Matt Dilworth

Matt Dilworth

Tracking the Case (Law)

Tracking the Case (Law)

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
The law and courts’ effects on them are major topics of debate today, particularly those of the Supreme Court.  Knowing when and how the high court reverses its own previous decisions and knowing what then constitutes current law are vital skills for educated citizens. The Supreme Court has reversed its previous decisions more than 300 times in the country’s 246 year history.  Sometimes it has done this very quickly, such as Robbins v. California (453 U.S. 420), which was overruled by the United States v. Ross (456 U.S. 798) within a year, allowing police officers to conduct warrantless searches of opaque containers in cars they had pulled over.  Sometimes the law changed is quite old, such as Minturn v. Maynard … Continued
Research After College

Research After College

, , Library Resources, Library Services, Matt Dilworth, outreach
Graduates of IU East have learned a lot in their coursework about media literacy, critical thinking, and how to select and evaluate the best sources. Those skills can be applied anywhere – from television programs and newspapers to social media postings.  Trustworthy, vetted content may seem more difficult to find after college.  The free web is full of unsubstantiated opinion, bot-generated drivel, vacuous and repetitive fluff, and outright manipulation. Fortunately, resources that the library has curated, such as the Fake News libguide, remain available to graduates for guidance. For residents of Indiana, the main source of vetted, academic databases is Inspire, offered by the State Library.  Anyone with an Indiana IP address can access dozens of databases freely.  Familiar tools … Continued
Keep Your Mind Sharp with Puzzles

Keep Your Mind Sharp with Puzzles

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
During summer breaks, students can forget part of what they learned in the preceding year.  This phenomenon is referred to as the ‘summer learning loss’ or ‘learning slide’.  There is a significant body of literature on it, particularly as it affects K-12 students.  Estimates of the severity of the loss differ greatly depending on the test design, but it is a risk worth preparing against.  One proposed solution calls for eliminating or reducing summer breaks. Locally, Richmond Community Schools now schedules a two-month summer vacation.  Other proposals include having more frequent, but shorter, breaks spaced throughout the year; or using summer school to bolster at-risk kids.  Absent a comprehensive community solution, however, a good strategy is to keep your mind … Continued
Celebrating Comics and More: Will Eisner Week

Celebrating Comics and More: Will Eisner Week

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
Among those who have shaped the field of comics, few people were as influential as Will Eisner.  Born in 1917, he got his start drawing pulp illustrations and comic strips, and created Sheena, Queen of the Jungle and The Spirit at the beginning of the rise of the superhero/adventurer comics trend.  During World War II, he created cartoons for the military journal Army Motors, (most prominently featuring Joe Dope), in which he used his knack for writing for G.I.s in terms they could understand to transform the comics genre into a genuine teaching tool. After the war, Eisner continued to create more comics with lasting meaning and educational relevance, popularizing the idea of a ‘graphic novel’ for adults, with work … Continued
Black History at Home

Black History at Home

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
When we contemplate Black History Month, the names of historic giants come to mind – inventors and businesspeople, ministers and activists, musicians and politicians – the kind of people who redirect the flow of history and inspire millions.  The people that have the most influence, though, are often the nearest – local people who tirelessly build up their communities, mentor others, and give younger people their first role models. This local community has been fortunate to have many nearby heroes who have improved and shaped the city and county to the betterment of all.  And this has been true from the very beginning.  For example, Rev. James M. Townsend, born in 1841, became an ordained minister by the age of … Continued