Mmmm....Chinese Food!

Join us this Sunday night to learn more about Sunday nights at Eckles and some
FREE CHINESE FOOD!

That's right! Delicious Chinese food and soda just for coming to the library! How cool are we?

Sunday, March 4th
Eckles Library - 1st Floor Study Room
7pm until the food is gone

Tuesday's Tip

It's midterms, which means you are probably knee deep in papers to write. Well, you're gonna need some solid research to support your well-formed arguments. A great place to start your research is a research guide. Research guides provide links to relevant databases and online resources, as well as a list of print resource related to a topic area. Each guide is put together by a librarian who specializes in the subject area, so you can be sure that you're getting off on the right foot. You can find the research guides here:
http://www.gwu.edu/gelman/guides/

Now that you've got all that research, you need to cite it. Well, I've got just the thing to lighten your load. Gelman offers a collection of online citation guides, so you don't have to track down a style guide every time you have a question. You can find the citation guides here:
http://www.gwu.edu/gelman/database/articles/step5.html

You can find these and other great research tools at the Gelman homepage (www.gwu.edu/gelman), just look in the Research Help section.

Its That Time Again

Welcome to Midterms, weary students!

We like to make this time as painless as possible, so your good friends at Eckles are offering FREE COFFEE (also cappuccino, hot tea and hot chocolate) throughout the midterms season. Just follow the arrows (you can't miss them) to the Student Lounge to enjoy a tasty caffeinated treat.

Free coffee hours are
Monday-Friday: 4pm - close
Saturday-Sunday: All day!

Snow Makes Everything Beautiful!

Okay, sure it is cold and the sidewalks are slippery and you can't go outside without your hair getting all messed up from either the hat or the snow melting in your do, but LOOK! Snow makes the Vern even Vernier!

Check out our Bird's fetching new hairstyle! I believe he would like to be a British barrister...or maybe George Washington.

And look at these fine women building an uber-fabulous snow man. They could be inside studying, but NO. They are spending their precious free time decorating the campus for others to enjoy.

Who would have thought, but Eckles Library looks even better in the snow! Plus, the Quarter Coffee tastes even yummier, the Eckles Flix are even funnier (or sadder, if that is what you're into), the seating is even comfier, The Writing Center will be even writing-ier tonight and no matter how much it snows, we won't kick you out until 3am.

So come into Eckles today where you can warm up and buckle down!

The Pay Off

This is Travis.
Not only is he a great employee of Eckles Library, but he just landed a super-fantastic internship with the John McCain Exploratory Committee.

What made him stand out among the many applicants?
His winning smile?
His new-found ability to use a razor?
Nope.
His experience with research and ability to use Lexis-Nexis.

That is right! The skills Travis learned at Eckles have landed him a prime political internship, where he will meet important people and launch his incredibly successful career.
So I ask...
Can YOU use Lexis-Nexis?

The Vern Predicts!

The Vern has spoken (and continues to speak) about who it thinks will be the nominees for president next year. Handy graphs are posted on the walls (and below, but that is no excuse to skip a trip to Eckles).

Make a Prediction

We want to know what you think. Yes, YOU! That is why, as part of the presidential candidate display on the gallery wall, we're asking students, faculty and staff to predict who will be the Democratic and Republican nominees for president next year.

Stop by Eckles' first floor to find out about your friends' predictions and make one of your own. I will keep track and of who is in the lead and keep you posted. The winner gets...well, nothing, but it's exciting anyway!

So many candidates...

Yes, it is true. Every person ever to hold elected office is officially running for president in 2008. But don't worry, Eckles is here to help you decide.
Check out the wall on the first floor for a helpful display of the 19 (yes, 19!) declared candidates for the Democratic and Republican nomination for president. Watch the wall for updates (will Al Gore declare? will Newt Gingrich? what about a Stewart/Colbert ticket?) and we'll keep you informed.

Looking for the stapler?

Everything you need to assemble that precious paper in the five seconds before class starts can now be found in one place: The Student Supply Station!

Beside the circulation desk and in front of the new(ish) first floor study room are all of those little essentials to improve your library experience. This used to be the Reference Desk, but now reference is everywhere (like air and Starbucks) through AIM: EcklesInfo.

Seek, and ye shall find:

+ stapler
+ tape
+ paper clips
+ hole punch
+ white-out
+ pencils
+ highlighters
+ paper scraps
+ a scanner

Is there something else you need, but aren't finding at the Student Supply Station? End us an email at Eckles@gwu.edu or send an AOL instant message to EcklesInfo to let us know.

President's Day: The first, the current and the next

In honor of President's Day we have a new book display focusing on (almost) all of our American presidents. From the beloved to the impeached, you can find biographies, speeches, and other assorted writings on the shelves at the entrance to Eckles. On the table below, you will find books about what it takes to run for and win the presidency.

