This summer, Thomas Library, along with all OhioLINK libaries, is adopting a new state-wide platform. This will impact all online interactions with the library, including searching for and accessing resources, placing holds and checking out materials, requesting items from OhioLINK and inter-library loan, placing items on reserve, and ordering materials.
As of today, we are officially in what is called a “technical freeze” which means we stopped doing all the behind-the-scenes work in our existing system. This doesn't really impact how you use the library, for example, you can still check out items, it just means we are not currently buying and adding new things.
Several of our student workers recently presented at the Wittenberg Honors Undergraduate Research Symposium and the Connections Symposium. We congratulate each of them on their academic achievements.
Students Presenting at the Honors Undergraduate Symposium
Reference Department
Audrey Ishimwe Simbi presented her poster, "How You See Yourself, Social Media's Impact on the College Student."
Students Presenting at the Connections Symposium
Circulation Department
Emily Randall performed with the a cappella group, Just Eve, selections from their spring concert.
Zoe Hale presented her thesis, "Facing Trauma and Writing Alternative Endings in Margaret Cavendish's Belle in Campo (1662) and The Blazing World (1666)."
Cami Duncan presented her paper, "Traditional Women's Film Paradigms in Thelma and Louise."
Michael Vrbanac presented his research, "Factors Influencing Capture Rates of Spotted Turtles in a Southwestern Ohio Fen."
Kyngston Collins presented a poster, "Time Management Interventions for College Students" with fellow student, Angela Hong.
Brynn Cunningham presented a poster, "Reframing College Drinking Behaviors" with Daniel Patel and Kaulana Smith.
Reference Department
Abby Lanhart, Kassady Thompson, and Austin Petersen presented a poster, "Measuring Anxiety Across Mouse Handling Methods: Old vs. Refined" alongside their group members, Ethan Libby, Lexi Repp, Brooke Mullis, Izzy Thompson, and Noelle Underwood.
Audrey Ishimwe Simbi presented her poster, "Optimizing Length of Stay in Inpatient Hospital Units."
Congratulation to all who presented. We can't wait to see what you do next!
Several of our student employees were recently recognized for their academic achievements and contributions to the Wittenberg community. We joyfully congratulate these students on their accomplishments.
Circulation Department
Abby Alcorn
Sigma Tau Delta
Tori Banks
Alpha Alpha Alpha
Brynn Cunningham
University Honors
T. Edwin Boling Sociology Scholarship Award
Alpha Kappa Delta
Dimitri Gonzalez
Biology and Environmental Science Senior Fellow
Chi Alpha Sigma
Grace Koperna
Biology and Environmental Science Senior Fellow
Chi Alpha Sigma
Aleksandra Slenk
Lambda Pi Eta
Racheal Vargo
Margaret S. Ermarth Award
Michael Vrbanac
Beta Beta Beta
Emmett Bodenberg Award for Outstanding Achievement in Environmental Biology
Reference Department
Clarissa Beard
Women's Studies Writing Award -- Honorable Mention
Nicole Contenza
Lambda Pi Eta
Tau Pi Phi
Audrey Ishimwe Simbi
Sigma Theta Tau
University Honors
Everyone at Thomas Library extends our congratulations to these students and to everyone recognized at the Honors Convocation.
Can you spot misinformation? According to an Ipsos Public Affairs survey done for Buzzfeed News, 75% of Americans surveyed struggled to spot misinformation (Silverman & Singer-Vine, 2016). ThatÕs 75% of Americans surveyed who cannot determine if the information they depend on to make critical decisions is misleading or inaccurate. With the upcoming election cycle, evolving disease epidemics, and financial concerns, it is important to develop your ability to critically evaluate a news article or video for is accuracy and intent.
Let's see if you can spot misinformation.
"fake-news-detail-3" by The Public Domain Review is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.
Instructions
Read through the following articles. Answer the guiding questions for each article, then decide if the news article is real or fake.
Guiding Questions:
What is the news articleÕs main point?
