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This website is an informal communication forum for staff members of the University of Oregon Library Staff Association. Contents and opinions expressed herein or on linked personal or external pages are those of individual authors and do not represent official statements, policies, or positions of the Libraries, the University of Oregon, Oregon University System, or State of Oregon. Page maintained by the LSA Web Committee
LSA News is published 11 times a year by the Library Staff Association of the University of Oregon Libraries. Library Staff Association Executive Council:
Contributors to this issue:
Deb Carver's climbing accomplishment was featured in a story in the Daily Emerald this summer. Deb is University Librarian. Pam DeLaittre regularly reports on activities from Hidden Spring, her farm near Cottage Grove. Pam works in Collection Development and Acquisitions. Amanda Garcia is currently living in Ghana, where she is serving in the Peace Corps. She worked in the Beach Preservation Lab from 2002 until June of this year. Normandy Helmer and her husband, widely known as Mr. Orbis, have two children and fourteen bantams. Normandy works in Special Collections Joni Herbst owns two horses and rides with the Lane County Sheriff's Mounted Posse. She is Librarian for Technical Services in the Law Library. Liesl Vorderstrasse is a member of the LSA Program Committee. She works in Current Periodicals/Stacks. Annie Zeidman-Karpinski is a member of the Library Diversity Committee. She is the Science & Technology Librarian. |
LSA NewsNo. 58, October 2004If you have anything you want in the next newsletter, send it to lsaweb@lists.uoregon.edu . Homes Away From Home:Our Favorite Lodgings in Central EuropeBy Lonni SextonThis summer we traveled to Central Europe. My husband's grandparents immigrated from Slovakia a hundred years ago this year, so it was high time to visit "old Europe", as our respected national leader calls it. In a weak moment, we decided to take the kids along, to see where the Balkoviches sprang from. We also took along a 15 year old family friend, a "buffer kid" if you will, to keep our own children from driving us nuts. I like to travel, but I am a major tightwad. I hate to spend a lot of money on hotel rooms. I always wonder why I need to have a telephone in my room in a place where I don't speak the language. And why on earth do I need a TV when I can get all the entertainment I want just by looking out the window? Sometimes more than I want, if there's a disco next door. (The other thing I refuse to do is rent a car and drive in a country where the traffic is a hundred times worse than I-105 during morning rush hour. That's how I and my impressionable young charges came to be stuck on the Cadca-to-Krakow milk train for several hours with two clean-cut young men who were cooking heroin in a Coke bottle with a Zippo lighter. But that's another story.) Anyway, I've pared down my requirements to two criteria: no filth, and I won't stay anywhere dangerous. Everything else is negotiable. The results are always interesting. Below I profile my family's three favorite Central European stays.
My appaloosa is a young bay gelding named Bo. Although he has been on many trail rides, he had never been on a trip like this. I knew we had a lot of work to do in order to be ready for the strenuous 100-mile journey. As it turned out, preparing for the ride was an adventure in itself. We faced so many challenges that I was beginning to think we would never make the trip.
Bagging the "Big One"By Deb CarverMt. Rainier is 14,410 ft. It is not the tallest mountain in the contiguous 48 states; Mt. Whitney in California deserves that honor. But Mt. Rainier is the most difficult mountain to climb, and it is a summit that is coveted by all mountaineers. Because it's the hardest, it can become an obsession. If people know you climb, they will ask you if you've "bagged the big one." If you haven't, it doesn't matter what else you have accomplished. Mt. Rainier is a must-climb mountain for people who take their climbing seriously. Every year, several thousand people attempt to summit the mountain. There are many routes to the top - two of them are called the standard routes. Most people go up this way. The other routes are more technical and more dangerous. When you read about a fatal accident on Mt. Rainier, it's usually on one of those more difficult routes. Nevertheless, only a fraction of the people who attempt the summit will succeed. For me, it took three times. That's probably typical.
