LSA News

No. 74, June 2006

If you have anything you want in the next newsletter, send it to lsaweb@lists.uoregon.edu .

Campus Offers Sense of Place Through Sculpture

story and photos by Laura Damiani

With summer drawing near, we are spending more time outside on campus enjoying the sunshine and less time hiding inside looking out at the rain. (Rejoice!) The campus is filled with treasures that we may not notice as we hurry to work, meetings or classes. Summer is the perfect time to get out there and discover some of those many jewels we may take for granted. We are fortunate that this is a campus rich with culture and art everywhere we look — that is, if we take the time to look.

Ed and the group examine Wind Fence outside the Lilis Business Complex

In this spirit on May 17, Ed Teague, Head of the Architecture & Allied Arts Library, treated library staff to a walking tour of campus sculpture that was sponsored by the LSA Program Committee. Mother Nature ordered up another unusually warm and brightly sunny day, perfect for a stroll across campus. Eager participants gathered outside of the Knight Library and the tour was underway. Ed began by stressing the importance of being in touch with our surroundings and the culture and history of where we live in order to provide ourselves with a richer sense of place. Considering the various sculptural pieces on campus, he feels it is interesting to observe the relationships the sculptural works have with the past, with academia and with each other.

The tour wound through campus, and we took in a total of 18 sculptural works. We began by examining The Heads on the north façade of our very own Knight Library. Edna Dunburg created these cast stone pieces in 1936. Louise G. Utter completed the work after Dunburg was diagnosed with cancer of the spine, which was discovered when moving one of the heavy plaster casts. She died a few weeks later. Ellis Lawrence and a University committee chose the likenesses of these academic subjects including Thomas Jefferson, Leonardo Da Vinci, Buddha, William Shakespeare, Jesus Christ and others.

Next stop outside the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art brought us upon Encounter, a bronze sculpture by Bruce Beasley created in 2004. Taken from Ed’s web page on the piece, according to the artist, "The base blocks are a metaphors for the very foundation of the university itself — the faculty, the library, the research facilities. The upper composition of blocks that actively engage and play off the base blocks is a metaphor for the activities that the university engenders — learning, questioning, exposure to ideas and to art — and are the vital and dynamic purposes of the university." Beasley is also the creator of Big Red, a large sculpture that is located in Washington-Jefferson Park in Eugene.

(story continued)

Just in time for summer: May tea features Ice cream

by Harriett Smith

Raina Smith and Pam DeLaittre prepare to dish out the treats while enjoying the glorious flower arrangement provided by Victoria Mitchell

With temperatures soaring, the May Tea provided a cool haven of cake, ice cream, gorgeous flowers, and companionship. With none of this year's crop of retirees on hand, attendance was more sparse than in other years, but those who did come to the Tea enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Former faculty and staff spotted included Jo-Anne Flanders, who was looking extremely elegant, Ann Muller, Linda Zimmerman, and Arliss Richmond, who was attending her first Tea since retiring from Acquisitions some time ago.

The LSA Social Committee had outdone themselves turning the Browsing Room into a vision of spring. The white tablecloths were graced with lavender napkins and big centerpiece bouquets of purple iris, deep pink peonies, sweet-scented lilacs, and other beautifully-arranged flowers, donated this year by John Helmer, Victoria Mitchell, and Raina Smith. There were a couple of luscious cakes, three types of ice cream, assorted toppings, fruit, and real china and cutlery. People sat down to eat and lingered to talk to old acquaintances and meet new colleagues from other departments. The lack of the usual speeches and presentations meant a little more time for socializing, which made the event very relaxing this year.

Cristian Boboia, Jo-Anne Flanders, Tom Stave, Kate Ball and Marion Obar

Alas, this reporter cannot resist mentioning that as usual University Catering dropped the ball on us. It seems that having a monopoly means never having to care if you get it right, and this particular time those who arrived early were left with forks but no spoons, and without glasses for the delicious punch. A call to UC brought glasses and spoons about 20 minutes after the event began. But even that couldn't mar the pleasant ambiance, appealing treats, and delightful setting of this year's May Tea.

The Social Committee is looking for new members. If you like event planning (a.k.a. "throwing wonderful parties") or have always wanted to learn to fold napkins 50 different ways, email Raina Smith or phone her at 6-1837.

