Subject Librarian Trading Card Instagram CONTEST - Ending Soon!

Are you studying English, Philosophy, or Modern Languages?  
Do you love free library swag?

This is your lucky week!

Alkek Library is hosting a Subject Librarian Trading Card Contest, and the deadline is SOON (November 16th, 11:59PM).

Psssssst.... Guess what? I'm your Subject Librarian!

Let's give the other Departments a run for their money! This is a short contest, so you have a very good chance of winning some Alkek Library swag! I'll even throw in an extra prize if a student in one of my subjects wins! Shhh... don't tell anyone.
 
HOW TO ENTER TO WIN:

Grab my trading card the next time you're in Alkek Library! (It's in the information stand located near the staircase on the main floor.) Hint: Look for the Cheshire Cat!

THEN:
Post a picture of you with my card (or just a picture of the card itself). 
Tag @alkeklibrary and use #myTXSTlibrarian in your post.
Post by Friday, November 16 at 11:59PM

We'll randomly select a winner and announce on the following Monday!

Who is your Subject Librarian?

Did you know you have a Subject Librarian at Texas State University Libraries?

Subject Librarian Trading Cards

What exactly does a Subject Librarian do?

Just this semester, I've met with numerous students who needed assistance finding appropriate resources for their assignments. You can schedule a research consultation with your Subject Librarian.

We also teach information literacy classes, collaborate with faculty on library events, provide workshops on a multitude of topics, and maintain the library's print and electronic collections.

We also tell bad jokes... 

or...

I'll let myself out.

EXTENDED THROUGH JULY! Library Materials from FIL de Guadalajara International Book Fair

Visit our exhibit in the 2nd floor display cases at Alkek Library (near the elevators on the main floor)

Exhibit Poster

In November 2017, staff from Alkek Library attended FIL de Guadalajara, the 2nd largest book fair in the world, in Jalisco, Mexico to select materials for Alkek Library's collection. Over 100 books were added to our collection including photography, poetry, literature, art, history, sociology, politics, maps, and more!

Watch FILGuadalajara's video for a taste of the fair!

Our exhibit includes a curated selection from those materials and will remain on display through June 15, 2018. EXTENDED THROUGH JULY!

Co-Curators: Liz King, Tara Spies Smith, and Lorin Flores

View all of the books that were purchased from FIL 2017 here: http://guides.library.txstate.edu/guadalajarabooks

Also available as an RSS feed: http://bit.ly/FILbooks (best viewed in Firefox)

FIL de Guadalajara Exhibit at Alkek

Photo of Display Cases by Tara Spies Smith

Detailed photos of the display are available on the FIL de Guadalajara Book Exhibit research guide

The exhibit includes new library materials, fiber arts from Tlaquepaque, pottery from Tonalá, FIL de Guadalajara promotional materials, and photographs by Tara Spies Smith.

Stop by and sign the official exhibit guestbook! If you can't make it in person, check out the online photo album, and leave your comments for us in this blog post!

Researching Guadalajara and Mexico

If you are not using a university computer, you will need to login with your university credentials to access the following resources.

Our CultureGrams database is an excellent source of information about Mexico, including the country's background, land and climate, history, population, language, religion, customs, courtesies, and more!

Physical Map from CultureGrams Database

Also check out our CountryWatch database for another detailed review of Mexico, including overviews of the country, its politics, economics, sociological and environmental aspects. (You can also use this stable URL for CountryWatch database.)

Want to learn more about Guadalajara? You can find hundreds of reference materials about Guadalajara in our CredoReference database!

Humanities Librarian, Liz King, exploring Guadalajara

Your Voice

"Alkek has outstanding classical and contemporary poetry: Ovid, Rita Dove, Gwendolyn Brooks, Langston Hughes, Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Larry Levis, and Gregory Pardlo. I enjoy coming to the 6th floor and browsing the PA, PR, and PS call number areas for hours. I usually walk away with a stack of books as large as my torso. As a graduate student of poetry, being able to check books out for six months gives me the luxury of taking home material that I can peruse at later date. I also host the Lunch Poems series with Liz King, the English Subject Librarian."

- Wade Martin,  Masters of Fine Arts, Poetry

Film Talks: Get Out

What is it about art and films that helps make conversations flow a little easier?

"I love horror and the imagery is firmly rooted in what I know and love about horror," [Jordan Peele] told NBCBLK. "But it is a social thriller. It is like a psychological thriller. It's about the mind. Allegory is the best way to get people to talk. If we can have a shared experience in a movie theatre, it gives us more of a basis for conversation." - Jordan Peele, Director of "Get Out"

We are so thrilled (pun intended) to be showing "Get Out" as our first Film Talks title this semester. There is so much packed into this movie, we could probably talk about it for days, weeks, months... let's face it - we could talk about it forever.

And we should. Did you have the opportunity to see Bryan Stevenson speak this week, as our LBJ Distinguished Speaker? He encouraged us to "have uncomfortable conversations" as a way to make the world better. I think "Get Out" is a great movie to start some uncomfortable conversations.

Why is it so difficult to talk about race? Why do we usually shy away from these conversations at the very moment we should be having them most?

The Film Talks crew has been hard at work preparing discussion questions in advance to help spark a conversation after the screening. We're fortunate to have the university community surrounding us to help us in starting, and continuing, these uncomfortable conversations. 

"If something unsettles you, you're left to deal with why it unsettled you." - Jordan Peele

We may not have any of the answers, but a good place to start is by asking the right questions, and being open to discussion. I hope you can join us on Tuesday, February 13, from 2-5pm, at Alkek Library for the "Get Out" screening and discussion. Entry is limited to the first 100 to arrive (due to room capacity). The film is available streaming on our SWANK database, so you can watch it in your own time if you're not able to attend.

 

How to stream Oscar winners and nominated films

The full list of 2018 Oscar nominations was announced today!

"Get Out" was nominated for Best Picture, Director, and Lead Actor.

image source

Did you know you can watch "Get Out" on our SWANK streaming database?

Check out Kanopy for other Oscar nominated and winning films!

If you're interested in watching award-winning films, Alkek Library has a film screening and discussion series called Film Talks. Don't miss out on the chance to attend our screenings and participate in the conversation after with faculty, research librarians, and other university community members.

Snow in San Marcos!

Taken earlier today in San Marcos!

JK... It's from the 1930s! But it may as well have been taken today!

Visit our San Marcos Daily Records Photographic Negatives Collection to see more...