Ohrstrom Blog » Literature

New Reference Book: The Eloquent Shakespeare

Lura Sanborn — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:00:42 +0000

The Eloquent Shakespeare by Gary Logan, University of Chicago Press, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 822.3 zL82E

A pronouncing dictionary to Shakespeare’s complete dramatic works, with notes. Written by the director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Academy for Classical Acting this unique reference book seeks to standardize pronunciation for the stage.

Learn to pronounce:
•    Alphonso
•    cap-a-pe
•    eyas-musket
•    Oxfordshire
•    wolt

Helpful for: Humanities III, Humanities V, Shakespeare, Theater, Fiske Cup

Hopeful Romantics: Accessing the Romantic Poets

Lura Sanborn — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:57:21 +0000

Humanities V students are hopeful about finding sources for their Romantic poets assignment. Here are helpful tips and research strategies for accessing just the right information at Ohrstrom Library, outlined in the following five easy steps:

1. Search the Library’s catalog to locate books:
To find books that can be borrowed visit the Library’s homepage and click on the catalog link – or click HERE:

Next, type in the name of your assigned poet. Be sure to search by subject:

Take down the call numbers and location of any items that are of interest to you.

Tip: Any call number beginning with “Biog” is a biography. All the biographies are located on the lower level of the library in the final stacks.
Tip: If your call number begins with 821, this is a volume of literary criticism. Literary criticism is located on the main level of the library, half-way through the stacks.

2. Use the database Biography Resource for biographical info:
The Biography Resource database is powerful tool containing hundreds of reference texts. To access this database visit the library’s homepage and click on the databases A-J link, and then select Biography Resource – or click HERE.

Next, type in the name of your assigned poet.

Select, read, save, and/or print any reference article(s) of interest.

3. Use selected sets from the printed reference collection for biographies and analysis:
There are four main selections in the reference room that are very helpful for this assignment. The sets are listed below in recommended order:

Ref. 920 Sco3 The Scribner’s British Writers series contains excellent articles on a variety of poets. These articles focus on biography and analysis. While the articles range in length, they are often about 20 pages long. The final volume of the set contains the cumulative index, which, as the articles are not arranged in alphabetical order, is really quite essential.
Ref. 821.9 M27 Magill’s Critical Survey of Poetry also contains biography and analysis. The last volume of this set does not contain the index, which is instead, trickily housed in volume 8.
Ref. 809.1 P13 World Poets is the library’s most current poet-related set. Articles are usually not much longer than five pages.
Ref. 920 J16 v. 5 Volume 5 of the European Writers set focuses specifically on the Romantic Century. Poets are listed in chronological order, not alphabetically, so the index in the final volume is once again essential.

4. Use ARTstor to locate an illustration:
Some assignments require an illustration representing the explicated poem. Try ARTstor as a means of locating this illustration.

To access ARTstor visit the library’s homepage and click on the databases A-J link, and then select ARTstor – or click HERE.

Next, search for images.

Tip: Try searching by title or subject/theme of poem. Searching by poet’s name will often return portraits.
Tip: To locate images created during the Romantic Era, use ARTstor’s advanced search to limit by date. Add keyword(s) related to the subject/theme of the poem being studied.

5. Use Noodlebib to complete the bibliography:
Noodlebib is an excellent tool designed to help both create and store citations. Click HERE for more information about using Noodlebib, or if you know your way around, simply visit the Noodlebib website HERE to begin creating citations right away.

Following these five easy steps will get you well along the way of gathering your research materials for a successful assignment.

New Reference Book: The Facts on File Companion to British Poetry before 1600

Lura Sanborn — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:23:55 +0000

Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian

The Facts on File Companion to British Poetry before 1600 by Michelle M. Sauer, Facts on File, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 821 F11B

This volume, the first of a projected four volume set, presents essays about poems and poets from Middle English and Early Renaissance British Isles. Examples include: Beowulf, Anglo-Saxon Riddles, The Faerie Queene, Alfred the Great and Arthurian Literature.

