Resources Affected by Government Shutdown

If you've attempted to visit a website in the .gov domain today, you may have seen a notice like the one above.

Due to the current US government shutdown, many web based resources may be affected, including databases used for research, like the education resource site eric.ed.gov.

USA.gov has a list of affected government services and resources, available here:  http://www.usa.gov/shutdown.shtml

You can call 1-800-FED-INFO with your questions about government services.

This shutdown begins October 1, 2013, and will continue until further notice.

For more information about what library linked resources are affected, Ask Us.

Read a Banned Book Today

Libraries all over the country are celebrating the freedom to read this week.

From bannedbooksweek.org:

Banned Books Week is the national book community's annual celebration of the freedom to read. Hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events.

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982.

Here's a list of Banned and Challenged Classics, most of which you can find here at Davis Library:  http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics

To find out more about why a title was challenged, or to learn more about censorship, Ask Us!

Questions? Get in touch!

If you've visited the library recently, hopefully you've seen the big red Ask Us! sign next to the reference desk on the second floor.  This desk is staffed by friendly, knowledgeable students who can refer you to librarians for your in-depth research needs. 

Did you know about all of the other ways you can contact librarians for assistance?

Call us: 205.726.2196

Email us: reference@samford.edu

Tweet us: @TheRefDesk

Text us: 205.863.4065

Or Live Chat with us:  http://samford.libanswers.com/  The chat box is on the left side of the page.

These resources are all available during regular library hours.

Want to ask a specific librarian a question?  Find their contact info here:  http://library.samford.edu/about/people_dept.html

Need to know how to find us or how to get in touch with a specific department?  That's available online, too: http://library.samford.edu/about/contactus.html

You can find all of this information on the main Ask Us! page: http://samford.libanswers.com/

We look forward to helping you find answers!

Constitution Week

The signing of the Declaration of Independence, which preceded the Constitution by 11 years.

September 17th marks the beginning of Constitution Week, which is hosted by the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

On September 17th, 1787, the Constitution of the United States was signed at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.  From Credo Reference:

"...the Constitution was signed on Sept. 17, 1787, and ratified by the required number of states (nine) by June 21, 1788. It superseded the original charter of the United States in force since 1781 and established the system of federal government that began to function in 1789. The Constitution is concise, and its very brevity and its general statement of principles have, by accident more than by design, made possible the extension of meaning that has fostered growth. There are seven articles and a preamble; 27 amendments have been adopted."

You can find the entire text of the Constitution via Credo Reference here:  Text of the Constitution of the United States.

Credo Reference is an excellent resource and a great alternative to non-scholarly general knowledge websites that is available to all Samford students.  Use Credo to find scholarly articles, images, and other verified media for use in projects and presentations.

Need help with your research?  Ask us!

Be Mindful of Personal Belongings in the Library

As the 2013 Fall Semester gets underway here at Samford University, we ask all students who use the library as a study and work space to be mindful of their belongings.

The Davis Library is not only open to Samford students and faculty, but also to visiting scholars and members of the public from the Birmingham area.  Many different people take advantage of the great resources we have here at Samford.  

Please do not leave books, computers, or other personal belongings unattended or out of your sight for any length of time in the library.  

Questions about using the library?  Find out more about our policies here.

Samford University wasn’t always named Samford University

In 1841, Samford University was founded as Howard College. Originally located in Marion, Alabama, Rev. James Harvey DeVotie advocated naming the college after the 18th century philanthropist and English prison reformer, John Howard.

To a modern audience, John Howard seems a strange choice for a small Baptist college in Alabama. He was not Baptist, nor was he heavily involved in church matters. Rather, John Howard was a member of the merchant class of Britain and attributed for being the first English prison reformer. He traveled across Europe documenting the deplorable conditions of prison.

As for his dedication as a prison reformer, Howard viewed his work as humanitarian. In the 19th century, prison reform was a topic of heavy debate which is perhaps why DeVotie chose to name the school after the renowned John Howard. He was widely revered as a model of Christian compassion.

 If you’d like to read more about John Howard, check out Dean Chapman’s article for Season’s magazine in Spring 2005 or come visit the Special Collection. The Special Collection in the University Library holds a first edition, 1777, of John Howard’s book on English prisons and a second edition, 1791, of his book on European prisons, as well as a letter by Howard and several other items of interest, all thanks to the generosity of a donor.

So, why aren’t we still Howard?  In part because when Howard College became a university in 1965 there already was a Howard University. The name was changed to Samford University in honor of Frank Park Samford and the Samford family’s contribution to the university. The Howard College of Arts and Sciences retained both the name and the legacy of this great humanitarian.

On Tuesday, September 3rd, the University Library will celebrate John Howard’s 287th Birthday with cake and coffee at 10:00  am.   Come Join the Celebration!