Monthly Archives: February 2017

Strategic Plan Input Forums Feb. 27-28

The 2017-18 Strategic Action Plan Team seeks your feedback!

Join us on Monday, Feb. 27 from 3-4 p.m. or Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 10-11 a.m. in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, or on Mediasite Live to provide input on the 2016-17 Action Plan and brainstorm ideas for the 2017-18 Action Plan. We want to hear from you!

From the 2017-2018 Strategic Planning Team: Heather Benner, Matt Ciszek (Co-chair), Hailley Fargo, Rob Olendorf (Co-chair), and Angel Peterson.

– submitted by Angel Peterson, Strategic Planning Team

Libraries Innovation Microgrant funds mobile 3D scanning technology

New mobile 3D scanning technology is now available through the Engineering Library, sparking creativity and innovation, while helping close the loop in the design and prototype process. Using the wireless, handheld 3D scanning system, current Penn State students, faculty, staff and University Libraries resident borrower card holders will be able to capture full-color, high-resolution 3D scan of objects nearly anywhere. 3D scanning compound is also available to extend the types of objects that can be successfully scanned by this scanner.

This new technology allows individuals to create 3D models in a digital format with an easy-to-use system and, following the process, convert and refine their files, and then print their item. The Fuel 3D scanning system, available to borrow for four hours at a time, consists of a SCANIFY handheld scanning device, similar to a video game controller, connected tablet, and scanner tracking targets. The 3D scanning system is available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Engineering Library, located in 325 Hammond Building.

Once the 3D scans are captured, current Penn State students, faculty and staff can upload files to their Penn State Box folder and use 3D CAD software available in the University Libraries and campus labs for use for on-screen applications or prepare them for 3D printing. Approximately one week after the .makerbot file is submitted to the Maker Commons, Penn State students, faculty and staff may pick up their items at the Commons Services Desk in Pattee Library. Remote print submission is available for Commonwealth Campus and World Campus students.

This 3D scanning technology pilot program in the Engineering Library was initiated through a proposal by Angel Peterson, information resources and services support specialist, Angela Davis, engineering librarian, and Linda Struble, information resources and services supervisor-manager. Their proposal was one of four winners selected for a University Libraries Innovation Microgrant last year.

For more information on this service, or for questions about accommodations and the physical access provided, contact Linda Struble, information resources and services supervisor-manager, at 814-863-1886 or ul-engr-3dscan@lists.psu.edu in advance of your session.

‘Docunight’ features films with connections to Iran

Docunight, co-sponsored by the Penn State University Libraries and the Iranian Student Association, will present monthly documentary films about, around, or in Iran, or made by Iranians, the first Wednesday of every month in 2017. Screenings take place across several cities in North America.

At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library on the University Park campus, Docunight will feature “Sohrab, A Journey,” (2016), about filmmaker Sohrab Shahid Saless. Returning to Iran after studying cinema and living abroad, Saless makes a daring choice for his career path and becomes a pioneer in Iranian cinema. His features “A Simple Event” and “Still Life” are remembered today as the most important and most influential first examples of the formation of Iranian modern cinema. “Sohrab, A Journey,” directed by Omid Abdollahi, is in Persian with English subtitles.

DuBois Library student assistant helps campus break THON fundraising record

Chanice Britten, a student assistant at the Penn State DuBois Library, was one of three dancers representing the DuBois campus and one of the more than 700 dancers selected to participate in THON 2017. The University-wide THON total raised was $10,045,478.44 with the DuBois THON committee contributing a record total $27,616.47 to rank ninth among the Commonwealth Campuses.

Marly Doty, assistant director of student affairs at Penn State DuBois and adviser to the THON committee, and Chanice Britten, Penn State DuBois THON dancer

“I will never forget my experience with THON weekend,” Britten said in a Penn State DuBois news article. “THON has forever changed my life. I met families who have had cancer impact them. I did this for my grandma, and for a friend who passed away in December from cancer. I encourage anyone to try and be a dancer, you will not regret it, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I am overwhelmed with love and support from this weekend. As always, FTK and Kayla.”

