This April marks the twentieth anniversary of National Poetry Month, which gives us the occasion to infuse more poetry into our lives! Established by the Academy of American Poets, this month celebrates the enduring legacy and ongoing work of American poets each year.
How can you join in? Sign up for Poem-a-Day at poets.org, and you will receive a brand new poem in your inbox every day! Check out today’s poem, “There Is No Name Yet” by Dorothea Lasky.
Each year, the Libraries bring you Film Fridays, a free series that aligns with our public programming theme. This year, we are examining games, gaming, and play, and we’ve chosen films for the spring semester that explore violence—both in games and real life. This frame will allow us to question and consider the influences media has on what we think about and how we relate to the world.
Join us at the Libraries this Friday, March 11 at 3:00 PM for the latest installment of Gaming Film Fridays. We are screening the Serious Games series, which was directed by Harun Farocki and released in 2009 and 2010. The four short documentary films in this series explore intersections between gaming and the United States military, including the use of video games to train soldiers and how virtual reality can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder.
Nora Alter, professor of Film and Media Arts at Temple University, will be hand to introduce the film. Professor Alter has published extensively on film, media, and cultural studies, and one of her scholarly endeavors has been focused on Harun Faroki and his work. She knew Farocki personally and is currently working on a monograph about the late filmmaker. Her insight will surely set the stage for this thought-provoking and important documentary series.
This film will be screened in the Paley Library Lecture Hall, 1210 Polett Walk, Ground Floor. Snacks are provided. Hope to see you there!
Temple University Libraries is excited to welcome entrepreneur Ariell Johnson (FOX ’05) to campus on Tuesday, March 15 to discuss geek culture and fan fiction, the grassroots literary genre in which fans create their own stories based on characters, series, and worlds that originate in science fiction, fantasy, gaming, and cult classic texts.
photo by Betsy Manning
An alumna of the Fox School of Business, Johnson has truly embraced Temple University’s entrepreneurial spirit in opening her own local, small business—the new critically-acclaimed Amalgam Comics and Coffeehouse in the New Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. Since Johnson opened the shop in December, her emphasis on creating a diverse and welcoming atmosphere for all kinds of “geeks” has generated considerable buzz in the city and beyond. She and her business have been profiled on NPR, NBC News, MTV News, The Mary Sue, Philly.com, and more.
Join us for a discussion with Johnson on Tuesday, March 15 at 2:30 PM in the Paley Library Lecture Hall located at 1210 Polett Walk in the center of Temple Main Campus.
Read more about Ariell Johnson and other upcoming programs at library.temple.edu/beyondthepage
The week of March 7th is Open Education Week, a global event coordinated by the Open Education Consortium to raise awareness around free and open sharing in education. This movement advocates for free and open access for learners and teachers to a variety of resources, including platforms, course and learning materials, and textbooks.
Temple University Libraries is joining the conversation around textbook access and affordability by hosting an Open Education Week event titled “Ditch the Textbook: Exploring Options for Textbook Affordability” on Wednesday, March 9 from 12:00 – 1:30 PM in the Paley Library Lecture Hall. The panel will feature students and faculty advocates (listed below) for open educational resources and will be moderated by Annie Johnson, Library Publishing and Scholarly Communications Specialist at Temple Libraries. The event will also provide information about Temple Libraries’ Alternate Textbook Project, which will soon be open to proposals.
Panelists for the Libraries’ March 9th event include:
Eitan Laurence is a Temple University student who is an advocate for Open Educational Resources (OER). He is currently a member of the Provost’s Task Force on Textbook Affordability.
Gerard Brown, Associate Professor, Tyler School of Art, is the Chair of the school’s Foundations Department. His senior Visual Studies seminar students are currently engaged in a project looking at the way textbooks affect learning.
Wesley Roehl is a Professor in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. He is a recent participant in Temple Libraries’ Alternate Textbook Project.
Kristine Weatherston is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Media Studies and Production. She is a two-time recipient of the Alternate Textbook Project award. Kristine utilizes web-based and open source textbooks, software, and videos in her scriptwriting, documentary production, and media courses.
We invite you to join us! Please contact Annie Johnson (annie.johnson@temple.edu) with questions.
The Libraries are hosting a faculty and graduate teaching assistant workshop—“How to Use Wikipedia as a Teaching Tool”—next Monday, February 15.
We know that students use Wikipedia, but how can instructors use this same resource to engage students with media literacy, fact-based writing, research, collaboration, and critical thinking? At this workshop, staff from the Wiki Education Foundation will be on hand to discuss how students can improve existing articles through a classroom assignment, best practices for using Wikipedia as a teaching tool, and how Wiki Ed can support faculty and students.