World Cup Fever!

by Susan Hoyt

Growing up in Coos Bay, Oregon, the only sports I ever had any interest in were women's roller derby and rodeo. From age eight to 10, my career aspiration was to be a women's barrel racer. The sale of my horse prior to our departure for Europe cruelly dashed that young dream. During the half year we spent with Dad on his sabbatical, Europe inspired me to set new goals including learning to speak a second language fluently, living in Europe for a year and working in an art museum (yes, my parents were quite relieved).

In pursuit of these new goals, I took German at both Roosevelt Jr. High and South Eugene High School. While my friends were applying to colleges and university, I worked on getting a job as an au-pair in Germany. I landed a position outside Duesseldorf, in northern Germany. There are many tales to tell from my au-pair experiences. But one of my most important discoveries on this adventure was of a passion that is shared by virtually the entire world, with the exception of the United States. The passion? Soccer, or in Germany, fussball.

My au-pair family had three boys—Matthias (age 10), Christian (age 8) and Tobias (age 3). The younger two were extraordinarily active, and all three were exceptionally bright. Matthias, though an excellent athlete (he played handball and tennis), was calm, very focused, and an avid fussball fan. In order to encourage the two younger, rambunctious boys to go to bed, Matthias had the same early bedtime. Their parents frequently attended meetings in the evenings. One evening, I saw that his parents' nonchalant refusal to let him stay up had caused him visible pain. I was left in charge after all, and I saw no reason to effectively punish the well-behaved and cooperative child for the less desirable behavior of his siblings. So I let Matthias stay up to watch an important match, but I made conditions—he must be ready to dash up to his room the moment we heard his parent's car, and he must explain the match to me. This experience proved that the parent's Mercedes had such a bad muffler their car could be heard from blocks away, that Matthias was the incredibly rare child who actually could pretend to be asleep without his parents knowing better, and that fussball was actually exciting. The rules were learned in a few minutes because there are so few and the off-side rule is the only one that takes any explanation. As the weeks wore on, Matthias maintained his exemplary grades, the muffler was never fixed, his parents never caught on to our system, and I got involved in the players, teams, techniques and refereeing (do all referees suffer from bouts of temporary or selective blindness???). Fussball was now my passion.

So I became a soccer fan. There are so many things to love about the game. The minimal rules make soccer zen-like. The degree of mastery displayed by the legendary players is astonishing. Kicking a ball with different parts of the foot will make it travel in different directions, and some players are able to use either foot equally well. But knowing instinctively which to use when? Now that is like perfect pitch and cannot be taught. Pele's term for soccer "The Beautiful Game" and Diego Maradona's nickname "The Hand of God" all indicate the celestial quality. It is there at the best of times.

Present in soccer all the time are the myriad cultural identities and political aspirations. Matches between Ireland and England, France and Algeria, Spain and Mexico, Germany and any other Western European team—these matches are loaded with political and cultural baggage. Styles of play reflect the political and cultural characteristics, too. Latin American teams have a very daring style of play, and will take any shot at the goal, no matter how futile. They also have culture of faking fouls and injuries, and the faking is so melodramatic it has almost become an art form in its own right. During the Cold War, Eastern Bloc teams were known for their total defense style of play. They took no chances. If they did not make goals themselves they were even more determined not to let anyone else make any either. When two Eastern Bloc "total defense" teams played, it resulted in some of the most boring and tedious matches in the history of the world. But when an Eastern Bloc team played a South American team it was truly fascinating, both as soccer and as sociology. And still can be.

So, every four years, my passion for soccer morphs into World Cup fever. It can verge on the unreasonable. This spring I researched the price of installing digital cable and subscribing to the channels I "need" for a month, figuring I could get it disconnected in July after the final match. I only decided not to when I realized I was in denial about giving up the soccer channels after a month. Is there a twelve-step for this?

Writer's postscript: as of a few years ago, Matthias and his younger brothers were all professional tennis players.

