@Y, @R3, T3@

Today I bear good news!

You might notice a really strange structure under the sky light--

behold dear patrons & readers alike, there is a new art exhibit at the berry! 

Dr. Wilkinson's communications class has their art on display until Thursday!

 (Featured Student: Matt Rogers)

The variety is wide and I urge you to go ponder these pieces yourself! As a fellow viewer and aesthetics enthusiast, I urge you to not just look, but contemplate. Art in of itself may not be subjective, but once displayed the piece as seen/interpreted through the eyes of the viewer is subjective.

 (Featured Piece by Jonathan Critcher)

A few questions to guide as you look:
-Does this piece evoke an emotion? If so, can you identify why?
-Is this piece self explanatory--or does it urge you as the viewer to decipher the meaning and contextualize it to your experience?
-What colors are used? Why do you think they chose these colors/do they signify anything?
-What medium is used? Why did the artist choose to communicate via that medium as opposed to another?
-Can you tell what the artist might be contemplating when creating (certain ideas/concepts i.e. politics, theology, nature, etc)?
-Why did the artist write what they did in their blurb? How does it correlate to their piece/their identification through their art?
-How does this piece (including blurb) affect you and your life experience especially within a Christian "worldview"?

The list can be long (and let your questions go on!) when observing a piece! But more than anything--remember it is okay to have an opinion! I encourage you to have a reason behind your opinion (even if it's "just" a "feeling") and please do spend more than 30 seconds viewing a piece!

SO DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GO TAKE A PEAK AT THE PIECES! 

AND ENJOY YOUR ART EXPERIENCE!  

(it's something we rarely get at a Bible Institute lololol)

P.S. I'd like to take a moment to toot my own horn and say--I have completed my undergraduate degree in biblical studies here at MBI!!!! woohoo! But don't fret dear readers (lawlz) I will continue to work at the berry and update the blog! But for now enjoy Christmas--I hope it's not a Christmess.

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE "omg i have so much to do"

 

I know what you're thinking "Hey! It's November 27th WHY IS THERE A PICTURE OF THE DECEMBER CALENDAR?!" Why? Because the end is in sight! and I KNOW there will be a mad dash to the berry for all those last minute papers/assignments that professors love to give! I mean, we've all known about these papers/assignments...but with all the other work throughout the semester it's nearly impossible to complete these end of the semester papers/assignments "ahead uh time" right? So instead of being out of the berry loop--HERE ARE THE HOURS! I also know no one ever goes to library.moody.edu to look up the hours...so here they are you lazy bums! (jaykay...kind of)

Also, a reminder to all students! THERE ARE BOOKS AT THE LIBRARY. I know, sounds silly right? But come on there are totally quite a few "noobs" who only use internet resources...and unless it's from a MBI Crowell Database--THAT'S NOT REALLY ACCEPTABLE IN THE ACADEMIC WORLD. So do yourself a favor--USE ATLA, USE ACADEMIC SEARCH PREMIER, USE ALL THE eResources under the Chicago tab (if you refuse to step foot in the berry) BUT SERIOUSLY! do yourself a favor & COME ON IN, cozy up in the stacks and know MBI Crowell Library is the place to get work done! Plus you can have drinks with lids on them! So get yourself a mason jar and fill that puppy up with your choice of caffeine! AND JOIN THE "HOME STRETCH" BERRY PARTY! But please--don't jam too hard to those christmas tunes (just because you have headphones doesn't mean we can't hear you...) lolololol

P.S. I just became a member at Open Books today 

so I can attend the membership preview for their upcoming HALF-OFF SALE! 

Don't be jelly! Go get your own membership today! 

And help support literacy and your local bookstore 

Just because we're a berry doesn't mean we just have books!

Today we ensue a topic that may not be of interest to most. Or maybe it's an opportunity that you knew of--but you do not care to ensue. Or maybe you're like me--and you just don't have time. Or maybe you think THIS IS A BERRY, NOT BLOCKBUSTER! Well Blockbuster is barely scraping by, so I guess maybe it'd be better to state--MBI Crowell Library is not netflix nor red box--but by golly MBI has a great selection of films!

For my Violence and Grace in the Novel class we have required films to view and interact with. Before even trying to find the required films at the library for the first few films--I went to netflix. I went to amazon instant. I went to ebay. I tried everything under the sun not to check it out from the library! Why? I wanted convenience! The films I'm required to watch are all on reserve. I didn't wanna drudge on over to the berry and get a movie for 3 hrs. But I understand the need to place required films on reserve--so many students to watch em' so little time! I appreciate the time restriction because even though it may not seem like it--I'm kind of a procrastinator...especially with films! I can hardly stand to sit and watch an entire film--even if I love the movie/documentary.

But you know what. The films Dr. de Rosset requires me to watch end up being splendid. And you know what else! Through being forced to use the reserve movies (lololol)--I realized that THERE ARE TONS OF OTHER MOVIES THAT ARE NOT ON RESERVE! And you can check em' out for three days instead of three hours! 