Presentation on digital badges draws faculty and staff to Eiche Library

Last month, Lori Lysiak, reference and instruction librarian at Penn State Altoona, and Lauren Reiter, Sally W. Kalin Librarian for Learning Innovations and business liaison librarian, hosted faculty and staff at the Robert E. Eiche Library for their presentation “Making $ense with Digital Badges.” The lunchtime event provided an overview of digital badges and their potential uses in higher education. Following the overview, the topic of financial literacy was used as an example of how digital badges could identify, showcase and inspire information literacy skills.

The presentation was the second on the topic of digital badges held at the Altoona campus. The first event was part of the Eiche Library’s Summer Fun series in 2016 and helped grow more interest in this specific area of creating, issuing and recognizing credentials for learning accomplishments.

In a rescheduled session, Torrie Raish and Emily Rimland will facilitate the Library Instruction Community of Practice discussion on digital badges and micro-credentialing. Join the Zoom room from 10-11 a.m. on Thursday, March 2 to participate.

Discovery Day call for sessions

On Thursday, June 1, 2017, Library faculty and staff will gather for an opportunity to engage in exciting activities during Discovery Day. Obtaining feedback from you is vital to the success of the program.

We want Discovery Day to be filled with sessions you want to attend. Please complete the following survey to let us know your thoughts:
https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe1/preview/SV_3jWujeD5Z8DGjdP

The survey should take approximately five minutes of your time. Your replies will ensure that the program is composed of topics of interest to the entire library community. Please submit your survey by March 1, 2017.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at ul-discovery-day-cmte@lists.psu.edu.

Thank you,
Discovery Day Committee 2017

– submitted by Angel Peterson, Discovery Day Committee

Innovative customer service techniques

Companies often want their employees to think outside the box when it comes to great customer service. Managers and frontline employees, in turn, often want to learn new techniques to boost customer service ratings.

This course delivers new and cutting-edge research that can be used to take customer service to new levels. Jeff Toister shows how to influence customer perceptions, enhance your “service sense,” and build teamwork in order to exceed customer expectations.

View these modules to learn more:
Increasing teamwork between departments
Creating positive social pressure

– submitted by Carmen Gass, User Services Training

Tech Tip: Penn State increases maximum email size

by Ryan Johnson, I-Tech

The maximum size of an email sent through Penn State’s email system has been increased from 20 MB to 25 MB. The increase matches the allotment offered by some other email providers and will enable students, faculty and staff members to send much larger email messages than before.

Most email providers set a maximum amount of data their users can send or receive in a single email as a way to control mailbox sizes, guarantee service availability, and protect the network from potential attacks designed to flood the email system with useless traffic.

The new 25 MB limit is sufficient for attaching text documents and other small files to an email message and is applied to the sum of the message’s text and file attachments. In other words, the attachments and email text combined can’t add up to more than 25 MB. Messages exceeding the 25 MB limit that are being sent to Penn State email accounts will bounce back to the sender. Likewise, messages larger than 25 MB sent from Penn State email accounts will yield an error.

Files larger than 25 MB can be shared through the University’s cloud-based file sharing and storage service, Box.

Events: Feb. 27

Spring 2017

Through Tuesday, Feb. 28: Poster Exhibit: University Libraries Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, posters designed by Penn State students for 32nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration poster design competition, Pattee Library, Central Lobby (mall entrance), University Park.

Through Friday, August 30, 2017: “100 Years of the Pulitzers: Celebrating Our Humanity,” exhibit, Arts and Humanities Library operating hours, Diversity Studies Room, 203 Patee Library, University Park.

Through Friday, May 5: “From the Trenches: The Great War in Sepia” exhibit, spring semester hours, Special Collections Library, 104 Paterno Library, University Park.

Through Friday, May 5: “Research Wrapped in Aesthetics: The Air Wall,” documentary exhibit, spring operating hours, Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library, 111 Stuckeman Family Building, University Park.

Monday, Feb. 27: Diversity and Inclusion brown bag, sponsored by the Diversity Committee, noon-1 p.m., 403 Paterno Library, University Park and via Zoom.

Monday, Feb. 27: Strategic Plan Input Forum, 3-4 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and via Mediasite Live.

