Information Update, Spring 2024

A Newsletter from The Weinberg Memorial Library

Schemel Forum Lecture: Book Bans and Censorship

On Oct. 30, Tracie D Hall, former Executive Director of the American Library Association, gave an engaging and active lecture regarding book bans and censorship. Hall discussed the history of censorship within the United States and the current environment regarding book bans and challenges. The American Library Association has tracked the banning and challenging of books in the U.S. since 1990. An unprecedented number of bans and challenges were raised over the past few years. 2021 saw 1,858 unique book titles challenged (up from only 223 in 2020), and in 2022, 2,571 titles were challenged. These numbers have only increased in 2023 (the final numbers had not yet been released by ALA at the time of this article’s publication). While Florida and Texas are leading the current efforts in book banning, Pennsylvania is not immune to the issue, with 302 reported unique titles challenged in 2022. Unfortunately, an overwhelmingly disproportionate number of titles being challenged are books by or about LGBTQ individuals or people of color. Hall highlighted this

disparity and questioned why attempts are being made to silence these voices.

As part of her presentation, she shared individual examples of books that have been heavily challenged and on what grounds,

pointing out how bias, prejudice and fear are highly influencing these decisions. One example shared was The Hill We Climb by poet laureate Amanda Gorman, which was restricted by a Florida school due to a parent

(continued on page 3)

Dean George Aulisio with Tracie D. Hall

From the Dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library

Dear Friends,

The Weinberg Memorial Library is abuzz with renewed energy as spring approaches. This issue of Information Update is filled with exciting developments and upcoming events that showcase our dedication to a rich cultural and educational environment. This past semester was remarkable for hosting several high-profile programs. The two events that particularly stood out for me were the Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visting Scholar Lecture and a Collaborative Program hosted by the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Schemel Forum.

The Jay Nathan Lecture once again allowed us to extend our global reach. We had the pleasure of hosting Ambassador Stig P. Piras and his cultural attaché for a day of meetings with the University’s administration and a public lecture that covered the culture, history, and economy of Denmark. The impressive event was capped with a fantastic performance by a Danish jazz duo and a reception featuring Danish cuisine. The other event that shone brightly was the Friends and Schemel Collaborative Program featuring Tracie D. Hall. Ms. Hall is the former Executive Director of the American Library Association and one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023. Her talk on book bans and censorship emphasized the importance of intellectual freedom and the role we all play in supporting the open exchange of ideas. You can read more about both events in the coming pages.

Along these lines, the Schemel Forum’s upcoming schedule is an exciting and eclectic mix of current events and timeless topics. Each event, whether it’s a thought-provoking lecture or a lively classroom discussion, is an invitation to our community to engage, learn and grow together. To see the full program and register to attend, go to www.scranton. edu/schemelforum

In February, we partnered with the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union and the Black Studies Program to host a free and open-to-the-community Black History Month Film Series. Last year’s film series was an exciting partnership with

students and faculty, so we jumped at the opportunity to build upon last year’s successes.

Spring will also bring engaging exhibits to the Library and Hope Horn Art Gallery, including “Scranton Stories” and the “2024 Environmental Art Show” in the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, as well as “Our Common Home Landscapes from The University of Scranton’s Art Collection” hosted in the Hope Horn Art Gallery. These exhibits aim to spark conversations and deepen community connections.

April brings the much-anticipated Friends of the Library Book Sale, a hallmark event for the Friends and the Library. The sale promises a vast array of books and DVDs that will be sold at unbeatable deals. All proceeds will benefit the Library’s leading charitable group, the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

Notably, after many years of processing, I am pleased to share that the Digital Services department has completed digitizing the Terry and Paula Connors Photograph Collection into our digital archives. Anyone familiar with Terry and Paula Connors’s work with the University can imagine the immense scope of the project, spanning five decades and hundreds of thousands of photographs (approximately 350,000 to be exact). The completion of this project is a significant step in preserving the shared history of The University of Scranton. Sadly, Paula passed away on June 13, 2017, and Terry on Feb. 14, 2021. We thank the Connors family for giving the collection to the Weinberg Memorial Library for long-term preservation and safekeeping.

