Visiting Artist Lectures in MTSU Walker Library

Los Angeles-based artist Tucker Neel is the Fall 2008 Visiting Artist working on the replica 18th century printing press in the James E. Walker Library. He will hold a lecture open to students and faculty, Thursday, October 2, 2008 at 11:30a.m., room 475 here in the Library.

Neel’s work from the printing press will be part of an exhibition at a Nashville art gallery. In a nod to the political season, Snow Gallery is presenting Monuments to the Pres(id)ent, an exhibition of new work Friday, October 3, 2008, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

As an artist concerned with questions of how memory and memorialization influence subjective and national identity, Neel reflects on the current political landscape with new work questioning notions of choice, nationalist symbolism, allegiance, ideology, and, specifically, the iconography associated with political debate and electioneering.

This exhibition is purposefully situated in a very specific political and social context, occurring in the heart of the 2008 Presidential election. With one of the presidential debates just around the corner from Snow Gallery, 1517 Dallas Avenue, Nashville, http://www.snowgallery.net/, this exhibition exists as a complimentary open-ended forum, a place to reflect not just on the current political climate, but on how our present-day actions and beliefs are tied up in objects, images, and memories from the past.

The replica 18th century printing press is located on the fourth floor of the Library, room 462. For more information call 615-898-5376.

Register to Vote at the Library

Update 9/26/08: On Wednesday and Thursday, over 200 students registered to vote for the first time or updated their registrations. Way to go MTSU! Now make sure you actually get out to vote! Participate in early voting, October 15-30, to avoid long lines. See locations in Rutherford County or contact your county election commission. If you miss early voting, vote on Election Day, November 4, at your assigned precinct.
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On Wednesday, September 24 and Thursday, September 25, the James E. Walker Library at MTSU will host a voter registration drive from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Weather permitting, the table will be located under the portico directly outside the library main entrance. If the weather does not cooperate, the table will be located inside the library on the 1st floor.

Table volunteers will assist students in filling out Tennessee voter registration forms and will mail the forms to the registrants' county election commission. Students who currently live in Rutherford County but have a permanent residence in another county or state may choose to register to vote in Rutherford County for the upcoming election. According to the MTSU office for the American Democracy Project, students who are already registered in another county may change their registration to Rutherford County without negatively impacting their parents' ability to claim them for tax purposes or their financial aid options (see the AMD voter FAQs). So if you are not planning to go home from October 15-30 for early voting, or on election Day, November 4, please consider re-registering in Rutherford County.

Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage

New Business Database Training Session, Friday, September 26, 1:00pm , BAS-S328

**OPEN TO ALL FACULTY, STAFF, and STUDENTS**

Session led by John Quealy, Director Government and University Division Standard & Poor's, For more info contact Christy Groves, Walker Library, 8530, cgroves@mtsu.edu


Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage, a new database for business, company, and industry research is now available. Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage is comprehensive, professional source of proprietary analysis with tools to better understand the structure and dynamics of industries, companies and financial market trends. It is available on Databases A-Z, and the Business Communication & Entrepreneurship, Business, Management, & Marketing, and Economics & Finance subject guides.


Available publications include: Company Profiles, Bond Reports, Compustat Excel Analytics, Compustat International Fundamental Reports, Corporation Records, Fund Reports, Industry Survey, Outlook, Register Executives, Register Private Co., Register Public Co., Security Dealers, Stock Reports, SubIndustry Review.

Learn more about Standard & Poors NetAdvantage today by viewing the following guides:

NetAdvantage User Guide
Stock Report Features Guide
Mutual Fund Guide
Guided Tour

UPDATED : Constitution Day Activities

UPDATED: Over 200 students came by the Walker Library on Wednesday, September 17th to "pull the bar" and print copies of The Preamble to the Constitution (you know... We the People...). The Preamble was printed on the replica 18th century printing press in recognition of Constitution Day. The event was co-sponsored by the American Democracy project.

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Students will be able to print their own copies of the Preamble to the United States Constitution from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17, right outside of the Library in celebration of Constitution Day.

The James E. Walker Library will transport their handcrafted replica of Benjamin Franklin’s 18th century printing press from its home on the fourth floor down to the library portico. Passersby may manipulate the device themselves or allow library personnel to help them.
Constitution Day 2008 will mark the 221st anniversary of the signing of the nation’s founding document. A law passed by Congress in 2004 requires all federally funded educational institutions to distribute information about the Constitution each Sept. 17.


The Preamble reads,
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
The Constitution Day distribution of free copies of the Preamble is co-sponsored by the library and the American Democracy Project.
Other activities on campus surrounding Constitution Day:
Tuesday, September 16:
· Sign the Constitution! Near the KUC Knoll from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
· Voter registration also available.
· Foldout Constitutions distributed.

Wednesday, September 17—CONSTITUTION DAY:
Sign the Constitution! Near the James Buchanan marker on the west side of the Library/Business/Mass Comm quadrangle. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Voter registration also available.
READ THE CONSTITUTION! Join 100 members of the MTSU community as we read aloud the U.S. Constitution from start to finish. Reading begins at 12:30 p.m. on the west side of the quadrangle. Honors College bells will toll at the conclusion of the reading.
Meet James Madison! Keep your eyes open for a visit from our very own James (“Dean Vile”) Madison.

