TS Chat

This is an attempt at a monthly newsletter for us, by us. Submissions will be made by the 15th of the month with the final newsletter being posted on the last day of the month (hopefully). We want this newsletter to be informative and fun. Share with us your latest work, recipes ... or complaints.

November's Newsletter

First up this month - a big CONGRATULATIONS to Chrissy. Last month while in Austin, her boyfriend proposed. We are all very excited for you. I hope you like short engagements and gifts because we are ready to plan a shower! If anyone is interested, here is a video of the proposal.

Work related sharing

From Vicki -  

• Work on the Civil War image collection started up again after completion of the migration of CONTENTdm to hosted.  We are providing descriptive metadata for the images.  Here is a link to the set before we began work http://contentdm.ad.umbc.edu/civil_war.php Once we have enhanced the metadata on the set of images, the new records will go live.  Unlike the Hughes Collection, where we often knew very little about an image, many of the images in the Civil War collection are very well documented.

 Web Fun - Staff Suggesions

Looking for a new blog to read or a fun website to visit? This months suggestions come from Chrissy and Tricia 

From Chrissy -

•  The Art of Google Books http://theartofgooglebooks.tumblr.com/ It basically shows all the weird things that can happen when books are digitized. There are many images that include the hands of the gloved employees scanning the books, pages folded in on each other, handwritten notes in the margins, black and white illustrations colored in by children, digital distortions, and other such anomalies. All have been found by people searching through Google Books. It's kind of like finding a note or bookmark in a gift book here, just in digital form! The website also offers guidelines for anyone who is interested to go hunting for such oddities in Google Books.

 From Tricia -

• Confessions of a Cookbook Queen  http://www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com/. Tricia thinks this blogger is very funny and has lots of easy recipes.

Food

Obviously I did not get this newsletter out in time for Thanksgiving, but who really needs a reason to make Pumpkin chocolate Chip Bread. Here is a recipe submitted by Jo Ann.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Oven: 350F
Makes: 1 loaf

1.5 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp cloves                                        
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
2 eggs
¾-1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
¾ cup canola oil
½-3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Grease loaf pan.

2. Combine flour, spices, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until well combined.

4. Fold dry ingredients into wet.

5. Fold chocolate chips into mixture.

6. Pour into pan, smooth, and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. (Check after 60 minutes.)

Upcoming Events

 
December 7th - Holiday Party on the 7th floor. All staff members and student employees are welcome. The sign-up sheet is available on the Cheers' wiki page. As usual there will be an auction of fine items and a 50/50 raffle. Please anticipate emails every day about this.

December 12th - Technical Services student party. This is the study day. I have checked with our students and they are both able to come. We decided at out meeting that this would be a potluck. An email will go out next week about this.