Another step forward for the Library can be found in an innovative project from the Library’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Committee. The DEIA Committee brought to fruition an interactive web tool called the Find Library Spaces app. The app allows students to select noise and lighting levels as well as furniture types and then pinpoints the Library space most conducive to the student’s needs. It’s another example of how the DEIA Committee has helped to make the Library as welcoming as possible to our community.

This year’s 5.06 Day of Giving will feature the Library’s 30th Anniversary fund. I am pleased to share that as of this writing, the 30th Anniversary fund has surpassed our initial goal by raising $23,190. Given that this is our 30th Anniversary, it

seems appropriate to aim for a new goal of $30,000. If you can give on the University’s Day of Giving, I hope you will think of us and help us to celebrate our 30th Anniversary. In the meantime, you can always contribute to the total at www.scranton.edu/WML30

As this letter draws to a close, I am filled with immense gratitude for the vibrant community surrounding and supporting the Library and University community. Your enthusiasm, curiosity and engagement are the driving forces that make our Library more than just a repository of books — it is a thriving hub of knowledge, culture and connection.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for your continued support, participation and contribution to our Library’s endeavors. Whether you are a student immersed in their research, a community member enjoying our events, or a faculty or staff member contributing your expertise, you are an integral part of the Library’s shared story.

As you look ahead, I encourage you to explore the wealth of opportunities detailed in this newsletter. Engage with our events, participate in our initiatives and immerse yourself in the diverse experiences offered by the Weinberg Memorial Library, Schemel Forum and Hope Horn Art Gallery. Let us continue to cultivate a space where ideas flourish, dialogue sparks change and everyone feels welcomed and inspired.

With warm regards, George J. Aulisio, DeanoftheWeinberg MemorialLibrary

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complaint that claimed the function of the work is to “cause confusion and indoctrinate students.” 1 The book was ultimately not banned from the school library but was restricted to the middle school.

Hall discussed how censorship groups organize and capitalize on disinformation, with many seeking bans while having never read the material in question. Books on the topic of slavery and racism are often a target. Ruby Bridges Goes To School: My True Story, a school integration story, was challenged for how it depicts race relations. 2 Anti-Critical Race Theory movement groups took aim at The 1619 Project, challenging the content as being “racially divisive” 3 in its reframing of American history and exploration of the legacy of slavery. 4

Hall identified that often books are challenged or banned because they are “unflattering” or “unsettling” to the reader, some examples being All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, both challenged for their depictions of sexual abuse and labeled as “sexually explicit material” or “pornographic.” 5 Another example, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, was challenged for tackling the subject of religious identity and considered to contain sexual content because it frankly discusses elements of puberty. 6

Hall closed the lecture by encouraging the audience to listen and read closely, and challenged them to consider the repercussions of such censorship efforts on our very democracy.

For more information about book bans and challenges, go to the American Library Association’s book bans page, www.ala.org/ advocacy/bbooks, or follow United Against Book Bans at uniteagainstbookbans.org/.

You can view Tracie Hall’s lecture on You Tube at tinyurl.com/HallLecture

Assistant Professor Marleen Cloutier, Cataloging and Metadata Librarian

Assistant Professor Kate Cummings, Research & Instruction Librarian for Business

Hall discussed how censorship groups organize and capitalize on disinformation, with many seeking bans while having never read the material in question.

1 Holpuch, A. (2023, May 24). Florida school restricts access to Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem. The New York Times

2 Exum, A. (2021, June 11). Here’s what to know about the debate over ‘Wit & Wisdom’ curriculum in Williamson schools. Nashville Tennessean

3 Schwartz, S. (Lawmakers push to ban ‘1969 Project’ from schools. Education week

4 Meckler, L. and Natanson, H. (2022, February 14). New critical race theory laws have teachers scared, confused and self-censoring. The Washington Post

5 Silveri, S. (2017, September). Banned: the Bluest Eye. American Experience/PBS

6 Gross, T. (2023, April 24).

Judy Blume was banned from the beginning, but says ‘It never stopped me from writing’. NPR.

Jay Nathan Lecture: Denmark: History. Culture. Economy.

