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Staff Spotlight: The multi-talented Victor Gorodinsky

news — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:22:51 +0000

Victor Gorodinsky with his beloved cat, Asya

Our staff spotlight this month is Victor Gorodinsky, Memorial Library’s Slavic Languages Cataloger. Although his work keeps him very busy, Victor participates in a diverse array of unique activities and hobbies. Read on to learn more about Victor and the many roles he plays within and outside of the library.

News: Let’s start with the University of Wisconsin Russian Folk Orchestra, since you just recently had a concert. Can you speak a little about your involvement with founding and conducting the group?

VG: I am a professional musician—I was born in Russia and got my Master’s Degree in Music there. When I moved to the United States in 1982, I first settled in Chicago where I lived for three years. I was happily surprised to discover that there was a Russian Folk Orchestra at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I certainly did not expect to find something like that in the United States, but it was there! So I started traveling to Champaign to perform with the orchestra, which was founded and directed by one of the music professors at the University. In 1985 I moved to Champaign to be closer to the orchestra and ended up becoming sort of the “unofficial assistant conductor,” until the current conductor retired and I took his place. We did concerts and traveled a bit—it was fun. And that is how my “library life” began: I received my MLS there and worked as the Slavic Languages Cataloger at the University for ten years.

In 1995, I followed the job market to Madison where I was hired as the Slavic Languages Cataloger here at Memorial Library. I had this ambitious idea to start a Russian ensemble here but had to kind of settle in first and learn the music scene in Madison, which is incredibly rich! About a year later, I started talking with CREECA (Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia at UW—Madison); I introduced my idea and although I had no experience whatsoever with starting a group from scratch and didn’t know much about finding money for such an endeavor, somehow the plan began taking shape.

The first thing was to find instruments. Russian instruments, such as balalaikas and domras aren’t like guitars or pianos that you can simply purchase at the local music store. I luckily had some connections for obtaining the instruments and with CREECA’s help was able to get a grant to purchase them. Once we got the instruments, we of course needed to find players. We distributed flyers around campus and about eight people showed up (better than nothing!). I brought a boom box and a few instruments so I could introduce the musicians to them, and most seemed genuinely interested. So now we needed a place to rehearse. The Slavic Department offered their conference room at 1418 Van Hise for practice after hours, and we’ve been rehearsing there ever since. During the first rehearsal, I had to basically teach the musicians how to play their instruments. I’m not an expert on all the instruments, but was able to instruct them somewhat. The musicians were very talented and some of them were able to pick it up very quickly.

In 1997 we had our first public performance, which was very short with a “whopping” repertoire of about five pieces and only eight people making up the “orchestra” (it was more of an ensemble at that point). But we did it, and it seemed to get a good reception. Sometimes I look back and can’t believe I actually pulled it off! The orchestra grew each year and is now at 37 members, four of whom are original members. The orchestra is mostly made up of students, but we are not exclusive to UW—anyone is welcome! Madison residents and retired UW professors are also among the players. We have some truly dedicated members; one of them travels from Milwaukee for rehearsals every Tuesday. We just released our fourth CD and are doing another recording session this Saturday (May 11). In the past, we used to only record live performances but we are now recording in a professional studio, which is a great accomplishment.

Victor and the Russian Folk Orchestra

The Russian Folk Orchestra takes up a lot of my time and energy. It’s become a really big part of my life. I don’t just direct; I do almost everything. I arrange the music and organize the concerts. Last summer, we did a big Russian music festival, and I got a lot of help from my orchestra members, but with them being primarily students, they are very busy so I end up doing most of the day-to-day work on my own. In June we are traveling to Stratford, WI to perform at their annual festival, and we have concerts booked already for next fall. We were also recently invited to play in Germany! The only thing standing in our way is the funds. Hopefully someday we’ll be able to go there. I love traveling with this group. The farthest we’ve traveled together is Minneapolis, which was a lot of fun. So to be able to fly to Germany together would be fantastic! We have an incredible group… It’s like a family. We love each other, have parties during the year, and we share lots of laughs.

