RAMble: WCU Libraries News & Views

They Say the Camera Never Lies…

Wanda Wulz, Io + Gatto, 1932

Celebrity watchers and conspiracy theorists alike know the power Photoshop has to alter our perception of reality.  But did you know that people have been doctoring photographs since the birth of photography over 150 years ago?  Whether it was to smooth away wrinkles in a portrait, erase political dissidents from the historical record, create eye-catching artwork, or goof around with pictures of friends, people have been manipulating photographs for over a century.  Stop by the Francis Harvey Green Library this month to see the newest exhibit, Altered Images, and find out what experts and amateurs were capable of in the days before computers.

The exhibit highlights photographs compiled in the touring museum exhibit organized by New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art titled "Faking It: Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop."  This exhibit can now be seen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., until May 5, 2013. 

Along with many photographs from the catalogue for "Faking It," FHG Library's exhibit includes photography from the library's book collection, WCU yearbooks from Special Collections, and vintage cameras on loan from the IMC and library staff.  The exhibit is on the 2nd floor of the library across from the elevators and is open during normal library hours until the middle of March.

Francis Harvey Green Library just got a little more musical!

Come see our newest exhibit, “A World of Music: musical instruments from around the globe.”

The exhibit on the 2nd floor of FHG Library includes musical instruments and material on loan from Dr. Bryan Burton, Department of Music; Dick Swain, Library Director; Jean Burton, Librarian; and Ann Kemper, Librarian.  Materials on exhibit represent both the diversity and the similarity of musical instruments from around the globe.  Viewers can enhance their experience by scanning QR codes to library databases with music featuring select instruments on exhibit. 

Visit the exhibit when FHG Library is open from now through the end of the semester.

Interested in music materials at WCU Libraries?  Check out these databases and explore music from around the globe!

Naxos Music Online

Alexander Street Press Music Online

**Both of these resources are subscription databases, you must be on campus or a member of the campus community to access.

 

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Francis Harvey Green Library, in conjunction with the campus-wide 20^th Anniversary Martin Luther King Day event, showcases “Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” 

The exhibit in the 2^nd floor elevator lobby includes library materials about Dr. King and his life including books, DVDs, and LPs as well as a bust of the Civil Rights leader created by WCU professor, Richard Blake.  Visit the exhibit when FHG Library is open, from January 4 through February 17.

Special Collections is decked out for the Holidays!

There is a new exhibit on the 6th floor of F.H.G. Library that celebrates the season! 

The exhibit showcases materials from one of our most unique library collections, the Barbara Loftus Perrone Night Before Christmas Collection given in memory of Charles C. Perrone.  This collection includes rare and unique versions of Clement C. Moores famous poem, "A Visit from Saint Nicholas."  THis exhibit showcases just a few of these beautiful pieces but other fun titles from the collection include: Teacher's Night Before Christmas, Garfield's Night Before Christmas, De Night in de Front  from Chreemas, Soldiers' Night Before Christmas, to name a few.  To see the titles in the Perrone collection head over to PILOT and do a keyword search for "Perrone."  Remember books in Special Collections do not circulate, you will need to make an appointment to see the materials.

The exhibit also features our very own Serpentine Christmas Tree, made mostly from WCU's Serpentine Yearbooks found in Special Collections. Remember to check out our digitized collection of Serpentines online!

You can visit the exhibit on the 6th floor of the library during normal library hours.  It will remain up through January.  Stop on by for some Holiday cheer! 

Here's also wishing WCU students good luck with finals and a safe and happy break!  See you in the New Year!

Na na na na na na na......Batman!!

Yup, that's right there has been a Batman sighting in FHG Library!  Along with X-Men, Captain America, Wolverine and the other Marvel and DC superheros.

Stop by Francis Harvey Green Library on the 2nd floor across from the elevators for the newest exhibit "Graphic Narratives."  Materials showcased in this exhibit include comic books from Special Collections' J. Peter Adler Collection and graphic novels from the circulating collection.

The J. Peter Adler Collection contains 264 comics including popular titles such as Spider Man, Aquaman, Superman, and Bat Girl, to name just a few.  The collection was a gift of then WCU president, Dr. Madeline Wing Adler, in memory of her son J. Peter Adler who was killed in a car accident in Texas in 1995. The comic book collection is housed in FHG Library's Special Collections and can individual titles and the collection in its entirety can be found by searcing PILOT.

Other materials in the exhibit include graphic novels and titles about the genre from the library's circulating collection as well as a brief history of these works.  Books in the circulating collection can be checked out please stop by the circulation desk to obtain these volumes.

The exhibit is open during normal library hours until November 2012. 

Want to learn more about Comics and Graphic Novels?  Check out our online reference works for more information.

FHG Library has Olympic Fever!

The 2012 London Summer Olympics are fast approaching and Francis Harvey Green Library has caught Olympic Fever!  Stop by Francis Harvey Green Library this summer to the newest exhibit, From Athens to London: The Modern Olympic Games. 

The exhibit includes materials from the library's book collections, Special Collections, and Dr. Russell Sturzebecker's Collection.  It highlights some important events in Olympic History including the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the 1948 London Olympics, and 1980 Olympic boycotts.  The exhibit is on the 2nd floor of the library across from the elevators and is open during normal library hours.

Can't get enough of the Olympics?  We recommend checking out some of our online resources to learn about the Olympics in history.

A Civil War at West Chester?

Nope.  Just a celebration to honor the Sesquicentennial (that's 150 years!) Anniversary of the American Civil War. 

