Final(s) countdown

Very important info:
1. We're open! Check it!
2. Need a computer? The McWhorter Classroom (the lab on the right as you enter the library) is available. Use it!

Fun stuff, or a friendly reminder to play a little bit:
12/8: Program Board is showing Elf at 7pm on Dead Day. Wash down this classic Christmas film with pancakes and milk from 9-11pm, muchas gracias a University Ministries.
12/9 to 12/15, weekdays at noon and 5pm: Exam Exercise will get some blood flowing to your brain and help you cope with the stress. Not that you're stressed.
12/10-12/12: 2010 Sundance Shorts at Belcourt. Short and sweet. and distracting and entertaining.
12/12: Last opportunity to see The Piper in Lila's favorite intimate theatre venue, Belmont's Black Box.
12/13: You've heard about the Mozart effect, right? Sonically stimulate your brain at Belmont Camerata Musicale's presentation of Corelli’s Christmas Concerto and take part in a super-fun sing-along. Who cares if Wolfie didn't make the program? Mansion @ 7:30pm.

Ongoing: Need to see some Christmas Lights? Head to Country Christmas at Opryland Hotel for a glimpse at nearly 2 million of 'em.

And the winner is...

Props to Abbie Culbertson (winner)


and Shoheb Punjani (runner-up)

Study late(r)

Hey, all. Just a reminder that we've extended the evening hours (from 11pm to 12:30pm). An extra hour and a half should help you make some headway on those post fall break papers and projects!

Break me off a piece of that!

Fall break is almost upon us. Those of you sticking around will be glad to know that the library and LVC will be open:

Friday, October 15: 7am - 4:30pm
Saturday, October 16: noon - 4:30pm
Sunday, October 17: 5pm - 9:00pm
Monday and Tuesday, October 18 -19: 8am - 4:30pm

Upgrade!

Sounds good, right? It is...mostly. Lila will be upgrading all computers on Thursday, October 7. Starting at 5pm all computers and printing services will be unavailable. When you come back Friday morning you'll be wowed!

I'm with the banned.

Nope, that isn't a typo. Banned Books Week begins this Sunday, September 26, and runs all week long. Take this opportunity to curl up with a favorite banned / censored / challenged book (Lolita! Little House on the Prairie! The Koran!) Choose from this list of classics, find out which titles were most frequently banned or challenged this year, or read the NY Times list of 10 ways to celebrate BBW.

Lila loves Banned Books Week. To celebrate it she is hosting four action-packed and AL convo credit bearing talks during the week! All will be on the first floor of the library in the McWhorter lab.

September 27, 3:30pm Fable as Subversion, Fable as Propaganda: Of Cockroaches, Kings, Saddam's Musical, and Arabic Drama. Dr. James Al-Shamma

Sept. 28 1pm - ‘Guilty Objects': Breaking Taboos in the Visual Arts Dr. Judy Bullington asks: What do a Renaissance artist, a caricaturist, a cosmopolitan painter, and a modern abstract artist have in common? All created works that crossed political, religious, or moral boundaries of the day resulting in some form public censorship of their art.

Sept. 29 10am - Constraints on Musical Style: The Case of Shostakovich. Dr. Terry Klefstad discusses the impact of the Soviet government on composer Dmitri Shostakovich: Do governmental policies like this prevent composers from reaching their creative potential, or can such constraints be overcome to create music that appeals to listeners beyond their time and culture?

Sept. 30 11:30am - Hear No Evil Professor Mark Volman asks: Why is music censored? - and who are the censors?

Food in the library...BRING IT!

Yep, you heard me. After years of tossing your ...um, snacks, Lila has decided to allow food and drink in the library. I know, how magnanimous, right?

Just one qualification: food is allowed only in the atrium areas on the first through third floors. No food by the books or computers! Drinks are allowed everywhere you want to be, but only in sealed / lidded containers.

Need Convo Credit?

Lila is offering several options for convo credit this semester. These are eligible for Personal/Professional Development:

If You Like ProQuest, You’ll Love This! Judy Williams Sept. 20 Noon

You may know about ProQuest, a good database for starting your research. Well, ProQuest has been replaced by something better – Academic Search Premier! This new database offers you more journals and more articles in an easy-to-use format. Come see what it’s all about!

Business Research: Finding Company and Industry Info Jenny Rushing Oct. 14 10am

Learn how to find hard to locate company and industry reports using our newest database, Business Source Premier, LexisNexis, and others.