This summer, five of us made another attempt. Our group included Lisa and John Manotti, Rich Anselmo (a climbing friend and meteorologist) and my husband, John Pegg. John P. and Rich had several summits under their belts. For the rest of us, it would be our first. Greetings from Ghanaemail excerpts from Amanda GarciaJune 30, 2004 I live in Africa. It is so much different than I thought it would be, of course. Right now I live in a village called Krobo; there are about 3000 residents. I live with a Moslem family in a compound-like house made of mud. My room is painted bright blue. I wake up to the sound of sweeping, and join in as soon as I can get my self out of bed about 5 a.m. Then I get some water and take my rather satisfying bucket bath. I eat egg, bread, and nescafé, and am usually off to one training session or another. I really don't know how many people live in my house, but there are a lot of kids. They are so cute and fun to play with, and we've made up a couple of games. They chant "Sista Mandi". No one in my host family speaks English well, so I'm learning the local language, Twe, fairly quickly. The Peace Corps Ghana have really made every transition smooth, and I have so much more support than I thought I would. The whole experience so far is really amazing. July 10, 2004 I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July. We made "American food" at the chief's house. Yesterday I got my site placement. I'm heading way up north to the upper east region, just five miles from the border of Burkina Faso to a town called Navrongo. I'll be teaching at a big school - there are 1.300 students. I met a guy who has been living there for the last two years; he told me a lot about the place and says that I will really like it. He is headed back to Seattle in three weeks, and he promised to talk to my headmaster and find a place to leave all of his house stuff for me. He has a stove and fridge to give me. I won't be going up there til the beginning of September. The language is Kasem, so my Twe lessons are no more…I will get one on one language training every day for the next five weeks. I've had some lessons in making art supplies, like processing clay, which is everywhere. It's just a matter of digging it up. You can also use termite mounds. We made vine charcoal from milk bush and hybiscus, and went to the market and bought dye which can be used as paint. Next week I start my practicum. I will teach general art knowledge and graphic design at Techiman secondary school for 80 minutes a day. I finally got my appetite back again. It's hard living with a host family because you don't have much control over what you eat. I'm not into the food so far. It is very spicy and oily. But there is plenty of it. My friend just came into the internet café and said her driver just hit a goat. Really not surprising, there are goats everywhere! The names of stores and shops are really funny: "Loverboy Art Studios", "Jesus Loves You Salon", "No Hurry Life", and so on. It's required that people say good morning or afternoon or evening to each other what seems like a million times a day. Everywhere I go I hear echoes of "Sista Mandi" (in my village, Krobo), and "small lady" or "white lady" or any little bits of English they know (in Techiman). It seems like everyone ManiFest: A Celebration of Lifeby Normandy HelmerThis month marks the first anniversary of the death of Mani Shimada, the only child of Miya Shimada and James Fox. Mani was 16 when he died, abruptly, after a brief battle with a bacterial infection akin to meningitis. His death was a terrible blow to James and Miya, and to Mani's friends and schoolmates at Wellsprings. In response to this devastating loss, James and Miya have chosen to invest themselves into helping other teenagers cope with difficult situations. Many of the kids at Wellsprings had difficulty fitting into other schools, but like Mani, there they found what they needed. The Mani Shimada Fund at Wellsprings, "Opening the Golden Heart Within Teens", helps provide scholarships for other youths. I have watched James and Mani work to channel their grief into positive action over this last year, and have been deeply moved by their ability to transform their pain to strengthen others. For this anniversary, Mani's friends and his family are celebrating his life through "ManiFest", a celebration and reflection of life, death and transformation. The Fest was on September 25, and there will be a concert on October 8. Everyone is welcome. This is an opportunity to celebrate the life of a great kid, to support his friends and his family, and to join in facing and transforming grief. Grief transcends acquaintance; you don't need to be a friend of Mani to feel welcome. Anyone who wants to celebrate life or work through grief is welcome. It should be a lot of fun. The ManiFest is funded through a grant matching program from the Helios Network. Donations are welcome. You may also donate to the Mani Shimada fund at Wellsprings; contact Dennis Hoerner at 686-1223. For more information about the ManiFest, contact Dennis Hoerner at 686-1223 or James and Miya at 485-0076 American Gadfly: The Wayne Morse Story To Be Presented As Benefit for Thurston High School Theatreby Lonni SextonThurston Theatre in cooperation with the University of Oregon Law School will present one showing of American Gadfly: the story of Wayne Morse, on October 15 at 7:30 pm in the Thurston High School Theater. The theater is located at 333 N. 58th St. in Springfield (see map). The play stars radio personality Claude Offenbacher of KLCC as Wayne Morse. Fred Crafts narrates, and the show is directed by Sparky J. Roberts. After the show, Peter DeFazio will be present to lead a discussion with the audience. A suggested donation of $5.00 will be collected at the door. Wayne Morse, an Oregon senator who was at different times a Republican, an Independent, and a Democrat, was