Located on the first floor, you'll find yourself in a room just past the circulation desk and you'll see shelves of movies! And if you so desire, there is even a viewing room located on the first floor! In the viewing room there are TVs with DVD players and they come with headphones! But be careful, because you might find yourself like me--watching Shadowlands with headphones on in the viewing room crying your eyes and not realizing how loud you are. So maybe you wanna check out your film and watch it in the privacy of your own "home"--or maybe you'll wanna watch a more light-hearted film in the viewing room. Regardless! Scope out MBI Crowell's movie selection--and maybe you'll find yourself with a free date, or a nice way to relax--or better yet, you'll find yourself with some heavy truths being taught through the art of a film.

IT'S OH-FISH

Dear Blogosphere and MBI Crowell Berry Patrons,

All my volunteering has paid off! Literally! (lololol) Today is officially my second day of work here @ MBI Crowell and with the help of Rachel Gliebe and Amy Koehler, I'll (mainly) be taking on the work load for ADA/Kurzweil! Along with dabbling at the information desk and doing some weeding--which we all know I will be more than thrilled to do! Speaking of weeding, thanks to the free shelf I now have wonderful material for greeting cards (as shown below). Thankfully these pamphlets were weeded not just because I'm a selfish art hoarder of all things collagable &free, but because I'm pretty sure Jesus did not go to church, he was not just a "special teacher" and he was totally not just a humanitarian! (as well as other ideas promoted by these publications!) BUT we will leave a theology of children's sunday school materials for another day! hahahaha is there even a theology of children's sunday school materials? Alas, a different Q for a diff day! //sigh

On a more "technical" note today I explored the online database of:

Well more like how to access these abstracts! I decided to search "John Howard Yoder" within the Religious & Theological Abstracts and started reading through some of the blurbs. I chose one article that seemed of particular interest from the Journal of Religious Ethics called "The Politics of YHWH: John Howard Yoder's Old Testament Narration and Its Implications for Social Ethics" by John C. Nugent. Can you guess what side I'm on for a group debate regarding a biblical theology of war? hahaha Because this is an abstract it is necessary to find the actual article! So now we venture over to the A-Z database list-- and click on the "titles" tab! (P.S. The A-Z List is the best way to scour the online world of electronic journals)

According to my search! ATLA has the journal I'm looking for and the issue (March 2011) BUT it is "Embargo: 5 years"--AKA the full text of my 2011 article is not available due to copyright/legal. So for now it is a no go! No need to bummerdrag for long, because Academic Search Premier has come through with an "Embargo: 1 year" AKA I can read the article in full text! Not hard right?? AND NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO TYPE IN RANDOM WORDS TO ATLA'S SEARCH ENGINE trying to find a good article. Go to the Religious & Theological Abstracts and give it a whirl! Abstracts work wonders if you're looking for efficient research!

Critical Mistakes

Today I was given free range to choose any database in order to explore the "unknown” and write of my discoveries. Although I just recently promoted the "Literature Resource Center" I could barely help myself when I saw the "Salem Press Literature" database. At 11am I have Dr. de Rosset's class—hence upon arrival for today’s volunteer time, being seeped in T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” I was on a “literary” kick. Doing as most patrons/browsers do, I just clicked on the link—and dove into the depths of Salem Press Literature. Trying to find more information about T.S. Eliot I was clicking on the Authors tab and my search would come up empty! I clicked on the “About” section and read how recently a critical insight of T.S. Eliot had just been added to the “Salem Press Literature” database collection. Yet this so called “T.S. Eliot” insight was nowhere to be found—how insightful! hahaha

Frustrated as all get out, I decided to go back to the original link on the eResources for the Chicago campus. I then read the blurb ABOUT Salem Literature—which I should have done before even entering the unknown world of Salem. 

I must state, I’m horribly embarrassed at my ignorance! The about blurb clearly states that Moody has access only to Critical Insights regarding: The Metamorphosis and Pride and Prejudice with a Critical Insight of the author Flannery O’Connor. If I had stopped and read BEFORE entering the “unknown” I wouldn’t have had to scour for something that was not even accessible! Today I learned my lesson. Before jumpin’ the gun and getting excited about a new database—STOP AND READ THE ABOUT BLURB BEFORE CLICKING THE LINK! Also, if you want to be more informed than the average browser (aka me) you could scope out the “Literary Research” libguide! Prepared by Amy Koehler and Jenny Greening this libguide gives you the knowledge to profitably peruse. In the end it all worked out, because I’m a fan of Metamorphosis and thoroughly enjoyed reading about Kafka’s upbringing and how “ordinary” his life actually was despite his bizarre stories. 

P.S. From our neighbor's @ Open Books!

Ni hao!

After a week of Mission's Conference I'm sure some of you are buzzin' to get a head start on learning a language for a certain location that's been placed on your heart! Or maybe some of you are like me last semester: language "illiterate" and in Greek grammar! Whatever your desire for learning a language might be--Crowell Library wants to introduce YOU to online language learning systems! FREE THROUGH CROWELL LIBRARY! There are two different language learning systems: Mango and Transparent.

