LSA News

No. 79, February 2007

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

Index Making and Sharpening Knives: A Rigorous Approach by Amanda Garcia Annual Potluck Delights Library Staff by Jen Lindsey House Committee Maintains Our Staff Lounge by Risa Bear From the Fact File by Terry McQuilkin Wacky Winter Weather: a photo essay Events of Interest Announcements People in the Library

Iraq War Memorial photo by Jennifer Rowan

Making and Sharpening Knives: A Rigorous Approach

by Amanda Garcia, photos by Marilyn Mohr and Amanda Garcia

It was a brisk sunny day in January at the Waldorf School of Portland. Andrew Huot, the Vice President of the Guild of Book Workers, had organized a two-day workshop taught by Jeffrey Peachey, a conservator and knife-maker from New York. Book, leather and conservation aficionados joined together for this informative and enjoyable seminar. The goals were to leave the workshop with two completed knives made from machine hacksaw blades, and to have sharpened or re-ground existing knives, while becoming familiar with a variety of sharpening systems. Peachey also hoped "to cut through the plethora of misinformation and mystique that surrounds sharpening and get in touch with one of the most basic human tool-making activities—making and keeping an edge tool sharp." Through explanation, demonstration and "procedural knowledge" into the blade edge, Peachey made the workshop a huge success.

Jeffrey Peachey, Andrew Huot and Marilyn Mohr

Before we got to work making and sharpening our blades, Peachey explained some of the basic terminology associated with knife-making. He discussed grinding, sharpening and honing materials, including wet/dry grinding wheels, belt sanders, natural/manmade oil/water stones, diamond stones/pastes, abrasive papers/films, and leather. We were able to try each later in the workshop. We also learned about grit progression and blade bevel. Having the correct blade bevel angle is perhaps the most critical aspect of making a knife. He says, "For paring vegetable tanned leather with a decent quality steel, 13 degrees seems to be right." He also showed us an array of double-edged razors and stropping machines. I was interested to learn about the ingenuity involved in keeping a double-edged razor sharp before the day of disposables.

Mandi Garcia using a belt sander

We each received two hacksaw blades, a series of micron-graded films, a granite slab, honing compound and a strip of "Genuine Horse Butt" (a cleverly labeled piece of leather used for stropping). I made my knives by first grinding down the teeth and taking off the paint of the hacksaw blade using a belt sander. I also tried to create an approximate 13-degree bevel. For one knife, I used a wet grinding wheel to make a hollow-ground instead of a straight grind; this made it easier to sharpen by hand. I found that I liked to use the diamond stone to sharpen my blades first and then move to the fine-grit abrasive film. We put the film on the granite slab, which offered a hard flat surface, holding it in place with water. I also sharpened some punches by putting them into a drill bit and holding a grinding stone to them at about a 45-degree angle. Marilyn Mohr also attended the workshop, and learned to adapt and sharpen her spokeshave (a knife having a handle at each end, used for shaping spokes and other curved work).

After two days grinding and honing, not to mention the multiple cuts, nicks and bloody fingertips, I had made three knives and sharpened an assortment of punches, scissors and blades. I may not have perfected the 13-degree bevel, but I'm well on my way.

for more photos from the workshop click here

Annual Potluck Delights Library Staff

by Jen Lindsey, photos by Laura Damiani

MDLS retiree Ann Muller

One of the things I look forward to most during the holiday season is the annual Library Staff Association holiday potluck. Working at the circulation desk is hard to endure at that time, as the tantalizing aromas of all the delicious treats waft over to haunt the hungry. This year’s luncheon was no exception to the tasty rule. The buffet tables groaned under the weight of a myriad of festive foods. There was the requisite ham and turkey (the latter provided by Cara List), along with a variety of vegetarian dishes to delight the tastebuds.

Cara List and Faye Chadwell

Raina Smith and her dedicated crew from the Social Committee did not disappoint with the decorations and entertainment this year. Fairy lights twinkled amidst greenery throughout the Browsing Room, and the atmosphere was warm with good cheer. The linens were based on a traditional color palette, with green and crimson napkins setting off snowy white tablecloths. As a bonus, this year we were treated to live music, with Terry and Ellen McQuilkin and Ben Farrell playing holiday music on the piano. A majority of the tunes were traditional carols, but there were a few contemporary pieces thrown in as well, which provided a lively mix. As the potluck wound down, it was nice to relax with a slice of caramel apple cheesecake (as provided by Paul Harvey), chat with your friends, and listen to some beautiful music – what a great way to spend a wintry afternoon.

for more photos from the potluck click here

House Committee Maintains Our Staff Lounge

by Risa Bear

The LSA House Committee maintains the Staff Lounge, Room 1, ground floor Knight, keeping an eye on plant care and feeding and the condition of the furnishings, sink area, refrigerator, appliances, carpet, newspaper supply, and magazine rack.

