Preston Library celebrated the retirement of Linda Covington, Head of Technical Services, on April 29. Linda worked in Preston Library for 42 years. Gen. Peay presented Linda with a VMI Achievement Award and Col. Samdahl commented on Linda’s contributions to Preston Library and presented her with gifts from the library staff. A large number of VMI staff, faculty, cadets, librarians, and Linda’s family celebrated and congratulated Linda on her retirement.
Throughout her career Linda enthusiastically took on greater responsibilities and advanced to become Head of Technical Services in 1996. In 1989, she earned her BS degree in Library Science from James Madison University and her masters degree in library science from the University of North Carolina in 1995. A year later, she assumed the duties of Head of Technical Services. Linda has made numerous contributions to Preston Library, including significant work to move acquisitions to the library’s first online catalog in 1991 and later to supervise the migration of acquisitions and cataloging to a new online system in 2004. During her tenure Linda worked methodically and quietly behind the scenes–but with energy and efficiency. She is known for her cheerfulness and “can do” attitude. Whenever a historical question arises about ordering materials, the response is “ask Linda”. No matter how busy she is with multiple projects, she always puts those matters aside to give her attention to the needs of cadets and faculty. Numerous faculty have noted Linda’s conscientious helpfulness in locating and ordering books for our collections. In 2009, VMI officially recognized Linda’s contributions with a VMI Service Award. We wish Linda much happiness in her retirement and many thanks for all her wondeful work to Preston Library. More photos…here.
Preston Library will extend hours for the exam period, beginning this Saturday night:
- Saturday, May 1 0800 – 2300
- Sunday, May 2 1300 – 0200
- Monday, May 3 0800 – 0200
- Tuesday, May 4 0800 – 0200
- Wednesday, May 5 0800 – 0200
- Thursday, May 6 0800 – 0200
- Friday, May 7 0800 – 0200
- Saturday, May 8 0800 – 2300
- Sunday, May 9 1300 – 0200
- Monday, May 10 0800 – 0200
Aramark has once again graciously agreed to serve coffee, tea, and hot chocolate at the library at 2000 each night, beginning May 3 and continuing through May 10.
When exams end, Preston Library will close at 1630 from Wednesday to Friday, and remain closed for graduation weekend.
Best wishes for success as you finish your work and complete exams!
The Friends of Preston Library awarded Head Cadet Assistant Berley Rister with this year’s Camper Award. Mr. Rister began his service as a cadet assistant in the summer of 2008. As a cadet assistant, Mr. Rister continued to accept greater responsibilities, and as Head Cadet Assistant, he exhibited outstanding leadership and service. Joining in the ceremony on April 29th to honor Cadet Rister were members of the Friends’ Board, library staff, and Mr. Bob Camper, son of the award’s namesake. Mr. Drummond Ayres, chairman of the Friends, presented Cadet Rister with a letter of appreciation, certificate, and a cash award. Berley is a physics major and plans to attend graduate school at Clemson.
Back by popular demand, it’s Saturday Night Live at the Library!
We’ll be open until 2300 each Saturday night from now until the end of exams – April 17 and 24 and May 1 and 8.
No reruns, opening monologue, or music guests–just a good place to study and finish the semester strong!
In March 2010, we are celebrating 30 years of recognition of women’s historic contributions to the growth and strength of our Nation in countless recorded and unrecorded ways. It was President Jimmy Carter who issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980 as the first National Women’s History Week. Later the National Women’s History Project (NWHP) worked to lobby Congress to expand the week into a month. In 1987, a Congressional Proclamation designated March as the “Women’s History Month.”
The theme selected for this year’s celebration is “Writing Women Back into History.” You will find a display of library books, CDs and DVDs in the Periodical Reading Room by and about women who were artists, engineers, scientists, warriors and much more.
When you visit the display in the Periodicals Room, you can see materials representing the variety of experiences that comprise Women’s History, from the letter writers in Revolutionary War times in Women’s Letters through to Laura Brodie’s account of the admission of the first female cadets at VMI in 1997. In between are the biographies of suffragist Susan B. Anthony; America’s first female doctor, Elizabeth Blackwell; pilot Amelia Earhart; anthropologists Margaret Mead and Mary Leakey, and Maria Stewart, America’s First Black Woman Political Writer.
The National Women’s History Project website is here, and their facebook page is here.
Back by popular demand, it’s Saturday Night Live at the Library! We’ll be open until 2300 this Saturday, March 6.
No reruns, opening monologue or music guests, just a good place to study and finish your work. Exactly what you need right now, before spring furlough.
We’ll also be open until 2300 on the last three Saturdays in April – the 10th, 17th, and 24th.
