Author Archives: mdilwort

Author Archives: mdilwort

Digital Gardening: Instruction Librarian KT Lowe shares her first-person perspective

Digital Gardening: Instruction Librarian KT Lowe shares her first-person perspective

In December 2021, I was fortunate to be a member of the inaugural class of Digital Gardening Faculty Fellows at Indiana University. Thirty-five faculty members from throughout the IU system were selected to participate in the Digital Gardening Initiative, which aims to pull together faculty from diverse IU institutions and backgrounds to help them develop digital literacy pedagogy. The Fellowship consisted of a series of required workshops and meetings every two weeks, plus additional workshops and speakers that were voluntary.  The required workshops covered topics such as Adobe Express and the Information Literacy Online Toolkit, while voluntary sessions brought in both student and professional presenters on topics such as Minecraft for Education. All IU East faculty, staff and students  have … Continued
Celebrating Spring with a Nature Inspired Scavenger Hunt

Celebrating Spring with a Nature Inspired Scavenger Hunt

In partnership with the Office of Sustainability, the Campus Library created a virtual scavenger hunt in support of Indiana Humanities’ One State/One Story: World of Wonders Community Read program. The Campus Library, along with 31 other non-profits around Indiana, was awarded funding and free copies of the book World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil.  World of Wonders is a beautiful collection of essays, some somber, some humorous, that reflects on our relationship with the natural world and how we can find inspiration and appreciation in our environment. In each chapter, Nezhukumatathil focuses on a particular animal or plant, whose properties and habits remind her of various aspects of her life. She reflects … Continued
Types of Research Sources

Types of Research Sources

Research projects may require a variety of specific sources, such as a peer reviewed article, a research study that uses quantitative methods, or a specific publication (for example, the New York Times). Library search tools can be used to hone in on special types of research material. Primary source Primary sources are created by someone who personally participated in the events described.  This typically means something slightly different in the humanities compared to in the sciences, so the ideal search strategy will depend on the nature of the class.  For humanities, primary sources include formats like letters, diaries, autobiographies, oral histories, and interviews.  Fortunately, the library offers many whole databases that specialize in this type of material.  African-American History Online, … Continued
Sexual Assault Awareness Library Resources

Sexual Assault Awareness Library Resources

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual Assault can be an uncomfortable subject for some, but it’s a very important topic to learn about. The IU East Campus Library has many resources, including the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Resources Guide to help you understand what sexual assault is and the resources available to those who have been affected. On diplay this month in the Campus Library are sexual assault books available for check out, that provide a variety of content. Easy access to more than 13,000 ebooks about sexual assault are available via ProQuest Ebook Central, EBSCO eBooks, and Gale eBooks.. Books that highlight sexual assault on college campuses include Campus Sexual Assault: College Women Respond by Lauren Germain, Campus Action Against … Continued
Women in Protest Music

Women in Protest Music

Women have played an integral role in American protest for the last 100 years, from raising their voices for equality to securing rights for themselves and others.  While the earliest women’s protest songs were written primarily by men, women have taken over as songwriters and have produced some of the most important protest music in American recorded history. Here is a profile of six of these remarkable performers, who come from a variety of backgrounds, religions and regions of the country.  United Mine Songwriters: Florence Reece and Aunt Molly Jackson Mining has always been dangerous work, made even more so by a lack of safety controls and, more importantly, dismal pay (sometimes not in cash but scrip, which undercut miners’ … Continued