Library News
Make your own mask! Kits available for wellness day
Posted on January 30th, 2021
Looking for a creative outlet during the wellness day on Feb. 24? Pick up a FREE make-a-mask kit in the library’s Marvin Foyer. Choose either a no-sew, simple hand sewing, or sewing-from-scratch project. All supplies are included. Kits are provided by the Tarble Arts Center.
If you prefer to spend your wellness day relaxing with a good book or movie, then we encourage you to enjoy our robust collection of leisure media. From streaming films and digital magazines to ebooks and digital audiobooks, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home to access these collections.
So take time for yourself, relax and rejuvenate with your favorite form of entertainment. Access our list of select titles and link into these full collections at https://eiu.libguides.com/wellness.
What’s Your Problem? Enter the CSI pitch competition
Posted on January 28th, 2021
The Center for Student Innovation (CSI) at Booth Library invites underrepresented, undergraduate student teams to share ideas and technologies that will solve a specific problem. Each team will pitch its idea of how to solve the problem that they identify and describe using the resources that are currently available in or could be purchased for the library’s CSI. Winning proposals will generate funds to purchase technology for the CSI Booth. In addition, winning team members will be awarded a scholarship toward their tuition.
TIMELINE
Application opens – November 16, 2020
Application deadline – Midnight CST on March 15, 2021 – deadline extended!
Winners announced – March 24, 2021
½ tuition stipend awarded – April 2021
½ tuition stipend awarded – September 2021
ELIGIBILITY
The competition is open to full-time freshmen, sophomores and juniors who will be enrolled at Eastern Illinois University during the spring and fall semesters of 2021. Teams are composed of a minimum of two students (no individual submissions allowed). The What’s your Problem? Pitch Competition is supported through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief fund, which is aimed at retaining students who are part of an under-represented population. Therefore, all members of your team must be BIPOC (Black, indigenous, or people of color), OR first-generation students, OR low-income (Pell-eligible) students. Cross-disciplinary teams are welcome.
RULES
Each team must identify a specific problem that can be solved using the resources that are currently available in or that could be purchased for the library’s CSI. A list of technology and resources available in the CSI is available here. Team members must identify the problem, describe the scope of the problem, explain how to solve the problem creatively and innovatively, and provide a list of equipment (hardware/software) or spaces that would be needed to successfully solve the problem. Examples of suggested projects are available here.
Teams may create their presentation using any software, apps or formats. All submissions must be readable on freely accessible EIU software or platforms. Proposals must be submitted by midnight CST on March 15, 2021.
For more information about the pitch competition, see the website here. Student may also email Catherine Polydore, professor of Counseling and Student Development, at cpolydore@eiu; Zach Newell, dean of Library Services, at znewell@eiu.edu; or Newton Key, director of the Faculty Development and Innovation Center, at nekey@eiu.edu. Or call Booth Library at 217-581-6061.
Digital Library of Illinois now includes magazines!
Posted on January 27th, 2021
Booth Library now offers access to a large collection of digital magazines through the Digital Library of Illinois. You can borrow and read the magazines using Libby or any other method you currently use to access OverDrive titles. Magazines don’t count toward your checkout limits.
The collection has over 3200 magazines of current and popular interest on a wide variety of subjects. All are available for simultaneous use, with no waiting or restrictions.
Happy browsing! For any questions, please Ask a Librarian.
Elections: Films On Demand
Posted on January 27th, 2021
This year’s contentious Presidential election had the greatest voter turnout in history. With so much conflicting information flying around our 24 hour news cycle and so many claims of “fake news,” it is nice to know there are sites like Booth Library’s streaming video resource Films On Demand, to show us some historical context. Films On Demand allows you to explore hundreds of films dedicated to elections, government and political topics. Many of these films showcase historical elections and the lead-up to current elections such as 2012 and 2016, featuring political rallies, candidate interviews, the community reactions, polls, and outcomes. There are even some very historical elections such as 1860, 1800, and the public’s reactions to them at the time.
