Centennial Library E-News, January/February 2021

E-NEWS Vol. 28 No. 3 January/February 2021 Art Displays in the Library This semester the library is hosting exhibitions from the university’s Art, Design and Theatre Department. The first three exhibitions (opening February 9, February 23, and March 9) feature the work of Visual Communication Design students. After these, a Studio Art exhibition (opening March 23) and a Juried Exhibition (opening April 20) conclude the semester.

How has COVID-19 affected the library? The library instituted extra protocols and procedures in Fall 2020 to quarantine most returned library materials and to sanitize high-use library materials though some of these steps have been modified or rolled back for Spring 2021. Additionally, we have implemented the university’s Caring Well, Staying Well guidance for our spaces, operations, and personnel. Library usage has shown some change so far this year. Borrowing of library materials is down 25%, and even usage of digital resources has declined 6-8%. On the other hand, traffic in the library was only down 2% for Fall 2020 and the volume of research appointments is not far off of last year’s rate. So far in Spring 2021, traffic is up 10% compared with this period last year. Book Sale by the Numbers Since the Spring 2020 Library Book Sale was cancelled due to COVID-19, the Fall 2020 Book Sale was larger than normal. During the week-long sale, patrons purchased 5,232 items, raising $2,246 for the library’s Alumni Scholarship in Library Science. Mark your calendars -- the Spring 2021 Book Sale will occur during the week of April 5. Library Careers Program: Spring Independent Study Students Students who complete the fall semester library internship course have the opportunity to continue their exploration of the library science profession with a spring semester independent study course. Three students are enrolled for Spring 2021 and all have chosen to include components on graduate school preparation and collection development. English major Sarah Trigg is also studying young adult services. Music major Jacy Stahlhut is exploring research & instruction and digital institutional repositories. English major Anna Jennings is focusing on school libraries and library marketing. Julie Deardorff, Director of Collection Services & Associate Professor, serves as the course instructor, and all Centennial Library faculty contribute to the course in their areas of expertise. Sarah Trigg Jacy Stahlhut Anna Jennings

Faculty in Print Ched Spellman, Assoc. Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies One Holy Book: A Primer on How the Bible Came to Be & Why it Matters, Codex, 2021. This book tells the story of how the Bible came to be and makes a case for why this history matters. Beginning with the basic questions believers are often asked about the origins of the Bible, Spellman introduces strategic steps you can take to understand and explain how the biblical writings were written and then gathered together into a treasured collection of authoritative Scripture. Examining the story of canon formation is both challenging and rewarding. The gains from this historical and theological heavy-lifting will strengthen your own grasp of the Scriptures and give you confidence to discuss canon formation with others. The book includes a discussion guide for churches and small groups as well as a series of further resources for possible research directions. These features of the book are designed for it to function well as a supplementary textbook in an academic course in biblical or theological studies. Alumni in Print Donna VanLiere, (Class of 1989) The Time of Jacob’s Trouble, Harvest House, 2020. A typical day at work turns into a nightmare for Emma Grady when her favorite patient and several colleagues vanish in front of her. Fear turns to chaos as Emma begins the frantic race from Brooklyn to Queens, anxious to discover if her boyfriend is safe. Subways are closed, graves are open, and countless people have inexplicably disappeared. Mayhem erupts as terror grips the residents of New York City. The bestselling author of The Christmas Shoes now explores a future world facing its final days in The Time of Jacob’s Trouble, weaving end-times prophecies into the lives of Emma and her friends as they struggle to survive and come face-to-face with the chilling truth about the disappearances. This page-turning story will take you on a riveting journey from New York City to Israel, and in the final chapters, Donna turns to the pages of the Bible, where you’ll learn that God has made known to us “the end from the beginning”, and that things aren’t spiraling downward but are actually looking up.

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