First Annual Town Hall Meeting Hailed as a Success
by Ian Hackmann, Administrative Assistant

On February 15th, Regent’s University and Law Libraries hosted a Town Hall Meeting with special guest Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson. Over one hundred people attended to hear Dr. Robertson speak on the theme “Love Your Libraries.” Dr. Robertson emphasized the importance of libraries by sharing anecdotes of the library in Alexandria and the book of Kells in Ireland. He also regaled the audience with stories of his youth and how libraries played an important part, and continue to play an important part, in his personal, professional, and scholarly development. He emphasized his commitment to developing superb collections at both the University and Law libraries. After his remarks, Dr. Robertson answered several questions from the audience. He was quite adamant in his preference of books to television, recalling that he challenged his children to read if they said they were “bored.” When asked if he surfs the Internet, Dr. Robertson mentioned that his assistant finds information on the Internet for him. He admitted he still prefers writing by hand to computers. Not surprisingly, the Bible is the book that had the biggest influence on his life.

After Dr. Robertson’s presentation, participants gathered in the Atrium for lunch and continued discussion of library services. To view Dr. Robertson’s presentation (approximately twenty-two minutes) please click here: high bandwith or low bandwith. The official Regent University press release for the Town Hall Meeting may also be viewed here.

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Rare Books, Documents, and Artifacts
by Donald Gantz, Special Collections and Archives

In last month’s issue of the LIBRARY LINK we described a document signed by Major General Andrew Jackson that one of our cataloguers, Kathy Watson, found in the front fly leaves of an old book. As this issue is being prepared, that document is being taken to the Virginia Historical Society for authentication. We will likely report the results in the March issue of LIBRARY LINK. Stay tuned.

Most of the other interesting and educational items in Special Collections were not the result of accidental discovery. Many of them were gifts to the library, and some were purchased.

This 1825 vellum Missouri land sale document signed by President John Quincy Adams was given by Mrs. Maggie Huff of Monroe, Washington in 1985. Vellum is made from the skin of a small animal. The document has been authenticated and appraised by an expert. It is interesting to compare this signature of Adams to that famous large, bold signature of JOHN HANCOCK on the Declaration of Independence. Adams’ signature, in contrast, is small, plain, restrained and unpretentious, two initials and a last name. One might be tempted to compare their personalities based on the signatures.

One of the most interesting of many old books in Special Collections is a 1608 Geneva Bible (including the Apocrypha), bound with the Book of Common Prayer, concordances and Psalms with musical notes. This amazing old book, which still has its original oak boards, is part of the 9000 volume Keith C. Clark Hymnology Collection. It also has many hand-written family records. The Geneva Bible was the first Bible with numbered verses, and the first Bible taken to America.

 

Bored by old papers and books? Check out our 1907 Thomas A. Edison dictating machine. It recorded sound mechanically by transferring sound vibrations to grooves on the surface of a wax cylinder. This one sadly lacks a wax cylinder. It has a pristine electric motor under its deck that looks like it would run like a charm if you could just figure out which voltage to plug it into. This machine arrived with some old 16mm films being saved from the landfill by our film faculty. It was also accompanied by a 1905 Thomas A. Edison “shaving machine” (not recommended for face or legs). This machine, hand-crank powered rather than electric, was used to shave the grooved surface off of wax cylinders so they could be used again. Perhaps Edison also invented recycling.

 

Have a flare for art? We have a porcelain vase of the Ming Dynasty given by Mrs. Holly Coors in 1986. It is from the late period of that dynasty in China, which is known for its painting and pottery. The vase is displayed with a photo of the Chinese letters inscribed on the bottom, which are a notation of authenticity. The letters tell the name of the dynasty, the name of the emperor, and the year the vase was created. A former librarian at Regent used to joke that if a vase is worth more than $200.00 we should call it a “vahz.” We’re pretty sure this one is a “vahz.”

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Douglas Gresham Leads Book Talk at Library
by Harold Henkel, Assistant Librarian

On February 9, the University Library was privileged to host a book talk and signing with Douglas Gresham, step-son and biographer of C.S. Lewis. More than 80 readers came to hear Mr. Gresham talk about his new book, Jack’s Life: the Life Story of C.S. Lewis, as well as share some of his memories of Lewis and thoughts about his work.

The C.S. Lewis foundation lists 53 books about Lewis on its website. Anticipating that some might ask why Gresham decided to add to the voluminous literature about Lewis, Gresham stated that while biographies about his stepfather range from the very good to the very bad, they all suffer from the defect of their authors not having known their subject intimately as only a member of the family can. Moreover, Gresham stated that none of Lewis' previous biographers seems to have grasped the fact that Lewis was, in his manners and outlook, essentially a man of the nineteenth, rather than twentieth century. This inability to see the world through Lewis’ eyes has led them to draw incorrect conclusions about Lewis’ actions and motivations.

Because of the impact The Chronicles of Narnia made on his childhood, Gresham also stated that he wanted to write a biography that would be accessible yet challenging to younger readers. To accomplish this, he employed a novel structural procedure in Jack’s Life: the opening chapters begin with deliberately simple sentences. As the book progresses, the writing becomes richer and more complex. In this way, Gresham hoped that young readers who might not attempt a more “grown-up” book about Lewis might begin Jack’s Life and, in the process of getting hooked on the story, discover they are reading a grown-up book after all.

