ProQuest Direct. If you are looking for newspaper coverage of historical events, you can search individual newspapers by checking ProQuest Historical Newspapers and ProQuest Historical Black Newspapers. Or, you can search all newspapers available through ProQuest at one time by searching ProQuest Direct.

The other day, I was looking for new music to play during the holidays. I have multiple copies of a lot of the standard Christian hymns, but I wanted to learn something new. So, I searched the library catalog and found The New Oxford Book of Carols. This book includes the music and text for 201 carols from the last 700 years. I found a few new pieces for my Eb harmonica and there was so much for my D pennywhistle that I had a hard time limiting my choices. Now, to find the time to get out the guitar and keyboard as well…

How about checking out online sources of sheet music from the 19th century?
Music for the Nation: Sheet Music ~ 1820-1860 & 1870-1885, Historic American Sheet Music: 1850-1920, and Godey’s Lady’s Book (available in Accessible Archives) all include thousands of pieces of sheet music. I didn't check these specifically for holiday music, but give them a try!

   

     

As a child you probably read some of the fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. Maybe you saw some of the Disney movies based on the tales, such as "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," and "Snow White." Whether you read the tales or watched the movies (or not), come to the library to see our latest exhibit — Once Upon a Time... — celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Grimm fairy tales. We have books on display from our juvenile collection that demonstrate the many versions of some of the stories. We also have objects that show various characters from the movies and stories. And there is so much more!

You can find the exhibit near the elevator on the first floor.

Win a gift card! We are having a Brothers Grimm trivia contest. A winner of a $20 gift certificate to Club Cappuccino will be selected from the entries with the most correct answers. Stop by the exhibit for an entry form.

Share with us! What is/was your favorite Grimm fairy tale? Who is/was your favorite Grimm fairy tale character?
My favorite tale was probably the "Town Musicians of Bremen." When I was in grade school, the music I played on my harmonica was probably just as bad as the music of the donkey, dog, cat, and rooster. And, I thought it was fun to see what the robber thought each animal was (do you remember which was thought to be an ogre?).

   

The School of Education mock interviews originally scheduled for November 28 have been canceled. Whether you are an SOE major or not, take advantage of the library's collection to learn about interviewing for potential jobs. The library has dozens of e-books, books, CDs, and DVDs that can help. Check out one — or more — today!

For example:

       

The Library Research Center will be holding several open research workshops for students during the fall semester.

Topics will include:
• Discovering what is new in the library
• How to conduct more effective research

Students will also be able to ask topical questions related to their current research assignments.

Fall 2012 open research workshops will be held in 1212 Mardigian Library on:

Thursday, November 29 from 11:00 a.m. – noon
Tuesday, December 4 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Contact Teague Orblych at mtorblyc@umd.umich.edu or 313-593-5562 with questions or to RSVP.

The list of new books and other materials added to the library’s collection in October has been posted. Click on “…more New Arrivals” on the library’s home page. Or, go directly to http://library.umd.umich.edu/newbooks/.

Examples from the October list include:

       

Do you need to view a DVD or a VHS tape while at the Mardigian Library? The library has two portable DVD players (Blu-ray and standard) on reserve for student, faculty, and staff use within the library. Also, there is a cart available that holds both a DVD and a videocassette player, along with a monitor that can be checked out for use in the library by anyone who needs them. Headphones are also available. Just ask for what you need at the Circulation Desk.

BTW, we have a collection of thousands of DVDs and videocassettes (including blockbuster motion pictures, educational films, and documentaries) that can be viewed in the library or checked out for viewing at home.

Examples:

           

Did you miss the discussion earlier today with nonverbal communication expert Lin Klaassen? If so, don’t fret. The library has dozens of books available about nonverbal communication. I’m sure the books won’t be as entertaining as the discussion sponsored by Student Engagement, but they might help you learn a little bit about what you missed.

For example:

           

Library hours during Thanksgiving will be:

Wednesday, November 21 – 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 22 – CLOSED
Friday, November 23 – 1:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Regular Fall hours resume on Saturday, November 24.

For Library, LRC, and Computer Lab hours, see library.umd.umich.edu/Us/hours.php

Are you working on a term paper or just getting started? Do you have a presentation that requires library research? Are you perhaps a faculty member needing a little help to find support for an article you plan to submit? There are many ways to contact a reference librarian or one of our knowledgeable student assistants:
• Telephone – call 313-593-5563
• In-person – stop by the Library Research Center on the first floor of the library next to the public computers.
• Make an appointment with a subject specialist librarian
• Text messaging – text your question to 66746, and start your question with “AskLRC”
• E-mail – ask-a-question@umd.umich.edu
• Instant messaging/chat – see our Ask a Question page
• Open Research Workshops for students (see blog post)

Need to make a video for a class project and don’t have the equipment? The library has a solution for you. Campus Media Services has purchased Kodak Playtouch digicams, which are now available for checkout at the library’s Circulation Desk.

The Playtouch is the size and shape of a smartphone and will take HD videos in 1080p resolution. One-touch uploading provides easy sharing through e-mail, YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, and other sites. You may also connect the Playtouch to your computer and transfer the files. If you want to edit the video, the library’s Campus Media Services has a multimedia editing room for student and faculty use. The editing room is equipped with the best audio and video editing software, including Avid, Final Cut Pro, and the suite of Adobe and Microsoft applications.

Each digicam comes in a carry bag with an extra battery, an external microphone, connecting and charging wires, and the manual. Ask for one at the library’s Circulation Desk. Digicams have a three-day checkout period.

Yes, it’s that time of the year again, when many of us get the flu shot to help protect ourselves from seasonal flu. The library can’t provide you with a flu shot, but we have books, e-books, and video in our collection that you can check out to find out more about the flu, pandemics, and healthcare response to the flu over the past century. And, if you are really interested in the history of the flu, we have online access to An Inaugural Dissertation on the Influenza... — from 1793!

Check one out.

Examples:
Influenza: A Century of Science and Public Health Response (book)
Introduction to Pandemic Influenza (e-book)
Spanish Flu (DVD)