UST Libraries Blog » News & Events

Congratulations to the University of St. Thomas Class of 2013!

kmburke — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:43:58 +0000

Whether you finished in four years, are celebrating as a super-senior, or transferred in from another school, the O’SF library extends a big UST Congrats to all the graduating seniors this weekend! We truly hope the O’SF library was a positive part of your time here at St. Thomas, and we’re sure gonna miss seeing your smiling faces (studying is fun, right?) in the library!

If you are graduating, you don’t have to entirely say goodbye to the library, though! We’ve got great resources for graduates! Check out our library services for Alumni.

You can also keep up with the latest in O’SF Library happenings by following us on Twitter, and liking us on Facebook. (We know you’re gonna be nostalgic for the all-nighters you pulled here. It’s okay to admit it. We get it.)

If you’re not graduating yet, don’t fret! We have plenty of awesome stuff in store for the summer and next school year, too. Keep in touch, come say hello, and stake out your prime study space for next fall! Remember, we’ll be closed this Sunday and Monday for graduation/Memorial weekend, but we’ll be back up and running on Tuesday, May 28 for Summer hours.

Thank you, seniors, for helping make our work at the library special and important. After all, the library is here to support YOU! Good luck to all the graduates as you embark on your next adventure. And remember, you’ve always got a friend in the O’SF library!

Featured Librarian: Linda Hulbert

Laura Hansen — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:58:27 +0000

It’s time to feature another UST Librarian! Linda Hulbert wears many hats around UST Libraries; as both a subject liaison and the Associate Director of Collection Management and Services, she oversees quite a few resources. Let’s see what she has to say about her favorites…

What departments are you a liaison for? Political science and General
What resource – in your topic area – do you think is the coolest?
OK! I love The New York Times Historical.
What’s one cool thing that resource can do?
I don’t know that it’s the best resource for my students who work in the area – but I do know that it is so cool to have current events and see when the first time certain terms were used – like suicide bomber. I love the fact that you can look at how the country was looking at events contemporaneously – like the Civil War. For my political science research, I also really like the papers in CQ Researcher.

Getting to know Linda:

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Anything with chocolate, fudge, and caramel
Who is your favorite author?
I have to many: William Styron for Sophie’s Choice; Graham Greene for Quiet American; Maeve Binchy for wonderful warm fiction; Elizabeth George – Lynley mysteries; Rushdie – Enchantress of Florence.
Do you prefer the Minnesota Twins or the St Paul Saints?
Neither. Baseball, meh – now let’s talk about the Packers!
Is there something random about you that you’d like us to know?
I have a one year old grandson, and one on the way – so fun!

Linda can be contacted for research assistance or classroom sessions by email, or by phone at (651) 962-5016. See more information about her on the library website.

Final Telos Project Panel Discussion – May 16 at Noon – Room 309

jakimlinger — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:58:07 +0000

You are all invited to come to the last Telos Project session of the year – this time it will be a four-person panel made up of:

Dr. Jill Manske, Biology

Dr. Marty Johnston, Physics

Dr. Carol Bruess, COJO

and Dr. Christopher Michaelson, Business Law

Each of these professors has been a featured speaker during the year-long series – come back for a final visit. We will be in Room 309 of the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library – come to the third floor and follow the signs – see you soon!

The World’s Strongest Librarian

kmburke — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:31:08 +0000

Here is a new memoir of a librarian who does some great bashing of professional stereotypes. John Hanagarne is a librarian in Utah. Here is a link for the full article at New Yorker.

May Day Images from ARTstor

kmburke — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:59:58 +0000

May Day has many different meanings for people all over the world. It started as a spring festival to celebrate the warmer weather. Now May Day is identified with labor rights. Here are a few images from Artstor that reflect the festival nature of the day.

Guitar Ensemble Performs in Library April 29th

John Heintz — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:06:55 +0000

The UST Guitar Ensemble performs today in the Leather room of the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library from 2-3 PM. More info.

Library wedding proposal: one for the books:

kmburke — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:00:15 +0000

Chicago ad exec Jason Methner wrote a marriage proposal into a children’s book — and tricked his girlfriend into finding it.

By: Curtis Rush

Photo Credit: APARNA

Courtesy of: The Star

A 31-year-old Chicago advertising executive has written a marriage proposal that is one for the books, portraying himself as a tortoise and his girlfriend as the hare (or, in this case, bunny).

Jason Methner is the creative mind behind the illustrated account of his relationship with his girlfriend, Molly Lipsitz.

He had the book, titled A Hare-y Tale, illustrated by friend Yoni Limor and placed the bound volume among the “new arrivals” in a Chicago library for his 27-year-old girlfriend to find.

The book refers to some of the activities they have done as a couple in their 4½-year relationship.

In it, Methner is portrayed as the tortoise and Lipsitz as “Bunny” — because she has slept with a stuffed rabbit named Bunny since childhood.

In one sketch, Bunny is shown marching off to university with a bag of her belongings tied to a stick. The book even includes a sketch of their one-year-old dog Hammer.