My opinions on some 2006 World Cup contenders:
Argentina
Because Argentina did not make it through the first round in World Cup 2002 they have a lot to prove this time. Their unexpected triumph in against West Germany (the favorites) in World Cup 1986 will always make them a dark horse, but a final four place would be as remarkable this year.
Brazil
Brazil has won more World Cup titles than any other team, so they are always favorites to win. Additionally, they have Rinaldho and Rinaldinho, two brilliant players who make a virtually unbeatable combination. Logically and mathematically, Brazil will win. But this is the World Cup, where miracles, magic, and the unexplainable so often happens. This is part of the reason the world is held spellbound and football verges on religion.
Denmark
Okay, so they did not actually qualify for this world cup. They are suffering from the retirement of the Landrup brothers and others. But they will shine again, and justify being one of my favorite teams.
England
Always a competent team, but not great for many years. They are not expected to make the semi-finals. One of their top players, Wayne Rooney, is injured. He definitely won't play in their initial group matches, and may not play at all. The rest of the team is pretty green. If the cameras ever leave David Beckham, watch Peter Crouch.
Germany
The host country is automatically in the World Cup, but Germany always qualifies. They'll have the home team advantage. If team captain Michael Ballack's ankle injury persists, their performance will suffer. Watch Philipp Lahm and Sebastian Kehl.
Italy
A huge game fixing scandal has just rocked Italy. Indictments and resignations have wiped out the top officials and coaches and more indictments are expected soon. As a result, the Italian national team is not expected to fulfill their potential. They won't be in the finals (unless you ask an Italian). Watch Luca Toni and Cristian Zaccardo.
Netherlands
The team is pure magic when they are in synch but almost painful to watch when they are not. Historically a mercurial and moody team, even when they make the finals, their angst prevents them from winning (proof: Ruud Gullit and World Cup 1990 and 1994). Watch Ruud Van Nistelrooij and Giovanni Van Bronckhorst.

My recommended book list (all non-fiction):

• Burns, Jimmy. Barca: a people's passion. London : Bloomsbury, 1998.
• Foer, Franklin. How Soccer Explains the World: an unlikely theory of globalization. New York : HarperCollins, 2004.
• McGinniss, Joe. The miracle of Castel di Sangro. New York : Broadway Books, 2000.
• Winner, David. Brilliant Orange: the neurotic genius of Dutch football. London : Bloomsbury, 2001.
• Hornby, Nick. Fever Pitch. New York : Riverhead Books, 1998.

A professional critic's recommended book list

My recommended websites:

• Official Site for 2006 FIFA World Cup: http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com
• The Guardian UK Football: http://football.guardian.co.uk/
• Multilingual Glossary of Football: http://football.guardian.co.uk/theknowledge/story/0,,1725658,00.html

Editor's note:
You've probably seen "Bend it Like Beckham" but if the hackneyed plot didn't leave you hostile towards soccer films in general, here are my recommendations for films with a World Cup theme. The light-hearted film "Phorpa" (The Cup) brings televised transmission of World Cup games to a monastery in Bhutan. The not-light-hearted "Cup Final" is set in southern Lebanon in June 1982 when a detail of raiding Israeli soldiers is ambushed and brought by their PLO captors to Beirut during the World Cup games in Barcelona. Some humor, yes, but soccer ultimately does not save the world in a story that is neither sanitized nor predictable.

Water Works: the Torrents of Spring

story and photos by Jennifer Rowan

Falls Creek Falls

It is far easier to appreciate the bounty of rainfall in Western Oregon when we can do so from the vantage point of a sunny late-spring day, and it is precisely at this time of year that our northwest wealth of water can be fully appreciated. The finale of a lavish winter's snowpack — the ski season finally exhausted and the low-elevation trails just emerging out of the receding drifts — is when the accumulation of snowmelt conjoins to seep between rocks and through age-old channels, eventually cascading in sublime torrents. Nowhere are there more waterfalls and a greater density of dramatic waterfalls than in the areas adjacent to the Columbia Gorge in springtime. If you've lived for any amount of time in Oregon, it's likely that you've made the pilgrimage along the old scenic gorge highway and paid homage to the exquisite sequence of waterfalls along that route. The largest and best-known of the Gorge waterfalls is Multnomah Falls, as iconic an Oregon image as views of Crater Lake and the lighthouse at Heceta Head. Seen from the Washington side of the Gorge, the distant views of falling water over basalt cliffs are transcendent.