The Weinberg Memorial Library hosted the Eighth Annual Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Distinguished guest speakers Ambassador Stig P. Piras and Cultural Diplomacy Advisor Frederikke M. Kristiansen presented on the economic, historical, architectural and cultural heritage of Denmark. The event concluded with a cultural performance by jazz duo Jacob Artved and Felix Moseholm.

Assistant Professor Marleen Cloutier, Cataloging and Metadata Librarian

1 From

Cultural Diplomacy Advisor Frederikke M. Kristiansen, Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Denmark’s Ambassador Stig P. Piras, Provost Michelle Maldonado, Dean George Aulisio

2 Cultural Diplomacy Advisor

Frederikke M. Kristiansen

3 Ambassador Stig P. Piras

4 Jazz duo Jacob Artved and Felix Moseholm

SCRANTON Weinberg Memorial Library

left to right:

Find Library Spaces Provides Library Users with Sensory and Accessibility Information

The Weinberg Memorial Library’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Committee in collaboration with Library Systems Developer & Coordinator Jennifer Galas recently deployed the Find Library Spaces web application. In recognition of the ever-increasing diversity of our Library community, the committee recognized the need for our users to be able to have a clearer picture of what our Library spaces provide and how our Library spaces may meet their specific needs. This provides Library users with the ability to zero in on the perfect study spot for their specific studying and learning style, or to browse through all of our spaces in order to see what may be available.

In the spring and summer of 2023, the DEIA Committee membership audited and collected accessibility and sensory data for each study space in the Library. The committee then examined what both our peer institutions and libraries at many larger academic institutions were doing in order to provide this information in an accessible and clearly communicative format. We settled on a few specific design ideas we wanted to emulate. The committee then turned our findings over to Library Systems Coordinator & Developer Jennifer Galas, who created an interactive web application which includes photos of our Library spaces, coupled with accessibility and sensory information for each of the study spaces within the

Librarian Awards

Library. This web application is also linked to our study room reservation system. Find Library Spaces can be accessed via the library homepage by clicking on the button labeled “Find a Study Space” on the right-hand side of the page.

—Assistant Professor Ian O’Hara, Research & Instruction Librarian

Mary Ann Moran-Savakinus, Director of the Lackawanna Historical Society, presented the Lackawanna Historical Society’s Volunteer of the Year Award to Prof. Marleen Cloutier at its Annual Dinner held on Sept. 7, 2023.

The Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) recently recognized Prof. Kate Cummings with a Certificate of Merit. at the organization's Sept. 21 Awards Ceremony.

There’s a New Search in Town

Last summer, the Weinberg Memorial Library introduced a new discovery tool that makes performing research easier. Branded as Royal Search, this feature allows our campus to search as they’ve never been able to do. In the past, searching for resources had quite a few steps, but utilizing Royal Search allows us to streamline research, save your results and create project folders, as a sampling of highlights.

Previously, anyone conducting research had to go into specific databases instead of one central location. Today, Library users are presented with a very familiar-looking search box that invites us to enter our query and, in turn, get results. Royal Search looks familiar, making searching less intimidating, and offers filtering tools in one place rather than having multiple databases to work with at one time. Let me walk you through a very basic search, with pictures, and I’ll highlight one of my favorite features offered through Royal Search.

It’s simple — just type in the keywords you’re seeking into the search box, like you see in this image:

Voila! You now have a list of resources available to you, the researcher, and we intentionally and initially begin our search showing only the items we have full access to, be they physical or online options. You can use filtering tools to remove this feature, highlight only peer-reviewed items, or narrow

down your options to a specific date range. The filtering button is located right below the search box.

Two of my favorite features of Royal Search are the options one gets upon signing into MyEBSCO in the upper right corner of your screen, creating project folders, and saving search queries. I know when I’m deep into finding books and articles, it is easy to get disorganized, so being able to save articles and searches immediately into a digital folder allows me to gather items and then review them later on without having to email myself links or clutter my desktop more than it perhaps already is. You’ll see here an example of the search results screen, how I’m signed into MyEBSCO again in the upper right, and the options within the left column for keeping yourself better organized. There’s even a previously viewed article or e-book section, so remember to sign in before you start doing any research.

