Read, Listen, Watch

Staff Picks and Suggestions

Reading Challenge Update: April Winner and May Preview

Paws, the Northeastern husky mascot, sits on a yellow couch in Snell Library holding a copy of Ready Player One and giving a thumb's up

Happy May! Spring has sprung in Boston, and students are gearing up to leave campus for the summer. Congratulations to the Class of 2025 as they celebrate commencement, and congratulations to everyone who participated in the April Reading Challenge! Our winner this month is Kayla Bolling, who takes home a custom Northeastern University Library poster.

To be eligible for the prize drawing, make sure to read a book that fits the month’s theme and then tell us about it. In April, we asked you to read a book recommended by a librarian. Here are some of the librarian-approved titles readers enjoyed this month! (Comments may have been edited for length or clarity.)

What You Read in April

Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Read the e-book

“This was recommended to me by a librarian at Seattle Public Library in the ‘healing fiction’ category, a genre that first emerged in Korea and Japan. It’s set in a tiny Tokyo café where people sit in a chair that can travel back in time, but only for the time it takes for a cup of coffee to turn cold. This book is a deeply immersive journey into the desire to hold on to the past.” — Jyoti

Parable of the Sower, Octavia E. Butler
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Read the e-book | Listen to the audiobook

“Really interesting and topical. It’s amazing how much prescience Butler had. Lauren’s religion of Earthseed has a lot of great values I think people should internalize nowadays. Essential read in a lot of ways, particularly in a climate-challenged world.” — Nobel

Legendborn, Tracy Deonn
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library

“I was blown away by how this book handles complex topics like America’s history with slavery, intergenerational trauma, and the erasure of Black people’s stories all while exploring its supernatural elements. I recommend this book to anyone who loves modern takes on old legends. I’m currently reading through the sequel, Bloodmarked, and I’m excited to finish the trilogy!” — Nina

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, Lex Croucher
Find it at Snell Library | Listen to the audiobook

“Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher is a charming tale that artfully combines queer romance, the warmth of found family, political intrigue, and a healthy dose of humor. Overall, Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is about accepting yourself, fighting for happiness, and discovering that real love is worth pursuing. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys medieval settings, found family stories, or queer romance. And last but not least, anyone who believes that self-love is truly worth it will find this book rewarding.” — Ankita

Unlocking the Library Resources at the Seattle Campus: Your Guide to Research and Leisure Reading

by Jason Wu
April 24, 2025April 28, 2025
Library News, Online Learning, Read, Listen, Watch, Teaching and Learning

This blog post specifically mentions the Seattle campus; however, all services and programs below are available to all Northeastern community members at all global campuses and online. Other campus-specific portals are available here.

Hi, my name is Jason Wu, and I’m the Library Ambassador on the Seattle campus. As a Husky in Seattle, I know making the most of the right resources can significantly enhance your academic journey. Today, I’m excited to share a few tips on how to explore the Northeastern library website for both research and leisure reading.

Note: Although we don’t have a physical library on campus at this time, there is a bookshelf on the 3rd floor of the 225 Building where you’re welcome to read and enjoy a selection of books.

Step 1: Seattle Campus Library Portal

The Seattle Campus Library Portal is your gateway to research resources curated by expert librarians. This portal provides subject-specific guides tailored to the programs offered at the Seattle campus. The portal also provides convenient links to:

Interlibrary Loan — Borrow resources from Northeastern’s vast library network
Seattle Public Library — A great local resource located near campus
SHARES Library Partners & WorldCat — Discover libraries nearby that hold the resources you need

Pro Tip: The Seattle Public Library – Central Library is a fantastic space for studying and borrowing books. If you’d like to get an SPL library card, your Husky Card serves as a valid ID for registration.

Two smiling people sit at a table covered with library handouts, candy, and computers with library content on the screens. — *Jason Wu and Text Mining Specialist Lawrence Evalyn host an informational table on the Seattle campus.*

Step 2: Research Subject Guides

Research can be overwhelming, but the Research Subject Guides simplify the process by providing tailored tools and resources for a variety of disciplines.