nicknamed "The Tiger of the Senate". He was an outspoken critic of the anti-communist hysteria of the 1950's, and a defender of civil liberties. He was passionately opposed to the war in Vietnam. Morse's views strike a chord today. Quoting from an excellent article by Norman Solomon: "At the time, Oregon's senior senator was remarkable because he challenged the morality -- not just the "winability" -- of the war. He passionately asserted that the United States had no right to impose its will on the world. In the process, he made enemies of many fellow Democrats, including President Lyndon Johnson." The proceeds of the performance benefit Thurston High School Theatre, which has been nominated to perform in the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, in August 2005. Thurston High School Theatre is considered one of the best high school drama programs in the nation, and it received a signal honor when it was nominated by a national theatre organization to perform in the Fringe Festival. A few years ago, Thurston students premiered the Emmy-award winning play, "Bang, Bang, You're Dead" by Oregon playwright William Mastrosimone. The drama group will present another play by Mastrosimone, "Sleepwalk", at the Fringe Festival. I confess a personal bias here--my son Robert is one of the students in THS Theatre, and I am on the fundraising committee for the trip to Scotland. I can say that the THS Theatre students are very talented, and they have a great drama coach, Michael Fisher. The trip is a wonderful opportunity for them. Please visit this website and view the calendar for more information about THS Theatre's 2004/2005 season. This fall they are presenting "Harvey" and "A Christmas Carol". The world premier of "Sleepwalk", a play about teen suicide, is scheduled for January. I will have tickets for all the plays. For more information on Thurston's trip to Scotland, you can view this organizational website I set up or talk to me in person. I hope to see you at American Gadfly on October 15! Thanks in advance for supporting THS Theatre and its terrific young actors and actresses! Dreaming at My Deskby Harriett SmithPolitics I'm from the "old enough to fight, old enough to vote!" generation, and I have never missed voting in an election. But I had a friend who has probably never voted in his life - he certainly didn't in all the time I knew him. He used to complain constantly about politics, politicians, the government, and so on - and when I would say "you should vote" his excuse (I won't dignify it by calling it a "reply") was "all politicians are corrupt, it won't help, nothing will change". Sound familiar? I've even been known to rant this way myself, while carefully punching those little holes in my ballot card. But let's look at the argument that since "all politicians are corrupt" one shouldn't bother to vote. I say, if politicians are corrupt, then it's to our advantage as voters to vote for the ones we think have been "bought" by our side and are thus the "least corrupt". For me as a union woman that happens to mean politicians who support unions, but that might not be true for you. For you, a politician who supports your church's policies or your favourite charity might be the least corrupt choice. Wouldn't you rather vote for the person you perceive as "least" corrupt rather than sit on your hands and let other people elect the one you think is "more" corrupt? I hear people say "nothing will change" even if we vote, but I think we have seen very definite changes between federal administrations: the Reagan era was different than the Clinton era which again was different than the Bush eras. And these differences do matter - the decisions made in the White House, Congress, and the state congresses affect our day-to-day lives in both obvious and subtle ways. Your job, the value of a dollar, the size of your child's classroom, your retirement - all will be directly affected by decisions made by elected officials from the city to the federal level. Presidents appoint Supreme Court judges and other officials, whose decisions can have a lasting impact. The result of an election can indeed change things for many people. Your vote is your expression of the kind of changes you do or don't want made, not just in your country, but in your life. It seems to me that as a country "we the people" have got the system we've been willing to put up with. We can't use the excuse of big money setting the rules - America is full of millions of people, and if the majority of them weren't content to acquiesce to the way the system works, it couldn't work that way. Voting is the easiest part of being a patriot, but it's a part many people seem to have trouble "getting around to". If you are not willing to even mark and mail your ballot (c'mon, in Oregon it's mailed to your door - what could be more convenient?) then as I see it you obviously are happy to let other people make decisions that will affect your life and with which in many cases you will disagree. The United States is said to be a democracy. It isn't, really, as political science majors might tell you, but that's not the important thing. The important thing is that if you want a voice in how things are run, you can have it, and most of the time no one will threaten you or your family over it. You can write a letter to the editor and you will generally not hear the jackboots at the door shortly afterwards. You can convince people you have a good idea and run for public office, and chances are excellent that you will not be assassinated, win or lose. And you can vote. For us in Oregon that's a fairly safe bet - there is still a paper trail, and lots of organizations besides the government, on all sides of the political spectrum, interested in seeing that our ballots are counted fairly. There's also a flavour for every taste when it comes to politics. Of course there are the