Matt Dilworth

Matt Dilworth

Keep Your Mind Sharp

Keep Your Mind Sharp

books, Matt Dilworth
With the semester over and the holiday break upon us, you’ve reached a well-deserved rest.  But as tempting as it might be to turn your brain off and vegetate the whole break, it’s important to keep the mind sharp and focused – ready to hit the ground running when next semester begins. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean spending your free time perusing more peer-reviewed journals in your discipline (although we can certainly accommodate that if you want!).  There are lots of more entertaining ways of keeping your mind supple.  And one great way is with puzzles – from riddles to games to mysteries to brainteasers.  Fortunately, the library has a lot of books to satisfy every taste, whether you’re … Continued
Nearing the Finish Line

Nearing the Finish Line

, , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Research
A semester can seem like a marathon, but we’re in the final stretch of it now.  With final exams upon us, many papers and projects are coming due.  Most students have probably completed the majority of their research by this point, and may only need one or two extra articles or books to cite.  But even if you haven’t got that far, all hope is not lost. The first step is to focus on what you know.  Pick a topic that you already know a lot about, even if it doesn’t excite you.  This will reduce the amount of exploratory time you need to spend getting up to speed, and as you evaluate claims authors make, it will be invaluable … Continued
Transgender Support

Transgender Support

, , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, outreach
November 20th, the Transgender Day of Remembrance, was instituted in 1999 as a memorial – a time to remember those hurt or killed, particularly in the past twelve months, by transphobic violence.  However, in recent years, it has shifted into a day of action – a time to look for ways to create a positive difference for trans people. Transgender people are often misunderstood – sometimes even by others in the LGBT community.  A transgender person is simply someone whose self-identity or means of gender expression don’t match their sex assignment at birth.  There may be no visible ‘cue’ for this, and like most of the LGBT spectrum, this is not a choice or a fad.  The experience of a … Continued
Combatting Relationship Violence

Combatting Relationship Violence

Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, outreach, Programs
The week of October 22nd IU will be participating with thousands of other colleges and universities in It’s On Us, a national initiative to bring an end to college sexual assault.  It’s On Us focuses on the positive duty all of us, particularly men, have to combat sexual assault – not just stepping in and intervening if we see it about to happen, but also to contribute to an environment where everyone knows it is unacceptable and survivors are supported, heard, and cared for. Events on campus occur throughout the week – Monday includes a ‘pledge’ drive where you can take a vow to be a catalyst for change (and get a t-shirt, which you are encouraged to wear that … Continued
Protection from Hepatitis A

Protection from Hepatitis A

, , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, outreach
Starting this summer, Wayne County has seen a meteoric rise in cases of hepatitis A this year, now totaling over 100 infections.  This makes us the leader in the state (most Indiana counties have less than five cases a year), and one of the top ten counties in the entire country – but most of those other counties have populations of hundreds of thousands or even millions.  We have only 70,000.  And there have been several prominent cases – a worker at Casey’s General Store in Centerville and a food preparer at No. 9 Grill in Cambridge City.  Scares like this have prompted over 2,000 vaccinations in the county. Hepatitis A is a disease of the liver, and in some … Continued