Archives Spotlight: Children's Book Week

This is Children's Book Week, a time to celebrate books and get kids interested in lifelong reading. And of course, you don't have to be young to enjoy reading children's books!  Take a break from end-of-the-semester stress and browse the Libraries' collection of juvenile literature.

If you would like to explore children's literature further, especially storytelling and folklore, you may be interested in the Ruth Sawyer Collection.  The collection is found in the Archives and Special Collections and is in two parts.

• Old and new books providing a history of children's literature, including first editions of Ruth Sawyer's books, Caldecott and Newbery award-winning books, and other books of historical value
• Ruth Sawyer's papers, which contain typescripts of many of her stories, her letters, recordings of her telling favorite stories, and awards she received.

If you would like to see either the books in the collection or the Ruth Sawyer Papers, visit the Archives and Special Collections. Please make an appointment first by contacting archives@stkate.edu or 651-690-6553. We are on the lower level of the St. Paul library and open Mondays through Fridays from 9:30-4:30.

March Book Madness winner!

During March Book Madness you voted and you voted and you voted and the final winner is...Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi!

To see how each match up played out, here's the final filled out bracket based upon your votes.

Thanks for playing along with our version of March Madness.

See you again next year!

March Book Madness!

Books are going head-to-head this March in the St. Kate's Library. In this 5-week fight, what books will make the final four and which book will be victorious? Will Ready Player One beat Oryx and Crake? Will Persepolis take down Saga? It's up to you!

You'll want to vote early and vote often to help your favorite book advance to the next round.

For the full bracket and to vote, visit the March Book Madness page.

You can also find the full bracket and all the books on display in the library, St. Paul campus.

Words Have Power

Words definitely have power, and in celebration of Black History Month, you should come into the St. Paul campus library and check out some great books written by influential black women. There are also whiteboards where you can write your own favorite quote.

If you can't make it into the library, here's a Pinterest board highlighting these and other great books by black women in our collection:

Follow St. Catherine University Library's board Words Have Power: Black History Month Reads on Pinterest.

Index of Prohibited Books

Banned Books Week 2015 is September 27th – October 3rd. In recognition of this week, the St. Catherine University Archives and Special Collections has on display copies of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum (Index of Prohibited Books) from our rare book collections.

First published in 1559 by Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis (Vatican Polyglot Press), the Index was created to protect Catholics against Protestant error through maintaining their faith and morals. Eventually, the Index contained roughly 6,000 immoral and heretical works. The 20th and final edition was published in 1948.

Indice General de los Libros Prohibidos, 1844
Spanish version published in Madrid

Excommunication was the penalty for publishing or reading any books on the list. But St. Kate's students or faculty could request permission to study books on the Index in their courses. There are many of these letters in the Archives. The library also had to request permission to have these books, which were kept in a locked case.

Due to the publishing boom of the 1960s, the Index could not be updated as quickly as “questionable” materials were released. The last entry to the Index was added in 1961. In 1966, Pope John Paul VI concurred that the Index Librorum Prohibitorum no longer had the force of ecclesiastical law.

After the Index was abolished, the Church left what Catholics should and should not read up to their individual consciences. However, national conferences of bishops would be able to issue warnings--as distinct from bans--against specific books.

Items on display include:

• Copies of the Index of Prohibited Books from 1844 and 1948
• A 1960 memo from Sister Maris Stella requesting permission for students to read Madame Bovary 
• A 1957 pamphlet on the Index put out by the National Federation for Catholic College Students

The Index is considered one of the world’s rarest books and even many Catholic college libraries didn’t have a copy by 1966. This makes our collection very rare and a reason to stop by the display!

The display will be on view now through October 11th on the main level of the St. Paul Library, in the case in front of the video carrels. Stop by to learn more!

For more information on the history of St. Catherine University, visit the Archives online or in person in Room 62 of the Library, open Monday-Friday from 9:30-4:30.

Elizabeth A. Johnson books

Did you hear Sr. Andrea talk about Elizabeth A. Johnson's book Quest for the Living God at mass during opening celebration?

If you want to learn more about this book or others by Elizabeth A. Johnson, we have a good collection to get you started. Just visit our Pinterest board:

Follow St. Catherine University Library's board Elizabeth A. Johnson books on Pinterest.

We also have a video lecture given by Elizabeth A. Johnson on Apr. 10, 2008 about how contemporary theology uncovers hidden power and inspiration.

If you want help finding more information about Elizabeth A. Johnson and her work, ask a librarian.

It's #bookfacefriday!

We've been having a little fun with #bookfacefriday lately.

To explain: bookface is when you take the cover of a book and position someone behind it to make it look like they're part of the cover. It's a silly thing to do, but libraries around the country are posting their #bookfacefriday pics on social media (check it out on Twitter), so we decided to join the fun.