To access Mango you can go to library.moody.edu and look under the "Popular Resources" for a link to Mango Languages. For Transparent--which is still pretty new! You need to go to library.moody.edu and then click on Chicago under "eResources by Campus";And then scroll down to click on Transparent Language Online.

With a motto like "Start a Conversation"--Mango Languages tends to be a bit more (and obviously so) conversational. In this language learning system there is a bit less functionality in comparison to Transparent, but! It does include the Biblical Languages! Along with other languages such as: Chinese (Mandarin), Italian, German, Russian, French, and the list goes on! The way Mango is set up there is no need to create an account--you can just click "Start Learning" if you'd like. And if you want to track your progress you can create a free profile with Mango! Mango teaches you "lesson by lesson" with the language of your choice--beginning with "Greetings, Gratitude  Goodbyes" (the creator must have learned their alliteration from the Baptists!)

For Transparent you are required to make a free account--and don't worry it's not tedious! Essentially all you need to do is create a username+password in order to get started! Because you have to create an account this already shows the "commitment" Transparent has in being a formal language learning system. Transparent has units for learning the "essentials" of your chosen language, but there's also an option for "quick learning" if you happen to decide last minute on a mission's trip to Mexico! Another neat feature of Transparent is the "explore" button--where Transparent helps you connect via social networking to others who are studying the language of your choice!

Whether you choose Mango or Transparent, both are wonderful language learning systems provided by Crowell Library to help suite whatever your purposes might be! I mean, I live in Logan Square! Maybe it's time for me to brush up on some conversational Spanish so I can join my roommate in ordering in Spanish at the diner down the street =)

ILL

Today we step into the world of Interlibrary Loan--

a world of broadening horizons and Joe Cataio.

Whether you are familiar with this wonderful aspect of Crowell Library or not--today you shall learn! For Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is potentially my favorite feature of the library. 

Interlibrary Loan allows you to use books even if our library doesn't own them! Interlibrary Loan is made up of a network of libraries essentially sharing books like one big happy family. Constantly Crowell Library is requesting certain books for professors and students from other libraries and these friendly libraries are loaning out the requested item for a period of time. This network of sharing works both ways! So Crowell Library makes requests on behalf of students/professors and other libraries makes requests to Crowell Library on behalf of their patrons! Personally I have five ILL books right now--all of them from Loyola and DePaul. Along with Loyola and DePaul--the University of Chicago, the Chicago Public Library, the University of Illinois, and Trinity are the mains schools we receive our requested ILL books from. 

I know what you're thinking "This splendid educational opportunity--it must be complicated!"--although the name "Interlibrary loan" sounds like a daunting task (a request to make to the unkown gods)--believe me! Joe is so helpful, and requesting is so simple! 

First you go to http://library.moody.edu (per usual) 

Then click on the ILL link (the one that has a big red circle around it in the image below!)

After that you click whether your request is a Book/Essay in a Book or a Periodical. The actual request form is featured below (for a Book/Essay in a Book). The red asterisks mean FILL ME OUT PLEASE. But if you do not have the information--such as the ISBN #--leave that blank, but please! Please! AT LEAST! Type your name, email address, the title of the book + author. And if a specific edition is needed, type that out too! Otherwise it's hard to fulfill your book(ly) desires.

Automatically the request form states that you won't accept charges for the requested book--

YES, THAT MEANS INTERLIBRARY LOAN IS FREE! And then you click submit! Joe will receive your request and email you back. Essentially Joe does all the work for you! You make the request and he goes on a hunt to see what library has the book and would like to share! Sometimes books can arrive literally within days--especially when working within the local network of ILL libraries. But for scarce books, sometimes out of state ILL libraries are needed and therefore time is also needed to process/receive the requested book.

If you're lucky (apologies for my pagan lingo) when you request a book--your request can even lead to a purchase! If the book is relevant and seen as a necessity for our collection Joe will then approve and purchase your request! And no, this is not a "once in a life time" opportunity! I have had two ILL requests purchased for Crowell Library this semester--and believe me! They are GOOD BOOKS--You can't go wrong with Ellen Davis and Caspar David Friedrich.

So don't be shy! And don't miss out on this educational opportunity! Stay on top of your library game and if our collection doesn't contain what you need, request it via Inter Library Loan!

fREADom

This week (Sept 30-Oct 6) is national "Banned Books Week." Sounds a bit silly? Or maybe a bit rebellious? And the Lord above knows we don't wanna be no Jonahs! But what is the motive behind Banned Books Week? Is it really all that silly? Or all that rebellious? 

According to the American Library Association (ALA) they "receive reports from libraries, schools, and the media on attempts to ban books in communities across the country. We (ALA) compile lists of challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship efforts that affect libraries and schools. The ALA condemns censorship and works to ensure free access to information." If books are censored based on opinions of "left" or "right" thinking--supporting censorship is a danger for both the "left" and the "right." And if you think books like Fifty Shades of Grey are the only kinds of books being "challenged"--you are terribly mistaken! On the list of "challenged" books are what most of us know as classics like Slaughter-House Five by Vonnegut, Lord of the Rings by Tolkien, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck, and many more! 

