Illustration: Darwin, C. R. 1871. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray. 1st edition. Volume 2. Reproduced with permission from John van Wyhe ed., The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

When was the last time you got a good look at a Neandertal’s skull? Well check out the Georgia State University Library’s Exhibit on “Darwin’s Impact.” This display is part of the university’s commemoration of the 200^th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150^th anniversary of the first publication of On The Origin of Species. Placed in our display case on Library North 1, across from Saxbys Coffee,  this exhibit highlights works in the library’s collection that show the expanse of work Darwin has inspired: from the obvious disciplines of anthropology and biology to art, psychology, literature and philosophy. This exhibit has three distinct components: the books in our collection, an online Darwin research site and a display of five molds of fossil skulls, tracing the evolutionary process of human origins.

Firstly, the exhibit draws attention to 14 books in our vast collection of Darwin related material, pulled by our subject librarians in the fields of art, anthropology, history and biology. We have listed the book titles together with their location in the building, along with their call number. We also paired each title with a unique illustration from one of the publications of Darwin’s original works. These amazing illustrations were reproduced with permission from John van Wyhe editor of The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. His site is another fantastic resource for researching Darwin and his impact.

In fact, it was such a great source that we included it in our own research guide to Charles Darwin and On The Origin of Species. The online guide includes even more Darwin related resources in our collection, a video interview with Dr. Sean Carroll and a calendar of Darwin related events both on campus and across the world. Dr. Carroll (a professor of Molecular Biology & Genetics at the University of Wisconsin) gave a Darwin related lecture on campus earlier this semester, so if you were unable to attend that event, this is an excellent way to hear about how molecular biology provides profound evidence in support of Darwin’s evolutionary theory. As with all of our research guides, there is a convenient chat window embedded on the page, in case you need to contact a librarian with any questions.

Finally, Dr. Frank L’Engle Williams, Professor of Anthropology at Georgia State University was kind enough to loan us a set of five fossil skull molds. Each of these stunning molds demonstrates a different stage of evolutionary development and Dr. Williams provided us with a short description of each of their significance.

So if you are interested in researching Darwin further for one of your projects, or even if you just want to look at some cool skulls, please stop by the exhibit and participate in our celebration of Darwin’s Impact and his anniversary! As always, we welcome your feedback!

]]> http://homer.gsu.edu/blogs/library/2009/11/18/darwin%e2%80%99s-impact-%e2%80%93-a-georgia-state-university-library-exhibit/feed/ 0 http://homer.gsu.edu/blogs/library/2009/11/16/presentation-the-origins-of-labor-union-democracy-a-us-british-comparison/ http://homer.gsu.edu/blogs/library/2009/11/16/presentation-the-origins-of-labor-union-democracy-a-us-british-comparison/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:24:42 +0000 Traci http://homer.gsu.edu/blogs/library/?p=15648 Presentation: The Origins of Labor-Union Democracy: A US-British Comparison

Matthew Dimick, winner of the 2009 Merl E. Reed Fellowship in Southern Labor History, will present on his topic on Friday, November 20, 2009. The presentation will be held at noon in the Colloquium Room at the Georgia State University Library (Library South, 8th Floor). The presentation is free and open to the public.

“The Origins of Labor-Union Democracy: A US-British Comparison” will focus on the internal democratic governance of labor unions and its potential, according to scholars and activists, to revitalize the labor movement in the US. This presentation examines the origins of union democracy by comparing the historical trajectories of the British Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) and the American International Association of Machinists (IAM). Despite a large amount of research on union democracy, very little of it has addressed the topic in a historical-comparative context. Thus, while it is known that levels of democracy differ significantly between US and British unions, no one has asked when these differences arose or what caused them.

Matthew Dimick is currently a Law Research Fellow at Georgetown University Law Center. He holds a JD from Cornell Law School and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Between law school and graduate studies he worked in the General Counsel’s office of the Service Employees International Union in Washington, DC. His research centers on the relationships between law, labor unions, the labor market, and the economy, using historical and comparative methods to study questions arising from these topics.

Created in 2000, the Merl E. Reed Fellowship in Southern Labor History was named, at the urging of Dr. Gary Fink, to honor Dr. Reed’s career and role in the founding of the Southern Labor Archives. The award has recently been re-named to honor both Dr. Gary Fink and Dr. Reed, and beginning in 2010, the awards will carry the new name.

