Library News
Booth Library hosts international librarians from 10 countries
Posted on June 23rd, 2014
Fourteen guests representing libraries from 10 countries visited Booth Library on the Eastern Illinois University campus on June 11, 2014.
The visitors were serving as summer associates with the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs in Urbana. The group spent about a month in Illinois, touring libraries, participating in lectures and discussions, and visiting area tourist destinations.
While at EIU, the group had lunch, toured Booth Library and participated in a round-table discussion with library staff members.
In the front row from left to right are Grace Mbogo of Kenya; Bhakti Ranjan, India; Eunice Lesejane, South Africa; Allen Lanham, dean of library services, Booth Library; Jamie Luedtke, Mortenson Center for International Library Programs; and Modupe Oluwabiyi, Nigeria. In the second row are Anargul Essenaliyeva, Kazakhstan; Marlene Slough, head of acquisition services, Booth Library; Karen Whisler, head of collection management services, Booth Library; Eric Amoaful, Ghana; Newton Akrong, Ghana; Kishor Satpathy, India; Jihyeon Lee, South Korea; Graciela Quesada Fernandez, Costa Rica; and Huijun Sun, China. In the back row are Stacey Knight-Davis, head of library technology services, Booth Library; Peter Gatiti, Kenya; Brad Tolppanen, head of circulation services, Booth Library; Ramon Masis Rojas, Costa Rica; Bob Hillman, head of university archives and special collections, Booth Library; Steve Brantley, head of reference services, Booth Library; John Whisler, head of cataloging services, Booth Library; and Sher Afzal Khan, Pakistan.
1,113 New Items Added to Booth Library Collections in May
Posted on June 10th, 2014
During May, Booth Library acquired and cataloged 1,113 new items. The list can be viewed here. The list is arranged by location: Ballenger Teachers’ Center, Books, Electronic Resources, Illinois and Federal Documents, Maps, Media, Reference Collection, Special Collections and University Archives. The titles are listed by call number within each location. Please contact Karen Whisler, head of Collection Development, at 581-7551 or klwhisler@eiu.edu if you have questions.
Periodical Review List
Posted on June 9th, 2014
The lists of periodical and standing order subscriptions selected for cancellation have been compiled for campus review. The Periodical and Standing Order Review is an annual exercise designed to ensure that library collections continue to meet the needs of library users. Questions about the review can be addressed to the Reference Desk (581-6072) or individual subject librarians.
“Illini Boys State and Girls State” exhibit
Posted on June 4th, 2014
In the third-floor reference hallway, take a look at exhibits that document the history of Illini Girls State and Boys State at Eastern Illinois University. These programs for high school students are sponsored by the American Legion and held each June on the Charleston campus.
“Famous Former EIU Students” exhibit
Posted on June 4th, 2014
Jerry Van Dyke, in the back row second from left.
In the North Lobby of Booth Lobby, read about Famous Performers at EIU and Famous Former EIU Students, including Jerry Van Dyke and Tony Romo.
Tolppanen publishes book on Churchill’s visit to North America in 1929
Posted on June 3rd, 2014
A Booth Library faculty member with a lifelong love of history recently published his first book, which examines a little-known period in the life of influential world leader Winston Churchill.
Bradley P. Tolppanen of Charleston, head of circulation services at Booth Library, said he has always had an interest in Churchill, and when he read that Churchill had taken a three-month trip to Canada and the United States in 1929 – before his stint as the powerful prime minister of Britain during the 1940s and 1950s – he was inspired to learn more.
“Other published works on Churchill mention his 1929 visit only briefly,” Tolppanen said. “I thought it was worth further study.”
Tolppanen spent four years researching and writing his recently published book, “Churchill in North America, 1929: A Three Month Tour of Canada and the United States.”
At this point in his political career, Churchill already had served in parliament and as minister of war and colonial secretary under British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, as well as chancellor of the exchequer. But with the defeat of the Conservative Party in 1929, Churchill was out of government. It was at this time that he chose to take an extended visit to North America with his son, brother and nephew.
Churchill and his entourage traveled westward through Canada to California, and then eastward across the U.S. to New York City, taking time for a short visit with U.S. President Herbert Hoover. The group traveled mostly by private rail car, and Churchill accepted few requests for speaking engagements, preferring to keep this trip for leisure.
“Churchill was a great traveler,” Tolppanen said. “He came to the U.S. a number of times, but this was his longest trip.”
“Churchill in North America” takes an in-depth look at this visit, detailing the various stops he made along the way, the influential friends who hosted him and his impressions of Canada and America, taken from his own writings.
Tolppanen gathered many interesting facts, anecdotes and photos for the book by researching through library materials, archival documents, electronic databases and personal visits to sites that included Chicago and his native city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Tolppanen said he was fascinated to learn that Churchill became interested and invested in the U.S. stock market during his visit.
“He saw lots of opportunities over here to make a fortune,” he said. “He plunged right in to the stock market” and was still visiting New York City during the crash in late October 1929, when he suffered heavy financial losses.
“Churchill in North America, 1929: A Three Month Tour of Canada and the United States” is available for purchase at Amazon.com. It also is in the Booth Library collection.
Tolppanen serves as professor of library services and history bibliographer at Booth Library, where he has worked since 1999. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history and political science from the University of Calgary; a master of arts in history from the University of New Brunswick; and a master of library and information studies from the University of Alberta.
He and his wife, Lori, reside in Charleston with their two children.