Hopefully, you’re as excited as we are about Royal Search, and if you have been using it already you’ve found it to be a positive and helpful step. A new research guide explaining Royal Search’s ins and outs will be dropping by the start of the Spring 2024 semester to help guide students, faculty and staff through the process in more detail. Do let us know, as you start to use Royal Search more often, if you have any questions or concerns, as we’ll be more than happy to answer them. Happy Royal Searching!

—Assistant Professor Elin Woods, Research and Instruction Librarian for Student Success

Update on the Terry and Paula Connors Photograph Collection

The Connors Photograph Collection spans the career of Terry Connors as a freelance photographer in the Scranton area, beginning in 1976. It documents significant events and visitors in the Scranton area, including almost all significant public events at The University of Scranton. The collection contains approximately 100,000 negative strips, totaling more than 300,000 individual images. In the Fall 2023 semester, the Digital Services department of the Library completed a five-year project to process over 6,000 University events in the Connors Collection from 1976-2005. The University

Archives and Digital Services departments regularly digitize portions of the collection and make photos available online. To browse the Connors Photograph Collection, you can visit www.scranton.edu/library/ connors. The Library also makes archival photographs available in digital exhibits. Visit our recent digital exhibit, “Pride, Passion, Promise: Celebrating the Legacy of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.,” with photos from Connors Collection at www.scranton.edu/ library/father-pilarz.

—Assistant Professor Colleen Farry, Digital Services Librarian

Affordable Learning Implementation Grant Updates

The Weinberg Memorial Library continues to award Affordable Learning Implementation Grants in an effort to encourage faculty to adopt Open Educational Resources (OER) and library-licensed materials in their courses.

In Fall 2023, an interdisciplinary judging panel comprised of volunteers from the Library Advisory Committee selected three outstanding applicants to receive Affordable Learning Implementation Grants for courses that will be taught in the Spring/Summer 2024.

The grant recipients are:

• Dr. Laura Chapman, Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance

• Prof. Christiane McDonald, Faculty Specialist of Health and Human Performance

• Dr. Hank Willenbrink, Associate Professor of English and Theater

Adoption of OER and other no-cost resources in these courses is expected to save an estimated total of $9,498 for approximately 95 students.

The next round of Affordable Learning Implementation Grants will be for courses taught in the Fall 2024 or Intersession 2025 semesters.

Assistant Professor Marleen Cloutier, Cataloging and Metadata Librarian

Spring Exhibits and Events

“Scranton Stories”

Oral History Interviews and Photographs

For the past two years, a community-wide project, Scranton’s Story: Our Nation’s Story, has explored themes of history, belonging and identity through a series of programs funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The project’s final phase was an oral history initiative called “Scranton Stories,” which included an exhibit at the Hope Horn Gallery in Fall 2023 of portraits by photographer Byron Maldonado. The exhibit featured personal statements of each interviewee excerpted from their evocative interviews, which give voice to a broad array of Scranton experiences. These stories connect them, and our city, to the nation’s ongoing story. During the spring semester, the “Scranton Stories” exhibit will be on view in the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room on the fifth floor of the Library until April 22, 2024.

For more information on all of the grant programs, please visit www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory.

2024 Environmental Art Show

Creating Connections

April 15-25, 2024

The Environmental Art Show promotes the natural beauty of our environment and the ideal practice of sustainable living through artworks of all types, including painting, photography, repurposed goods, sculpture and more. The theme for 2024 is Creating Connections and will feature artists, including students, faculty and staff, who seek to share their connection with the environment. The exhibit will be on view in the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room on the fifth floor of the Library from April 15-24, 2024.

We invite you to join us for the 2024 opening event, which will feature an Artist Talk with Theresa O’Connor on April 15 at 5 p.m. Theresa is a local artist and the Gallery Director of the AFA Gallery in Scranton. She will be speaking about her work with the Moth Project and on the topic of sustainable community art. There will be an opportunity to participate in a public art piece. For further information, contact Environmental Art Show Coordinator, Marleen Cloutier at marleen.cloutier@scranton.edu.

Hope Horn Gallery Exhibits

April 5 though May 3, 2024

Our Common Home: Landscapes from the University of Scranton Art Collection.

