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Welcome to the fall Whittemore Library newsletter. As always, the newsletter provides great information about our staff, our resources, and our events. There is always so much that I get excited about when I talk about the library.

For my October welcome, I would like to highlight how our librarians support students and faculty in their academic and research success. Besides making materials available online 24/7 and creating an engaging, quiet space for studying, the librarians are everywhere.

• They are available in person and online to answer research questions.
• They come to classrooms (in-person and virtually) to conduct information literacy sessions on a variety of topics: forming an effective research strategy; navigating the research databases and constructing a keywork search; learning about copyright and plagiarism; finding materials in our curriculum library, archives, and digital repository; using a variety of digital humanities software for the DH projects; and more!
• Similarly, the librarians support faculty with their personal research and courses by answering copyright issues, uploading research in course reserves, securing articles from other libraries, creating online research guides tailored to assignments, curating lists of films, articles, books, primary resources, and OER.
  

As you can tell by this wonderfully edited newsletter by Kate Burt, the library administrative manager, the library has a lot to offer you. I posted a silly welcome video on our social media highlighting some of it. Stop by for a book, a fresh salad and coffee, a research consultation, and/or for some quiet time in any of our spaces.

Have an amazing productive and safe fall semester.

Millie.

The Library celebrated the culture and contributions of the Hispanic/Latinx community during Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month September 15-October 15! Hispanic/Latinx Heritage month has been celebrated in the United States since 1968, when the administration of Lyndon Johnson first recognized Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1988, under the administration of Ronald Reagan, Hispanic Heritage Week was expanded to Hispanic Heritage Month. More info and book recommendations available in our blog.

October is LGBT History Month! We've compiled some great resources for you to learn more about LGBT History Month. Find them in our blog.

In recognition of LGBT History Month, the bulletin board in our lobby now features “The History of Pride Flags”.

* Note: The font used on the board (tan letters) is called "Gilbert" - named for Gilbert Baker, the original creator of the first Pride flag. The font “was originally designed for striking headlines and statements that could live on banners for rallies and protests.”

Download it here.

Research and Digital Pedagogy Librarian Hedda Monaghan was recently awarded a federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant for $11,452 from the MA Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). “Libraries in communities across the Commonwealth are committed to meeting the local needs of the residents they serve,” said Robert Favini, Head of Library Advisory and Development at the MBLC. “LSTA grants allow libraries to address those local needs directly, whether its programming to meet the challenges of food insecurity and rising food costs, preserving and protecting Indigenous history, or developing creative technology spaces accessible for everyone.”

Hedda plans to apply the grant to a special project focusing on accessibility at the Whittemore Library.

RamSearch now features a new look and feel. Learn more about it in our blog.

On September 20, the Library held its first meeting of the No Homework Book Club for the Fall 2023 semester. The meeting was moderated by founders Student Engagement Coordinator Kathleen Barnard and Curriculum Library Assistant Kim Carney. Read all about it here!

The Club is for people who love to read and talk about books! There is no book assignment and no predetermined list of discussion questions. It's just an informal gathering of readers who get together in Library Room UM14 to chat about the books they've been reading.

Everyone from the campus community is welcome to participate. Register to attend the next meeting(s) of the club!

Exciting news!

Your meal options just got elevated! We now have a Farmer’s Fridge located in the Red Barn Café in the Library! It’s stocked regularly (so don’t be scared of any soggy salads!) with chef-curated salads, wraps, bowls, and snacks. Get your hands on some fresh eats today – there’s even an app to make ordering easy! Order and pay with a credit or debit card in-person or order and pay on the app with Google Pay or Apple Pay and then stop by to pick up your order. And....for the first month there's a 25% discount!

(Note: Ordering from the Fridge is only available when the Library is open).

Once again, the Library is hosting Workshop Wednesdays. This semester there are different session topics: RamSearch and Zotero. These sessions will be offered during the semester and will be hosted both in-person and online.

Join us to learn more about RamSearch, our tool for searching the library’s databases, online resources, and books, and/or Zotero, a free citation management tool that can help you organize your research.

Register for upcoming Workshop Wednesdays sessions.

The Library provides a range of study spaces to cater to different preferences: in addition to our large quiet study room on the first floor in Room 118 we have 2 group study rooms suitable for small groups and 7 individual study rooms designated for quiet, focused studying. The group study rooms are located on the Lower Mezzanine Level, 3 individual study rooms are located on the Upper Mezzanine Level and 4 individual study rooms are located on the Ground Floor.

The group and individual study rooms now feature FSU sports teams and can be reserved! Students can book a room for up to 2 hours at a time. If a room is not in use, it will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note: One of the individual study rooms on the Ground Floor (the baseball/softball room) is available on a walk-in basis and is not eligible for reservations.

