| EDITORIAL : GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST | ||
|
Avaunt! And quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thous dost glare with!"
Shakespeare, Macbeth, |
|
"So many ghosts, and forms of fright, Have started from their graves to-night, They have driven sleep from mine eyes away; I will go down to the chapel and pray."
Longfellow, |
|
Harry Truman, |
Virginia Woolf, |
Charles A. Dana |
Charles Dickens, Samuel Johnson, Longfellow, Milton, Shakespeare, Woolf, Wordsworth and scores of other literary lions all apparently believed in ghosts. They certainly wrote as if they did.
And although not quite as famous as Dickens' ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future San Antonio boasts its share of ghosts. Southern Fried Spirits and A Texas Guide To Haunted Restaurants, Taverns and Inns by Robert and
Anne Powell Wlodarski offer delightful details about San Antonio's eerie edifices. They include: the Cadillac Bar, Café Camille, Schilo's Delicatessen, the Victoria Black Swan Inn, the Menger Hotel, the Crockett Hotel, the Gunter Hotel, the St. Anthony Hotel and the Emily Morgan Hotel. By the way, the Emily Morgan offers a "ghost hunter's discount"!
Dennis Hauck's The National Directory of Haunted Places lists more local haunts such as the often-told legend of the ghost children at the railroad tracks on Villamain Road. Martin Leal, a member of the International Ghost Hunters Society, leads nightly
"Hauntings History of San Antonio" ghost hunter tours. More information is available at http://www.webspawner.com/users/ghosttour/.
Happy reading. Happy ghost hunting. Happy Halloween.
For compliments or gulp! constructive criticism, please feel free to contact me at dingman@accd.edu.
Stephen C. Dingman
Editor
IN THIS ISSUE:
|
|
|
Staff photographer Leonard Ziegler likes people. People like him. In fact, he is one of the most likeable persons who work at San Antonio College. However, despite shooting some 25,000 photographs of people at the College, people will never be his favorite subject.
"They're never satisfied with how they look," Leonard explains. Herding three or more people together into his camera's viewfinder is another troublesome task. "There's always a blinker in a group shot."
His favorite subjects never blink. The veteran photographer recently found San Antonio's famous missions to his liking. His photographs of the historic missions were exhibited on the Library's third floor through mid-October. "I like to shoot architecture, landscapes, and water. They're easy subjects to work with," he adds. " I especially like dramatic lighting, showing the contrast between shadows and the bright side."
A native of San Antonio, Leonard is a graduate of Harlandale High School where he took photographs for the high school yearbook. Three high school summers of work for the San Antonio Neighborhood Youth Organization (SANYO) near South Park Mall earned young Leonard a paid internship with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington D.C. "I used that money to buy my first professional camera, a Yashica twin lens 120 box camera," he remembers.
He's gone through five cameras in his 23 years at SAC. Leonard converted to digital photography four years ago. Today he shoots with a Nikon D-100. It is capable of showing six million pixels per image. "People like the instant gratification of seeing how the shot came out. But they're still never satisfied with how they look!"
Away from work Leonard likes to fish and enjoy the serenity of nature, without a potential portrait in sight.
Stephen C. Dingman
LIBRARY DISPLAYS ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS
Ranging from historical models, graphic and freehand drawings through design work and models, the work is representative of the strength and range of projects investigated in the two-year program. SAC offers the only comprehensive two-year architecture program in Texas. The extensive display of works are exhibited in a collage form that reflects the multi-disciplinary emphasis of the program. It offers a stimulating introduction to the historical and urban context and art of architecture.
Dwayne Bohuslav, newest faculty member of SAC's Department of Architecture organized and designed the exhibit. "The exhibit is one of the few opportunities for our students to show off their work," Bohuslav explains. "The display shows a tremendous range of interests by our talented architectural students."
Faculty and staff interested in potential exhibits are encouraged to contact Art Display Coordinator Rani Singh at 733-2114 or through email at rsingh@accd.edu. The Library and Media Services Department welcomes creative works from individuals, groups, or organizations. Art exhibit guidelines and policies are available online at Art Display.
Rani Singh
Celita DeArmond was the lone librarian representing the Lone Star State at the 2003 Library Orientation Exchange (LOEX) Conference held in Madison, WI. LOEX is the most prestigious national conference for college librarians who teach library instruction.
