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03/25/2025
profile-icon John Barnett
No Subjects
Inventor Marilyn Hamilton using a lightweight wheelchair to play tennis

The USC Upstate Library is pleased to present “Picturing Women Inventors,” a poster exhibit that explores the inventions of 19 highly accomplished American women. This poster exhibit will be on view through March and April in the library's cafe and study room area on the 1st floor. 

“Picturing Women Inventors” is distributed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The exhibit is sponsored by Lyda Hill Philanthropies IF/THEN Initiative and Ericsson.

About the exhibit

Throughout American history, women with diverse backgrounds and interests created inventions that changed lives every day. But women haven’t always had equal opportunities to be inventors or received as much recognition.

“Picturing Women Inventors” showcases the breakthroughs, motivations, and challenges women encountered while pursuing their goals as inventors. The poster exhibit highlights stories of inventors like Marilyn Hamilton (see picture), who after a hang-gliding accident in 1978 left her paralyzed, invented a lightweight wheelchair that was easy to maneuver. Diversity of background and age are showcased including inventor Alexis Lewis, who at 12-years-old in 2011 was inspired to adapt a traditional Native American sled, called a travois, by adding wheels to create a simpler way to transport families and their belongings in Somalia.

Inventors featured include astronauts, computer pioneers, businesswomen, athletes, engineers, and students, among others.

03/24/2025
profile-icon John Barnett
No Subjects
The words Sounds of Religion appear over a decorative image of colored circles

Now on view on the USC Upstate Library terrace is Sounds of Religion, a Smithsonian poster exhibit that explores the diversity of American religious life through image and sound. 

Choirs singing. Monks chanting. The reading of religious texts. These are religious sounds. But so are the creaking of church pews and the clanking of pots during the preparation of a communal meal. Sounds of Religion explores how rituals and gatherings of religious communities create a complex and varied soundtrack of religion in the United States.

Many of the posters in the exhibit features QR codes, which, through the use of a smart phone, allow us to listen to contemporary recordings that paint an audio portrait of America's unique religious life. Americans practice many different systems of belief--Christianity; Judaism; Islam; Hinduism; Buddhism; Sikhism; Wicca; and Native American traditions, African, and New Age traditions. Every tradition creates its own unique blend of music, prayer, voices, and silence, which together help define the beliefs and practices shared by the members of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other places of spiritual devotion. 

Sounds of Religion is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Services (SITES) in cooperation with the American Religious Sounds Project of The Ohio State University and Michigan State University. The exhibit is made possible through the generous support of The Henry Luce Foundation.

The exhibit will remain on view at USC Upstate through Ramadan, Easter, and Passover 2025.

03/17/2025
No Subjects
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Questions for Qwinlyn Osborne, English major at USC Upstate and Intern at USC Upstate Library.

  1. What are you reading right now? I am reading The Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum and How Much of These Hills is Gold by C. Pam Zhang.
  2. What are some topics you have discussed during your internship? We have learned how some people have library anxiety and how it prevents them from asking for help. We have discussed AI, learned how to write a resumé, and that there are a variety of library careers.
  3. What job are you going to pursue after graduation? Hopefully something in the library system or a job in editing.

A Few Facts About Julius Caesar:

  • March 15th is the Ides of March. It is the assassination date of Julius Caesar.
  • His famous quote is “Veni, Vidi, Vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered)
  • The month of July is named in his honor.
  • Caesar played a pivotal role in the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.

Want to enjoy the spring weather and longer hours? Here are some ideas:

  •  Have a picnic at your local park.
  • Take a hike at one of South Carolina’s State Parks.
  •  Plant a packet of seeds such as herbs, flowers, or your favorite vegetable.
  • Visit your local farmer’s market.
03/13/2025
profile-icon Michael Sanders
No Subjects
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With the Spring season approaching, the USC Upstate Display Committee wanted to do a display that focused on either science, nature, or animals. After some discussion and planning the committee decided for March that our display would focus on animals in nature and the solar system. Many people enjoy astronomy, astrology, or animals, so we thought this would be a perfect fit. Our students and patrons might not be aware that we have books on these different subjects, so we hope that by highlighting a selection from our collection they will be well informed. The committee worked diligently to find both decorative items and items for this display. We hope everyone who comes to the library will see our display and become more educated about animals and planets. Every book on display is available for checkout. In April we will transition our display to focus on the solar system and ocean life. Please be on the lookout for that display coming soon. 

03/03/2025
No Subjects
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Meet Laura Kraus, a Senior Instructor Librarian from USC Upstate Library!

by Qwinlyn Osbourne, Library Intern

  • Most commonly asked question about the library? 
    Hours for the library and coffee shop are the most frequent questions coming in a close second is “how to print”.

  • What are you reading right now? 
    Currently, I’m reading the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell and a few how-to needle-felt books.  I just finished Punished for Dreaming and the Bohemian Gospel trilogy

  • What is something you want students to know about the library? 
    I want students to know that the librarians are here to help, and they shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed to ask questions.  Answering questions is what we live for.


Celebrate Women’s History Month!

  • Did you know that Wyoming Territory was the first place to grant women the right to vote? 
    It was in 1869.
  • Did you know Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S.? 
    It was in 1849.
  • Did you know women couldn’t get credit cards until 1974? 
    It was when Congress passed the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.

02/12/2025
No Subjects
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Tessie Holliday, Library Technician Assistant

  1. What are some of the Library's most commonly asked questions? 

    1. Where can I study/plug in my laptop? Lots of places! We can walk around together to see what might work best for you.  Just ask.

