JollyLibrarian

A recent article in The New York Times reported on a study in the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography on the very real and harmful effects of workplace gossip.
But my topic today is not on the evils of workplace gossip or gossip in general. We may have all been taught that gossip is bad, but chances [...]

I had an interesting encounter with a colleague today. She was telling me about a problem, and I suggested something she should do to solve it. She was quite put out with me. “I just need to talk,” she said. “I want sympathy right now. That’s really something you should work on.”
Which it is. On [...]

 
 
Becky Brothers
English Faculty
Recommends
Fair and Tender Ladies
By
Lee Smith
Why? 
“This novel opens our eyes to the empty little towns and Wal-mart-paralyzed hamlets across Appalachia. Smith dives deep into mountain folk past and brings the old ways up to air. We see where all our precious heritage has slipped away to. I love this book because it shows just [...]

Studies have shown that regular contact with nature increases a sense of well-being as well as reduces stress. But in the midst of a busy work and family life, days can go by without any real time enjoying the natural world. So this week, make an effort to enjoy the outside. Fall is a perfect [...]

Sally Robertson
Librarian
Recommends
You are Here: Exposing the Vital Link Between What We Do and What That does to Our Planet
By
Thomas M. Kostigen
Why? 
“ Because, it goes around the world and tells what is happening in some key cities and how we are all connected by the six degree principle.   The first city Jerusalem, where the 3 major [...]

 
Wayne Neuendorf
Music Technology Faculty
Recommends
Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom
By
Peter Guralnick
Why? 
“This is the definitive history of rhythm & blues and soul music in the American South.”

The Monday Motivator yesterday talked about narrowing down choices in life as a way of increasing happiness. But the same is also true when conducting research. When I was in high school, I could occasionally get away with telling my teacher that I couldn’t find enough sources. Now, if a student used that excuse, he [...]

You might think that the title this week is a typo. We all like  having choices. No one wants to be told what to wear, what career to pursue, what church to go to, or even what television show to watch. But research shows that after a certain amount, people’s happiness actually decreases when faced [...]

Michael Kiggins
English Faculty
Recommends
Maus I and II
By
Art Spiegelman
Why?
“This landmark work is a gripping account of the Shoah (or, the Holocaust) as narrated primarily from the perspective of the son of two survivors. This graphic novel is drawn in simple but stark black-and-white style, and it portrays people of different ethnicities or nationalities as different animals (e.g., [...]

According to Wikipedia, resilience is the positive capacity of people to cope with stress and  catastrophe.
We’ve all known resilient people, those who have undergone traumatic events or illnesses and yet have remained positive and optimistic, still working towards goals. We’ve also all known people who are not, the folks, for whom every bump in the road, [...]