This past summer the Library of Congress put together a phenomenal exhibit entitled "The Books That Shaped America." For banned books week they highlighted the specific titles of "The Books That Shaped America" that have been challenged. And quite honestly a lot of these books are some of my favorites--including Harry Potter! In fact, back home I have a best friend named Polly. She is in her late eighties now and was a librarian for a public elementary school for many years. She told me that when Where the Wild Things Are first came out she had to fight so hard to keep it on their shelf!  When she told me that I COULD NOT BELIEVE HER--Where the Wild Things Are? Really?!? I love Where the Wild Things Are! I sleep with a picture of Max above my bed! And according to the Library of Congress' exhibit Where the Wild Things Are is one of the books that helped shape America! It's because of the ALA and people like Polly, that Crowell Library can have three copies of Where the Wild Things Are sitting on our shelves. It's because we refuse to censor the "left" that the "right" is safe from being censored. And it's through events like "Banned Books Week" that we can raise awareness of the need to protect and celebrate the freedom to read! 

See Pea Eye,

First things first--today is not a stroll in the park nor is it a lemon poppy seed muffin with a side of metropolis coffee. Well, maybe the crumbs of the muffin could suffice for a visual--because today's treat is some work to retrieve, but the reward is so sweet!

Regardless, today is a difficult day for the world of online databases. For today we will be exploring a database that is an index. Yes dear students of 2012 this means that this resource is meant to help you--but not necessarily spoon feed you. The Christian Periodical Index (CPI) means to do you good--they want to show you where you can find the topic you are looking for! I'm sure you know CPI's older brother--ATLA (and if you don't shame on you and go here to explore for yourself!). But CPI is a database that before today I personally had zero clue even existed! (shame on me)

Christian Periodical Index is the more "practical" of the brothers--ATLA is very academic and although sometimes CPI and ATLA overlap--CPI tends to be the place to find more hands on/practical theology. That's when you all chime in and say yes! Practical theology?! The entire construct of Moody's education found in a online "database"! And what's that you say Emily?! It's a compilation of only evangelical viewpoints--no more of those liberals! lololololololol How does CPI work?! (Don't worry I've "!?" to show how eager I'm sure you all are)

Now to the difficult part. You must pull up your boot straps and do some searching--but I promise you fellow students that this is a worthy endeavor (keep thinking of how sweet those muffin crumbs are!)

Go to library.moody.edu and click on "Chicago" (under the eResources by Campus). Once there go to the Christian Periodical Index link--and click! Then search! For today's purpose we chose to search "iconography"--remember since Christian Periodical Index is the "little brother" his search is not as academic...so start off broad and then slowly narrow your way down as you get a feel for the "search results."

After I scoured the list of "indexed resources" for the search "iconography" I chose:

Now the key to remember is that there is no PDF file next to the little folder image! This means you must look up the periodical title! So go back to library.moody.edu and the easiest way to see if Crowell Library has the periodical is to search for the Title--not of the article, but the periodical itself! So I searched "Books and Culture" (please add the quotes so the catalogue knows that you mean business!) (OR you can select Serial Title instead of Title - no it's not cereal that you eat, but serials that you consume by reading!)

Finally arriving at what seems like your destination you must check to see if the issue # is available! So I scope--and ahhh! Eureka! Sept/Oct 2010 is available!

Now for the goldmine. You get to do something I'm sure a majority of students have never ever done! Go to the big brown boxes--next to the computer area in the lower level of Crowell Library and scope for the exact periodical you are looking for! In my case I was searching for "Books and Culture." Because my magazine is "over-sized" it was not in a brown box! And it was just hanging out on the stacks--a bit dusty mind you, but believe me! This over-sized magazine was splendid!

The Christian Periodical Index is well worth your time dear patrons of Crowell Library! Impress your professors and get some resources that they've probably never heard of--but wish they had!

Battle of the Databases

Today is a "test" of the gods. Not really, because obviously I affirm the Trinity, but today is meant to be a "helpful" overview for the patrons of MBI Crowell Library and in particularly the students! I have been given 5 main databases available through MBI Crowell Library (and believe me there are soooo many more!) and I must choose the best of the best! The five databases may or may not be familiar to you--Britannica, Credo, eLibrary, Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, & World Almanac. In order to create a "standardize test" I chose to search one topic and compare+contrast which of the five is best in regards to my specific search and "overall."

The topic of today’s search is “Sustainable Farming.” Yes the school year has begun hence I will now take my volunteer time to benefit my personal education! I think it might be said that I am fulfilling the old adage; killing two birds with one stone—but if anyone knows me well, I am a pacifist, so I prefer to say something less violent…but I still have yet to make up a phrase...who has time for that...not I.