Helpful for: Humanities III, Humanities IV, Renaissance Studies, Poets

New Reference Book: GLBT Literature: A Genre Guide

Lura Sanborn — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:22 +0000

Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Literature: A Genre Guide by Ellen Bosman and John P. Bradford, Greenwood Publishing, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 016.8 B65G

This single volume provides an overview of twentieth century GLBT literature, defined as “written by GLBT authors, or with GLBT protagonists or themes” (Bosman 3). Three types of literature are included: Fiction (including but not limited to classics, science fiction, horror, mystery / crime, graphic novels), Drama, and Biography/Autobiography. Entries include a summary of the book, influence, subject heading and read-a-likes. The back of the volume includes a bibliography as well as an Author/Title Index and a Subject Index.

Below are some selections given entry in this volume, along with corresponding Ohrstrom Library call numbers.

Come visit Ohrstrom to borrow any of these books and many others.

Aaron Copland : The Life and Work of an Uncommon Man 780.92 C79PO
Absolutely, positively not FICTION L32
And the band played on : politics, people, and the AIDS epidemic 616.9 SH6
Angels in America : a gay fantasia on national themes 812 K96
Bastard out of Carolina FICTION AL5
The beautiful room is empty FICTION W58
Black like us : a century of lesbian, gay, and bisexual African American fiction COLL. FICTION C17
A boy’s own story FICTION W58
Dangerous angels : the Weetzie Bat books FICTION B62
Daddy’s roommate JR. COLL. W66
Dress your family in corduroy and denim 814 SE2D
Fried green tomatoes at the Whistle-Stop Café FICTION F59
Geography Club FICTION H25
Kiss of the spider woman FICTION P96
Middlesex FICTION EU4
Naked lunch FICTION B94
The perks of being a wallflower FICTION C39
The picture of Dorian Gray FICTION W64
Putting on the Ritz FICTION K25
Rent 782.8 L32
A separate peace; a novel FICTION K76

Helpful for: Social, Gender and Cultural studies, American History, GSA, Literature

Lunchtime Discussions of A Thousand Splendid Suns

Lisa Laughy — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:21:53 +0000

Beginning on September 28 and each week day from 11:45 am to 12:25 pm through Friday October 16, faculty, students and staff are invited to enjoy a discussion of A Thousand Splendid Suns while eating lunch. Two dining tables have been reserved in the Upper where you are invited to sit after going through the cafeteria line.

One table will be student centered with a student facilitator. The second table will seat staff and faculty and a facilitator. The setting is completely relaxed and informal. You can come and simply listen, share your impressions of the book, or just enjoy being with a few new people over lunch. The lunch discussions will begin at 11:45 am and wrap up around 12:25 pm, and you are free to come and go during that time. It will be fun, and all who attend will not only be in better shape to discuss the book during the Residential Life Meeting coming up later this month but may profit even more from Conroy Speaker Rory Stewart’s upcoming lecture.

A number of faculty, staff, and students have volunteered to help. Please plan to attend one of the fifteen lunch sessions offered if you can. You don’t need to attend more than one discussion but you are also welcome come as often as you would like Every day, each table discussion will offer something a little different from a variety of perspectives.

See below for the list of facilitators who will be in the Upper for lunch each day. Drop by and bring a friend. Extra copies of the book will be on hand.

SCHEDULE 11:45am – 12:25pm Monday 9/28 – Friday 10/16

Monday September 28 -     Kevin Barry and Lily Rowland
Tuesday September 29 -     Heather Deardorff and Cezanne Simon
Weds. September 30 -        Kate Daniels and Christine Ferguson
Thurs. October 1 -             Cynthia Collins and Mary Barwell ( no students/house trips)
Friday October 2 -             Patti Lynn and Eliana Kim
Monday October 5-           Kevin Barry and Nina Walpow
Tuesday October 6-           Jere Williams and Harry Zhu
Weds. October 7-             Irene Jenkins and Will Ryan
Thurs. October 8-              Rick Pacelli and Claire Branch
Friday October 9-              Tina Abramson and Michelle Lee
Monday October 12-         Kevin Barry and Cezanne Simon
Tuesday October 13-         Lori Bohan and Christian Kader
Weds October 14-             Kim Major and Will Ryan
Thurs. October 15-            Richard Greenleaf and Adele Xu
Friday October 16-           Patti Lynn and Antonia Chapman