News: Can you tell me a little bit about the work you do as a Slavic Languages Librarian?

VG: I do a lot… My official title when I started here in 1995 was Slavic, Eastern European, and Central Asian languages Cataloger; among other things, I’m a language specialist. But over the years, my duties have expanded. Cataloging is my primary thing but I also perform other duties related to cataloging and technical services. The adoption of RDA has generated a lot of work that has to do with converting pre-RDA records to the new format. You would not believe how busy we are right now! I love doing this, though. We strive to keep our database perfectly clean and up-to-date, and I’m very proud of it, but it is exhausting. At the end of the day I’m dead—not physically, of course, but… brain dead! When I get home, I collapse onto my couch, to the delight of my cat; she loves cuddling with me (and vice versa). The work is never done. I love doing it—it’s fascinating work, but it is brain-tiring.

News: What is your favorite part of your job?

VG: Cataloging is all about organizing materials in a way that makes them accessible to the people who need the information. It’s funny because I’m not the most organized person (if you see my living room you’ll know what I’m talking about), but I really enjoy the work. It’s what I love. Although computers have become an integral part of all our lives and I use them every day, I still get excited about using them. I just really enjoy working with computers—organizing the materials, making sure people can find what they’re looking for… Not just the people like me, but those who probably couldn’t care less about the cataloging side of it, who just need the materials! I’ve been doing it for such a long time and I still love it.

I also love working for the University. My first job in this country was in a business in downtown Chicago, and I have learned to appreciate the benefits of working in an academic environment. Plus, UW really is a first class University!

News: It’s hard to believe with the work you do at the library and with the orchestra that you have time for hobbies, but I hear you are quite the magician!

VG: Yes, magic has been a big part of my life since I was probably five. I don’t have the time for it much lately, but I have done a few small shows for the library in the past for Halloween and things like that. At this point I’m kind of a “passive magician.” Once or twice a year, I go to International Magic Conventions. I might go to one in Michigan this year. I have a lot of magic at home that I get from these conventions, but just don’t have time to do it much lately. I’m not a professional magician by any means, but it has always been a big hobby for me. Most people think of magic as a form of entertainment, which it is, but it is also a very ancient art. Magic is mentioned in Egyptian papyruses from way back before Christ. I know a lot about the history of magic, and have attended lectures at magic conventions discussing magic history and theory, which is fascinating. I also love to watch magic being performed—magicians usually don’t like the word “tricks”. I consider it to be a very unique and beautiful art. It’s a different art, not like painting or music or sculpture, of course, but it is still an art. It requires a lot of practice, so I don’t have much time for it now, but I guess you could say I’m the resident magician at Memorial Library. I have this sign in my office in CTS that says “Magician’s parking only—all others will disappear.”

Another passion of mine is traveling. I have been all over the United States, Canada, and Europe, and even Japan and Kazakhstan. My most favorite place? Probably Montréal, Québec; I have been madly in love with that city for years! Since I moved to the U.S. I’ve only ever lived in the Midwest, so it is nice to be able to travel and see other parts of the States as well. Sometimes I think it would be nice to live on the coast—California or Oregon, or the New England area. It is beautiful out there. But I truly love Madison. It’s a great city, there’s always something going on—I love the farmer’s market… It’s been seventeen years and I still discover new neighborhoods, new restaurants. So I am grateful to fate for putting me here.

News: So between the orchestra, your work at the library, your hobby as a magician, and traveling… I don’t suppose you still have time for reading, do you?

VG: I do somehow manage to make time for reading still, although these days I read less, but I watch a lot of movies; over the years I have become a real movie-buff. I read and speak several languages, but when I read for pleasure I mostly enjoy reading in Russian, particularly the well-established classics.

As for movies, I usually stick to serious movies, often foreign. I subscribe to Netflix and I probably watch two to three films a week. I haven’t been out to the movie theater in probably seven or eight years, though. I prefer to watch them at home because I can cuddle up with my cat and also I don’t have to deal with the guy next to me laughing loudly during the most inappropriate moments, it happens all the time! Oh, and I hate the smell of popcorn!