Finding Full Text: Use the Web and the Library Together Jenny Rushing Oct. 28 10:00am

So, you've found all these great citations on Wikipedia. Now how do you find the full text? You've heard about some interesting research from CNN. How do you find the actual study? Learn to use the library to locate articles you find through the Web or other secondary sources.

Turabian and the Chicago Manual of Style Rachel Scott Nov. 10 10:00am

Citation styles are not often named after people, so Kate Larimore Turabian (1893-1987) must have done something right! Come to this convo to learn how to channel your inner Kate and use Turabian and Chicago style in your papers.

And the Banned Books Week Convos are eligible for Academic Lecture:

Fable as Subversion, Fable as Propaganda: Of Cockroaches, Kings, Saddam's Musical, and Arabic Drama. September 27, 3:30pm

Dr. James Al-Shamma will discuss how the fable has been transposed to the Arabic stage. The fable has the advantage of operating as metaphor, and theatrical metaphor has been deployed as a strategy for outwitting the censor within many autocratic societies. Through fables of insects and kings, often adapted directly from The Arabian Nights, various Arabic playwrights have subversively critiqued their repressive governments. Fable may be employed as a tool of propaganda as well, as in the case of the musical Zabiba and the King, which premiered at the Iraqi National Theater in 2002 and which is based on a novel attributed to none other than Saddam Hussein.

‘Guilty Objects': Breaking Taboos in the Visual Arts Dr. Judy Bullington Sept. 28 1pm

What do a Renaissance artist, a caricaturist, a cosmopolitan painter, and a modern abstract artist have in common? All created works that crossed political, religious, or moral boundaries of the day resulting in some form public censorship of their art.

Constraints on Musical Style: The Case of Shostakovich Dr. Terry Klefstad Sept. 29 10am

Dmitri Shostakovich came of age during the early years of the Soviet Union. When the government's attention turned to music in the early 1930s, Shostakovich was known as a young composer with great potential, and was already famous throughout the Western musical world. His early efforts in a modernist style were soon abandoned when the Soviet government began to dictate to composers their musical style, requiring a simpler sound that could be appreciated by the masses. The question then arises: Do governmental policies like this prevent composers from reaching their creative potential, or can such constraints be overcome to create music that appeals to listeners beyond their time and culture?

Hear No Evil Professor Mark Volman Sept. 30 11:30am

Why is music censored? - and who are the censors? Music censorship first reared its head in the 1950s, when rock and roll’s growing influence threatened white, middle-class values. The 1960s saw the FBI’s involvement in musician’s personal and political lives, as officials began keeping tabs on Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and John Lennon. Song references to sex and drugs tormented censors throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, eventually giving way to hysteria over lyrics promoting suicide and devil worship in the 1980s. In 1985, the Parents Music Resource Center, led by a cadre of politicians’ wives, called for the recording industry to place Parental Advisory stickers on potentially offensive albums. Instead of quelling concerns, the stickers unleashed a barrage of state laws that required retailers to regulate distribution or pay the price (a hefty fee or even jail time). In the meantime, the banned albums benefited from the notoriety. Ultimately, community and federal censors have threatened civil liberties while entangling their organizations in a costly fight to maintain an ambiguous definition of decency.

Writing Center in da house!!!

Great news for Lila's little Belmonsters...(allowing the anticipation to build)...The very awesome Writing Center gurus will be operating out of the library from 10am-noon on Tuesdays and 9am-12:30pm on Wednesdays! This is in addition to their main operation in Wheeler 210 (9am-6pm MWF, 9-6:30pm Tu, and 9am-8pm Th). Call 460-6241 to schedule a 30-minute session and bring a copy of your assignment with.

Who's Lila?!

You decide. Our tired, old "Ask Us" logo needs updating and we want your fresh, new ideas! How's it gonna work? You create a new logo with an image of Lila (as you've always envisioned her) that conveys the message "Ask Lila."

Email reference@belmont.edu a high quality JPEG or GIF by November 5th. Read the official rules here. Don't worry, you'll be rewarded for your hard work--the winner will take home a Kindle and two runners-up will also win a prize!

Back to the 'brary

Welcome (back)! Beginning Wednesday the new and improved library is open for you Monday - Thursday 7am - 11pm ; Friday 7am - 7pm; Saturday 9am-7pm and Sunday 1-11pm. You can also catch us at the Student Activities Fair from 10am-1pm this Wednesday in the Curb Event Center.

FYS Common Book Guide

New year, new book! My Name is Asher Lev (by Chaim Potok) is Belmont's 2010 Common Book. Have you read it? It's not just for FYS students, you know. Read it and then read more about the author and the context here!

