Author Archives: mdilwort

Author Archives: mdilwort

American protest music: a brief history

American protest music: a brief history

While Americans have always performed music, serious study of American musical forms only begins in the 20th century.  John Lomax, beginning as a graduate student at Harvard, was among the very first to take interest in traditional American music, and he began his work with “cowboy” songs, which detailed the lives of what he felt were “authentic” Americans and their experiences.  Although his viewpoint could comfortably be considered naïve today, his work, along with that of anthropologist Franz Boaz and, slightly later, poet Carl Sandburg, became the foundation for American folk music studies.  It is from folk music that the protest music movement stems.  The very first protest singer/songwriter was a Swedish immigrant, born Joel Hagglund in 1879.  After his … Continued
Beginning … again: Academic resources for a successful Spring semester

Beginning … again: Academic resources for a successful Spring semester

With 2020 behind us (whew!) it’s time to look forward to a new year and new opportunities. A new semester is a fresh start, and we want to share useful and reliable resources, culled from past Campus Library blogs, that can benefit your academic work. Just a few clicks and you’re on your way to a successful semester! Navigating the library website IUEREF for Academic Success provides a handy overview for how to find what you need at the Campus Library website. Our campus has almost 300,000 electronic books in our collection and more than 600 databases.  Our librarians and professional staff are committed to assisting you with knowledgeable and timely reference and research that will help achieve your academic … Continued
A list of lists!

A list of lists!

As 2020 comes to an end, “Best of …” lists are popular, so we wanted to feature a variety of reading options. Did any of your favorite books from 2020 make the lists? A selection of the 10 Best Literary Adaptations of the Year highlights this year’s new literary adaptations. The most popular and purchased books by Amazon customers in 2020 shares what customers were reading this year. With over 2,000 suggestions, NPR’s Book Concierge provides recommendations of “top books” for the years 2013-2020. What are other writers reading? The Guardian’s best books picked by guest authors provides insight into what authors like to read when they are not working on their next work. Why stop at Top 10? Here … Continued
History with the Eyewitnesses

History with the Eyewitnesses

244 years ago, on Christmas Day of 1776, General George Washington led a force across the Delaware River to attack a Hessian outpost in Trenton.  His army, which up until then had lost battle after battle, was near the point of dissolution – the enlistments for most of the men would expire at the end of the year, extinguishing the American ability to field an army. The Battle of Trenton was one of the most unexpected, as well as complete, victories American forces had achieved, and it reinvigorated the flagging army at the point when the fragile nation was closest to disintegration.  Soldiers reenlisted, and observers both foreign and domestic realized that American troops could, in fact, stand up to … Continued
Social Justice, Fair Use, and MOM: Top 3 Takeaways from Open Education Conference 2020

Social Justice, Fair Use, and MOM: Top 3 Takeaways from Open Education Conference 2020

This year’s 17th Open Education Conference in November convened virtually for the first time. Participants from all over the world met to focus on OER (Open Educational Resources). IU East Campus Librarian Beth South attended, to learn about topics such as collaborative OER projects, using OER to advance social justice initiatives, responding to Covid-19, and challenges of OER. Networking opportunities included virtual teatime, yoga, story circles, and a coordinated game night with rounds of trivia and a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The February 2020 Campus Library blog “There’s an OER For That,” explained OER, the difference between OER and Open Access, and where OER resources can be found. In her role as an OER advocate, librarian, and faculty member, Beth … Continued