Digital Engagement Board Archives

Jaidyn’s Film Picks

Hi everyone, I’m Jaidyn! I’m a Junior at FSU and a part-time Engagement Assistant at FSU Libraries. You may recognize me from the most recent Meet the Engagement Team post here on the Libraries blog. With the buzz of the 2023 Oscar Awards in the air, I’m back to talk all things film at FSU Libraries!

As a film lover, I’m always on the lookout for something new and innovative to watch. In my off-time, I’m scouring the internet for recommendations from my friends and favorite reviewers. With these searches, I’ve been led to many of my favorite films like Julia Ducournau’s Titane or Todd Field’s Tár. As much as I love the suggestions I find, having to buy and rent all this film gets a little costly on a student’s budget. The alternative is going to the movie theater where food often costs more than the tickets and the crowds are awfully rowdy. Thankfully, I have FSU Libraries which offers a large and diverse range of films both physically and online on streaming. Below are some of my favorite films which are all available through FSU Libraries for free!

Shiva Baby

Director: Emma Siegalman

Year: 2020

Shiva Baby was my introduction to my favorite actor Rachel Sennot (who many of you may recognize from her 2022 visit to FSU)! Shiva Baby tells the story of “Michelle” who unexpectedly is confronted with the messier parts of her life at Shiva for a family friend. I really think this is a shining gem of the A24 catalog and gave me the same unsettling anxious feeling as Uncut Gems (another A24 film). This film is available to watch through Kanopy.

Image courtesy of IMDb.

Uncut Gems

Directors: The Safdie Brothers

Year: 2019

I’ve never been a huge fan of Adam Sandler but that changed with his work in Uncut Gems. The film has captivating performances and is engaging enough to keep me anxious throughout (a feeling shared with most of this film’s audience). It’s definitely a film we’re going to remember 50 years from now. Find it on Swank.

Image courtesy of IMDb.

Eraserhead

Director: David Lynch

Year: 1977

One of the most prolific of a collection classic and memorable works by the Director, Actor, and overall personality, David Lynch, deals with a father after the birth of his child. Though the film may be referred to as “off-putting” to many and is known for its creepy (I find it adorable) baby, I think it’s genuinely one of the more accessible Lynch works. Perfect to watch with friends or alone at home, find Eraserhead in our Pop Lit section or request online.

Image courtesy of IMDb.

Belle de Jour

Director: Luis Buñel

Year: 1967

Seeking an escape from her monotonous marriage and life as a housewife, Catherine Deneuve as “Séverine” escapes! I love this film and its ambiguously dream-like feeling it gives. I relate to the profound commentary this gives on escapism, sexuality, and life as a woman. Life’s a dream when you request this film online or check it out in person from our Pop Lit section.

Image courtesy of IMDb.

La Haine

Director: Mathieu Kassovitz

Year: 1995

This 1995 film follows a series of situations that escalate in the wake of a riot in a French slum. While this is certainly a drama in many aspects, I find it to be overly comedic. On top of that, the commentary on the intersection between class and anti-youth culture is endlessly valuable. Find this classic piece on Kanopy.

Image courtesy of IMDb.

Groundhog Day

Director: Harold Ramis

Year: 1993

Ask anyone and they would say Groundhog Day is one of my favorite holidays. I’m not quite sure why someone wouldn’t want to be stuck in an infinite loop of Groundhog Day, but this film is awesome either way. Think of it as a story of someone releasing ego and control and becoming sort of more humble. Great stuff! Find it in our Pop Lit section or online.

Image courtesy of IMDb.

Falsettos

Director: James Lapine

Year: 2016 Edition

Falsettos tells the story of a late 70s, early 80s Jewish family after finding out the father is gay in the midst of the AIDS crisis. I’ve always been a giant fan of this specific version with the combined musicals, and own both the sheet music and book. The highly quotable musical explores what love can look like in the modern, non-traditional family. This ensemble cast is able to accomplish so much emotionally within 2 and a half hours. This also has the added benefits of it having a star-studded cast including A-List theater actors like Andrew Rannells (one of my favorites) and Christian Borle. Find this hit musical on Academic Video Online.

Image courtesy of Broadway.com.

How to Steal a Million

Director: William Wyler

Year: 1966

What would you do if your father’s career in art forgery was about to catch up to him? In this classic, the answer for Nicole, played by Audrey Hepburn, happens to be to steal it back from the highly guarded museum before they can test it for authenticity. This heist/romance is one of my favorites and you can find it on Feature Films in Education.

Image courtesy of IMDb.

This blog post was written by Jaidyn Smith, Student Engagement Assistant at FSU Libraries.

