Ohrstrom Blog

Oh, the Places You’ll Go: March Break 2010

Lisa Laughy — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:09:31 +0000

March break brings a variety of travel opportunities to members of the SPS community. Here are some of the travel plans for student groups this year:

Baseball Team – traveling to Florida for spring training and early games
The Dominican Republic Volunteers – traveling to the Dominican Republic to teach English to children
St. Timothy’s Appalachian Mission – traveling to Kentucky for service learning
Habitat for Humanity – traveling to Mississippi
Greece Classical honors students – traveling to Greece for cultural excursion
French students – traveling to Paris to study at Ecole Alsacienne
England Cultural Exchange students – traveling to London to study at Eton College and St. Paul’s Girls School
Also good luck to students heading out to term exchange: Seikei, Ecole Alsacienne and British Royal School

We wish everyone, whether traveling near or far, a safe and enjoyable journey!

—————————————————————————————————————-

The Library hours for March break are as follows:

Sunday, March 7th: Library closed

Monday, March 8th – Friday, March 12th: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Saturday, March 13th – Saturday, March 27th: Library closed

Sunday, March 28th: 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Monday, March 29th: Regular Library hours resume

Click HERE for the complete calendar.

New Archives Online Exhibit: The Rectors of SPS

Lisa Laughy — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:05:39 +0000

Ohrstrom Library is pleased to announce the addition of a new archives online exhibit: The Rectors of St. Paul’s School.

Since its founding in 1856, St. Paul’s School is fortunate to have enjoyed strong leadership in its Rectors. The Rectors exhibit in the Archives section of Ohrstrom Library’s website presents the succession of these leaders through photographs and short biographies, and serves as a brief introduction to the fascinating history of leadership at St. Paul’s School.

Much of the text and perspectives shared in the brief biographies that accompany photographs of the Rectors were drawn directly from two authoritative and well-loved volumes about St. Paul’s School: A brief history of St. Paul’s School, 1856-1996 by August Heckscher (located in Ohrstrom at: 373 Sa2H) and St. Paul’s School, 1855 – 1934 by Arthur Stanwood Pier (located in Ohrstrom at: 373 Sa2). In addition to reading these two volumes, you can find even more fascinating detail on each of the Rectors by searching the Alumni Horae digital archive, accessible online by clicking HERE.

New Reference Book: Encyclopedia of Modern Ethnic Conflicts

Lura Sanborn — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:28:36 +0000

Encyclopedia of Modern Ethnic Conflicts edited by Joseph R. Rudolph, Jr., Greenwood, 2003.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 305.8 R83

A one-volume guide concerning the study of global ethnic conflict during the 20th Century. Each of the thirty-eight individual entries discusses the historical background of a particular ethnic conflict, how the conflict was managed, and the impact of the conflict.

Examples include:

Canada: The Nationalist Movement in Quebec
China: Ethnic Conflict and the International System
France: The “Foreigner” Issue
Middle East: The Arab-Jewish Struggle for Palestine to 1948
Rwanda: Hutu-Tutsi Conflict and Genocide in Central Africa
United States: The United States – Puerto Rico Relationship

Helpful for: Literature of Witness, Middle Eastern Voices, Gender Studies, International Studies, Social History, World Politics, Humanities

New Reference Book: Encyclopedia of Gender and Society

Lura Sanborn — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:00:56 +0000

Encyclopedia of Gender and Society edited by Jodi O’Brien, Sage Publications, 2009.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 306.7 Ob6G

A 2-volume set focusing on gender scholarship. Articles cover many categories including: art, popular culture, sports, body image and health, economics, politics, race and ethnicity, relationships, religion, science and sexuality.

Examples: Bachelors and Spinsters, Body Hair, GI Joe, Nuns, “Personal is Political,” Sports and Homosexuality, Tomboy/Sissy

Helpful for: Women’s Studies, Gender Studies, Humanities, Social History, U.S. History, Science

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 Measure of America

Lura Sanborn — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:00:45 +0000

The Measure of America written and edited by Sarah Burd-Sharps, Kristen Lewis and Eduardo Borges Martins, Columbia U. Press, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom: REF 317 B89M

A collection of data, statistics and interpretive text that reflects upon and measures the well-being of Americans. The report focuses, using a variety of different measurements, on three main areas: health, education & standard of living.