False Solomon's seal, vanilla root and salal

Two less-easily viewed waterfalls require a willingness to walk for your springtime waterfall fix. On the Washington side, Falls Creek Falls is a magnificent 3-tiered, 200 foot falls at the end of a 1.7 mile hike over a suspension bridge and through a mixture of old and second growth hemlock, cedar, and fir. An understory of vine maple and Pacific dogwood provides a lacy and verdant canopy as the trail meanders along the gushing creek. The trillium, calypso orchids, queen's cap and bunchberry are nearly spent by late May but the groundcover is an abundant mass of greenery that includes false Solomon's seal, salal, Oregon grape and vanilla root (also commonly called "moose face" because the three leaves resemble a moose's head and antlers). This time of year, water flows in Falls creek are fast and furious but still provide inadequate preparation for the sight and sound of the falls themselves in full torrent. On our rain-kissed visit to the falls over Memorial Day weekend, we encountered two professional photographers who document hiking trails in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. They were a couple of old-timers enjoying a favorite hike, but told us that in many years, they had never seen such an astonishing volume of water at this particular falls.

Falls Creek

To reach Falls Creek Falls: from Portland, take I-84 to the Bridge of the Gods and pay a one dollar toll to cross to the Washington side. Continue east through Stevenson, Washington on highway 14, turn left on highway 30 through Carson for 15 miles. Make another left on Wind River road 30 for one mile and turn right onto gravel forest service road 3062 for two miles. Watch for the sign to Lower Falls Creek falls to fork to right and end at the trailhead.

Wahclella Falls

Many of the familiar waterfalls on the Oregon side of the Gorge are accessible from the old scenic highway, but the trailhead for Wahclella Falls can be reached from I-84. It is a tiered type waterfall with a slender secondary falls (East Fork Falls) feeding into the primary cascade for a total descent of about 100 feet. Like the Falls Creek Falls, the voluminous spring flow of water results in a thunderous deluge that inspires the humble observer to anthropomorphize the experience using a vocabulary of emotions rather than mere aesthetics. The trail is short and not strenuous — only a mile to the falls — and offers breathtakingly beautiful views of canyon walls, immense rock falls and splintered tree trunks skewed over churning white water. Maidenhair ferns are astonishingly plentiful and grow in lacy layers over the mossy rockfaces and columbine bloom along the path. On a clear day, the return trip offers views of Mount Adams.

To reach Wahclella Falls, turn off I-84 at Bonneville Dam (exit 40) and proceed south several hundred yards to the Tanner Creek Trail parking area. This is one of the U.S. Forest Service Northwest recreation fee areas, so post your annual permit or be prepared to pay five dollars for a day parking pass.

LSA Night at the Ems game, take two!

by David Baker

Another year, another summer, another Library Staff Association night at an Ems game!

Yes, it was quite a success last year; and it turns out that kind of fun can be habit-forming. Alas, there is no transdermal patch for addictive summer fun available over-the-counter (yet?), so I would like to propose that we collectively satisfy this particular craving in the carefully controlled environment that is Civic Stadium.

When: Thursday, August 24th, as early as 5:45 p.m., lasting until the game is over.
What: All-you-can-eat food and beverages will be provided from 6 p.m. until the game starts at 7:05 p.m., to the tune of: hamburgers, garden burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, coleslaw, watermelon, soda, and domestic beer (!!). At that point we will be free to purchase additional food and/or beverages as normal. We also get to watch Eugene's own Emeralds take on a team abbreviated on their schedule as VNC, and I am comfortable enough with the events planned that night to assure you each personally: they are going to throw a ball around, and occasionally hit it with a bat. Does it get any better? Many of you will know that the answer to this question is, "Yes."

There are additional promotions to attract us and entertain us on that particular evening, detailed in the following dispatch from deep within the hidden recesses of Eugene Emeralds headquarters:

So when the game starts and the all-you-can-drink flow of plastic cups ends, we'll be able to purchase additional beverages at lower-than-usual prices! For those of you involved in the high-adrenaline world of competitive eating: I have no idea how the hot dog eating contest is going to work. If you're interested in competing, you should probably have your agent contact the Ems directly.