Today’s “search” is based off an excitable presentation for Wellness Seminar—a required class here at MBI. My group will be presenting on the health benefits of buying organic/sustainable farmed goods. And my emphasis will be on the biblical aspect of how sustainable/organic farming helps us faithfully honor creation as image bearers. So I began the search—and right from the get go “Funk & Wagnalls” has repeatedly been under an “occurring problem” for the “search time” aka Funk & Wagnalls bit the dust. Left to run the race, I quickly exnayed World Almanac with zero search results. Britannica is a modern day “underdog” of databases with Wikipedia dominating the internet world, yet for today’s purposes “sustainable farming” did not have the best results. Left for competition are Credo and eLibrary. Credo is a good source for information—but the return results were lacking in “match” to my topic and were a bit left field for what I was looking for—although I am quite interested in the philosophical idea of sustainable living.

So today’s winner is eLibrary. eLibrary had the most unique sources for sustainable farming. They even had an article published from Farmers Weekly this past April. It seems like this database is updated pretty regularly and with the “citation view” button eLibrary makes it easy to see how “reliable” the article is for your purposes. They have purple boxes labeled “scholarly journals” for scholarly articles. eLibrary has a box on the left with multiple avenues of information labeled for your search result: newspapers, pictures, magazines, maps, books, audio/video, websites, and transcripts. Look forward to a poster made by yours truly promoting all the benefits of eLibrary as an online database made possible by MBI Crowell. I mean eLibrary even has a place to make your own online quizzes that can be saved onto your account!

And on a completely different note (I'm bad at transitions) we got new chairs! MORE new chairs! They are located next to our other previous new golden guys under the sky light!  And yes--they are student approved as shown by Rachel Strull studying for Old Testament Biblical Theology! And believe me she was sleepy and these chairs helped her do work and stay awake!

Re-cap of Prof. Yuan's lecture: "Homosexuality: Texts and Hermeneutics"

On Tuesday night at 7pm, Christopher Yuan lectured on the interpretations of six biblical texts on homosexuality. He juxtaposed the revisionist view to that of the traditional. His speaking was clear, humble, knowledgeable, and loving. The closing prayer asked God that we as the Church reach out in love with this fellow group of sinners. 

About 100 students, faculty and staff were in attendance.  Catering provided coffee and cookies. Those in attendance received Christopher's slide handout and a bibliography of library owned items relevant to this topic. This was the first lecture in the Crowell Library fall series on Homosexuality.  Join us for lecture 2 on October 23rd when Christopher speaks on "Homosexuality: Nature or Nurture?"

Fall 2012 Lecture Series

MBI Crowell Library has the pleasure of hosting a lecture series  by Moody's very own, Adjunct Professor Christopher Yuan. Professor Yuan, in a four part installation, will cover a spectrum of subjects related to homosexuality. The first lecture, entitled "Homosexuality: Texts and Hermeneutics," will begin Tuesday September 4th at 7pm in MBI Crowell Library's lower level:

There are six passages in Scripture which touch on the issue of homosexuality. Traditional interpretation of these texts condemns any sex outside of marriage between a husband and wife. And yet some claim that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality. So what does the Bible really say? With a solid background in biblical exegesis—knowing both Hebrew and Greek—Christopher presents and analyzes the gay-affirming interpretations of Old Testament and New Testament passages on homosexuality with clarity and compassion.

Thanks to the work of Amy Koehler, there is an avenue of information available regarding homosexuality found in the libguides. In order to be a well informed listener and contribute to the conversation we highly suggest that you at least take a minute to give this libguide an overview! Featured in the homosexuality libguide is Professor Yuan's book (2011) Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son's Journey to God: A Broken Mother's Search for Hope.

Grab a flyer in the library 

and post it as a reminder to join us 

this upcoming Tuesday (September 4th) @ 7pm 

for Professor Yuan's enlightening lecture, genuine discussion, and light refreshments!

Que me cuentas de nuevo--What's new?

Dear Blogosphere,

You must forgive me as I've been out of town and out and about and took the past two weeks off from volunteering--hence this blog has been a bit bleak and empty in content. But the buzz on the street is that this week has been a big week! School is starting up this upcoming Monday August 27th--and I'm already marking due dates down on my calendar. Dr. de Rosset sent out the syllabus early for my literature elective, Violence and Grace in the Novel, and bless her heart--because you know planners like me love that! In fact slightly unrelated to Crowell Library (forgive me for a second time in one post I beg!) I compiled a list of local bookstores that are wonderful for school book shopping. Since my class is a literature elective most of the required novels found on my syllabus I've found right here in the city. And with no shipping these books have been cheaper than most competing online sources! With finds like these you've gotta be a debbie downer if you don't like cheap books and supporting a local economy!

 Here's the list of my favorite local stores to choose from:

http://www.unchartedbooks.com/

http://www.bookleggers.com/

http://www.unabridgedbookstore.com/

http://www.myopicbookstore.com/

http://www.open-books.org/

http://www.powellschicago.com/ 

And if you don't think you can find the books you need for classes at these places (because honestly some don't carry specifics like Grasping God's Word--which is a necessity for Hermeneutics!) these places are great for studying and to find pleasure reading! Even though the school year is busy--pleasure reading is a nice way to unwind before bed or to pass time on transit.