How to Access Research Subject Guides:

Visit the Seattle Campus Library Portal.
Select your area of interest — Choose the subject relevant to your studies. For example, the Computer Science Guide provides specialized resources for technology-focused programs.

These guides are designed to give you quick access to key databases, research tips, and citation tools — ensuring you have everything you need to succeed.

Step 3: Accessing Library Resources

No matter your major, the Northeastern University Library provides access to a wealth of academic resources.

For example, Computer Science students can take advantage of IEEE Xplore, a comprehensive digital library for engineering and technology research.

How to Access IEEE Xplore:

Go to the Computer Science Guide on the library portal.
Click on the IEEE Xplore link under the “Key Resources” section.
Select “Auth. via Northeastern” and log in with your Northeastern credentials for full access.

This process applies to many other subject-specific databases as well, so be sure to explore what’s available in your field!

Bonus: Enhance Access with LibKey Nomad

A student sits at a laptop in Snell Library. They are wearing headphones and writing in a notebook — *Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University*

The library offers so many resources that it’s easy to miss some of them. That’s where LibKey Nomad comes in!

LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that streamlines access to full-text scholarly articles. Instead of navigating through multiple platforms, it helps you retrieve PDFs with just one click.

How to Install and Use LibKey Nomad:

Download the extension — Visit the LibKey Nomad download page and select your browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, etc.).
Set up the extension — Choose “Northeastern University” as your institution.
Start browsing — As you search for articles online, LibKey Nomad will provide instant links to PDFs or library access options.

This tool saves time and ensures you never miss an important research paper!

Step 4: Citing Your Sources

Proper citation is essential in academic writing. Northeastern’s library provides guides and tools to help you manage references effectively:

Citation Guides — Visit the Cite Sources page for instructions on different citation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).
Citation Management Tools — Tools like EndNote, Zotero, and Mendeley help organize and format your references effortlessly.

Using these resources ensures your work is properly cited and avoids accidental plagiarism.

Step 5: Leisure Reading — Join the Reading Challenge!

After a long day of studying, why not unwind with a good book?

You’re invited to join the Reading Challenge 2025, where Huskies can explore new books, audiobooks, and e-books together for a chance to win prizes!

Check out Libby, a fantastic app that connects you to an extensive collection of e-books and audiobooks. It’s the perfect way to discover new reads without leaving your couch.

Step 6: Ask a Librarian!

A student and a librarian sit in front of a laptop in Snell Library and talk

Still have questions about library resources? Don’t worry—librarians are here to help!

Here’s how you can reach out:

FAQs — Check the library’s Frequently Asked Questions for quick answers.
Chat with a librarian — Available 24/7 for real-time assistance.
Email support — Get detailed help by sending an email inquiry.

Don’t hesitate to use these services — librarians are happy to assist you with your research and resource needs!

The Northeastern University Library website offers everything you need, from specialized research guides to leisure reading options. By following these steps, you’ll unlock a treasure trove of resources that will support both your academic success and personal growth.

So go ahead, explore the library, and make the most of these fantastic tools!

Celebrating more than 30 years of the Women Writers Project

by Sarah Connell
April 16, 2025April 16, 2025
Digital Humanities, Library News, Read, Listen, Watch

On March 27, as part of a month-long celebration of Women’s History Month, the Women Writers Project hosted a screen of Always in Progress: Three Decades of the Women Writers Project, a documentary by John Melson.

Screenshot of a person with glasses speaking in front of a bookshelf. The person is identified as Julia Flanders, Director of the Women Writers Project & Professor of the Practice, Northeastern University — *Julia Flanders, Director of the Women Writers Project, speaks in the* Always in Progress *documentary.*

Work on this documentary began in 2018 as part of the WWP’s celebrations of the project’s 30th anniversary. This milestone marked an opportunity to reflect on the WWP’s decades of work bringing texts by pre-Victorian women writers out of the archive to make them accessible to a wide audience of teachers, students, and scholars. The documentary shares highlights from the WWP’s years at Brown University, where the project was founded in 1988, and Northeastern, where the project moved in 2013. We were delighted to have in the audience present and past members of the WWP community, including students, staff, and advisors—it was exciting to see familiar faces and remember the many important contributions people have made over the years.

