With our last newsletter edition for the 2022-2023 academic year, I want to personally thank our student assistant/intern seniors who are graduating in May: Elizabeth Harvey, Sylvie Ficco, Meeghan Bresnahan, Sarah D’Andrea, Lauren Hunter, Noelle Meunier, and Marie Murphy. It is such a bittersweet feeling. We are incredibly proud of our student assistants and their accomplishments but are so sad to see them go! Our students make the library special and each have a great personal story. Check and enjoy reading the profiles of our current student interns.
Recently, we were able to fund renovations to three new study rooms, furniture, and technology through the generous donations to the Library Brick ongoing campaign. Please consider donating to the library. Your donations go directly to improve the library resources and experience for our students and campus community.
As you read the Library newsletter, I am sure you agree with me that Kate, the newsletter editor, did a great job highlighting the library staff and recent, fun activities like National Library Week. I hope you enjoyed coming to the Library this year. We enjoyed showcasing student, staff, and faculty work. It was our pleasure making the library a welcoming and engaging space for the campus community. Stop by the library this summer and see you in the fall.
Take care, Millie
Seed Library
New at the Whittemore: A seed library to support sustainability! What's a seed library? Read all about it in our online guide or stop by and check it out across from the circulation desk on the first floor. You’ll find instructions, a sign-up sheet and resource books. https://libguides.framingham.edu/SeedLibrary
Earth Day - 2023
We celebrated Earth Day with our new Seed Library.
For more resources, please check out the recommended books and/or go to our LibGuides:
https://libguides.framingham.edu/environmentalscience
https://libguides.framingham.edu/c.php?g=524806
https://libguides.framingham.edu/c.php?g=917317
ROTEL Open Textbooks
The publication of the first open textbooks funded from the ROTEL ("Remixing Open Textbooks through an Equity Lens") Grant was recently announced. As part of the Grant, faculty from six Massachusetts public higher education institutions began to create or remix and develop accessible, inclusive open educational resources (OER).
If you'd like more information on the ROTEL Grant, please reach out to Millie Gonzalez or the ROTEL Administrative Coordinator Barbara Ambos at bambos@framingham.edu. If you have any questions about OER, please contact Rebecca Dowgiert, Scholarly Communications Librarian at rdowgiert@framingham.edu.
You can also find out more about the ROTEL project by scanning or clicking on the QR code below.
Check out a few of the textbooks available online:
Framingham State University: Reading and Writing Successfully in College: A Guide for Students by Patricia Lynne
Holyoke Community College: “Overweight” Bodies, Real and Imagined by Sarah Gilleman
More ROTEL OER launching in the fall.
The book covers of some of the upcoming books are now on display in the Library. See below:
General Psychology-Textbook and Instructor Guide
by Deborah McMakin and Nicole Rossi
Framingham State University
Introduction to Physical Science: Bridging Science and Society
by Santosha Adhibhatta
Framingham State University
May Is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month pays tribute to generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders and their contributions to this country. Congress enacted a law in 1992 to designate May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Our Librarians and staff have compiled important information and resources for you.
Please review our libguide where you will find valuable info and resources on this topic.
https://libguides.framingham.edu/c.php?g=1113473&p=8119142
Please read our blog for more resources and listings of books on this topic available at the Whittemore Library.
May is Jewish American Heritage Month
Celebrate the culture of generations of Jewish Americans. Jewish American Heritage Month has been celebrated since 2006 and highlights over 350 years of Jewish contributions to American culture.
Our Librarians and staff have compiled important information and resources for you.
Please review our libguide where you will find valuable info and resources on this topic.
https://libguides.framingham.edu/jewish-american-heritage-guide
Please read our blog for more resources and listings of books on this topic available at the Whittemore Library.
https://libguides.framingham.edu/Blog?t=115653
Our Curriculum Library has children's books such as those pictured below. Click on the pictures below to see many more.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
The movement to promote the critical importance and benefits of good mental health was first observed in the United States in 1949. On April 28, 2023, President Biden proclaimed that May is officially National Mental Health Awareness Month. He stated, "I call upon citizens, government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other groups to join in activities and take action to strengthen the mental health of our communities and our Nation."
Our Librarians and staff have compiled important information and resources for you.
Please read our blog for valuable resources on this topic.
https://libguides.framingham.edu/Blog?t=116348
If you or someone you know is in crisis, the National Suicide and Crisis Helpline is available 24/7.
