Baseball Playoffs Readers’ Advisory

Posted on September 29, 2014 by iraking2@illinois.edu

Football is back, political campaigns are turning in to high gear, leaves are beginning to change color, and the 2014 Major League Baseball playoffs are mere days away. This year’s playoffs are shaping up to be very intriguing with several different exciting plot points. Los Angeles Angels Mickey Mantle-replicate/baseball cyborg Mike Trout will be making the first playoff appearance of his career. After missing the playoffs last season, Bryce Harper and the Nationals will be back in the race to the Fall Classic. Clayton Kershaw will bring his Koufax-esque pitching stats along as the big-spending LA Dodgers make another run at October. Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers will try to atone for their streak of disappointing playoff finishes, and the St. Louis Cardinals will be back as the nearly dynastic team that everyone outside of the Midwest loves to hate.

Although there will be several fresh faces in the playoffs this year, baseball is a game steeped in history. Fans often make sense of new players by comparing them to the stars of the past. Baseball is also (arguably) the major sport that best lends itself to literary works. The following list contains some excellent fiction and non-fiction works in the UGL’s collection that you can read while enjoying the playoffs.

October 1964 by David Halberstam

Halberstam was one of our best chroniclers of American political and cultural history. He was also a damn good sportswriter. This 1994 book covers the 1964 World Series between the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals. Halberstam also explores the complex racial issues of America in the mid-60s through the lens of professional baseball.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

One of the finest sports novels to come out in recent years, The Art of Fielding follows golden gloved college shortstop Henry Skrimshander at the fictional Westish College. Henry approaches the record for most consecutive errorless games by a shortstop, but a tragic accident derails his streak. This nuanced character study is especially recommended for fans of Melville’s Moby Dick.

Underworld by Don DeLillo

Although Don DeLillo’s magnum opus is not entirely about baseball, it opens with a fantastic novella-length section set in the Polo Grounds in 1951 on the day that the New York Giants famously captured the National League pennant on Bobby Thompson’s three run homer (aka The Shot Heard Round the World). In DeLillo’s novel we find out what happened to Thompson’s homerun ball (which in real life remains a mystery). Recommended for fans of baseball history, the Cold War, and postmodern literature.

Down to the Last Pitch: How the 1991 Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves Gave Us the Best World Series of All Time by Tim Wendel

If you’re not old enough to remember the 1991 series, or if you’d like to refresh your memory, Wendel’s 2014 book covers the utterly bonkers series between the Twins and Braves. To get some context on just how crazy the series was, take a look at the following sentences: 4 games were won on walk-offs. 3 games went into extra innings. Recommended if you like thrillers, Kirby Puckett, and/or John Smoltz.

Wrigley Field: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Chicago Cubs by Ira Berkow

Although Cubs fans have to suffer through another season of not even sniffing the playoff race, they can take solace in this book. An exploration of the storied history of Wrigley Field with accompanying photographs, the book includes interviews of many famous Cubs fans about their Wrigley experiences (including President Obama). Recommended if you like Chicago, architecture, and/or long suffering fanbases.

The UGL has all these baseball books, as well as many others in its collection on the lower level. If you’re looking for non-fiction baseball books check the GV section of our collection.

The UGL Guide to The Pygmalion Festival 2014

Posted on September 22, 2014 by QLB

The UGL may not have its own collection of CD’s for you to check out (but you can certainly head over to the Music and Performing Arts Library if new tunes is what you seek), but that doesn’t mean we don’t love music. Champaign and Urbana have been the birthplace of many great bands in many genres over the years, and many of their recordings can be found using the online catalog. The prolific 70’s and 80’s rockers REO Speedwagon once called Champaign home, as did folk great Dan Fogelberg and the 90’s saw the emergence of hardcore band Braid. The Sousa Archives & Center for American Music is featuring “Live From the Crossroads”, an exhibit dedicated to the colorful Champaign scene between 1981 and 1986.

Brad Elvis at Panama Reds 9/11/1982. Be sure to check out the Sousa Archives & Center exhibition, “Live from the Crossroads.” Photo by Della Perrone

Check out our guide to the upcoming Pygmalion Festival, going on from September 25 through the 28^th all over Champaign and Urbana. This short list will highlight some of the bands that have ties to the University.

Bones Jugs ‘N Harmony

This 4 person folk band is made of U of I graduates, two of whom are products of the music department. Bones Jugs ‘N Harmony play upbeat music that will have you scratching your head while dancing like a fool. The band’s Facebook biography cites them as “NDM” or “novelty dance music”, and their unique spin on traditional folk music is something to be marveled at. Rarely do you see a band that features the jug, and even more rarely do you see a band featuring a jug that makes your body move with such reckless abandon. Check them out at Cowboy Monkey for the late night show at 1 AM on Sunday.

