Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Collection Development And Plans For The Future!, Ellianie Vega

Blogging the Library

It’s finally starting to feel like spring, and I’m finally starting to develop my final project for my internship! So much has happened in the past few weeks; I’ve had the opportunity to observe a music class that was writing a musical and I’ve been focusing on collection development for an Afrofuturism collection. Collection development was actually much more difficult than I had anticipated, especially since Afrofuturism is such a timely and emerging genre. In the few weeks since I began the project, a handful of new Afrofuturism titles have been published to much acclaim, and even older books that …

Research Help Desk And Class Observation, Ellianie Vega

Blogging the Library

As of today, I’ve officially been alone on the Research Help Desk for two weeks! At first it was a little intimidating, but by using the research and citations guides I’ve been able to handle every questions I’ve gotten so far. During my desk shifts, I’ve also been studying readings about ebooks, collection, and weeding, as well as getting better acquainted with the databases. I decided to study databases that were in disciplines that I hadn’t encountered in my academic career, so I spent a lot of time in resources like Bio1 and LexisNexis. My favorite database that I’ve found …

Getting To Know You, Getting To Know All About You, Abigail K. Major

Blogging the Library

My experience as the Fortebaugh Intern in Research and Instruction these past few weeks have flown by. By sitting on the “other side” of the Research Help Desk, and being able to interact with various people (whether that be the inquisitive college student who has a question, or librarians here at Musselman library) my perceptions of what libraries are, their purpose and function, as well as the idea and practice of librarianship have altered and allowed me to look and think about libraries in a different light. [excerpt]

Hello Again!, Kayla Morrow

Blogging the Library

The fall semester flew by so quickly and now I’m finding myself serving on the Holley Intern Search Committee…..meaning that my internship is almost over.

With that in mind, I wanted to give a quick update on my thoughts from the fall semester, during which time I worked half-days in Technical Services and Research and Instruction. All in all, I was [pleasantly] surprised. When I first heard that I would be rotating through Technical Services and Research and Instruction at the same time, I thought my work in both departments would be unrelated. I mean, Technical Services sounds like it …

A Short Introduction, Ellianie Vega

Blogging the Library

I’m a sophomore English w/ Writing Concentration and Women and Gender Studies Major, as well as a Japanese minor. When I was growing up, my public library was a place of refuge and exploration, but it I didn’t exactly consider a profession in the library sciences until recently. As I grew from a book-devouring child to a book-devouring teenager, I realized I was beginning to fall out of love with libraries, and I couldn’t exactly pen why. When I examined the root of my sudden falling out, I found a strange answer; my public and high school libraries didn’t have …

A Brief Introduction, Kayla Morrow

Blogging the Library

I’m a 2017 graduate of a small liberal-arts college named Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. I double majored in English and Philosophy and was fortunate to have two archival internships at the Mount during my senior year. I had never considered a career in archival science before this point—in fact, I don’t think I knew what archival science even was—but I fell in love with my work at the Mount’s library. Nearing graduation, I decided that I wanted to pursue either a general MLIS or a library science degree with a specialization. But, as I soon realized, picking …

Class Observation, Abigail K. Major

Blogging the Library

As the Fortenbaugh Intern in Research and Instruction, a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to observe a couple of class research sessions which were led by some of the Research and Instruction librarians. Coming from a student perspective, I had always found these sessions informative. Each session has allowed me to become more comfortable with my major’s research guide and permits me to learn more about the various databases (shout out to JSTOR) that are available to use. In short, I have always enjoyed these sessions that are led by Research and Instruction librarians, because I am …

The Characteristics Of Cataloging, Abigail K. Major

Blogging the Library

These past few weeks I have been at the Research Help Desk on my own, and while at first I was extremely nervous and a little bit intimidated, each shift at the Research Help Desk has allowed me to become more confident in my capabilities. Each question that has been directed my way has allowed me to apply the skills I have learned during training. Even if I do not know the answer, I know that the Research and Instruction Librarians are only a few meters away, and are there to help and support me as I continue my journey …

A Small Introduction, Abigail K. Major

Blogging the Library

I’ve always have had a special place in my heart for libraries. During my childhood, I spent a lot of time in the school’s library as well as my community’s. I spent so many of my lunch periods in the elementary school’s library that I became a ‘regular.’ I was eventually asked by the librarian to become a library aide, and assisted in checking in and out books, and shelving. I also was captain of the Battle of the Books team in fifth and sixth grade! Looking back at it now, those wonderful experiences instilled in me a love for …

Hidden Beneath: Watermarks In The Early American Document Collection, Tyler R. Black