Stories From Around the Globe

In March, the Libraries at Florida State University are celebrating “Stories From Around the Globe” by promoting diverse international voices! Our carefully curated collection of books and movies includes multicultural stories, translations, and works by renowned international authors in their original languages. Explore these online resources available through the Libraries, or stop by our physical display on Strozier Library’s main floor, which will be up all month!

We have the perfect cure for those feeling homesick: our Postcards at the Library events! Join us at Strozier on Wednesday, March 22, and Dirac on Wednesday, March 29 from 2:30 to 4:30 pm to send a postcard to your loved ones anywhere in the world. Join us for snacks and an all-around fun time! Take advantage of this exciting opportunity!

Faces Places: A Road Trip with Legendary Filmmaker Agnes Varda and Photographer J.R.

Directed by Agnès Varda, JR

Country: France

Language: French

Kindred spirits, Varda and JR share a lifelong passion for images and how they are created, displayed, and shared. Together they travel around the villages of France in JR’s photo truck meeting locals, learning their stories, and producing epic-size portraits of them. The photos are prominently displayed on houses, barns, storefronts, and trains revealing the humanity in their subjects, and themselves. Faces Places documents these heartwarming encounters as well as the unlikely, tender friendship they formed along the way.

Image courtesy of IMBb. Description provided by Cohen Film Collection, 2017.

Landfill Harmonic: A Symphony of the Human Spirit

Directed by Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley

Country: Paraguay

Language: English, Spanish

This film festival favorite follows the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical group that plays instruments made entirely out of garbage. When their story goes viral, the orchestra is catapulted into the global spotlight. However, when a natural disaster strikes their country, Favio must find a way to keep the orchestra intact and provide a source of hope for their town. The film is a testament to the transformative power of music and the resilience of the human spirit.

Image courtesy of IMBb. Description provided by Meetai, LLC, 2015.

Ghostland: The View of the Ju’Hoansi: Namibian Bushmen Experience the Western World

Directed by Simon Stadler

Country: Namibia

Language: Juǀʼhoan, English

One of the most ancient cultures on our planet is undergoing a major change. The Ju’Hoansi Bushmen in Namibia are not allowed to hunt anymore and need to converge with our so called “civilized” lifestyle. For the first time the Ju’Hoansi Bushmen travel through the Kalahari and then right into the heart of Europe, leading to a fascinating look at our Western lifestyle.

Image courtesy of IMBb. Description provided by Under the Milky Way, 2016.

Lemon Tree

Directed by Eran Riklis

Country: Isreal

Language: Arabic and Hebrew

A 45-year-old Palestinian woman gets a new neighbor when the Israeli minister of defense builds a house next to hers. The lemon trees that her family planted generations ago are a security risk to the minister, and he demands they be cut down. She attempts to fight his orders and develops an unlikely ally in the minister’s dissatisfied wife.

To access Swank, click “Find my Institution”, find Florida State University, & log in with your FSUID.

Image courtesy of IMBb. Description provided through Swank, 2008.

Minari

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung

Country: Korea

Language: Korean

A Korean-American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they find the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

To access Swank, click “Find my Institution”, find Florida State University, & log in with your FSUID.

Image courtesy of IMBb. Description provided through Swank, 2021.

The Count of Monte Cristo

by Alexandre Dumas

Country: France

Language: English

When Edmond Dantès is framed by jealous rivals, he could just rot away in prison. Instead, he ends up on an adventure that will lead to revenge and redemption.

You can access this resource through the Libraries’ catalog and logging in with your FSUID.

Image courtesy of IMBb. Description by Alysa Salzberg, 2023.

The Metamorphosis

by Franz Kafka

Country: Germany

Language: English

Metamorphosis tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa, who wakes one morning to find himself inexplicably transformed into a huge insect and subsequently struggles to adjust to this new condition.

You can access this resource through the Libraries’ catalog by logging in with your FSUID.

Image and description provided through Amazon.

Steppenwolf

by Hermann Hesse

Country: Germany

Language: English

Harry Haller has all the insight, all the leisure, all the material goods he needs, yet he is not at peace with his life. A potent combination of Eastern and Western insights into the human search for meaning is given new life in a fresh translation.

You can access this resource through the Libraries’ catalog by logging in with your FSUID.

Image courtesy of Amazon. Description provided by FSU Libraries.

The Tale of Genji

by Murasaki Shikibu

Country: Germany

Language: English

Written by the daughter of a Japanese noble, this 11th-century work of fiction chronicles the life and romantic exploits of the handsome son of the emperor and his concubine during the Heian period.

You can access this resource through the Libraries’ catalog by logging in with your FSUID.

Image courtesy of Amazon. Description provided by FSU Libraries.

