Saturday, February 27, 2010

Music to my ears: Symphonic Students

For the past 10 years, Birmingham-Southern has hosted the Whittington Competition, named for Frances and Dorsey Whittington who led the Birmingham Conservatory of Music (now known as the Music Department here at BSC). Going for gold, many ‘Southern students participated, but this year the top three winners were Wei Dai, Hannah Ellington, and Iris Reddick. Now these students not only have the honor of winning the competition, but they get to perform with the Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra this Sunday, February 28!

The performance will be held in Hill Recital Hall at 3 p.m., and will be free to the public. Students, faculty, and any other interested parties are encouraged to come and listen to some of the best BSC has to offer to your ears. The performers will each get to give a solo, accompanied by the Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra.

Wei Dai, a junior music major here studying abroad from Xiamen, China is planning to perform the first movement of the First Piano Concerto by Ludwig van Beethoven. She’s here studying piano from BSC Prof. of Music and Artist in Residence, Bill DeVan. Hannah Ellington promises to knock socks off with arias by Sergei Rachmaninoff and from Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” She’s studied vocal performance and is now perfecting her art as a senior under BSC Associate Professor of Music Jacqueline Leary-Warsaw. Iris Reddick completes the act in a Whittington debut as a freshman cellist studying under BSC adjunct faculty member Avi Friedlander. She will perform “Kol Nidrei” by Max Brunch.

Altogether, the talent in the show is tremendous, and it promises to be a lovely afternoon to soothe the ears before another week begins. Come for a time of beauty and melody, and don’t be surprised to see this writer bobbing her head in a corner!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Database Trials

Database Trials

( the image at right is from 19th Century U.S. Newspapers -- The Macon Telegraph, (Macon, GA) Sunday, August 30, 1896; pg. 20; col C.)

From time to time, the Library tests new databases. This gives us a chance to try new products to see if they could be useful for our students and faculty. We make these trials open to the library users so everyone can use them. Since the Library cannot purchase or subscribe to every database that we try, we rely on feedback from our BSC community to let us know how useful these products are. Take a look at our current trials. Let us know what you think!

You can get to them from the Database listing under “Database Trials”

http://library.bsc.edu/tools/trials.htm

The databases we test change regularly. Some of the current databases to try are:

Ebrary
Gives access to the searchable full-text of 45,000 academic books. Trial lasts until March 5.

19th Century U.S. Newspapers from Gale
Provides the full-image texts. Trial lasts until March 15.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

BSC Celebrates Black History Month 2010

Birmingham-Southern College’s Black Student Union is observing Black History Month by presenting a number of interesting events during the month of February. This year’s theme is “The Economic Empowerment of African-Americans”; and the month’s activities were initiated with Elaine S. Jackson, President and CEO of the Birmingham Urban League, speaking on “The History of Black Economic Empowerment”. On February 16th, Dr. Barbara Allen, Interim Superintendent of Birmingham City Schools, discussed how economics has affected the educational system, students, and schools in her work with the Birmingham City Board of Education.

Other activities for the month include:
A Film and Discussion: “Hip-Hop: Beyond the Beats and Rhymes”, February 18th at 7:00 pm in the Norton Theatre.
Night in the Chapel with guest Pastor Mario Cooper and the One-A-Chord Gospel Choir, February 22nd at 7:00 pm in Yielding Chapel.
Free Food for Thought: “Black in America – Part 2” Documentary, February 23rd at 7:00 pm in the Loft.
Closing Celebration: Enjoy food, music, and fellowship as the BSU closes out Black History Month 2010 on February 25th from 8:00 pm until midnight at Norton Great Hall.

For more information, visit
http://www.bsc.edu/events/pdfs/black-history-month.pdf

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Check out the photo of the week!

Birmingham-Southern's "photo of the week" for this week features the three students who spent many hours in the BSC archives, processing and organizing Richard and Joshua Green's Sherlock Holmes Collection. Click here to see the photo.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Spring term begins!

Welcome back!

Although the temperature was in the 20's last night, we are now officially entering the Spring semester.

The Library will be open until 5 pm on Monday and 10 pm on Tuesday, the first day of class. We will then resume our regular schedule.

Librarians are here to assist you with your research as you dive into your classes. Please feel free to draw upon the resources on the Library website, and to call on us at any time... in person, on the phone, or via the chat or email links on the front page of our site.

Good luck in the new semester!