Purdue Bands celebrate 125 years with exhibit, book

September 21st, 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – An archives exhibit and a book chronicling its history are part of the celebration for the 125th anniversary of the Purdue University Bands.

The “Heartbeat of the University: 125 Years of Purdue Bands” exhibit is on display in the Purdue Libraries’ Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center through Dec. 22. The book, which goes by the same title as the exhibit, was published by Purdue University Press and will be released during the Oct. 22 homecoming weekend.

Purdue Bands launched its quasquicentennial (125th anniversary) celebration with an appearance by its “All-American” Marching Band last November in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Bands will continue the commemoration throughout this year.

Former band members are invited back for the Oct. 22 football homecoming game against Illinois to perform with the current “All-American” Marching Band and create the “World’s Largest Block P” on the Ross-Ade Stadium field. Before the performance, alumni will practice with the band, enjoy a dinner at the Purdue Armory and reunite with fellow band members.

“It is a lot of fun to have these past band members back,” said Kathy Matter, Purdue Bands public relations director. “Many generations come back to join in on this performance during our homecoming celebration.”

The Purdue Libraries Division of Archives and Special Collections exhibit provides an opportunity to view rare historical documents, photographs and memorabilia. The exhibit includes collections dating back to the band’s origins as a drum unit for the student army training corps to last year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade appearance. The exhibit highlights legendary directors and icons, such as the “World’s Largest Drum” and the “Golden Girl,” along with the department’s many highly respected concert, jazz and orchestral ensembles.

The Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center is located on the fourth floor of the Humanities, Social Science, and Education (HSSE) Library inside Stewart Center. The Karnes Center is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 765-494-2839 for group tours.

For more information, visit https://calendar.purdue.edu/Calendar/EventList.aspx?view=EventDetails&eventidn=52669&information_id=106746&type=&rss=rss

The book, “Heartbeat of the University: 125 Years of Purdue Bands,” is a collective history of the bands from its start in 1886, to present day. The book also highlights the lives of the organization’s members and legendary directors, such as Paul Spotts Emrick and Al G. Wright; and some of the band’s iconic features, such as the big drum and legendary twirlers; the Golden Girl; the Girl in Black; the Silver Twins; and the Goldusters.

The story includes the tragic Halloween day train collision that claimed the lives of 17 people in 1903, as well as groundbreaking successes through the years. For more information and to order the book, visit http://www.thepress.purdue.edu/titles/format/9781557535962

In addition to the 125th anniversary of Purdue Bands, this year also marks the 90th birthday of the Big Bass Drum, one of Purdue’s many icons. In honor of this event, the “World’s Largest Drum” has been on a five-stop tour to high school rivalry football games across the state. Fans are permitted to take pictures with the drum and ask questions of the drum’s crew.

The “All-American” Marching Band is scheduled to perform in the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Ireland.

Writer:  Rebekah Piotrowicz, 765-496-3006, rpiotrow@purdue.edu

Sources: Kathy Matter, 496-6785, kcmatter@purdue.edu
Elizabeth Wilkinson, processing and public services archivist, libraries, emwilkin@purdue.edu
Bryan Shaffer, production and marketing manager, Purdue University Press, bshaffer@purdue.edu

Related release:
‘Rolling Strong’ tour celebrates Big Bass Drum’s 90th

www.purdue.edu/newsroom/general/2011/110921MatterBands125th.html

Purdue Launches Data Management Hub

September 14th, 2011

Cyberinfrastructure-based research has infinitely increased the amount of data being collected and analyzed. Growing demands, both social and political, are driving the importance of sharing the information. But who should have access to it, how long should its shelf life be, and how will other researchers access it? Those questions can be addressed through two services offered by Purdue University: a research data hub and data curation profiles.

Research Data Hub

The newly created Purdue University Research Repository (PURR), located at http://research.hub.purdue.org, provides a platform for managing and disseminating information while also offering updated information on data management plan creation. Developed through a collaboration of Libraries, ITaP (Information Technology at Purdue) and the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), the HubZe­ro-powered site helps researchers comply with new National Science Foundation requirements for data management plans in proposals.

A Data Management Plan tool developed by the Libraries serves as a do-it-yourself kit for creating data management plans. Other resources on the hub help researchers navigate the process of making their data available (in essence, “publishing” it) in ways that suit their research objectives.

“Libraries faculty can work through the DMP tool with investiga­tors to help them identify and understand data management needs, regardless of whether someone needs a data management plan or just wants to expand discovery and dissemination of research out­puts,” says Scott Brandt, associate dean for research and professor of library science with Purdue University Libraries.