One or more awards of $250-$500 are given annually to individuals whose research in the Southern Labor Archives will lead to a book, article, dissertation, or other substantive product. In return, recipients agree to make a presentation about their research to the Georgia State University community within one academic year after receiving the award. Faculty members, graduate students, upper-level undergraduates, and recognized independent scholars and artists are encouraged to apply.

The deadline for the 2010 Reed Fink Award is November 30, 2009. For more information about the award, the presentation, or the Southern Labor Archives, please contact Traci Drummond at 404.413.2880 or at tdrummond@gsu.edu.

Set during the Lebanese civil war, this novel chronicles the splintering of the Al-Mukhtars, a Lebanese family whose love and trust for one another is strained by the increasing economic, social, and psychological tensions that surround them. Huda, feeling helpless as a housewife, pursues a career as a university professor and immerses herself in her work and students. Sharif, trapped in a static bureaucratic position, begins to resent his wife’s success and slowly withdraws from his family. When their marriage dissolves, the couple fight over the custody of their adolescent daughter. In a patriarchal society that favors the rights of the father, Huda is powerless as her daughter is taken from her. Through the author’s use of flashbacks, the reader witnesses the stark contrast between the young, idealistic couple and the older husband and wife, who have become increasingly isolated and disillusioned.

Narrated through the voices of several characters, Canceled Memories depicts a Lebanese family seeking to maintain love and trust for each other despite the destructive and corrupting effects of war. Nadine Sinno’s fluent translation introduces a wider audience to one of Lebanon’s finest contemporary writers.

The reading kicks off International Education Week at Georgia State University with events across campus from November 16 – November 20. The Georgia State University Library is participating in this event with an International Authors Exhibit, showcasing the works of Chinua Achebe, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Gao Xingjian and many others. The display will stay in the cases directly behind the computer support desk on Library North 1. Reproductions of international artwork from each author’s country of origin will accompany the display. These reproductions come from ARTSTOR a nonprofit digital library of more than one million images in the arts, architecture, humanities, and social sciences.

Image of Dr. Sinno provided by:

“ The annual GALILEO user survey offers you the chance to sound off on your experience using GALILEO and the chance to win an iPod Nano. The link to the survey will appear on the GALILEO website Monday, November 9-Sunday, November 15.

Your feedback is important, so add a note to your calendar or to-do list to look for the survey link on the GALILEO home page.

A World Wide Web-based virtual library, GALILEO provides access to multiple information resources, including secured access to licensed products. Participating institutions may access over 100 databases indexing thousands of periodicals and scholarly journals. Over 2000 journal titles are provided in full-text. Other resources include encyclopedias, business directories, and government publications.  Learn more about GALILEO.”

Did you know?

• When off-campus, a login is required to access most resources from GALILEO. Please visit our password information page to learn more about off-campus access to library resources.
• Subject Librarians are available to assist you in finding and using GALILEO and other library resources for your class or research project.
• The library produces web sites such as the General Research Guide and Pathfinder Tutorial that can help you learn more about using library resources.

ATLANTA – Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author Susan Faludi will lecture at Georgia State University Nov. 2 about gender, media, popular culture and political life in the contemporary age.

Her lecture, titled “Losing Ourselves in the 21st Century,” is part of the Hellen Ingram Plummer Lecture sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences. It will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Speaker’s Auditorium, and is free and open to the public.

An exhibition of a similar theme is on view in the Georgia State University Welch School of Art and Design Gallery through Nov. 19. It showcases performative media by emerging, U.S.-based women artists and was inspired, in part, by a talk Faludi gave on issues of gender in a post-911 world.

“Many young women learn about feminism, and post-feminism, via popular culture and media coverage,” said Susan Richmond, assistant professor in the GSU School of Art and Design and curator of the exhibition. “We felt it would be beneficial to all of our students to hear from someone who has studied media culture extensively, and who argues persuasively for the need to challenge the credibility and motivations of mainstream news sources.”

Faludi is the author of “Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man” and “Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women,” which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. Her most recent book, “The Terror Dream: Fear and Fantasy in Post-9/11 America” examines the outpouring in the media, popular culture, and political life following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Faludi’s work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and The Nation, among other publications. Her talk at Georgia State coincides with the National Women Studies Association Conference in Atlanta the week of Nov. 12-15.

“Over the past two decades, Susan Faludi has bridged journalism and scholarship in women’s studies to produce astute analyses of the shifting terrain of masculinity and femininity in the United States,” said Susan Talburt, director of the Women’s Studies Institute at Georgia State.