Here are a few of my favorites from the current display:

This is the best book I've ever read about presidential politics. No lie. I have a Masters Degree in Political Management from this august institution so I've read a lot of political books, and this is still the best.
Theodore White was the first journalist to really cover the "process" of political campaigning. He started in the Fall of 1959 and gained intimate access to each of the seven candidates vying for the presidency in 1960. His book was a sensation and caused the tidal wave of "process" reporting that we live with today.
I wish I could share with you a few of the great tidbits from this book that I just love, but there isn't enough space. You'll have to read it for yourself!


Bob Woodward (the man who brought you Watergate) interviewed over 100 high level Bush Administration officials to write this "account of George W Bush at war during the first 100 days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks." If you are wondering how we got into Afghanistan or how the decision was made to go to war there, this is a good book for you.





George Washington. He's why we drink a cup of coffee instead of a spot of tea. He shaped the powers of the presidency, created our city, founded our university and still had time to build that cool house at Mount Vernon. What a guy! He's also half the reason we have Monday off.

Don't be bored...Be Board!

It's cold outside and we're headed into a long weekend, so what better time to check out Board at Eckles! Mount Vernon residents can check out their favorite board games at Eckles Library with only a Gworld card. The following games are available:

Cranium Turbo
Connect Four
Yahtzee
Playing Cards
Uno
Monopoly
Risk
Scrabble
9 Game set including: chess, checkers, backgammon, Texas Hold ′Em, Chinese Checkers, Pachisi, Cribbage and Poker dice

Invite some friends over, break out the Doritos and you can have a fun game night without braving the cold (except for the short walk to Eckles)!

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful...

But in Eckles, its so delightful!

Never fear hearty students! Eckles Library is open and will remain that way. The Eckles staff is sort of like the Post Office...neither rain, nor sleet, nor dark of night can keep us from...something...something...however that ends.

Just so you know:
* Even if GWU cancels classes - we'll be open
* Even if the Vern Express isn't running - we'll be open

Now, if the power goes out (or we all decide to go play slip-and-slide on the quad) we would be forced to shut down, but it isn't likely. Feel free to IM (AIM: EcklesInfo) or call (202.242.6620) with questions.

Eckles Library Loves You

Back by popular demand are our special "Eckles Library Loves You" bookmarks for Valentine's Day. Drop by the circulation desk now through Wednesday to pick up this little reminder of just how much you mean to us (and candy)!

Lets Talk About Sex

In honor of Valentine's Day (hint: it's next week, guys!) our current book display is about Love, Sex and Valentine's Day. Actually, it is just about love and sex because I couldn't find any books of Valentine's Day, but I know you'll let it slide.

Here are a few of the most interesting:

The Kama Sutra and The Perfumed Garden
Vatsyanyana and Cheikh Nefaoui
Hey guess what...there are actual words in this book, not just the pictures you might already be familiar with. The Kama Sutra is actually a Hindu sexual treatise from the 4th century AD and it isn't just about sexual positions. It is more like an essay on sexual etiquette, telling the reader just what is permissible. The Perfumed Garden is an Arabian work from the 16th century and is much more poetic. Both provide and interesting look at sexuality in different cultures.

The Well of Loneliness
Radclyffe Hall
This book definitely falls into the "love" category. In fact, the only sex scene in the entire book consists of the words "and that night, they were not divided." However, it was banned anyway because the couple in question are both women. This is a classic of lesbian fiction and was groundbreaking for being the first novel to condemn society for its unfair treatment of gays and lesbians.



Outspoken Women: An anthology of women's writing on sex, 1870-1969
Edited by Lesley Hall
The "sexual revolution" may have started in the 1960s, but women were writing about sex long before that. This is a pretty interesting look at women's attitudes about sex from the Victorians to your grandmothers.

Is There Love for the FrankenRabbit?

Poor Bunny!

This odd, slightly disturbing green rabbit had been quietly living on a shelf in the Eckles student lounge since the beginning of time (or since the beginning of the student lounge, which ever came first). Sadly, during finals last semester, our little bunny friend met the floor at a shattering velocity.

The Eckles staff rushed into action. Pieces were gathered. Glue was applied. But tragically, the plastic surgeons were unable to preserve this rabbit's previous good looks. Instead, we are left with FrankenRabbit!

So here is the question:
Sure, he's a little creepy and disturbing, but is there still love for FrankenRabbit? Should he be returned to his former place of honor in the student lounge, or remain out of sight? Let me know your opinion in the comments section. Majority rules.

My Library is Better Than Yours

We at Eckles Library try to be good citizens, but when you are great as we are it is hard not to taunt others.

If you'd like to join us in silently mocking other libraries, come by Eckles to pick up your very own button.

You know you want to.