Matt Dilworth

Matt Dilworth

Breaking Bread

Breaking Bread

Matt Dilworth, Programs
Probably, if you are a college student, you’ve done some last-minute studying over a pizza. Maybe you’ve gone a week eating little more than Raman noodles because money was tight. Both of these are pretty common in ‘college culture’. Students have gotten together and learned and commiserated over these ‘college cuisine’ foods for generations. Food is a cornerstone of any culture – secular, regional, religious, or national. Not just the taste of the food – but also the social aspects of eating and enjoying time with each other. In experiencing other cultural traditions in sharing meals, we can learn and appreciate that culture in a way that mere words do not convey. The Den and the Diversity Committee are working … Continued
I Will Write Peace on Your Wings

I Will Write Peace on Your Wings

, Frances Yates, Matt Dilworth, Programs
November 17th is World Peace Day, a time when people focus on how they can bring peace through their own grassroots actions (in contrast to holidays like September’s International Day of Peace, which focuses more on global efforts to end wars). Started in 1997 by Don Morris, World Peace Day gives agency to ordinary people who might be unable to contribute to global initiatives. Small, personal acts of personal growth and transformation are celebrated – it is a truly ‘grassroots’ holiday, independent from any specific government or religious organization. One story that inspired Morris was the tale of the Thousand Origami Cranes – a Japanese legend that anyone who folds 1,000 paper cranes will be granted a single wish. In … Continued
If You Can’t Feed a Hundred People Then Feed Just One

If You Can’t Feed a Hundred People Then Feed Just One

, Matt Dilworth, outreach, Programs
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa, Roman Catholic missionary in India (1910-1997) People who are hungry are all around us. We often think of the problem of hunger as one of starvation, experienced by people in war-torn countries thousands of miles away or those at the absolute bottom, who are homeless and alone. But that isn’t true – plenty of people struggle to put food on the table, at least sometimes. We call this Food Insecurity – when people don’t always know where their next meal is coming from, or how they’ll provide their children with something nutritionally adequate and safe. There are, of course, government programs – including food stamps and … Continued
An Instruction Manual

An Instruction Manual

, Matt Dilworth, Research
Doing good research can be complicated. We’re all used to simplified interfaces – using things like Google online, and things like microwaves in our kitchens. But sometimes using a microwave isn’t enough. You need to learn how to use the real stove. And for that, obviously, you’d read the manual, or have someone show you how. The same is true in the library. You’re not born knowing how to do great research; it’s something everyone has to learn. If you’d like to talk and ask questions with a real person, we’re available at iueref@iue.edu or 765-973-8311. But if you’re the kind of person that prefers to read the instructions, the library has lots of tutorials. Our main source of tutorials … Continued
Humanities E-Book Database Trial

Humanities E-Book Database Trial

Matt Dilworth
As the University grows and changes, so does the library. You know that we subscribe to lots of great databases to bring you the books and articles you need for your classes. But even so, there are many other resources available, and the people that make those databases sometimes offer free trials.  One of them is a new e-book database, The American Council of Learned Societies Humanities E-Book collection. And we would like to get your feedback on whether it would be useful for your research. The ACLS Humanities E-Book collection offers 4,300 books in topics ranging from African American studies to Archaeology to Film and Media Studies to Folklore. Most are normal e-books with scanned images of every page, … Continued