Monthly Archives

February 2018

Libraries, News & Events, O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library, Special Collections and Archives

Tales from the Archives — Speed Skating at St. Thomas

One of my favorite Winter Olympic sports is speed skating. I love watching the athletes sprint around the oval on their narrow blades where one false move will find them spinning out on the ice. But it wasn’t until I was exploring the University Archives collection the other day that I realized how many St. Thomas alums were noted speed skaters.

Everett McGowan, 1920

A multitalented athlete, Everett McGowan lettered in football and baseball as a student at St. Thomas from 1919 to 1920. But he is best known for his speed-skating prowess. McGowan won the national and international speed skating championships in 1920 as an amateur. His success continued during a professional career in which he beat veteran speed skaters such as Norval Baptie in the 1921 Northwest Championship.

Leo Freisinger, 1937

Leo Freisinger attended the College of St. Thomas from 1937 – 1938. Prior to enrolling at St. Thomas he won a bronze medal in the 500m race at the 1936 Winter Olympic games. He continued to compete in national and international speed skating events after that, wearing the St. Thomas colors in the 1938 International Speed Skating Championships in Oslo, Norway.

Bob Fitzgerald, 1946

Bobby Fitzgerald won several indoor, outdoor and North American speed skating championships as a teenager. But, his skating career was interrupted by World War II and a injury he suffered while in the Army. After returning to civilian life, he finished his college degree (graduating from the College of St. Thomas in 1946) and resumed his speed skating career. He later won the silver medal in 500m the 1948 Winter Olympics and was a member of the 1952 Olympic speed skating team.

To explore more of the history of the University of St. Thomas, visit the University Archives webpage.

(This post was first published on February 3, 2014. )

February 23, 2018 by Ann Kenne

Libraries

Nexis Uni vs. Westlaw Campus Research

We at the library work to keep up with new products and resources that make your research more productive. Lexis Nexis had been a staple of our electronic collection seemingly since the dawn of databases. Even though they changed their name to Nexis Uni, and gave themselves a completely new look, the same extensive legal, news, and company information remains in tact.

Now there is a new product from another well known and well respected company that piqued our curiosity. Westlaw is a staple of the UST Law library, and law libraries across the country. Their new product is Westlaw Campus Research, a database that covers the same topic areas as Nexis Uni. The primary strength of Westlaw Campus Research is its collection of legal materials, cases, statutes, regulations and articles from legal journals. It also contains detailed company and financial data, as well as state, national, and international journals and newspapers.

For the next few weeks the libraries are running a free trial of Westlaw that is open to everyone in the UST community. The link to Westlaw is here. During the trial we encourage comparisons and critiques of content, ease of searching, or any other feedback you have about one or both products. You may give any UST librarian your comments or you may send them directly to Andrea Koeppe

February 17, 2018 by Andrea Koeppe

Archbishop Ireland Library, Database Highlights & Trials, Faculty News, New Materials, News & Events, O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library, Theology

“America; the Jesuit Review of Faith and Culture” is now available via Flipster.

The University of St. Thomas Libraries are pleased to announce that we recently added America; the Jesuit Review of Faith and Culture to the list of the periodicals the University of St. Thomas students, faculty, and staff may read online via Flipster.

The University of St. Thomas’ students, faculty, and staff may read a number of popular periodicals we make available on this digital newsstand, which may be accessed anytime on computers or mobile devices. Periodicals in Flipster have true-to-life layouts with all the full-color images and advertisements one finds in the print version of the same periodical.

Suggested reading: “A Christian Funeral Classic” by Colleen Dulle, in the January 8, 2018, issue of America. The article tells of the work of the University of St. Thomas’ Artist in Residence, Fr. Michael Joncas, whose hymn, “On Eagle’s Wings” achieved global popularity 38 years ago.

Fr. Michael Joncas, Theology Department, October 2004, Classroom images

February 16, 2018 by

Libraries, Media/Music Collections, News & Events

Interactive Media on National Film Board of Canada

National Film Board of Canada features many different interactive games and learning tools that are a great way to help better understand a lesson or concept. This type of interactive media engages students and can be an impactful way for a lesson to stick around long after the final quiz is turned in.

