books

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The magic of Roald Dahl

The magic of Roald Dahl

, , books, Library Resources
Cardiff (Wales) born author Roald Dahl, is considered one of the most beloved authors of the last century. With characters such as Matilda Wormwood, the Grand High Witch, the BFG and Willy Wonka, Dahl’s work has captured the inner desires, fears and identities of children of all ages since the early 1960’s. Even though he died in 1990, his books remain immensely popular – roughly ten million copies of his books are sold each year. Roald Dahl did not begin life as a writer, nor did it seem a likely career for him. When he graduated from secondary school, he became an employee of Shell Oil and was stationed in Kenya. But shortly after World War II broke out, he … Continued
So what, exactly, is print culture?

So what, exactly, is print culture?

, , books, Library Resources
Who needs print anymore? Many people read the news on their phones, check out audiobooks from libraries, send emails and texts to their friends and loved ones, even post a virtual diary of their own lives on their social media accounts. Yet print has held on for dear life: From 2013 to 2016, the latest year for which figures are available, sales of print books have steadily increased at an average of 3.9%. Over 674 million books were sold in 2016 alone. With all those readers comes certain expectations of print. (Including, but not limited to, the ability to turn books around, which is not a new decorating trend.) (Pictured: Not a new decorating trend.) Books do not merely convey … Continued
Are you planning to join the Banned?

Are you planning to join the Banned?

, books
Have you read any of the following books in the past year? a. The Fellowship of the Ring, by J. R. R. Tolkien b. Any book in the Harry Potter series c. Looking for Alaska, by John Green d. The Holy Bible If you have read at least one of the above books in the past year, congratulations: you’ve read a banned book. Banned books are titles that have been challenged or banned from public institutions, schools and other places, often at the behest of concerned parents or members of the public. While the aims of these individuals seem wholesome on the surface, their actions constitute censorship, denying you access to books and other reading or viewing materials you want … Continued
Open for learning!

Open for learning!

, books, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Research
There are all types of databases – some for books, some for articles, some for newspapers, some for videos, and some for references. Some focus on controversies, and some specialize in a contiguous historical record. Many of these databases are expensive, costing many hundreds or thousands of dollars to license and use. That content does have a tremendous amount of value and authors need to be compensated for it. However, many authors are willing to forgo any type of compensation, because they believe everyone should have access to this type of intellectual inquiry. So, a lot of writers make their work available for free on the internet. These are generally posted with an open access license, such as Creative Commons. … Continued
Next Indiana Bookshelf

Next Indiana Bookshelf

, books, Matt Dilworth, Programs
With Indiana’s bicentennial coming up this year (our Statehood Day will be December 11th, 2016), now is a great time to reflect on our state’s history and contributions to American culture. And one indelible area of these influences has been in literature. While most of us might be able to name James Whitcomb Riley, the truth is Indiana has been a very fertile ground for writers (you might even be one of them – maybe you participated in NaNoWriMo last November). Enter the Next Indiana Bookshelf. The NIB is a collection of modern and classic works, both fiction and nonfiction, by Hoosier authors. IU East is one of 55 libraries in the state to be selected to offer and promote … Continued