You can also preview the video you are watching before opening up a new tab when watching. Within each of these videos, you can august settings for subtitles, share it, add it to a playlist, or cite it if you are using it as a source for your research. Along with every video, there is a sidebar to the right to help navigate segments of the video or follow the audio in the video transcript. Segments are similar to a table pf contents that connects with timestamps for specific moments. They can be clicked on to move to that place in the film. The transcripts have a search fear to help find terms used in the video. Transcripts can also be downloaded.
Awards for Excellence competition offers cash prizes
Posted on January 26th, 2021
Eastern Illinois University students who have used Booth Library resources to enhance their research are encouraged to enter the library’s Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creativity program.
The program is open to all Eastern Illinois University students who are/were enrolled during the current academic year. Cash prizes of up to $300 will be awarded, in addition to certificates of recognition.
The student entry may be a written work, art piece, exhibit, musical work, documentary, performance or another format.
The 2021 guidelines can be found on Booth Library’s website at https://library.eiu.edu/awardsforexcellence/. All entries must be submitted electronically through EIU’s scholarship portal, https://eiu.academicworks.com/.
The deadline to enter is March 22. Recipients will be selected by April 1, and the winners will be honored during the Virtual Student Research and Creativity Discovery Conference on April 9. Works submitted for competition must have been completed within the last 12 months.
Selected entries will become a part of Booth Library’s Student Research and Creativity Collection.
For more information on the library, visit the website, www.library.eiu.edu; call 581-6072; or find the library on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Librarian Whisler retires after 39 years at Booth
Posted on January 25th, 2021
Librarian John Whisler retired from Booth Library on Dec. 31, 2020, after 39 years of service.
Professor Whisler served as head of the Cataloging Services department for many years. He previously served as the head of the Periodicals department and as a subject bibliographer for art, music and theater.
“John was tireless in his work to keep the Booth catalog accurate and up to date. If you ever wondered how you can find what you need here at Booth — either on the bookshelves or on the computer — that’s because of the hard work of John and his team in Cataloging,” said Zach Newell, dean of Library Services.
Whisler helped to re-catalog the library’s collection many times over the years, from the physical card catalog to the robust Alma library software system that came online in June 2020.
Whisler served for many years on the Technical Services Committee of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois. He held memberships in the American Library Association, Illinois Library Association, Illinois Library Computer Systems Organization and the Music Library Association, in addition to other professional organizations.
He received the Technical Services Award from the ILA and the Distinguished Contributor Award from ILCSO, both in 2002, and was named Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year by the Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries/ILA in 1997.
Whisler earned a master of arts in library science in 1977 from the University of Iowa, a master’s degree in music in 1975 from the University of Memphis, and a bachelor of science degree in music in 1973 from Manchester College.
Whisler previously served as a librarian at the Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center and began work at Booth Library on July 1, 1981.
Explore Music from Films On Demand
Posted on January 11th, 2021
One of the highlights of the Film On Demand Streaming video resource is the huge variety of videos about music that are available. You can search for artists, genres or famous pieces of music to explore the collection, but the sidebar icon 
to the left of the Films On Demand logo 
allows you to browse by several different musical categories.
Films On Demand has are over 1,600 videos related to Music. There are sections on music appreciation, music history, world music, documentaries/live performances. There are even special series such as Great Film Composers: music of the movies, Features of current and historical rock performers like Elvis, Queen, Metallica and Green Day. Suppose you need to learn more about a specific style of music. You can find videos on Gospel, Music from Zimbabwe, or Opera, and many more.
But in addition to recordings and performances, other educational films and documentaries go into depth in how music is composed and the structure of what makes each genre of music unique. There are videos on how different forms of music affect us and how they can benefit, such as videos on music therapy and the human experience.
Whatever your interest in music, Films On Demand will have something for you.