Want more?

Visit the University of Wisconsin Russian Folk Orchestra website
Listen to some sample clips of the orchestra or download their latest CD, Candlelight
Check out this sneak peek from the May 11th recording session
Take a look at this video of the magician in action!

Know a librarian or library staff member with a cool skill or interest? They belong in the spotlight! Submit your suggestions to news@library.wisc.edu. We’d love to learn more about you!

Vintage and Bucky Finals Postcards at select Libraries for Finals Week

news — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:00:24 +0000

As we head into Finals Week, several libraries across campus will be offering a selection of fun postcards for students to send home to let friends and family know they are working hard!

The Marketing Committee dove into the Archives and the Digital Collections to find vintage images for this year’s black-and-white postcards, which include thought bubbles that students can personalize. Of course, there is also a color design featuring Bucky Badger at his most studious!

Postcards will be available at the big study hubs around campus, and each participating library will also be posting a set number of postcards for students during Finals Week.

Look for all four postcard designs at these participating libraries, and ask a librarian about how to send them home!

UW Gardening Day at Steenbock Library

news — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:09:48 +0000

One title included in Steenbock Library’s Seed Saving collection

Librarians at Steenbock Memorial Library are participating in this year’s UW Family Gardening Day on May 11 on the UW-Madison campus. The annual showcase of gardening ideas runs from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the university’s D.C. Smith Instructional Greenhouses and Allen Centennial Gardens.

Steenbock Library, which is located between the two gardens, invites visitors to explore the library’s extensive gardening collections.

Librarian Karen Dunn outlined some of the exciting ways Steenbock will participate in this event: “In addition to staffing a library information table highlighting library access, gardening collections, and Cooperative Extension publications,” she says, “we will also have a book display and play host to an information table staffed by Master Gardener volunteers.”

The social media crew at Steenbock also pulled together a series of Pinterest boards to show off the broad range of gardening-related collections at the library, from seed-saving resources to books on therapy gardens.

You can check out the boards at the UWMadLibraries Pinterest account, or click on the links below:

Seed Saving | Enabling Gardens | Community Gardens

Directions & Parking: The D.C. Smith Greenhouse is located at 465 Babcock Dr., across the street from Babcock Hall. Allen Centennial Gardens is a block north at 620 Babcock Dr. Free parking is available in Lot 40 behind Babcock Hall and in Lot 36 just west of Steenbock Library.

More events: Check out the lineup for all of the UW-Gardening Day events HERE.

Artist Talk: Concept to (Political) Action: Pop-Up Artists’ Books, featuring Shawn Sheehy

news — Tue, 07 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Next week, Chicago artist and paper engineer Shawn Sheehy will talk about the inspiration for his engaging sculptural books that explore environmental politics.

In his books, Shawn Sheehy’s images of plants, animals, and even landscapes literally move. Sheehy made his first pop-up book as a design student at Madison Area Technical College, and for the past fifteen years, he has developed a series of pop-up books that bring attention to ecosystems, resource allocation, and species adaptability.

His talk, Concept to (Political) Action: Pop-Up Artists’ Books, will be held on Tuesday, May 14, noon–1:30 p.m. in 126 Memorial Library on the UW-Madison campus. Sheehy’s lecture will include many images from his books and the stories that inspire him.

At a glance:

What: Concept to (Political) Action: Pop-Up Artists’ Books, an Artist Talk with Shawn Sheehy
When: Tuesday, May 14, 12:00–1:30 pm
Where: 126 Memorial Library, 728 State Street

Book artist Shawn Sheehy

This lecture is sponsored by the Friends of the Libraries and is part of Text Support: A Library Exhibit About Paper. Text Support is a multi-library exhibit on the history and artistry of paper, and is co-curated by Tracy Honn of Silver Buckle Press and Lyn Korenic of the Kohler Art Library. The exhibit will run from April 15 through June 2013, and includes display cases at the Kohler Art Library and at Silver Buckle Press and the Department of Special Collections in Memorial Library.

