Words, words, words! Did you know that on February 1st, 1884 the first portion or fascicle of the monumental Oxford English Dictionary was published? Complete with inspiring quotations, multiple cross-references, and fascinating etymologies, the OED was edited by Scottish lexicographer James Murray (1837-1918) and made its debut today in history -- going on to surpass its proposed four volumes and taking eventually seventy years to ...

This book collection is part of the exhibit “Warping the Future”, and features books that fit within the themes of:History of weaving: touching on the art of craftsmanship, exploring societies that pioneered this practice and how that shaped the materials and tools used, from the first weaving looms to...

The United States Presidential Inauguration marks the beginning of the four-year office term of the President of the United States. Taking place at 12noon Eastern Standard Time, the ceremony has been held on January 20th, since 1937 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn into office for a second term. Typically held at the Capitol Building, Inauguration Day has developed from the r...

The Gottesman Libraries remained virtually open, with continuing provision of digital resources and services to meet the needs of students, faculty, and scholars, and it physically opened September 1st, with regular business hours under a

Today, January 15th, is the twentieth birthday of Wikipedia, an open, multilingual, and collaborative encyclopedia developed and maintained by largely anonymous volunteer contributors and editors! Founded as part of Nupedia, a defunct, selective encyclopedia project that required high qua...

On January 7th, 1610, Italian astronomer, natural philosopher, mathematician, and teacher Galileo Galilei (February 15, 1564 - January 8, 1642) discovered that four moons or satellites revolve around the planet Jupiter. In his book, The Sidereal Messenger, he describes them, naming them after the Medici family, his patron. His discovery substantiated the significant theory that the Sun, not the planet Earth, was th...

A couple of months past the General Election, we look at our nation's spirit, both divided and hopeful for change. We are already into a New Year, turkey dinners and Christmas trees still fresh in our thoughts, while top news stories feature allies of the current Administration challenging the vote. Inauguration Day is but a stone's throw, as "tellers" in Congress attempt to read ballots and verify the election results. The nation awa...

Advent, by Rainer Maria RilkeThe wind in winter woods is like Es treibt der Wind im Winterwaldea shepherd to his flock of flakes die Flockenherde wie ein Hirt,and soon the firs anticipate und manche Tanne ahnt, wie baldehow blessed will be the light ...

Here on the floor of my room is the turning point of the sun,Beyond the edge of the rug, not far from the bookshelves.The movements of earth and sun in the vastness of spaceAre focused here, where the window looking south,Observing the universe, marks upon my floor,In this shaft of yellow light, the march of the seasons.The narrow oaken plank with the l...