Steve Weinberg, University of Missouri professor and former executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors, has worked in newsrooms and written books. He knows a good journalism novel-which he defines as “those with journalists as protagonists”-when he reads one. He began collecting these novels in 1983, just for fun at first, and now the growing collection consists of over 3,200 books. These volumes, previously housed in Ellis Library’s Special Collections, have recently been deposited in the brand-new MU Journalism Library for use by faculty, students and the public. The Journalism Library occupies two levels of the new Reynolds Journalism Institute.

In a February Editor and Publisher article, Weinberg discussed the tendency of journalism novels to romanticize and misrepresent the profession. This makes his collection of good, credible novels a valuable resource. Journalism professors have a reliable collection of options for assigned readings. Students can gain insight into their future profession through these stories. Anyone who is interested can catch a glimpse of what it’s like to work in the field of journalism.

In gratitude for Weinberg’s generosity in sharing his collection, the Journalism Library will host a reception at 2 pm Wednesday, November 12, in the library. MU faculty and staff are invited to attend. His entertaining article discussing his collection in Editor and Publisher can be found at
this link.

“Darwin, Discovery, Death and Damnation: Sources of Victorian Religious Doubt”

Dr. Julie Melnyk Thursday, November 6 1-2 p.m. Ellis Library Colonnade Victorian Britain experienced a profound unsettlement of religious faith. In this lecture based on the final chapter of her new book, Victorian Religion: Faith and Life in Britain, Julie Melnyk examines the many sources of religious doubt in the period. While the problem of innocent suffering had long haunted thoughtful Christians, new challenges to Christian belief arose in the nineteenth century, including scientific advances in geology, the development of Darwin’s theory of evolution, new ways of reading the Bible, the increasing knowledge about world religions and discomfort with some central religious doctrines, including eternal damnation. Dr. Melnyk will also discuss the differing – and sometimes surprising – effects that religious unsettlement had in the lives of women and men of the period, as well as the general effect on British religion and society.

On Saturday, October 25, visit Ellis Library after the Homecoming Parade from 10 a.m. to noon for refreshments, tours and family activities. You will also want to check out the Libraries exhibit: “Of Thy Noble Past: The Early Years of MU Football.” This event is free and open to the public.

“Of Thy Nobel Past: The Early Years of MU Football” is on display throughout the month of October in the Ellis Library Colonnade. The exhibit contains football photos and memorabilia provided by the University Archives.

On Monday, October 20 from 4-5 p.m., visit the Ellis Library Colonnade for a celebration of MU football. Todd Donoho, author and sports journalist, will be on hand to talk about the history of MU football and Truman the Tiger and to sign books. Truman the Tiger will also make a special appearance. And don’t forget to check out the special exhibit: “Of Thy Nobel Past: The Early Years of MU Football.” Refreshments will be provided and children are encouraged to attend this free event.

MU officially unveiled the “You Have a Voice” violence awareness campaign on September 17th on Lowry Mall. “You Have a Voice!” is a poster campaign that uses the faces of MU’s most prominent leaders to promote awareness and provide resources for survivors of violence. The MU Libraries are proud to participate in this campaign by displaying a rotating exhibit of You Have a Voice! posters in the West Entrance of Ellis Library.

For more information about this campaign, visit
http://studenthealth.missouri.edu/yhav.html.

The MU Libraries will host a reception for Greg Mortenson at Ellis Library in the First Floor Colonnade on Tuesday, September 16 from 3-4 p.m. Please join us for refreshments and an opportunity to meet the fascinating author and subject of this year’s Mizzou Reads book. If you already have the book and would like him to sign it, please bring it with you. For more information, contact Shannon Cary at
carysn@missouri.edu
or (573) 882-4703.

Journalism Library Author/Scholar Reception

Thursday, September 11

4-6 p.m.

Open to the public. Refreshments are provided.

http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/showmehow/groupstudy.htm

The National Endowment for the Humanities has announced that The State Historical Society of Missouri will join a select group of institutions to create a national, digital resource of historically significant newspapers. The Society will receive a $179,740 grant to digitize and provide access to 100,000 pages of Missouri newspapers from the period 1880-1920.

This award brings Missouri into the National Digital Newspaper Project, a twenty-year undertaking begun in 2005 to incorporate newspapers from all states and territories published between 1836 and 1922. The online database, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, is maintained by the Library of Congress and already contains papers from California, New York, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The Missouri Press Association is a major partner in this effort and will contribute $10,000 in matching funds to the project. The Journalism Library and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan are also supporting the grant with outreach and educational activities and by providing increased access to digitized newspapers.