The documentary outlines the WWP’s long history as a project focused on early women’s writing and text encoding, and includes insights from current and past staff and students about representing texts using the Text Encoding Initiative markup language and publishing them on the Women Writers Online digital interface. The film also follows WWP staff and students as they work on several initiatives, including the Women Writers Vector Toolkit exploratory interface; the Women Writers in Review collection of periodical reviews; the Women Writers: Intertextual Networks interactive bibliography; and the Women Writers in Context scholarly exhibit series. Several scholars and experts in the digital humanities, including Dean of the Library Dan Cohen, also speak about the impact of long-term projects like the WWP on digital scholarship and discuss what the project can teach us about the history of the digital humanities.

Three people sit in an office setting chatting — *Elizabeth Adams, Julia Flanders, and Carole Mah working in the early days of the Women Writers Project.*

The documentary was made possible with support from the Northeastern University Humanities Center, the NULab for Digital Humanities and Computational Social Science, and the Northeastern University Library. It was directed by John Melson, with camera and sound by Melson and Colleen Nugent. To learn more about the WWP, see the project’s Welcome page.

Reading Challenge Update: March Winner and April Preview

by Brooke Williams
April 6, 2025April 7, 2025
Library News, Read, Listen, Watch

Happy spring! The end of the semester is in sight and we’re heading into the fourth month of the 2025 Reading Challenge.

Congratulations to Caroline Nicolai, who won the March prize drawing! Caroline wins one of the library’s coveted stocked study rooms: a four-hour reservation for a study room at Snell Library in Boston, which will be filled with snacks and treats for Caroline and friends to enjoy, during Finals Week. Happy reading and good luck on your finals, Caroline!

To be eligible for the prize drawing, make sure to read a book that fits the theme and then tell us about it.

What You Read in March

The March theme was a book that has won or been shortlisted for a major award. Here are some of the award-winners that readers enjoyed this month. (Comments may have been edited for length or clarity.)

Your House Will Pay, Steph Cha
Find it at Snell Library

Winner of the California Book Award
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize

“An absolute page turner and a well written book that brings out the tension between two families of extremely different ethnicities. It reminds us of the victims and sacrifices that had to be made to achieve the peace and acceptance around us.” — Gautam

All Systems Red (Murderbot #1), Martha Wells
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Read the e-book | Listen to the audiobook

Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novella
Winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novella

“The Murderbot Diaries blew me away. Wells writes with so much humor, combining thrilling sci-fi action and heartfelt emotion to explore what it means to be a sentient being. I would highly recommend this series to fans of Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series.” — Bianca

“I love Murderbot and you might, too!” — Anaya

The Safekeep, Yael Van Der Wouden
Find it at Snell Library | Read the e-book | Listen to the audiobook

Shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize
Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for Debut Fiction

“Strikingly unique, a story that balances family connections, identity, and a post WWII environment. There is a twist at the end, and with the protagonist’s narration placing the reader directly inside her head, one can easily feel deeply connected.” — Caroline

Martyr!, Kaveh Akbar
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Listen to the audiobook

Shortlisted for the National Book Award

“I’m still thinking about this book. A totally unexpected trajectory, and an absolutely absorbing narrative style.” — Molly

Box by Box: Inventorying the Frederick Salvucci Papers

by Irene Gates
March 19, 2025March 24, 2025
Archives and Special Collections, Collections, Library News, Read, Listen, Watch

By Julia Lee and Aleks Renerts

Processing assistants Julia Lee and Aleks Renerts recently went through more than 150 boxes of papers belonging to transportation and infrastructure leader Frederick Salvucci. Salvucci’s contributions to infrastructure are numerous: you can become familiar with the scope of his impact by reading his Wikipedia page and listening to his oral history with Head of Archives and Special Collections and University Archivist Giordana Mecagni. The papers he donated to Northeastern encompass his time at MIT, where he has taught since the late 1970s, and document infrastructure projects students were involved in and that he advised on throughout the world.