Gresham divides his time between Rathvinden Ministries, located in Ireland, which offers Christian-based therapy to victims of child abuse, and the C.S. Lewis Company, which he serves as artistic director. Gresham told the audience that the experience of co-producing The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was deeply satisfying to him. Gresham stated bluntly that much of contemporary film-making serves the enemy’s rather than the Lord’s purposes and that he was determined that any film of Lewis’ work would preserve the author’s Christian message. Paraphrasing his step-father’s comment about a need for more Christian books, Gresham stated that what is needed in the film industry is not more specifically Christian movies, but more Christians making good movies.

A reception followed the book talk, during which Mr. Gresham signed copies of his book and met with members of the audience.

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Deeper into Databases
by Mark J. Zillges, Systems Manager

Why do I have to log into the databases?

If you have used our website since Christmas break, you may have noticed that you must put in your login ID and password to use databases. We did this for several reasons. First, we wanted to make the services, information and popular destinations easier to find and our site easier to read. Second, we installed an authentication system called OneLog. This is the program that asks you to login to use the databases.

“Yeah, but why?” you might ask. Again, several reasons: first, we get statistical information about which databases are being used and how often. Don’t worry, we don’t know specifically who, just what. For security reasons (yours and ours) we don’t keep any statistics on your personal web habits. We only know that the database was used, for how long, and how often. Gathering this information helps us determine if the databases we subscribe to are worth the money we pay for their use. Say we spend $5000 a year (some cost even more) for a database and it is only used once in a semester. We can drop that database and subscribe to another that would be more useful to all. The second reason we are using OneLog is to provide a means for our patrons to use one login ID to access all of our services and tie it all up into their main University Login ID and password. Lastly, this new system insures that only those folks with a Regent ID can access our databases.

When you use our Database page for the first time from home, you will be prompted to install the “MultiResource Client.” Answer Yes, and follow the directions. You only need to do this once. If you have a problem with the system, click the Database Login Problem? link at the top of the database page or click the Old Database Page link just below it. It is very important to our continued service that you click the Systems Problems link in the menu bar to the left if you have any problems. Be specific about the problem you are having: Is it a login problem? Where are you working from (home, office, etc.)? Which database are you trying to use?

I hope this is helpful to you. Our goal is to make your research, whether in the Library, or from from your home, as smooth and problem-free as possible. This means putting more resources in your hands as quickly and efficiently as possible. We look forward to serving you!

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Library Services for Undergraduate Students
by Harold Henkel, Assistant Librarian

Academic Search Premier

With over 136 electronic databases, including more than ninety in full-text, the University Library offers online researchers a wealth of resources and choices. However, this abundance of options can lead to a dilemma when starting a new research project: where should one start looking for articles?

An excellent starting point for nearly any project is Academic Search Premier, the world’s largest multi-disciplinary database. Billed by its creator, EBSCO as “by far the world's most valuable and most numerous collection of active full text peer-reviewed journals,” Academic Search Premier indexes more than 8000 publications and provides full-text coverage for more than 4,450. The database includes strong coverage in the humanities, sciences, religion, education, business, and the social sciences.

Besides depth of coverage, Academic Search Premier offers a functional and user-friendly interface. Users have the option of retrieving only full-text or scholarly documents as well saving, emailing, or printing articles. Academic Search Premier also supports direct exporting of citations into RefWorks. Although the Library acquired Academic Search Premier specifically to support the School of Undergraduate Studies, researchers at all levels should find this database an exceptionally valuable resource.

On February 27 and 28, the Library will offer two workshops on using EBSCO databases, including Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, PsycArticles, and others. The class on February 27 will be 4:00-5:00 in LIB 213. The class on February 28 will be 4:00-5:00 EST, given online through Horizon Wimba. If you would like to attend one of these workshops, please register online.

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Book Spotlight--When God Weeps : Why our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty by Joni Eareckson Tada
Reviewed by Sandy Yaegle, Librarian

In the course of our lives, all of us at some point encounter suffering or are touched by the suffering of a loved one. We can be perplexed by the evil we see displayed about us. It is natural to wonder where God is when difficulty comes. Does He care? Theodicy is the branch of theology that defends God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil and suffering. Joni takes a very potent topic and handles it from the vantage point of someone who has been there. Indeed she has. Her quadriplegia, the result of a diving accident when she was seventeen, has given her special insight into this area. In spite of the subject matter, the book is not written in a morose tone, but it is written in a tone that is overlaid with hope. The book presents an encouraging study into why God is concerned and “weeps” with us during difficult times. When Joni talks about the hope that we have as believers in Christ, it rings true.

 

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Regent University Library Announces...ESSAY CONTEST!

As part of National Library Week, April 3-7, Regent students are invited to submit essays of not more than 250 words on the topic:

The Library's role in helping to achieve "Christian Leadership to Change the World."

Submissions will be accepted electronically by Fotini Kontos, fotikon@regent.edu, until midnight, 3/17/06. Judges will evaluate submissions based on the development of the topic, creativity, and writing ability.

1st Place Winner: $200 cash

2nd Place Winner: $50 cash

3rd Place Winner: $25 Amazon.com gift certificate

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Congratulations to Elizabeth Keen on being named Regent University’s Employee of the Month for January 2006. Elizabeth was nominated by her colleagues at the Library for her qualities of innovation (“she frequently comes up with ideas that will promote an atmosphere of motivation and warmth among the employees”), integrity (“her service to people at the Circulation Desk is consistently honest, fair, and reflective of Jesus”), and excellence (“she always goes that extra bit, beyond what is expected”). Having served as interim Circulation Supervisor since December, Elizabeth accepted a promotion to become the new Circulation Supervisor on February 15.

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