Data Curation Profiles

Long before NSF requirements, Purdue Libraries were fine-tuning an instrument called the Data Curation Profile, which assesses needs related to the discovery and dissemination of research data. Completed profiles identify how data will be managed, archived and preserved so that it is accessible to a wide group of people and over a long period of time.

“The profiles can benefit faculty who are at a point in their re­search where they are looking at options for making data available,” says Brandt. “On the other hand, the DMP Tool is for researchers who are initiating new projects, especially where data management plans are required as part of the proposal.”

Libraries faculty can collaborate with researchers to work through the profile and, as appropriate, use their expertise to con­nect researchers with resources that can help enhance manage­ment, discovery and dissemination of data.

“By walking through the profile process, a researcher can see issues related to data workflow that will likely affect making data available later on,” says Jake Carlson, associate professor in the Li­braries who developed both the Data Curation Profile and the Data Management Plan Tool.

Libraries faculty can assist researchers in creating a Data Curation Profile. For a list of librarian contacts along subject lines, visit www. lib.purdue.edu/rguides/instructionalservices/librarians.html.

Dimensions of Discovery, September 2011 (Issue 1)

Libraries Offers Open Access Publishing through e-Pubs

September 14th, 2011

As a service to the Purdue campus community, the Pur­due University Libraries provide Purdue e-Pubs (www.purdue.edu/epubs), an online repository where researchers can upload and provide online access to papers, presentations, reports, and more. Purdue e-Pubs is already home to a growing body of freely accessible article manuscripts, technical reports, working papers, conference proceedings and students’ scholarship.

As Mark Newton, assistant professor of library science and digital collections librarian, explains, “With scholars and academic institutions worldwide rethinking how to ensure that their published findings achieve maximum impact, Purdue e-Pubs provides the University commu­nity with stable access to published scholarship — such as working papers, journal articles, dissertations and theses — in addition to traditional journal subscription models.”

Purdue e-Pubs is also a full-featured publishing plat­form used by the Purdue University Press to support the publication of original peer-reviewed, scholarly, open access journals. “Depositing scholarly work into an open repository such as e-Pubs exposes the full-text work to academic search engines such as Google Scholar, ensur­ing discoverability and giving scholars instant global access,” Newton says.

Already, 10 original journals are being regularly produced through Purdue e-Pubs with assistance from the Purdue University Press, including the International Journal of Problem-Based Learning (IJPBL), the Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER) and, starting in fall 2011, the inaugural issues of the Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research (JPUR) and the Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering (JATE).

To start using Purdue e-Pubs, contact Newton at epubs@purdue.edu.

Dimensions of Discovery, September 2011 (Issue 1)

Common Reading Program invites book suggestions for 2012-13

August 29th, 2011

Libraries awards Open Access recognition

July 7th, 2011

Purdue University Libraries has awarded Ian Bell, PhD, with Purdue’s Open Access Award for his outstanding contributions to broadening the reach of the Purdue’s Herrick Laboratories’ conference series. His significant investment of time, resources, energy and forethought in the preparation of papers and descriptive, metadata information and deposit within Purdue e-Pubs, and his service to Herrick Labs, the School of Mechanical Engineering, the College of Engineering, Purdue University and scholars around the world, will greatly enhance the transfer of knowledge from the University by building bridges to scholarship made available through the Libraries.

The Scholarly Communication Committee, along with Libraries Dean, Jim Mullins; Tim Sands, Purdue provost; Anil Bajaj, head of Mechanical Engineering; Patricia Davies, director of Herrick Laboratories; and James Braun, Ian Bell’s advisor and Herrick professor of mechanical engineering, were in attendance for the award presentation, which was given prior to this year’s Open Access Week as Bell will be out of the country during this year’s week-long celebration.

Libraries awards a person or group on campus that has made an exceptional contribution to extending the reach of scholarship affiliated with Purdue through collaboration with Purdue initiatives and by embracing the challenging of expanding the global reach and impact of our collected works. The award is given in appreciation for the real-world application of forward-thinking principles and actions.

The 2011 Open Access Week will take place October 24-30.

New exhibit features women in aviation at Purdue

June 21st, 2011

Over the past few years, the efforts of the Susan Bulkeley Butler Women’s Archives have allowed Archives and Special Collections (ASC) to take in intriguing collections pertaining to female aviators at Purdue. Archives and Special Collections’ newest exhibit, “Soaring to New Heights, Women in Aviation at Purdue” highlights these aviators. The exhibit runs June 11-August 31 at the Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center, located on the fourth floor of the Humanities, Social Science and Education Library in Stewart Center.