DeArmond, the newest member of the Library and Media Services faculty, gave a presentation titled, "Light the Fire: Using Experience and Emotion to Ignite Student Learning." Librarian Angela Dunnington of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, LA was her co-presenter. The pairs' presentation was one of 30 accepted out of some 200 proposals received by the conference committee.
"I felt very privileged to be in attendance with the national movers and shakers of library instruction," Celita explains. "Conference presenters get to the heart of what we do..what it is to be a teacher."
DeArmond's and Dunnington's presentation shows how librarians can positively connect with students by incorporating students' emotions such as confusion, discomfort, and fear toward research. The two librarians demonstrated several class activities such as individual reflection time, small group discussion, journaling, and comfort level surveys that help students to get over the "psychological hump" of their past experiences.
Celita adds, "If librarians want to increase their impact as teachers, they should not ignore the emotions that students have towards library research and how strongly these emotions are connected with student learning. Instead, librarians need to create and use methods to address student emotion and ignite the learning process, ultimately helping students build their confidence levels and abilities."
Celita DeArmond is a Reference and Distance Learning Librarian.
Stephen C. Dingman
Literature Online (LION) is the latest addition to the Library's more than 100 electronic indexes and databases. LION contains over 350,000 works of English, American, African American and Canadian poetry, drama and prose. If you want to know where, in the "Song of Hiawatha", Nakomis actually stands by the shining big sea water, this database can tell you.
In addition to primary texts, LION also contains criticism and reference works. The Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature (ABELL) links to the full text of 120 literature journals that are part of JSTOR's Arts and Science collections. SAC subscribes to these JSTOR collections, as well. The full text of many literary encyclopedias and dictionaries and related reference works are also a component of LION.
LION has biographies for over 2500 authors. Did you know that this year's Nobel Prize recipient, J.M. Coetzee, attended the University of Texas? In addition to bibliographies of authors' works, LION has links to other Web resources. These web resources are selected by researchers to insure the quality and scholarship value of the links.
Finally, LION features Knowledge Notes Student Guides. These guides are written with the needs of literature students in mind and are intended to complement classroom instruction. You may access this database through the Internet by going to the Library website at
www.accd.edu/sac/lrc. Once there, click on "Databases". One may find the database listed under "Literary Criticism and Literature" in the subject listing or under the "Alphabetical Listing" in the L's.
We are delighted to have this LION join our pride.
Candace Peterson
We have a new name. The former Learning Resources Department officially changed its name in May to Library and Media Services Department. Department Chairperson Candace Peterson adds, "We think the new name better reflects who we are and what we do."
Members of the department have long been dissatisfied with the old name. On campus, the department was widely referred to as "The Library". And faculty and staff would never overhear students say, "Let's study in Learning Resources." In fact to many students the Moody Learning Center is the "Library Building." Apparently the sign above the entrance is one sign on campus that people pay attention to.
With our own departmental faculty and staff considering the term "Learning Resources" nebulous at best, and the time-honored term "Library" inadvertently leaving out our important "Media Services" functions, we resolved to make a change.
A spirited departmental debate led to a name that we are all enthusiastic about. Our dean, Dr. Johnson, interim executive-vice president, Dr. Hoy, and College president, Dr. Zeigler approved of the change and it is now official. We are -- ta-dah -- the faculty and staff of the College's Library and Media Services Department.
Stephen C. Dingman
Upon hearing the news that Toyota
was building a plant here in San Antonio, my first thought was, naturally, "What's in this for me?" I envisioned going to a Toyota Seconds Outlet and purchasing a slightly damaged vehicle, one that had the back seat put in backwards, perhaps. My colleagues rudely
disillusioned me of this dream. SAC Administration, upon hearing the news, had a slightly different attitude. "What's in this for SAC?" they thought. Rumor had it that Toyota was very interested in the local community college system. Just in case, our Administration asked Library and Media Services
to build up our collection of Japanese material, not just Japanese business and automotive subjects, but works about its culture, language, and literature.