Tuesday, Feb. 28: Strategic Plan Input Forum,10-11 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and via Mediasite Live.

Wednesday, March 1: Editing Wikipedia, 12:15-1 p.m., Library Room 10, Abington.

Wednesday, March 1: Docunight, documentary screening about, around, or in Iran, or made by Iranians, 7 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, March 2: COP Discussion: Digital Badges and Micro-credentialing, moderated by Emily Rimland and Torrie Raish, 10-11 a.m., via Zoom.

Sunday-Saturday, March 5-11: Spring break, no classes.

Thursday, March 9: Introduction to BLUEcloud Analytics, 10-11:30 a.m., I-Tech Training Room, Paterno Library, University Park, and Adobe Connect.

Tuesday, March 14: “Fantastic Beasts and How to Understand them: Godzilla, Kaiju, and the Nuclear Age,” lecture by Dr. John Haddad, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Harrisburg Library, Harrisburg.

Tuesday, March 14: Centre County Reads: Rethinking the American West, panel discussion inspired by Stacey Lee’s “Under a Painted Sky,” 4-5:30 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday-Thursday, March 15-16: One Button Studio Lightning Talks, by Harlan Ritchey, 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m., Engineering Library, 325 Hammond Building, University Park.

Thursday, March 16: LFO Research Colloquium, 1-3:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Thursday, March 16: Library Services for Patrons Experiencing Homelessness, 4-5 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Friday, March 17: Art + Feminism Wiki-edit-a-thon, 10 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Monday-Friday, March 20-24: Maker Fair, week-long outreach event, Hazleton Library, Hazelton.

Monday, March 20: Edible Book Contest judging, noon-1:00 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday-Wednesday, March 21-22: 3D Scanning demonstration, by Angela Davis, Angel Peterson and Linda Struble, 1:30-2 p.m. and 3:30-4 p.m., Engineering Library, 325 Hammond Building, University Park.

Wednesday, March 22: COP Discussion: Ithaka Survey Results and Instruction, moderated by Steve Borrelli and Rebecca Miller, noon-1 p.m., via Zoom.

Wednesday, March 22: “This Book is an Action: The Politics of Feminist Publishing,” presentation by Jennifer Gilley, 12:15-1:30 p.m., Room 10, Abington Library, Abington.

Thursday, March 23: Conversations with Carmen, with guest speaker State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, March 23: TEAM Library, 2-3:30 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, March 28: Diversity Committee Annual Potluck, noon-1 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, March 28: Dean’s Forum, 1:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park and Mediasite Live.

Thursday, March 30: Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts, “Books, Bodies, and Circulations of Dancing in Early 18th-Century France and England,” by Linda Tomko, 4:30 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park, reception to follow in Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, April 4: Interactive Civility Workshop, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 5: Undergraduate Research Exhibition, 9:15 a.m.-2 p.m. poster sessions; 4 p.m. awards ceremony, Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park.

Wednesday, April 5: “You’re ‘kitten-me,’ it’s that easy? Tips and tricks for taming LionSearch and the CAT, 4-5 p.m. 211A Pattee Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 5: Docunight: Iran via Documentaries, “Sonita,” documentary screening about, around, or in Iran, or made by Iranians, 7 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, University Park.

Thursday, April 6: “Why Indigenous Knowledge Systems Matter for U.S. Land-grant Universities: Responsibilities and Challenges,” lecture by Kyle Whyte, 10-11 a.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday-Saturday, April 7-8: Boundaries of the Human in the Age of the Life Sciences Capstone Conference, presentations by ten renowned scholars, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park. Register by March 17.

Wednesday, April 12: COP Discussion: ACRL Debrief, 2-3 p.m., via Zoom.

Thursday, April 13: Celebration of Scholarship Research Fair, noon-6 p.m., Gym, Athletics and Recreation Building, Wilkes-Barre.

Friday, April 14: Remembrance of Kiarostami: The Life of an Iranian Artist, all day event, multiple locations, Pattee Library and Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, April 18: “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap” documentary, sponsored by the Libraries Diversity Committee, 7-9 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Tuesday, April 18: Tech Update, by Libraries I-Tech staff, 2-3 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park, and Mediasite Live.