In addition, 2016 is the Wikipedia Year of Science, so all faculty, particularly those in the sciences, will have the opportunity to speak with staff about how to participate in this exciting initiative.
Please join us February 15 at the Paley Library Lecture Hall, 1210 Polett Walk, Ground Floor for what is sure to be an informative, engaging session. No RSVP is necessary, and please feel free to contact Steven Bell at bells@temple.edu with any questions.
This spring, the Libraries continue to explore Games Without Frontiers, the centerpiece of our 2015-2016 Beyond the Page public programming series. The thoughtful and engaging discussions, panels, lectures, and performances presented will examine games, gaming, play, and all their social and cultural implications.
Highlights this season include:
Visit library.temple.edu/beyondthepage for a full schedule of programming. These programs, and most other activities throughout the season, take place in Paley Library Lecture Hall, located at 1210 Polett Walk in the center of Temple University Main Campus.
Temple University Libraries are excited to host a new faculty orientation on Thursday, January 21. This event is for all new and returning tenure-track, non-tenure-track, and adjunct faculty who want to get better acquainted with Paley Library and the Science & Engineering Library (SEL), and to learn how the Libraries on main campus can support their research, teaching, and students.
There will be opportunities to hear from librarians about our services and collections, including: information literacy, course reserves, special collections, digital scholarship, and data management. Refreshments will also be served.
Please join us for a session! We are offering two with the same content on Thursday, January 21, at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM in the Paley Library Lecture Hall, 1210 Polett Walk, Ground Floor.
This spring, stop by the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection to view images of acclaimed American artist, Romare Bearden, by his friend and fellow artist, photographer Frank Stewart. Bearden, known for his collages and paintings, was also a prominent leader and mentor in the mid-twentieth century art scene in New York City. Stewart’s images offer an entry point into Bearden’s legacy while also serving as a historical record of the group of prominent artists and intellectuals with whom he maintained relationships. At the same time, Stewart offers us a warm portrait of Bearden’s life, at home and with friends.
Romare Bearden, early 1980s, photo by Frank Stewart
The exhibit also features photos of Bearden from the John W. Mosley photograph collection. Mosley was a photographer who lived and worked along the east coast and whose images of African American life in mid-20th century Philadelphia are also housed in the Blockson Collection.
Visit the Blockson Collection:
9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday
Sullivan Hall
1330 Polett Walk, 1st Floor
Hunter, a therapy dog
Starting this Thursday, we’ll have some furry friends in Paley Library to help you destress in the midst of final exams! This event is part of our Crunch Time Café, a series of events providing free food, activities, and a break from studying. Hang out with the therapy dogs in the Paley Library Lecture Hall during the following times:
Thursday, December 10, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Friday, December 11, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Monday, December 14, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Tuesday, December 15, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Don’t forget about our other Crunch Time Café events over the next two weeks!
Rise and Shine
Tuesday, December 8, 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Join us the first day of study days for breakfast treats and coffee to start your studying off right.
Crafts ‘n’ Games
Wednesday, December 9, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Take a break from studying by unwinding with crafts and games the night before final exams begin.
The End is Near!
Tuesday, December 15, 7:00 PM – 12:00 AM
You are so close! Join us one last time for caffeine, treats, and healthful snacks to help you power through to the end of exams and propel you toward a much needed break.
Temple University Libraries is here to help you relax and refuel during the stressful end of the semester rush. Join us at Paley Library for our Crunch Time Café, a series of events during study days and final exams that includes free food, activities, and therapy dogs. See the full schedule below!
Rise and Shine
Tuesday, December 8, 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Join us the first day of study days for breakfast treats and coffee to start your studying off right.
Crafts ‘n’ Games
Wednesday, December 9, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Take a break from studying by unwinding with crafts and games the night before final exams begin.
Destress with Dogs
Thursday, December 10, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Friday, December 11, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Monday, December 14, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Tuesday, December 15, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
As exams are in full swing, can you imagine anything better than taking a break with cuddly, sweet therapy dogs? Neither can we! Stop by to hang out and destress with some furry friends.
The End is Near!
Tuesday, December 15, 7:00 PM – 12:00 AM
You are so close! Join us one last time for caffeine, treats, and healthful snacks to help you power through to the end of exams and propel you toward a much needed break.
All events will take place in the Paley Library Lecture Hall, 1210 Polett Walk, Ground Floor. Visit library.temple.edu/beyondthepage to learn more about programming at Temple University Libraries.