Republicans and Democrats, but there are also the Greens, the Pacific Party, and the Constitutional Party. There are even the "kooks" - each of us will have their own definition of those of course, but they do make reading the voter's pamphlet more fun! Not sure of the issues? Even if you haven't kept up, there is usually a voter's pamphlet with arguments for, against, and neutral, to help inform you of what appears to be at stake for any one candidate or issue. It's obvious where I'm going with all this rhetoric. I WANT YOU TO VOTE. Of course I want you to vote in this upcoming presidential election, but I also want you to vote in all those "little" elections - the ones where it's "only" a school levy or two on the ballot, and they fail even though the majority voted "yes" because the voter turnout was only 21%. The elections where we decide who our mayor, county commissioners, or city councilpeople will be. The less "sexy" elections. Obviously the president and Congress have a big impact on our lives, but in many ways the local elections have even more impact. If you vote and your candidate or issue loses, I might join you in moaning, or gloat over the fact. But if you say you don't plan to vote, and then start griping to me about the wretched state of the country, city, state, etc., don't be surprised if I sneer at you and walk away. Much as I hate "public contact", I'll be heading off to my next political volunteering gig. You may register to vote until October 12. If you have moved recently you should re-register. Government Documents, located on the main floor of the Knight Library, is participating in a voter registration drive, and you can pick up registration forms there. Due to a recent change in voter registration rules, if you complete the form and turn it in to an entity such as Documents which is conducting a registration drive, you need not supply ID. If you plan to mail your form in to the Elections office you will need to xerox some ID such as a driver's license. Questions about your registration? The Lane County Elections office is at 275 W. 10th (corner of 10th and Lincoln streets). They are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone number is (541) 682-4234. Being Muslim in AmericaAn Interview with Nargas Oskui by Annie Zeidman-KarpinskiIn August, some of us attended a presentation by two professors from the American English Institute, Drs. Kay Westerfield and Belinda Davy. They talked to us about their experiences teaching international students. I was particularly interested in what they said about the misunderstandings that some international students have about using the library. In light of that presentation and the Library Diversity presentation of "Islam: Empire of Faith", I wanted to interview one of the observant Muslim women on campus to ask her if there was anything I should know about serving the Muslim population at the UO. Although no one person can speak for such a large, diverse group, I hope that this interview gives at least one perspective on being an observant Muslim in Eugene and at the University of Oregon. Nargas Oskui recently graduated from U of O with a bachelor of science in Sociology and is attending graduate school in Educational Leadership here. She has worked at the Information Technology Center for several years, and is a lovely young woman with a self-described "classical nose" and a scarf which is always color-coordinated with the rest of her outfit. Her clothes are fashionable, although they tend to be somewhat looser than most young women wear on this campus and they cover her from ankle to wrist. She hopes to be a teacher, perhaps at a community college or a private school, and thinks she might someday want to live in Portland. Nargas and I sat down after the showing of "Islam: Empire of Faith" and chatted for about an hour about her experiences as an observant Muslim woman here in Eugene. Karen Munro and Laine Stambaugh joined us as well. Food and a Film: Islam, Empire of Faithby Liesl VorderstrasseThe Library Diversity Committee and the Library Staff Association co-sponsored "Food and a Film" in the Knight Library Browsing Room on August 19th. Participants provided cuisine from around the world for the potluck, which featured four different versions of dolmas, fruits of the Mediterranean such as olives and grapes, lentil salad, humus and pitas, and Kaiping's famous pot stickers, just to name a few of the delicacies. With filled tummies, everyone settled in for the featured film, Islam, Empire of Faith. The film documents the spread of Islam throughout the world, beginning with the birth of Muhammed in the 6th Century AD. As Islam spread through the Mediterranean region through military conquest and conversions, it brought with it mathematical, scientific, and medical advances, as well as cultural influences in the form of architecture, literature, and the decorative arts. The film was very well received by those assembled. The event was a very successful blend of appreciation of great food of the world and appreciation for one of the world's great religions.
Photo by Terry McQuilkin Photo by Laine Stambaugh. The View from Hidden Springby Pam DeLaittreIn June, after having several ewes lamb late -thanks to Nelson's ardor - I found the perfect placement for my good, older ewe "5" (5 was the 5th ewe born on our farm the first year we had sheep; we still have her twin "4" too). I had tried not to breed "5" at all because a case of mastitis the year before had damaged half of her two-spigot udder. Nelson had foiled that plan when he jumped the fence. Fortunately for all, she just had a single white ewe lamb. So I needed a new home for "5". I spotted an ad in the newspaper that said "Roommate wanted for Betty the sheep, she's lonely." and gave a phone number. I called immediately. Jerry Glenn took my number but said that choosing a roommate for Betty was up to his wife, Anne.