Dial 988 from any phone to get immediate help.
You can learn more at: https://988lifeline.org/.
The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line is available 24/7.
Call or text 833-773-2445.
To learn more, visit https://www.masshelpline.com/.
Student Intern Profile - Olivia Nicolazzo
I'm from Grafton, MA. I am an English major and want to be a librarian. In my free time, I like playing video games, reading Stephen King, listening to music (my favorite band is Fall Out Boy), and spending time with friends. My favorite TV show is Scrubs, and I recently read Dr. Faustus for class.
If I could choose three people to have dinner with, I would choose Stephen King, Virginia Woolf, and Neil Gaiman because they're all authors that I have immense appreciation for.
I am the Digital Humanities intern at the library. I mainly do archival work, like updating databases on the library website. On a typical day, I will go in and see what needs to be done, which is usually things like scanning documents, or setting up exhibits.
Although I knew things were digitized, I was surprised by the extent of digitization which is done in the library. My favorite thing about working in the library is getting hands-on experience for my future career.
Student Intern Profile - Beth Harvey
I am an English major with a concentration in Writing. I grew up in Massachusetts. I've always loved to read, and writing was just the natural hobby to follow for me. Lately I've been reading a lot by and about C.S Lewis for class.
Throughout my time at FSU, I've been involved with the English club, as well as the literary magazine (which publishes every Spring!), The Onyx.
My internship at the library is in the Archives/Special Collections Department. I do research on topics related to Framingham State history, and then I write about them. I have written about the May Day celebration, as well as two notable FSU alumni, Jaune Quick-To-See Smith and Ada Shepard. Currently I am updating the history of Framingham State for the archives website.
Student Intern Profile - Erin Lambert
I grew up in Auburn, MA, a small town on the border of Worcester. After my time here at FSU, I plan to become a 3rd grade teacher, which is what I have wanted to do for essentially my entire life. I'm a part of the class of 2025. I'm majoring in Elementary Education with a minor in Gender Studies. I plan on joining the education club next year.
I have played the clarinet for 10 years as well as coaching on the weekends for my younger sister’s indoor soccer team. I adore my four pets. Two are cats: Coda (tuxedo cat) and Appa (Tabby Cat); but I balance them out by having two dogs: Murphy (Bichon poodle mix) and Nova (Border Collie Lab mix).
I don’t have one specific tv favorite show - I feel it always changes when someone asks me what it is. But two shows that I have been watching on and off for a while are Grey’s Anatomy and New Girl. Working in a library you would think that I love to read but I am not the biggest reader. Recently though, I have been finding myself getting into audiobooks. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay is what I am currently listening to and I would highly recommend it to someone who loves the movie series because of the massive amount of details they didn’t include in the movies. Just like tv shows, I can’t pick my favorite genre of music - I listen to music that is so diverse. But my top three artists at the moment would by Renee Rapp, Noah Kahn, and Lany.
If I had to pick three people to have dinner with it would be Robin Williams, Andrew Garfield, and a random pilgrim. I loved Robin Williams movies while growing up and have fond memories of watching his movies with my family when I was younger so I would have loved the chance to meet him. I equally love Andrew Garfield and feel like he does a magnificent role in any movie he stars in so I feel like there would be a great conversation with him about the roles in his movies. For the random pilgrim, I just would want to see how they would react when placed in this day and age. They would be so confused about everything that we have in the world now that I feel as though it would be interesting to see what they would have to say about it.
My favorite thing about working in the library is how with my job, I can see a wide range of books that I might want to get for my classroom once I become a teacher. It allows me to have a look at the wide range of books out there so I can start thinking about what my classroom library might look like. I am the Curriculum Library Assistant. I shelve books, shelf-read, and help students find books within the curriculum library they might be looking for. Besides this, I help the staff with any other tasks that need to be done in the curriculum library. During my typical shift, I will usually go check the curriculum library cart to see if there are any books I might need to bring up to be put away. If there are, I will bring the books up and put them on a cart near the areas in which they belong to put away and get to shelving. Once I finish shelving, I start to shelf-read the books until the end of my shift. Before I leave, I log the progress I made for the day and head back to my dorm. Occasionally you may see me hanging up posters for the new month around the curriculum library.