As Collection Manager, I am pleased to report that the librarians responded enthusiastically. Titles are still arriving and you are encouraged to check the New Titles list at
www.accd.edu/sac/library/faculty/jhammer/new_acq.htm each month to see
what has been added. Another way to find titles is go to the Catalog and
use Keyword-Advanced Search. Type 'Japan' in WORDS and '2002' in YEAR
AFTER, and you will get a list of the most recent works added. Here are a
few of the more esoteric books; all are located on the third floor:
Christina H. Petimezas
Deborah Dominguez is our part-time Media Specialist I. She works evenings in the Department's audiovisual section. Debbie's primary responsibilities include managing the audiovisual desk and insuring that faculty have the audiovisual equipment they need for classroom instruction.
She is originally from Karnes City, Texas, a small town 30 miles south of Floresville. Debbie graduated from Karnes City High School where she was editor of the school paper. Debbie later earned an Associate's Degree in Video Production and Television from the Art Institute of Dallas and is nearing completion of another associate's degree in liberal arts at St. Philip's College. She hopes to work for a television station or become an independent video producer.
A service learning project at SAC, offered through history professor Alfonso Cervantes' class led to a two-year commitment with the Fuerza Unida (United Force). Fuerza Unida is a nonprofit organization that offers
community support programs for the 1100 women who lost their jobs when San Antonio's Levi plant closed in 1990. The plant was relocated to Costa Rica. Debbie served as intern coordinator working with mostly at-risk youth on the south side. "I am so inspired by these women, many of whom have only a sixth grade education," she explains. " It has been such a struggle for them and their families since Levi's left. My mother taught me to stand up for what I believe in."
A vegetarian, Debbie enjoys reading Russian authors, reggae, southern California punk rock & ska music, Austin, and San Antonio's south town scene.
Stephen C. Dingman
The Library recently added the 30-part video series Life to its multimedia collection. This series looks at the effect of globalization on individuals and communities around the world. According to series producer Bullfrog Films, "the Life series takes us to India
Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, Mexico, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands, and the United States to examine the problems that the global economy is continuing, if not propagating for billions of people. The films suggest that everyone on this planet has a social responsibility to everyone else, and that all should be afforded the same human rights and a share in the fruits of the new world economy."
History professor Dr. Jonathan Lee, facilitator of SAC's Internationalizing the Curriculum program adds, "The Library's support for the Internationalizing the Curriculum initiative has been instrumental in our efforts. Librarians at all four colleges have played an active role in shaping how the Title VI grant money was spent. This participation means that our campus has an infrastructure of support to assist both faculty and students as they 'globalize' their outlook."
The Library continues to purchase books and DVDs to support the curriculum of SAC's internationalized courses. [A list of newly arrived library materials, arranged by year, month, and subject area can be accessed from the Library's homepage by clicking on the New
Books link located at the bottom of the page.] Instructors who have internationalized or are in the process of internationalizing a course are encouraged to contact their departmental library liaison
to request the purchase of specific library materials. The list of library
liaisons is located at < www.accd.edu/sac/library/instruct/liaison.htm > .
The Library also offers instruction via online research guides tailored to the needs of specific internationalized courses. These guides, located at < www.accd.edu/sac/library/instruct/olivergis.htm >
, are available to all students. Students not enrolled in these specific courses can also benefit from the information contained in these guides.
Eileen Oliver
Reference Librarian
Architectural designs and drawings representing the diversity and richness of the San Antonio College's Department of Architecture
are being exhibited on the Moody Learning Center's second, third, and fourth floors for the fall and spring semesters of 2003-04.
Reference Librarian / Art Display Coordinator
Reference Librarian
Periodicals Librarian
Reference Librarian
A History of Japanese religion / edited by Kazuo Kasahara ; translated by
Paul McCarthy and Gaynor Sekimori. Tokyo : Kosei Pub., c2001.
DS821 .D37 2003
Living the Japanese arts & ways : 45 paths to meditation & beauty / H. E.
Davey. Berkeley, Calif. : Stone Bridge Press, c2003.
GT2910 .S37 2002
Chad¯o : the way of tea : a Japanese tea master's almanac / Sasaki Sanmi ;
translated from the Japanese by Shaun McCabe and Iwasaki Satoko ; foreword
by Sen Sôshitsu XV. Boston : Tuttle, 2002.
NC1764.5.J3 H369 2002
Anime mania : how to draw characters for Japanese animation / Christopher
Hart. New York : Watson-Guptill Publications, 2002.
SB458 .C66 2001
Japanese gardens : an illustrated guide to their design and history /
Josiah Conder ; with the supplement of forty plates & a new preface by
Clay Lancaster. Mineola, N.Y. : Dover Publications, 2001.