New Reference Book: Encyclopedia of Ancient Literature

Lura Sanborn — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:48 +0000

Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian

Encyclopedia of Ancient Literature by James Wyatt Cook, Facts on File, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 820.9 C77A

This volume focuses on the standard ancient texts and their authors from ancient Greece, Rome, China, Japan, South America and India.

Examples include: Mahabharata, Lady Kasa, Gilgamesh, and Augustus Caesar.

For the incoming IIIrd Form: Take a look at this text for some background information on Homer and The Odyssey.

Helpful for: Humanities III, Literature, Summer Reading Assignment

New Reference Book: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History

Lisa Laughy — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:00:27 +0000

Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History edited by Bonnie G. Smith, Oxford University Press, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 305.4 Ox25W

Browse through this new 4-volume set with 1250 entries focused on women’s issues. The encyclopedia looks at the lives of individual women worldwide from the perspective of culture, work, politics, religion, health, achievements and activity.

A sampling of topics include: Capitalism, Explorers and Exploration, Food Riots, International Lesbian and Gay Association, Islamic Empires.

Individual biographical entries include: Queen of Zaria Aminatu, Empress Wu Zetian, and Big Mama Thornton.

Helpful for: Humanities V, Humanities IV, Women’s Studies, World History, Global Studies

New Reference Book: Student’s Encyclopedia of American Literary Characters

Lura Sanborn — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:31:21 +0000

Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian

Student’s Encyclopedia of American Literary Characters edited by Matthew J. Bruccoli and Judith S Baughman, Facts on File, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 810.9 B83S

Read about your favorite characters in classic American fiction.

Consider the use of music by Sherman Alexie’s Thomas-Builds-The-Fire from Reservation Blues. Was L. Frank Baum’s Dorothy Gale an example of “western practicality”? Compare Esme, from “For Esme-With Love and Squalor” with Salinger’s other child characters.

Helpful for: Humanities, Literary Research, Browsing.

Selected Websites: They’re “Delicious” and Good For You Too!

Lisa Laughy — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:34:59 +0000

Ohrstrom Library is now collecting links to high-quality web sites and storing them in our own Delicious account. For those of you unfamiliar with Delicious, it is the leading social bookmarking website where users store, share and discover bookmarked websites. The links stored in the “OhrstromLibrary” Delicious account are selected based on quality, stability, relevance to SPS curriculum, authority and currency of information.

Students will find this collection of links very useful when pursuing a wide range of research projects. Working on your Humanities V paper topic? Click on the “Humanities5″ tag and see all the links helpful for starting your research. Looking for those seemingly elusive primary sources? Now you can click a tag and have access to a number of great websites chock full of primary sources. Library staff have pre-selected only the best online sites, and organized them in a way that makes them immediately useful for students. “Tagging” organizes the links into useful subgroups, allowing easy access to web resources without a lot of browsing. New links are being added all the time, so the collection, while selective, will continue to grow.

For quick access to the latest links, a page has been added to the Ohrstrom Blog sidebar to the left. Look for the “Selected Websites” link under the Research Guides heading.

New Reference Book: Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography

Lura Sanborn — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:38:40 +0000

Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian

Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography edited by John Hannavy, Routledge, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 770.9 H19

Photography’s first century is recorded, analyzed and discussed in this new reference set. Photography is placed in a variety of contexts such as: geography, institutions & exhibitions, inventions and people.

Check out entries on: Coloring by Hand, Photographic Jewelry and Tourist Photography.

Helpful for: Photography students, Humanities, History, Art Research.

For examples of 21st Century photography, stop by the lower level of the library to view a display of SPS student photography from Mr. Lemay’s Studio Lighting Alternative Printing class project.