In his encyclical Laudato Si’ of 2015, Pope Francis described the spiritual and environmental importance of caring for Earth as our “common home.” This exhibition features twentieth- and twenty-first century representations of landscape and nature connected to eastern Pennsylvania. Artists represented include Jon Carsman, Nina Davidowitz, Berenice D’Vorzon, Earl Lehman, Walter Elmer Schofield, and Melville Stark, among others. This show is curated by Darlene Miller-Lanning, Ph.D., Director, Hope Horn Gallery, The University of Scranton.

SPECIAL EVENTS Friday, April 5, 2024

Curator’s Lecture: Brennan 228

• 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Public Reception: Hyland 407

• 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Earl Lehman. Lackawanna Valley. Acrylic on panel. 2012.

WML Librarians Rise to the Challenge!

The Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) held their Annual Conference in Northeast Pennsylvania in early October 2023. The Weinberg Memorial Library co-sponsored a "Coffee and Conversation" breakfast with the Scranton Public Library at the event.

Themed Rising to the Challenge!, librarians from the Weinberg Memorial Library stepped up and shared their experiences and expertise. The programming selection process was competitive, but the Library was well represented, with five faculty librarians accepted to present.

2023 Presentations

Prof. Sylvia Orner was a panelist on a facilitated discussion between librarians from public, academic and school libraries on the topic of collection development. Collection Development Policies and You: A Conversation discussed the importance and basic elements of what constitutes a good collection development policy. The panel also explored how to address challenges to collections and best practices for keeping policies current and relevant.

Prof. Orner also presented with Prof. Kate Cummings on the topic of data literacy. Their session on Data Literacy for Information Professionals discussed the importance of being data literate in a data-driven society. The session identified issues with data visualization and highlighted ways in which data literacy can be incorporated into information literacy sessions to help empower students to think more critically about data.

In Help! Inclusion is Important, But How Do I Actually Improve My Library?, Prof. Kate Cummings presented with Dr. Ellen Newell, Associate Professor of Psychology at Wilkes University, on the importance of creating an inclusive library environment that will benefit both patrons and staff. The discussion included practical ways libraries can reevaluate programming and collection development, as well as institute policies to foster a more inclusive library.

In Epistemic Vaccination: Inoculation Theory and Misinformation, Prof. Ian O'Hara introduced inoculation theory as a pedagogical concept that could be applied in an information literacy instruction context. Prof. O’Hara described how to utilize this theory to help students build critical information-seeking skills needed to successfully navigate and select accurate information in a technological space where computational propaganda and overwhelming amounts of misinformation are widespread.

2023 Conference Planning Committee Members

PaLA members on the Library faculty and staff assisted with the planning and running of the 2023 PaLA Conference.

Local Information / Tours Sub-Committee & Publicity Sub-Committee: Sheli Pratt-McHugh

Education / Programming Sub-Committee: Kate Cummings (Chair) • Elin Woods

Technical Arrangements Sub-Committee: Marleen Cloutier (Chair) • Sylvia Orner

Melisa Gallo

Ian O’Hara

Kate Cummings

Sylvia Orner

2023 Poster Sessions

Prof. Sheli Pratt-McHugh presented a poster with Mary Gazdik, Library Director of the Chester County Library & District Center, on How to Use PaLA’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Resource Directory. The Pennsylvania Library Association offers this directory to PaLA members as a tool to aid them in locating equity, diversity and inclusion resources. The directory includes contacts and resources to aid development of equitable library services, diversify the profession, strengthen our communities, and advance discussion, understanding and advocacy of EDI topics.

Prof. Pratt-McHugh also presented a poster on post-pandemic efforts to engage with students at the Library. In “WE’RE OVER HERE!” Outreach to Post-Pandemic College Students, Prof. Pratt-McHugh outlined what worked and did not work. She also discussed the Library’s involvement with two new campus-wide digital platforms and increasing the Library’s social media presence, including embracing video content as a way to connect with Gen-Z.

