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!