holidays

holidays

Driedels at Chava’s House

Driedels at Chava’s House

Frances Yates 0 Comments
The driedel game, a popular Hanukah activity for children, grew into an adult passion for my mother (Eva Weinstein; Hebrew name Chava חוה, which means “life”), as she collected another and another and another and…until there was a glass-enclosed cabinet full of dreidels, each with a unique story about how and why it was acquired. They ranged from the silly (of the wind-up and walk plastic variety) to the delicious (chocolate ones, only 1 of which has survived the years – well-wrapped in plastic wrap of course!) to true works of art (http://tinyurl.com/GaryRdreidels).  When there is a family member with a “collection” it becomes relatively easy to purchase gifts, as the preferences are well-established. Therefore, the dreidel collection grew exponentially … Continued
Native American Heritage

Native American Heritage

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
November is Native American Heritage Month, founded in 1990 by Public Law 101-343.  It’s a great time to learn about the rich and incredibly diverse history of our continent’s first citizens.   The first and foremost of our resources are databases.  These include American Indian History Online, which lets you search by region, tribe, person, event, or topic, and includes maps, pictures, documentary videos, and primary sources. Another is Early Encounters in North America: Peoples, Cultures, and the Environment which covers written accounts of interactions between Europeans and Native Americans (fifteenth to nineteenth century). It can be searched by year, location, personal and cultural event, nationality and kinship, flora and fauna, images, or environmental features.   And, of course, we’ve got … Continued
Veterans Day

Veterans Day

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
On this Veterans Day, IU East joins the nation in pausing to thank our brave soldiers, from generations past and present, for their service and courage under fire.  But of course, we are especially proud of those students and employees of our own university who have defended us.  And we want to give back to you – whether it’s through the Student Veterans Organization or striving to be classed as a Military Friendly School, IU East hopes to pay back a portion of what you’ve given us.   But perhaps there is no better way to honor someone than to understand them.  Perhaps you’ll want to write a term paper on a military conflict.  Perhaps you’ll want to learn about … Continued
…NaNoWriMo? Start your “Thirty days and nights of literary abandon!”

…NaNoWriMo? Start your “Thirty days and nights of literary abandon!”

, Ashlee Brown, books 0 Comments
As you may know, November is right around the corner. Yep, you know what that means, National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. For those of you who didn’t know November was National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo is a month dedicated to encouraging novel writing, and creative writing in general, that was started by the non-profit organization, Office of Letters and Light. Starting November 1st, it is encouraged that you start writing your own novel, and finish it by the end of November and then enter your new novel into NaNoWriMo. After that, through NaNoWriMo, you are eligible for awards and scholarships for the best writings of the month! So what would be better to get you in the novel writing … Continued
How Can We Discover Who We Really Are?

How Can We Discover Who We Really Are?

, Ben Coburn, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth 0 Comments
“We who are born in America absorb our images of self and culture basically through western eyes… Under such circumstances, how can we possibly discover who we really are?” – David Henry Hwang  May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (http://asianpacificheritage.gov), an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments Asian Pacific Americans have contributed to the nation.   The library has several books on the subject, such as Version 3.0 Contemporary Asian American Plays, Extraordinary Asian Pacific Americans, and Orientals: Asian Americans in Popular Culture, and also has several other resources to assist you in learning more about these fascinating cultures.  Excellent plays written by Asian Pacific Americans are located in the Asian American Drama database.  You can learn about Asian Pacific culture … Continued