Major reference finally complete !

Today we received Volume 13 of the massive Religion Past and Present, TOL-ZYG.  Finally!  We've been waiting for this for a while!

RPP is the English translation and adaptation of the fourth edition of the authoritative Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart (RGG), which for more than a century has been an extremely influential scholarly resource in the German language.  The four editions constitute a documentary history of theology and religious studies in the 19th and 20th centuries, and RPP "strives to be both international and contemporary, providing the reader with a summary of the state of each discipline at the dawn of the 21st century."  Christianity and Judaism are extensively covered, and non-Christian world religions are included at a less comprehensive level.

RPP/RGG aims to "offer a coherent theological vision rooted in the tradition of modern Protestantism [though Catholic scholarship is well represented] without being bound to any particular theological school" ... covering "not only all of the major theological disciplines (biblical studies, church history, systematic theology, ethics, church law and practical theology) but also allied fields such as history, philosophy, sociology, psychology, science, law and economics ... literature, music and the arts."  Every volume provides condensed, meticulously written articles with very precise technical content and selective bibliographic references.  It's especially good for identifying persons, places, movements or religious orders that are otherwise very hard to find.  The major analytical articles are landmarks of scholarship written by key authorities in their disciplines.

Don't fail to take advantage of this amazing resource!

Paula

Holiday closing

Friday 21 December will be our last open day of this year.  We will be closed during the Christmas and New Year holidays, and open again on 3 January 2013.

We extend to everyone our best wishes for a blessed Christmas and a happy New Near.

Paula

Extended hours this weekend

We will be extending hours this weekend to help those who are finishing term papers or studying for exams.  On Friday night, we'll stay open till 10:00 pm, and on Saturday night until 8:00 pm.

Many thanks to the faithful Library workers who are providing this extra service.

Paula

Repair work and access to the building

Major repairs are under way (starting Wednesday) to the fan assembly at the top of the tower above the main entrance.  These repairs will have four likely impacts on our users :

1)  The chiller will be turned off during this work, so it could get uncomfortably warm inside the building.  Wear some light clothes in layers so you won't be too warmly dressed.  It will be especially warm on the third floor and in some enclosed areas (such as the Microforms Room).

2)  There will be times when the front entrance will be blocked with caution tape and cones.  Please use the side door at the loading dock when the front door is not accessible.  The area surrounding the crane, including the walkway from Melrose Ave, Thomson Hall and Moore Hall will also be closed.

3)  While the front door is blocked, there will be Circulation staff at the side door to check your Library card and inspect bookbags and briefcases.  Please cooperate with these folks!

4)  The work may get noisy at times.  We apologize for any distraction or unpleasantness.

Physical Plant tells us that this work may take 3-7 days.  Apparently the weather is a factor, and they also may encounter unexpected problems with the installation.  We ask you to have patience, but please know that you are welcome inside the building and our hours should be unchanged during this period.

Paula

Computer lab printer

I am happy to share that we now have a new printer in the computer lab! Each workstation monitor is labeled with its individual username and password. The printing instructions are on the table next to the printer. The printer uses the same copy card used on our other printers. Let us know if you have any questions.

I want to give a big 'thank you' to Solita Green in our IT department for making this happen. THANK YOU, Solita!

Rachel

Holiday hours at the Morton Library

Beginning Nov 16 (Friday), there will be changes to our open hours at the Morton Library.  Look for early closings and closed days during the Thanksgiving weekend.

For details, please click HERE.

Paula

Special page of the David Roberts book

Don't miss this week's page in the amazing book on display in the Library.  It's a full-page lithograph of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, dated 1839, and it's especially detailed and wonderful.

For a description of the work of David Roberts and this extraordinary book, please click HERE.

Paula