“Her studies of the ‘backlash’ against feminism, changing constructions of masculinity and the post-September 11 nostalgia for ‘real’ men and women illuminate important elements of the contemporary cultural politics of gender in this country.”

The Plummer lecture is the College of Arts and Sciences’ annual endowed lecture, featuring noted scholars, scientists, artists and performers who have made notable contributions to their fields of achievement and to society at large. The lecture was endowed in 1999 in honor of late Atlanta arts patron Hellen Ingram Plummer.

In relation to this event, the Georgia State University Library has several of Susan Faludi’s books, including Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man. Also, the library has created custom bookmarks for the “Losing Ourselves in the 21st Century” exhibition at the Welch School of Art and Design. Each bookmark lists a different book in our collection related to the exhibition. You can find them at the gallery or by contacting our Arts Liaison Librarian, Nedda Ahmed.

To support this event, the Georgia State University Library has created an online research guide on Darwin. This guide features Darwin related books in our collection, a video about how molecular biology provides profound evidence in support of Darwin’s evolutionary theory, as well as useful links to researching Darwin. It also features a calendar of events listing the lectures on campus, as well as links to various other calendars of Darwin anniversary events around the globe.

The next lecture in the Darwin’s Impact series will be by Sean Carroll, professor of Molecular Biology & Genetics from the University of Wisconsin. Professor Carroll speaks at 4:00 pm on October 26, 2009 in the Speakers Auditorium at the Student Center.

Happy Reading!

Professors Merl E. Reed and Gary Fink were instrumental in the establishment, development, and use of the Southern Labor Archives at Georgia State University from the early 1970s. Today, the Southern Labor Archives has over 500 collections used by researchers from throughout the Southeast, the United States, and the world. Created in 2000, the Merl E. Reed Fellowship in Southern Labor History was named, at the urging of Dr. Fink, to honor Dr. Reed’s career and role in the founding of the Southern Labor Archives. After Dr. Fink passed away in 2008, Dr. Reed requested that the name of the Fellowship be changed to honor Dr. Fink as well.  The Reed Fink Award in Southern Labor History now honors both men and their many contributions to education, labor studies, and the Southern Labor Archives.

The Southern Labor Archives, part of Georgia State University Library’s Special Collection and Archives, was established in 1971, and is dedicated to collecting, preserving and making available the documentary heritage of Southern workers and their unions, as well as that of workers and unions having an historic relationship to the region.

One or more  Reed Fink Awards of $250-$500 will be awarded annually to individuals whose research in the Southern Labor Archives will lead to a book, article, dissertation, or other substantive product. In return, recipients agree to make a presentation about their research to the Georgia State University community within one academic year after receiving the award.

Faculty members, graduate students, upper-level undergraduates, and recognized independent scholars and artists are encouraged to apply. To be considered for the 2010 Reed Fink Award in Southern Labor History, application packets must be completed and submitted by November 30, 2009.

For more information about the Reed Fink Award, click here.

Three recipients were recently selected to receive the Merl E. Reed Fellowship in Southern Labor History:  

·         Matthew Dimick, graduate student in the Department of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. His research topic is “Labor Law and Union Democracy: A British-U.S. Comparison.”

·         Jordan Patty, processing archivist and librarian at George Mason University Libraries Special Collections and Archives. His research topic is “Public Transit, Ownership and Labor in the United States, 1935-1975.”

·         Benjamin van der Horst, recent graduate of Emory University’s Department of History (MA). His research topic is “Delta Air Lines and Eastern Airlines: a case study of deregulation in the airline industry.” 

Each of these projects will require substantial research using the collections in the Southern Labor Archives. This year’s winners were chosen by a review committee composed of Ian Fletcher (History Department, Georgia State University), Robert Woodrum (History Department, Clark Atlanta University), Traci Drummond (Archivist, Southern Labor Archives, Georgia State University Library), and Stephen Zietz (Head, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library).

The Merl E. Reed Fellowship in Southern Labor History was established in 2000 to honor Dr. Merl Reed, professor, scholar and founder of the archives, for his many contributions to education and labor history. A fellowship of $250-$500 is awarded annually to individuals whose research in the Southern Labor Archives will lead to a book, article, dissertation, or other substantive product. In return, recipients will make a presentation about their research to the Georgia State University community within one academic year after receiving the award. Faculty members, graduate students, upper-level undergraduates, and recognized independent scholars and artists are encouraged to apply.