If you don't have money to buy the books needed for classes or maybe you don't have the space to store them--come to Crowell Library! If we don't have the book on reserve, or in the stacks  Joe Cataio is more than happy to help you acquire the book you need through interlibrary loan! And believe me you'll get whatever book you need and have a wonderful conversation! Whether it's book sales at Newberry library, help with the reference section, or recommendations on movies--Joe's got the in on the city and interlibrary loan books!

Now to the meat and potatoes of this week's post; Crowell library has NEW CHAIRS!

With our new carpet--our new chairs fit right in! If you navigate your way to the sky lights in the basement of Crowell Library you'll find these lovely golden chairs looking both sleek and modern! And as a "student tester" these chairs pass the test! They are not only aesthetically appealing they're perfect for studying. These chairs are comfortable and yet still firm. Because although I may be guilty for a few snoozes here and there during my research breaks at the library, chairs are meant to enhance one's energy in the library--not put us to sleep! (wink) Regardless of your personal choice of use--these chairs are ready and available for you!

Last, but definitely not least! If you're feeling down about the money spent towards tuition, books, or heck, even anything at all! High tail it to the free shelf because it was updated August 15th! And believe me--there are some goodies! In fact I snagged a set of what every self-proclaimed Evangelical would love to own--Jesus themed paintings by an unknown artist. I might keep these goodies as they are, or I might add a bit of an artistic touch--either way I'm happy to be the proud owner of these FREE paintings!

As you can tell by this weeks abundance of exclamation points (!) I'm excited for the fall semester to begin and for all that's happening in Crowell Library! Until next time--stop on by since we're open again!

Pig in a Poke // Cat in a bag

With a jog of my memory, this week's volunteer time was an implementation of something I learned a few weeks ago from Technical Services Librarian Lori Johnson: libguides! The need for this jog down memory lane (one that although was only a few weeks ago, definitely was a bit rusty) was in preparation for the upcoming fall semester.

This upcoming fall I will be an "unofficial" member of the Student Theological Society. And I am currently brainstorming on how to cultivate a relationship between Crowell Library and STS! Pairing a few conversations with Gary Corcoran, the new president of STS and a good friend of mine--along with the wise words, per usual, of Amy Koehler...we got the ball rolling! The Student Theological Society desires to bring in speakers who are scholars in specific fields of theological interest in order to have an open conversation about issues, questions, and of course their area of expertise. One thing that I would like to see happen is not just a conversation during the lecture/interview/q&a, but also a continual conversation after they leave, as well as an informed audience before the arrival of the speaker!

And that is where Crowell Library comes into play! In order to have an informed audience there needs to be adequate resources! So Amy proposed the idea of a both a biographical and bibliographic libguide for all the different speakers. Although the speaker is confirmed (one of my favorites if I might add) the libguide I worked on is not to be announced until STS officially begins in the fall! Let's just say it's a she and I think this urbanite institute would welcome her insightful words of agrarian thought (wink)

Apologies for keeping the cat in the bag, but at least your appetites are wet! But if you scour the libguides...you might just get lucky in finding my current WIP (work in progress)!

Dissertation--Itemization

Today was a day of learning and team effort at MBI Crowell Library. My day began with vauge instructions and a "somewhat" goal in mind. But with the help of Public Services Librarian--Amy Koehler, Technical Services Librarian--Lori Johnson, and Archives Assistant--Nikki Tochaluaski our goal was achieved...well the first of quite a few miniature goals. And as the journey continued the instructions became more clear!

My initial task today was to analyze dissertation records about the one and only D.L. Moody along with dissertations pertaining to the institute in general. First, Amy opened up Horizon--basically the more technical/less user friendly version of OPAC (which is the public interface patrons use to search what the library has.) Then Amy showed me the basic ropes on how to run the program and scan bar codes (which is every stereotypical wannabe librarian's dream!) to get the book's info into the program. After I scanned it a bunch of numbers appeared in the horizon window--numbers that are apparently the key to inside jokes, yet they meant nothing to me!

After consulting Nikki--aka the goal maker of the dissertation project, Amy and I realized that for today's purposes analysis was no long necessary! Basically, the dissertations in the archives are not all searchable in the system! So we needed a "tag" (in 2012 laymen's terms) to help lump the dissertations together and make them searchable...because the dissertations are meant to be used and accessible in a "patron friendly" sort of way. So after conversing with Nikki Amy and I beckoned the guru cataloging Tech Services Librarian, Lori Johnson. She knew just how to work horizon so we could scan each dissertation and "tag" it to make them searchable! yippee! And with the help of the "catalog" authority, we soon had an official tag AND one that is acceptable according to the rules of cataloging--because geez oh petes you should see the book of rules for cataloging!

So today I scanned a cart of dissertations, linked them, and tagged them with a six ten (610) of "Moody Bible Institute--History and Criticism Dissertation"--making our dissertations at MBI Crowell Library ready and searchable to the patron world...

