primary sources

Gale and Book Aid International: A Shared Mission for Empowerment

| By Jessica Edwards |

Although I spend most of my time working for the Gale International Marketing team, I’m also a Publisher Ambassador for the charity Book Aid International. After touring the Cengage warehouse last year and learning about operational processes, including the scrapping of books, I was inspired to research ways of extending the lives of books marked for pulping. I consequently came across Book Aid International, a long-established charity who ship new books from UK publishers out to sub-Saharan Africa, and was immediately impressed with the value and scale of their work.

The charity not only accepts book donations, but establishes librarian training programmes and funds refurbishments at partner libraries in sub-Saharan Africa and the occupied Palestinian territories. Some of these libraries are in communities with a very limited access to books such as refugee camps, prisons, and slums, others are in hospitals or universities where resources are extremely dated. Book Aid International works with some of the largest UK publishers, and all the books shipped abroad are new. In 2016, they sent over a million books. They also work with local publishers to source books in local languages.

It can be hard to appreciate quite how desperate the need is, but a few particularly powerful stories go some way towards demonstrating. The Menelik II Referral Hospital in Ethiopia is a hospital with no internet connection, and therefore no online resources. Thus, the library is vital for medical staff to access the up-to-date information they require. Nearly all the books in the hospital library are provided by Book Aid International. Samuel’s story in the video below is also a powerful indication of how the work of Book Aid International helps individuals pull themselves out of poverty. The video also outlines the charity’s many achievements over the last year.

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Mastering Workflow: Connecting Learners to Your Library

As digital demands continue to rise, the emphasis on creating a seamless workflow becomes all the more important: eliminating multiple logins, developing efficiencies in how materials are prepared and distributed, and building a collaborative environment with students and peers are all essential to today’s educators. Gale is proud to announce additional authentication options with single … Read more

PRESERVATION IN PRACTICE: A SURVEY OF NEW YORK CITY DIGITAL HUMANITIES RESEARCHERS

| By Malina Thiede (with significant contributions from Allison Piazza, Hannah Silverman, and Nik Dragovic) |

Looking for definitions of Digital Humanities (DH), there are hundreds to choose from. In fact, Jason Heppler’s whatisdigitalhumanities.com alone offers 817 rotating definitions of the digital humanities, pulled from participants from the Day of DH between 2009-2014. A few of these definitions are listed in this article.

Read morePRESERVATION IN PRACTICE: A SURVEY OF NEW YORK CITY DIGITAL HUMANITIES RESEARCHERS

Election Scandal, Russian Spies, and FBI Surveillance

Five new collections in Archives Unbound containing declassified Federal Bureau of Investigation internal files digitized for the first time give researchers an unprecedented view of the state of government surveillance in times of great political and social upheaval in the United States. New Titles: FBI File: House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) FBI File: Alger … Read more

Not Studying for an Exam is a Crime…

| By Traci Cothran |

Two University of Kentucky students were arrested last week and charged with third-degree burglary for allegedly breaking into a professor’s office in the dead of night to steal an exam. The pair told police they entered the office via ceiling air ducts, and their teacher caught them upon returning to the office from a food break around 2 am.

While this does conjure up some cool images from Mission: Impossible, let’s not forget that these students now not only face a failing test grade, but college disciplinary action as well as legal proceedings . . . not to mention having to explain their actions to their parents.  And I have to wonder, dear reader, wouldn’t it have been just as easy (and less perilous) to study for the final?

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Unearth the Story Behind Hulu’s Riveting New Series, The Handmaid’s Tale

| By Traci Cothran | The Handmaid’s Tale is a new TV series on Hulu, and it’s getting a lot of attention. The Guardian calls it a “timely adaptation [that] scares with dystopian dread.”  USA Today dubs it “a wake-up call for women.”  James Poniewozik from The New York Times says, “It is unflinching, vital and … Read more

Centennial of the Battle at Vimy Ridge

| By Traci Cothran |

Throughout 2017, Canada is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the WWI Battle at Vimy Ridge (France).  It was a seminal event in Canadian history—a fierce battle against the German forces, which resulted in heavy casualties, including the loss of 3,598 Canadian soldiers and some 20,000 Germans, with tens of thousands more wounded.  Remarkable as it was, this victory against the Germans wasn’t solely a battlefield feat; because the Canadians prevailed where French had failed many times (at an enormous loss of life) and paved the way to Allied victory, the event helped unify Canada, and solidify its independence in the international community.  Commemorative events are planned throughout Canada, as well as in France.

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A Beautiful 1898 Easter Supplement from the International Herald Tribune

Later this year we will be releasing the highly anticipated International Herald Tribune 1887-2013 archive. Sold in over 160 countries and read worldwide, the International Herald Tribune established itself as one of the most innovative and original newspapers, famous for its objective and clear coverage. Bringing an international perspective, it provides a valuable counterpoint to the Anglo-American press, adding a new dimension to research.

Read moreA Beautiful 1898 Easter Supplement from the International Herald Tribune