Happy Holiday

Lila hopes you're enjoying a festive and safe 4th of July. Just a heads-up--the library will be closed tomorrow (July 5th) and will resume normal hours on Tuesday, July 6th. See you then and good luck with summer session 1 finals!

Meaning of Life, Southern-Fried

As if the free MP3 downloads weren't reason enough to become a Nashville Public Library patron, several branches are hosting some very worthwhile events this summer, including:

Saturday, June 26, 1 p.m. at the Donelson Branch

Polynesian dances and drumming by artists from the Global Education Center.

Tuesday, June 29, Noon, at the Green Hills Branch

Sam McLeod shares stories from his Nashville childhood as featured in his new memoir, Big Appetite: My Southern Fried Search for the Meaning of Life, and enjoy a light brunch by Waffle House.

Saturday, July 3, 1-3 p.m, Main Library

Open House Honoring Today’s Veterans - Davidson County vets and their family and friends are cordially invited to a patriotic open house. Visit with fellow vets, enjoy light refreshments, see a display of letters and photographs from other wars and find out how you can add your story to the Veteran’s History Project at Nashville Public Library.

print or digital? both!

A recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education's Wired Campus Blog described the Ubimark project. This project brings print and digital together by embedding two-dimensional codes in the print format that function as hyperlinks when photographed. Enriching addition to the text or expensive distraction? Lila will be interested to see how different formats converge in the future.

open 4 business/pleasure

Did you know that the library is open all summer long? Now you do :) Stop by from 7am - 9pm M-Th, 7am-4:30pm Fridays, Noon - 4:30 Saturdays, and 5-9pm on Sundays. Check out the Listening/Viewing Center hours and a bunch of exceptions here.

Finals fun?

Book buy back
Don't accept their paltry pay off! Walk away with some dignity and then try some of these great ideas for reusing books. Just kidding...mostly.


Visit the writing center
They have special hours beginning dead day:
Cinco de Mayo: 9am - noon ; 12:30 - 7:30pm
5/6: 9am - 6:30pm
5/7: 8-noon ; 1-5pm
5/10: 9am - noon ; 2-7:30pm


Dead Day Eve: Beaman LATE NIGHT
Sure, you should be studying, but who can resist "FREE FOOD, MUSIC, and ACTIVITES!!!" (Belmont University Events Calendar, 5/4)


Dead Day eats: Chicken by day, Pancakes by night
12 - 2:30, front lawn: McDougal's, Music and Games (cancelled)
9 - 11pm: UM hosts Pancake Night in the Caf (free)


Final(ly) in the library
We're running specials for the procrastinators out there. Free study spaces, group study rooms, DVD checkouts, electrical outlets, plush seating, and sunny nooks(weather permitting!) for current Belmont students. I know, generous, right?

Sustainability and sustenance...Lila likes!

Hey, y'all. You've likely been overwhelmed with Earth Day and other green initiatives of late. Here is one that not only promotes sustainability but will feed your belly! Harris Teeter, the most (or second most? Osborne's Bi-Rite is also pretty close) walkable grocery store has a cool new Engaged Recycling program that will swap your landfill ready cell phones, laptops, mp3 players and other electronic devices for a grocery gift card. Or you can donate the amount to a school of your choice.

Help Lila help you!

Do you have 3 minutes? Please fill out a brief survey! We really need to hear from current students about library services and space. Do your part to make the library more inviting and relevant!

Indies Choice Winner @ your library

Hey, all. Lila has most of the 2010 Indies Choice Book Award Winners, inlcuding: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, The Lost City of Z by David Grann and The Help by Kathryn Stockett . Need a good book to take your mind off those pesky end of semester papers and projects? Stop by the library and Lila will hook you up with a winner.

thrive @ your library

National Library Week is an annual celebration of our nation's libraries, librarians, and library users (i.e. you). Lila has a whole lot planned for the week (April 12 - 16) including daily drawings (PM, Bongo, Buzzy's, Feedback and La Fiesta gift cards), a super cool convo, library jeopardy at Pembroke, and display of belmont-produced library materials. Make sure to stop by and celebrate!

Happy Easter!

Don't worry, Lila will be around during the break! The hours are slightly shorter, though...7am - 7pm on Wednesday ; 8am - 4:30pm on Thursday ; Closed Friday ; Noon - 4:30pm Saturday ; Closed Sunday. Have a safe and blessed holiday!

