One of Coker and Hartsville's best kept secrets is Kalmia Gardens. Located on West Carolina Avenue about five minutes from campus, Kalmia Gardens is a 35 acre botanical garden that is the gateway to the larger 796-acre Segars-McKinnon Heritage Preserve.
Admission to Kalmia is my favorite price -- free -- and is open from dawn until dusk. It is a perfect place to relax and enjoy nature.
But did you know that Kalmia houses Coker Library's botanical, horticultural and nature collection? This recently re-organized collection contains several hundred books covering everything from field guides and regional planting to ornithology (birdwatching!) and much more!
The Kalmia Collection can be searched specifically using the LITC's online catalog, selecting "Advanced," and then selecting "Kalmia Collection" from the drop down limiters list.
Nancy Matthews has been busy this summer reorganizing the Coker College archives. She has found some really interesting items, including an article about Ralph Nader's sister, who attended Coker back in the late 1940s.
Her latest find is a list of offenses from the 1920s that could have resulted in suspension or expulsion from the college. Take a look:
Taking two or three steps in the parlor with a young man
Wearing colored shoes downtown
Making humming noises during meditation
Washing face after light bell
Wearing blue skirt and white middy* to dinner
Impertinence to a council member and general ill attitude toward student government rules
Threw tin cans and glass bottles over the railing on 3rd floor to the 2nd floor
Bathing during study period
Visit the drugstore two times in one week
Talking to a young man on campus without permission
Brushing teeth in hall after light bell
Talking to a young man in drugstore
Riding with boys morning and night without permission
Singing and attracting attention on Richardson Porch at night
Called before the executive board for smoking cigarettes in the college
Restricted to the campus for 6 weeks for meeting and talking to young men at friend’s home on Sunday night
Cutting breakfast, dinner, church…
Keep in mind that Coker was a women's college until the 1960s, although men were allowed to take classes on campus in the 1940s.
*The painting above is titled Young Girl in a Middy Blouse by Martha Simkins (1910). Thanks to CarolinaArts.com for the picture. I wasn't sure what a middy was either. I wonder if a blue middy would have been acceptable at dinner?
Every summer we weed through our Periodical section, pulling and cutting titles that no longer support Coker’s curriculum. This year, with the nation in recession and academic libraries across the country facing major budget cuts, trimming the periodicals seems more important than ever. Currently, it looks as though we’ll be saying goodbye to a dozen titles, some moving exclusively to the Kindle while others will be available through our online databases. Link resolvers like Journal Finder should play an even greater role in the way we research, allowing LITC patrons access to over 27,000 different journals, magazine and newspapers.
The titles we chose to cut were picked for a variety of reasons - some rarely circulate and don’t get browsed, while others were far too expensive for us to justify keeping in print. In a few instances we had three or more titles all dealing with a similar topic. In all cases we seek the opinion of Coker faculty familiar with the subject of the periodical being considered for the cut.
It is also important to note, the current issues of the periodicals recieving the axe will not be discarded. They will find a new home on the shelves of our Back Periodicals Collection, located on the first floor of the library. Newspapers, magazines and journals can be searched in our catalog just like books, so there’s no need to waste time browsing if you have a specific title in mind.
One of our major projects this summer is to shift both the art and juvenile collections. But what does "shifting" mean? And why does it need to be done?
Shifting a collection of books makes better use of available space, particularly with rapidly growing collections. Our art and juvenile sections are probably the fastest growing areas of our collection, and space needs to be created for new holdings.
We have plenty of space for new books, but some shelves or stacks are more full than others. Shifting distributes the books evenly across the entire area of the collection, opening up space for future books or materials.
First, we calculate in linear inches the total amount of space for a particular collection. From that we estimate an approximate fill rate percentage for each shelf and convert that to a shelf measurement. For instance, our Juvenile collection will have 18 inches of books for each shelf for a fill rate percentage of 50%. Can you guess how long the shelves are? Put your answer in the comments below.
How does working in the LITC stack-up against other summer jobs? Let’s find out…
David Charles Grosser Merriman Age: 19 Height: 6ft 1(1/2)inches Favorite Book: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller / A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
When entering the LITC this summer you may find yourself asking, “Who is that tall guy with the IPOD clipped to his Khaki shorts?”That’s David Merriman! A rising sophomore at Furman University, David came to us this summer in order to earn money for a study abroad trip to Costa Rica. “It’s part of a biology program. We’ll be going through different kinds of Costa Rican rainforest studying ecosystems,” David explained. We promptly put him to work. Even though day classes aren't in session there is still plenty to do. We're always trying to make the library better, and summer provides the staff with an opportunity to tackle projects that should help things run a little bit smoother in the fall. David has been a big help, moving shelves, sorting mail and counting microfiche. “Counting the microfiche is my project for the summer. It’s going. As far as the progress I’ve made, it’s about a fourth of the way done.” Part-timing at the LITC is David's second gig. In the mornings he can be found around campus working with the Coker College Physical Plant. The library provides him with a much needed break from the physical demand of hauling, trimming, lugging and cutting. “In terms of the opposing nature of the two, the library is a lot less labor intensive, and it’s not as easy to get dirty. It [LITC] is not a stressful job and it’s a pleasant work environment."
David’s Library Summer Job Survival Tips:
“Be on time.”
“When counting Microfiche be careful because the edges are a bit sharp.”
“If you’re going to be doing tedious works, such as shelf reading, bring an IPOD to keep yourself focused and awake. You’ll need something to work to. I’ve got some AC/DC, some Bob Dylan, there’s some Scottish music and some Weird Al Yankovic. It’s sort of a mixed bag. ”
Your Comment: Are people allowed to use their cell phones in the library/Why are people being so loud?
Though the majority of those surveyed find the LITC a quiet place to get some work done, we have received some comments and questions regarding the level of noise allowed in the LITC.
We want to provide patrons with a comfortable environment in which they can work and study. Policies and guidelines have been put in place to ensure that the LITC remains a calm, quiet and accommodating place to conduct scholarly research.
Here’s a brief overview:
First Floor: Low level conversations are permitted. Groups needing to meet are encouraged to use one of the group study rooms on the second floor. Cell Phone usage is also permitted on the first floor, including the computer center and Java City cafe.
Second Floor: Quiet individual study only. Group study is permitted in the study rooms. Doors should be shut because the study rooms are not insulated and excessive noise can be clearly heard by others. On the second floor cell phones are restricted to study rooms and are not permitted in the quiet study areas of the second floor.
All Floors: We ask that individuals set their cell phone ringer to silent when entering the library and respect other patrons.
Remember, you are always encouraged to report excessive noise to staff at the Circulation Desk. Patrons violating these policies may be asked to quiet down, move to designated areas, turn off their phones or leave the library.
Feel free to comment here or contact the library staff if you have any questions.