To be considered for the 2010 Merl E. Reed Fellowship in Southern Labor History, applicants should submit on or before November 30, 2009. Please contact Traci Drummond (tdrummond@gsu.edu) with any questions or for more information. 

Congratulations to Miranda for receiving the First Annual Student Employee of the Year Award.

We’ve just posted a guide to finding audiobooks for free, both in the library (we have a small collection on CD) and online.  Before you shell out to Amazon or Audible for listening material, take a look!

Audiobooks Guide

Are you a Eudora Welty fan?  If not, you could be!  The 100th anniversary of her birthday is Monday, April 13, 2009.  To help celebrate, the University Library’s Special Collections & Archives has an exhibit of rare books, manuscripts, artifacts, and audio recordings for your viewing and listening pleasure.

“Winning Hearts”:  A Eudora Welty Centennial Exhibition
University Library Special Collections Department
Library South 8th floor
April 8-16
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Monday-Friday

Featuring rare books, manuscripts, and artifacts from the Rare Book Collection

The Personnel Development Committee of Georgia State University Library will host an information session on Library Graduate School and Distance Learning on April 15, 2009, from 2:00-3:00 PM. The session will be held in the Colloquium Room on Library South 8 of the GSU Library.

Speakers for the event include current and recently-graduated students from the following programs:

• David Minchew, currently enrolled in the MLIS program at Emory University in conjunction with University of North Texas and the Atlanta University Center’s Robert W. Woodruff Library
• Denise Dimsdale, currently enrolled in the MLIS program at Valdosta State University            
• Ashley Dupuy, currently enrolled in the University of Alabama’s distance LIS program
• Jason Puckett, recent graduate of Florida State University’s distance LIS program

Speakers will discuss their experiences and will take questions from those interested in learning more about Library and Information Science programs that offer distance education.  Laura Burtle, Associate University Librarian for Learning and Technology Initiatives, will also discuss the qualities and experience libraries are look for when hiring librarians.

Students and employees from area universities, libraries, and archives are welcome to join us for this session.

The GSU Library is located at 100 Decatur Street, SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 and is within walking distance from both the Five Points and Georgia State MARTA stations. Questions about the event should be directed to Personnel Development Committee co-chairs Traci Drummond (tdrummond@gsu.edu or 404.413.2886) or Joel Glogowski (jglogowski@gsu.edu or 404.413.2806).

Southern Labor Archives, Georgia State University Library

and Georgia State University Labor Studies Department

The Joseph Jacobs Labor Scholarship Fund was established in 1983 to honor Joseph Jacobs, a long-time labor attorney who represented unions in Georgia, by the Organized Labor and Workmen’s Circle Awards Committee and the North Georgia Building and Construction Trades Council.

One Scholarship will be awarded in the amount of $1000.00. The scholarship award check will be made out to Georgia State University and the student.

Specific Requirements

The Scholarship recipient must be admitted to or enrolled in Georgia State University and be a student in good standing. S/he must also be a member of a Georgia AFL-CIO affiliate labor organization or the spouse, child, or grandchild of a member.

• The topic of the essay is “The Significance of the Labor Movement in My Life.”
• The length of the essay shall be between 300 and 500 words in length
• The essay shall be typewritten, double-spaced, and submitted on plain white 8 ½” x 11” paper.
• The essay shall be accompanied by a cover sheet containing the following information:
• Student’s name, age, home address, grade level, school presently attending, GPA and union affiliation (self or family member)
• If currently enrolled at Georgia State University, a copy of a GSU transcript is required.
• If not currently enrolled at Georgia State University, a statement from a school counselor or principal attesting to the fact that the student submitting the essay is admitted to Georgia State University – such as an acceptance letter or proof of enrollment.

For 2009-2010, two copies of the essay and cover sheet must be postmarked no later than June 15, 2009 and sent to the following addresses:

For more information, please contact Traci Drummond, Archivist, Southern Labor Archives, at  404.413.2880 or archives@gsu.edu, subject: Joseph Jacobs Scholarship.

Presentation: “How Can History Help the Labor Movement?: Three episodes from the working-class African American freedom struggle in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.”

