It's coming ...

You'll see signs in the next few days of a major exhibit installation, in observance of the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. Some of our most important rare books will be on display -- editions of Calvin's works printed during his lifetime. Be sure to read the captions and interpretive material carefully prepared by Ted Winter, our rare books cataloger.

In the small glass display case near the Circ Desk, you'll find information about Elsie Anne McKee, the Calvin scholar who is coming to lecture on campus April 20th. Also in the case are two of the commemorative medals created by Calvin College for this anniversary, and many examples of scholarly research about Calvin and his work, most of them published since 2006.

Come and see!!

Paula

Your Requests Encouraged

Recently, we've added two new DVD titles at the request of a student. I take every recommendation from our patrons seriously and try to order what you suggest as often as I can. I frequently get asked to whom one should go if there is a book or DVD that a patron wants. Please make your recommendations for books to our Library Director, Joe Coalter, and pass on your curriculum and media requests to me. We're delighted to get them!

Ann

Reserve Books

Reserve books requested by professors are located in the Reading Reserve room next to the Circulation desk. Please remember...

• These books must be read in the Reading Reserve room only (other students in your class will need to access these books, too!)
• Reserve books may be removed from the room for photocopying
• Two books per patron may be checked out 2 hours before the library closes and then returned by 9:30am the following morning.

Rachel

The truth about tutorials

Paula

Spring Break

Yes, the Library is still open during Spring Break, and we expect to see a lot of you here working on term papers, etc.

Note our limited hours, however : Mon-Thurs we will close at 5:00 pm; Friday and Saturday (and of course Sunday) we will be closed. The staff needs to have a little Spring Break, too!

Paula

Movies and Ministry

Many people come to the IRC asking for movie themes or scenes that might be useful in illustrating a particular point or enhancing a class session. Since I see about two feature films a year, I’m not always the best person to ask about this! There are, however, some excellent resources available on the web. One of the great resources at the lectionary site THE TEXT THIS WEEK is the Movie Concordance that lets you search movies by title and theme. Another resource that actually allows you to download clips to use in ministry is SCREENVUE .

The only caveat to using these clips is that you first have to purchase a license from CVLI . This license gives you the legal permission to use the film clips in your ministry setting. But since I’m a big fan of churches having this license, I think that’s a small price to pay to get access to these resources.

Ann

Leak on 3rd floor west

We want to make you aware of what's happening on 3rd floor west. There is a leak in the ceiling above the TX section. Our physical plant team is working to repair the damage as quickly as possible. In the meantime, if you are unable to find a book in the TX section please look on the two re-shelving carts next to the stairwell or ask us at the Circulation desk.

Rachel

The James Edwin Bear Jr. Papers

The Archives staff has just completed a two-year project to assess, arrange, rehouse and inventory our large collection of Professor James E. Bear Jr.'s faculty papers. Bear was born in China in 1893, the son of PCUS missionaries in Chinkiang. He served in China himself 1923-30, in educational and evangelistic ministries, with his young bride Margaret Irvine White.

After advanced study at Edinburgh, Basel and Princeton, Bear joined the UTS faculty to teach New Testament interpretation. But in 1950 he became the F.S. Royster Professor of Christian Mission, his first love. He wrote a prodigious five-volume history of PCUS mission work in China, and also researched the mission history of Portugal and Brazil. He was a strong advocate for missions and missionaries in PCUS churches; he and his wife Margaret provided support to missionaries in the field and at home on furlough for many years.

Our recent and current Archives Assistants, Elizabeth Grant and Robert Oliver, have spent many hours carefully sifting through the 62 document cases in this collection, organizing the contents, conserving delicate photographs, papers and objects, and writing a detailed inventory. Thanks to them, this substantial historical collection is now ready for the use of researchers and scholars.

Paula

Weeding has Begun !

Every2-3 years, we go through our curriculum inventory to see what is still available for purchase and what has gone off the market. We make a decision about what will be moved to the stacks and kept permanently, and what we will remove from library collections. That means lots of material will start showing up on the free table soon! We're hoping to put things out at the end of each week, but check back regularly and see if you might find something that might be useful to your church.

Ann

Snowstorm !

Friends, we regret the fact that the Library was closed on Monday on account of the snowstorm. We must have enough administrative staff on hand to open, and they were unable to get to campus yesterday. We had to open late this morning due to icy roads. But now we are here and able to keep the building open.

Please be sure to check the Union-PSCE Inclement Weather announcements when there is a storm or unusual weather event, to find out whether the campus is closed or functioning on a delay.

Paula