Prof. Marleen Cloutier presented a poster session titled Too Difficult to Catalog: Identifying Solutions to Reduce Backlogs and Expose Hidden Collections. Based on a project undertaken during sabbatical, Prof. Cloutier discussed her experience working on pieces of the Zaner-Bloser Collection in foreign languages, complicated formats and difficult-to-read scripts that had not yet been cataloged for the collection. The poster offered insight on why and how cataloging gets set aside and considers some possible solutions to help expose hidden collections and reduce backlogs.

Left: Group Dinner with ALA President Emily Drabinski

Right: 2024 Northeast Chapter Secretary/Treasurer

Melisa Gallo with Chair

Alyssa Loney at the PaLA Member Mixer.

From Left Richard Ashby, Mary Gazdik, Sheli Pratt-McHugh, and Ian O’Hara

Sheli Pratt-McHugh

Marleen Cloutier

Introducing Our Faculty: Elin Woods

Elin joined the Weinberg Memorial Library as the Research and Instruction Librarian for Student Success in July 2023. Sheli PrattMcHugh (SPM), Information Update CoEditor, recently interviewed Elin (EW).

SPM: Tell us about your previous library experience and your educational background. What brought you to the WML?

EW: My first library job was at a small college much like The University of Scranton in western Pennsylvania called St. Francis University. At the time, I was working on my MLIS and had fully intended to become a children’s librarian. But an academic space felt like home. I did my internship at a public library and worked as a community education librarian for a few years before returning to academia. I became the Student Success Librarian at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, which led me here. I wanted to stay in the northeastern part of the country and Pennsylvania if possible, and when I came to campus it felt so much like my first librarian experience. Scranton also played nicely into my own working class and labor history interests. My undergraduate work was in history and English, and my areas of interest are the working classes, immigrant experiences and culinary history. For one, these spaces tell the story of my family, but also, the royals and monarchy are incredibly uninteresting to me.

SPM: Tell us about your work as an R&I librarian for Student Success. What are your favorite parts of the position? What are some interesting things that you do?

EW: One of the aspects of this position that I find the most interesting, while also being perhaps the most intimidating, is that there really isn’t a blueprint for the work. There’s a lot of creative freedom within the role, which suits me rather nicely. I also really enjoy working with the students as they are

constantly changing and no class is ever the same. They all have unique needs and interests, so the puzzle that they present is equal parts exciting and challenging, but it certainly means that I will rarely be bored.

SPM: As the Student Success Librarian, you work closely with other campus departments and students. What are some campus-wide projects you’re hoping to take part in/implement in the future?

EW: I’m looking forward to working more with Stanton Eastwick and Matt Smith over in the OSSS (Office of Student Support & Success) and we are in the planning stages of an event this spring. No spoilers here. I’ve also enjoyed my experience working with Margaret Loughney and her students at the University of Success. That’s such a cool project and is similar to work I’d been doing at a former college and I appreciate the concept of success reaching out into the community as well. As for others, I’m still sorting out all of the options and have a few wish list departments and ideas brewing, but I think I’m going to save those for my second year and beyond.

SPM: You’re active in the Pennsylvania Library Association. What are some roles you’ve held/currently hold/about to hold?

How does that work influence your work as a librarian? What are some projects/programs you’ve worked on or will be working on that you are particularly excited about?

EW: What aren’t I involved in would be an easier question to answer. I’m excited about the upcoming annual conference as we’ll be returning to Harrisburg and there’s a lot of work surrounding advocacy, and much of my library career has taken place in that city and I’m always happy to return. (Okay, yes, it does also have a lot to do with getting to browse Midtown Scholar [bookstore] and get

Elin Woods

coffee at Little Amps, too.) Advocacy is a big reason why I’m a member of the Pennsylvania Library Association as libraries are vital for a healthy community and country and I want to see them flourish, especially in the smaller and more rural areas throughout the state. I became a librarian because my mentor at the time essentially told me I was unafraid to speak up about the things that I was passionate about and it was clear that I loved libraries — had I considered joining in the fight in a more direct way? Which, no, I never saw myself as a librarian, but the role fits me, especially in such active ways as the Association. You can really see the impact you have through the work you do, and it can be really fulfilling and rewarding in that way.

