A new quiet study area opened on the first floor of Ellis Library. Room 156 – formerly a work room in the West Reference office area for graduate students and library staff – has been converted into public space for quiet study. It is available for quiet study all hours that Ellis library is open. Thanks to funds from the Student Fee Capital Improvement Committee, the room was repainted and now has eight tables and seating for about 26 people. Check out the lovely new study space!
Shannon Cary
Traveling Exhibition Tells the Story of Abraham Lincoln’s Struggle to Meet the Constitutional Challenges of the Civil War
“Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War,” a traveling exhibition opening at the MU Law Library on September 18, 2014 examines how President Lincoln used the Constitution to confront three intertwined crises of the Civil War—the secession of Southern states, slavery and wartime civil liberties. The MU Libraries and the MU Law Libraries are co-hosting the exposition.
Lincoln is widely acknowledged as one of America’s greatest presidents, but his historical reputation is contested. Was he a calculating politician willing to accommodate slavery, or a principled leader justly celebrated as the Great Emancipator? This exhibition provides no easy answers. Rather, it encourages visitors to form a nuanced view of Lincoln by engaging them with Lincoln’s struggle to reconcile his policy preferences with basic American ideals of liberty and equality. This exhibition develops a more complete understanding of Abraham Lincoln as president and the Civil War as the nation’s gravest constitutional crisis.
Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States in 1860, at a time when the nation was on the brink of war. Lincoln struggled to resolve the basic questions that divided Americans at the most perilous moment in the nation’s history: Was the United States truly one nation, or was it a confederacy of sovereign and separate states? How could a country founded on the belief that “all men are created equal” tolerate slavery? In a national crisis, would civil liberties be secure? President Lincoln used the Constitution to confront these three crises of war, ultimately reinventing the Constitution and the promise of American life.
“We are delighted to have been selected as a site for this exhibition,” said Jim Cogswell, Director of Libraries. The Director of MU’s Law Library, Randy Diamond is equally pleased with the opportunity to co-host this exposition. “As a new president, Abraham Lincoln was faced with enormous challenges. This exhibition shows how Lincoln struggled with issues of secession, slavery and civil liberties—all questions our country’s founding charter left unanswered. Each section of the exhibit features information about a different aspect of Lincoln’s presidency. For example, the section about slavery examines the various policy options Lincoln once embraced and how his thoughts about slavery evolved over time. Most importantly, the exhibit helps visitors understand why Lincoln’s struggle with the Constitution still matters today.”
The National Constitution Center and the American Library Association Public Programs Office organized the traveling exhibition, which was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): great ideas brought to life. The traveling exhibition is based on an exhibition of the same name developed by the National Constitution Center.
The traveling exhibition is composed of informative panels featuring photographic reproductions of original documents, including a draft of Lincoln’s first inaugural speech, the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment.
The libraries are sponsoring free programs and other events for the public in connection with the exhibition. “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War” will be on display at the law library until October 31, 2014.
Lincoln and the Constitution Exhibit and Events
Liberal Education Conversation Event Will Take Place Today, Chancellor Wallace Unable to Particiapte
The following event will gone on as scheduled, but former Chancellor Richard Wallace will be unable to participate for personal reasons.
Is ‘Liberal’ Education Out of Style? – a conversation with former Chancellor Richard Wallace, UM President Emeritus Mel George and Interim Deputy Provost Patricia Okker
Stotler Lounge, Memorial Union
3-4 pm, September 16, 2014
Reception of light refreshments immediately following
This event is sponsored by the MU Libraries on the occasion of the 175th Anniversary Commemorative Week.
The word “liberal” has a nomenclature problem – it carries baggage for some people because of its political connotations. What does a “liberal education” really mean? The origin of the word is the Latin word “liber” (free), and the history of the concept goes back at least as far as ancient Greece. A common misunderstanding is that the concept describes specific subject matter (such as “Great Books”); but a liberal education is less about specific subject matter content than about the goals and emphases of the education. For example, a liberal education carries public benefit, not simply private benefit.
There are many threats and challenges to liberal education today, including financial pressures and vocationalism. In this conversation, two highly regarded MU educators lay out compelling reasons suggesting that a liberal education is even more important today than in the past and promote the idea that its continued vitality and central role in American higher education should be ensured.
Fridays @ the Library Workshop: Exploring the Hathi Trust Digital Library
Exploring the Hathi Trust Digital Library
Sept. 19 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Room 213, Ellis Library
The Hathi Trust Digital Library contains millions of digitized books from libraries around the world. Learn how you can use this resource to download books, build collections, and use analytical tools to mine the contents of this large body of texts. Although most useful to those studying texts published prior to 1923, Hathi also provides the full text of hundreds of thousands of more recent materials in the public domain and indexes many more still under copyright. This hands-on workshop will unlock this world at your fingertips.
Anne Barker, Interim Head, Ellis Reference Department
Registration Preferred. http://tinyurl.com/MULibrariesworkshops
Friday @ the Library Workshop: Jumpstart Your Teaching and Research in Special Collections
Sept. 12 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Room 213, Ellis Library
Special Collections has over 90,000 items—from rare books and manuscripts to comics and posters—and a staff that wants to empower you to use them. Whether you’re new to campus or just need a refresher, come and find out how these exciting and inspiring resources can contribute to your semester. We’ll provide an overview of our collections and cover strategies for using Special Collections in class visits,undergraduate assignments, and your own research.
Kelli Hansen, Print Collections Librarian, Special Collections
Registration Preferred. http://tinyurl.com/MULibrariesworkshops
Library Research Workshops for International Students
Room 213, 2nd Floor, center, Ellis Library
-
Sept. 17 or 20 — 9:15 am
Exploring the MU Libraries -
Sept. 23 or 27 – 9:15 am
Finding Articles using MU article databases and Google Scholar -
Sept. 17 or 20 – 10:45 am
Finding Books using the MERLIN Catalog and Google Books -
Sept. 23 or 27 – 10:45 am
Writing your Paper and Citing your Sources
Registration:Click on a specific workshop(s) on the calendar to register
https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/libraryclasses/upcomingclassesworkshops
Friday Workshops, Sept. 5
Literature Review & Beyond:
Tips and Tricks for Research
Sept. 5 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Room 213, Ellis Library
Learn some of the more sophisticated features of database
searching to yield the results you want. Using a variety of
databases, we’ll focus on practical techniques that can save
you time and effort.
Goodie Bhullar, Library Instruction Coordinator
Rachel Brekhus, Humanities Librarian
Registration Preferred. http://tinyurl.com/MULibrariesworkshops
Bibliography of Asian Studies Cancellation
Due to low usage, the MU Libraries have canceled the subscription to Bibliography of Asian Studies, effective October 1, 2014.
Until October 1, 2014, Bibliography of Asian Studies will still be available.
The MU Libraries provide access to numerous databases indexing resources within the subject areas covered by Bibliography of Asian Studies. You can find other databases for your research by selecting the appropriate subject listing of databases.
If you have any questions, please contact the Ellis Library Reference Desk or call 573-882-4581.
Fridays @ the Library Workshops: Be Aware of What Your Library Offers You
Staying Ahead of the Curve:
Be Aware of What Your Library
Offers You
Aug. 29 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Room 213, Ellis Library
Learn how other faculty and students are using the Library’s
services and find out about the newest tools and information
sources.
Goodie Bhullar, Library Instruction Coordinator
Rachel Brekhus, Humanities Librarian
Registration Preferred. http://tinyurl.com/MULibrariesworkshops