The 
Friends of Preston Library in concert with the VMI Honors Program hosted a program Wednesday, 3 March 2010 at 5 p.m. in the Turman Room of Preston Library featuring James L. W. West, III. Dr. West is the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of English at Pennsylvania State University. He discussed his book on William Styron, Letters to My Father. The letters were written by Styron to his father between 1943 and 1953. Each letter opens with “Dear Pop,” and provides a kind of autobiography of the young author’s activities and thoughts. In later years, Styron communicated increasingly by telephone so these letters are especially valuable in providing insight of the author’s formative ears.
A native of Newport News, author of Sophie’s Choice, The Confessions of Nat Turner, Lie Down in Darkness, A Tidewater Morning, and other celebrated works, William Styron will be remembered as one of the most important writers of the 20th century. Last month, Jim West’s book received a front page review by the Times Literary Supplement.
Copies of Letters to My Father were available for purchase at the program and for the author to sign. Dr. West provided an informative and engaging program that was enjoyed by cadets, faculty, and the public.
That’s what a friend said after he learned of the recent death of a great writer for the second time in as many days. You’ve probably heard by now that both Howard Zinn and J.D. Salinger passed away this week. Their deaths should not come as a surprise – at 87 and 91 respectively, Zinn and Salinger both lived long lives — but should let us remember their achievements, and the ways they impacted our lives.
Known best for his A People’s History of the United States, Dr. Zinn had a long and accomplished career that included teaching at historically-black Spelman College, universities in Europe, and finally at Boston University. Zinn was called a truth-teller and lover of humanity. He challenged history as often presented in mainstream texts, and believed the experiences of common folks to be at least as important as those of princes and presidents. He was raised in Brooklyn, NY, and before going to college on the GI Bill had worked as a pipefitter and then Air Force bombardier in World War II, which shaped his beliefs about war.
“Bunch of Phonies Mourn J.D. Salinger” is the headline chosen by the satirical The Onion, for its humorous meta-commentary on Salinger and A Catcher in the Rye in particular. If you haven’t read this classic dealing with teenage angst, you’ve missed a great American story (but Preston Library’s copy is checked out – try some of Salinger’s short stories instead ). I learned of Salinger’s death when I saw the New York Times’ obituary. The image shown with his headshot is the same book cover as the copy that I read over and over, yet haven’t seen since my early 20s. The small volume, held together by then with a purple rubber band, hardly left my backpack as I alternately tip-toed and ran from childhood to adulthood.
Do you remember reading Catcher, or did Zinn change your perspective?
Have you found yourself ready to start a project but not sure where to go? It can sometimes be a challenge to find the best encyclopedia or dictionary to use for background information. The extensive list of research databases provided by VMI and VIVA (the Virtual Library of Virginia) can be overwhelming.
is a resource on the Preston Library Website that can help you to identify the important resources for your field of study. Librarians have also recently chosen some essential sources, labeled “key resources” in each field. A search for sources can be limited to print, electronic, and full-text, to create a customized study guide.
Stop by the reference desk or contact a librarian if you have questions about using SourceFinder.
Cadets, it’s the home stretch. Exams start Monday. This means two things: 
1. The library will be open late (see below hours schedule) so you can get in some quality studying.
and…
2. The return of Preston Library’s Coffee Break!
Last December and May you came, you saw, you drank hundreds of cups of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate a night. We’re bringing it back! Put it on your calendar, December 12th, the return of the coffee break.
Coffee will be available at 8 p.m. (2000 military time) every evening beginning Saturday, 12 December through Saturday, 19th December. So grab your books, mugs, and head over to Preston Library for the best study break on Post.
Coffee has been generously donated by Aramark and tea and cocoa by the Friends of Preston Library.
Exam Hours:
Sat, 12/12 0800 – 2300
Sun, 12/13 1300 – 0200
Mon, 12/14 0800 – 0200
Tues, 12/15 0800 – 0200
Wed, 12/16 0800 – 0200
Thurs, 12/17 0800 – 0200
Fri, 12/18 0800 – 2300
Sat, 12/19 0800 – 2300
Sun, 12/20 1300 – 0200
Mon, 12/21 0800 – 1630
Preston Library celebrated the retirement of Linda Covington, Head of Technical Services, on April 29. Linda worked in Preston Library for 42 years. Gen. Peay presented Linda with a VMI Achievement Award and Col. Samdahl commented on Linda’s contributions to Preston Library and presented her with gifts from the library staff. A large number of VMI staff, faculty, cadets, librarians, and Linda’s family celebrated and congratulated Linda on her retirement.
