Author: Jean Lenville

On Sun, Oct. 2, 6 a.m–2 p.m. there will be a maintenance upgrade to PALCI E-ZBorrow.

Please do not try to place requests during this period – they will not be recorded in the system.

You may know that April is National Poetry Month, but did you know that tomorrow, Friday April 29, is “Poem in Your Pocket” Day? People are encouraged to “celebrate by selecting a poem, carrying it with them, and sharing it with others throughout the day”. I am choosing to share here a short poem by Toru Dutt, originally published in Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan (C. Kegan Paul & Co., 1882). It speaks to me of the spring we have been flirting with this year.

Sonnet—Baugmaree
A sea of foliage girds our garden round,
But not a sea of dull unvaried green,
Sharp contrasts of all colours here are seen;
The light-green graceful tamarinds abound
Amid the mangoe clumps of green profound,
And palms arise, like pillars gray, between;
And o’er the quiet pools the seemuls lean,
Red,—red, and startling like a trumpet’s sound.
But nothing can be lovelier than the ranges
Of bamboos to the eastward, when the moon
Looks through their gaps, and the white lotus changes
Into a cup of silver. One might swoon
Drunken with beauty then, or gaze and gaze
On a primeval Eden, in amaze.

Please consider sharing a poem you love or that inspires you with a friend tomorrow – either in person or at #pocketpoem.

We are happy to report that the bikes are back! Anyone with a valid Royal Card can come to the Library Circulation Desk, fill out a waiver, and borrow a bicycle. We currently have 5 bikes, but more may be available later in the year. Happy Spring!

Data collection for the MISO survey, which measures satisfaction with Information Technology and Library Services, ends today. If you have not yet replied via the email link that was sent to you, and you wish to provide feedback, please plan to complete the survey today.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to let us know your thoughts and experiences. We value your input.

Information Technology and the Library are jointly conducting the national Measuring Information Service Outcomes (MISO) survey over the next two weeks. You should have received an email today with more details and a link to the survey.

Please respond to this survey to provide us with feedback on your experiences and satisfaction with the services we provide, so that we may better serve your needs.

Thank you.

Yes, the Library will be open by swipe over Fall Break. However, on Saturday Oct. 9 the grand staircase and adjoining lobby areas will be re-carpeted. If you plan to use the library on Saturday Oct. 9, please plan to access the building through the door to the Reilly Learning Commons.

The library experienced extensive flooding earlier this week, partially in the area where book sale items are stored. Staff must focus on mitigation efforts right now, so we are not able to accept any book sale donations at this time. We will alert the campus community when this changes. Thank you for your continued support and  understanding.

“Happy graduation!” to all of our newest graduates.

We are very proud of your accomplishments, and have enjoyed working with you.

Best of luck as you start the next chapter of your lives!

You may know that April is National Poetry Month, but did you know that 2021 is the twenty-fifth anniversary of this annual celebration?

Today, Thursday April 29, is “Poem in Your Pocket” Day. The Academy of American Poets encourages poetry lovers to share a poem virtually this year. Select a poem and share it on social media using the hashtag #PocketPoem.

I am choosing to share here the poem “Allow” by Danna Faulds

Allow

There is no controlling life.
Try corralling a lightning bolt
containing a tornado.  Dam a
stream and it will create a new
channel.  Resist, and the tide
will sweep you off your feet.
Allow, and grace will carry
you to higher ground.  The only
safety lies in letting it all in –
the wild and the weak; fear
fantasies, failures and success.
When loss rips off the doors of
the heart, or sadness veils your
vision with despair, practice
becomes simply bearing the truth.
In the choice to let go of your
known way of being, the whole
world is revealed to your new eyes.

Please consider sharing a poem you love or that inspires you with a friend today, either directly or via social media.

To satisfy student need for additional late night and early morning study space, the first and second floors of the library building will be open by swipe 8 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. daily starting Sunday 10/11, and will run until the end of the semester. We ask that students move to the first and second floors whenever closing is announced, and also ask that students vacate the first and second floors by 2 a.m. to facilitate deep cleaning. Hours of staffing the library building are currently in flux, but virtual assistance is available 24/7 via Ask a Librarian chat.