Bones Jugs. Photo credit goes to Bones Jugs

Motes

Motes. Photo Courtesy: Motes

It’s a slow burn for indie trio Motes, a band made up of two U of I graduates and current teachers. Elizabeth Majerus and Matt Mitchell form two thirds of this guitar driven outfit, and one can tell that they’ve studied literature simply by reading along with their winding and poetically strong lyrics. Each member contributes equally to the overall sonic output of the band, featuring textured guitar playing and a consistent and tempered rhythm section. These literati’s will be at Memphis on Main on Sunday at 10:15PM.

Single Player

Single Player. Photo Courtesy of Single Player

Sometimes, you just want a song to rock or roll or be quiet or just go. Single Player, the project of student Sean Neumann, knows this and delivers tenfold with all of his music; his longest song to date under the moniker clocks in at a smooth 3 minutes and 49 seconds. This brevity is not due to lack of school or songwriting prowess. Single Player has the unique ability to play exactly what needs to be played. Catch Single Player opening for Speedy Ortiz on Friday at Red Herring at midnight.

The 92s

The 92s. Photo Courtesy of The 92s

Most bands have a specific thing they do really well. Either they have an amazing guitarist or their lyrics are to die for or their drummer can really just wail.The 92s is different because they simply know how to rock. Dan Durley is both recent alum and an extremely powerful lead singer, and his band’s punching alternative rock will certainly not disappoint live. Krannert Art Museum hosts The 92s on Thursday at 7 o’clock PM sharp.

What bands are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below. There are plenty of other U of I notables playing Pygmalion this weekend, so head out and let us know which notables we may have missed on Facebook or Twitter.

UGL 101: Printing from a laptop

Posted on September 15, 2014 by QLB

*UPDATED 10/31/2018*

Fellow UGL’ers, we hope that these past three weeks have been great. Hopefully, you noticed the new changes at the UGL. Did you know that, not only can you print from our computers, but you can print from your very own laptop? Now you won’t have to move seats. For your convenience, here is a UGL 101 on laptop printing. First things first, make sure you are connected to IllinoisNet. You must be logged in from this network in order to print from your laptop.

Connect to IllinoisNet from your laptop

After you’re connected, go to this site to continue: http://go.library.illinois.edu/webprinting

It should take you to the PaperCut system that the library uses for printing.

Log in with your Netid and Password. Once you’re logged in, on the left hand side, there should be a couple of options. Click on “Web Print.”

After you click on “Web print”, on the right-hand side, click on “Submit a job.” This will let you select the printer and also upload your document.

Once you have clicked on “Submit a job”, it will take you to a page where you can select which printer you would like to use. The UGL has black and white printing (10 cents per page) and color printing (40 cents per page).

When you select the printer you would like to use, the next step will be to select how many copies you would like to print out.

Have you chosen how many copies you would like to print out? Great, to continue, you will now upload your document. Remember that it can take a couple of seconds for your document to load.

Once you have uploaded your document and submitted the print job, a page will appear. It will show you the document you have uploaded along with what printer it will come from. The status of the print job will also be shown. The status will say “Held in a Queue”. This means that the document is ready to be printed.

To complete this print job, locate a printing station at the UGL. Once you are at the station, log in with your net id and password. Once you log in, your print job should appear. Press “Print”. Your student account will be charged and voila! You are done. So, there you have it folks. As usual, if you need any assistance, let us know and we’ll be happy to help you.

Reader’s Advisory: DIY and New Hobbies

Posted on September 8, 2014 by QLB

Hopefully you are enjoying the return to UIUC. You can keep things interesting by picking up a fun new skill or hobby. Set a goal for yourself to pick up a new skill or hobby by the end of the semester. In order to help you, the UGL has a few suggestions to help you get started.

Wired Beautiful: 30+ jewelry projects to hammer, coil, spiral, and twist by Heidi Boyd

Wired Beautiful by Heidi Boyd

Ever wanted to make jewelry that did not involve plastic beads and string that falls apart at a touch? Now is your chance to make your own jewelry, and hey, while you’re at it, make a nice necklace for your mom, sister, or brother.

How to Draw 1 (E-book) by Walter Foster

How to Draw 1 by Walter Foster

It’s time to sit down and finally learn how to do a decent drawing. Your fabulous stick figures do not count. Begin by learning the basic drawing techniques, step-by-step instructions, and demonstrations. Grab a pen and/or pencil and begin your journey from beginner, to Da Vinci status.

