University Libraries

Reference and Instruction Librarian Von Yeager was recently elected president of the UI African American Council. Von has been actively involved with the Council since coming to the University Libraries last year. His term as president will begin October 1.

Von also serves on the Hubbard Task Force for the Retention and Success of African American Men Associated with the University of Iowa.

The mission of the African American Council (AAC ) is to promote and improve the quality of life of African American faculty, staff and students at the University of Iowa. The African American Council is poised to address the changing needs and concerns of African Americans on campus.

To this end, through service and action, the AAC promotes awareness of important African American concerns and contributions to the University, while advancing the University’s commitment to diversity and academic excellence.

The first presentation of the Opera Studies Forum features a well-known Japanese author and the screening of a recently composed opera, in collaboration with the International Writing Program, the International Programs, the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies, and the Department of Asian Languages and Literature, and the Department of Cinema & Comparative Literature.

On Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. in Room 107 EPB, Masahiko Shimada will host a screening of the 2004 opera Jr. Butterfly (a sequel to Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, that tells of the tragic romance of Butterfly’s son). Mr. Shimada will give an introduction to this opera, for which he wrote the libretto to music composed by Shigeaki Saegusa. The originalperformance was recorded at the 2006 Puccini Festival. Mr. Shimada will also be available to answer questions.

Mr. Shimada is (b. 1961) is an award-winning author, one of the most decorated writers and commentators in Japan today. In addition to writing numerous fiction publications, Shimada founded and directed a successful theater group during the 1990s and continues to work in performing arts. He currently teaches at Hosei University. In June-July of this year he presented a television lecture series on opera (eight 25-minute programs), which was broadcast by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation.

The devastating flood that hit Iowa last summer made headlines around the state, nation and world. Yet many stories could be lost if not preserved – or worse, simply remain untold.

University of Iowa Libraries – along with university and community partners  –  has invited the national StoryCorps Project to collect and preserve these stories of everyday heroism and kindness in a program titled, “Under the Current: Collecting Stories from the Flood.”

“We have a responsibility to preserve the experiences of every day people who were touched in profound ways by this historic flood,” said Nancy L. Baker, University Librarian. “This project is a perfect way to say ‘Thank you’ to everyone, whether they volunteered to help save books or photos, sand-bagged, helped a neighbor or simply persevered through surviving the flood. Even more important, however, it that this project preserves people’s stories so that future generations will know first-hand what happened during this significant time.”

Those who would like to share their flood stories or who would like to nominate a pair to interview one another – can call 319-335-5069 or visit: www.lib.uiowa.edu/events/floodstories. The deadline to sign up is Sunday, Sept. 21.

StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit project whose mission is to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to take home and share, and is also preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Over 40,000 people have recorded their stories with StoryCorps and millions listen to the broadcasts on public radio and on the Web. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind. 

The local project will include opportunities for 36 pairs of people from the local community – or a total of 72 people – to be interviewed to share their experiences either during or after the flood.

Interviews will be conducted Tuesday, Sept. 30 through Saturday, Oct. 11 with both the StoryCorps staff and local UI student facilitators who are enrolled in Applied Anthropology with Nanette Barkey, assistant anthropology professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Interviews will be held at University of Iowa Main Library as well as at the Iowa City and Coralville Public Libraries.

Interviews are conducted in the following format: two people who know one another and have a shared experience or memories related to the flood, will interview each other for 40 minutes, with a facilitator on-hand to help if needed. These interviews will be archived at the UI Libraries. Interviews conducted with StoryCorps staff will also be archived in the Library of Congress.

Nicole Saylor, Head of Digital Library Services at the University of Iowa, said that the most compelling stories come from two people who have a close connection to one another.

“All you need is a good story and someone to help you tell it,” Saylor said. “The best stories come from conversations between family members, friends or co-workers.”

David McCartney, University Archivist said that many participants in StoryCorps interviews describe the experience as a powerful catharsis as well.

 “Whether it’s a mother and son, two neighbors, a professor and a student or good friends, the most powerful stories come from two people who know one another well,” McCartney said. “Many participants describe this as a way to re-live an experience that may have been happy and exciting or harrowing and painful – but either way, they are incredibly important experiences to preserve for future generations.”

For more information on StoryCorps, visit: http://www.storycorps.net/.

Yoshiko Kajimoto will describe her experience as a Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor at a presentation 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 at the Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A.

On Aug. 6, 1945, Kajimoto was a student directed to work in an airplane parts factory 2.3 kilometers from the epicenter of where the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Kajimoto is speaking across the Midwest as part of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation’s goal to warn about the future destructive use of nuclear weapons.

Foundation Chairman Steven Lloyd Leeper will speak about the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the call for disarmament. He is a well-known peace activist and the first American to head the foundation. A reception will follow the talk.

“As a Japanese studies librarian in Iowa, I find that there is much about Japanese history and culture that I would like to share with my friends and colleagues here,” says the UI Libraries’ Chiaki Sakai, who helped arrange the presentation. “When I learned about the opportunity from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum to have an atomic bomb survivor visit campus, I thought it could be a way for people learn from her dramatic experiences.”

This talk is sponsored by and in cooperation with the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. UI sponsors include: the UI Libraries, Center for Asian and Pacific Studies, International Writing Program, the Bose Lecture Series of the Department of Political Science, Department of History, the UI Center for Human Rights and International Programs. Individual sponsors include Yozo Iwashita, Sakuragaoka Junior High School, Teiji Okada, the Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (HANWA), Mariko Mizugaki, Shinichi Kishi, the Hiroshima Peace Action Center, the Hiroshima Council against A- and H-bombs, Iwane Fujii, Takashi Yamaguchi and Yumi Ozaki.

The University of Iowa Libraries has a half-time Graphic & Web Designer position vacancy. The application deadline is September 9, 2008. Please follow the links to see a complete position description, including application instructions, for the Graphic & Web Designer position.

Creative, skilled, highly technical position designing web and print projects for the University of Iowa Libraries. Work as a member of a communications team that connects students, faculty/staff and general public to UI Libraries resources and services. Responsibilities: designs and implements innovative approaches to web communication for the UI Libraries’ website… (for the complete description).

As the fall semester starts, the Main Library is open and ready for students.

• The second floor ITC (computer lab) is open;
• Library staff is available at the reference desk and through IM until midnight;
• You can check out books and study in the library until 2 a.m.

When you walk into the middle of the building you’ll notice the large plastic air tubes. These are circulating warm, dry air throughout the building. This summer during the flooding, the University’s steam tunnels (part of the heating and air conditioning system for the entire campus) were damaged. In order to maintain a comfortable temperature and appropriate level of humidity, Facilities Management has installed this temporary air circulation system.

If you have questions about where your classes are or just need help finding something, feel free to contact our reference library staff at 319-335-5299.