Gathering Resources for our LGBTQIA+ Guide

Gathering Resources for our LGBTQIA+ Guide The Bell Library is currently working on expanding our Social Justice Resource guides to cover a wide range of topics. Our most recent guide is our LGBTQIA+ Social Justice Resources Guide. Below I ‘m going to walk through the guide to share more about how we have organized it and about the different types of sources we’ve gathered! Books & Online Resources These tabs contain resources, items, and services that we have right here in…

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Creating Flowers in the I-Create Lab

This blog was written in May...but we figure June flowers can be just as pretty. Enjoy! As the famous saying goes “April Showers Bring May Flowers,” the I-Create Lab is looking at what "flowers" we can create right in our space. Enjoy a look at some of the ways you can utilize our space and equipment to bring your flowery creations to life. Cricut With the Cricut you can turn paper, or vinyl into works of art. We started with…

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Happy Pride Month! Celebrate with Popular Reading

Happy Pride Month, Islanders!! For those unaware, Pride Month is celebrated across the nation every June. But why June? In June of 1969, a total of around 200 individuals (many were patrons of a popular Greenwich Village gay bar – the Stonewall Inn) rallied against routine police harassment against the LGBTQ+ community. It all began as a police raid of the bar based on false accusations. As police were arresting patrons and employees, those who hadn’t been grabbed yet were…

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One Librarian’s (Very Personal) Opinion on GOP Lawmakers Wanting to Ban ‘Woke’ Philosophies

About a month ago, the Texas Tribune published an article on the Texas Legislature 2021: GOP lawmakers want to ban “woke philosophies” like critical race theory in Texas schools. The article briefly explains what critical race theory (CRT) is with “an academic discipline that views race as a social construct and examines how racism has shaped legal and social systems.” Sounds fairly reasonable, given the history of what are now known as the United States and recent events around policing of black people and other…

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They’re Heeeere: Mosquito Season in South Texas

You may have noticed, after the recent rainfall, the mosquito population has been booming. Swarms of the little bloodsuckers wait, ready to engulf you as soon as you step out of your car, home, almost anywhere outside. Here are some tips to prevent getting bit or to avoid these buzzing pests altogether. Thing’s mosquitos don’t like: Mosquito RepellentLemon eucalyptus oilLavenderCitronellaTea Tree OilCinnamon Oil Prevent mosquito growth: Get rid of standing waterClear debrisMosquito yard spray Protect yourself: Loose fitting clothingClothing that…

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Haircuts at Home (Save Money and Look Good)

Hey everyone! Shortly after we were asked to stay at home, a number of salons and barbershops began to close leaving us wondering when we’ll be able to get our next haircut (among other concerns, of course). During this time, I took it upon myself to understand what it takes to cut your own hair at home. At first, it was a very intimidating feat; but, after a couple of YouTube tutorials and step-by-steps, I was able to shape together…

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Sharing is Caring: what librarians do when we’re stumped

Where do you go when you need research help? The library of course! But where do librarians go when we need research help? Well, there’s a secret closet in the back of the library where an eternal flame exists. If we sacrifice an obsolete form of information preservation, say a CD-ROM or a floppy disk, we’re allowed to ask the flame one question. That’s how we learn new stuff! Just kidding, that’s not a real thing. Definitely don’t go searching…

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What is in a Picture?

What is in a picture? Clearly, this seems like a straightforward answer. When you look at the picture it is apparent what is captured, but is it really? Pictures capture the lived experience, something that the written record cannot grasp. Images show the lived life, it gives a new layer of historical research. While photographs certainly can cover the basics of people, events, and places, they also add a visual layer. The modern researcher can see these things as they…

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A Place I Belong

“Country roads, take me home to the place I belong.” – Take Me Home, Country Roads, John Denver, 1971 While the all too popular song, written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, and John Denver, began as a little ballad about the winding country roads in Maryland, it has since become a meme (see singing cowboy cat) and a song one just can’t help but jump in and sing along with. Whether it’s the smooth vocals or the opportunity to passionately…

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Tales from the I-Create Lab

When you walk into the I-Create lab, you might notice a variety of strange and wonderous items adorning the walls of the makerspace. Nearly all these items were handcrafted by the various workers of the lab, meaning that each of these objects carries a story behind it. Some of these stories are funny, others are frightening, but each is assuredly interesting. Three of these stories will be discussed in “Tales from the I-Create Lab.” The Shark Shark week has been…

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