Friday, March 29, 2019

March Book Madness - Championship Match - Voting Begins Today (3/29)

Congratulations to the two characters/books who are moving onto the Championship Match!!!

The Ort Library is pleased to announce our 6th Annual March Book Madness Tournament. Each of the tournaments held during the past five years have been a success because of students, faculty, and staff who vote to select our Champion. Just like the NCAA Basketball Tournament held during March, the Ort Library holds its own tournament that will crown one book the Champion of March Book Madness.

This year we are doing something different. The overall Theme is Favorite Literary Character. Each bracket will be a different type of literary character. You will vote for the character & book to advance to the finals. Through a tough and rigorous process, the library staff narrowed down the list of books to eight books in each category, for a total of 64 books.

Voting for the Championship Match begins on Friday March 29 and ends on Monday April 1

The Champion Book will be crowned on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

The guide can be accessed via the following link:

Some of the books for March Book Madness will also be available for you to check out on the main floor of the library (3rd floor). Just look for the display stand near the March Book Madness display case.

Monday, March 25, 2019

CRS Reports - Great Sources for Research and Topic Ideas!

A long-time hidden treasure is now being made more accessible to the general public! Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports are now being shared with the public whenever possible.

CRS Staff perform the research that assists Members of Congress and Congressional Committees with information to help with important legislative decision-making. You can see some of the more recently published reports here.


To get an idea of the variety of information available, here is a sample list of reports:
These reports can be used on their own as high-quality sources of information, idea-generators for new and interesting research topics, and as a resource to understand current discussions taking place in Congress!

Since the Ort Library is a member of the Federal Depository Library Program, these titles will also appear when you search the Library's OneSearch discovery tool or Catalog USMAI.

The Library of Congress is also taking steps to make older CRS Reports available through this site. Meanwhile, selected older reports are available through a variety of web sites including:
  We hope that you find these helpful! Enjoy!

March Book Madness - Voting for Final 4 Begins Today (March 25)!!

Congratulations to the characters/books who are moving onto the Final 4!!!

The Ort Library is pleased to announce our 6th Annual March Book Madness Tournament. Each of the tournaments held during the past five years have been a success because of students, faculty, and staff who vote to select our Champion. Just like the NCAA Basketball Tournament held during March, the Ort Library holds its own tournament that will crown one book the Champion of March Book Madness.

This year we are doing something different. The overall Theme is Favorite Literary Character. Each bracket will be a different type of literary character. You will vote for the character & book to advance to the finals. Through a tough and rigorous process, the library staff narrowed down the list of books to eight books in each category, for a total of 64 books.

Voting for the Final 4 begins on Monday March 25 and ends on Thursday March 28

The Champion Book will be crowned on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

The guide can be accessed via the following link:

Some of the books for March Book Madness will also be available for you to check out on the main floor of the library (3rd floor). Just look for the display stand near the March Book Madness display case.

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Bryon MacWilliams Shares His New Book

Jennifer Browne, Director of Frostburg Center for Literary Arts, introduced Bryon MacWilliams who read from his new book, The Girl in the Haystack, at a March 7 evening program in the Ort Library. The program was sponsored by the Lewis J. Ort Library, The Department of History, and the Martha T. & Ralph M. Race Western History Lecture Fund. 
Photo Courtesy of Marshall Sandifer
The setting for the book is a rural town in the Ukraine in 1941 immediately after the invasion of Hitler's troops. Local Jews are herded into a ghetto, and a pogrom begins. The principal voice in the book is Lyuba's; she is seven. She recounts the struggles that her family endures for two years while hiding in one of the massive haystacks that  were common on the countryside.

MacWilliams explains that Lyuba has a sympathetic observer who periodically interjects comments and reflections. In the photo below he shows the audience how he identifies this change of voice.
Photo Courtesy of Marshall Sandifer
 MacWilliams explained his concern with authentically telling Lyuba's ordeal and with providing historically accurate facts. Lyuba, who survived the holocaust, lives in the author's New Jersey neighborhood. He answered many questions from the audience and personally signed copies of his book for those in attendance.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

March Book Madness - Voting for Elite 8 Starts Today (3/12)


Congratulations to the characters/books who are moving onto the Elite 8!!!

The Ort Library is pleased to announce our 6th Annual March Book Madness Tournament. Each of the tournaments held during the past five years have been a success because of students, faculty, and staff who vote to select our Champion. Just like the NCAA Basketball Tournament held during March, the Ort Library holds its own tournament that will crown one book the Champion of March Book Madness.

This year we are doing something different. The overall Theme is Favorite Literary Character. Each bracket will be a different type of literary character. You will vote for the character & book to advance to the finals. Through a tough and rigorous process, the library staff narrowed down the list of books to eight books in each category, for a total of 64 books.

Voting for the Elite 8 begins on Tuesday March 12 and ends on Friday March 15

Overall Theme this year is: Favorite Literary Character

The 8 categories are:
  • Heroes/Heroines
  • Monsters
  • Sidekicks
  • Child/Young Adult
  • Villains
  • Detectives/Spies
  • Parental Figures
  • Anthropomorphic Characters
Just like in the NCAA Tournament, we will start out with 64 teams (books). Student, faculty, and staff votes will determine which books move onto the Round of 32. Once the 32 books are selected, additional rounds of voting will take place to get to the Championship title game. The Champion Book will be crowned on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

The guide can be accessed via the following link:

Some of the books for March Book Madness will also be available for you to check out on the main floor of the library (3rd floor). Just look for the display stand near the March Book Madness display case.

Friday, March 8, 2019

March Book Madness - Sweet 16 Starts Today (3/8)

Congratulations to the characters/books who are moving onto the Sweet 16!!!

The Ort Library is pleased to announce our  
6th Annual March Book Madness Tournament. 
 
Each of the tournaments held during the past five years have been a success because of students, faculty, and staff who vote to select our Champion. Just like the NCAA Basketball Tournament held during March, the Ort Library holds its own tournament that will crown one book the Champion of March Book Madness.
This year we are doing something different. The overall Theme is Favorite Literary Character. Each bracket will be a different type of literary character. You will vote for the character & book to advance to the finals. Through a tough and rigorous process, the library staff narrowed down the list of books to eight books in each category, for a total of 64 books.
 
Voting for the Sweet 16 begins on Friday March 8 (at 1 pm) and ends on Monday March 11.
 
Overall Theme this year is: Favorite Literary Character
The 8 categories are:
  • Heroes/Heroines
  • Monsters
  • Sidekicks
  • Child/Young Adult
  • Villains
  • Detectives/Spies
  • Parental Figures
  • Anthropomorphic Characters
Just like in the NCAA Tournament, we will start out with 64 teams (books). Student, faculty, and staff votes will determine which books move onto the Round of 32. Once the 32 books are selected, additional rounds of voting will take place to get to the Championship title game. The Champion Book will be crowned on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

The guide can be accessed via the following link:
 
Some of the books for March Book Madness will also be available for you to check out on the main floor of the library (3rd floor). Just look for the display stand near the March Book Madness display case.