SPM: As a faculty member, you must work on research and publishing. What are your research interests?

EW: My greatest research focus lies within the art of storytelling and utilizing those skills to be better advocates, better teachers, better librarians, etc., as this act is inherently human, and we all understand it. And yet, we seem to forget it or push it aside and stunt our creativity because I don’t know if the art has been taken that seriously. I think in libraries, storytelling turns to public libraries and something like Story Hour, but it’s so much more than that. I’ll also be beginning the Human Resources Management program this spring and the intersection of human resources and libraries is something of tremendous interest. A lot of libraries don’t really have formal HR programs or practices, especially those in smaller and more rural spaces, so thinking about the early years of the pandemic, library workers were viewed as essential, but in many cases I’d read about, at risk of their health and safety, without protections and in an occupation where training rarely has courses concerning operating a library and employing people and also their workers’ rights. I want to explore this space, seek solutions that benefit these workers, and look at ways that librarianship training can incorporate more opportunities for this type of training.

SPM: What is your favorite book? What are you currently reading? What genre do you like to read?

EW: Oh gosh, the simplest answer is to say I contain multitudes and can’t answer with just one book. Books are so seasonal and the words that got me through a certain period of my life don’t speak to me in the same way that they do now, so I don’t know that I have just one favorite book. A few I carry with me now that I love include Jane Austen’s Persuasion, not because I’m remotely an Austenite, but because I love the study of grief within the pages while also clinging to that glimmer of hope and not becoming fully consumed by the darkness. It can be read as such a message of hope. Likewise, I love The Lorax for its message of “unless.” Things can continue to get bad unless we collectively do something for the good. Libraries could be shut down and countless books could be banned and removed from shelves unless we stand up against censorship and make our voices heard, as one example. Lastly, I’ll include The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. I’m a journalism junkie, so writers like Sinclair, the muckrakers, who sought reform for workers and against corporate greed, heavily shaped and influenced the person I am today. As for what I’m reading now, Brave the Wild River by Melissa L. Sevigny, is the history of two female botanists and their mission to be the first to catalog the flora of the Grand Canyon rafting down the Colorado River. I read mostly nonfiction, usually European and about women – my sweet spots are either the Victorian/Industrial Revolution era or Anglo-Saxon England, especially in what is now Northern England.

“Libraries could be shut down and countless books could be banned and removed from shelves unless we stand up against censorship and make our voices heard.”

We Care: WML Volunteers at the Pedro Arrupe House

On Wednesday, Jan. 10, a group of Library staff members spent the morning at the Rev. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., House, preparing a hearty lunch of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and corn to be delivered to 50 local residents of senior living and low-income housing communities. Under the direction of Lorena Pacheco Jimenez, Coordinator of Local Service for the Center for Service and Social Justice, and third-year student Abby Casal, the Library volunteers cooked and then portioned out the food, assembly-line style, as well as preparing snack bags to accompany each meal. The volunteers were inspired by a presentation given by Center for Service and Social Justice Director Pat Vaccaro at a recent staff retreat. Vaccaro described the Wednesday morning program, known as

“We Care Wednesdays,” and explained that it can be difficult to staff during intercession, as students usually prepare the lunches. The Library team, coordinated by Sharon Finnerty and consisting of Barb Kreidler, Rebecca Dzikowski, Pat Savitts, Jean Lenville, Mary Fran Galat and Tiffany Ash, contacted Vaccaro immediately after her presentation and offered to help. The volunteers brought along several dozen home-baked cookies and brownies to add to the snack bags, and compared notes after their morning of service over turkey lunches of their own, provided by the Center for Service and Social Justice as tokens of thanks. All agreed that spending a morning at “We Care Wednesdays” every January would make a wonderful post-holiday Library tradition!

Friends of the Library New Members

We would like to thank the newest members of the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library for their contributions:

Joseph Augello

Paul Cooper, Jr.