Here are a few examples of innovative and engaging interactive learning tools available from NFB:

Bias – test your bias via this quick word association exercise; this tool can be used to test one’s potential bias against varying groups of people or test your bias against sexist or racist stereotypes.

Hungry Month of March – explore a multimedia tale of “The Hungry Month of March”: the month during which families on islands in the easternmost Canadian territories of Newfoundland and Labrador would make due with whatever food remained from winter through the month of March. This beautifully crafted media includes 16 short films, images, and excerpts as you “scroll” through the seasons of these unforgiving landscapes.

Bread – learn the stories of six different women and their recipes for bread and how this simple food is intertwined their lives, families, cultures, and experiences.

By Sophia Wolf

February 13, 2018 by

Database Highlights & Trials, Libraries, Media/Music Collections, News & Events

National Film Board of Canada Films

Though only a few hundred miles to the north of St. Paul, Canadian film and animation offer a unique perspective that is daring and innovative, with global impact. Of the many streaming services available from the Music & Media Collections at OSF Library, the extensive collection of animations, documentaries, shorts, experimental works, and feature-length films found on the National Film Board of Canada database is a great source for an international perspective with films in both French and English.National Film Board of Canada features over 3,000 pieces to peak viewers interest in a variety of subjects: the environment, human rights, indigenous peoples, international conflict, the arts, and many more. Discover new releases, old favorites, and classic Canadian films with works by Canada’s most talented directors with films for all ages and all interests.

The current National Film Board of Canada subjects featured include World War II, hockey, vignettes, cultural diversity, land claims and rights, and endangered species. These are just some examples of the many forms of media and subject matter found on the NFB website, with topics relevant globally.

By Sophia Wolf

February 6, 2018 by

Libraries, News & Events, Special Collections and Archives

Tales from the Archives — The 1918 Influenza Epidemic at St. Thomas

“Have you gotten your flu shot yet?” has been a common refrain as people have struggled with this year’s flu season. All of this talk about the flu outbreak brings back memories of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic.

The first diagnosed case of influenza appeared in Minnesota in late September 1918. Classes had already started for the college and high school students enrolled at St. Thomas. A unit of the Student Army Training Corps (SATC) – a contingent of soldiers preparing to fight in World War I – were also posted on campus.

Unlike our neighbors in Minneapolis, Saint Paul did not immediately close schools and public gathering places when the epidemic became widespread. Instead, authorities recommended that people with flu isolate themselves to prevent the spread of the illness. One consequence of the closure of “places of amusement” in Minneapolis was the relocation of the October 26^th football game between St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota’s SATC unit to the College of St. Thomas campus.

Purple and Gray, December 1918, p. 40

Students who contracted the flu and lived on campus were nursed in the College Infirmary ; commuter students were cared for at home.

College of St. Thomas Infirmary, 1920

While no records exist which tell us how many of the approximately 1200 students at the College contracted influenza during this outbreak, at least three St. Thomas students and one member of the SATC corps died from the flu.

Alumni Bulletin, February 1919, p. 13

Levang’s Weekly, November 7, 1918 p. 1

The influenza outbreak reappeared in the winter of 1919 – 1920 claiming at least one student at the College. This second outbreak hit the Saint Paul Seminary particularly hard, claiming the life of one seminarian and laying a number of them low.

St. Paul Seminary Register, 1920

To explore more of the history of the University of St. Thomas, visit the University Archives webpage.

February 2, 2018 by Ann Kenne

News & Events

Trial for Plunkett Research available throughout the month of February

‘Back in the day’ when I first started as a UST business librarian, Plunkett’s industry profiles in print was a staple of our business reference collection. It provided a clear and concise snap shot of an industry and was a great resource for students first learning about a specific industry. Now, just as about everything else that used to be a staple in our print collection, this resource is online. Just as the print version, the online version of Plunkett provides vital data for Market Research, Business Development and Strategic Planning.

Searching Plunkett’s is very easy from their main page

Users can search industry data either by choosing from a list of industries, industry codes, or with keywords. Users can also search by general topics such as “internet of things” or “sharing economy” Users can also use a company name for information, or create a list of companies by searching with location, industry, or company size.

To try Plunkett’s on your own you may follow this link.

Please get any and all feedback to me, Andrea Koeppe, by the end of this month.

Happy Searching!

February 1, 2018 by Andrea Koeppe