Jen Library Reference Department

Jen Library is opening its doors again for our second-ever open house. This is your chance to get inspired by the Library’s extensive collections in a hands-on, interactive setting. Students, staff and faculty had a blast checking out all of our Sequential Arts collections last spring. This time the focus is on Building Arts and we have even more awesome stuff to show you!

Join us Wednesday, September 29, from 3 – 7 pm to view, explore and learn more about…

• Building Arts and Interior Design periodicals and related publications
• Architectural drawings of the Central GA Railway buildings
• Other historic images and publications from library Special Collections
• Digital image database demonstrations
• Award winning graduate theses

Plus, play trivia, win prizes and make suggestions to help the library’s collection grow. (BONUS: get your FYE passport stamped by the library, Writers Studio and Learning Resource Hive!) Everyone is welcome to attend this free and open event. See you there!

View/ download event flier (PDF)

Do you like:

• Cool and unusual animation memorabilia giveaways?
• Fabulous stress-relief raffle prizes?
• Mass amounts of free sugary goodness?
• Looking at original books, artworks and rare materials not seen ANYWHERE else?
• Incredible images, graphic novels and library resources that ANY student can use?

If so, come to Jen Library’s Spring open house next week. Students, staff, and faculty are welcome to visit us on Wednesday, May 5, from 3:00 – 7:00 PM .

This casual and open even is a great opportunity to learn more about Library collections and services, especially those for Illustration, Sequential Art and Animation Majors. Drop in anytime during the event! Expect to see:

• Highlights from the Don Bluth collection, such as original cels, background paintings and character drawings
• ANIM, SEQA and ILLU images from our digital collections, and demos on how to access and use these for your projects
• Original artists books, comics, and other unique treasures
• The best of our ever-expanding graphic novels collection
• Magazines and journals that are perfect for learning about of cool artists and news in your field
• Friendly librarians, Writers Studio, and Learning Resource Hive staff
• Candy, prizes, and giveaways galore

No RSVP needed: just drop in. See you in there!

CC image by philip.bitnar

Happy Halloween everybody! For your spooky enjoyment, please enjoy this selection of library materials on the art of the horror film. Curl up with a book on a dark and dreary evening, or choose a VHS or DVD for late-night viewing at the library. Plus, we’re open until 1AM on Halloween night! Just don’t go down to the basement…

Stuff to read – lots more to choose from in our catalog:

• Sound Design for American Horror Films (Thesis)
  
• Making a Monster: The Creation of Screen Characters by the Great Makeup Artists
• Cult Horror Films: from Attack of the 50 foot woman to Zombies of Mora Tau
• Horror Poster Art
• Horror International (about horror films worldwide)
  
• Hollywood Horror: From Gothic to Cosmic
• Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978-1986
• Gorehound’s Guide to Splatter Films (two books): The 1980s and the 1960s and 1970s
• The Changing Vampire of Film and Television : A Critical Study of the Growth of a Genre
• Zombie Culture: Autopsies of the Living Dead

Stuff to watch:

• Poltergeist
• Psycho
• The Exorcist
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers
• Night of the Living Dead
• Nosferatu
• Frankenstein
• American Movie (about the making of a “no budget” horror film)

What are some of your favorite horror classics? Is there a book or film that the library should have, but doesn’t? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below!

James Krenov, influential master woodworker, author, and teacher has passed away. His cabinets exhibit simplicity of form, and highlight the natural and unique qualities of wood. Krenov referred to himself as a “pre-kerouac Hippie” who roamed Europe and worked in shipyards and factories before studying fine woodcraft under Carl Malmsten in Sweden. He founded and taught at the College of the Redwoods Fine Furniture Program in Fort Bragg, California, in addition to keeping a personal studio.

Many were influenced by Krenov’s philosophical approach to his art. In a Smithsonian interview, he said the main belief informing his work is “you should not be unhappy in the primary thing that occupies you”. Kranov’s books are much more than just a how-to. He speaks of the smells, colors, natural variances, and feel of woodworking materials, and of the process of transforming raw wood into unique works of art.

Anyone who enjoys the pleasures of handwork will want to take a look at Krenov’s writings. Jen library has several of his books: James Krenov, Worker in Wood; The Impractical Cabinetmaker, and The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking.

See images of James Krenov’s works here.

Diller Scofidio’s Library © Carlos Solis - via archdaily.com

Fall Quarter will soon be upon us, but those of you lingering in the NYC area might want to check out this fascinating ongoing exhibit: Unpacking My Library: Architects and their Books , on view at Urban Center Books. A prolific architect’s library is featured each month; Liz Diller and Ric Scofidio are headlining September. For those of you who can’t make it there in person, the exhibition website features some interesting highlights, and a catalog will be published later this year – leave a comment if you’d like to see it at the Jen Library!

The organizers state: “Each architect’s library is unique and informs their practice in surprising ways. Their personal statements, and favorite books, show that they are not bound by architectural themes or a canonizing of architectural history.” What an interesting way to demonstrate the wide-ranging and very personal sources of inspiration and research that architects, designers, and artists require. Collections of text, images, and random bits of paper and ephemera can form a creative laboratory of sorts, and upon examination reveal quite a lot about the keeper’s interests and history.

A quick Google search reveals that there are plenty of artists and designers who love books, and are blogging about it. A few examples can be seen here, here, and here.

Do you have book collection? How does reading fit into your daily practice? Is there a book that is a must-read for others in your area of specialization? Tell us about it!