As to be expected, the exhibit contains treasures from the George Palmer Putnam Collection of Amelia Earhart materials, including Earhart’s helmet, ice pick (for opening cans of tomato juice on which she sustained during long flights) and the “Questionnaire for Women Students,” in which Earhart raises provocative questions about men’s roles in the home during that period.

Alongside  Earhart, there are many women who share in Purdue’s aviation history, but few know of their accomplishments. These women include:

-Virginia Smith Peck, who’s photo has been on display in other exhibits because of her mountain-climbing abilities. As it turns out, she had a penchant for flying as well.

-Curtiss Wright Cadettes, a group of 83 young women employed by Curtiss Wright Corporation came to Purdue in 1943 to study aeronautical engineering at Purdue in order help fill the depleted ranks of engineers and draftspersons during World War Two.

-Janice Voss, NASA astronaut and Purdue alumna.

-Roberta Gleiter, who’s papers document her life and career. She was one of the few women to graduate from the School of Chemical Engineering in 1960, recipient of an Outstanding Chemical Engineer Award from Purdue and advocate for women in Engineering. After taking some time off to raise her family, she launched her career with the Aerospace Corporation.

-Purdue President France Cordova, former Chief Scientist at NASA.

-Annie Smith Peck, a Latin and elocution professor at Purdue from 1881 until 1883 who was widely known for her mountain climbing abilities, but also as an advocate and spokesperson for aviation in its early days.

Make sure to stop by ASC before August 31, to explore our rich aviation history at Purdue.

Contact: Stephanie Schmitz, (765) 494-2904; sschmit@purdue.edu

Purdue Libraries digitize Indiana Farmer

June 14th, 2011

2011 Library Scholars Grant recipients announced

April 6th, 2011

The Library Scholars Grant Program was established in 1985 by the 50th anniversary gift of members of the Class of 1935, and the class has been continuously supportive of this fund for the past 26 years. This program supports access to unique collections of information around the world for untenured and recently tenured Purdue faculty in all disciplines, from the West Lafayette, Calumet, Fort Wayne, IUPUI, and North Central campuses. The grants cover the expenses associated with the cost of transportation, lodging, meals and fees charged by the library or other collection owner.

Recipients for this year will be recognized at a luncheon on Wed., Apr. 13. Last year’s recipients will also make presentation about how the grant helped their research.

ROBIN ADAMS, assistant professor of engineering education, was awarded $4,960 to study a unique case of how a complex and novel design project evolved over time and across perspectives. The Apollo Lunar Module was crucial in achieving the unimagined goal of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely back to earth. It is also a historically and theoretically unique case of design iteration — there was no precedent for imagining space travel or the moon environment, this was a high-risk single unit design project with no room for error or public criticism, but with a high payoff potential, and the process involved navigating distributed teams, competing constraints, and emergent goals and rapid technological advances. The goal of this project is to analyze archival work documents at the University of Houston Library, in partnership with the Johnson Space Center, to understand the drivers and processes by which the Apollo Lunar Module design project evolved.

“Learning from the past can guide how we prepare future designers as well as contribute to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing and Purdue’s global history of space travel.”

AHMED IDRISSI ALAMI, assistant professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, teaches Arabic language and culture. Alami’s research focuses on the issue of tradition and modernity in the Arab world. In his current research work, he investigates the interaction between the region of the Maghreb, Morocco in particular, and the West/Europe. He has been awarded $5,000 to access governmental and religious documents and unpublished manuscripts in the National Library in Rabat and the Qaraween Library in Fes, both located in Morocco. Some of these texts are primary texts concerning travel to European nations and describe engagement with governments and their representatives in European cities. Other works he will review include commentaries, newspaper articles and religious fatwas concerning the issues and tensions articulated above.

“This grant has made a difference in my research. It would be instrumental to the completion of my project. Thank you.”

REBECCA BRYANT, assistant professor of dance, was awarded $1,765 to conduct research at the Jerome Robbins Dance Division of the New York Public Library. The NYPL’s collection is the most comprehensive archive in the world devoted to the documentation of dance, and its materials must be studied on the premises. Bryant’s research project consists of viewing recordings of improvisational dance performances and collecting data on the performers’ use of space (level, shape, groupings and landmarks) and time (tempo, duration, rhythm and repetition). This project is part of her ongoing investigation into the differences between improvised and pre-determined choreography as manifested in performance.