Blogging the Library

This summer, as the Smith Intern at Special Collections, I was tasked with working on a hodge-podge of assembled documents, previously referred to as the “18th Century Document” collection. The box’s contents had been around for just about as long as anyone could remember, and really only got exposure for the Revolutionary War classes that had class sessions through Special Collections. Yet, as I browsed through the collection (which was really a small assemblage of papers), the box was much more than a Revolution collection. [excerpt]

From Professor-Student To Collaborators, Jesse E. Siegel

Blogging the Library

I had not met Michael Ritterson before he visited the Conservation Lab at Special Collections, where he was having a book mended, but I had certainly heard of him. A former faculty member of the German department, Mr. Ritterson is now a German translator, taking on projects from translating the work of a 17th German woman’s study of butterflies to the poetry of a Berlin leftist written during the 1968 Movement. And, by previous contact in the mail, he had heard of me. So after Mary Wooton showed him the fully repaired book, we were formally introduced and had the …

Final Post, John C. Hill

Blogging the Library

It’s hard to believe that my last semester at Gettysburg College is almost over. My senior year has gone by so quickly! Yesterday, I helped with the Finals Study Break. We served almost 12 gallons on ice cream to students working in the library. I also managed to win my first game of Uno with Clint, Mallory, Meghan, and Chelsea.

I have learned so much from my internship. Our library is a complex organism with various moving parts, and it takes coordination and hard work to keep things running. I am glad that I was about to focus on one …

The Fortenbaugh In A Music Education Context, Brittany N. Barry

Blogging the Library

This past weekend I attended the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Annual Conference in Hershey, PA. Along with the rest of my music education program here at Gettysburg College I went on a two day trip the Hershey Lodge to attend professional sessions, network with in-service teachers and administrators, and walk the music education marketplace. Now that I am back it is time to begin work putting together my library research guide geared towards helping others involved in music education and I have new insights to consider. [excerpt]

On The Web-Worldcat, Digital Publications, And New Editions, Jake A. Farias

Blogging the Library

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the warmer weather! Despite the real arrival of spring and sun, the Reference Desk is expecting a huge pick-up in the library and in citation and research questions as we move towards the end of the semester and the due dates for final research papers. Apart from regular work at the Desk, I am still working on the Collection Development Project, now in the online section of the project. I’ve been working a lot with MUSCAT and WorldCat, trying to discover how many copies of the Parkin books are available in other …

Weeding... It Isn't Just For Gardens, Jake A. Farias

Blogging the Library

Sorry, I haven’t posted in a while; I’ve been holding out until I got to the finishing stages of the Collection Development project. Yes, that’s right, for the past couple of weeks, when I was pacing up and down the stacks on the second floor, I was not actually going crazy. [excerpt]

Perusing The Stacks: Cataloging Music, Brittany N. Barry

Blogging the Library

This week and last I have been learning about some of the basics of cataloging. While the cataloging of books is often fairly straight forward, such is not case with music. There are some extra, important bits of information that make a big difference in cataloging and finding musical works. [excerpt]

From The Classroom To Musselman Library: Bridging The Gap For Music Education, Brittany N. Barry

Blogging the Library

I am in my sixth semester as a music education major through the Sunderman Conservatory and yet I had no idea there was a music education collection here at Musselman Library until just a couple weeks ago. After reading up on some policies and practices for maintaining collections I was given some time to peruse the music education collection more closely. As I looked through the shelves and skimmed some introductions and tables of contents of a few of the books in MT1 I began considering how I would go about updating and maintaining this small collection. [excerpt]

Getting My Feet Wet, Jake A. Farias

Blogging the Library

In the past two weeks, I have become much more comfortable at the Research Help Desk. I have been asked a whole variety of questions, from printing to citation to looking for books and articles. Despite a few challenging requests, I feel more confident in answering difficult research questions (which is good, because next week I’ll be working my first solo shift!). I will miss working with staff members at the Desk, largely because I enjoyed chatting with them about research skills, politics, sports, or anything that piqued our interests. [excerpt]

Starting At The Research Help Desk, Jake A. Farias

Blogging the Library

I have just completed my second week at the Research Help Desk and feel as though I am starting to get a good handle of the work. Even after our intense boot camp training, I felt nervous to start fielding questions. But after working through printer issues, citations, and some source searches with patrons, I am feeling more and more comfortable every day. With that said, I still have loads more to learn in the next few weeks. [excerpt]

Life In The Fishbowl, Brittany N. Barry

Blogging the Library

I was never quite certain what went on in those offices behind the glass windows on the second floor of Musselman Library, but two weeks into my Fortenbaugh Music Librarian Internship I am beginning to get an idea. After talking with some of the staff that work in the fishbowl I have gotten a glimpse at some of the goings on behind the scenes of the librarian. If you’ve ever wondered how all these books and resources came to be or how in the world you are able to find a single thing in this place (maybe with some assistance), …

