NOVEMBER - DECEMBER HOLIDAY 2018

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DID YOU KNOW...

...that the Hammermill Library sets up a Study Break Table for FINALS WEEK? Why, you ask? According to Darci Jones, Director of University Libraries, "Our students here at Mercyhurst, work diligently to achieve that golden standard of excellence." This can be demanding and who doesn’t need a break from the stressors of academics? According to librarian researchers at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, "attending a college or university today places an unprecedented amount of stress on students as they juggle employment and coursework on top of social and family lives, which can ultimately affect their mental health." This is especially true during the holiday/finals week time of the year. The "Color Me Calm" phenomenon can be therapeutic. The Hammermill Library Study Break table will be located near the front entrance and IT Help desk Friday, Dec. 7, through Friday, Dec. 14. The library staff wishes all students good luck and much success during fall finals.

Above: Sophomores Hannah Gibson (left) and Alexandra Long (right) try the Library Study Stress Relief table that will be set up from Friday, Dec. 7, through Friday, Dec. 14.

— Darci Jones, University Libraries Director

 

HAMMERMILL LIBRARY PARTNERING WITH THE SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK

In partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, the Hammermill Library is collecting food donations from now until Dec. 14. If you owe library fines, for each non-perishable item you donate you'll get $1 credit toward paying your fines (maximum $20). If you don't owe any fines, you can still bring non-perishable food items to the Circulation Desk or the collection bins in the lobby. The foods needed the most are peanut butter, macaroni & cheese, canned fruits or vegetables, dry cereal, muffin mix, oatmeal, rice, pasta, canned soups, and spaghetti sauce. However, please do not bring home-canned foods, items in glass containers, unsealed/opened packages, or expired items.

 

 

 

 

NEW ARCHIVES WEBSITE PREVIEW

In an effort to make the archives more user-friendly and accessible, the archives website is being updated. The new website will include improved online access to the Mercyhurst University and Thomas J. and Michele Ridge Collections. Watch the video below for a preview.

"Let us save what remains: not by vaults and locks which fence them from the public eye and use, in consigning them to the waste of time, but by such a multiplication of copies, as shall place them beyond the reach of accident." ―Thomas Jefferson

 

— Bryan Colvin, Karen Niemla, and Matthew Shellenbarger

 

 

WORK STUDY OF THE MONTH: GABRIELLE CANNON

 

The final Work Study of the Month for 2018 is Gabrielle Cannon, who has been working in the library for about two years, usually in the Interlibrary Loan Department with Interlibrary Loan Specialist Lori Krasnesky. Originally from Linesville, Pennsylvania, Gabrielle is a sophomore Intelligence Studies major and Law Enforcement minor, as well as a member of the Criminal Justice Association. In Interlibrary Loan, she packs books to ship to other libraries in the United States, scans journal articles to send to other libraries, and helps process mail and books for our patrons. She enjoys the flexibility of working at the library and Ms. Krasnesky’s assistance. She has five pets, including two dogs, two cats and a pig named Jackson. After graduation, she hopes to work in an intelligence department in a law enforcement agency.

— Angela Okey, Lori Krasnesky, and Karen Niemla

 

 

NEW SUBSCRIPTION DATABASE: HOMELAND SECURITY DIGITAL LIBRARY

The Mercyhurst University Libraries recently connected a new database, The Homeland Security Digital Library or HSDL. The Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL) is the nation’s premier collection of documents related to homeland security policy, strategy, and organizational management. Resources in the Homeland Security Digital Library cover a wide range of homeland security topics and are carefully selected and evaluated by a team of librarians and content specialists. The Mercyhurst College, Institute for Intelligence Studies is authorized to search the Full Collection (182,800 resources), which is more than what is available to the general public. Even more items are available exclusively to qualifying government and military employees upon individual approval.

 

—Karen Niemla

STAFF PICK OF THE MONTH: THE HOLIDAYS, FESTIVALS, AND CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD DICTIONARY

The holidays are here! Typically, that means Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah, but what else is there? The Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary from Omnigraphics provides a means to learn about other holidays in cultures and countries around the world, and even different variations of more familiar traditions. This title has been a staple in many library reference collections for years, and the Mercyhurst University Libraries have an eBook copy in the Credo Reference database. The resource's design makes looking for articles easy with the search function, and still retains the browse-able indices and date listings you would expect in a print reference book, but enhanced with useful hyperlinks leading directly to the articles. This is a convenient way to not only read about new holidays and observances, but to get their names in the first place; It can be difficult to google the name of a holiday if you've never heard of it (or if you and auto-correct can't spell it).

This month, some people celebrate the Winter Solstice, Finland celebrates its independence, and World AIDS Day is observed. Besides Christmas, there are several versions of The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, plus many days associated with Christian Saints, including St. Thomas, St. Frances Cabrini (the first American Catholic Saint), St. Nicholas (of course, although his day is not Christmas as one might assume), and others.

Browsing this title is a great way to learn about other cultures, your heritage, and even get new ideas for your own holidays. Would you like to have a Bonfire on Christmas Eve? It's not unheard of. You may be surprised what you'll find in The Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary.

—Karen Niemla

STACKS CRACKS

—Karen Niemla