“Of particular interest to my research are a set of 29 performance DVDs from multiple years of Improvisation Festival/NY,” says Bryant.  “These discs contain a unique and comprehensive representation of performance by renowned improvisers, and offer the opportunity to examine the formal qualities of these ephemeral events.”

MOHAMMED ERRIHANI, assistant professor in the Department of English and Philosophy (Calumet campus), is an applied linguist specializing in language policy and second language learning and teaching. He was awarded $4,250 to travel to Morocco to research the role that language “academies” and government agencies play in the implementation process of top-down language decisions. He will also investigate these agencies’ efforts at reviving, standardizing and promoting Berber, the indigenous language of North Africa in light of the 2003 language policy that requires all school-aged children to learn Berber, regardless of their linguistic or ethnic background.

“I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to conduct research in Morocco, especially in light of the pro-democracy movements currently sweeping North Africa and what they might imply in terms of sociolinguistic changes.”

KENDALL LEON, assistant professor in the Department of English, whose research interests lay at the intersections between Chicana rhetoric, community and professional writing studies, was awarded $2,751 to research the archival collections of one of the first Chicana feminist organizations, the Comisión Femenil Mexicana Nacional (CFMN), housed at the UC Santa Barbara’s California Ethnic and Minority Archives Special Collections. To gain a broader and more accurate understanding of the scope and internal workings of the organization, Professor Leon will also study the archival collection of the CFMN’s well-known chapter organization, Comisión Femenil de Los Angeles, housed at UCLA’s Chicano Studies Research Center library. Through studying the internal and programmatic documents of the organization, she will investigate the way that Chicana identity helped build and shape an organization and its practices; at the same time, the way that being an organization shaped the emergence of Chicana identity.

“While the CFMN’s leaders are well known as activists, academics, government and public officials; and their testimonies, newsletter articles and activist writings are anthologized and referenced in Chicana studies, little is known of the internal workings of this organization,” Leon says. “Doing this archival research allows me to analyze Chicana practice in the nuances and mundane details of the organization and in their act of archiving.”

JEFFREY TURCO, assistant professor of German, is a specialist in medieval German and Scandinavian literature that also focuses on the modern reception of medieval culture. He was awarded $5,000 to support research at the Deutsche film Aktiengesellschaft (DEFA) Film Library at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and at the DEFA-Stiftung in Berlin. He is investigating the image of the Middle Ages in the popular culture of the former East Germany, particularly the tension between official disinterest and popular fascination that surrounds the idea of the Middle Ages under East German state socialism.

“Modern audiences have always reinvented the Middle Ages to suit their own needs. This is a rare opportunity to see that process of reinvention in progress, not only in scarce and unreleased films, but also in production notes, promotional materials, directors’ notebooks and collections of contemporary reviews.”

Turco is also editing a volume of essays on medieval Icelandic literature, New Norse Studies, forthcoming in the Islandica series from Cornell University Press.

Fiction novelist T. C. Boyle event scheduled for March 29

March 8th, 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – T. Coraghessan Boyle, internationally recognized author of 22 fiction novels, will speak March 29 as part of the Purdue Libraries Distinguished Lecture Series.

Boyle’s talk will be at 7 p.m. in Stewart Center’s Fowler Hall. It is free and open to the public. After his talk, he will participate in a book sale and sign copies of his books. His engagement was originally scheduled for last September, but he had to postpone.

Boyle’s most recent novels include “Talk Talk” in 2006, “The Women” in 2009 and “Wild Child” this year.  His latest book, “When the Killing’s Done,” was released last month.

Boyle has been an English department faculty member at the University of Southern California since 1978. He holds a doctorate in 19th century British literature from the University of Iowa, a master’s degree from the same university and a bachelor’s degree in English and history from SUNY Potsdam.

His stories have appeared in national and international magazines, including The New Yorker, Harper’s, Esquire, The Atlantic Monthly, The Paris Review, GQ and McSweeney’s.

Conor Broughan, a master’s of fine arts candidate and fiction editor of the Sycamore Review, Purdue’s award-winning national literary journal, will introduce the author at the lecture.

The Purdue Libraries Distinguished Lecture series began in 2005 to bring people with notable creative and intellectual achievements to speak at the university. In addition to Purdue Libraries, this year’s sponsors include the Office of the Provost, College of Liberal Arts, Department of English and master of fine arts program in creative writing.

The event is free and open to the public.

www.lib.purdue.edu/adv/lectureseries

Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu

Source: Kate Kester, 765-496-9610, kkester@purdue.edu

Purdue Libraries, BCC collaborate to archive university’s African-American history

February 17th, 2011