The Day Is Done, Alexa R. Schreier

Blogging the Library

It truly seems as though my time in Special Collections started only a few short weeks ago, when in actuality three months and a variety of projects have since taken place. From making countless boxes, to repairing a 200 year old book, to digitizing dance cards, my time in Special Collections has provided me with invaluable hands-on conservation and processing experience. One of the most unique aspects about Special Collections (that I’ll greatly miss) is the spontaneous experiences of discovering a new historical treasure on every shelf or seeing a patron bring in a valuable item and share their side …

And Then There Was One..., Alexa R. Schreier

Blogging the Library

As you can tell from the many “last posts” below, Special Collections has grown increasingly quiet over the past two weeks, as all of the other interns have completed their time here at the library. Despite being the last one standing, a very quiet Special Collections has allowed me to put the finishing touches on the Dance Card Collection (Shall We Dance) that Avery and I spent a large portion of the summer working on. Though at times the project seemed never ending, between finding new dance cards in the depth of already existing collections, to learning what it means …

For Good: My Last Post Of The Summer, Elizabeth P. Steinhour

Blogging the Library

So the summer has flown by and as my last day is Friday, here’s my last post. I have finished my first draft transcription of the H.L Baugher travel diary and am in the process of proofreading it (which I hope to finish tomorrow!). I have made a finding guide to describe the diary and its contents and digitized several pages containing flower samples as well! This project has been so much fun and I have truly enjoyed working so closely with such an amazing artifact. [excerpt]

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow, Avery N. Fox

Blogging the Library

As the words of William Shakespeare elaborate, this will be my final blog post of the summer. Tomorrow will be my last day here at Special Collections as the Diane Werley Smith ’73 intern and it is amazing how fast the summer has flown by. For the past few months I have learned and experienced so much and I am grateful for every moment. From processing the letters of a World War II housewife, Lillian Quinn, to rehousing and digitizing dance cards, it has been a busy and fulfilling summer. [excerpt]

"Let Us Cross Over The River And Rest Under The Shade Of The Trees,": My Final Post For The Summer, Steven J. Semmel

Blogging the Library

As the summer comes to a close, the more I think about my experiences here at Special Collections. This internship was completely different compared to my past internships, going from giving tours to creating finding aids for collections. I lived a Civil War Era Studies student’s dream, being able to handle a wide range of artifacts and documents while helping preserve them at the same time. The Hosford Collection has portions of it digitized on GettDigital and I am currently working on reorganizing and editing the Civil War Vertical File Manuscript. The Hosford Collection helped me establish my understanding of …

Shall We Dance?, Avery N. Fox

Blogging the Library

Hello readers! The summer at Special collections is flying by and next week will already be my last week here as the Diane Werley Smith intern ’73. Though the weeks are winding down, we still are busy as bees here in Special Collections. As I said in my last post, I finally finished the rehousing of the Dance Card collection, and the next step taken my Alexa and myself was to start scanning and digitizing the cards for a digital collection. We chose to digitize 56 from around 80 dance cards to serve as highlights of the collection, for their …

To England And Beyond!, Elizabeth P. Steinhour

Blogging the Library

As I mentioned before, I am primarily working on transcribing the European travel diary of H. Lewis Baugher. He and his friend have so far arrived in England, and traveled to Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and the 1867 Exhibition in Paris.. He has described in detail all the wonderful sights he has seen including Oxford, beautiful rivers, and talked to several interesting people. My favorite parts of the diary, however, are when he describes the scenes of nature. One particular scene that grabbed my attention was describing Mt. Snowden in Wales and he has also described the scenes in Paris with …

The Art Of Processing A Collection, Alexa R. Schreier

Blogging the Library

One of the most astounding things about Special Collections and Archives is that there is no necessarily right or wrong way to process a collection. If you have the same questions as I did when I first started, you may be wondering what exactly processing a collection means. Coming from a background of working in libraries, there has always been a right and wrong order, and most often than not the right way includes being alphabetical and chronological. However, that’s not always the case in Special Collections. What I’ve learned so far is that effectively processing a collection means to …

Faces Of The Civil War, Steven J. Semmel

Blogging the Library

As the internship enters its final month of the summer, I’ve been processing and looking at various Civil War collections. This era in history is well known for the bloody conflicts that separated the nation. However, not much is known about most individuals that fought in different regiments across the country, or even what they looked like. Special Collections is home to a few faces that at Gettysburg, out West, prisoners at Andersonville, or stationed in places like Florida. The collections I have recently processed included photos of those soldiers at different stages in their life. [excerpt]

Would You Care To Dance?, Avery N. Fox

Blogging the Library

Howdy readers! There are so many updates here in Special Collections. As of late, I, and the other interns, have received cataloguing training from Kate and Carolyn and soon I will begin cataloguing the pamphlet collection. Also, I have continued work on a finding guide for the Lillian Quinn letter collection. [excerpt]