summer

Suggested Summer Stories from Snell Staff

There are 42 days until the first day of fall semester classes.  That’s six solid weeks; more than enough time to take advantage of the rest of the summer by reading some great books! Here are some suggestions from our library staff to get you started. Click on the book title to see the record for the book in our collection. — Jen  

River of Smoke 

by Amitav Ghosh

Suggested by Will Wakeling I’m just finishing Amitav Ghosh’s River of Smoke, the 2nd volume of the historical trilogy begun with the wonderful and exotic Sea of Poppies. Everything you ever wanted to know about the early 19th century opium trade into Canton and southern China. A great way to learn the basics of Chinese Pidgin English, too – worth a “look-see.”  

Bring Up the Bodies

by Hilary Mantel

Suggested by Ethan Bren I read Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. It’s the sequel to Wolf Hall, which won the Man Booker Prize in 2009. Both books are really terrific pieces of historical fiction that I enjoyed immensely.    

 Graceling

by Kristin Cashore

Suggested by Krishna Patel My vote would be for Graceling and its sequel, Bitterblue, and the companion as well, Fire – all of which we own!  Written by a local (squee!), it’s a beautifully crafted fantasy tale about two delightfully strong and unorthodox ladies in a Tolkien-meets-King-Arthur sort of way. I’ve been suggesting them like a crazy person to anyone who asks, and I’ve not had bad feedback yet. Take that, Twilight!  

Canada by Richard Ford

Suggested by Jamie Dendy It carries one away through a riveting plot, yet drops one on the ground from time to time to ponder issues of crime and inheritance.      

Dogma by Lars Iyer

Suggested by Karen Merguerian Lars joined us for one of our Meet the Author Talks in Spring 2012! Watch the video here.      

The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow

Suggested by Jen Ferguson What I’m loving about it: Who knew that a book about probability could be so engaging?       Now go forth and capture some quality summer days! Soak up the weather, drink something sweet and cold, and read your book way too fast.

Library Hours for Summer 2

Summer 2 is fast approaching (the first classes start on June 29th!) Snell will maintain the following hours for the rest of the summer (please note that Snell will be completely closed on Monday, July 4): Circulation Desk: Sunday: 10am – 11pm Monday through Thursday: 8am – 11pm Friday: 8am – 8pm Saturday: 9am – 5pm InfoCommons: Sunday through Friday: 7:30am – 11pm Saturday: 7:30am – 5pm Library Study: Open 24 Hours, but will close at 11pm on Sunday, July 3rd and will be closed all day Monday, July 4th. As always, you must show a current NU Student/Faculty/Staff ID after the Circulation Desk closes. Enjoy summer time at Snell!

Massachusetts Summer Fun!

As the summer weather starts to creep over Boston, students everywhere have started looking for creative new ways to relax and enjoy themselves, both inside and outside. Here are some local (and one not-quite-so-local) events to keep in mind for the upcoming weeks! NOW: Flash Forward Festival, Boston The Flash Forward Festival comes to Boston to showcase the best contemporary photography from all over the world, including Canada and the UK. The festival lasts for four days (June 2nd to June 5th) and runs from 12pm to 7pm, leaving ample time to explore the other activities going on around the showcase. You have your choice of public art installations, lectures, panel discussions, gallerists, and countless artists from around the city and the world. This four-day festival is free to the public. http://www.flashforwardfestival.com THIS SATURDAY, June 4, 2011: The Cambridge River Festival This one-day celebration brings the Charles River to life with countless musical performances and more than 200,000 attendees flanking the river’s edges. Come on Saturday, June 4th between noon and 6pm to experience the magic and culture of this celebration. The festival is free for everyone! http://www.cambridgema.gov/CAC/ July 4: 38th Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular Every year on the Fourth of July, the Boston Pops play an amazing free concert at the Hatch Shell on Boston’s Esplanade along the Charles River. There are usually several exciting guest performers, and the fireworks that follow the concert are truly not to be missed. The crowds can get intense, and people camp out for space early in the morning. Tip from the locals: you can see the fireworks just as well, sometimes better, from the Cambridge side of the river, and they usually broadcast the concert to that side as well. Another tip to beat the crowds — see and hear the same concert the night before, July 3, at the dress rehearsal. (No fireworks that night, though.) http://www.july4th.org/ Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid with Live Score by Marc Ribot This event at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art on Saturday, July 9th at 9:00pm revamps a classic Charlie Chaplin film with modern guitar solos and soundtracks. Marc Ribot’s transformation of the film brings a whole new meaning to the timeless piece. Ticket prices vary, but if you are a student (at NEU or any other college) you get a flat rate ticket for $10. Note: This museum is in North Adams, Massachusetts, about a 2.5-hour drive from Boston. http://www.massmoca.org Around the World in Watercolor, 1860-1920 This exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts from July 16th to March 4th features works by American watercolorists such as John La Farge, Thomas Moran, Henry Roderick Newman, and Joseph Lindon Smith. These painters all travelled the world for inspiration, and their pieces are sure to transport you to the beautiful hills of Greece or the deserts of Egypt. The best part about this showing? Admission to the museum is free when you show your NEU student ID. http://www.mfa.org

Time to Resume Writing Resumes

So it’s Fall 2010; some of us are back from Co-op, some of us fresh off a great summer… The unfortunate ones like me are in class again after having summer classes. The one thing that joins us all together: WE NEED MONEY! I remember hearing before summer started that unemployment figures for the 16-20 age group reached worse-than-Great Depression levels. What that meant was less summer jobs, less party money, and just less fun for all of us students. One of the easiest ways to combat the recession, stay employed, and keep money coming in is to update your resume. Before college, I thought you just have one simple resume that you use for everything and update as you go through life. If those of you reading this are like, well I still think that… you are WRONG. The reality is that your resume should be specifically tailored toward the job you’re applying for, with certain previous experiences and skills highlighted or left out accordingly. It can take a lot of effort and a lot of guesswork to really shine through to employers, but it is the most crucial step to getting an interview or a job. Luckily, Northeastern knows that jobs during and after college are just as important as the education you receive. Hence the co-op program, and hence Career Services walk-in hours! Check out the Walk In Hours from 2pm-4pm Monday through Thursday in 202 Stearns Hall. Someone will be there to give you a 10-15 minute session reviewing your resume. Check out other great resume resources at the Career Services page. And of course, don’t forget the resume help you can get from books in Snell Library!

Summer Reserves

This is a reminder for all faculty members that Reserve requests for Summer I are due by April 16th. Requests for Summer II are due by May 31st. Please submit all reserve requests by these dates in order to ensure that items are on Reserve by the start of each term. You can submit a request by filling out the electronic form under the Library tab at MyNEU or by turning in a manual request form, which is available at the Circulation Desk in the Library. If you would like to request an item for Reserves that is not currently in the library’s collection, please see the Reserve purchasing policy. If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Knutson at s.knutson@neu.edu.