Harold B. Lee Library

Can you help me now?

September 15, 2009

Media students working in the library have written and produced a great series of videos highlighting library services. You can watch the videos on the large TVs on level 3 of the library or you can see them on the Harold B. Lee Library’s page on Facebook.

Also, don’t forget that all students are encouraged to make their own video for this year’s Sparky contest. Learn more about this year’s them below:

The SPARKY Awards

The SPARKY Awards are coming up soon. The short video contest, which promotes the open exchange of information, will be exploring the theme of “MindMashup: The Value of Information Sharing.” Students can enter BYU’s own version of the contests and are strongly encouraged to send their entries forward to the international Mindmashup SPARKY Awards Video Contest.

BYU SPARKY Awards

Rules and Requirements
Video must:

  • Examine the theme described above.
  • Be no more than 2 minutes in length.
  • Have been completed between January 1 and October 9, 2009.
  • Be narrated or subtitled in English.
  • Be posted on the Internet and available for public use under a Creative Commons license. Acceptable licenses include: Attribution, Attribution-NonCommercial, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, Attribution- ShareAlike, Public Domain.
    http://creativecommons.org/license/

The videos submitted should be high quality, as the winner will be screened on a full-size movie theater screen.

Entered pieces must be original or have permission to use copyrighted material. All material must be used with legal permission, including non-licensed, copyrighted musical, visual, or literary properties. You must have consent from anyone appearing in the video.
Students can visit the Media Lab (HBLL 3330) to check out video equipment and use multimedia computers. Multimedia computer stations can be reserved for up to five hours a day, and consultants are available to help with projects.

Entry forms are available at the Information Commons of the HBLL.

Return completed forms to 3327 HBLL by 11:45pm Friday, October 09, 2009.

Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at Video Screening: 7 pm, Wednesday, 21 October, 2009 in the Auditorium 1060 HBLL .

Awards

  1. The Winner will receive an iPod Touch.
  2. Two Runner Ups will receive $50.

Students are encouraged to enter both the BYU competition and the national. For more information visit http://www.sparkyawards.org/.


From Daguerreotype to Digital: The history of photography

August 19, 2009

There are over one million photographs and negatives in the library’s collections. Tom Wells, the curator of photography in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, has chosen some of the finest examples to illustrate the history of photography. The new exhibition is titled From Daguerreotype to Digital and is located on level 1 of the Harold B. Lee Library. The exhibition is open during library hours and there is no charge to enter.

Brigham Young


Learn about the Library’s New Research Tool

August 18, 2009

The library has a new research tool called ScholarSearch. You can learn the basics by watching our new tutorial at http://net.lib.byu.edu/tutorial/scholarsearch/

ScholarSearch is easy to use and it is featured on the library’s new homepage at lib.byu.edu.


Video Contest-Sparky Awards

June 24, 2009

(Provo, Utah, June 16, 2009) – The SPARKY Awards are coming up soon. The short video contest, which promotes the open exchange of information, will be exploring the theme of “MindMashup: The Value of Information Sharing.” Students can enter BYU’s own version of the contests and are strongly encouraged to send their entries forward to the international Mindmashup SPARKY Awards Video Contest.
BYU SPARKY Awards
Rules and Requirements
Video must:
•    Examine the theme described above.
•    Be no more than 2 minutes in length.
•    Have been completed between January 1 and October 9, 2009.
•    Be narrated or subtitled in English.
•    Be posted on the Internet and available for public use under a Creative Commons license. Acceptable licenses include: Attribution, Attribution-NonCommercial, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, Attribution- ShareAlike, Public Domain.
http://creativecommons.org/license/
The videos submitted should be high quality, as the winner will be screened on a full-size movie theater screen.
Entered pieces must be original or have permission to use copyrighted material. All material must be used with legal permission, including non-licensed, copyrighted musical, visual, or literary properties. You must have consent from anyone appearing in the video.
Students can visit the Media Lab (HBLL 3330) to check out video equipment and use multimedia computers. Multimedia computer stations can be reserved for up to five hours a day, and consultants are available to help with projects.
Entry forms are available at the Information Commons of the HBLL.
Return completed forms to 3327 HBLL by 11:45pm Friday, October 09, 2009.
Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at Video Screening: 7 pm, Wednesday, 21 October, 2009 in the Auditorium 1060 HBLL .
Awards
•    The Winner will receive an iPod Touch.
•    Two Runner Ups will receive $50.
Students are encouraged to enter both the BYU competition and the national. For more information visit http://www.sparkyawards.org/.