Risa Bear vacuuming staff lounge couches

The lounge, and especially the sink area, is currently self-policing, meaning that whomever is using it is the clean-up person immediately following that use. On the whole, this seems to be working well.

From time to time the recycling bins overflow. The student recyclers can only get in to empty these bins if someone is "lounging" when they arrive. If there has been a missed opportunity, please let Rose Layton or Risa Bear know and they will call the Recycling Coordinator.

The Committee's big event this year is the replacement of the Knight Staff Lounge refrigerator, which has been pooling water in the veggie-bin shelf and growing strange green stuff there. The newer one should be in place by February, courtesy of Library Administration, who are replacing theirs. Jeannette Lochbaum, formerly on House, arranged for the switch with her usual grace, ingenuity and dispatch. Thanks, Jeanette!

House Committee is also always ready and willing to help branches with their staff lounge needs. Branch folk should not hesitate to call on them for help with failing fridges, worn furniture, or dying microwaves.

Questions, suggestions, or dire warnings concerning the Lounge or branch lounges should be directed to the chair of the House Committee, which is currently Risa Bear. You can email her or phone her at 6-0763.

Editor's Note: This is one of a series of articles that focus on the work of the Library Staff Association’s committees.

Snow along the Willamette
by Ed Teague

From the Fact File

by Terry McQuilkin

From the first decades of colonial America to the present day, our country's history is rich with the accomplishments — in every field of endeavor — of African American men and women. Test your knowledge of American history by identifying the ten individuals described in the clues that follow.

1. Although he had very little schooling, this Kentucky-born inventor started a successful sewing equipment repair business and later a Cleveland newspaper. He patented a T-shaped traffic signal which was adopted by municipalities across the country, as well several other inventions, including a safety hood and smoke protector for fire fighters and a gas mask.


2. This alumnus of UCLA and Harvard taught at Howard University, and entered government service during the 1940's, serving in key positions in the Office of Strategic Services and the State Department. His work in helping to bring about a truce between Arabs and Israelis in 1948 led to his being awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.


3. Often called the "First Lady of Jazz," this Virginia-born singer worked with nearly all of the great band leaders, including Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and others. An extraordinarily agile vocalist, she was known for her considerable range and her unforgettable scat singing. She won 13 Grammy awards, among countless other honors.


4. This writer, the recipient of several honorary doctorates, has published over two dozen works of poetry, as well as some autobiographical novels, one of which borrows for its title a line from a Paul Lawrence Dunbar poem. In 1993 she read her newly composed poem, "On the Pulse of Morning," at Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration, and her recording of the same name won a Grammy award for Best Spoken Word Album in 1994.


5. Some 70 years before Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of a Montgomery, Alabama bus, this 25-year-old school teacher refused to surrender her seat in the ladies' car of a train, and she was forcibly removed. This incident spurred her to begin her career as a journalist and advocate for social justice and women's suffrage. Although her newspaper's offices were ransacked, she remained dauntless in her pursuit of social justice, publishing Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases. Along with W.E.B. DuBois and others she advanced the Niagara Movement, and she was a founding member of the N.A.A.C.P.


6. If you drive over the Sierra Nevada on California State Highway 70, you'll go over a pass discovered by, and named after, this former blacksmith's apprentice who after his father succeeded in having him manumitted, went west, served with a fur trading company, learned the ways and language of the Crow nation, and fought in several wars on both the U.S. and Native American sides.


7. Holder of some 60 patents, this Ohio native, sometimes referred to as "the Black Edison," left school at ten to work as a machinist's apprentice. Among his accomplishments were a "third rail" system for subways, an automatic air brake, and perhaps most important, his "telegraphony" system, a means by which rail trains could communicate with one another, vastly reducing collisions.