All exhibitions and events, including Sheehy’s Artist Talk, are free and open to the public.

Questions? For more information about the lecture and exhibits visit the Friends’ website, e-mail friends@library.wisc.edu, or call 608-265-2505.

‘A Tale for the Time Being’ selected for Go Big Read’s 5th year

news — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:48:51 +0000

MADISON, Wis.–“A Tale for the Time Being,” a new novel from critically acclaimed and best-selling author Ruth Ozeki, is the selection for the fifth year of Go Big Read, UW-Madison’s common-reading program.

Ozeki tells a powerful story of the right book falling into the right reader’s hands. A novelist on a remote Canadian island finds a diary, written a decade earlier by a troubled teenage girl in Tokyo, when it washes ashore following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Go Big Read organizers encouraged the campus community to suggest fiction titles that fit into a theme of global connections. UW-Madison Interim Chancellor David Ward chose “A Tale for the Time Being” from the short list a selection committee culled from 192 nominated titles.

“‘A Tale for the Time Being’ is an engaging and broad ranging novel that will find a home for discussion in classrooms across the campus,” Ward says. “It is original and inventive and offers a thought-provoking reading experience for our students and the UW-Madison community.”

The book’s inventive narrative alternates between the two characters, examining the relationship between writer and reader, past and present, fact and fiction. Ozeki draws on history, myth, quantum physics and Zen philosophy as the diary’s author and its reader try to find meaning in their lives.

The Washington Post called the novel “as emotionally engaging as it is intellectually provocative.” The Seattle Times called the diary’s author, Nao, “as moving a witness to coming of age as J. D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield, if not more so because she is so contemporary.” The other narrator, Ruth, is a writer who Ozeki has said bears “more than a superficial resemblance to me.”

Ruth Ozeki

Brooke Williams, a graduate student in the School of Library and Information Studies and a member of the selection committee, was intrigued by the book’s discussions of Buddhist meditation and Japanese pop culture, and fascinated by how Ozeki built a narrative bridge between two cultures that seem to have very little to do with one another.

“There is so much in this book that students can connect to,” Williams says. “There are fascinating historical threads intertwined throughout the story, along with more recent events, such as the tsunami in Japan. I think students will get a lot out of it.”

Since the common-reading program began five years ago, readers across campus, around the Madison community and throughout the state have participated in class discussions, book groups and public events, says Sarah McDaniel, program manager for Go Big Read.

“Our goal is to create connections around books and reading, and participation from campus and community members has exceeded our wildest expectations,” McDaniel says. “It has always been our intent to choose books from a variety of genres, and we have fielded many requests for work of a fiction. We think readers will really enjoy Ozeki’s novel, and are thrilled to be able to bring her to campus.”

Ozeki’s first two novels — “My Year of Meats” and “All Over Creation” — have been translated into 11 languages and published in 14 countries. She is a filmmaker, and her documentary and dramatic independent films, including “Halving the Bones,” have been shown on PBS, at the Sundance Film Festival, and at colleges and universities across the country. She is also a Zen Buddhist priest and affiliated with the Brooklyn Zen Center and the Everyday Zen Foundation. Ozeki lives in British Columbia and New York City.

Planning is underway for how students, faculty and staff will use the book in classrooms and for special events associated with “A Tale for the Time Being.” UW-Madison instructors interested in using the book can request a review copy.

Ozeki is scheduled to visit campus in October, when she will give a talk at Varsity Hall in Union South. Copies of the book will be given to first-year students at the Chancellor’s Convocation for New Students and to students using the book in their classes.

Learn more about the ongoing Go Big Read program and plans for this fall, and sign up for email updates.

Parallel Press poets’ work featured on “Poetic Bikes”

news — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:14:42 +0000

Last week, Madison B-cycle unveiled 30 new “Poetic Bikes” into their bicycle lending system as part of a city-wide partnership with Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf, a local organization run by Parallel Press poet Shoshauna Shy. In the past, Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf has partnered with Community Car in a similar effort to integrate poems and poetry into everyday events– like a commute to work or school.