Find more information and our study space policies here. Find the links to reserve a room on our website.

Students: We heard you - You've asked for more options to charge your devices while in the Library.

And...we have the answer: portable power banks! Head on over to our Circulation desk and borrow a power bank. They can be checked out for up to 2 hours at a time (with one renewal if no one is waiting). The power banks feature a 60W USB Type-C port, a 100W AC outlet, a Type-A port, and a fast-wireless charging pad to charge electronic devices like laptops, tablets, and phones.

For more information, stop by the Circulation desk.

The Archives staff have created an exhibit on Mary Miles Bibb which is on display in the Library foyer until December.

"Mary Miles was the first African American to graduate from our school in May of 1843, at what was our first physical location in Lexington, MA. In this exhibit we feature information boards on key players in Miles Bibb's story, including but not limited to her husband Henry Bibb, our university's own Samuel May (Second Principal of Lexington Normal School), Prudence Crandall and many more. We also feature descriptions of several events and activities during Mary's time, and descriptions on how they affected her life. Furthermore, we have recommendation letters of Mary's classmates, and papers of the school on display from the time that Mary was enrolled available for all to see accompanied with transcriptions. In addition to the Mary Miles exhibit, we also strongly encourage folks to come and see our very first principal, Cyrus Peirce's journal (First time exhibiting). In regards to these artifacts, we'd like to give special thanks to IAFSA, as many artifacts on display are a part of the IAFSA Normal School Collection."

- Anthony Sims, English Intern 2023

Our McNaughton Collection is a great way to find something new and interesting to read. Read our blog to find out about some of the books we’ve added recently by wonderful authors like Ann Cleeves, Stephen King, Ken Follett and many more!

(Stay connected with the Library's blog for news about upcoming events and info about new books on our shelves.)

Our Research & Learning Librarians and staff are ready to assist you! They can help you with:

• Using the resources in the library, such as the online catalog, reference collection, periodical indexes and databases, and the Web;
• Choosing appropriate resources for a particular research topic; and
• Answer any type of question you might have about doing research or about the Library.

Stop by their help desk on the Upper Mezzanine of the Library - they are available to answer research questions during regular desk hours. They're also available by appointment for individual or small-group consultations. Their desk hours are listed on our website. You can also call them (508-626-4654), email them (reference@framingham.edu) or connect with them via their online chat.

Our Interlibrary Loan Coordinator Alex Young is here to assist you with your interlibrary loan requests. To learn more about ILL, check out this LibGuide. We have video tutorials on how to request books and articles - click on the links below to get started! When you're ready to submit a request, go to our online link and fill out the Interlibrary Loan Form. The Circulation Desk is where you will pick up and drop off Interlibrary Loan materials. If you have any questions or need additional info, you can call Alex (508-626-4690), email him (ayoung11@framingham.edu) or stop by his office (Room 115-Library Main Office) on the first floor of the Library.

Hi, I'm Andrea O’Brien. I’m from Reading, Ma and I am a senior liberal studies major here at FSU and this semester I plan to add a journalism minor! I hope to one day work in fashion journalism and write for a fashion magazine.

Some of my hobbies include reading, journaling, and listening to music. I also love fashion and coming up with and styling outfits. Aside from my job at the library, I also work at Kendra Scott, where I sell and style jewelry, which is something I really enjoy. My favorite TV show is Big Brother and one of my favorite movies is Cheaper by the Dozen 2. The book that I am currently reading is “The Light We Carry” by Michelle Obama and I really love it so far. I love many different genres of music, it is hard for me to pick just one. However, my favorite music artist is Harry Styles. If I could have dinner with 3 people, living or dead, I would choose Harry Styles, Freddie Mercury, and Zendaya.

I have been working as a Circulations Assistant at the library since my sophomore year and my favorite thing about working here has been getting to see so many students come in and enjoy the library. As a Circulations Assistant, my role consists mainly of checking books in and out, shelving and paging books, making sure the shelves are organized, answering any questions students may have, answering the phone, and any other day to day tasks. A typical shift consists of retrieving books from the paging lists, checking out books for patrons, and answering any questions. Since working here at the library, I’ve learned just how many books we have here on so many different topics!

Banned Books Week is an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read and highlights the increasing number of challenges to ban certain books. We hope you had the chance to read our series of informative posts written by Curriculum Librarian Sam Westall that appeared in our blog during Banned Books week. If not, please click here to check them out.

We also asked patrons to let us know what fREADom means to them: a specific book? a specific genre? something else? We provided magnets for patrons to write their answers on and post them to our board in the Library lobby.

