Darinlee's Blog

UNCG Libraries Community Garden 2011

2011-06-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of spring 2011, Jackson library acquired a plot in the UNCG community garden. This first plot we decided to plant white clover and edible flowers. Late spring, we acquired a second plot which is growing more traditional vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, and basil.

Pictures of our plots in the community garden can be found here.
Note: we could not resist taking photos of Charlie in the garden, which includes pictures of him in other department plots, not just the library's plots.

Christmas with Charlie 2010

2011-06-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

Every year we put up a Christmas tree in the main lobby of Jackson library. In December 2010, I got my picture taken with Charlie in front of the tree.

I then got a picture of Charlie behind my Christmas decorated work desk. Good Times :)

Charlie in the Library 2010

2011-06-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

Founder and first president of UNCG, Charles Duncan McIver, is a well known figure around campus. A photograph of this great man was enlarged and made into a full sized cardboard cut out. My colleges and I took this cut out around campus and photographed McIver at different locations. The pictures below were taken at the music library and Jackson library. Note: the photos are in black and white because the cardboard cut out is in black and white.

2009 Pumpkin Carving Carve-Off

2010-06-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Contest Rules:
(1) Each department will be provided one Styrofoam pumpkin that can be cut, designed, and decorated as seen fit.
(2) On the morning of the contest, the pumpkins will be put on display in the Staff lounge to be judged. Each entry will be given a random number so that voting will be done without knowing which department entered the pumpkin.
(3) Throughout the day, staff members will be asked to vote for their favorite.

Contest Prize:
The winning department will receive bragging rights for the year and a certificate of their accomplishment of beating everyone else at pumpkin carving/design.

Access Services

Cataloging

ERIT

ILL

Preservation Services

Reference

SCUA

Acquisitions

Contest Winner:
"Pumpkin Head Kitty" by Acquisitions Dept.

Halloween Trick 'o Treat in the Library 2009

2010-06-03T06:25:00.000-07:00

Description: "Feeling a little ghoulish? Come in costume or don't, but plan on a fun afternoon for trick-or-treating and board games in the library. Bring your fave board games or card games or your Nintendo DS! We will also have lots of board games for you!"

This year, our Halloween decorating crew took over the Current Periodical Room (or Jackson Reading Room) on the first floor of Jackson Library on Halloween.

Different from previous years, we did not make our own decorations. We used purchased decorations borrowed from the Reference Department to make a spooky Halloween theme.

We also used pumpkins from our Staff Association Pumpkin Carving Contest as decorations.

The University Libraries at UNCG: providing you with your board games, candy, and trickery fix when you need it most ;)

Podcast: Vampires, Witches, and Geeks, Oh My

2009-04-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

For a good time:

Vampires, Witches, and Geeks

Online Applications

2009-03-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

Of all the online applications and tools we learned about in our latest Web 2.0 presentation, I have to admit that the one I find the most fascinating is the Facebook application: Socialistics. The pie charts are very entertaining, even though not everyone on Facebook actually fills out all the information on their profile page. The one thing most people do fill out (although not all, as I have discovered) is their sex, and the pie chart for my friends is a close split: 51% female, 49% male. If someone were to ask me off the street if I liked statistics, I would say "no." However, considering that I find the statistics part of all the online applications we studied to be the most interesting, perhaps I should change my answer...

Serials Wikis

2009-03-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

When I looked for a wiki about Serials, I found only a couple of results:

"Serials Acquisitions Glossary"
ALCTS: Association for Library Collections & Technical Services

Wikipedia article: "Serial (literature)"

Delicious Bookmarks

2009-03-13T05:11:00.000-07:00

Net Disaster: Destroy the Web!

Ever get so angry at a website you wish you could do something horrible to it? Or perhaps you just want to let out some frustration from a hard day at work: then this is the site for you!

Caedes: Desktop Wallpaper

Need some cool wallpapers for your computer? Constantly impressed by the awesome wallpapers on my desktop? This site is where I get all of my backgrounds, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Picture Editing in PiZap

2009-03-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

My Puzzle

2009-03-06T09:25:00.003-08:00

My Puzzle
Originally uploaded by Darinlee

More fun with photo editing ;)

My Stamp

2009-03-06T09:25:00.001-08:00

My Stamp
Originally uploaded by Darinlee

Photo editing is fun! :)

My Google Reader

2009-02-25T03:58:00.000-08:00

These are some of the RSS feeds I subscribe to on my Google Reader:

Cute Overload:

This is a great feed for when you need something to cheer you up. It updates frequently, and is full of pictures and videos of the cutest animals on the planet. For those who need a boost of fluffy fun, this is the feed for you!

ThinkGeek :: Stuff for Smart Masses

For those who are interested in new "geeky" products, this is the feed for you: "ThinkGeek started as a way to serve a market that was passionate about technology, from programmers, engineers, students, lovers of open source, to the masses that helped create the behind-the-scenes Internet culture." From T-shirts to calculator watches, it has articles on tons of toys that every geek can appreciate!

Teddy Bear Picnic Book Cover (2007)

2009-02-21T12:48:00.001-08:00

Teddy Bear Picnic
Originally uploaded by Darinlee

This is the "book cover" I created for the collaboratory decorating contest in 2007, mentioned in an earlier post. It currently hangs on the wall behind my desk at work.

