Digital Public Library of America
The DPLA launched only a week or so ago but it’s a great resource for those who like history. The Digital Public Library of America is a web resource that displays historical information and primary sources for not only educators, scholars, and librarians but also the general public. Digitized images are scattered throughout and you can search items by time period or place. I like the DPLA’s Exhibitions page, where they have online exhibits that feature unique information and original photographs. There’s one right now entitled, “Boston Sport Temples”, and with Boston being in the media as of late it was really interesting to see the original photos for the opening of Braves Field and Fenway Park - how it looked back then, what people wore, and how many people filled the stands - and the bonus is that I didn’t have to travel to Boston to see it!
-Judy, Reference
Robinson Jeffers
My introduction to the poetry of Robinson Jeffers came at the perfect time – the last week of National Poetry Month and immediately after reading The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt. The Swerve is this month’s choice for Barcodes, the library’s nonfiction book club. Greenblatt’s work is the story of the rediscovery of Lucretius’s epic poem De Rerum Naturain in the 15th century. I enjoyed Lucretius’s work, but I love Jeffers’s poetry. His philosophy is similar to Lucretius and Epicurus, but with a Modern perspective. If you enjoy nature writing or are interested in Jeffers’s “inhuman” philosophy, you can find his books in SWAN.
-Mike, Reference
NPR's Coffee Series
NPR has been airing an excellent series on coffee, which explores the science, historical impact, and artistry of the world's favorite stimulant. I particularly enjoyed the segment on a gracious tradition in Naples, Italy, called caffè sospeso, where a customer will buy two cups of coffee--one for themselves and another to be redeemed by someone who can't afford to buy their own.
Jerry Seinfeld probably best sums up coffee in all of its grim majesty: "I think the answer is we all need a little help, and the coffee's a little help with everything — social, energy, don't know what to do next, don't know how to start my day, don't know how to get through this afternoon, don't know how to stay alert. We want to do a lot of stuff; we're not in great shape. We didn't get a good night's sleep. We're a little depressed. Coffee solves all these problems in one delightful little cup."
-Megan, Reference
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