Joseph and Emma Smith’s Family Tree

June 10, 2009

A new chart has been placed at Brigham Young University’s Family History Library containing an extensive research of Joseph and Emma Smith’s family tree.

The chart, which is an updated version of the original in Salt Lake City, was collected by Michael Kennedy and printed with the help of BYU’s Computer Science department.

Smith Family Chart

Michael Kennedy, who donated the chart, is a descendant of the prophet and also a member of the Joseph Smith Jr. Family Organization Committee.

Kennedy discovered about his ancestors while writing a genealogy paper in high school. Soon after which he joined The Church and became the first descendent of Joseph Smith to hold the Melchizedek priesthood.

After the death of the prophet, Emma Smith and her children did not join Brigham Young and the pioneers on their journey west. The chart reveals that the descendants have spread throughout the world, including a large population now living in Australia.

Kennedy continues to travel the world with his wife as they search for more descendants.


Facebook and Research

May 7, 2009

Long ago in virtual time (which is a few months in real time) the librarians at the Science Reference Desk on level 2 of the library created the first BYU Facebook page*. Soon after, the library followed up with the Harold B. Lee Library’s Facebook page. Today there are a number of Facebook pages associated with BYU.

Education in Zion Gallery in the JFSB

Brigham Young University Museum of Art
BYUSA
David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
BYU Broadcasting
BYU Bookstore
BYU Television International
BYU Living Legends
BYU Comprehensive Clinic
BYU Public Health
BYU International Field Studies
BYU Religious Studies Center
The BYU Writing Center
BYU College of Nursing
Brigham Young University Singers
BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

There has been some news about Facebook and grades. In the case of the Harold B. Lee Library page we have added an application that lets our fans search scholarly publications and databases using our Facebook page. This is the same power 2nd generation search tool called ScholarSearch that you can access on our home page. Just one more way the library is looking out for students who love to do research.

*David Layton created the HBLL Science, Engineering, & Technology Forum in early 2008. It was only open to members of the BYU network. It was the first approved Facebook page.


5 Spring Book Ideas

April 21, 2009

It’s spring and finals are wrapping up so take a break and read a book. If you only have a few minutes try Tree Tour : Brigham Young University (QK 189 .B745 2007). This great little volume can tell you about your favorite campus trees. Find it in the Science section on level 2 of the library. (You may enjoy it so much you’ll want your own copy. They are available through the bookstore.)

Most students live in apartments so gardening is tricky, but not impossible. Try Square Foot Gardening by Bartholomew, Mel (SB 321 .B28). You might surprise yourself with how much you can grow in a small space.

The sun is out so you should be out. If you have kids you’ll like Best Hikes with Children-Utah by Keilty, Maureen (GV 199.42 .U8 K43 2000). The hills are waiting, take plenty of water and pack some granola bars. When the kids get tired you can stop and read a book. Henry Hikes to Fitchburg by Johnson, D. B. might inspire them.

If you are a little more adventurous then we have Utah trails: Moab region by Massey, Peter (GV 1024 .M3754 2006). Keep the shiny side up if you drive out there. Be sure to tell someone where you are going and when you’ll be back!

If you don’t have a car you can still get away through reading. Enjoy stories from golden days of Provo in the book Hooligan: A Mormon Boyhood by Thayer, Douglas H. (BX 8670.1 .T335a 2007 or in T335ho Sampler Collection.)