Halloween Decorating 2008: Information Commons

2009-02-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

Theme: The Grimm Penitentiary: Maximum Security Prison for Fairy Tale and Supernatural Villains

Visitation Rules:
1. Weapons, enchanted objects, and magical relics are strictly prohibited on prison grounds with the acceptation of correctional officers.

2. Visitors must remain a minimum of 3 feet away from occupied prison cells for their own safety (NOTE: This will not protect visitors from spells and/or curses).

3. Visitors are NOT permitted to pass any unauthorized material to inmates.

4. Visitors accept items, advice, and /or Words of Power from inmates at their own peril.

5. The Grimm Penitentiary is not responsible for the loss of any personal objects, including but not limited to money, jewelry, body parts, etc…

6. The Grimm Penitentiary is not responsible for damages associated with the manipulation or invocation of any item in Evidence.

7. Violations of visiting privileges may result in disciplinary action against the inmate and legal actions and/or defensive sorcery against the visitor.

8. Shirts, shoes, and skin are mandatory.

9. Suspicious and/or unauthorized persons will be subjected to search by correctional officer with the assistance of trained search dragon.

10. Physiological transformations (such as in instances of lycanthropy, invisibility, sublimation, etc…) are not permitted on prison grounds.

Prisoners:
Wicked Witch from Hansel and Grethel by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Evil Queen from Little Snow White by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Goldie Locks from Goldie Locks and the Three Bears by Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm

Uncensored versions of Hansel and Grethel and Little Snow White can be read at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/

Credits:
This list includes everyone who gave physical, mental, and technical support, as well as those who donated props for our use.

Stacey Krim
Darinlee Needham
Cheryl Cross
Anne Marie Taber
Erica Rau
Jennifer Mincey
Keith Buckner
Hannah Winkler
Katherine Nunnally
Student workers: 4 from Access Services and 2 from Serials
Marcie Burton
Vanessa Apple
Audrey Sage
Stefani Hobbick
Ann Perdue
Paul Hessling
Anne Owens
Jenny Raabe
Melvina Ray-Davis
Susan Farr
Beth Ann Koelsch
Beth Williams
Terry Brandsma
Rachel Stinehelfer
Gaylor Callahan
Susan Hendrickson
Marilyn Hanichak
Amy Harris

University Libraries Collaboratory Decorating Contest 2007

2009-02-14T17:40:00.000-08:00

Contest Rules:
(1) Library departments "adopt" a collaboratory to decorate in a fall, Halloween, or scary theme.
(2) Between 12 pm and 2 pm, the department will staff the collaboratory and give out candy to students.
(3) Students will then get to vote for their favorite collaboratory.

Contest Prize:
The winning department will receive one year's unlimited bragging rights.

Contest Winner:
"Teddy Bear Picnic" by the Technical Services Department and Cheryl Cross from the ERIT Department

The Theme:
We studied the song and book The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy. Then we asked the question: if teddy bears really did come to life and had a picnic in the woods, what would they eat?

Menu Items:
Goldilocks Cutlet stuffed with mushrooms
Christopher Robin quarters in walnut sauce
Little Red Riding Hood whole stuffed with fruit
Theodore Roosevelt ribs baked w/vegetables
Mr. Gruber meatballs
Leg of Mrs. Brown
Rack of Mr. Brown
Hornless Goat Rice Pilaf
Long Pig stew
Long Pig breast grilled
Long Pig Tongue in Jelly
Hornless Goat Tongue in Spicy Sauce
Roasted Long Pig stuffed with Prunes and Apricots
Stuffed Long Pig skin
Breaded Long Pork chops
Long Pork loin roasted in mustard sauce
Long Pork loin grilled stuffed with dry fruits
Roasted Hornless Goat with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

The Monitor:
The large monitor in the center of the collaboratory played a short film on a loop for the entire two hours. The film was created by Britannica Dreams Productions, with music performed by Gilbert Russell.

Candy:
A "human in disguise" wearing a bear mask and black monk's robes handed out candy to students and passersby.

A bowl of candy was also set up at our candy stand.

Credits:
Everyone participating in the decorating made up "spooky" names, and were posted on our credits board.

"Teddy Bears' Picnic" by Jimmy Kennedy

2009-02-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

If you go down in the woods today,

You're sure of a big surprise.

If you go down in the woods today,

You'd better go in disguise.

For every bear that ever there was

Will gather there for certain because

Today's the day the Teddy Bears have their picnic.

Every Teddy Bear who's been good

Is sure of a treat today.

There's lots of marvelous things to eat

And wonderful games to play.

Beneath the trees where nobody sees

They'll hide and seek as long as they please

'Cause that's the way the Teddy Bears have their picnic.

If you go down in the woods today,

You'd better not go alone.

It's lovely down in the woods today,

But safer to stay at home.

For every bear that ever there was

Will gather there for certain because

Today's the day the Teddy Bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for Teddy Bears...

The little Teddy Bears are having a lovely time today.

Watch them, catch them unawares,

And see them picnic on their holiday.

See them gaily gad about.

They love to play and shout.

They never have any care.

At six o'clock their Mummies and Daddies

Will take them home to bed,

Because they're tired little Teddy Bears.