Matt Dilworth

Matt Dilworth

Children’s Reading

Children’s Reading

With summer reading programs at many nearby public libraries in full swing (for example, those at Morrisson Reeves, Centerville, and New Castle), parents are on the lookout for lots of quality books for their children to read.  Many local reading programs have a space exploration theme this year, and our library holds many relevant titles, in addition to any other topic of interest to a young reader. The main purpose of the IU East Library’s expansive juvenile collection is instructional – it supports education, child development, and psychology majors in learning how to teach and understand children.  But this focus, different from a public library’s emphasis on the most popular material, makes it a treasure trove of unique books that … Continued
The Persistence of Memory

The Persistence of Memory

“Do you want to take a picture?” “Oh, I’m sure we’ll remember it.” Have you ever heard an exchange like that?  We have a tendency to take memory for granted; to assume that what we want of our past will be accessible later on.  That is true whether the memories are personal – the first words of a new baby, perhaps – or societal, such as memory of a major cultural shift or shared triumph or tragedy.  Memories (whether personal or recounted for us in books, museums, and memorials) preserve learning and heritage and culture.  Lives are defined by it.  Even blockbuster popular entertainment like the television show Game of Thrones have recently paused the action long enough to contemplate … Continued
Fair Trade

Fair Trade

We hear a lot in the news today about ‘fair trade’ deals.  What they are, whether they were good deals or not, how they’ve benefited or not benefited the country.  Implicit in this thinking is that the principle of free trade – the unrestricted ability to market goods around the world, without fear of tariffs or protectionism – is an unambiguous benefit for all participants.  The near-unanimity, across the political spectrum, includes major economic theorists like Milton Friedman and Paul Krugman (although Krugman has begun to have doubts in recent years), and goes all the way back to Adam Smith.  And within this kind of open environment, many consumers have embraced fair trade – a willingness to pay above-market costs … Continued
Social Work Resources

Social Work Resources

March is National Social Work Month, a time to celebrate how much our nation’s almost 700,000 social workers do to empower, strengthen, and heal millions of people in our society.  This year’s theme is ‘Elevate Social Work’, and so this is a great opportunity to learn about how much heavy lifting social workers do.  IU East’s Social Work program, in particular, has been on the forefront of this outreach, graduating many IU East students who stay local and benefit our community. While many resources are online – such as the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, first drafted in 1960 and a model for many other organizations who serve vulnerable people – the library offers a wealth of … Continued
Under Construction

Under Construction

As construction continues apace in the library, the louder sounds of power tools accompany the more traditional whispers usually heard here.  Stacks of construction materials move in – steel and drywall and paint and glass and tiles.  Electricians and plumbers and painters handle their specialized tasks.  And as different as the fields of construction and libraries are, there are lessons we can learn from our builder colleagues. After all, this is the time of year that your research should be ‘under construction’, as well.  Now that we are over a third of the way through the semester, if you have not already done at least some of your final research by this point, you are falling behind.  Now, chances are … Continued