18-29? Not white? You're not a "likely voter."

So I was listening to the radio this morning and heard the latest Gallup poll results for the presidential candidates. There were two sets of numbers: total respondents and "likely voters." The commentator went on to define "likely voters" as white, older, and voting in the last election. People of color and young people are not really expected to go to the ballot box. Hmm, could that be true? Even this time, when there has been so much enthusiasm among people of all ages and backgrounds? Are you going to stand for that? Nah, I didn't think so.

So if you haven't already registered to vote, here is some info on doing that. Registered in another county or state? It's not too late to switch your registration to somewhere closer by:

In Tennessee
Register to Vote or Check your Precinct Location

Anywhere else
Project Vote/Rock the Vote

Also, the MTSU Library will host a voter registration table on September 24 and 25. We'll remind you later.

Not sure who you're voting for? Check out these sites to see where the candidates stand on the issues.

CNN Election Center 2008
NPR 2008 Election Issues: Candidate Positions
On the Issues

UPDATED: 4 Women 4 Views with Text: a Special Collections Exhibit

***EXHIBIT ENDS NOVEMBER 13, 2008***


Special Collections on the fourth floor of the Walker Library opens the fall 2008 semester with a new exhibition featuring the work of four talented local artists. Three of the women, Kim Dummons, Janet Higgins, and Noel Lorson teach in MTSU’s Department of Art, and the fourth, Nance Cooley is a local artist in Nashville and MTSU alumna.

All four artists share an interest in paper, letterpress, and the book arts but the diversity evident in their use of materials and forms creates a lively and stimulating show.

As the title suggests, text might be considered the theme of the show. Letters, words and narrative appear as the traditional lines marching across a page but they also dance playfully with colorful forms, line up on blocks and flow across the undulating surface of accordion folded paper.

In some pieces, text is the undercurrent, not the main event; prompting viewers to reconsider how they interpret the interplay of text and form.

Letters and text play a prominent role here but this compilation of woks also demonstrates how the interactions between the women fed their individual creative expression.

The show can be seen in Special Collections from August 25, 2008 – November 13, 2008 with an opening reception September 10, 2008 at 11:30am.

Come, see and share in these artists’ engagement with text, paper, and print.

Bee Bee and Boo Boo?

Gram and Gramps?

Nana and Papa?

Nai Nai and Yeh Yeh?

Tita and Tito?

This Sunday, September 7, is a day to honor your grandparents, whether you call them one of the above combos or something else (my daughter calls hers Nonna and Papaw).

Think Grandparents Day is just another Hallmark Holiday? Think again, my friend. We celebrate Grandparents Day thanks to a West Virginia housewife, Marian McQuade. After 5 years of grassroots lobbying led by McQuade, then-president Jimmy Carter declared the first Sunday after Labor Day of each year National Grandparents Day.

Not convinced? Will the statement from Hallmark themselves do the trick?

Didn't think so, but you might want to read it anyway. First of all, I love that there is an official Hallmark rebuttal to the whole "Hallmark Holidays" thing. Plus, it employs a humble, "aw-shucks" tone that amuses me.

(sap alert)
Here's the thing about the so-called "Hallmark Holidays." While many of them are undeniably overblown and exploited for commercial purposes, they also have an effect that is very real (and very important) . They're a gentle reminder to recognize and honor all that your loved ones are and do. We're not talking expensive gifts or elaborate surprises here. We're talking a card and a visit (or a phone call).

Please excuse me while I step down from my soapbox...

What I'm getting at here is, call your grandparents this Sunday. It doesn't much matter what you call them (may I suggest the Esperanto, Avino and Avo?), just call them!

If you happen to already have kids, our Curriculum Collection has some great children's books about grandparents. Here are just a few examples:

• Grandparents! / Roser Capdevila, Anne-Laure Fournier le Ray., ages 3-5
• Grandpa has a great big face / by Warren Hanson ; illustrated by Mark Elliott, ages 3-5
  
• What Grandmas can’t do / by Douglas Wood ; pictures by Doug Cushman., ages 4-8
• What! cried Granny : an almost bedtime story / by Kate Lum ; pictures by Adrian Johnson, ages 4-8
• Grandpa for sale / written by Dotti Enderle and Vicki Sansum ; illustrated by T. Kyle Gentry, ages 4-8
  
• April foolishness / by Teresa Bateman ; illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott., ages 5-7
• Halmoni’s day / Edna Coe Bercaw ; pictures by Robert Hunt., ages 6-8
• Remembering Grandma / by Teresa Armas ; illustrations by Pauline Rodriguez Howard ; Spanish translation by Gabriela Baeza Ventura = Recordando a Abuela / por Teresa Armas ; ilustraciones de Pauline Rodriguez Howard ; traducción al español por Gabriela Baeza Ventura., ages 6-8
• In my grandmother’s house : award-winning authors tell stories about their grandmothers / edited & illustrated by Bonnie Christensen., ages 9-12
  

Last but not least, here a couple of grandparent-y links you may enjoy.

Official web site of the National Grandparents Day Council - http://www.grandparents-day.com/
Lyrics, .wav file, and diagram of the very silly song "I'm My Own Grandpaw" - http://gean.wwco.com/grandpa/
List of Grandparent nicknames from around the world - http://www.namenerds.com/uucn/grannyworld.html