Book Review: The Stork is Dead

Throughout the library, there are many books. Most of which do not get checked out very often. The other day, I was straightening out some books in the back of the Mezzanine. Here, I saw a book that caught my eye. The book is titled, The Stork is Dead. Now as one can infer from the title, it is about something that has to do with babies, or, yes I’m going to go there, the conception of babies. Now if you don’t know how that process works, please go talk to Nurse Allison. I’m sure she would be happy to sit down and discuss it with you. When I started reading the book, I honestly could not put it down.

This book is aimed towards the audience of teenagers who are struggling with the temptation of sex. Even if you are not at a point in your life where this topic could apply to you, I highly recommend reading the book. Not only is the book very well written, but it also honest. For me, honesty is something that is very important. I would rather someone be blunt and honest with me than beat around the bush and approach a situation passive aggressively. Not only does this book openly discuss the forms of sexual temptation that teenagers go through, but it also uses real questions that have been asked and real situations to answer them. The author of the book is also Christian, so that’s always a plus! The way he approaches the answers about sex and sexual activities is honest and in a way that is glorifying to God. This book talks about what most churches tend to avoid, especially around teenagers. Sex is something that is enjoyable, but within the context of marriage. The Stork is Dead explains this in an open, honest, and actually helpful way. If you yourself are curious about this topic, or plan on having many interactions with teenagers in the near future, I highly recommend this book. But also remember, sex is natural. It’s something that we do need to talk about, but in an appropriate and helpful context. All of which this book does.

~Kara Williams

Let the music begin!

Hey, are you majoring in Music? Looking to broaden your musical horizons or
simply add a new track to your playlist? Then Cairn University’s Masland Library is the
place for you! Throughout the library’s first and second floors, you will discover an array
of wonderful books on many of the world’s greatest composers. Explore the stories
behind the lives of Chopin, Debussy, Mozart and Beethoven and how their genius came
to be.

Masland Library offers material on a vast number of genres, ranging from Choral
Music to Hip-Hop. Jazz, Folk, Chamber Music, Gospel and Rock n Roll can also be found. There’s even a selection of more obscure genres like Honky-Tonk and Shaker. If your focus is biblical studies, there are books on the history of Christian Music, Spirituals and Amish Hymns!

For anyone looking to play or research a musical instrument, there’s a multitude
of materials to choose from. Expand your knowledge of piano, woodwinds, strings and
percussion so you can “rock out” with friends or serenade someone special. There’s
even music from the Romantic and Baroque Periods, perfect for dancing the night
away. Masland Library is the ideal place for Music majors and non-music majors alike,
whether you desire to brush up on your theory skills or broaden your musical horizons.

And do not forget our online resources, we have some great databases like Alexander Street Press and Naxos Music Library!  These sources will allow you to find sheet music and to listen online to a huge library of music.

So, do yourself a favor. Take a trip to our amazing library, and let the music begin !

~Ms. Diamond Franklin, Vocal Performance

Leave the shelving to us!

As the body of Christ, it is natural to possess the desire to assist others.  When visiting the library, the best assistance you can give us is to not re-shelf books.  We appreciate that you re-shelf books in an attempt to help us out, but leaving that job to your fellow student workers will help us out even more.

• Records are kept within library systems for the usage of books. These records let the library staff know how often books are used and which ones are most essential to the student body.  Therefore, all books you use – whether you check them out or use them in the library only – need to be recorded in the system.  To help us do this, please leave books on the tables, on the carts throughout the library, or bring them to the front desk and stick them in the book-drop slot.
• In a library, all books are categorized and have certain “homes” within the stacks. Letting library workers re-shelf books helps to ensure that all books are in the appropriate home.  If books are not in their home, they become difficult to find and are then deemed “missing.”  Those poor books  I bet they really miss their neighborhood friends they’re used to being around.   You can help them stay happy by dropping them off on the tables, carts, or at the front desk to be returned to their home by the library workers.
• Fun fact: Student workers get paid to clean up your books and re-shelf them. That’s right.    With real money – not Monopoly money.  By allowing us to re-shelf your books, you help us work for our money.  Plus, why go through the madness of trying to re-shelf books when you don’t have to.  Let us help you, by leaving the shelving to us.

**Disclaimer:  If you are walking through the library and notice books within the stacks that have colored slips in them, please leave the slip in the book.  Student workers who are in shelving training put those in so that the library staff can double-check them, so that they are indeed in the correct spot.  This process, along with the ones mentioned above, helps ensure that when you embark on the great book-finding journey, the perfect will book will be right there waiting for you.

~Rea Fearson

 

Stories

That is what humanity has been so obsessed with for all of time. Whether it was oral tradition passed down generation to generation or some of the first ones written down like Gilgamesh, humanity has been so fascinated by stories. Think about even the boring epics you have to read in class, when you hear the condensed version suddenly a whole world in brought to life and it’s suddenly interesting. Even now one of the biggest industries in the world, Hollywood, does nothing but tell a tale that sucks us in and has us talking for weeks. Think about most of your conversations with friends, what are they? Often times we are telling each other stories about our experiences or even the experiences of others.