Does the article cite events, statistics, or other supporting evidence? How relevant is that evidence to the main point of the article?
Does the content of the article corroborate with what you already know or what is already out there in the news?
Determine the articleÕs purpose. Why was the article written (e.g.: to inform, to persuade, or to entertain)?
Download the attached worksheet and list of quizzes to do this activity:
Banned Books Week is October 1 Ð October 7 this year. Books are banned, removed, and restricted in libraries and schools because of their content, ideas, or themes. The goal of Banned Books Week is to draw attention and bring awareness to the harms of censorship. It also highlights the value of free and open access to information. Recently, more and more books have been banned. In 2020, 223 unique titles were challenged. In 2021, that number jumped to 1,858. In 2022, there were 1,269 demands to censor 2,571 different books and resources. Books are often banned because of offensive language, sexually explicit material, violence, religious or political views, and controversial themes like racism, LGBTQIA+ issues, and mental health. Specifically in Ohio, there were 34 attempts to restrict access to 79 unique titles. The most challenged book was ItÕs Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris.ÊÊ
Support local libraries by checking out a challenged book!Ê
Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022Ê
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
Number of challenges: 151
Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
Number of challenges: 86
Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Number of challenges: 62
Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
Flamer by Michael Curato
Number of challenges: 62
Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Number of challenges: 55
Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Number of challenges: 55
Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit
Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
Number of challenges: 55
Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Number of challenges: 52
Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit
Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
Number of challenges: 50
Challenged for: depiction of abuse, claimed to be sexually explicit
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Number of challenges: 48
Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Number of challenges: 48
Challenged for: drug use, claimed to be sexually explicit
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Number of challenges: 48
Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit
This Book is Gay
Number of challenges: 48
Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, providing sexual education, claimed to be sexually explicit
For more information on banned and challenged books check out the following websites:
Note: this post was originally by Rachel Littleton
For just over ten grand, you can buy an open-face book scanner that will allow you to photograph and process pages from rare books all in one go (ScanTastik, n.d.). If ten grand seems too much, you could scan the image on the universityÕs MDF printers and risk damaging a priceless item or take a photo of the page with your phone and contend with distorted, grainy text. If none of these options sound appealing to you, you could build your own digitization tools like we have done here at Thomas Library.
Digitization has become an important concern throughout the library world. Whole departments in libraries and library systems are dedicated to transforming physical books, photos, and documents into digital objects that can be viewed and downloaded almost infinitely. These physical items are prepared using standards set by organizations like the Association for Library Collections and Technical Service (2013), which specify the digital objectÕs characteristics like the resolution, color scheme, and file format. With digitization, items that were destined to stay in dark archive storage rooms or locked behind display cases are now accessible to the general audience. For this reason, some libraries are willing to outlay thousands of dollars to be able to digitize their collections.
Thomas LibraryÕs digitization tools cost less than $100 for the basic parts you would need to transform a book page or document to a digital object, including the cradle, acrylic platen, and overhead light. Additional tools like the professional-grade camera or image-editing software can either be reserved at the library or downloaded for free. Although rudimentary, these tools would allow you to take images from looking like one in Figure 1 to the one in Figure 2.
Figure 1: Original of article, Hundreds of Books of the late J. S. Crowell were presented to the library by the widow of J. S. Crowell (1922)
Figure 2: New version of article, Hundreds of Books of the late J. S. Crowell were presented to the library by the widow of J. S. Crowell (1922)
Already these tools have been used in an ongoing project to digitization a select number of Torch articles. As we encountered new challenges, we have adapted our tools and methods. Although much improved, Figure 2 has irregular lighting. To resolved this, we have a purchased a lamp with adjustable settings. We hope that these tools will be used in many projects in the future.
References
Association for Library Collections and Technical Service (2013). Minimum digitization capture recommendations. Retrieved August 8, 2023 from https://www.ala.org/alcts/resources/preserv/minimum-digitization-capture-recommendations#basis
Amanda McLellan