8. A member of the U. S. House of Representatives since 1964, this Detroit native is the second most senior member of that body, and chair of its Judiciary Committee. Some of his legislative accomplishments include the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 , the Martin Luther King Holiday Act of 1983, and the Help America Vote Act of 2002. He is one of the founders of the Congressional Black Caucus.


9. Named the NBA's Most Valuable Player five times, this Louisiana-born cager helped lead the Boston Celtics to the national championship 11 times. In 1966 he became the team's coach—the first African American to coach an NBA team—and led the Celtics to two more championships. In 1980 the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America voted him the greatest player in league history.


10. This actor, whose rich, stentorian voice appears in roles as diverse as Darth Vader in Star Wars, and King Mufasa in The Lion King, has been a familiar presence on stage and screen for many years. He won a Tony for his portrayal of boxer Jack Johnson in The Great White Hope; the 1970 film version landed him a Golden Globe award and an Oscar nomination for that role. Among his countless other screen credits are Conan the Barbarian, The Hunt for Red October, Cry the Beloved Country.

After you have completed this puzzle, submit your answers to Fact File. Answers must be received by February 25. The winner will be determined by the number of correct answers; in the event of a tie, a single winner will be selected by lot. The winner will receive a gift certificate worth $10.00 toward purchases at the U.O. Bookstore, courtesy of the Library Staff Association. All staff and faculty of the University of Oregon Libraries are invited to participate, although the winner of the most recent Fact File contest is ineligible to win this contest's prize.

Wacky Winter Weather

photos by Stacy DeHart and Laura Damiani

The UO campus had its fair share of unusual winter weather this year. There was a freak windstorm in December that unfortunately took down a few giant old campus trees. In January we were treated to a rare snowfall that actually stuck around for a few days. Snowperson building and snowball fights became the stress-relieving activities of choice for a short while. But the snow soon melted and it was back to business as usual.

A new art installation?	"Encounter" with a snowperson

"Reflections on a Summer Day"....not so much	Snowperson ditches class

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

There are no LSA events scheduled for February.

NON-LSA EVENTS

Friday, February 9: Back by popular demand, the second Valentine's Day Lunch Exchange! Come by the Beach Conservation Lab by 5 p.m. on Friday, and fill out a simple pink form indicating your food preferences and dietary constraints (tofu allergies????). Return on Monday, February 12, and pick a random slip from the lunch box. Lunches will be exchanged on Wednesday, February 14. Bon appetit!

Announcements:

Knight Staff Lounge Gets "New" Fridge. Due to the efforts of House Committee and Jeanette Lochbaum, the old Staff Lounge refrigerator was replaced by the newer refrigerator formerly used by Library Administration. This saves LSA the funds that would otherwise have been spent on a new refrigerator. Thank you, Library Admin!

LSA Social Committee Seeks Volunteers. There are still some LSA committees in need of an extra member or two. Social Committee, which organizes the Holiday Potluck and the May Tea, could use one more person. Check out the committees page and contact the chair, Raina Smith, for more information or to join this friendly group.

There's Still Time to Pay Your Dues! Just a reminder that you may pay your $6 LSA dues at any time: just send or bring them to Pam DeLaittre, LSA Treasurer, in Collection Development & Acquisitions.

People in the Library

edited by Jen Lindsey

Welcome:

Congratulations:

Staff Profile:

Read the latest addition to our Staff Profiles page, and learn about Caitlin Finigan of Access Services.

Goodbye:

Sheryl Grimes came to work in the Law Library in 1982 as a clerical assistant; her last day was December 31. Throughout her career she worked her way up the learning curve and the classified ranks, and helped carry Law's technical services from the age of paper records to the digital era. Sheryl saw it all and did it all. She was instrumental in the UO Law Library becoming the first law library in the nation to implement all the financial management, acquisitions, and serials check-in routines of the fledgling system known as Innovative Interfaces. We were the envy of law libraries everywhere.

Throughout this 30-year period, I saw Sheryl and Dan get married and watched their three children grow to adulthood. A few years ago, Sheryl learned Morse Code. She and Dan have become leaders in the Eugene Amateur Radio Society (EARS), and have helped develop ham radio in building community emergency response teams. Best wishes to Sheryl in her new endeavors!

Staff announcements and photos by Jen Lindsey unless otherwise indicated

Last updated: 5 February, 2007
lsaweb@lists.uoregon.edu