Archive for September, 2009

Margaret Hutchins, Reference Librarian

September 21st, 2009
Today is the 125th anniversary of the birth of Margaret Hutchins (1884-1961). Hutchins was one of 305 individuals selected to be included in the first edition of the Dictionary of American Library Biography (Libraries Unlimited, 1978). She was selected for inclusion because of her contribution to library reference service through practice, teaching, and writing. Her entry in the DALB was written by Frances Neel Cheney, also a noted contributor to reference service and one of those included in the Second Supplement to the DALB. Cheney quotes a statement by Phineas Windsor, Director of the University of Illinois Library, about Hutchins: "Miss Margaret Hutchins is about as good a reference librarian as I have ever known, and I have seen some good ones. She has an unusually keen mind, broad interests, a splendid knowledge of what we call reference material, is quick at catching new points of view, has good common sense, good judgment, and is herself a hard worker." Hutchins was a reference librarian at the University of Illinois Library from 1908 to 1927. After earning a degree at Columbia University in 1931 she joined the faculty of the Library School at Columbia. She wrote the classic reference text Introduction to Reference Work in 1944 (American Library Association) which has been published in several later editions. My first library job after library school was as a reference librarian and it is clear from what I have read about Margaret Hutchins that her knowledge and understanding of reference service was based on actual experience at the reference desk. It is refreshing when someone who has spent a substantial portion of her career working as a reference librarian is honored in such a prestigious publication as the DALB. A web biography of Margaret Hutchins written by library school student Jennifer Masunaga is located here.

Poor that are richer than the rich

September 20th, 2009

In modern world depression is something as common as having a headache or a hangover after a rough night out, but only few people realize how serious this problem really is. Try to find a person who has never shown signs of depression and you will realize that it’s almost impossible. Almost, but not definitely. Recent studies have shown that there is a group of people in the modern world who don’t even know what depression is all about. And surprisingly, these people are generally very poor and far from what most people would consider as good wellbeing.

While this statement will seem ridiculous to most of us, this is true and can be proven even using simple logics. You won’t see a poor man or woman worrying about their lost success, or craving for a new car they want to get so bad. The only thing they worry about is getting food and having a place to spend a cold night. These people are free from aspirations and stresses most middle and upper class individuals have to deal with. If put simple, poor people are in a dream-like state of full mental harmony with their physiological needs. They aren’t troubled by their spiritual or emotional desires, they aren’t troubled by things others might think or say about them. Of course, living below the line of poverty has its stresses and burdens but they are always stripped down to simple bodily needs. No psychological worries, no stress, no depression.

In contrast, you will find the majority of extremely rich and upper class individual taking Xanax, Prozac or Valium to calm down and get them through. Having much money or being in the spotlight has its price tag, which usually comes in the form of certain limits, responsibilities and things to worry about. People from middle and upper classes pay too much attention to they way others see them and this alone is a rich source of mental stress. And what happens when something goes slightly wrong? A homeless individual won’t bother if his or her new Bentley gets stolen, because they don’t have it. A rich mogul will hire dozens of professionals to protect his private house and spend hours (and tons of valium)on worrying about the latest news from stock exchange. And isn’t it ironic that in such a situation the poor are actually richer than the rich, if you know from what point of view to look?

Libraries and Librarians in Children’s Books

September 19th, 2009

How librarians and libraries are depicted in the popular culture is a topic which sometimes gets those of in the library profession fired up when it is a negative or stereotypical depiction. It is also a topic that is of great interest to those who collect and study librariana. How libraries and librarians are depicted in children's books is a specialized aspect of this topic. Norman D. Stevens, librariana collector extraordinaire, has taken advantage of a WorldCat feature to create a bibliography of children's books that feature librarians or library related topics. Stevens says this is only a partial list and that it will be expanded in the future. I also came across a website about "The Image of Libraries In Popular Culture" on which Adriane Allan discusses "Librarians in Children's and Teen Literature". This website also includes a bibliography. Matthew Z. Heintzelman has created a web based bibliography of Children's Picture Books With Libraries and Librarians. There was an interesting discussion of the 1960 children's book I Want to be a Librarian on the Awful Library Books blog. Books In A Box by Stuart Stotts (Big Valley Press, 2005) is a children's book that has a very positive depiction of Lutie Stearns, Wisconsin library crusader and advocate. Stearns helped establish both traveling libraries and public libraries throughout Wisconsin. She was one of the first inductees into the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame.

Journey to the East Banquet 2009

September 19th, 2009

Constitution Day

September 15th, 2009

In honor of Constitution Day and The September Project, the library has created a display highlighting books and government documents from our collection on the First Amendment.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was ratified on December 15th, 1791. It reads:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

You can check-out any of the books on display. We’re also giving out free pamphlets on the Constitution and the U.S. Government, while supplies last. For online resources, see our Constitution Day Research Guide.