All this is available for a very reasonable $15 per person. Friends, family, partners, significant others: all are welcome. (And here is the part you were waiting for:) BUT IT GETS BETTER! LSA will cover $5 of the cost for the first 30 library staff to sign up. If you act quickly, your firstticket could be reduced to a mere $10. Also: children 5 and under get in free, so bring the kiddos. I will go so far as to offer my personal "I-won't-trip-any-more-babies" guarantee.

2005 LSA Night at the Ems Game

But you must act quickly! We need to have at least 35 people signed up in order to make our reservation. It goes without saying that the sooner we can make our reservation, the better. To reserve your spot(s), bring your cash or check (payable to LSA) to me ASAP. For those that don't know, I work in the Circulation and Reserves area of the Knight Library. Once I have 35 people signed up I will send out a message to let you all know that our reservation has been confirmed. The faster you respond, the sooner we can make the reservation. If we wait too long, we might lose the date, so please do not delay: time is of the essence!

Lastly, when making your payment please indicate if you would prefer garden burgers to hamburgers, so that I can provide their staff with a rough count of how much of which food should be prepared.

If you have any questions, or just want to set up a hand-off, feel free to contact me. For more information on our hometown minor league team, check out the Ems page.

I hear the full story from last year's LSA outing can be read in a previous LSA News article.

Remember, contact me, Dave Baker, University of Oregon Libraries Knight Library E-Reserve Clerk, at dbaker2@uoregon.edu or 346-0753.

Latest Fact File Winner can hear the birds singing

Congratulations to Jennifer Hufman, of Facilities and Purchasing, who is the winner of our most recent "Fact File" contest. Jennifer earned her feather by successfully identifying the composers, compositions and bird species in our puzzle on classical music inspired by our avian friends. A gift certificate worth $10.00 toward purchases at the UO Bookstore will be winging its way to Jennifer's desk.

You can revisit the clues in the May issue of LSA News Fact File.

The Answers:

1. Vaughan Williams, The Lark Ascending
2. La Gazza Ladra ("The Theiving Magpie")
3. Rimsky-Korsakoff, Le Coq d'Or ("The Goldern Cockerel")
4. Stravinsky, The Firebird
5. Respighi, The Pines of Rome
6. Swan. (Extra credit: Sibelius, The Swan of Tuonela; Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake; Saint-Saens, "Le Cygne" from Carnival of the Animals)
7. Dvorak, The Wood Dove
8. Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral")
9. Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf
10. Olivier Messiaen

Events of Interest

As well as featuring upcoming LSA events, we'd like to get the word out about events staff are involved in that might be of interest to co-workers. If you'd like the world, or at least your co-workers, to know about something cool coming up, please email Harriett Smith or lsaweb.

LSA EVENTS

REVIVED!!! Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the Gonzo Revue has been revived, and will take place on Tuesday, August 29 at 1 p.m. in the Knight Library Browsing Room. Both famous and infamous acts are welcome: schedule your act with David McCallum: mccallum@uoregon.edu or 346-1456.

CANCELLED!! Due to lack of talent (only three performers scheduled acts) this year's Gonzo Revue has been CANCELLED!!
JUNE 20, 2006: Get your act together! The Gonzo Revue 2006 will be here before you know it. Begin your preparations now in order to dazzle us all. Not sure what kind of act to perform? Ask a co-worker or email David McCallum.

AUGUST 24, 2006: LSA Night at the Ems. See article above and contact Dave Baker at dbaker2@uoregon.edu or 346-0753.

NON-LSA EVENTS

No non-LSA events were submitted for June or July.

People in the Library

Kudos:

Welcome:

Welcome Back:

On May 15 Cara List returned to work full time in her position as reference librarian in the Architecture & Allied Arts Library after recovering from kidney and pancreas transplant surgery. "It has been an incredible—sometimes terrifying, but mostly hopeful—journey. I can't possibly say how much it has meant to me to have the support of so many of my friends and colleagues here at the UO Libraries," said Cara.

photo by Laura Damiani

Goodbye:

Staff photos by Stacy DeHart unless otherwise indicated

Been to an interesting conference?

Send us a brief report for publication in the next newsletter. Thanks!

Last updated: 8 June, 2006
lsaweb@lists.uoregon.edu