    2. How do I print something in the library? This page is super helpful when learning how to print at the library. - https://uscupstate.libguides.com/TechHelp/printing 

    3. Where is [a professor's office/campus resource/the dining hall]? We have a ton of maps and lists at each of the service desks, but here is a link to some common telephone numbers that might help. https://uscupstate.libguides.com/UpstateFAQ 

    4. What time do you close? Check our library hours here 

    5. Do you have a charger I could borrow? 

  2. What are you reading right now? 

    1. I'm just starting Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and Night by Elie Wiesel, and I'm in the midst of reading Neuroqueer Heresies by Nick Walker and, The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater 

  3. What is something you want students to know about the library? 

    1. I want students to know that they don't need to struggle alone! College life can be overwhelming and stressful, and it's hard to know where to start when you need help with a problem. Librarians are good problem-solvers, so whether it's help with the research process, finding a campus or community resource, or connecting you with the right people to answer your questions, the library is a great starting place. We're here to help you!


Library intern suggestion:

Celebrate Black History Month! Check out these great contributors to our history/literature and many more: Read inspiring poetry by Maya Angelou, the empowering words of Martin Luther King Jr., or the bravery of Rosa Parks.

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The USC Upstate Library is now providing more support to student and faculty research needs via a new paid subscription to the database, Applied Science & Technology Source Ultimate. This database contains thousands of peer-reviewed journal articles and is an ideal resource for those researching the hard sciences (biology, chemistry, etc.), computer science, informatics, engineering, Advanced Manufacturing Management, or Engineering Technology Management.

 

The following is the description of Applied Science & Technology Source Ultimate from the database provider EBSCO:

 

"Applied Science & Technology Source Ultimate, the flagship database for STEM research, boasts an extensive collection of 2,221 active full-text journals, a significant portion of which undergo peer review. It covers a wide range of science and technology topics, as well as the business and social implications of new technologies."

You can access the database via this link: https://uscupstate.libguides.com/appliedscitechultimate.

You will need to log into your USC Upstate account to access this database.

 

If you have any questions about how you or your students can use this database, please contact an Upstate librarian.

02/07/2025
profile-icon John Barnett
No Subjects

Image showing A. Philip Randolph and Fannie Lou Hamer honoring African Americans and labor

On display now in the 1st floor library study room area is a series of posters celebrating African American labor, the theme for Black History Month 2025.

Many of the posters are provided by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the founders of Black History Month. According to the ASALH, this year's Black History Month theme focuses on "the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds--free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary--intersect with the collective experiences of Black people." 

The exhibit is supplemented by other posters featuring a small selection of African American leaders in civil rights and labor, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Fannie Lou Hamer. Another poster features an inspirational quote from late Hip Hop icon, Tupac Shakur.

The added posters are courtesy of Mr. Johnson Paints.

Please stop by the library in February to view the exhibit and learn more about the important and far-reaching contributions of African American labor.

 

02/04/2025
profile-icon Michael Sanders
No Subjects
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The USC Upstate Display Committee is excited to announce our latest display “Award Winning Children’s Books.” With the Spring semester starting on campus, our committee wanted to highlight our impressive and bountiful juvenile collection of children’s books that have received various awards. Awards such as the Newbery Medal, Robert F. Sibert Medal, The Caldecott Award, The Pura Belpre Award, and the Corretta Scott King Award. The Newbery Medal is an award for the most distinguished American children’s book published the previous year. The Robert F. Sibert Medal is an award for the author, illustrator, or co-authors of the most distinguished informational book for children published the United States in English. The Caldecott Award is an award for the illustrator of the winning children’s book. The Pura Belpre Award is an award for a Latino or Latina writer and illustrator for work in children’s literature that celebrates the Latino or Latinx cultural experience. The Coretta Scott King Award is an award for outstanding African American authors and illustrators of children’s and young adult books that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. The committee has done a fantastic job to make sure that all these different honors and recognition from our library collection are represented on this display. Each book on this display is available for checkout. We hope that our students and patrons will be intrigued by these books and check them out. This display will be here throughout January and February. In February we will shift this display into more material that focuses on the Corretta Scott King Award in honor of Black History Month. 

02/01/2025
No Subjects
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Meet your USC Upstate Librarian during National Library Lover’s Month! 

Blog post by Library Intern, Qwinlyn Osborne

Questions answered by Virginia Cononie; Coordinator of Research

  1. Most commonly asked question about the library?

    “When we work at the research desk, we do get a good many repeated questions and that is okay! We love to serve our students and help them through any thing they are working on at the time. We get questions about printing, finding materials, resetting passwords and how to find classrooms. Students are never interrupting us at the desk. We love questions!”
     
  2.  What are you reading right now? 

    “I just finished reading the Perks of Being a Wallflower, and I started reading The Grief Club by Melody Beattie. I usually have anywhere between four or five books going at one time. Which admittedly can get confusing but seems to keep me pretty entertained.”
     
  3. What is something you want students to know about the library?

    “The library can save you money.Never pay for articles online. Reach out to our 24/7 ask a librarian service and we will find it for you at no cost.” 

Advice from our interns…
 

Need help finding materials for an essay or project? 
Ask a Librarian! or Click the green bubble on any library page

Want to make sure your essay is ready? 
Learn more about Plagiarism Prevention!

Field is required.