An Excuse to Play with Your Food

Posted on March 31, 2014 by CN

It’s no joke – the annual Edible Book Festival is happening again on April 1st. This is your chance to show your creativity in culinary codex* crafting – read on to find out how.

A huge brownie decorated to resemble a book cover.

A tasty rendition of an Encyclopedia Brown(ie) book by Christine Jenkins

The Edible Book Festival is a worldwide celebration that brings food and books together. It’s observed every year on or around the April 1st birthday of famed French food philosopher/ writer Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. He made books out of food by writing about food, and the Edible Book Festival puts a twist on this: participants make books out of real, actual food. That’s why they’re called “edible!” Books made for the festival can be inspired by books, or resemble a book physically by having text or pages.

If you’re wondering what kind of creations people make for this festival, you can look at the UIUC Library’s gallery of festival entries from past years. The UIUC Library has held an Edible Book Festival event every year since 2006, and their galleries are full of artfully created reproductions, re-imaginings, and puns on popular books. After the galleries inspire you to participate in this year’s festival (which they undoubtedly will), use this online form to register and bring your skills to the table. A panel of judges will determine winners in many different categories, and you might win a prize!

If you don’t have time to register for the festival, you can still bring an entry; preregistration just helps the library plan the event. And if you don’t have time to make an edible book this year, all Champaign-Urbana folks are welcome to participate by admiring and eating the books that do get made!

The details of this year’s events:

Schedule for the Edible Book Festival on Tuesday, April 1, 2014

8-10 am – Participants drop off edible entries at the University YMCA (located at 1001 S. Wright St., Champaign)
10-11:30 am – Judging and photography
11:30 am – Public viewing begins
12:15 pm – Welcome and judges’ commentary
12:45 pm – Eating of books!

Cookies shaped and decorated to resemble illustrations from a children's book

Mary Dubb’s ‘Extra Yarn’ illustration cookies

More details of the UIUC festival can be found on the official UIUC festival website. There’s also a Facebook page, for more inspiration and updates. We can’t wait to see what you make!

*A codex is a specific form that a book can take. Librarians use a lot of different words for books. It’s kind of our thing.

Spring Break Hours!

Posted on March 20, 2014 by LK

Now that it’s officially spring, we can’t wait to say goodbye to any mention of a polar vortex and say hello to spring break! Whether you’re heading south for some sunshine or sticking around C-U, you’ve earned a well-deserved week off. The UGL will be taking some time off, too, with shorter hours over spring break.

Photo of vacationers on Semaphore Beach, South Australia circa 1950

Well, this looks like fun! Semaphore Beach, South Australia. Photo courtesy of State Library of South Australia via Flickr

Here are the UGL’s hours over spring break. You can also check out when other campus libraries are open over break:

Friday, March 21: The UGL closes at 7pm
Saturday, March 22: All campus libraries are closed.
Sunday, March 23: All campus libraries are closed.
Monday, March 24-Friday, March 28: The UGL will be open daily from 8:30am to 5pm. Please note that the media collection closes at 4:30pm.
Saturday, March 29: All campus libraries are closed
Sunday, March 30: The UGL opens at 1pm, then resumes regular semester hours.

From all of us here at the UGL, we hope you have a safe and relaxing break!

St. Patty’s is here!

Posted on March 17, 2014 by QLB

Hello UGLers, as you can tell by the seas of green today, it is St. Patrick’s Day! Are we all wearing our green today? You bet we are! There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s day, so here at the UGL we decided to find all things Irish for your celebration.

The Green River in Chicago. Photo courtesy of bhenak via Flickr

You can start off your day by heading over to Crane Alley for some Irish-inspired food. They are having that especially for today! Located in downtown Urbana, Crane Alley is a great restaurant to share a meal with your friends.

If you’re feeling like staying in tonight, why not make a night of it with a movie (or movie marathon) and some friends. The UGL has their media collection in the lower level and we have found some titles that will be sure to give you different perspectives on Ireland without having to leave your comfy couch.

First, we have “Angela’s Ashes.” A movie that was based off the memoirs of Irish writer, Frank McCourt. It is the story of his family’s struggles with poverty and his childhood in Ireland and New York.

Angela’s Ashes

If this is not your style, fear not! we have other suggestions. Such as “P.S I Love You.” OK, we admit, this is not related to St. Patrick’s day, but you cannot beat the Irish scenery in this movie. Also, Hillary Swank and Gerard Butler are in it, so you pretty much have to watch it.