With the goal of improving access to these records for researchers, Julia and Aleks went through each box carefully, refoldering materials and assigning descriptive keywords. They have selected a few items from the collection to highlight.

“The Inner Belt” Belt

A black belt with "THE INNER BELT" in white lettering

This commemorative wearable belt is a pun referencing the Inner Belt project. The Inner Belt was a proposed eight-lane highway that would have connected I-93 to I-90 and I-95, stretching from Somerville through Cambridge, across the Boston University Bridge, and through Boston and Roxbury. Plans for the highway would have placed major intersections along its length, disrupting the landscape of many of the neighborhoods of Greater Boston. In the late 1960s and ’70s, construction of the highway was blocked by the actions of a group of city planners, community activists, universities, and politicians, including Salvucci. The defeat of the Inner Belt project marks a significant moment in the history of Boston, transportation in the city, and its history of urban development, as well as setting the tone for Salvucci’s career and focus on the role of community in transportation.

MIT Commencement Exercises

Pink cover labeled "Massachusetts Institute of Technology Commencement Exercises 1994." "Killian Court, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Friday, May 27, 1994, 10:00 AM" In the center of the page is a circular photo of a domed building

Salvucci taught at MIT as a senior lecturer from 1978-1983 and from 1991 to the present. He has taught courses on transportation and urban planning through the Department of Civil Engineering and worked for MIT’s Center for Transportation Studies (now the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics). Salvucci’s students were conscious of his impact in the field. Comments on his teaching from the Spring 1991 term repeatedly emphasized his knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm for the material. His ability to give students insight into the “real world” of transportation and civil engineering was praised, and my personal favorite comment creates a delightfully succinct picture of the Salvucci classroom experience: “Great war stories with great analysis.”

Document with a variety of images of trains, railroad tracks, wheels, and construction sites. It reads "Tercer Encuentro UPR / MIT, 8-15 de enero de 1997, Tren Urbano, Auspician: UPR, MIT, DTOP, GMAEC, CIIC

Tren Urbano Encuentro Reports

The MIT/UPR Encuentro Reports represent the nine-year partnership between the MIT Transit Lab, the Puerto Rican Transportation Authority, and the University of Puerto Rico (UPR). From the 1990s to the 2000s, MIT students, overseen by Salvucci, collaborated with students from UPR to “study and advise on the design, operation, and scheduling of the Tren Urbano rail system.” The encuentro (meeting) reports demonstrate the specific concerns and strategies relevant to the Tren Urbano project and showcase student contributions over several years of consultation. This collaborative project formed the model for future partnerships between MIT and various transit authorities around the world, many of which are also well-represented in Salvucci’s work and papers.

Statement of Strategy, London Transport

Cover of a "Statement of Strategy 1994-1997 London Transport." Cover has a blue background with cartoon images of people waiting under an "Underground" sign and people walking onto a red double decker bus

Boston was not the only city to benefit from Salvucci’s knowledge. Through MIT, he worked with Transport for London (TfL), the government body in charge of most of London’s transportation network, on their Crossrail project. Crossrail, as its name suggests, involved the creation of a new east-west rail line through London with connections to existing major train routes in the UK. Today, it is known as the Elizabeth Line, as Crossrail was the name specific to the construction project. Salvucci’s papers at Northeastern include correspondence and reports from his involvement with TfL that document both Crossrail and the beginnings of London’s Oyster card fare system. I’m personally appreciative of Salvucci’s work in London, as it was the Elizabeth Line that got me to and from Heathrow Airport during a recent trip to the UK.

To learn more about accessing the Frederick Salvucci papers, email the Northeastern University Archives and Special Collections at archives@northeastern.edu.

Julia Lee (she/her) is in her first year of the Simmons University Library and Information Science graduate program. She received her BA from Northeastern University with a combined major in English and theatre.

Aleks Renerts (he/him) recently completed a dual MA degree in history and library and information science, with a concentration in archives management, from Simmons University. He received his BA in history from McGill University.

Library News