As a proud supporter of CREW (Communities Responding to Extreme Weather) and Blue Marble Librarians, we were excited to co-sponsor an online event, "Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors" on September 27. Learn more about the event in our blog.

Additional information regarding CREW and Climate Prep Week can be found on their website.

September 11, 2001. The day that changed the world.

Visit the Library and view a poster display from the Smithsonian in the "pit" area.

Library Assistant Allyson Duval retired in June after more than 16 years at FSU. We are indebted to her for her contributions and devoted service to the Library and thank her for the positive impact she had on the Library and the staff, both personally and professionally. We enjoyed working with her and wish her well.

Access Services Librarian Karin Medin has moved on to another position outside of FSU. We thank her for being such an important part of the team for more than 6 years. We are grateful for her dedication to the Circulation department, the Access Services staff and the student workers she supervised. We wish her all the best and are very excited for the new opportunities that lie ahead for her!

We all wish former part-time Reference Librarian Deb Percher much success in her new role working with the ROTEL Grant.

The Curriculum Library invites you to attend this year’s Swiacki Children's Literature Festival.

This year the Festival will be held on Thursday, November 2nd 2023. Our guest speakers are Dashka Slater, who has won the Stonewall Award, as well as illustrator Ekua Holmes, who has won the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration twice. Both of our guests will be speaking in selected classes throughout the day. In the afternoon they will both be available for book signings; the bookstore will be selling their titles on site in the McCarthy Center. Later there will be dinner with a guest speaker alumna Nora Chan, who is speaking about the impact of book banning on children’s literature, followed by presentations by both Dashka and Ekua.

This event is free for students, you just need to register. For more information please visit this link.

- Curriculum Librarian Sam Westall

What is the open access journal movement, why did it come about, and why aren’t ALL scholarly journals open access by now? (And where’s my flying car?!) Sit back as I tell you the tale of a slowly-evolving scholarly communications landscape, and how weird it can get during the middle of a scholarly journal publishing business model shift. Because one thing is for certain…the big academic commercial publishers are going to do WHATEVER it takes… to survive.

Join Librarian Rebecca Dowgiert and register at: Open Access 101

A new indoor walking loop in the Whittemore Library! Get ready to walk your winter blues away.

Stay tuned for further details...

On October 3rd, I was very fortunate to attend the press preview of the exhibition, “Fashioned by Sargent” at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The exhibition examines the late 19th-century artist John Singer Sargent’s portrayal of clothing in his art and includes paintings as well as examples of dress from the period sometimes next to the actual garment portrayed in the artwork itself. As much of Sargent’s artistic output consisted mostly of portraits and figures, there is much to look at regarding this subject. At the preview, the American and English curators of the exhibition (this show was co-organized with the Tate Britain in London and will be traveling there next year) gave a tour of the galleries highlighting some of the artworks.

After this, I was able to wonder freely through the galleries to look at the art objects. Favorite works were Sargent’s portrait of actress Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth exhibited alongside the beetle wing embroidered costume worn in the portrait. Another favorite work was the painting of Sybil Sassoon, Countess of Rocksavage, wearing a fancy-dress costume in the Renaissance style ordered from the House of Worth by Sargent himself expressly for this painting. The dress is also displayed nearby. Also included is a portrait of Boston artist and arts patron, Sarah Choate Sears alongside a number of dresses from her wardrobe now held in the MFA’s costume collection. I highly recommend this exquisite and smartly executed exhibition.

*photo above right: John Singer Sargent portrait of Sarah Choate Sears

by Kathleen Barnard

If you are interesting in talking about books or getting more recommendations, please join us at our next No Homework Book Club Meeting! We’ll be meeting on October 18 at 12:30 in UM14 to discuss what we’ve been reading lately. Click on the link above to register and be sure to bring a friend or two! You can also see the books we recommend and talk about by checking out our blog!

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

This summer, I got to do something that I haven’t been able to since before the pandemic-I got to visit my family in gorgeous Northern Michigan. It was great to see my family and, as always, the visit was too short. Luckily I was able to read Tom Lake, Ann Patchett’s latest novel and her first to be set in the cherry orchards outside of Traverse City—just an hour or so from my family. This book follows Lara as she tells her three adult daughters about the summer she dated a now-famous actor at Tom Lake, a summerstock theater in Michigan’s cherry country. The timeline shifts from the 1980s to the pandemic summer of 2020. I loved the mother-daughter relationship in this book and how Lara’s daughters come to realize, through their mother’s storytelling, that life is always more complicated than it seems.

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange

There is something wonderful about sitting down in a comfy chair and reading a book from cover-to-cover in one sitting. This book, along with Tracey Lange’s first book We are the Brennans, was one of those for me. It follows Tara Connelly, fresh out of prison, trying to reconnect with her broken family and start a new life for herself. The Connelly family has their fair share of problems, but what really hooked me was the deep love they all have for each other. If you like family stories, this one is for you!