Tolkien picked up on this in his book the Twin Towers: “Still, I wonder if we shall ever be put into songs or tales. We’re in one, of course, but I mean: put into words, you know, told by the fireside, or read out of a great big book with red and black letters, years and years afterwards.” Stories stick in our heads. I think this is why Jesus told stories. When we think about the words of Jesus it is so easy to bring back the prodigal son or the story of the seeds that grew and the ones that did not. Even the Bible as a whole tells us a story. When we share the gospel in essence what we are doing is telling people the greatest story ever. It’s amazing. The library is full of great biographies of people’s life stories. The amazing things they have done. Or even fiction novels that are some of the greatest stories ever written.  So I challenge you, find a story. Write one, read one, or maybe for the first time discover your own. If Lit and Arts has taught me anything it’s long after we are gone the stories will live on.

~Billy Holland

(This image is not owned by Masland Library.)

The Joys of Independent Study

When homework continually piles up throughout the semester, it is hard to think of doing any independent study for one’s own benefit. But sometimes, some independent study is actually more refreshing than draining.

During this semester, I have had the opportunity to begin studying Islam. For one of the fastest growing religions in the world, it is upsetting how little I knew about it. Once I decided that I desired to know more, I began perusing a few different sections within our library that contained literature on the subject. I found many decent resources, but I must say that my favorite book that I stumbled upon is Unveiling Islam by Ergun Mehmet Caner and Emir Fethi Caner. Although I am currently only 54 pages in, this book has taught me a substantial amount about this belief system.

The authors of Unveiling Islam, Ergun and Emir, are brothers who were raised as Sunni Muslims. Now, highly respected theology professors, Ergun and Emir wrote this book together in order to present the practices, ethics, and beliefs of Islam. Ergun and Emir helpfully present the Islamic beliefs by directly contrasting them to Christianity.

Some other books that were also helpful to me were Islam: A Short Guide to the Faith by Roger Allen and Shawkat M. Toorawa, and A New Anthropology of Islam by John Bowen.

As college students, there is so much to balance, and the idea of adding one more thing onto our plate doesn’t exactly sound like the most appetizing option, but amidst all of the stress of homework and extracurricular activities, it can be nice to set aside some time to invest in an area that is unrelated to your studies that interests you. Balancing time is key, but I encourage you to take a book, fiction or non-fiction, and set aside time during your semester to read for fun. With always reading for classes, the joy of reading tends to disappear. I challenge you to remember that reading can actually be quite an enjoyable endeavor.

~Leia Brunette

Book Review- Mr. Wuffles!

Warning- this post may contain spoilers.

Mr. Wuffles! is a Caldecott Honor winning children’s book by David Wiesner. On the cover, it looks as if it is going to be about a cat. This is true, in a sense. Mr. Wuffles is a cat who has little interest in his toys, at least until a tiny alien UFO lands among them. Fascinated by them, Mr. Wuffles follows them. The rest of the book is shown through the alien’s perspective as they try to escape the curious cat. I say “shown,” as the entire story is told without the use of words. The aliens have speech bubbles, but the language within them is gibberish, allowing the reader to imagine for himself what is being said. As a small child, I liked to make up what the characters were saying in books as I could not read it for myself. This book presents the perfect opportunity to do just that. As a whole, the book provides an explanation for cats’ seemingly inexplicable obsession with whatever is under the furniture, and also entertains cat lovers like me with a near perfect representation of a cat’s behavior and posture.

To see this book, and other Caldecott Honor books, browse the back wall of Juvenile awards in the Juvenile/Curriculum section of the library (Mezzanine level all the way in the back).

~Ryan Eshelman

Book Recommendation- Fahrenheit 451

Titles are often what catch people’s attention. So was my case with Fahrenheit 451. Why the strange title you may ask. The title of the book is the temperature at which books burn. It is set in a dystopian society where they have decided that books are a bad thing. They are useless collections of words that mess with people’s view of reality and toy with their emotions resulting in poor judgment.

Guy Montag is a fireman, not a firefighter whose job is to burn books. A task which he has found satisfying until a seventeen-year-old girl named Clarisse McClellan pops into his life, and starts asking him questions and pointing out things that he had never thought about before. This is where Montag’s journey really starts as he discovers the wonder of books for himself.

I really enjoyed this book and think it may be one of my new favorite in the category from dystopian literature. I would recommend it to people who read and enjoyed The Hunger Games series and were looking for something else with a world gone wrong and a desire for change. Also for those who liked 1984, there are some similarities. I would say even if you hated 1984 and wished it could have been a bit different I would recommend this book because I personally was not a fan of 1984, and the thought of going into another dystopian intimidated me a bit, but Ray Bradbury had me from the first page of the story all the way through.

I would also encourage you to read his two introductions. I started to read and fell in love with the author immediately because I connected with his love of books and how he came across his ideas. Even if that is not something you enjoy, seeing his thought process is rather interesting.

I will leave you with a quote from his character Farber in the book. “The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us.” ― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Happy reading!