I Am a Cat

by Sōseki Natsume

Country: Japan

Language: English

I Am a Cat satirizes the foolishness of upper-middle-class Japanese society during the Meiji era. With acerbic wit and a sardonic perspective, it follows the whimsical adventures of a world-weary stray kitten who comments on the follies and foibles of the people around him.

You can access this resource through the Libraries’ catalog by logging in with your FSUID.

Image courtesy of Barnes & Noble. Description provided through GoodReads.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

by Victor Hugo

Country: France

Language: English

This extraordinary historical French gothic novel, set in Medieval Paris under the twin towers of its greatest structure and supreme symbol, the cathedral of Notre-Dame, is the haunting drama of Quasimodo, the disabled bell-ringer of Notre-Dame, as he struggles to stand up to his ableist guardian Claude Frollo, who also wants to commit genocide against Paris’ Romani population.

You can access this resource through the Libraries’ catalog by logging in with your FSUID.

Image courtesy of Simon & Schuster. Description provided through GoodReads.

This blog post was written by Kaylan Williams, Student Engagement Assistant at FSU Libraries.

Marvel Madness Bracket Challenge!

Play the FSU Libraries Marvel Madness Bracket Challenge and be entered to win a Smoothie King Gift Card!! Every Marvel fan has their all time favorite movie – will yours prevail? Participating is simple!

Fill out our “Marvel Madness” Bracket, submit to
lib-engagement@fsu.edu (or send a screenshot on IG), then vote everyday on our IG stories for your Mightiest Hero to prevail!

Follow along on IG @fsulibraries

For important dates, see below:

Make sure to fill out your bracket & send it to us by email or DM us on Instagram before 11:59 pm EST Thursday, April 15th
Vote Vote Vote! Everyday on our IG Stories starting at 12:00 pm EST Friday, April 16th – Tuesday, April 20th, with the best marvel movie being announced at 12:00pm EST!
We’ll review our brackets & notify you if you’re a lucky winner 😎

How to fill out and submit your bracket (instructions are also below):

If you have a google account: Click the link – Marvel Madness Bracket Challenge!
- Select “Make a copy”
- Fill out your bracket
- Select “File” – “Email” – “Email this File”
- Send the email to lib-engagement@fsu.edu
- Add to the subject line _(Your last name)
  - You can also take a screenshot and send the screenshot to @fsulibraries on Instagram

If you do NOT have a google account: Download the PDF file below & fill it out
- Email your pdf document to lib-engagement@fsu.edu
- Make the subject line Marvel Madness Bracket_(Your last name)
  - You can also take a screenshot and send the screenshot to @fsulibraries on Instagram

Copy-of-Marvel-Madness-Bracket-2021 Download

Data Services Quest!

The Quest begins here: http://bit.ly/TheDataQuest

Think you know what data services are offered through the libraries? Finish the Data Services Quest to find out! Complete the quest and be one of our 3 prize winners! Play for the chance to win a Study Room for Finals Week or a Smoothie King Gift Card!

When?: Play Monday, March 29th – Midnight on Friday, April 2nd to be entered to win one of our 3 prizes!

Where?: http://bit.ly/TheDataQuest

How?: Complete the quest in its entirety to be entered to win – the winners must be in the Tallahassee area to receive their prize.

Any further questions? Email our STEM Outreach Associate, Emily McClellan (etmcclellan@fsu.edu), or our STEM Data & Research Librarian, Nick Ruhs (nruhs@fsu.edu).

Online Instruction at FSU Libraries

On February 2, 2021, FSU Librarians Liz Dunne, Adam Beauchamp, Rachel Duke, and Lindsey Wharton provided an overview of the online instruction that the Libraries developed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online instruction was presented to the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees to help the members better understand how technology is leveraged by the Libraries to get students engaged in the online learning environment.

Dean of University Libraries Gale Etschmaier started off by mentioning how much FSU Libraries have changed from the past while still being a central center for community at FSU. Even more changes took place in March when FSU Libraries closed their physical spaces as a result of the pandemic. Fortunately, the Libraries were able to provide digital access to materials for the university’s faculty, staff, and students. When FSU Libraries reopened in August, with COVID-19 protocols, fewer students were present in the physical libraries, but a virtual community was still upheld between the Libraries and the students. Online tutoring in chemistry, physics, math, and statistics was offered and subscriptions were made to online books and other educational content that weren’t available beforehand.

The four FSU Librarians who were a part of the given overview took the time to demonstrated the teaching partnerships of FSU Libraries in the online environment that cater to students at the university.

Love Data Week 2021: Delivering a Better Future

WHAT IS LOVE DATA WEEK?

