We have added yet another electronic resource to the library's already rich variety of such material. Our subscription to xreferplus covers 100 reference titles that our librarians have selected in the following range of subjects: art.bilingual dictionaries.biography.business.dictionaries.encyclopedias.geography.history.language.law.literature.medicine.music.philosophy & psychology.quotations.religion.science.social sciencesandtechnology, 

Materials such as these are often helpful to students wanting an overview starting point for their research, or to answer a quick question in a particular topic. Try it out! And keep in mind also that the library has more such materials, both physical (=books in the reference collection in the library) and virtual, such as here and here.

For now, this resource is only available through the campus network, though we are working on making it more broadly available.

One of the librarians, Cindy Fuller, has been accepted in the Millikin MBA program!  Way to go Cindy!! She joins library staff members Gavena Dahlman and Marsha Leach in continuing her education at Millikin: Gavena and Marsha are both graduating from the PACE program this spring.

Five of our student assistants sang in this year's Vespers: Lyndsay Brault, Angel Martin, Rachel Morrison, Emily Sites and Katrina Strauss.  Vespers is always so awesome, and we were especially proud of "our" students' role in this annual celebration of the Christmas season!

As usual, the library staff stocked up on art at the end-of-semester student art sale: more wonderful pottery for my office! Angie Mircsov, also one of our student workers, was one of the students offering her work for sale. Now we know why we see her so often festooned with pottery clay!

Christmas factoids from around the world (from Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary : detailing more than 2,000 observances from all 50 states and more than 100 nations / edited by Helene Henderson ; contributing writer Sue Ellen Thompson. Ref[erence] GT 3925 .T46 1997). Switzerland: "Christkindli, or the Christ Child, is the one who brings Swiss children their gifts...[making] his rounds in a sleigh drawn by six reindeer."

From Japan: "In Buddhist Japan, Christmas Eve is for lovers, a concept introduced by a Japanese pop star and expanded by trendy magazines...Being alone on this night is comparable to being dateless on prom night in the United States." Also, "youngsters may be treated to a $29 (or more) barrel of Kentucky Fried Chicken...[because] many Japanese think Colonel Sanders resembles Santa Claus."

Syria: "The Syrian Santa Claus is the camel [who carried the Magus] who brings gifts to the children on New Year's Day. .. [C]hildren set out water and wheat for the camel before they go to bed."

Spain and Italy: In Spain and Italy children receive gifts at Epiphany (the holiday commemorating the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem) rather than Christmas.

"The Christmas card didn't become popular until the 19th century in England."

And: In 1582, Roman Catholic countries adopted the Gregorian calendar and the date of January 1st to mark the start of the New Year. English colonies still used the Julian calendar, and celebrated the New Year on March 25th until 1752.  AP

Wishing you happy holiday celebrations and a peaceful new year!

Karin Borei  kborei@mail.millikin.edu University Librarian and Director of International Programs