One thing I learned from working in the library would have to be how friendly and willing to help the staff are. If you need anything everyone is always willing to help you find it or guide you to a place in which you can find the information you are looking for.
Student Intern Profile - Meeghan Bresnahan
I grew up in Peabody, MA. I am a History major with minors in Anthropology and Diversity Studies, and a member of the Class of 2023. I hope to one day work in a small, community-based museum or historic site. I’m about to end my tenure as president of the Hilltop Players, the school’s drama club! I have been very involved in that club. I’m also a member of the Arts and Ideas Student Committee.
I love theatre, playing mystery games, and spending time with my loved ones. I have a turtle named Tobie. My favorite tv show is probably Call the Midwife, closely followed by Outlander, and my favorite movies are the animated Beauty and the Beast and Titanic. I am the definition of a mood reader, so I’ve been reading a chapter or two of multiple books lately to find one to settle on. Right now, I’m trying VenCo by Cherie Dimaline! I love literally all genres of music at this point, but my favorites are showtunes and symphonic metal! My favorite music artist at the moment is either Scene Queen or Greta Isaac. If I could have dinner with 3 people, living or dead, it would be with my paternal grandfather and maternal grandparents. I lost all three of them while in college, and I would give anything to spend more time with them.
I love the experience I've received working in the library! Since museums and libraries are pretty similar, I can see a lot of my experience helping me in my future career. Plus, the staff are so fun to work with! I am currently the Social Media Intern, so I help make posts for our TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook! I check in with Kate and Kathleen, who both work with the social media and student engagement, to see if there are any posts I should work on. Then, I put in my earbuds, jam to some music, and have fun making creative, engaging posts for the public! This is the second library I’ve worked in and I've learned each time that libraries are so vital to communities!
Library Administrative Manager
Hi, I'm Kate Burt.
I perform a variety of administrative duties for the library:
support the Dean of the Library and the Library staff, manage the main office, reconcile asset inventory, oversee payroll, prepare employee and vendor contracts, monitor the library's budget/accounting, purchase supplies and equipment, liaison to the facilities department, manage room reservations, supervise interns and many other tasks to keep the library running smoothly and efficiently. I also design, create and maintain the content for the library's social media, website and newsletter.
I live in Rhode Island with my husband and 2 Havanese dogs and 1 cat. I'm an avid Star Wars fan. I love reading, studying history, doing word and jigsaw puzzles, listening to podcasts, listening to music from the 60s and 70s, traveling, and spending time with my husband, kids, grandkids and friends.
Sounds of Religion
Recently we had a poster exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution displayed on the first floor of the library (across from the public access computers). With a smart phone, viewers could scan the QR Code on each poster to listen and “explore the vibrant soundscapes that religious communities across the nation create every day. See the poster exhibition, Sounds of Religion. Gain insight into the diverse religious traditions—from soul-stirring choruses of gospel music to the energy-elevating chants of Krishna devotees—in this project from the Smithsonian and the American Religious Sounds Project.”
Sound of Religion is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in cooperation with the American Religious Sounds Project of The Ohio State University and Michigan State University and made possible through the generous support of The Henry Luce Foundation.
The Smithsonian provided information below for faculty:
In case you missed it, the following are some educational resources:
American Religious Sounds Project
What does religion in the United States sound like? This was the question at the heart of the American Religious Sounds Project (ARSP), a collaborative research initiative that was active from 2014-2022. It aimed to offer new resources for documenting and interpreting the diversity of American religious life by attending to its varied sonic cultures.
The ARSP website is intended for multiple audiences. For scholars, it may serve as a suggestive tool for research and as a platform for presenting your own interpretive work. For educators and students, it may offer valuable pedagogical resources that can be integrated directly into the classroom. For the media, the materials may inform the stories you tell about religion in the United States. And for all audiences, the site may educate you, engage you, and inspire you to think in new ways about religion and its place in American life. As you spend time exploring the website, consider: How does our understanding of religion change when we begin by listening for it?
Smithsonian Learning Lab is an interactive online educational tool for teachers, students, and independent learners alike. Search Smithsonian collections to create unique collections of your own for the classroom or informal learning environments.
We recently celebrated the annual National Library Week with many fun and interesting events. Hope you were able to participate and enjoy them.
This year's theme was"There's More To The Story", and there certainly is!
What’s the next chapter to your story? We invite you to stop by the library and add it to our bulletin board.