We'd love to see some of your #bookfacefriday pics, too!

Summer Reading Staff Picks

We know you're busy with final papers and tests, but summer is just around the corner and what's more fun to do in the summer than read? You need to catch up on some good books and we have some recommendations for you!

This Pinterest board is full of library staff book recommendations, from short stories about interesting women to post-apocalyptic science fiction to a riveting story of trapped miners to some seriously good graphic novels. You're bound to find something you'll like.

And while you're checking out this board, follow us on Pinterest!

Follow St. Catherine University Library's board Summer Reading 2015 Staff Picks on Pinterest.

Do you have any book recommendations for us?

Photo by Anjum Malkana / licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Diversity in Sci-Fi & Fantasy

If you're interested in science fiction and fantasy, you might know about the Hugo Awards, one of the most prestigious awards for science fiction and fantasy. But have you heard about the Hugos and the Sad Puppies debacle this year?

For a quick breakdown, the Sad Puppies (they named themselves this, and there's an extreme group of them called the Rabid Puppies) are a group of conservative authors who want the Hugos to highlight more conservative literature. Depending upon who you talk to, their definition of conservative ranges from politically conservative to having less women and less diversity in the Hugos. The Sad Puppies helped skew the Hugo nominations this year so that the majority of authors nominated are on their approved Sad Puppies list. What they did wasn't illegal, they worked within the rules of how voting occurs, but it left a bad taste in some peoples' mouths, so much so that some nominees who are not part of the Sad Puppies have declined their nominations.

For a more extensive breakdown, check out this article: How the 'Sad Puppies' Internet Campaign Gamed the Hugo Awards.

We don't collect a lot of science fiction and fantasy books here, nothing like you'd find in your local public library, but we do have some. When we heard about the Sad Puppies campaign, we thought we'd make a Pinterest board highlighting some good, diverse science fiction and fantasy because we appreciate diversity of all kinds in our literature. To find a good read, check out our board:

Follow St. Catherine University Library's board Diversity in Sci-Fi & Fantasy on Pinterest.

We'll continue to add to this board and buy some more science fiction and fantasy for our collection, so if you have any suggestions, let us know.

Most challenged books 2014

Another thing that comes out during #NationalLibraryWeek is the list of the top books that have been challenged across the country. Challenged books are those that some people feel need to be banned from their public or school libraries.

So what was the most challenged book in 2014? Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. (Don't worry, we have multiple copies of this wonderful book in our collections.)

For the top 10 challenged books of 2014, and reasons why they were challenged, read this article from the American Library Association, or check out this infographic:

Happy #NationalLibraryWeek!

A Conversation with Avi, April 8

Did you read Poppy when you were young? Maybe the Crispin books? Or how about the fabulous True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle?

These books, and over 70 more, were written by Avi, and you can meet him on April 8!

Join us for A Conversation with Avi and come prepared to ask questions of this marvelous children's and young adult author of historical fiction, fantasies, mysteries, adventure tales and more.

A Conversation with Avi
April 8, 2015
6-7 p.m.
Coeur de Catherine Room 361

Sponsored by the Master of Library and Information Science program. Questions? Contact Heidi Hammond.

American Journal of Nursing Books of the Year

Each January, AJN selects the nursing books of the year in 18 categories, ranging from Adult Primary Care to Public Interest and Creative Works.

The St. Catherine Libraries have them all! Come check them out!

We like big books

Over the summer, in the St. Paul campus library, we started using one of our whiteboards to ask you a Question of the Week. Questions have ranged from favorite songs and favorite movies to pet peeves and an animal that represents you.

A couple weeks ago we asked you what book you would recommend to someone else, so we thought we'd put together a display with your book suggestions. But we didn't just add the books. We wanted to let you know how much we liked big books, and we cannot lie.

Come into the St. Kate's Library to check out some of these great book suggestions!

Library director or Ms. Marvel?

You may or may not know that we have a new library director, Emily Asch. She's been working in the St. Kate's Library for many years as the Head of Technical Services, but in August we were delighted when she stepped into the Director of Libraries, Archives, and Media position. Within Emily's first couple of months we've already seen great changes in the library and we're looking forward to the future.

Another thing you should know about Emily is that she has a great sense of humor. Just look at this photo of her from last week:

Is that our library director or Ms. Marvel?

(P.S. We ordered a couple copies of Ms. Marvel, the first Muslim superhero to headline her own comic, so you'll have to check it out when it gets here.)

St. Kate's librarian on the news!

On the 10pm news on October 1, St. Kate's librarian LeAnn Suchy helped answer WCCO's Good Question - Why Are We Reading More Books?