2011 marked the beginning of the five-year sesquicentennial celebration and West Chester University is getting in on the action.  On Friday, April 27th, 2012 WCU presents, The American Civil War: The First Year in Review, 1861-1862: 150th Anniversary of the Civil War.  Events occur throughout the day from 10am to 7pm and include guest speakers on important aspects of the Civil War in Philips Autograph Library, a reenactment of camp life in the Civil War in the Quad, and a living history exhibit also on the Quad.  A full schedule of events and their locations can be found in the link above. Questions about the event?  Contact Dr. Robert Kodosky of the history department (rkodosky@wcupa.edu).

Francis Harvey Green Library is also getting in on the action.  An exhibit, "West Chester: A Small Town in a Big War, 1861-1865" on the 6th floor of the library, outside of Special Collections (room 615) highlights important Civil War finds and materials in the library's Special Collections.  Materials include letters, receipts, and invoices of Dr. William Goodell, a Philadelphia Gynecologist and acting surgeon in the Civil War camp in West Chester, that housed paroled soldiers from the Battle of Gettysburg.  Other materials include selected Civil War regimental histories and memoirs as well as information on West Chester's role in the war.  The exhibit is available for viewing during normal library hours for the remainder of the semester and throughout the summer. The image above is a scanned document from the William Goodell Collection in WCU's Special Collections.  The document is a petition signed by West Chester Citizens pledging funds to answer President Abraham Lincoln's call for 500,000 soldiers.  Instead of "donating men" to the cause these individuals donated money, which was common practice for wealthier individuals.

Questions about the library exhibit or the above image?  Contact Special Collections Librarian, Tara Wink (twink@wcupa.edu).

 

African American Inspiration

In honor of February as African American History Month, Library Services is showcasing the varied contributions of African Americans to the arts in its newest exhibit, "African American Inspiration."  The exhibit, on the second floor of F.H. Green Library across from the elevators, includes works from famous artists, musicians, actors, and writers.  Most of the materials on exhibit circulate, so if you see something you like feel free to check it out! 

And make sure to take some time this month to appreciate the influence African Americans have on the arts. 

Local Foods, Then & Now: Whetting Your Appetite for the Holidays!

West Chester University’s Library Services is showcasing some of Pennsylvania’s traditional recipes and quick fixes in its newest exhibit, Local Foods, Then & Now: Whetting Your Appetite for the Holidays. Located on the second floor of Francis Harvey Green Library, across the elevators, it contains many local cookbooks such as Pickles and Pretzels, A Quaker Woman’s Cookbook, Fruit of the Land, Hershey’s 1934 Cookbook, Mennonite Community Cookbook and more! Many of these cookbooks can be found in FHG’s Special Collections or in the main collection under the call number of 641.5. 

Also, included in the exhibit are many interesting local cooking utensils and pottery.  Some of the pottery is marked or engraved with scripture which is characteristic of traditional Pennsylvania Dutch and Quaker roots.  For instance, “Give us this day our daily bread,” is inscribed on the inside of a wide, silver, rectangular bowl, along with the picture of a man working in the fields.   The utensils surround the various foods presented in their old fashion style; these foods being locally produced pumpkins, potatoes, Indian corn, apples, pure maple syrup, four bean salad, and Wos-Wit sauerkraut.  The exhibit is meant to whet your appetite for the upcoming holiday season. Come check out the exhibit from now until January 2012 during normal library hours!

Can’t get enough information on cooking and food?  Check out some cookbooks in our main collection (Call #641.5).  There are also some interesting online books through Creedo Reference, check out:  Cambridge world history of food by Kenneth F. Kiple and Kriemhild Coneè Ornelas, Dictionary of Food: International Food and Cooking Terms from A to Z by Charles G. Sinclair, and The new food lover’s companion by Sharon Tyler Herbst.  Also available for your viewing pleasure through Films on Demand is Food and Obesity: What We Eat, which includes a segment on the history of food in North America.

Happy Holidays and Good, Local Eats from the faculty and staff of West Chester University!

WCU Library Services Showcases Native American Heritage and Culture

West Chester University Library Services presents an exhibit honoring Native American Heritage Month. The exhibit showcases hand-made jewelry, clothing, pottery, paintings, musical instruments and more. Some items are on loan from Professor of Social Work, Dr. Rick Voss; Cataloging Librarian, Jean Burton; and Print Cataloging Assistant, Regina Braidotti; and Professor of History, Dr. William L. Hewitt, while others featured are part of the library’s Special Collections.  Special Collections materials are part of the following collections: Marshall Becker’s Collection, the Works Project Administration (WPA) Collection, and the Chester County Cabinet Collection. The exhibit on the 2^nd floor of the FHG library, across from the QVC Information Commons can be viewed during normal library hours.

West Chester University is also sponsoring an event titled Wo ‘Kik’ Suye, “Live and Remember,” which includes a performance by Deer Chaser, a Lakota Dance Troupe.  The free event will be held TODAY, Tuesday, November 8^, 2011 from 12:30-3:30 in Sykes Ballroom C.

For more information about Native American Cultures and traditions check out our materials:

Bibliography of Native North Americans -- a database that covers all aspects of native North American culture, history, and life. 

Encyclopedia of North American Indians -- an encyclopedia available through Credo Reference Online that provides excellent entries on Native American culture, customs, and history.

Pennsylvania Native Americans -- a website for educators, providing resources for lesson plans as well as information on Pennsylvania Native Americans.