Latest Posts

Latest Posts

Tales from the Comics Database: A Brief Look at EC Comics

Tales from the Comics Database: A Brief Look at EC Comics

, , Library Resources
“It’s a bird!  It’s a plane!  No!  It’s Superman!”  While Superman is among the very first successful comic book characters, period, and the earliest comic book superhero, many important comics came in his wake.  A market whose art and ideas were dominated by immigrants and their children, women and religious minorities, comic books were conceived by and for an audience left out of what might be termed “high culture.”  The success of Superman, and other comic titles like New Fun, All-American Comics and others, led to a thriving comic market, where up to 15 million comic books were purchased by Americans every single week by 1941. Indiana University East boasts a large digital database of comic books, the Underground and … Continued
Awareness and Action for Social Justice

Awareness and Action for Social Justice

, , , Frances Yates, Library Resources, outreach, Programs
Social justice is a concept of fairness between the individual and society. It can be explicit or implicit. It includes issues of economics (e.g., distribution of wealth), health (e.g., availability of affordable health care), educational opportunities, gender equality, freedom from persecution based on sexual orientation, and more. One may ask, “Well, what can I do to help alleviate social injustice? I’m only one person.” There are many individuals who have had positive impacts for societal change; perhaps some of them can be inspirational for one to take action in one’s own way. The library has a number of biography tools for you to use, such as Biography in Context, which offers biographical materials and essays on activists ranging from early … Continued
Under Construction

Under Construction

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Research
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
Some “Green” Resources to Sustain Your Research

Some “Green” Resources to Sustain Your Research

, , Library Resources
The IU East Sustainability Council held their first meeting of 2019 on February 7, the same day that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Ed Markley (D-Mass) introduced the “Green New Deal” to the U.S. House of Representatives. People are becoming increasingly concerned for our planet’s wellbeing and are now looking more towards sustainable living practices. Hello, tiny houses, natural cleaners, and community gardens! Goodbye plastic straws and bags! More brands are promising to work towards “green” or “eco-friendly” initiatives, and college campuses, cities, and local communities are working to be more energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and overall, healthier. Sustainability is such a broad concept and it can branch into all subject areas: science, business, politics, health, society, even art. … Continued
How accurate is Hamilton?

How accurate is Hamilton?

, , , Other, Research
Hamilton, the ten dollar Founding Father musical released in May 2015, is among the most successful musicals in history.  With the all-time best selling cast recording and a total gross of $463 million by January 2019, not to mention 11 Tony awards and a thoroughly lovable collection of alternative “Hamildrops,” the musical continues to remain in the popular imagination.  But one question that needs to be asked is – Just how true to its history is Hamilton? Alexander Hamilton, by John Trumbull (1806) Nobody listens to a musical for a history lesson.  While a new play by novelist Ishmael Reed asks rather pointed questions about the musical’s accuracy, it can be stated that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, went … Continued