Chapter/Essay Titles Include: The Essential Conditions for Good Health, Health Insurance: The Policy That Unlocks Many Doors, Access to Knowledge: How We Fare Internationally, Factors That Fuel Growth in Earnings InEquality.

Helpful for: Humanities IV, American History, Social History, Statistics, Gender Studies

Ohrstrom Library Asks: Will You Be Mine? With (S)PS I Love You

Lisa Laughy — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:00:29 +0000

This Sunday evening, February 14th, Ohrstrom Library will host a very special event: (S)PS I Love You: A Musical Valentine from Ohrstrom Library.

Beginning at 7:30 PM (sharp!) in the Baker Reading Room, Ohrstrom Library will present the SPS community with a living, breathing, singing, acting, musical Valentine’s Day card in the form of collaborative performances by many of St. Paul’s School’s biggest talents. The evening’s program will include appearances by all of the a cappella groups, many student actors and actresses, a rock band, a jazz quartet and Madrigals. The evening will also feature many students and a few faculty members reading memorable lines, both very funny and poignant, from Hollywood films. Other contributors will read love poems, song lyrics and a few short theatrical pieces.

Please arrive early to secure your spot, since seating will be limited. Do not miss this outpouring of love to the SPS community from Ohrstrom Library.

Image courtesy of Ant Smith under this Creative Common license.

UPDATE 2/25/10: View a slideshow of the event by clicking HERE.

New Reference Book: The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television

Lura Sanborn — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:00:30 +0000

The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television by John Kenneth Muir, McFarland, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 791.43 M91S

A one-volume guide discussing superheroes from American film and television. Each article focuses on a particular superhero, their history, creation and appearance in TV and/or film(s). When applicable, a complete TV episode-by-episode synopsis follows each entry.

Examples include:

The Amazing Spider-Man
The Ambiguously Gay Duo
The Bionic Woman
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Doctor Strange
Swamp Thing

Helpful for: Humanities IV, Art, Gender Studies, Social History, Pop Culture, Superhero Fans

New Reference Book: Encyclopedia of African American History

Lura Sanborn — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:00:07 +0000

Encyclopedia of African American History: 1619 -1895 edited by Paul Finkelman, Oxford U. Press, 2006.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 305.896 F49A

Throughout three volumes this set discusses the history of African Americans from the earliest American settlements to the close of the nineteenth century corresponding with the death of Frederick Douglass. Entries focus on historical biography, politics, law, culture, religion, and economics.

Examples include: African Americans and the West, Black Seafarers, Haitian Revolutions, Hair and Beauty Culture, Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Helpful for: Humanities IV, American History, African American Studies, Social History

Encyclopedia of African American History: 1896 to the Present edited by Paul Finkelman, Oxford U. Press, 2009.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 305.896 F49A

In five volumes and 1,250 entries, this set “reflects the trauma, tragedy, hope and accomplishments of black culture and life since 1896” (xxiii). Entries focus on biography, politics, law, art, music, sport, entertainment, religion, and economics.

Examples include: Astronauts, Blaxploitation Films, Sean Combs, Family, Oprah, Railroad Segregation, and United Negro College Fund.

Helpful for: Humanities IV, American History, African American Studies, Social History

New Reference Book: Chronology of American History

Lura Sanborn — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:09 +0000

Chronology of American History by John C. Fredriksen, Facts on File, 2008.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: REF 973 F87C

A lengthy, four-volume, chronology spanning American History 1400s-2007. Some events are given a brief mention (1-2 sentences) while others are discussed in more detail (2-3 paragraphs).

Find a place in time and read about:

Hannah Dustin
Business, Religion
Military and Slavery issues in 1703
Music in 1946 (one of the year’s most popular tunes was “Ole Buttermilk Sky”)
The Cold War

Scan political and business highlights from 2004 and find:

Democrats nominate John Kerry SPS ’62 for President
U.S. Supreme Court upholds Pennsylvania’s 2002 redistricting plan
Dow Jones closes the year at 10,783.01

Helpful for: Humanities IV, Humanities IV Research Paper, American History, Topic Finding