In order to choose poems, the team sifted through over 300 submissions, searching for work with a Madison theme. 10 poems were selected and were added to 30 of the iconic red B-cycle Bikes.

Several of the featured poets witnessed the release of their poems into the Madison B-cycle bike share program last Friday, including a variety of Parallel Press Authors and editors (linked below).

List of poems and their poets:

“Tree on Johnson Street” by Jan Chronister
“the wi film festival” by Amelia Cook
“Old House on Lake Monona—the Near End of Jenifer ST” by Peg Carlson Lauber
“It was already clear” by Ralph Murre
“First Fall Semester” by Andrea Potos
“Cursive Discarded From Grade School Curriculum” by Shoshauna Shy
“From my Window” by Danez Smith
“Orange Custard Chocolate Chip” by Frannie Zellman
“Arboretum Walk” and “State Street, Late November” by Rosemary Zurlo-Cuva

7th Annual Health Sciences Students Art Exhibit at Ebling Library

news — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:00:06 +0000

Click to download / print the full poster

Ebling library is currently hosting the 7th annual Health Sciences Student Art exhibit in the Historical Reading Room and 3rd Floor Gallery. The show spotlights the artistic talent of Health Sciences students, who are also pursuing degrees in the School of Occupational Therapy, the School of Nursing, Veterinary Medicine, the School of Pharmacy, and School of Medicine & Public Health.

This year, students have submitted photographs, ceramic work, paintings, leather work, prints, and jewelry for the show. Some of the pieces are also for sale.

At a Glance:

What: Health Sciences Student Art Exhibit
Where: Ebling Library Historical Reading Room and 3rd Floor Gallery
When: April 11th to May 9th 2013

This year’s artists:

A preview of the show:

Questions about this event? Contact Micaela Sullivan-Fowler for more information at msullivan@library.wisc.edu or 262-2402

New display in Memorial Library celebrates National Poetry Month

news — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:24:25 +0000

A new display in the Memorial Library foyer celebrates National Poetry Month with a selection of poetry resources and new publications from the UW-Madison Libraries.

Featured materials include a selection of handmade books from the Kohler Art Library’s Artist Book Collection that incorporate poetry as the main text of the work. These books explore landscape, changing seasons, and other themes with words and images, and are beautifully constructed and illustrated with prints, paintings, and folded paper “quilts.”

Another treasure on display for National Poetry month is a rare edition of Willa Cather’s April Twilights, on loan from Special Collections. April Twilights is a beautiful first edition, and is rare because author disliked the publication and tried to buy up all the copies before her career as a novelist bloomed.

In addition to these treasures, the display also showcases new poetry printed by Parallel Press and the University of Wisconsin Press, including the 2013 winners of the Brittingham, Pollak, and Four Lakes poetry prizes. All volumes are accompanied by example poems.

Special thanks to librarians Lyn Korenic and Susan Barribeau for their help in selecting materials for the display, and to designer Dan Joe for creating the display backdrops.

Edible Book Festival—A feast for the eyes!

news — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:02:02 +0000

In celebration of National Library Week (April 14-20), the annual Edible Book Festival was held on Tuesday, April 16^th in the 4^th floor Memorial Commons from 4:00-6:00 pm. This year’s theme was “Communities Matter.” Twelve creative contestants shared book-inspired food creations ranging from zombie and sea-monster themed versions of Jane Austen novels to a play on Dr. Seuss’s One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish using two commonly requested reference books dubbed “the red book” and “the blue book.”

Participants thought outside the “cake box” when it came to choosing their edible materials. Entries were crafted using a wide variety of ingredients including Jell-O, Triscuits, candy bars, rice noodles, artichoke hearts, herbs and spices, daikon radishes (believe it or not, two creations included this unique vegetable), and Wisconsin’s state fruit—cranberries.