Step up to the plate @ your library

Lila is pretty excited about the regular season starting up. So excited, in fact, that she pulled some super cool baseball books just in time for you to brush up your baseball trivia or read about a favorite team. Just do it!

Fromage frais and other literary delicacies

Bookseller Magazine recently held its annual competition for the quirkiest book title. Bloomberg reported that 42% of readers voted for Crocheting Adventures With Hyperbolic Planes and 30% for What Kind of Bean Is This Chihuahua? Last year's winner, The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-Milligram Containers of Fromage Frais, is perhaps Lila's all time favorite.

Keep your eyes open next time you're browsing for books...you're sure to stumble upon an odd title or two. Let Lila know when you do.

Asian Studies Symposium!

Belmont is hosting its first ever (and annual?) Asian Studies Symposium this week! The kick-off convo will be held in the library (MMH) at 7pm tonight, Moday 3/15. There are several convos scheduled for the week, so read the press release and plan your schedule accordingly. As always, Lila has pulled some related books to help you continue to learn about some of these topics, issues and ideas.

Writing women back into history

Celebrate Women's History Month! Lila recommends checking out the Library of Congress resource Women's History Month and taking advantage of the *free access* (during the month of March) to Women and Social Movements in the United States a database with primary sources and excellent secondary material.

There will be tons of convos this month that deal with the theme resisting/feminism. We've pulled some books on the topic to help you prepare for the convos and figure out what feminism has meant historically and what it means to you.

Friday = No printing

We will be installing new printers on the first floor on Friday, March 12. This means that printing will be unavailable on the first floor during the installation. Third floor printing will be available and you'll still be able to log on and use all of the computers on the first floor.

Printing should be restored by Saturday morning at the latest and *fingers crossed* we should encounter fewer printing problems!

Spring Break PARTY!!!

Your spring break plans should absolutely include a visit to the Lila D. Bunch Library! We'll be open to serve 8am-4:30pm Monday - Friday.

And to welcome back those of you fortunate enough to get away over break, regular hours will not merely resume on March 15, they will resume and be EXTENDED!!! That's right, we'll be open 'til 12:30am instead of 11pm. Check out the hours for more info and see you soon!

Library Convos!!!

Library Skills 101 Rachel Scott Feb. 10 10:00am Hail Hall

This convo will (re)introduce you to the library's website, resources, and services...all from the comfort of Hail Hall's cozy lobby. Come and bring your questions!

LexisNexis Has a New Look! Judy Williams Feb. 25 4:00pm MILC

LexisNexis is one of the library’s most useful databases. You can search international newspaper coverage as far back as 1980, or right up to today’s editions. You can search law reviews and federal and state legal cases. You can do comparative business research on companies, or retrieve socioeconomic profiles of countries around the world. And that’s just for starters!

LexisNexis has a new friendly interface to make your research quick and easy. Come see what it’s all about!

Tennessee’s Virtual Library: Free Online Resources! Jenny Rushing Mar. 3 2:00pm MILC

Did you know that the state of Tennessee offers free databases and archival material on the Web to all residents? If you need something that Bunch Library doesn’t have, or if you’re graduating soon, learn about some other online free options for quality information resources.

Evaluating Internet Health Information Alisa Breece Mar. 16 10:00am MILC

Do you turn to the Internet for health information? With so much information out there what should you believe? Come and learn how to evaluate health information websites using: accuracy, authority, bias, currency, and coverage.

Finding Full Text: Use the Web and the Library Together Jenny Rushing Mar.24 3:00 MILC

So, you've found all these great citations on Wikipedia. Now how do you find the full text? You've heard about some interesting research from CNN. How do you find the actual study? Learn to use the library to locate articles you find through the Web or other secondary sources.

All convos except Library Skills 101 will be in the McWhorter Information Literacy Classroom on the 1st floor of the library

Library Songs

Who wants to write the next one? Let Lila be your muse!

More than books!

Even if we don't have a collection of Elvis Presley 45 rpms for Sun Records, an autographed Ramones album, or even a postcard from Arnold Schoenberg (thanks for making Lila look bad, UNT), we do have some brand, spanking new popular cds and books. And, you can look for some new DVDs in about a week.

Back to Bunch

Lila misses you! If you've been missing Bunch Library's hallowed halls and satiating stacks, rejoice! We are open from 8am to 4:30pm this week (Monday - Friday) and next Monday, January 11. Tuesday, January 12 we're open from 7am - 7:30pm and then we'll be kickin' it from 7 - 11 all semester long (like all good things there are exceptions and limitations). w00t!