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow

If you are looking for beautiful writing, look no further than Tara M. Stringfellow’s Memphis. This gorgeous story follows several generations of the women of the North family, Black women living in Memphis from the 1930s through to the present day. This book deals with a lot of difficult and sensitive issues, but what ultimately kept me reading was the strength and humor of the North women. This city of Memphis is a character in itself and Stringfellow’s writing will have you seeing, hearing, and tasting the sights, sounds, and barbeque of Beale Street and North Memphis.

The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of Ocean by Susan Casey

The ocean is one of the most mysterious places on our planet, if not in the entire universe. For all we know about the moon and Mars, we know a fraction of that of our oceans. This is why I loved Susan Casey’s The Underworld: Journey to the Depths of the Ocean. Casey doesn’t just tell the story, she lives it. This book follows her on deep ocean dives and introduces readers to the explorers who are pushing the limits of human engineering (and the human body!) to learn about the world beneath waters. Most of us will never get to see the creatures that live at the bottom of the ocean, but with this book we can at least get a feeling for what their world is like.

The Library often has titles from popular authors like:

Joy Fielding

James Patterson

Karin Slaughter

Kathy Reichs

Elin Hilderbrand

Nicholas Sparks

- find their books, and books by other fantastic writers, in our McNaughton section located across from the front desk.

⭐ Coming Soon! ⭐

🎵 Listen to great songs by familiar music artists- and discover some new favs - on our Spotify.

This month we're highlighting our playlist, "Halloween".

All our music is creatively and thoughtfully curated by our own Alex Young! 🎵

FSU Students, Faculty, Staff, Maintainers - This room is for you!

Located on the Upper Mezzanine level in room Center-UM08, you'll find helpful tools to de-stress: a relaxing massage chair, yoga mat, fidget toys, coloring books, light therapy lamp, cozy blankets, and much more. Watch these videos, Part 1 video and Part 2 video, for a tour of the room.

Scan the QR code to reserve your online session today! Or go our website to reserve a time in the space. 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.)

In this issue, we're pulling out a recipe from our own cookbook, Chewy Dewey! This yummy recipe was submitted by Colleen Previte, Special Collections Librarian and Archivist.

You can find more delicious recipes and the entire cookbook at our digital commons page.

1. When did Halloween start?
2. Where did the word “Halloween” come from?
3. What is having a fear of Halloween called?
4. Before pumpkins, which root vegetable did the Irish and Scottish carve on Halloween?
5. Why do we carve pumpkins?And why are they called jack-o-lanterns?
   
6. Why do we trick or treat?
7. Which Halloween candy was originally referred to as “chicken feed"?
8. Why did people start dressing up in Halloween costume?
9. What's the most popular Halloween costume in the U.S., according to Google?
10. Where does the quote “Double, double toil and trouble” come from?
11. Who wrote the “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”?
12. Why are black cats associated with Halloween (and bad luck)?

Halloween *

by Robert Burns

Upon that night, when fairies light
On Cassilis Downans dance,
Or owre the lays, in splendid blaze,
On sprightly coursers prance;
Or for Colean the route is ta'en,
Beneath the moon's pale beams;
There, up the cove, to stray and rove,
Among the rocks and streams
To sport that night.

Among the bonny winding banks,
Where Doon rins, wimplin' clear,
Where Bruce ance ruled the martial ranks,
And shook his Carrick spear,
Some merry, friendly, country-folks,
Together did convene,
To burn their nits, and pou their stocks,
And haud their Halloween
Fu' blithe that night.

.....

Complete poem in download below

* Find this poem and others by Robert Burns in hard-copy and ebooks available at FSU and the Minuteman Network.

Monday - Thursday: 8:00am - 11:00pm

Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm

Saturday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Sunday: 1:00pm - 11:00pm

Research & Learning -

Reference Librarians are available to answer questions and book research appointments during the following days/times:

Monday - Thursday: 10:30am - 6:30pm

Friday: 10:30am - 2:00pm

Saturday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Sunday: Closed

- For complete listing, please see our hours page - days/hours may vary for holidays and intersessions.

Information about the Library's policies regarding access, borrowing, reference, interlibrary loan, circulation of materials, reserves, confidentiality of records, fines, public computers, diversity, and censorship can be found in this guide.

Answers to frequently asked questions are available in this guide.

We look forward to seeing you at the Library!

Follow us on social media (@WhittemoreLib) to learn more about Library events, changes to our hours of operation, and to keep up with the latest news from the Whittemore Library!

Also, check out our latest blog posts and our TikTok page.

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/