Rodney A. Briggs Library Associates

NEWS

Annual Book Sale Dates Set--Donations Needed

The Rodney A Briggs Library Associates will hold their popular Annual Book Sale on October 1 and October 2 in Oyate Hall. To help make the event a browsing and buying bonanza donations are requested.

If you are doing some spring cleaning or dorm moving and discover unwanted books as well as movies and CDs, please contact Library Director LeAnn Dean by emailing deanl at morris.umn.edu (insert @ in the place of at) or simply call 589-6226 to arrange for delivery. If you have a large quantity of items to give for the sale pick-up can be arranged.

Annual Meeting A Success

The Briggs Library Associates had a lot to highlight at their Annual Meeting held April 16. Strong booksale proceeds, visiting author Michael Perry, a poetry reading featuring Vicki Graham and Jim Togeas, a collection enhancement grant in the area of ancient history as well as a murder mystery event demonstrate what a productive year it's been for the library support organization.

Library Enrichment Grants totaling $1900 were announced in five areas [see picture above]. Each proposal came from a UMM student, faculty member or club. The awards were presented to: UMM French professor Tammy Berberi (for French women writers), Philip Deger (for a Studs Terkel collection), Jessica Pederson (for sustainability resources), UMM student club Kadima (for Jewish studies materials), and the UMM Saddle Club (for books on horses).

The featured event of the evening showcased two international students who shared their experiences at UMM and beyond.

Snow Jiang, an exchange student and Sociology major from China's Shanghai University, offered her perspective on the challenges and opportunities of studying abroad. UMM and Shanghai University are partners in a exchange program.

"Other students said they had a wonderful experience so I wanted to come here," Snow said, flashing her enthusiastic smile.

One of the challenges she faced were linguistic in nature and involved speaking and reading in English. Snow also observed that in China there is twice as much class time but not so much homework. Still, Snow has managed to make the most of her year at UMM juggling her studies with campus involvement in several organizations as well as participating in Dance Ensemble and cheerleading.

"I feel the community here is very strong," she said. "Professors here give more time to let students talk. I think that's important. In the future you have to think for yourself."

The second speaker of the evening was Saba Nasseri, an exchange student from the Netherlands. Nasseri was born in India, moved to Afghanistan with his family and then settled in the Netherlands. In between he lived in Pakistan as well giving him an international perspective of nearly global proportions.

"I came to the U.S. to study liberal arts," he said. "My uncle graduated from UMM."

Although family connections helped pull Nasseri to the Prairie (his uncle graduated from UMM and he has relatives living in the state) it almost didn't work out.

"My first impression of UMM was Martin Luther King Day. It was really empty [on campus]. I thought it was impossible for me to live here and so I left".

Encouraged by his mother, Nasseri eventually returned to UMM. This time things were different and he stayed, fulfilling a desire to study political science, something he couldn't do in the Netherlands because of the technical school track he was on.

After graduation Nasseri hopes to go to graduate school and work for an NGO.

In Associates business, Lory Lemke was relected to the position of Associates President, Jim Togeas as Vice-President, and Chris Butler to Secretary.

Undergraduate Research Grant Competition

To help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the University of Minnesota, Morris as well as the 100th anniversary of the West Central School of Agriculture, the Briggs Library Associates are inviting proposals for its 2009 Undergraduate Research Grant Competition. Qualified undergraduates will compete for a $300 research grant with the addition of a possible supplement to cover expenses incurred during the research. Proposals are due no later than April 6, 2009 and should be submitted to Lory Lemke, 215 Camden Hall, UMM.

Research Project Specifics

• Should be relevant to the 50th anniversary of the University of Minnesota, Morris and/or the 100th anniversary of the West Central of Agriculture, both of them to be commemorated in 2010.
• Should draw on the resources of the Briggs Library/UMM Archives, thereby making the information there available to a wider public and/or
• Should add to the holdings of the Briggs Library/UMM Archives
• For more information about possible topics contact Jim Togeas (togeasjb)
• For information about possible topics and/or the UMM Archives, contact Steve Gross (grosssj)

Eligibility

• Any UMM student, full 0r part-time, but only if the research project is not already being supported by a UROP, MAP or other funding source
• Research undertaken as part of a class requirement or directed study is eligible

Additional Information

• UMM Archives staff will provide assistance in during the archives and Briggs Library will subsidize incidental expenses
• There is no restriction on the project's medium
• Payment will be administered through the Financial Aid office

Guidelines for submitting a proposal:

• Provide a title for the project
• Provide a 1-2 page narrative of the research to be done, including how the Briggs Library/UMM Archives will be used and/or enhanced
• Describe the anticipated final form of the project
• Describe expenses incurred in the research requiring additional funds, if any state the amount of money required to meet those expenses, and provide a brief rationale
• Give the name of a UMM faculty member who has agreed to mentor the research
• State the anticipated date of completion. This should be no later than March 20, 2010

Public presentation

• Grant recipients are expected to present the results of their research at the BLA annual meeting in April 2010.

Notification

• Those awarded funding will be notified in advance of the BLA annual meeting on April 16, 2009, and will be invited to attend a recognition presentation during the meeting.