Like the classic tortoise and hare story, Methner and Lipsitz each take life at a different pace. Methner is laid back, while Lipsitz is an A-type personality, very organized and constantly producing lists. She enjoys healthy food. He loves cheeseburgers.

However, they have plenty in common, including a love of adventure, food and jogging.

They also enjoy good books and libraries. So it was only natural that the marriage proposal should take place in a library.

For this special moment, Methner chose the Harold Washington Library Centre, the main branch of the Chicago public library system.

On March 23, he used “a lie” to trick Lipsitz into finding the 20-page book on a shelf in the branch’s Thomas Hughes Children’s Library.

As Lipsitz began flipping through it, she came to an abrupt stop on page 3: the narrative mentioned Sandy Springs, her home town near Atlanta. Lipsitz grew suspicious. Methner encouraged her to read on.

On the next to last page, the story read: “Although we don’t often run at same pace, do you want to slow down and spend the rest of your life with me?”

And on the last page: “And Bunny said …” This was followed by an empty space for her to say “yes.”

At that point, Methner got down on one knee, popped the question and pulled out a diamond engagement ring.

As in all good fairytales, this book had a happy ending.

She exclaimed, “Yes,” and a professional photographer concealed behind the bookshelves emerged to snap the delightful moment.

“I didn’t cry. That’s not really my style,” Lipsitz told the Star from Chicago. “I was just totally surprised and shocked in a good way. It was an amazingly thoughtful and creative proposal and in an unexpected place.”

The Chicago Public Library posted the photos on Facebook, which helped turn their proposal into a viral event.

Portrait and wedding photographer Aparna Paul Jain also posted photos on her website.

“I have known Molly for a few years now, and when Jason thought about this idea he asked me if I could photograph it. There was no way I was going to miss it,” she told the Star in an email. “I think it played out really well.”

Library staff helped her rearrange books so that she could have a clear view of Methner’s picture book.

“This is the first time I photographed a surprise proposal,” she said.

Lipsitz appreciated that Methner had arranged for her to go with a friend to have a manicure that morning, not knowing it was so she would look good in photos showing the ring on her finger.

No wedding date has been announced.

Methner made five more copies of the book so relatives would have the book as a memento.

“Most women have been very flattering to me with compliments about my creativity,” he said. “But a lot of men, especially in my friends’ group, have given me the eye roll … like, thanks for setting the bar so high.”

New Trial: International Historical Statistics Online

John Heintz — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:09:26 +0000

Locating data as part of your research can be a real pain. Add an international dimension to your research, and the problem can get worse. We are trialing a new online resource that could help with your search, the International Historical Statistics Online database. (We currently have print versions of different regional versions of this title; details here). Obviously, if folks like this version and we can swing the dough ($), having this data available online would be nice.

To use this work, hit the link and use the table of contents on the left-hand side of the page to drill into the various sections to browse the available data tables. The tables display in-page as PDFs, and can be downloaded in PDF or Excel workbook format. It’s organized in three regional groupings: Africa, Asia, Oceania; the Americas; Europe. Within each region, it breaks into chapters on population & vital statistics, labour force, agriculture, industry, external trade, transport & communications, finance, prices, education, and national accounts.

This online version covers from 1750-2010 (five more years than the last print version). It appears that this source will not be updated, so you’ll need to consider this truly a historical resource. As with all statistical sources, the frequency and completeness of the data will vary by country and source.

The trial is available through May 16; please send any comments you have to John Heintz, jpheintz@stthomas.edu.

Tommie is on the Loose…

Laura Hansen — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:50:03 +0000

…in the Library!

We all know that Tommie loves the library, and it seems he’s trying to let everyone know about National Library Week by leaving his calling cards all over around here. Have you seen them?

Help us find them by participating in the “Tommies on the Loose” photo scavenger hunt!

Here’s all you need to do:

Find as many of the Tommie Cards as you can at all UST Libraries throughout Library Week (April 15-19)
Take a picture of yourself with the ones you find – be as creative as you like with this
Share your picture with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (#ustlibtom)
Be a winner! The person who takes their photo with the most Tommie Library Cards wins a prize!

See all the pictures our National Library Week site. It’ s fun, it’s simple, and it helps us celebrate National Library Week!

So start looking for and start snapping pictures of those Tommie Cards around the UST Libraries -we can’t wait to see them!

Happy Library Week

Happy 100th Birthday Mr. Taxman

R. Scott Odman — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:25:32 +0000

With April 15th rapidly approaching I was wondering when and how the U.S. Federal Income Tax came into being. Well it turns out that the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the one authorizing the Federal Government to levy taxes, was ratified in 1913. Here’s the text:

“Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever sources derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration”

Prior to this amendment’s passage the Federal Government had levied taxes (ex. the Lincoln Administration during the Civil War) but it was the 16th that laid the foundation for the tax code we all know and love. If you would like to learn more about this topic just follow this link to the Library of Congress’ History of U.S. Income Tax guide. If you’d like to see what the 1913 Form 1040 looked like just click here.