By Geoff Schwartz
The American Civil War produced many legendary commanders whose deeds have been celebrated in song, paintings, and film. But what about the lesser-known participants, those who made an impact without the benefits of high rank and great power? Imagine someone with the guts to remove a musket ball from a jawbone with only a pocket knife, and to storm the beaches near Charleston, SC under heavy fire.
A look at a current news item through the lens of different titles available on GVRL.
By Michelle Eickmeyer
Looking back at the news events featured here, you cannot help but notice a trend. Weather. The weather is often news and a common topic of conversation. Today, it is forecast to be record highs of 105 in some parts of California, while parts of the northern Midwest awoke to snow. Weather is inescapable and such a “regular” part of life that it is easy to overlook it as a topic worth researching with quality resources. And that is exactly why this blog series exists.
Yes, we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the level of enthusiasm with which our open casting call was met. Thank you for choosing to share your passions and your smiling faces with us as part of this contest. We love hearing about how you are using your skills to change your communities—keep up the great work!
Now, it is with great excitement that we announce our casting picks. They are:
By Michelle Eickmeyer
Discovery is one of the most discussed and sought after experiences among librarians, students and faculty in academic libraries. They may call those experiences different things, but discovery is the thread running through the needs of these groups. Librarians want all materials to be called upon — find-able by any user at the moment of need. Students often encounter the library’s holdings with a vague understanding of either what they are looking for, or how to find it. Or both. Or neither. Faculty look to support the scholarship of their students and, often, their own research needs as well.
By Jennifer Albers-Smith
I’m not sure how many of you watch Dancing with the Stars, but I’m hooked this season. There are some pretty incredible people participating. I tuned in in the beginning to watch Olympic gold medalist ice dancers Charlie White and Meryl Davis (and THEY ARE FANTASTIC), but now I’m addicted to watching Amy Purdy, the Paralympic snowboarder, who has two prosthetic legs—talk about a real-life hero and an inspiration. And, boy, can she dance! I would be impressed even if she didn’t have two prosthetic legs, but the fact that she does and still dances so gracefully and skillfully brings me to tears on a weekly basis.
What she has accomplished has really made me want to learn more about prosthetics and advances in building prosthetics that allow people to move how she has been able to move on the dance floor.
A look at a current news item through the lens of different titles available on GVRL.
By Michelle Eickmeyer
Spring. Millions of people around the country have been counting the minutes until spring, well, springs. But the yearly battle of warm, southern air to (finally!) unseat the cold northern air makes for some of the most dangerous weather. From as far north as Michigan and Ohio, through America’s heartland, this week has been the first of the 2014 tornado season.
Let’s face it, passion drives everything we do—the choices we make, the jobs we acquire, even how we spend our free time.
We’d like to offer you the opportunity to take your passion and turn it into a real “notice me” opportunity. That’s right; we’re looking for a few shining stars to feature in our upcoming catalog. Not only will you be able to share your passion—and your smiling face—with the world, but you’ll also be put into circulation of over 18,000 copies, literally putting you in front of thousands of librarians, researchers, teachers, administrators, and faculty all across the US and Canada!
By Susan Fishburn
In Other News – Week of April 21
Have your friends and family been talking to you in what sounds like a different language? Maybe it’s because this week we celebrated “Talk Like William Shakespeare Day” on April 23rd. So it’s time to get in the groove, or as Bill would say “It’s timeth to starteth reading!”
By Michael Arthur
The migration toward e-books has meant many changes for librarians focused on collection development and acquisitions. The market is booming as publishers move toward offering all or nearly all titles in e-format, and librarians are working hard to stay on top of changes in publishing and procurement models.
Complete publisher packages, subject collections, title-by-title purchasing, demand driven, and evidence based models are among the most utilized methods by which libraries and their patrons are gaining access to e-books. Selecting purchasing models for e-books are challenging, because—as with any choice—both pros and cons exist.
By Robert
Want to stay up with the latest news in the industry? Well, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve gathered some of the latest buzz to share with you. Check out this past week’s noteworthy stories below.