Well, once the Library re-opens for the summer that is! (with hours available here)

Now we just need the dissertations to have their own home on their very own shelf in the archives room! Stay tuned for part two of the journey...which is to be continued...at some point in the future...hahaha

LibGuides not Ad-libs,

My time volunteering may have started off on a forgetful note

But alas! my time at MBI's Crowell Library was not forgetful--it was informative! That is to be expected when working at a library--is it not?! During my volunteer time at Crowell Library I had the pleasure of working with the Technical Services Librarian, Lori Johnson! Our day began with an overview of what LibGuides are: "Research assistance, subject guides, and useful resources compiled by your friendly librarians. Know what we know - find it in LibGuides!" And surprisingly, before this point I knew absolutely nothing about libguides! I know, I know, what kind of volunteer am I?! But come on! There's so much to learn about in a library!

So Lori sat me, the libguide newb, down at a computer and showed me what libguides were, how to edit and manage them AND she taught me all the "pro-tips" like the two windows side by side as pictured above! After the generals Lori showed me what category within libguides I was going to be updating: "Social Work and Counseling Resources." And specifically within this libguide I updated the "abuse" tab.

To update the libguide (as pictured above) I began linking the book titles to the specific Crowell Library catalogue page. I added call numbers to the libguide. And I searched for summary information on the book in order to provide an adequate overview of the material. For most summaries I used the actual information given on the back of the book and occasionally listed information from the table of contents and from online resources. After I finished I couldn't believe how much work libguides were! And I could not believe how useful they are! Libguides are an excellent resource for all your academic and ministerial needs. I could not believe I never took advantage of these guides before. Thankfully, Amy informed me that they were created within the past year--so I didn't feel too behind in my research methods. But remember dear patrons! You can get a jumpstart on your research before you even step foot in the library with libguides! For their name is self-explanatory--they guide you to resources found at Crowell Library! And guess what...some of the resources found on libguides are even accessible as an electronic resource online!

"After you have pumped your brains for thoughts and verse, there is a better poetry hinted in whistling a tune on your walk." Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882). Journal, 1859, undated.

This lovely quote was found in Random House Webster's Quotationary edited by Leonard Roy Frank and published in 1999. I chose this quote because today was a day of inspiration! Unfortunately our library is probably a bit different than the type of stroll Mr. Emerson would have been referring too--although I would love a greenhouse library! But the idea Mr. Emerson seems to be getting at still resounds with my volunteer time today: When you research and research and research and do not find what you're looking for--when you head to reference section of 016's you'll find just what you need! Maybe that's a little too far of a stretch for Mr. Emerson...but for our purposes today...hahaha

The Random House Webster's Quotationary is a book that is found in Crowell Library's Reference section. I learned today a bit more about the reference section--a place where I typically only go for commentaries and books like100 must reads of the 20th century. But today I learned about the "016's" (oh one six--reference to the dewey decimal of that section.) According to volume two of Dewey Decimal Classification edition 21 the 016's are, "Bibliographies and catalogs of works on specific subjects or in specific disciplines." (45)

In laymen's terms! THESE ARE INDEXES AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES FROM SCHOLARS WHO HAVE ALREADY DONE THE DIRTY WORK FOR US! When a daunting research paper is assigned I will normally go to a friend and ask for the best commentaries available, the best scholars on the subject, and what I should read in full and where to inquire for further research. BUT! what I learned today is that there are indexes in the reference section of books (the 016's) that are purely bibliographies! Lists of the best of this and the liberal of that. There are lists with annotations, and lists with bold faced type. There are lists and lists and more lists! And all these lists are just to help us research!

And get this! This section of the library has recently been re-arranged to help us, the patrons, easily access what we're trying to find! The sections are: Religion, Social Sciences, Language, Science, Technology, Arts & Rec, Literature, History, and Biography. After that there are encyclopedia's dedicated to subjects like philosophy, great thinkers, psychology, and the list goes on!

The 016's are my new friend. This portion of the reference section is a new pal that will definitely be of great use come this fall for my last semester line-up. And I hope that you too will use this section--BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO THE DIRTY WORK! Someone else has already done it all--compiled lists and lists of useful bibliographies for whatever subject you need to research and it's all printed and published! So join me in the 016's as I currently brush up on my chess game by using the list of annotated bibliographies in Alex Dunne's Great Chess Books of the Twentieth Century in English. I mean, come on--who doesn't want to be the next Bobby Fischer?

More carpeting fun

Carpeting recommences

An emotional week at Crowell Library

Today at MBI's Crowell Library was a scavenger hunt! No, not the kind with chocolate eggs and candies--it was a hunt for missing books. There is a list of about twenty pages of missing books! It made my heart sad to think of all those lonely books searching for a home on the shelf. Basically what happens is the books have accidentally been placed in the wrong section. With the Dewey Decimal system everything is labeled with a letter and then a grouping of numbers according to the book's contents. Because there are so many numbers it is easy to accidentally mix and match and misplace. So unfortunately, these little lost books have a home in the wrong neighborhood of the shelf! It was my job to brainstorm how one might mix up these numbers! So for example if the call number is M288---etcetc I would search the neighboring shelves, and in the area of 282, 820, 280, 822, etcetc. Unfortunately, on today's scavenger hunt no books were found and it grieves my heart to say--that is the usual. 