Joseph Remi Cours

Jill Dougherty

Richard Eckersley

Jerome Jordan

Mary Ellen Lavelle

John & Nancy Menapace

Cindy Meo

Susan Poulson

Deborah Santini

Elizabeth Slover

Janet Weeks

Cassie Wisdo & James McKane

Mark Taffera

Robert Yanoshak

—Rebecca Dzikowski, Cataloging Assistant

Leaves of Class XXV Winner

February 2024

Cindy Meo, Jermyn PA

Grand Prize: Mount Airy Casino & Resort (gift certificate for overnight stay in deluxe king suite, two entertainment tickets to show of choice, couple’s massage, and $200 food credit)

Culinary Delights: Amber Indian Restaurant ($20 gift card — courtesy of George & Lindsay Aulisio); Café Classico ($25 gift certificate); Cooper’s Seafood House ($50 gift card); Grico’s ($25 gift card); Jack’s Draft House ($25 gift certificate); Nibbles & Bits ($15 gift certificate); Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse ($25 gift card — courtesy of Metz Culinary Management); Susquehanna Brewing Company ($25 gift card); TGI Fridays ($25 gift card — courtesy of Metz Culinary Management); Zummo’s ($25 gift card — courtesy of Rosemary Shaver)

Entertainment: Actor’s Circle (pair of FLEX tickets); Anthracite Heritage Museum (four admission passes & guidebook); Hardback

editions of A Gentleman in Moscow and The Lincoln Highway (courtesy of Charles Kratz & William Varady); Netflix ($30 gift card — courtesy of Gretchen Welby); PNC Bank (four club seats to a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey game — date TBD); Scranton Cultural Center (voucher for four tickets)

Tres Chic: Boscov’s (Quarter Carat Total Weight Diamond Jewelry Set); Hand-knit Shawls (2) (courtesy of Bonnie Strohl); Liztech Pin (bumblebee — courtesy of Charles Kratz & William Varady)

Wellness: Crunch Fitness (two 3-month Peak memberships, including 2 personal training sessions)

And More!: Four Piece Cheese Knife Set and Stone Cutting Board (courtesy of Charles Kratz & William Varady); Framed Abstract Painting (courtesy of Kym Fetsko); Handcrafted Wreath (courtesy of Sheli PrattMcHugh); Hotel Anthracite (One night mid-week stay in best available suite, including breakfast for two); Target ($50 gift card courtesy of Marian Farrell)

Leaves of Class XXIV Winner

September 2023

Joanne Dahms, Dupont Grand Prize: The Schemel Forum (one annual couple’s membership)

Culinary Delights: Gertrude Hawk Chocolates ($50 gift card); Morgan’z Pub and Eatery ($25 gift card)

Entertainment: Friends of the WML (two tickets to the Distinguished Author Award Event); Hardback edition of Where the Crawdads Sing (courtesy of Charles Kratz & William Varady); Reaper’s Revenge (four tickets); Roba Family Farms (4 VIP admission tickets); Sorrenti Family Estate (wine tasting certificate for six guests); The University of Scranton Players (two theatre subscriptions)

Tres Chic: Hand-knit Shawl (courtesy of Bonnie Strohl); Liztech Pins (two — courtesy of Charles Kratz & William Varady

Wellness: Medicus Express Care (first aid kit); Tim Wagner’s Sports Corner, Inc. ($25 gift certificate)

And More!: Cheese Cutting Board; Mrs. Santa Ornament; Wildlife Ornaments (owl and rabbit)

The Ann Moskovitz Leaves of Class XXV Raffle is an annual fundraiser organized by the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library with proceeds supporting the Weinberg Memorial Library Endowment Fund. We hold four drawings per year and tickets can be purchased online or in person. Visit www.scranton.edu/library for more information.

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library

Scranton, Pennsylvania 18510- 4634

A Newsletter from the

update

Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library

Scranton, Pa 18510-4634

Co-Editors: Sheli Pratt-McHugh and Marleen Cloutier

Dean of the Library: George J. Aulisio

Phone: 570-941-7816

The University of Scranton is committed to providing a safe and nondiscriminatory employment and educational environment. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other status protected by law. Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational, extracurricular, athletic, or other programs or in the context of employment. Inquiries regarding nondiscrimination and sexual harassment and sexual misconduct policies may be directed to Elizabeth M. Garcia, J.D., Executive Director and Title IX Coordinator, Office of Equity and Diversity, 570-941-6645.