The interview took place earlier in the evening on October 1 and was filmed right here in the St. Kate's Library on the St. Paul campus. LeAnn was interviewed for about 20 minutes, but only a small portion of that made the segment.

One thing that was left out of LeAnn's comments was the fact that millennials, people between the ages of 18 and 30, are out-reading those of us over 30, which is fabulous. Reading isn't going anywhere! Tell us, what are some of your favorite books?

Summer reads & Road Mix playlist

Some students from MLIS 7630 did book displays in the library this summer as part of an assignment. If you're looking for some Books with Bite, or if you have Wander Lust, or if you need a Dragon fix, check out this Vine video of their displays (and come into the library to find some good reads!):

The Wander Lust display also used a whiteboard to ask the question: what is your go-to travel song? And you delivered. Many people signed the board giving their song suggestions, so we had to make a playlist.

Here's your Spotify playlist - St. Kate's Road Mix*:

Now come into the library to find some great books to read! If you don't find any on these displays, a librarian can help you find something you may like. Just ask.

*These songs do not represent the beliefs & views of St. Catherine University Libraries.

Gabriel García Márquez, 1927-2014

Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez, affectionately known a "Gabo," was widely regarded as the most beloved Latin American writer of all time. Generally thought to be one of the founders of the literary genre of magical realism, García Márquez captured the imagination of his readers through complex stories of families, lovers, and Latin American politics. After a career as a journalist, Gabriel García Márquez left Colombia in the 1950s and moved to Mexico, where he died this month at the age of 87.

"I discovered to my joy, that it is life, not death, that has no limits."
-- From Love in the Time of Cholera

Gabo is most famous for his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, the epic story of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo. The novel was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982.

April 23rd is World Book Night!

Spread the joy...

World Book Night was first celebrated in the USA and Germany in 2012 a year after it’s premiere in 2011 in the UK and Ireland. It is the product of a round table discussion at London’s Book Industry Conference in May of 2010 and hopes to inspire passionate readers to share copies of their favorite books with folks in the community who don’t regularly read. What better way to celebrate the gift of books than checking out some great books from the library? Here are a few World Book Night books that we have at St Kate’s to get you in the mood:

2014

• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
• Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
• Pontoon by Garrison Keillor
• The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
• Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMillan 
• Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin
• When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago
• The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
• Zora and Me by Victoria Bond & T.R. Simon

2013

• Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
• Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
• Still Alice by Lisa Genova
• The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
• The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

2012

• A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
• Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
• Just Kids by Patti Smith
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
• The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Check them out!

Spring Break "Staycation"

Staying in town for spring break? Check out our staycation ideas.

We have some great books and media available to make your staycation fun! Try some new recipes, learn a craft, take time to commemorate a special time in your life with scrapbooking--the possibilities are endless...


Here are some books to wet your whistle:

• Cooking light big book of salads
• Card-making techniques from A to Z by Jeanette Robertson
• Best in the world : 175 classic recipes from the great cuisines compiled by Martha Day
• Scarf style 2 : innovative to traditional, 26 fresh designs to knit by Ann Budd
• The classic encyclopedia of world recipes by Sarah Ainley
• SimpleChic : designer knits, SuperQuick! by Jil Eaton
• Minnesota's bounty : the farmers market cookbook by Beth Dooley
• Minnesota quilts : creating connections with our past
• The Barefoot Contessa cookbook : secrets from the legendary specialty food store for simple food and party platters you can make at home by Ina Garten
• Your scrapbook, your story : original ideas that focus on you edited by, Emily Curry Hitchingham
• Beginner's guide to quilting : 16 projects to learn to quilt by Elizabeth Betts
• The Taste of Africa by Rosamund Grant and Josephine Bacon

November is Native American Heritage Month

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.

Why not recognize some of the literary the achievements of Native Americans by checking out a few fiction writers such as:

Louise Erdrich

Minnesota author of award-winning novels such as:
The Round House (PS3555.R42 R68 2012)
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse (PS3555.R42 L37 2001)
Master Butcher's Singing Club (PS3555.R42 M37 2003)
Four Souls (PS3555.R42 F68 2005)

Michael Dorris

Late author of several titles including:
The Crown of Columbus (with Louise Erdrich) (PS3554.O695 C76 1991)
Yellow Raft on Blue Water (PS3554.O695 Y4 1987)

Sherman Alexie

Author from Seattle area whose popular novels include:
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (PZ7.A382 Ab 2007 )
Reservation Blues (PS3551.L35774 R74 1995)
Flight (PS3551.L35774 F57 2007)

N. Scott Momaday

Pulitzer-prize winning author of:
The Way to Rainy Mountain (E99.K5 M64W)
The House Made of Dawn (PS3563 .O47 H5)
The Ancient Child (PS3563.O47 A78 1989)