P.S I love You

Other movies that you might find interesting are “Leap Year” and “The Commitments.”

Sometimes, you just want to stay in with a good book, so of course, the UGL has recommendations for those as well! Our first recommendation is a cookbook! because there is no better way to spend the holiday than to cook up some great Irish food with some friends. How about “The Irish Heritage Cookbook” or “Rachel’s Irish Family Food: 120 classic recipes from my home to yours.” Gather your friends, turn on some Celtic music, and try your hand at these recipes.

Rachel’s Irish Family Food

Want to travel to Ireland without having to pay all that airfare? Try “Travelers’ Trails in Ireland.” Read about 20 trails that will guide you on a tour of all the culture and beautiful scenery that Ireland has to offer! Other titles to check out might be “Silver Linings: Travels around Northern Ireland“, and “Memory Ireland.”

Travellers’ Travels in Ireland

The UGL and the other libraries on campus have tons of more books for you, so, what are you waiting for? Check it out and have a great St. Patrick’s Day!

Spotlight On…CQ Researcher

Posted on March 13, 2014 by CN

You’ve got a paper coming up, and you don’t have a topic yet. The paper has to be about a current issue that’s controversial, or maybe you have to debate the pros and cons of something – but there are so many issues in the world! How do you know what to choose and where to start? If you come to the UGL’s website, we have a resource that can help you solve all these problems. It’s called CQ Researcher.

What and where is CQ Researcher?

CQ Researcher is one of the many databases that the library provides for you to use. It’s a little different from other databases you may have used, because it’s designed to make it easy for you to browse articles by topic. The topics that articles in CQ Researcher cover range from education issues (like homeschooling) to disputes over international law (like the ethics of war), but all have been topics of intense discussion and debate in the recent past or present.

To get to CQ Researcher, start at the UGL homepage and click the Find Articles button that you see under the Easy Search box. That will take you to the Find Articles guide, where we list some of our databases by type. CQ Researcher is a general database, so you can find a link to it in the first section that’s labelled “Starting Points (Multi-Subject Databases).”

CQ Researcher should be the third database listed under Starting Points.

What can I find in CQ Researcher?

Every topic covered in CQ Researcher will be explained in a report – a long article that provides an overview of the topic, including background information, current controversies or problems, and potential outcomes. An editorial piece from each side of the argument – a “pro” and a “con” position – are also provided by an expert on the topic. Other helpful features include timelines of major events, and lists of suggested sources for further research. This information could be used to help you figure out what specific aspects of a general topic you’re most interested in, where you should look for more information, or how a specific issue fits into a larger issue or trend.

You can navigate through the different kinds of information provided using the menu on the left side, or explore related issues using the Issue Tracker menu on the right.

How can I use CQ Researcher?

If you already have an idea of what you’re interested in, the main page of CQ Researcher has a search feature in the upper-right hand corner of the screen. If you don’t have an idea yet, don’t worry – it also has options to browse through information by what’s been added most recently, or by general area of interest (like the ‘education’ and ‘international law’ areas we mentioned above). As you browse or search, CQ Researcher will offer suggestions for related topic in a menu on the right-hand side of the screen.

The search box is in the top-right corner, and the Browse options are in the main navigation menu under the heading.

So, if you’re trying to find an interesting, contemporary debate to explore for an assignment, or you’ve already got one and need ideas for how to approach it, find your way to the UGL homepage and try CQ Researcher. There’s also that helpful Ask-A-Librarian chat box on the UGL page, so if you should get stuck, a librarian is only a click away! We’ll be happy to help you use this or any other library resource.

Find other posts in the Spotlight On… series here.

Warm up for Spring Break at the UGL

Posted on March 11, 2014 by LK

Hey UGL-ers! Here in Chambana, it’s finally starting to warm up. Which means there’s only one thing on our minds—spring break! Whether you’re staying in town to catch up on sleep or packing for an exotic adventure, the UGL has all the resources you need to make this spring break the best yet.

Where can you snorkel in Los Cabos? Find out here!

If you’re heading out of town for spring break this year, check out the UGL’s collection of travel guides to read up on your favorite destination. Where is the best place to hike in Wisconsin? Which towns in Spain are must-sees? Where can you snorkel in Los Cabos? All your travel questions can be answered in these handy guidebooks.