Colleen Bell aces latest 'Fact File'In our August issue, the Library Diversity Committee asked you to try your hand at answering some questions about the diverse world around us, as well as the communities we serve at the Library. Some of these questions had to do with our own student body, and some asked you to look back at the history of the civil rights and equal opportunity movements in this country. Colleen Bell, Library Instruction Coordinator, was able to come up with all of the correct answers, and is our winner this month. She'll be receiving a gift certificate with $5.00 toward purchases at the UO Bookstore. You can revisit the clues in the August LSA News Fact File. The Answers:
My Boss Went to China, and All I Got Was This Blog....Corey Harper, of Metadata and Digital Library Services, is going to China for a conference and vacation, and asked us to include a reference to his blog. He writes "I'm hoping to keep a pretty regular journal of my journey, and am also hoping to post photos. If not daily, then every couple of days." Corey will be attending the International Conference on Dublin Core and Metadata Applications 2004, in Shanghai. As part of the User Documentation Working Group's Editorial Board, he maintains the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) Bibliography. He will also be presenting a summary of the University of Oregon Libraries' metadata and digital collection work to the Library Working Group, learning about the work of other organizations in this area, and participating in a variety of discussions and working group forums. Prior to the conference, Corey will be visiting Beijing and Xi'an in addition to spending a few extra vacation days exploring Shanghai. He plans to write up something about his trip for a later newsletter. We'll hold you to it, Corey! Thank You!Once again the Library Staff Association has been the recipient of someone's wonderful generosity! On August 11, 2004, an anonymous donation of $500.00 was made to our organization. This is the second time in as many years that LSA has received such a gift. LSA is very grateful to our anonymous donors, and thanks them for helping us fund such projects as copying all Gonzo tapes to DVD (we are arranging for them to be cataloged as a serial, with a copy housed in a Special Collections location), and paying for the material for our lovely new Gonzo Revue curtain. LSA really is your organization, and it is encouraging to see such strong support. Events of InterestLSA EVENTS The Library Staff Association Holiday Sale will be held on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Knight Library Browsing Room. Start saving now for those raffle tickets - Bruce Tabb has once more graciously agreed to donate a wonderful dessert to be raffled off. If you plan to sell anything at the Sale, please accompany your merchandise with an itemized list that includes prices, and bring it to the Browsing Room after 9:30 a.m. on the day of the Sale. In the past the Sale has featured art, crafts, preserves, a "jumble table", plants and seeds - just about anything! (But please - nothing alive except plants.) If you have questions or would like to help with the Sale, please email Pam DeLaittre or phone her at 6-1826.
Jon Jablonski recommends October Surprise 2, presented by Northwest Veterans for Peace on Thursday, October 7, 2004 in the EMU Fir Room from 12 a.m. - 6 p.m. The information he sends says this "is a week-long event that extends from Southern Oregon University to Portland State University with stops at Western Oregon University and the University of Oregon. The purpose of October Surprise 2 is to educate the public about the reality of war and the long-term impact that war has on people. The issues of war and violence will be addressed directly by those who have personally experienced war and violence." Speakers include S. Brian Wilson (on October 8), Viet Nam veteran and member of Veterans for Peace, who had both legs cut off by an ammunition train he was trying to stop from taking supplies to Central America, and Joe Lewis and Jim Russell (on October 7), former students of Kent State, who were both wounded by Ohio National Guardsmen on May 4, 1970. There will be a number of other speakers as well.
Welcome:
Goodbyes
Letters to the Editors
Just wanted to thank the newsletter committee for a wonderful publication this year. The content has been outstanding! Mark Watson * * *
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Once again you guys did a great job on the LSA Newsletter. You keep topping yourselves. I love the side bar. The subjects are endless for it. Thanks again. Susan Mincks Got something to say? Tell us! We'd love to get your feedback, comments and suggestions.
Been to an interesting conference?Send us a brief report for publication in the next newsletter. Thanks! Swimming in Signs
Above: Members of the Sign Initiative (L to R, Shelia Stigall , Kirstin Hierholzer, Carol Goodyard, Shirien Chappell) stand among the estimated 100 signs that have been taken down in Knight Library and replaced with more attractive, more readable signs. Nearly all of the replacement signs have been created, and most of them have been installed. Photo by Beth Singler.
| Last updated: October
4, 2004 |