Dr. Lisa Gayle Hazirjian will present on “How Can History Help the Labor Movement?: Three episodes from the working-class African American freedom struggle in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.” She is the recipient of the 2008 Merl E. Reed Fellowship in Southern Labor History, which is administered by the Southern Labor Archives at Georgia State University Library. Dr. Hazirjian is a SAGES Postdoctoral Fellow & Lecturer in History at Case Western Reserve University and has presented her research on poverty and working-class African American politics in numerous venues including the Southern Labor Studies/Labor and Working Class History Association Conference, the Southern Historical Association, and the Phoenix Historical Society’s 60th Anniversary Commemoration of the 1946 Tobacco Organizing Campaign in Rocky Mount, NC.

Dr. Hazirjian received her Ph.D. in History from Duke University (2003); her dissertation is titled “Negotiating Poverty: Economic Insecurity and the Politics of Working-Class Life in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, 1929-1969”. She has published and presented extensively on race, gender, class, and labor.

The Merl E. Reed Fellowship in Southern Labor History was created to honor Dr. Merl Reed, professor, scholar and founder of the Southern Labor Archives, for his many contributions to education and labor history.

One or more fellowships of $250-$500 are awarded annually to individuals whose research in the Southern Labor Archives will lead to a book, article, dissertation, or other substantive product. In return, recipients will make a presentation about their research to the Georgia State University community within one academic year after receiving the award. Faculty members, graduate students, upper-level undergraduates, and recognized independent scholars and artists are encouraged to apply.

The Southern Labor Archives, established in 1971, is dedicated to collecting, preserving and making available the documentary heritage of Southern workers and their unions, as well as that of workers and unions having an historic relationship to the region.

The presentation will take place on Monday, April 6, from 12:00-1:00 PM in the Colloquium Room of Georgia State University Library (Library South 8). For more information, please contact Traci Drummond, Archivist, Southern Labor Archives (404.413.2880 or tdrummond@gsu.edu).

The Library and the Student Government Association have partnered and are asking for your assistance in evaluating our hours.  There are now two ways you can cooperate with us:

First, if you go to http://tinyurl.com/b7xvsb you can fill out a quick survey about the library’s hours.

Second, the library will be hosting several focus groups this semester to hear your voices directly. To participate in one of these groups, please contact Jennifer Jones at jlink@gsu.edu.

It is the library’s mission to ensure that we meet the needs of the university community. We hope that with your cooperation we can identify ways that we may be able to better serve you.

Georgia State students–do you have a research paper to write, but you’re not sure where to begin?  Attend one of these basic library resource sessions to save yourself time and frustration. There are two remaining online drop-in sessions scheduled for Spring semester 2009.

Hours for this semester:

Mondays, 1:30-4:00
Tuesdays, 12:30-4:00
Wednesdays, CLOSED
Thursdays, 11:30-4:00
Fridays, 1:30-3:00

 The Spring 2009 schedule for the Write Right tutoring service has been finalized:

Monday and Wednesday from 1PM – 6PM

Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30AM – 2:30PM

For more information about the Write Right service, click here. 

To reserve a room, click here.  Some rooms will be available for drop-in use, that is, not requiring a reservation. These rooms are located on the 2nd floor link – L201, L202, L203, L204, L205, L206 .

Giving alumni access to the new e-mail system provided by Microsoft is still under investigation.

Academic libraries look for successful marketing strategies to promote positive perceptions among students. To do this, librarians need to find venues and partnerships outside the library. Florida State University Libraries discovered that participating in new student orientation networking sessions creates opportunities to generate lasting first impressions among incoming freshmen and their families. After analyzing three years of successive student and family evaluations, which measured presentation rankings and attendance, the library was able to determine the utility and effectiveness of participating in the orientation program. Related literature and an analysis of the evaluations both indicate that universities and students benefit when libraries participate in new student orientations.

 Access LPP here or here.

2008 Table of Contents

Join your fellow classmates for Freshmen Friday (8/22) in the University Library for games, movies, food, fun and more.  The fun begins at 10 a.m.

Pick up your passport on the 1st floor of Library North. With your passport, you can access the game stations on 2nd floor, t-shirt giveaways, etc.

Sponsored by Access and Media Services, with assistance from the Learning Commons.

However, if the H-Drive doesn’t show up, there is a alternative method to get it to appear. 

If you are scanning a JPEG image use the following commands:

   right click
   open with
   Microsoft Picture Manager
   file (from the menu bar)
   save   I

For a PDF you would:

  file (from the menu bar)
  save a copy
  ok
  select the “drive” of choice

Also, once the desired drive (H-drive or jump drive) appears, if you select the scanned item you want to transfer, a menu on the left side of the screen will appear.  This will allow you to move or copy the item to another location.