Elisabeth Smith

Suggested Art Competition

The library staff has an idea for a new art competition and we need your help to determine if there is enough interest.  In lieu of the Library’s participation in the University-wide art competition, it was suggested the Library sponsor a book art competition.

What is book art? 

There are so many types of book art out there and we have included some for you to see here in this blog.  Masland Library’s definition of book art is: Art that is either designed or created using books as the main creative element.

Styles?

Sculptures, origami, architecture, and so many other styles can be used.

Are you interested? 

If you are can you please comment here or on Facebook after this post.

Christmas on a Budget

The semester is coming to a close and soon we will be able to go home and enjoy our families, but there is one thing that I know that I have had trouble remembering for the past few years: Christmas. Some of you may not have thought about it because you still have over a month and figure you can do it when you get home. There are others though like me who prefer to be ahead of the game.

I have two words for you: Book Sale. We have had the book sale going on at the library for a while and it is continuing until the end of the semester. The prices are $1 for hardback and $0.50 for a paperback, and however many you can fit into a plastic bag is $5.

We have a wide selection of books. We have ones for the theology buff in your family as well as the history buff. There are some books on art. There are others on marriage and other family ties and more. Maybe you would find one that interested you.

Why the book sale? Where else are you going to find books in good condition for this price and not have to deal with shipping rates? Especially since it is right on campus on the lower level of the library, you do not have to journey off campus looking for that special gift.

So come on out and see what the book sale has to offer you and your loved ones. Once you have filled your bag or gotten your selection, take them to the front desk to pay for them. Then enjoy your Christmas break knowing you have completed part of your Christmas list.

~ Elisabeth Smith

Four Years Later

Guest Post by Abbie Fehr

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I came to work at the library the beginning of my freshman year at Cairn. I just thought I’d be working with a bunch of books. And while that has been overwhelmingly true, four years of working at the library—including 2 J-terms and 3 summers—has taught me that it’s so much more.  

The library’s about journals. I wouldn’t be a proper library employee if I didn’t at least give the obligatory nod to some of the other resources the library offers. I bet you didn’t even know this job was an option, but I worked two years as the Serials Clerk—stamping, shelving, and shifting the various periodicals that come into the library. They’re nifty, but most people don’t even know that they exist on the right side of the bottom floor of the library. Check them out sometime, except not literally because they’re set as Library Use Only and taking them from the library would be considered stealing. And that would make me sad. And for goodness sake, please use the online databases sometime. They make your work a whole lot easier and more credible, and you’ll have less to regret when you graduate and have no access to them anymore. At least make the most of the time you have. There’s also CDs and DVDs, including all three seasons of Downton Abbey, which of course you have the time to watch during the semester.

The library’s about studying. I didn’t actually do all that much studying in the library because, as an employee, I invariably got people coming to me with library questions when I was trying to do my homework. I didn’t like the tension between the joy of helping someone and the frustration at being derailed from my train of thought, so I just stayed away. But I’ll still think fondly of how I used the uncomfortable chairs to spur me on to finish my paper faster or how I felt lost and confused when I found that some cruel person had taken my spot at study carrel #42. Sometimes the library felt like an existential time loop, where hundreds of students have written that same eschatology paper in this building over the past 20 years. There’s a strange solace in that kind of solidarity.  

The library’s about people. While library patrons are all well and good, the people in the library that will stick with me the most are the librarians. Having worked in both parts of the library—the “downstairs” Circulation department and “upstairs” Technical Services department—I’ve had the privilege of working with all 7 of Cairn’s librarians. (Yes, there are more than just the two you see on a regular basis.) I will miss the quiet kindness that I observed in Gwenn, the teasing I took from Alice, the thunderous theological discussions I had with Melvin, the vegan recipes I stole from Laura, the analysis of period dramas I thought through with Stephanie, the laughter I shared with Nang Tsin, and the polite banter I ventured with Dr. Hui. Those things might have little to do with actual work, but that is not to imply that everyone’s lazy. We’re not. We do a lot more than patrons will ever see, and we like it that way. More than all of the stamping and shifting and shelving that I’ve done in the library, these conversations that happened amidst and around that work will stick with me the longest.  

The library’s about Jesus.  Mostly, I think, the past four years have taught me that the library’s about Jesus. I mean this on more than the fundamental fact that it’s a theological library at a biblical university. That’s just the obvious part. But through example and explanation, I’ve seen the Gospel play out between those pale pink walls. I was forgiven one day when I completely forgot to show up to work as a freshman and then restored to the point where I was given a key and the freedom to come work on library projects at off hours. There was the time where I sent my boss an email because I was nearing an emotional breaking point and didn’t know if I could keep it together at work—and rather than lecturing me about professionalism—he simply told me that he and his wife were praying for me. From serious talks on Calvinism and church music to advice on how to seduce men with pie, I’ve been convicted, challenged, amused, unsettled, and encouraged by the various people at the library. They’re not perfect. I’m not perfect. But beyond a shared love of books, a shared love of Jesus draws us together in a way that nothing else can.
I’ve learned a lot in these past four years, and the library has been a big part of it. Though gone for less than a week, I already miss it. I will always be grateful.

Goodbye.

abbie fehr.