Daily Archives: November 26, 2018

The Informed Consumer Event Recap: Lean & Green Gift Making

By: Alyssa Leavens

TheUniversity Libraries hosted Lean & Green: Gift-making on a Budget on Tuesday, Nov. 6. This workshop is the first event of The Informed Consumer Series, an initiative designed to provide information and resources for students covering topics such as financial education, information literacy, health literacy, and entrepreneurship. The event included special guest Sylvia Rushing, resident instructor of floral design and botanical crafts at The Makery in State College. Sylvia instructed a group of 20 students on how to make mini succulent kokedamas (Japanese moss balls). Students learned that with just three simple and green items they could create an easy, decorative gift for friends or family. One succulent kokedama costs between $8-$10 keeping this project budget-friendly.

The event also offered a holiday vibe with hot chocolate, cookies, and festive music to help students de-stress. A book display with topics ranging from crafts to personal finance was also set up for students to browse and check-out. Students received two handouts with information on more budget friendly gift ideas, resources, and a budgeting worksheet specifically for the holiday season.

Look out for more events hosted by The Informed Consumer next semester. In the meantime, be sure to check out In the Know: Your Money Your Life, the blog associated with The Informed Consumer. The blog delves into various topics to help students take control of their lives and professional futures. Check out the blog’s latest post centered around the holiday season here.

Penn State University Press will showcase new titles at annual Holiday Book Sale, Dec. 4

By: Cate Fricke

Penn State University Press will host its annual Holiday Book Sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 in the Kern Building lobby, University Park. The one-day sale, featuring over
60 titles, is open to the University community and the general public.

The sale will include recently published books such as The Hidden Life of Life by New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, Shale Play: Poems and Photographs from the Fracking Fields by PSU professors Julia Spicher Kasdorf and Steven Rubin, and Evan Pugh’s Penn State by Roger Williams, former Executive Director of the Penn State Alumni Association;
graphic novels such as Escaping Wars and Waves and Don Quixote of La Mancha; and classic PSU Press books such as Field Guide to Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic and many more. All books will be available at 30–50% regular list price. There will also be a $5 book table featuring backlist titles on Pennsylvania history and other topics.

Shoppers can also purchase books through the Penn State University Press website. The Press offers free shipping to on-campus addresses; regular shipping charges apply everywhere else.

For information about Penn State University Press, visit http://www.psupress.org.

Customer Service Tip: Raising the customer experience bar by mapping unexpected journeys

By: Paul Selby (submitted by Carmen Gass)

I faced a dilemma recently. I had ordered something that would be delivered while I was out of town. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue; someone would eventually be home to retrieve the package from the porch. The problem was this was a valuable item and the package might sit for hours. With the holidays approaching making porch pirates a larger threat, I thought I’d see if any options might exist to address my concerns.

Like most customers, I started my quest online to see if I could find a solution to my problem. I tried the vendor first, but they didn’t offer any options once the item had left the warehouse.
Then I tried the shipper. Read more here.

Green Tip: Finding sustainable products in Ebuy and Penn State’s General Stores

By: Sarah Billman

Penn State’s General Stores’ Sustainable Products page encourages customers to order sustainable products. However, once a customer opens eBuy and navigates to the General Stores Office & Janitorial Supplies punchout page how can customers like us find sustainable products?

There are several tools available to find sustainable products. First, there is the Recycled Copier Paper Guide from the General Stores website, which is helpful when ordering copier paper. Next, there are some filters in the punchout that you can employ to help narrow your choices to view eco-conscious products:

or diversity suppliers:

Additionally, when looking at products look for the following labels:

Lastly, there is a Greener Office Products section of the supplies website. Currently, it’s a little harder to access.

To make it a little easier to find here are the steps to finding greener office supplies:

Go to the Supplies home screen and click on Office Supplies:

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the Greener Office Products link under More Ways to Shop to display a list of available supplies:

Hosting a Libraries event?

Look in your General Stores catalog to find the blue section labeled “PSU Janitorial and Break Room Solutions” blue section in the front of the catalog for competitively priced solutions including service ware, flatware, cutlery, as well as hot and cold beverage cups. Don’t have a General Stores Catalog? You can order one through General Stores.

Why should you look for sustainable products when ordering from General Stores?

The products are competitively priced, high quality, and help the Libraries and Penn State meet their sustainability goals. Additionally, buying recycled content products help “close the resource loop” and reduces energy, water, and chemical use, while reducing pollution and solid waste production. Lastly, it also helps boosts our regional economy because the majority of the RC paper at Penn State is purchased locally from American Eagle paper mill in Tyrone, PA.

Events: November 26

Fall 2018
Academic calendar information for all campuses is available online.

Sept. 5-Feb. 11, Exhibit: “Into the Woods: Nature in Your Library” Diversity Studies Room, 203 Pattee Library, Explore the Eastern Forest, its wildlife and botanical wealth. Libraries’ resources, services, unique collections and course materials will guide you on the trails of nature education and exploration. Discover local environmental programs. Be inspired by the instrumental work of women conservationists. Check out the related books, maps, movies and more, and get … Into the Woods.

Sept. 10-Jan. 13, 2019, Exhibit: “A Full Course: Encounters with Food” Eberly Family Special Collections Library, 102 Paterno Library, and Sidewater Commons, first floor Pattee Library. To survive and thrive, we must all consume food every day; eating is, therefore, one of the few universal human experiences. The exhibition will consider the more contested and continuing questions surrounding food: where does it come from, what and how do we cook and eat, and what role does food play in our collective imaginations? The books, manuscripts, posters, and ephemera on view will offer a feast for the eyes and food for thought!

Tuesday, November 27: Giving Tuesday. Save the date! Giving Tuesday is the biggest giving day of the year! Get ready to raise your voice and join Penn Staters in giving back. More info at: http://c-fund.us/gva #TextbookFund #PSUGivingTue

Sunday, Dec. 2: International Write-In. Use dedicated time to work on and complete writing assignments and projects throughout the evening, with reference librarians and writing consultants on hand for support, with snacks, coffee and pizza. Two sessions to choose from: Session One is 3:30-7:30 p.m. and Session Two is from 8 p.m. to midnight. Registration is recommended at http://tinyurl.com/psuwritein.

Wednesday, Dec. 5: Docunight: Iran Via Documentaries. On the first Wednesday of every month, featuring a documentary film about, around, or in Iran, or made Iranians. Docunight events are open to everyone, and all films have English subtitles. Co-sponsored by the Iranian Student Association and the University Libraries. 7 p.m. in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park.

Sunday, December 9 — Tuesday, December 11: Destress Fest. Various locations across University Park campus Libraries. Games, stress-relieving activities, free coffee. snacks and extended hours.

Dec, 15-16: Commencement weekend.

Please submit event information — and all Library News submissions — to Public Relations and Marketing via the Library News submission form. *Please note: The content submissions process may be changing soon; please stay tuned for updates.*

Fall 2018 Academic calendar information for all campuses is available online.

Fall 2018
Academic calendar information for all campuses is available online.