Wednesday, April 19: Poetry Slam, 7-9 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: Beyond the Database Demo: Information Literacy Instruction at the Foundational Level, 11 a.m.-noon, 211A Pattee Library, University Park.

Thursday, April 20: 2017 Public Poetry Contest winners public reading, 7:30-8:30 p.m.,
Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Sunday, April 23: International Write-In, 3:30 p.m.-midnight, Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Wednesday, April 26: Financial Literacy Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.,
Black Box Theater, Slusser/Bayzick Building, Hazleton.

Friday, April 28: Last day of spring classes.

Sunday-Tuesday, April 30-May 2: DeStress Fest, 3-8 p.m, University Park library locations.

Monday-Friday, May 1-5: Final exams.

Wednesday, May 3: Docunight, documentary screening about, around, or in Iran, or made by Iranians, 7 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Thursday, May 4: Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Award Public, Oral Defense, three award finalists, 3:30-5 p.m., Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Friday-Sunday, May 5-7: Spring commencement weekend, most campuses.

Tuesday, May 9: COP Workshop, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park.

Please submit event information to Public Relations and Marketing via the Library News submission form.

Dean’s Doings

by Barbara I. Dewey, dean, University Libraries and Scholarly Communications

I attended the Harrell Health Sciences Library Research and Learning Commons dedication events on Friday, Feb. 17. Activities included a fascinating talk by Jaime Casap, Education Evangelist for Google, a dedication and ribbon cutting, and a wonderful Open House to celebrate this absolutely beautiful facility. The event was a huge success including a contingent of librarians and staff from University Park and the campuses. Congratulations to Cynthia Robinson and her team for an amazing transformation and an excellent day of celebration.

celebratory ribbon cutting for the Harrell Health Sciences Library of the Penn State College of Medicine

Photo by Darrell E. Peterson, Penn State Hershey Medical Center | The newly renovated Harrell Health Sciences Library Research and Learning Commons at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, opened its doors for a dedication, ribbon cutting and open house on Friday, Feb. 17. Pictured, from left to right, Nancy Adams, associate director, coordinator for education and instruction, Harrell Health Sciences Library Research and Learning Commons; Dr. Terry Wolpaw, M.D., MHPE, professor of medicine and vice dean for educational affairs, Penn State College of Medicine; Dr. A. Craig Hillemeier, M.D., dean, Penn State College of Medicine, chief executive officer, Penn State Health, senior vice president for health affairs, Penn State; and Cynthia Robinson, associate dean for library and information services and director of the Harrell Health Sciences Library Research and Learning Commons.

Dean Dewey’s Open House Feb. 22

Dean Dewey’s annual Open House event will be held from 2-3 p.m. this Wednesday, Feb. 22, in 510 Paterno Library. Light refreshments will be provided.

Save the Date: Strategic Plan Input Forums

The 2017-18 Strategic Action Plan Team seeks your feedback!

From the 2017-2018 Strategic Planning Team: Heather Benner, Matt Ciszek (Co-chair), Hailley Fargo, Rob Olendorf (Co-chair), and Angel Peterson.

– submitted by Hailley Fargo, Strategic Planning Team

Strategic Plan in Action: Invent Penn State

by John Meier, Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library, Strategic Action Plan Blogging Team

Since President Barron announced the Invent Penn State initiative at the beginning of 2015 the many startup and entrepreneurship efforts already underway at Penn State have gained new momentum. The commitment of $30 million drew the most interest in the beginning. The emphasis on innovation and commercialization from our university leadership, recently praised by the governor, has shown far-reaching results both geographically and in impact. One of the most visible Invent Penn State successes has been the opening of Launchbox and Innovation Hubs across Pennsylvania from Great Valley to Lehigh Valley to Happy Valley (a.k.a. University Park). These spaces support teams just starting their businesses with new technology, networking events, and training. Another event to level-up the many “Shark Tank”-like pitch
competitions around Penn State is the biannual Invention to Venture Conference that brought serious inventors and dozens of Penn State startup companies together with interested investors. There is a massive economic impact from bringing millions of dollars of investment into Pennsylvania and creating new successful businesses here.