Love Data Week is a week-long event that is celebrated on an international level to bring more awareness to the importance of research data management, library-based research data services, and more. On top of raising awareness on topics related to these different aspects, Love Data Week also aims to build a community for individuals to get engaged as they participate in the series of events that are held throughout the week.

This year, Love Data Week will be on Feb. 8 to Feb. 12. With the virtual event theme being, “Delivering a Better Future,” participants will be given the opportunity to share how they are using data to invest in having a better future as a result.

While this year’s Love Data Week is soon approaching, check out the Meet Your Data Librarians Podcast from last year’s event to learn more about some of the contributors of the celebration!

Leave Us Your Pop Lit Suggestions!

The library is looking to update their Pop Lit book collection! We are asking for your suggestions on books that you would like to see added to our collection. We’re open to any suggestions, but are trying to build more of our non-fiction collection. Look for the genre below and leave a comment with the Book Title and the Author! Then keep an eye out to see if your suggestion makes it into the collection. Follow FSU Libraries on social media for the latest updates!

https://padlet.com/chl181/ck82ty3ydml3bp7

Complete the Hallowquest this Halloween!

Do you know what haunts the halls of FSU? Let our quest take you on a digital ghost tour through FSU’s hauntings, history, and urban legends.

Complete the Hallowquest today!

When you’ve finished hunting ghosts, get to know the library’s website and services better by completing the challenging Library Quest. Hunt the archives for rare manuscripts and prowl through the site’s pages looking for the answer to these puzzles and riddles. Can you get all the way to the end?

The Library Wants to Pick Your Brain!

During these spooky times, FSU Libraries wants to pick your brain. Interact with our Virtual Engagement Board to let us know how we can turn your library experience from a trick into a treat! You can scroll from side to side and leave comments about how the library can improve your study experiences. Happy Spooky Season!

https://padlet.com/chl181/c5cwt5366ngejgwo

FLVC Open Educational Resources Summit

By Mallary Rawls

Last week I was able to attend the Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) Open Educational Resources (OER) Summit in Orlando, FL. I was the only one from FSU Libraries who was able to attend, but I had a wonderful experience learning more about how to implement OER at FSU.

One of the surprising things at the summit was the amount of faculty in attendance. There were also librarians in attendance, as well as administrators. Having faculty show up and learn more about the what, why, and how of OER is very important. Librarians have been one of the leading forces behind the push for OER and it’s nice to see the sharing of responsibility with faculty. Faculty play a huge role in deciding what’s used in the classroom, so knowing that we’re sharing this space is a step in the right direction.

The summit began on Wednesday February 27^thand opened with remarks from Dr. John Opper, FLVC Executive Director. He welcomed Una Daly, Director of the Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources (CCCOER) that’s a division of the global Open Education Consortium. Her opening speech was about asking ourselves as educators, librarians, administrators “why” we’re choosing to learn or implement OER and “what” we’re doing. Daly spent a lot of time talking about Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) courses and programs, open pedagogy, and using instructional designers to help faculty plan their courses around OER. This is something that is open to anyone teaching at FSU. Our OER Task Force works with the Center for the Advancement of Teaching(CAT) and Fabrizio Fornara, Assistant Director of CAT recently joined our OER Task Force.

After Daly’s opening keynote speech, we were able to move into different rooms depending on the subject. The rooms were split into four groups: Mathematics, Writing & Composition, Humanities, and Business. I went with the humanities group where Kim Molinaro, a psychology professor at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, FL spoke about how she had worked extremely hard to implement OER in all of her psychology courses. Next we heard how Dr. Bruce Wilson, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida and James Paradiso, an instructional designer and program coordinator for textbook affordability at UCF worked together to also flip all of Dr. Wilson’s classes to use only OER. Attendees had their questions answered and I was able to meet a great group of librarians from University of Florida, Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, and Tallahassee Community College. There was a lunch & learn that afternoon where Ethan Senack from Creative Commons, USA gave a presentation on the basics of creative commons (CC) licensing, the difference between CC and copyright, and how different licensing interact with OER.

Thursday, February 28^thwas the second and last day of the summit and Nicole Allen, Director of Open Education at SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition) was the keynote speaker. Allen gave a great speech on her experience with OER and how she came to know what it is and how it has changed over the last decade. Hearing about her experiences and seeing how OER and the terminology has changed over time meant a lot to me. It really helped me put things into perspective and think of ways to talk to other librarians and faculty about how to approach OER.

We know change can be scary, but it happens. Seeing the toll of the rising and high costs of getting an education takes on students, parents, and other stakeholders is a reason why we should be implementing OER. Attending this summit has given me a lot to think about and a lot to work on, but I do think movement is achievable. FSU Libraries has supported a lot of endeavors and we’re fortunate because not all universities encounter the same support and encouragement, but we have so much more work to do.