After the sad event of no found books--I went to a place where library happiness can always be found: "Last Updated On 7-3-12." aka the free shelf! The free shelf was updated mere days before I came to volunteer and my oh me were there goodies to be found! There was an abundance of old Sunday School flannel graph materials and I took almost all of them! Pictured below is my favorite find. I'm not sure if they were supposed to be "together" but I thought it appropriate to keep them together forever!

So this week was filled with mixed emotions--but as always a pleasure! And with Chicago summer weather--the air conditioned library is a glorious place to be!

Crowell Library's New Volunteer!

After reading the title of today's post you might be a bit surprised to see the miniature poodle featured above! Unfortunately she is not allowed to tromp the stacks of Crowell library, but alas I too am featured and am so fortunate to tromp around and be the new volunteer! My name is Emily Lofquist and I am about to begin my final semester in the fall as a Biblical Studies major. Some of you may have seen me on campus, and now on most Thursdays you will see me doing various jobs around the library! One of which is to update the blog. I will be updating regularly regarding my "volunteer adventures" and all the splendid things happening at Crowell Library.

When I'm not at the library for volunteer work--I'm there for research. Specifically, research for my summer internship as a Biblical Studies major. I intern with my church at a nursing home church plant--Heritage Anglican! My research revolves around the weekly lectionary readings and I gather all the exegetical information for the homily.

When I'm not at the library for volunteer work, or research purposes--I'm there to pillage the free shelf! I faithfully watch the "free shelf has been updated" sign because the free shelf is the foundation of my current art project. My current project revolves around the theme of one man's trash is my reformed treasure. In laymen's terms, I'm poor! So all my artwork is centered around items that are free/I happen upon: on sidewalks, in dumpsters, but mostly from the free shelf!  The two photos (above and below) are both collages based on items from the free shelf with a bit of acrylic paint.

So, if you stop by the blog as the summer continues,

I'll be the go-to-girl with the "in" at Crowell Library as volunteer and part time blogger!

Carpet update

Old carpeting out; in with the new!

Here are some photos of the carpeting project that started this morning:

Keep checking for more photos updates!

School's out for Summer!

Congrats to the many students who finished up their senior year last week. Included in that distinguished group was a number of dear library student workers: Fiona Haggerty, Jon Petersen, Lulu He, Michael Brown, Rachel Gliebe, Rebekka Schultz, Tina Ensz, and Tom Shemanski. We'll miss you but are excited to see what's in store for each of you!

Secondly, remember last summer the library's first floor was re-carpeted? Well, this summer's Blockbuster is the sequel! The lower level will be re-carpeted starting as early as next week!! Keep checking this blog for pictures, as well as for news about how this may affect the study space.  We apologize in advance for any inconvenience - just keep thinking how much better the study experience will be once the teal and pink are but a memory :)

Last, our summer hours are a bit different that normal semester hours. Check our online calendar to be certain we're open before making the journey!

Recap of events: National Library Week

Last week, we celebrated National Library Week with two exciting events.

Thank you to the elementary education majors who read to a captive audience at our Story Time event: Nicole Worley, Tara Fairty, Elizabeth (Tian Nuo) Zhao, Kalana Powell, Sophia Fleck, Wil Lampinen and Kirsten Sheveland.

An audience also enjoyed popcorn and soda while watching the documenatry Inside Job. Missed the movie night, but heard how great it was? Inside Job will be available soon on DVD to be checked out from the Media Library.

Celebrate National Library Week!

The Crowell Library is celebrating National Library Week with two great events. We invite you to join us.

Story Time- Wed. April 11, 3:30pm

Children of Moody employees, students, & alumni are invited to join us in the library as Elementary Education majors read some of their favorite stories aloud. In addition to Story time, children will be able to participate in a writing activity, coloring pages and a beanbag toss game, and enjoy treats and give-a-ways. Parents, fellow employees and students come and explore the Curriculum Lab and Juvenile collection to discover more about its treasure trove of resources.

Movie Night: Inside Job - Thurs. April 12, 7:00pm

Join us in the library for popcorn, soda, and a screening of the 2010 Academy Award winner for Best Documentary. Inside Job provides a comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008, which at a cost over $20 trillion, caused millions of people to lose their jobs and homes in the worst recession since the Great Depression, and nearly resulted in a global financial collapse. Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews with key financial insiders, politicians, journalists, and academics, the film traces the rise of a rogue industry that has corrupted politics, regulation, and academia. Come with your thinking caps and a friend to view the film and then leave with a handout of questions that will be sure to keep you up late discussing not only the merits of the film, but the implications of this financial crisis as well.

We look forward to celebrating with you!
Contact Amy Fields with any questions about the events.
amy.fields@moody.edu