What I’ve Been Reading - May 2023 Edition
by Kathleen Barnard
Spring is here and summer is fast approaching, which can only mean one thing—it’s time to choose summer reading books! I’ve got a few beach-worthy reads to share this time around. Make sure you stop into the library and check out our McNaughton collection before heading out on your summer adventures.
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld: The title says it all! I’ve been reading Curtis Sittenfeld for years and absolutely love the way she crafts her stories. This book focuses on Sally, a thirty-something comedy writer at a famous late-night sketch comedy show. When famous singer Noah Brewster is the featured guest on the show, sparks fly and Sally finds herself in a position she never expected. This sharply-written romantic comedy is for all fans of the genre.
The Last Russian Doll by Kristen Loesch (available through Minuteman Library Network): Part family saga and part historical mystery, this novel takes readers from the Russian Revolution to 1990s Oxford. Oxford student Rosie has plans for the future: marry her fiancé, start her career, and not live in the past. When her mother dies, Rosie is forced to confront the past she wishes to forget, a past that includes murder, intrigue, and her family’s ties to 20th century Russian history. Whether you like multi-generational family stories or fast-paced historical thrillers, this book is sure to keep you reading well past your bedtime.
The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner: From the author of The Lost Apothecary comes this wonderful historical ghost story. Set among the gaslights of Victorian London, this book follows Lenna Wickes as she tries to solve the mystery of her sister’s murder. To do so, skeptical Lenna seeks the guidance of the famous Parisian medium Vaudeline D’Allaire, known for her ability to use séances to solve murders. When Vaudeline is asked to come to London to conduct a séance, the women are thrown into a race against time to solve a mysterious series of murders. This historical (and spooky) story is perfect for those rainy summer days when you just want to stay inside and read.
Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears by Michael Schulman (available through Minuteman Library Network): Remember when La La Land won Best Picture…but not really? Think that was the craziest Oscar ceremony ever? This fabulous history of Hollywood guides readers through the history of moviemaking by looking at some of the craziest, most controversial, and most contested Oscar races ever. From the first ceremony in 1929 through the blacklist era of the 1950s and to Rob Lowe and Snow White (seriously) singing a duet in 1980s, this fascinating history of Hollywood will have you digging through streaming services to watch old (and new!) favorites again.
The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
Cross Down: An Alex Cross and John Sampson Thriller by James Patterson
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
The Beach at Summerly by Beatriz Williams
Night Will Find You by Julia Heaberlin
The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel
Private Moscow by James Patterson
The Spectacular by Fiona Davis
Such Kindness by Andre Dubus
What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman
Zero Days by Ruth Ware
Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur
RAMS Renew Space 🧘
Take the time to de-stress and relax! Make a reservation online today for our Renew Space and meet our new therapy kitty, Milo. Just scan the QR code to reserve your session! Then stop by our front desk with your reservation email and pick up the room key (and prayer rug if needed). (Note: One person in the room per session, no food, tidy up after your visit, use headphones, and return the key to the front desk.)
Check out the newest resident of our Renew Space by clicking on the following link:
https://www.tiktok.com/@whittemorelib/video/7226402547039358250?lang=en
Our Hours - Spring/Summer 2023
From May 13 to September 5:
Library Building -
Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Research & Learning -
Reference Librarians are available to assist you during the following days/times:
Monday - Thursday: 10:30am - 4:00pm
Friday: 10:30am - 2:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
* Exceptions:
Memorial Day: Closed Monday, May 29.
Juneteenth: Closed Monday, June 19.
Independence Day: Closed Tuesday, July 4.
Labor Day: Closed Sunday, September 3. Open 1:00pm - 5:00pm on Monday, September 4.
- For complete listing, please see our hours page - days/hours may vary for holidays and intersessions. For contact info, please see our website.
We look forward to seeing you at the Library!
Follow us (@WhittemoreLib) on social media (we're even on TikTok now!) and our blog to learn more about Library events, acquisitions, changes to our hours of operation, and to keep up with the latest news from the Whittemore Library!
Library Blog: https://libguides.framingham.edu/Blog
Henry Whittemore Library
This newsletter is created by the editor, Kate Burt, and published by Library Dean Millie Gonzalez. If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about this newsletter, please reach out to us.
Thank you.
Editor Kate Burt
Email: kburt2@framingham.edu
Website: https://www.framingham.edu/academics/henry-whittemore-library/