In case you skimmed that first paragraph in true lazy-summer style, here’s a quick recap: poetry has something for everyone! Here are some suggestions from the Undergrad’s collection:

If you don’t have much time but want a stunning read, Kevin Young’s Jelly Roll: A Blues will knock your socks off, then put them back on again in a way you had never considered, but find aesthetically pleasing. Young’s super-short lines and vivid descriptions bring the blues into your home or backyard hammock. It doesn’t hurt that these are primarily love poems, charged with all of the angst and ecstasy that goes with relationships.

Poetry not your thing? No worries. Diane Thiel’s Echolocations is as accessible as a zero-depth entry pool, and twice as enjoyable. Unless the pool has a waterslide like CRCE’s—then it’s pool one, poetry goose egg. But I digress. Thiel writes in full sentences, and for the most part describes daily life. Thing is, she does so with language that makes you realize that life is a heck of a lot more exciting and intense and meaningful than you’d thought before reading her work.

If you’re looking to have your heart wrenched and your stomach turned, Suji Kwock Kim’s Notes From The Divided Country will fit the bill. The poems wander without apology, covering a vast range of forms and content. She writes about her next-door neighbors and the Japanese occupation of Korea with the same intense, sensory attention, foregrounding the grotesque in nature and in human nature.

For the hard-core poet or poetry lover looking to dive deeper into the wreck of this fine art, try Galway Kinnell’s Three Books. (Extra points if you know the poet whose metaphor I’ve stolen, and extra-extra points if you can name the local poet who beat me to stealing it in his first book.) The three books in question—Body Rags, Mortal Acts, Mortal Words, and The Past—are stamped with Kinnell’s hallmark perceptiveness and compassion. Open to any page: this guy will show you how it’s done.

DMZ: On the Ground 741.5973 W85d

DMZ: Body of a Journalist 741.5973 W85db

Like all art, comic books and graphic novels tend to reflect the world around them. No matter which side of the political spectrum you lie in, we seem to be living through some dark times, and contemporary comics have picked up on this. Writer Brian Wood's new series DMZ stands as perhaps the most visceral example of this trend. The story takes place sometime in the near future. The national army, stretched to its limits by multiple wars in foreign countries finds itself unable to defend against a domestic insurgency. Essentially, middle America rises up and secedes, leading to a second American Civil War. Manhattan island has become a war torn no man's land, a demilitarized border between what remains of the United States and the anti-establishment "Free States." With the island largely evacuated, those who have stayed behind in what was once the greatest city in the country are forced to contend with hostilities from both factions, gangs and turf wars among the city's residents, and the day to day struggle of living in this harsh environment. Matty Roth, an aspiring photojournalist is dropped into the middle of all this, and through his eyes the reader experiences the strange, yet eerily familiar world of this new Manhattan, now known as "the DMZ."

Despite the interesting back story the real meat of the book lies in Brian Wood's startlingly realistic portrayal of average citizens enduring in the face of societal collapse and abandonment. Wood's narrative tone remains even-handed throughout showing both the horror and violence of life during war time, as well as the hope inherent in a group of people forced to rebuild and retain some semblance of community. Riccardo Burchielli's dynamic, manga-inspired artwork captures all of the grime and disarray of a ravaged metropolis, complete with chilling illustrations of devastated landmarks and imagery ripped straight from today's headlines. The series touches on media bias, the often muddied motivations behind war, the fallibility of extreme political ideologies, and the moral ambiguities of survival all while telling a ripping good yarn, with action and suspense that rivals any summer blockbuster or television thriller. Think 24 with more depth and less cheesiness, or Mad Max without all the chaps and hockey masks. For those who enjoy a bit of weight with their adventure, and a bit of relevance with their action, DMZ might make the perfect summer read.

Y the Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra - 741.5973 V465y

Brian K. Vaughn's critically acclaimed and inventive series follows the exploits of the last man on earth, after a mysterious catastrophe causes the simultaneous death of every male on the planet. The book covers similar post-apocalyptic territory as DMZ, presenting an alternately humorous and terrifying vision of a world in post-crisis mode.

Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson 741.5973 El596to2004

Veteran comic writer Ellis made his name telling the story of Spider Jerusalem, a tough as nails, foul-mouthed, anti-establishment journalist fighting corruption in a future dystopia where a crooked government rules over an oblivious, technology-obsessed society. Think Hunter S. Thompson fighting the Empire rather than Luke Skywalker.

This is a research study. The library only has five of these Wikipedia-iPods for second-year Undergraduate Students. You will be borrowing them for the duration of the Fall 2008 semester. If you are interested in participating, please contact Jim Hahn jimhahn@uiuc.edu for more information.

The UIUC Library is seeking a UIUC undergrad or grad student to help with the design of library related applications for deployment in various parts of Facebook. Possible applications include search apps targeting library collections and repositories, and also applications to help connect students with library services and collections. The position pays $10/hour, and will run through the Fall semester of 2008. An example of one Library Facebook application can be found here:
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2414276217

Requirements: Demonstrated knowledge and experience programming with HTML and PHP, including experience designing web-based database searching applications. Experience using XML and XML schema. Strong oral and written communication skills. Current enrollment at UIUC.

Preferred Skills: Strongly preferred – prior experience writing Facebook applications (include URLs with application). Experience with JSP and AJAX.

To Apply: Send resume and cover letter, as well as examples of prior web-based applications to David Ward, Undergraduate Library Head of Information Services, at dh-ward@uiuc.edu

Learn how to use online and library tools (LexisNexis, Marketline, Corporate Affiliations, etc.) to research organizations in order to tailor resumes and cover letters for internships and jobs, or to prepare for interviews.

Register for this workshop

Recieve text message alerts about Librarians' Office Hours the day they are happening.

*This is a pilot service being conducted by the Undergraduate Library, so space is limited! Only the first 200 to sign on for this service will receive Librarians' Office Hours Text Messages for the Spring 2008 semester.

Wednesday, January 16th from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Provided by McKinley Health Education

Click here for quick access to this page!

Join Guy Garnett and Stephen Taylor from the University and members of local game company Volition as they discuss music and its relation to current video game technologies and production practices. In conjunction with American Music Month, a panel discussion will provide some insight into topics such as generating music as an integral aesthetic component of game worlds, a critical analysis of music in video games and their role in the game development process, as well as discussions of how composers can get involved with making music for video games. No gaming night would be complete without a friendly musical competition in the form of a Guitar Hero III contest with prizes.

The panel discussion will start a little after 7pm in room 291 on the upper level of the Undergrad Library. Consoles will also be set up to play a number of music themed games, as well as other selections from our collection. So come enjoy a night of gaming at the Undergrad with your friends...
For further information contact David Ward at dh-ward@uiuc.edu