A Bus Called Heaven

One entry that really embraced the “Communities Matter” theme was “A Bus Called Heaven,” created by Katelyn Martens and Ashley Guy of MERIT Library. A funky, vibrant bus, sculpted from Rice Krispie Treats and fondant, represented the picture book by Bob Graham. A Bus Called Heaven tells the inspiring and whimsical story about a community of neighbors from all walks of life coming together to refurbish an abandoned bus.

“The Green Truck Garden Giveaway” was an impressive and highly-detailed garden landscape, made by Lesley Wolf and Marion Ceraso, of the Healthy Wisconsin Leadership Institute. The creators were inspired by The Green Truck Garden Giveaway: A Neighborhood Story and Almanac and used seasonal ingredients to represent each of the four seasons. The outcome was a lovely (and fragrant!), meticulously hand-crafted panorama.

We Are In A Book!

One of the “punny” entries was Stephanie Unertl’s cake featuring a spot-on reproduction of author Mo Willem’s lovable characters, Elephant & Piggie. The book it paired with was We Are in a Book!, so naturally the characters on the cake declared “We Are On a Cake!” Stephanie knew she wanted to represent a children’s book because she was inspired by their colors and illustrations, but wasn’t sure which book to use, so she turned to her fellow SLIS classmates and the elementary school students she teaches for their opinions. “Elephant & Piggie” was the answer, hands down.

When asked about her creative process, Stephanie spoke about the virtue of patience and the challenges she encountered working with food as a medium. “You have to wait for your cake to cool or you’ll crumble it, and butter cream frosting can get too warm and might have to go back in the fridge until it has a better consistency for piping. And if you goof, frosting and cake are fairly unforgiving—it’s hard to cover errors when working with frosting on frosting unless you scrape it off and completely recover the area you were working in.” But the best part about working with cake? “You get to eat it! Cake is ephemeral—it doesn’t last… but it’s made to be eaten and appreciated.”

The edible books were ogled by library staff, students, and community members who had the opportunity to cast votes for the People’s Choice award. The entries were then analyzed by four very qualified judges, the 149 votes were tallied, and prizes were awarded in six different categories.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the winners!

People’s Choice- Healthy Wisconsin Leadership Institute, “The Green Truck Garden Giveaway: A Neighborhood Story and Almanac”
Most Creative Use of Ingredients- Jacobsen Primate Library, “Ham the Astrochimp”
Best Visual Presentation- Healthy Wisconsin Leadership Institute, “The Green Truck Garden Giveaway: A Neighborhood Story and Almanac”
Funniest/Punniest- Stephanie Unertl, “We Are On a Cake!”
Best Entry Based on a Children’s/Teen’s Book- MERIT Library, “A Bus Called Heaven”
Best Literary Mash-Up- Memorial Library Reference Department, “One Book, Two Book, Red Book, Blue Book”

Want more?

Visit the Edible Book Festival website
Check out ALA’s page about National Library Week and how you can celebrate!

This week is READ! Poster Week at MERIT Library

news — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 07:00:34 +0000

Graduate students reading on the terrace.

Celebrate National Library Week with MERIT Library by starring in your very own READ! poster! Through Friday April 19th, MERIT will be offering its annual READ! Poster Creation program.

WHEN: Sunday April 14 through Friday April 19th, 12-5 pm each day (no reservations necessary!)

WHERE: Our studio is located in MERIT room 109, on the 1st floor of the Teacher Education Building (225 N Mills St).

WHAT: Bring a copy of your favorite book (or books!) and pose for your very own personalized READ! poster. Come in groups, come with a child, or just come by yourself!

Details:

Each poster will be 11″x17.”
1 pose per person and/or group. Each pose costs $5 ($1 each for additional copies).
Only campus print cards can be accepted for payment. Cards can be purchased in MERIT Library.
Images are taken against a green screen, so it’s best to avoid wearing green.
Allow 1 week for the creation of your poster!

Questions?

Just email or call Anna Lewis: alewis@education.wisc.edu or 608-263-8199.