Friday: Hellenic Scholars' Library

The Hellenic Scholars' Library

Samford Classics professor Doug Clapp noted that although pride in Greek culture was exaggerated for comedic effect in the film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," "it is no stretch to say that we can trace our ideas, our ways of thinking, back to their ancient Greek origins through the writings of, among others, Homer, Plato and Paul." "By preserving a multitude of Greek voices," Clapp said, "the Hellenic Scholars Library can help a twenty-first century world maintain access to ancient wisdom that can help us thoughtfully consider our modern quandaries."

Since 2005 over 3,000 volumes have been donated to the collection. The Hellenic Scholars' Library is located on the lower level, adjacent to Special Collection. Materials are accessible through the Samford Libraries Catalog. 

Please join us Friday, 10:00am, for the reception.

This year National Library Week is all about how Communities matter @ your library. Gifts to the University Library provide valuable opportunities for enhancements to existing library resources and services. Developing and maintaining a scholarly library and center for learning now and in the future is a long-range enterprise that requires a wide base of support to ensure preservation of and access to key information resources for scholarship. The Samford University Library has been the beneficiary of many generous gifts through the years that have enabled it to provide additional key resources that significantly enhance our offerings that nurture persons learning and knowledge in direct support of the mission of the institution.

This week we highlight five gifts: ALFA Presentation Room; The Saint John's Bible, Heritage edition; The Pilgrim's Choice and other hymnals; C.S. Lewis and other fictional works; and the Hellenic Scholars' Library.

 

Wednesday: ALFA Presentation Room

ALFA Presentation Room

Did you know there's a place in the library specifically so students can practice class presentations?

In February, Samford dedicated its new ALFA Practice Presentation in library room 214. With funding from the ALFA Foundation, the facility was renovated and outfitted with the latest technology to help students practice and refine presentations for classes, seminars, conferences and thesis defense. In addition to dedicated recording software, the room features an automatic screen, projector, video camera and confidence monitor.

Although the room is reserved for student use, this open house will introduce the facility to the entire university community and public. For more information, visit our exhibits page.

Please join us Thursday between 10-11 am, for the open house.

Popcorn will also be served on the Library Porch from 10-11.

This year National Library Week is all about how Communities matter @ your library. Gifts to the University Library provide valuable opportunities for enhancements to existing library resources and services. Developing and maintaining a scholarly library and center for learning now and in the future is a long-range enterprise that requires a wide base of support to ensure preservation of and access to key information resources for scholarship. The Samford University Library has been the beneficiary of many generous gifts through the years that have enabled it to provide additional key resources that significantly enhance our offerings that nurture persons learning and knowledge in direct support of the mission of the institution.

This week we highlight five gifts: ALFA Presentation Room; The Saint John's Bible, Heritage edition; The Pilgrim's Choice and other hymnals; C.S. Lewis and other fictional works; and the Hellenic Scholars' Library.

Wednesday: C.S. Lewis Collection

CS. Lewis Collection

Through the gift and direction of a generous local donor, University Library has added 72 titles by and about C. S. Lewis since January 2012. The enhanced collections provide a complete catalog of novels, poems, theological and philosophical monographs, literary criticism, children's books, essays, and memoirs by this highly influential Christian scholar. The goals for the collection now include adding audio books and DVDs, a process that has already begun, as well as secondary works about Lewis. 

It's hard to overestimate the influence Lewis had and continues to have on generations of scholars and the public. His science fiction, children's literature, and devotional writings persist in popularity, while his scholarly works continue to be studied and analyzed. Derivative works such as movies and plays entice young audiences and lay the foundation of a generous and beautiful Christian theology. Lewis' prodigious body of work can be found throughout the library.

Help us celebrate C.S. Lewis and our other favorite authors by creating a collage inspired by YOUR favorite work! Just add it to Pinterest or Tweet using the hashtag #sulibrary (and be entered again in our daily drawings). 

This year National Library Week is all about how Communities matter @ your library. Gifts to the University Library provide valuable opportunities for enhancements to existing library resources and services. Developing and maintaining a scholarly library and center for learning now and in the future is a long-range enterprise that requires a wide base of support to ensure preservation of and access to key information resources for scholarship. The Samford University Library has been the beneficiary of many generous gifts through the years that have enabled it to provide additional key resources that significantly enhance our offerings that nurture persons learning and knowledge in direct support of the mission of the institution.

