What does America drink?  I am sure many answers come to mind, as there are at least sixty to eighty thousand different beverages available in the United States today. What you may not be aware of is what drinks have been popular throughout our history, and what influences have shaped those drink choices. On the afternoon of March 26^th Andrew Smith, instructor in food history, food controversies and professional food writing at the New School University in New York City,  and author of  Drinking History: 15 Turning Points in the Making of American Beverage, discussed beverages in the United States, both in the past and today. He explained how influences such as ingredients, individuals, corporations, and historic events such as colonization, the American Revolution, the Whiskey Rebellion, the temperance movement, and Prohibition have affected what we drink.   In the beginning there was water.  The Native Americans drank it to survive, but they also preferred it in different flavors, so they spiced it up with syrup, barks, fruits, berries, leaves and roots ingredients readily available to them.  Some of the additives produced physical effects, and it was used in spiritual ceremonies and in healing.  When the Europeans arrived, they brought with them some of their traditions as well as their taste for other drinks, so tea, beer, ale, rum, and whiskey became part of the drinking landscape by the colonial era.  In time, wars, political events and social movements each played a part in the beverage selection.  Soda came about as an alternative to alcohol during the time of the temperance movement. While cocaine is no longer an ingredient in Coca Cola as it was then, soda is still popular, and is the number one beverage consumed in America today.

What do these students have in common? They are all recipients of the Library’s prizes for undergraduate research. Each year we honor the best undergraduate research and the best undergraduate research specifically on sustainability and the environment with cash prizes and an awards ceremony that honors winners’ excellence and provides an opportunity to present research. Students are also honored with a reception, certificates and acknowledgement from the university’s senior academic administrators.

On Wednesday, March 20 from noon to 2pm drop by Paley Library Lecture Hall, grab some lunch, and find out how you can submit a winning prize application. Lunch and information provided!

On Thursday February 21, 2013 Temple professor Miles Orvell and photographer Sandy Sorlein discussed the American Main Street.  The presentation began first with some of Ms. Sorlein’s photographs of main streets from all across the country taken on road trips over a number of years.  Professor Orvell followed with some commentary about main streets.  Main Street as sacred space and as utopian space were two of his points, but then he spun these positive thoughts by speaking of the polar opposite of these as main streets  dark at night filled with scary impressions: think Rod Serling and some of his episodes of the Twilight Zone television series!  Additional remarks were made concerning the main street as (or in) history and as facsimile. Have the values of the small town main street translated into the city center? Who owns the city and the street – Wall Street or Main Street?  Needless to say, lots of audience participation joined the conversation as we listened to questions and discussion on the larger picture of new urbanism, the meaning of place,  and the tighter focus on local places right here in Philadelphia.

If these comments piqued your interest you might be interested in reading Death and life of Main Street: Small Towns in American Memory, Space and Community by Miles Orvell, or Sandy Sorlien’s work entitled:Fifty Houses: Images from the American Road.

You might say that working in Paley Library is the perfect place for Jasmine Woodson.  She loves to learn and she loves to assist others in their learning.  Jasmine has worked   as a bibliographic assistant in the access services department since 2011, where she primarily manages our E-ZBorrow inter library loan system.  She processes the requests that other institutions make for our materials, and makes sure our patrons get their requested research materials.  As night supervisor in circulation, she spends time at the service desk, and enjoys the patron interaction.  Jasmine also has taken on hours at the reference desk and teaches English 802 library workshops, and is grateful for the opportunity to help others as well as improve her skills in those areas.

Working on a university campus, of course offers additional learning opportunities, like taking classes and attending lectures.  She is working toward a master’s degree in English to go along with her undergraduate degree in English and masters in Library Science, both from the University of Pittsburgh.  Her attendance at the CHAT lectures has expanded her interest in the digital humanities.

Jasmine enjoys working at Paley Library.  She came here from Carnegie Mellon University, where she held a similar position, but she says it was not the same type of work environment.  At Paley she values the interaction she has with her colleagues, admiring their innovation and work ethic.  Her department is very supportive and encourages participation in library activities, such as the public services retreat.   Recently, it was announced by interim dean Carol Lang that Jasmine was awarded the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) 2013 Library Support Staff scholarship which will allow her to attend and participate in their upcoming national conference this April, an impressive start to her aspirations to be more involved in the library profession.  Jasmine looks forward to this professional development opportunity, not only for her own self improvement, but she also hopes to use the knowledge and skills gained in assisting our library patrons.