Traveling out of the country? Learn a few phrases or brush up on your conversation skills in hundreds of languages for FREE using our Tell Me More language software. Take a look at our previous blog post to learn how to use this great resource.

Get inspired for an adventure of your own.

If your spring break plans look a lot like your pillow, the UGL can bring out your inner hitchhiker while you catch some Z’s right here at home. Check out our Pinterest board that highlights a few of our favorite books about travel writing and photography, as well as the guidebooks we mentioned above.

“Not all who wander are lost.”

As always, the UGL’s collection of movies, TV shows, and audio books are ready to cure your travel bug from the comfort of your couch. Need a European adventure? Live vicariously through every James Bond film. Feeling wanderlust? Trek through Middle-earth with a Lord of the Rings marathon. Or, get pumped for the release of the next Captain America film with your Avenger pals. Stock up on all your favorites before break!

If you’re looking for a thrilling page-turner to pass some time over break, be on the lookout for our up-coming display “Road Trip with a Book.” We’ll surprise you with a great new read!

Celebrating Women’s History Month!

Posted on March 6, 2014 by QLB

March is here and midterms are almost over, but March is also Women’s History month! Be prepared to learn about some amazing and inspirational women and some resources available from the library.

Sally Ride. The First American woman in space

First, we have Sally Ride. Sally was a former astronaut and a physicist. She became the first American woman in space. Her accomplishments have paved the way for women in NASA and have inspired people around the world. Sally died in 2012 at the age of 61, but her legacy will forever live on. To find out more about her life and accomplishments, check out some books about her life available in our catalog.

Carol Moseley Braun

Carol Moseley Braun is former representative of the Illinois senate. She was the first African-American woman to be elected to the United States Senate. Ms. Braun was also nominated by former President Bill Clinton to be U.S. ambassador to New Zealand. She currently resides in Chicago. For more information on Ms. Braun, be sure to check out her page on the congress website.

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is a Mexican artist from the surrealist movement in the 1930’s. She had a difficult but exciting life, and most importantly, she was a creative person and painter who celebrated her Mexican culture and heritage. If you would like to know more about Frida and her life, Credo reference has more information.

Alice Paul. American Suffragist

Alice Paul was an American suffragist who fought for a woman’s right to vote. Along with the help of other suffragists, Alice Paul’s activism led to the passage of the 19^th amendment. Because of the 19^th amendment, women were finally able to have the right to vote in this country. To learn more about Alice Paul, be sure to check out the Women and Social Movements in the United States database available through the UIUC catalog!

These are just a few of the many incredible women out there. For more information be sure to check out some subject guides on the topic such as women in politics or the official government website for Women’s History Month.

Spotlight On…Film Resources

Posted on March 3, 2014 by CN

The 2014 Oscars have now been awarded, and whether you agree with the winners or not, the library has resources you can use to learn more about film history and theory, as well as find more movies to watch.

75 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards

Researching Film History and Theory

Film Study Reference Guide – This research guide, put together by the Literature and Languages Library, is a one-stop shop for all film theory research needs. It has resources for finding film reviews, if you want to find out what critics said about those Oscar winners before they were winners, as well as lists of books that can serve as your introduction to the history and study of film.
Finding Article about Film in Databases – The Communications Library has put together a list of databases that contain articles pertaining to film history and criticism. Once you gotten a good introduction using the reference guide above, you can use these databases to find more specific articles about whatever film topic interests you.

Findings Movies to Watch

Finding Movies in the Library – Reading about movies is great, but reading reviews and articles won’t be helpful if you haven’t seen the movies themselves! The Undergraduate Library has a guide to help you find the movies you need in the library catalog.
Ideas for What to Watch – If you don’t know where to start, the UGL has Pinterest boards that collect our favorite horror movies, science fiction features, summer films, and movies based on books. Browsing the entire media collection by genre is tough, because it’s just not arranged that way, but here’s a tip: on the catalog search screen, change the first dropdown menu from “Keyword” to “Subject,” then try typing in what you’re looking for. You could try a genre, like “Horror films,” or a topic followed by the kind of movie you want, like “High school students – Comedy.” It takes some practice, but soon you’ll be a master at finding great new movies.

What do you think about when you decide whether a movie is good or not? Let us know in the comments!

Need ideas for other great library resources? Find more in our Spotlight on… series here.

Undergraduate Library Blog

Information and Updates on Getting the Most out of the UGL

Monthly Archives: March 2014