The library has millions of other books that can be enjoyed while sitting on green lawn under the warm sun. Take a moment to enjoy them now.


Student Employee to Intern at the Library of Congress

April 15, 2009

Karen Glenn, an archival assistant in L. Tom Perry Special Collections, will spend part of the Summer as an intern at the Library of Congress through the Junior Fellows Summer Internship Program. This is a very competitive program, and Karen is one of the first BYU students to participate.
Karen found out about the internship through an email sent out by her Congressman, Dan Lungren. As a member of the Joint Committee on the Library, Congressman Lungren could nominate one college student from his district for the internship, and after a lengthy application process and interview, he selected Karen. She has been assigned to work with a curator in archival management, and at the end of her internship Karen will present her findings to Congressman Lungren and Librarian of Congress James Billington.
An International Relations major graduating in April 2009, Karen was hired in Special Collections six months ago.
“Working in Special Collections made me fall in love with library archival work,” Karen said. “I am very excited for the opportunity to work in our national library after graduation.”
Special Collections curator John Murphy wrote one of the reference letters for Karen’s application.
“Karen is very bright, and she has a natural ability and talent for librarianship and all things archival,” Murphy said. “She has met all of my expectations as a student employee, and she has the skills to thrive in a professional environment. Typically these internships are awarded to graduate students, so Karen has distinguished herself and the university by being selected. It is a great honor for our library to send a student of this caliber to the Library of Congress.”
After her internship and some more work experience, Karen hopes to continue her education in a Masters of Library and Information Science program somewhere on the East coast.  lcstudent2


Professor Murray Pittock of the University of Glasgow

April 3, 2009

Professor Murray Pittock of the University of Glasgow will speak on Robert Burns in Global Culture at 3:00 pm Monday, April 6 in the library auditorium. Murray Pittock is the Bradley Professor of English Literature and Associate Dean.


Provo Founder’s Day

March 26, 2009

Wednesday, April 1 Kenneth L. Cannon II will present the annual Provo Founder’s Day Lecture at 3:00 pm in the Special Collections Classroom on level 1 of the Harold B. Lee Library.

Lecture Description: Provo residents fought for construction of a new union train depot for almost twenty years, from 1891 to 1911.  Controversies ranging from uncooperative railroad lines to strong disputes between factions within and without Provo conspired against a new depot. West-side merchants led by Thomas N. Taylor and east-side individuals and institutions led by Jesse Knight disputed the location of the new depot before a sharply divided city council, in court, and in a close special election.  Even the LDS Church president and the governor of Utah were enlisted and took sides. Eventually, the differences were resolved and Provo’s lovely union depot was constructed on Sixth South between Second and Third West.  These controversies provide a glimpse into the people and institutions of Provo at the beginning of the twentieth century and some understanding of age-old issues in Provo’s history.

About this Year’s Presenter: Ken Cannon grew up in Provo and graduated from Provo High.  He graduated summa cum laude in history from BYU in 1978 and was awarded a master’s degree in American history and a law degree from BYU at the same time in 1982, graduating with honors in both endeavors.  He has published extensively on historical, legal historical, and legal issues and has received a number of awards for his articles.  He published the previously mentioned book on Provo and Orem in 1987.  Ken has practiced corporate bankruptcy law for many years in Utah, New York, and around the country as he has represented parties in some of the largest Chapter 11 reorganization cases ever filed.  He has been an adjunct faculty member at J. Reuben Clark Law School and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for over fifteen years. He is currently working on a biography of George Q. Cannon’s three oldest sons, John Q., Frank J., and Abram H.  Ken lives in an 1898 Victorian house in the Avenues neighborhood in Salt Lake City with his lovely wife Ann. They have five sons, two daughters in law, two dogs including a massive Newfoundland, three cats, and a very talkative parrot.