The Invent Penn State Action Team in the University Libraries began our work in 2016 to develop a plan for engaging with this initiative. We immediately realized that the Libraries had been supporting entrepreneurship already through teaching and research support in many Colleges and many Campuses. The Entrepreneurship & Innovation (ENTI) minor, programs in business and engineering, as well as startup events in Information Sciences & Technology (IST) were already part of our instruction and liaison programs. There were new opportunities, like Global Entrepreneurship Week at University Park, where the Libraries hosts many events and delivers programs on business, patent, and government information. We discussed the challenges of providing information, often restricted by license agreements for non-commercial purposes, to entrepreneurs and found both alternative sources and partners in Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and public libraries.

Moving forward the University Libraries has a plan to improve and increase our impact with teaching and resource guides, both through deeper integration into the ENTI program and through broader expertise in intellectual property and business resources across the state.

“At Altoona, we have expanded our guide for EMET 403: Electromechanical Design Project Preparation to include their joint design projects with the Sheetz Fellows Program,” Reference and Instruction Librarian Lori Lysiak notes. “We also retooled our guide for ENTR 320: Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation to a second, similar guide that supports World Campus students enrolled in the fully online section of ENTR 320.”

We are building strong connections to key stakeholders, including new opportunities like the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Penn State Harrisburg. Both print and electronic collections have been identified to enhance the information resources and professional reading for our users. We were approved to hire an Entrepreneurship Librarian, who can focus on the growing curricular needs, bring expertise in new venture creation, and help to coordinate our many efforts across the Commonwealth. The most important element to our success in this area is communication. With the pace of innovation speeding up, keeping track of news and identifying where the Libraries can bring our unique value will determine our success.

Instruction Community of Practice: Digital badges and micro-credentialing Feb. 22

Reminder: The next Instruction Community of Practice discussion is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22, available by accessing the Zoom room: https://psu.zoom.us/j/6791385247.

This month’s discussion is on digital badges and micro-credentialing with Emily Rimland and Torrie Raish.

Mark your calendar for the next two discussions March 15 and April 12. Steve Borrelli and Rebecca Miller will present the Ithaka Survey Results and Instruction in March and our April discussion will be the ACRL 2017 debrief.

New Fake News Library Guide supports critical thinking skills

graphic of laptop showing screen mimicking a news article's text with words at top: "fake" in red, "news" in black

How do you determine what is “fake” news? A new Library Guide can help inform and also boost readers’ news literacy.

What is “fake” news and what does news literacy mean? A new Library Guide explains the terms and their significance and offers a collection of the Libraries’ news resources and credible sources in support of critical thinking skills.

The “Fake” News Library Guide was created by History Librarian Eric Novotny, who oversees the News and Microforms Library on the ground floor of West Pattee Library, University Park.

He noted, “My name is on the Guide, but many others contributed ideas and content, including Erin Burns, Jackie Dillon-Fast, Jeff Knapp, Cheryl McCallips, Jennie Levine Knies, and Tom Reinsfelder. Also, thanks to the fake news panelists at LFO for inspiration: Joel Burkholder, Jose Guerrero, Emily Rimland and Hailley Fargo; and Sandy Morgart for her speedy technical assistance.”

When asked why he thought the “Fake” News Library Guide was important, Novotny said, “Like many, fake news became part of my lexicon during the 2016 Presidential Election. I was particularly alarmed at post-election reports indicating that many readers were unable to distinguish between a real and a fake news story. As a librarian, I saw a natural role in helping our students become more savvy news consumers. My hope is that faculty and librarians use the guide to stimulate discussions on fake news and promote critical thinking skills. We want students who can judge the credibility of news sources regardless of whether they get their news from Facebook, television or library databases.”

Diversity Committee News

The Diversity Committee presents its list of upcoming events open to all University Libraries employees.

Annual Potluck
Tuesday, March 28 | noon -1 p.m.
Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park

Mark your calendars for the annual Diversity Committee Potluck! Sweet or savory, hot or cold, vegan or not? Start thinking about your favorite homemade dish to share with friends and coworkers. Sign-up sheet coming soon!