The Art of French Pastry by Jacquy Pfeiffer

Some of us have not been lucky to have been blessed with culinary skills. No matter what skill level, we can all agree that the good ole’ macarons, croissants, and eclairs are fabulous treats that we wish we could have at a moments notice. Here is your excuse to go to the grocery store and get everything you need for your own mini French bakery.

Podcasting: The Do-it-Yourself Guide by Todd Cochrane

We all have our favorite podcasts that we like to listen to daily. Sometimes, you might want to create your own thing. With this book, learn how to use podcasting software and if you’re up for it, how to create a professional studio for recording. It also addresses issues with copyright and music ownership. All the important things for creating a well made podcast from the ground up, but having fun while you do it.

Graphic Design: The New Basics by Ellen Lupton and Jennifer Cole Phillips

If you’re looking for something new that will help get a step ahead of everyone else, why not learn a little about graphic design? Computer skills + graphic design= useful and fun ability. Those employers will be impressed and you’ll have learned a new talent.

Woodcarving: Get started in a new craft and with easy-to follow projects for beginners by Peter Berry

Woodcarving : get started in a new craft with easy-to-follow projects for beginners by Peter Berry

Why take up woodcarving? because it’s awesome. But, seriously, it’s good to learn a skill where you can use your hands, wood, and something sharp. After all, who doesn’t want to learn how to carve a cute owl? Plus, you’ll get to impress all your friends and family.

What are some hobbies or new things that you’ve wanted to learn? Do you have any new places or new literature that you’d like to explore? Share them with us in the comments below!

Labor Day – Reader’s Advisory

Posted on September 1, 2014 by LD

The UGL hopes everyone is enjoying their Labor Day. To celebrate, we decided to take a look at women’s labor movement. There are great books in our collection that describe various occupations and how women’s roles in them have changed through the years. These are more than just the traditional “Rosie the Riveter” themes. So, scroll down and take a look at how women and their roles in society have changed.

The XX Factor by Alison Wolf

Ever wonder if the current social roles of women are the ones expected by the trail blazing feminists of the early 60s? In Wolf’s book, she discusses the way women’s life choices have evolved and changed from a few, such as in the home, to as varied as any choices men have. However, Wolf argues that while there has been evolution in women’s education and employment, this is still not the society many envisioned. Read The XX Factor to learn about Wolf’s vision for equality.

Not June Cleaver edited by Joanne Meyerowitz

What comes to mind when you think 1950s housewife? Do you think of Donna Reed? In this book, Meyerowitz has gathered together different essays that attempt to revise this standard picture of 1950s women and postwar U.S. women’s history. Why is it that this white, blonde, middle class woman is the first image that comes to mind? Read this book to start changing your own mental image of women and what they’ve achieved.

Beyond the Typewriter by Sharon Hartman Strom

Now we are examining a more specific genre of women in labor; those that were once known as secretaries. This book examines how women were first introduced into the world of the “office”, and how that was seen as the pinnacle of achievement. It continues through women’s growing realizations and struggles to become more than just secretaries. If you like Mad Men, and have watched Peggy and Joan struggle with these same issues, then this book’s for you.

A Mouthful of Rivets by Nancy Baker Wise and Christy Wise

We all know the iconic image of Rosie the Riveter, the symbol of the women’s labor movement during World War II. But what about the real women who stepped up and took on these traditionally masculine roles? What types of experiences did they face and what was their attitude about going back to the home once the war was over? This book is full of interviews of the women who lived the life depicted by the image. If you want to know the real Rosie’s, you can start here!

American Women and World War II by Doris Weatherford

Instead of focusing on one possible career of women during WW II, Weatherford provides a glimpse into many professions: nurse, military, industrial and home front. The various depictions of these women in films about WW II do not do them the justice they deserve. These women were faced with problems the likes of which they’d never encountered. How they stepped into the breach and did more than just pick up the slack is described in this book. So, if you want to know how these real women dealt with the new and varied upheavals in their lives during this tumultuous time, pick this book up from the UGL!

Enjoy your Labor Day and celebrate by looking for these books about women in the labor movement, available in our collection here at the UGL.

Undergraduate Library Blog

Information and Updates on Getting the Most out of the UGL

Monthly Archives: September 2014

Baseball Playoffs Readers’ Advisory

The UGL Guide to The Pygmalion Festival 2014

UGL 101: Printing from a laptop

Reader’s Advisory: DIY and New Hobbies

Labor Day – Reader’s Advisory