University Libraries faculty were among the honorees at a recent reception in the Libraries. From left to right Emily Rimland, Heidi Abbey, Russ Hall, Karla Schmit, Matt Ciszek, and John Meier. (Also honored were Anne Behler , Chuck Jones, Cynthia Robinson, and John Shank.)

For the past eleven years, the University Libraries and Penn State’s Office of the Provost have jointly sponsored an initiative to recognize recently tenured and promoted Penn State faculty. Through the program, each newly tenured or promoted faculty is asked to select a book for the University Libraries’ collection that receives a bookplate commemorating the achievement.

Charles Jones, Tombros Librarian for Classics and Humanities, selected “From Cyrus to Alexander: a history of the Persian Empire” by Pierre Briant

Books selected and personal statements about the significance of the books are archived on the programs website at http://apps.libraries.psu.edu/ptrecog/. The submissions give insight into Penn State’s multifaceted faculty, with selections that enlighten and inspire as well as provide a ready-made reading list. A number of this year’s selections focused on the complex issues of juggling the responsibility of family, relationships and jobs.

Photos by Wilson Hutton

One faculty member may have summed it up best when she wrote, “As much as I love academia and my career, it can be difficult to succeed in academia without losing part of yourself. I don’t just mean the challenge of achieving a balanced life, but of retaining ones humanity and uniqueness.” Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass helped her rekindle her sense of self.

Another faculty member referring to his book selection, “Ethics for a New Millennium,” by the Dalai Lama, said, “The book is reminder of what truly is important in our lives.”