Civility Workshop
Tuesday, April 4 | 1:30-4:30 pm
Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library, University Park

The Diversity Committee has arranged for Charleon Jeffries, coordinator, Diversity Education, to facilitate an interactive civility workshop for the University Libraries faculty and staff. This was the number-one suggestion for the Libraries following conversations between the diversity committee and university’s affirmative action office and diversity education services.
Sign up here: https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8uWz9c6f1IF743z.

Screening of the documentary CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap
Tuesday, April 18 | 7-9 p.m.
Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park

Through compelling interviews, artistic animation, and clever flashpoints in popular culture, this documentary examines the reasons why more girls and people of color are not seeking opportunities in computer science. CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap explores how cultural mindsets, stereotypes, educational hurdles and sexism all play roles in this national crisis. More information to come.

Annual Research and Programming Colloquium
Wednesday, May 17 | 2:30-4 p.m.
Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park

Have you conducted research, published a paper, or developed a project related to diversity? The format of the program will consist of several short presentations (approximately 15 minutes each) followed by audience questions. Brief “lightning talks” (3–5 minutes each) will also be considered. All Libraries’ full- and part-time faculty and staff, including student employees, from all locations, are encouraged to submit proposals and to attend the colloquium. Participants from any campus location may attend in person, or present from their own location via Zoom. Request for proposals will be made in March.

– submitted by Sherry Roth, Diversity Committee

Hazleton Library engages students with “15 Movies in 15 Weeks” series

While movie stars walk down the red carpet for the Academy Awards^®, students at the Hazleton Campus Library can experience their own film festival when they borrow a DVD from the “15 Movies in 15 Weeks” series. The library staff promotes the popular series and weekly selections to students on campus through print flyers and social media during both the fall and spring semesters.

The Penn State Hazleton Faculty Senate Library and Information Committee select many of the titles for the “15 Movies in 15 Weeks” list, now in its sixth year. The committee recommended movies that have social and/or political implications with the potential to impact students’ worldviews.

Three-time Academy Award^®-winning film Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) is available to students the week of Feb. 27; the film the week before was Amores Perros (2000), also from Mexico, and also nominated for an Oscar^® for Best Foreign Language Film. Como Agua por Chocolate (1992), was the pick for the week of Valentine’s Day.

In more recent years, movies that expand the theme of the Penn State Reads book were chosen for inclusion. During the 2015 fall semester, Gasland (2010), Gasland Part II (2013), FrackNation (2013), Promised Land (2012), Breaking Free: The Shale Rock Revolution (2015), and Split Estate (2009) were among the selections offered in conjunction with the Penn State Reads book entitled, The Boom: How Fracking Ignited the American Energy Revolution and Changed the World.

Penn State Women’s Studies Graduate Organization offers free conference Feb. 24-25

The 16th-annual Penn State Women’s Studies Graduate Organization conference offers opportunities for academics, students and activists to gather and exchange ideas in feminist scholarship, collaboration, creativity and teaching across disciplines Friday-Saturday, Feb. 24-25. The two-day program, “Feminism, Race, and the Anthropocene,” is sponsored in part by the Interinstitutional Center for Indigenous Knowledge (ICIK) and includes a pre-conference lecture and reception on Friday, Feb. 24, in the Willard Building on Penn State’s University Park campus. The sessions on Saturday, Feb. 25 will be held at the Penn Stater Conference Center. Registration for the conference is free.

This year’s conference focuses on feminism’s role in understanding and critically investigating the new geological age called the Anthropocene in an interdisciplinary and transnational context, giving special attention to questions of indigeneity and highlighting the contributions that academics and activists have made in understanding the intersectionality of injustice in relation to global climate change.

Keynote speaker, Zoe Todd, assistant professor of anthropology at Carleton University in Ottawa, conducts innovative research on feminism, indigeneity, and decolonialism in relationship to the Anthropocene.

Research presentations and projects from graduate and advanced undergraduate students in a variety of disciplines will be featured onsite at the conference venue.

The 2017 conference is sponsored by several departments and entities connected to Penn State, including the Interinstitutional Center for Indigenous Knowledge (ICIK).

For more information and to register for the conference, please visit the conference website.

More information about the conference and the full list of sponsors is available in the Penn State News article.