Library News

April 5 , 2006
Discussion with Roy Villevoye, March 24, 2006, Fine Arts Gallery (Old Gym)

In conjunction with the exhibition, “Roy Villevoye: Propeller,” the Fine Arts Gallery hosted an informal discussion with the artist. (download audio) (length: 1 hour, 4 minutes)

Since the mid-1990s, the Dutch artist Roy Villevoye has been working with photography, installation, and video predominantly in the Asmat region of Papua, formerly Netherlands New Guinea, now part of the Republic of Indonesia. Villevoye visits the Asmat regularly, and he says, “Going there means coming face-to-face with the essential questions of our own existence.”

The exhibition includes photographs, an artist’s book, and two films: “Propeller” (2004, 45 min.) and “Beginnings” (2005, 19 min.). In “Propeller,” Villevoye unravels the history of an aircraft propeller found in the depths of the jungle by interviewing an Asmat elder, the Dutch pilot, and others. The film “Beginnings” (recipient of the 2006 Tiger Award, Rotterdam Film Festival) explores our concept of origins. Using footage of naked Papuan and Western figures in landscapes, the artist explores our desire for Paradise, or our wish to recover an idealized existence. The film confronts us with our assumptions about the two models of “Adam and Eve” that we see.

Organized by De Hallen (Frans Hals Museum), Haarlem, The Netherlands.

The exhibition run March 23 – May 12, 2006.

Gallery Hours:
12–4 p.m., Monday through Friday
1–5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday

Beginning May 1, the Gallery will assume summer hours:
12–4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday
1–5 p.m., Saturday
Closed Sunday and Monday

This exhibition is supported, in part, by the Consulate General of The Netherlands in New York; the Louise Bullard Wallace Foundation, Nashville; and the Vanderbilt International Office.

March 29 , 2006
Wikipedia versus Britannica

Which is more accurate: Encyclopedia Britannica, or--Wikipedia? According to an article in the December 15, 2005, issue of Nature, the popular--and free--Web encyclopedia Wikipedia is almost as accurate as the venerable--and not free--Encyclopaedia Britannica. Nature focused on how both sources treated selected scientific topics, and the results were surprising to some: "among 42 entries tested, the difference in accuracy was not particularly great: the average science entry in Wikipedia contained around four inaccuracies; Britannica, about three." Britannica has recently released its response to Nature's investigation (pdf available here), in which they argue that "almost everything about the journal’s investigation, from the criteria for identifying inaccuracies to the discrepancy between the article text and its headline, was wrong and misleading" (2). As one might expect, Wikipedia has already posted a link to Nature's response to the Britannica refutation, concluding that "We do not intend to retract our article." So which to use? Britannica? Wikipedia? Both? Neither? Frequently, the answer is "It depends." If you're having trouble deciding what resource is good for your research, feel free to ask a librarian--in person or online. We're happy to help.

March 29, 2006
New Exhibit from the W.T. Bandy Center for Baudelaire and Modern French Studies

The W.T. Bandy Center for Baudelaire and Modern French Studies is sponsoring an exhibit on "The Flowers of Evil" that will run from March 21 to April 21. It is located on the fourth and eighth floors of the Central Library. Entitled: "Les Fleurs du Mal: Selections from the W.T. Bandy Center," the exhibition has been prepared by the undergraduate and graduate students in French 362. This is the first time that students have curated such as exhibition for the Center. The exhibition includes some exquisite editions that are featured outside the Bandy Center on the eighth floor.

 

 

March 14 , 2006
The Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) is now available

Based on the English Short Title Catalogue, the Eighteenth Century Collections Online provides full text access to almost 150,000 English and foreign-language titles printed in the United Kingdom, along with thousands of important works from the Americas, between 1701 and 1800.  The database is divided into seven subject areas-- History and Geography; Social Science; Fine Arts; Medicine, Science and Technology; Literature and Language; Religion and Philosophy; Law; and Reference.  Several search options are possible including searching across all subject areas or limiting a search to selected subject areas.  To access the database, go to the Heard Library Articles & Databases webpage and search for ECCO.

February 13 , 2006
New Exhibit: The 100 Best English-Language Novels Published Since 1923

The GLB 2nd floor display cases contain a new exhibit of "The 100 Best English-Language Novels Published Since 1923" as chosen by Time Magazine.

Some titles you may recognize as old friends. Some you may remember from a dreaded book report. Some may be unfamiliar, and we hope you will check them out (literally). If your favorite is missing from the Time list, please add it to the pages in the black bin nearby. Thanks to the many library staff who loaned their personal copies for this exhibit. The display was put together by Roberta Winjum.

December 13 , 2005
Top Places to Study in the Library

The Hustler recently ranked Central Library's Periodical Room among the top five places to study for exams. Here are some other recommendations gathered from library staff:

Central Library
Periodicals Room (group and individual study areas)
Electronic Classroom on 2 (computer area open during exam time)
Reference Room on 4
Carrels on 6

Science & Engineering Library
Group study room
Classroom (when not reserved)
Map Room
Carrels

Music Library
Individual study carrels
Group study room (seats 8; 2 large dry-erase boards and audiovisual equipment)

December 9 , 2005
Electronic Classroom open for computer use during final exams

Once again, the library will open its Electronic Classroom to students during final exams. Sixteen computers in the room are available.The electronic classroom is located off the Reserve Room on Level 2 of the Central Library.

Hours for the classroom are:

Sun 11a.m.-12 midnight
Mon-Thurs 8 a.m.-12 midnight
Fri. 8 a.m.-11p.m.
Sat. 9a.m.-11p.m.

December 7 , 2005
At the Forefront of Change: Paris, 1900-1970: Selections From the Pascal Pia Collection

The W.T. Bandy Center for Baudelaire and Modern French Studies is pleased to announce the online web exhibition titled "At the Forefront of Change: Paris, 1900-1970: Selections From the Pascal Pia Collection." The exhibition provides an overview of the literary and artistic avant-garde in twentieth-century Paris. The selections are from the rich and unique holdings of the Pascal Pia Collection.

Please visit the website and enjoy a web stroll along the Seine, visit Montmartre or join the avant-garde at a Parisian cafe. Bienvenue!

December 7 , 2005
Peabody Library open for 24-hour library service

Peabody Library will be open 24 hours starting 11 am, Sunday, December 4, and ending 6 pm, Saturday, December 17, 2005

Vanderbilt students, faculty, and staff can now link to the full text of many citations they find in Google Scholar. When searching Google Scholar on campus, clicking on the title in the citation will often take you directly to full text supplied through the library or a free website. A VUFinder link will appear by many of the citations that will offer options for obtaining the full text. If you're using Scholar off campus, click the Scholar Preferences link, type Vanderbilt in the institutional access window, click Find Institution, and save your preferences. Then run your search. You'll see a VUFinder link in many of the citations. Click the link, and you'll be taken to the library's licensed full text (you'll need to use your VunetID and password for access).

May 13 , 2005
Historical VU commencement photos now at Central Library

The photo exhibit in the main 4th floor corridor of the Central Library now features photos of Vanderbilt commencement ceremonies from1904 through 1981.