This week we highlight five gifts: ALFA Presentation Room; The Saint John's Bible, Heritage edition; The Pilgrim's Choice and other hymnals; C.S. Lewis and other fictional works; and the Hellenic Scholars' Library.

Tuesday: The Pilgrim's Choice and Hymnal Collection

Community Highlight

This unassuming little collection of 266 hymns and spiritual songs is one of only four known extant copies of the first Baptist hymnal known to have been published in Alabama. David W. Andrews compiled the work and Jacksonville, Ala., printer J.F. Grant printed it in 1843. The only other known copies reside in the Alabama State Archives, the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a private collection.

Samford music professor Paul Richardson, a noted hymnologist and past president of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, acquired the hymnal and donated it to the university in honor of Liz Wells, chair of the library's Special Collection department. "She has been so helpful to me, I saw this as a way to add to the collection and honor her at the same time," Richardson said.

[page 66] from Select Gems, 1889

"The Pilgrim's Choice" joins an already sizeable collection of hymnals at Samford resulting from an earlier gift of materials to the university's School of the Arts by the Lorenz publishing family of Chicago.

[page 45] from The Sacred Harp, 1902.

 An example of shape note music made popular in the early 1800s.

A 5 Meal Food Court gift card will be awarded to a Samford student from the National Library Week entry box. See here for ways to enter. 

This year National Library Week is all about how Communities matter @ your library. Gifts to the University Library provide valuable opportunities for enhancements to existing library resources and services. Developing and maintaining a scholarly library and center for learning now and in the future is a long-range enterprise that requires a wide base of support to ensure preservation of and access to key information resources for scholarship. The Samford University Library has been the beneficiary of many generous gifts through the years that have enabled it to provide additional key resources that significantly enhance our offerings that nurture persons learning and knowledge in direct support of the mission of the institution.

This week we highlight five gifts: ALFA Presentation Room; The Saint John's Bible, Heritage edition; The Pilgrim's Choice and other hymnals; C.S. Lewis and other fictional works; and the Hellenic Scholars' Library.

Monday: St. John's Bible

St. John's Bible joins Samford Library

The Saint John's Bible is a monumental work capturing the spirit, scale, materials and techniques of the great medieval European bibles, while bringing them into the present with a New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) text.

This exceptional new addition to Samford's collection is the culmination of more than 40 years of research and artistic labor by Welsh artist Donald Jackson and a host of theological advisors and craftspeople. This amazing work was graciously donated by Samford Faculty members Dr. Jeff and Lori Northrup.  

Please join us Monday, 10:30am, for the reception. 

A $25 Target gift card will be awarded to a Samford student from the National Library Week entry box. See here for ways to enter.

This year National Library Week is all about how Communities matter @ your library. Gifts to the University Library provide valuable opportunities for enhancements to existing library resources and services. Developing and maintaining a scholarly library and center for learning now and in the future is a long-range enterprise that requires a wide base of support to ensure preservation of and access to key information resources for scholarship. The Samford University Library has been the beneficiary of many generous gifts through the years that have enabled it to provide additional key resources that significantly enhance our offerings that nurture persons learning and knowledge in direct support of the mission of the institution.

This week we highlight five gifts: ALFA Presentation Room; The Saint John's Bible, Heritage edition; The Pilgrim's Choice and other hymnals; C.S. Lewis and other fictional works; and the Hellenic Scholars' Library.

Free Stuff? Love Your Library!

National Library Week

comes to Samford University Library!

April 15-19

On each day, we'll highlight a different cool thing in the Library AND draw for one of many gift cards:

Target, iTunes, the Food Court, and a $50 Amazon card!

You can enter multiple ways:

• Fill out an entry form at the Library Circulation Desk on the 1st Floor
• Comment on our daily blog entries
• Retweet or Share our daily National Library Week stories
• Check in at one of the Library events
• Create a board for our Living In... a Book display and post it to Twitter or Pinterest, tagged #SULibrary (Polyvore is an easy way to get started)

You can enter once per method, and your entry will stay in the drawing box until the end of the week... or you win! You don't have to be present to win, but we'd love to see your smiling face!

For more information about all National Library Week events at Samford, visit the Event Page on the Library Website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 

We can't wait to see you next week!

Marliese Thomas
User Engagement Librarian