Christmas Countdown

With less than three weeks left in the fall semester, Brackett Library is focusing on the spirit of the season with this month's READ(c) poster and with an upcoming public event.

Robin Miller, Professor of Communication, was chosen to select this month's Faculty Favorite. In light of the timing of his choice and the fall musical production, Miller picked Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol for December readers.

The Dickens story of "A Christmas Carol" has become a part of our culture. It has been adapted many times for film and for stage. Performers from George C. Scott to Patrick Stewart to the Muppets have played Ebenezer Scrooge. Yet, often in these variations on the novel, the gem of pure storytelling that is Dickens work becomes lost.

The novel tells a story of a hurt man who is trying trying to make it through this life. Over the course of the story we see him in the present as well as watch him as he sees the past he has experienced. To deal with all the pain in his life, he often makes poor choices. The result is that he becomes lonesome, bitter, resentful and self focused. That is, he is self focused until he is forced to confront not only his past, but the way his choices then and now affect others.

It is at the moment of recognizing how his life is affecting others that he chooses to live life differently. To live it better. To live for others. For me, that is the core of the story. He sees that no matter what has happened in his past to him and no matter what actions he has taken, he can start today to live life differently. Change in behavior, change in attitude and change in thought for the better are all possibilities that can be achieved today. Regardless of what he has done that has hurt others, he can now begin to live for others.

Although this story never quotes scripture, it effectively preaches a sermon on how to live. Dickens uses the craft of story telling to reveal a truth of how a life can be well lived. And he does it in an extremely entertaining way. This is the best of art. It is engaging, entertaining and reflects the reality that is God's world. I highly recommend this become a part of any family's holiday traditions.

In keeping with a recently adopted tradition, Dr. David Burks will be in the library on Tuesday, December 8th to read The Night Before Christmas. Previous years have included guest reader Keith Cronk's interpretation of The Aussie Night Before Christmas and carolers from Joli Love's French classes.

Food in the Library

Brackett Library needs your help. When the decision was made to allow food in the building, there was much discussion about what kind of food would be allowed. Another library has an offensive and non-offensive food policy. If the food is considered intrusive on others, it is offensive and not allowed. When Harding student workers were quizzed they said things like pizza, fried chicken, heavily spiced, and greasy foods with strong smells would be offensive to them.

Initially, no guidelines were written about what kind of food would be allowed in the library, and for the most part, library users have been considerate of others. However, in recent weeks, library staff members and patrons have noticed more trash left behind, more attempted pizza deliveries, and more times when food smells have permeated the building. Library patrons have been asked to take the food to the new tables just outside the front door at these times and almost all have cooperated with a good attitude.

So how can you help? Please be considerate of other library users. Please pick up your own trash. Please think before bringing in food that smells strongly enough that others are bothered by it. This is a public building and we all must work together to keep it friendly for all users.

Thank you from the Brackett Library Staff.

Homecoming is here!

Brackett Library welcomes guests to our campus for Harding's annual Homecoming activities. Library related activities include the presence of archival pictures from Homecomings past on the library site, an alumni author signing, and participation in the university's Trunk or Treat activities.



From 11:00 to 1:00 on Saturday, October 31, award-winning Christian Fiction author Tamera Alexander will be signing books in the lobby of the Hammon Student Center. Fifteen other alumni authors have been invited and have made plans to attend.

Following Saturday's football game, a variety of campus participants will participate in the first Harding University Trunk or Treat which is slated to begin at 6:00 PM in the Ganus Athletic Center. In addition to candy, the library will have a selection of donated children's books to give away.

If you are on campus, please stop by the library for a visit. Recent years have brought many changes and we would love to share some time with you!

Sharing Harding History

There is no doubt that social networking has changed the way American culture communicates and shares information. Facebook, Linked In, and other sites may have initially been seen as a trend, but it is now common for them to be the primary communication point between family members, teachers and students, and within organizations.

In recent years, digital library collections have also grown in popularity. Brackett Library Director Ann Dixon wanted to make the university's collections of pictures available online and began looking for options. Following the lead of The Library of Congress and several academic libraries, Dixon chose to use Flickr, a photo-sharing site with social networking components. After an initial planning stage, hundreds of hours were spent scanning archive pictures and slides and the Brackett Library Flickr site was born.

Thanks to the work of graduate assistants Jenny Thurston and Catherine Canterbury, thousands of images from Harding's history have been added to the collection. Images range from black and white images belonging to the past to brightly colored collections from Spring Sing and Homecoming productions on the Benson stage. Dates span from Harding's earliest days to the late 1980's.

The library had two goals in making the images public. The primary goal was simply sharing the pictures and helping others enjoy the memories. The second goal? "We want you to find our mistakes," said Librarian Lisa Burley. "Many pictures did not include identification information. Who are these people? Where was this? When was this? If we have made mistakes, please let us know."

If you have questions or comments about the Flickr project, please email them to brackett.library@yahoo.com .

Integrated Search Comes to Brackett

Brackett Library announces the addition of the new EBSCOhost Integrated Search tool. Using the familiar EBSCOhost interface, Integrated Searching allows researchers to simultaneously search many of the library's electronic resources, including the library catalog.

To access the new service, use the "Search Multiple Resources" box on the center of the library home page. A tutorial featuring the new system can be found on the EBSCOhost support site.

For more information or to schedule a demonstration for a class or department, please contact Lisa Burley at 501-279-4185 or lburley@harding.edu

Finish Strong takes October spot

In honor of Homecoming, Head Football Coach Ronnie Huckeba was chosen to select October's Faculty Favorite. Finish Strong by Dan Green was selected for its ability to motivate and encourage. "The concept of 'finishing strong' is a valued Christian character trait, as illustrated by the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7," stated Huckeba. "It is also, in my opinion, a must for those who intend to be high achievers."

The 2009 football schedule can be found by visiting the Harding Atheletics website, located at www.hardingsports.com/

Homecoming activities are scheduled to begin on Thursday, October 29 and will include social club reunions, class reunions, and the traditional Homecoming musical. This year's production will be Scrooge. A complete list of Homecoming activities is available at www.harding.edu/homecoming

"Kids from the Home" Book Dedication

Library Director Ann Dixon and Harding Vice-President of Finance Mel Sansom accept two copies of "Kids from the Home" from Tennessee Children's Home Director of Development Bill Alsup and author Mary Ann Holder Arnett.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Tennessee Children's Home in Spring Hill, Tennessee, Mary Ann Holder Arnett has compiled a history of the organization. The book "Kids from the Home" is filled with pictures and anecdotes of life at the children's home and stories of their lives after leaving the facility.

On Tuesday morning of Lectureship, Sept. 29, 2009, Brackett Library hosted a ceremony, dedicating the book to the students from the children's home who also attended Harding College/University. Two books were placed in the library collection and a plaque will be displayed in the building with their names.