Collection Manager
Reference Librarian
Reference Librarian
Tim Berners-Lee , the father of the World Wide Web, first envisioned it becoming "a realistic mirror (or in fact the primary embodiment) of the ways in which we work and play and socialize..."
[ Source: The World Wide Web: A very short personal history... ] Since that time, the WWW has evolved into a vital resource for communication, education, entertainment, and information. As it continues to unfold, here again are some examples of the web's attempt to fulfill Berners-Lee's dream.
John R. Deosdade
A: Oh, heh heh...librarians dream about all kinds of things that can't possibly be divulged, even if John Ashcroft himself shows up on the front steps of Moody waving a subpoena. But just this week, one of my personal dreams has come true -- I have just received my very own librarian action figure! Read: action figure -- NOT doll. Finally, after all these years, someone has realized that librarians are the real front liners, the heroes of those in need, the cut-throat Navy seals of the information world. Check her out (pun definitely intended) at the Archie McPhee web site: And before you ask, no, you can't play with mine.
To read about the real-life librarian behind the action figure, go to the article,
"Toymaker finds librarian who's a real doll," from the Seattle
Times; or listen to her interview "Librarians to the Rescue" on National Public Radio.
Q: Dear Soup Trivia goddess, was Mr. Rogers really a Navy seal with 37 kills to his name?
A: Mr. Rogers may have been a quick-change operator in the sweater and shoe department, but he t'weren't no librarian! Here's the real story
"Mr. Rogers" at snopes.com
Please, people, before passing on these absurd rumors about loveable kiddie show hosts, or how unwitting travelers wake up in ice-filled bathtubs after getting their kidneys stolen, PLEASE check with the good folks over at snopes.com. Just do a quick keyword search or browse the many wonderful categories of urban legends, such as Halloween, Horrors, or Wooden Spoons. (Wooden spoons?!)
Celita DeArmond
Designed as a supplement to a 2002 PBS program, America Rebuilds focuses on the continuing efforts to reclaim the WTC site. It includes a detailed analysis of the engineering efforts, profiles of key individuals interviewed for the program, photographs of various artifacts recovered from the site, video clips, and discussions on future plans for the site itself.
Did you know that "pressed tofu" absorbs marinade sauces better than firm tofu does? Until I discovered The Cook's Thesaurus, I knew very little about tofu. This web-based cooking encyclopedia contains information on "thousands of ingredients and kitchen tools." It also has excellent photographs, brief definitions, pronunciations, and other useful culinary information.
Do you remember using a "mood ring" to check how you were feeling? Or have you ever copied a newspaper cartoon with "silly putty?" If these things "don't ring a bell," then perhaps you should surf over to Crazyfads.com or the Retrolounge. Crazyfads gives you a sampling of American fads from the 1920's to the 1990's. Retrolounge lets you tour "bygone eras" through advertising, cinema, fashion, music, photography, and other subjects. These web sites provide a refreshing escape from our day-to-day drudgery.
With a goal of increasing "citizen participation in elections and public discourse through the use of information and communication technologies," e-Democracy includes general information for voters, links to discussion groups, and various media sources for news on elections.
Although registration is required for access, this remains a free easy to use, step-by-step tutorial for learning touch typing. It includes programmed exercises with graded score sheets, and has a Spanish language companion version Curso de Mecanografia Gratis por Internet.
This special report of the Gannett News Service provides ratings for some 16,000 nursing homes across the United States. The database is searchable by state, county, and city. With an inspections history from 1999 to 2003,
Rating America's Nursing Homes provides quality care ratings from the most current inspection, and summarizes deficiencies found in earlier years.
Reference Librarian
SOUP TRIVIA
Q: Dear Soup Trivia goddess, what do librarians dream of?
Reference & Distance Learning Librarian
Catalog Databases Library & Media Services Home Page Library Soup Archive New Books
URL: http://www.accd.edu/sac/library/instruct/lrcnews/soup1003.htm
Web page designed by: John R. Deosdade
Last modified: Tuesday, October 25, 2005
© 2002, 2003, 2004 San Antonio College Library and Media Services
1001 Howard Street
San Antonio, TX 78212
Phone: (210) 785-6201
Library Soup photography by
Leonard Ziegler
Photograph courtesy of 
