Library News for Comparative Literature

Kafka's Final Absurdist Tale Plays Out In Tel Aviv

"Kafka's Final Absurdist Tale Plays Out In Tel Aviv" by Sheera Frenkel via NPR. May 30, 2012

Franz Kafka published just a few short stories and a novella during his lifetime, yet he was considered one of the 20th century's most influential writers.

The rest of his work was largely kept secret, and literary scholars have long wondered what gems they might find among Kafka's papers.

The answer may ultimately lie on Tel Aviv's Spinoza Street, inside a small, squat apartment building covered with dirty, pinkish stucco that looks like it's seen better days.

FULL STORY (including audio)

‘Embedded Librarian’ on Twitter Served as Information Concierge for Class

‘Embedded Librarian’ on Twitter Served as Information Concierge for Class from the Chronicle of Higher Education's Wired Campus column

February 25, 2011, 2:08 pm

By Jeff Young

What if a reference librarian was assigned to a college course, to be on hand to suggest books, online links, or other resources based on class discussion? A media-studies course at Baylor University tried the idea last semester, with an “embedded librarian” following the class discussion via Twitter. FULL ARTICLE

The Library: Three Jeremiads by Robert Darnton | The New York Review of Books

The Library: Three Jeremiads by Robert Darnton | The New York Review of Books.

Detailed yet concise analysis of the challenges and opportunities libraries and scholars have now.

Every scholar should read this.

"Getting Rid of Books: A Heresy"--Article about why libraries need to weed

"Getting Rid of Books: A Heresy" By Barbara Fister December 2, 2010 9:01 pm EST. Inside Higher Education.

Libraries are often in a tricky place when it comes to removing books from the collection. It makes some people think we we are so enamored of shiny new electronic toys that we have turned our backs on the traditional purpose of libraries, or that we want to devote space to trendy espresso bars and gaming rooms for adolescents who should be writing papers instead of goofing off. Sometimes we are so eager to demonstrate how hip we are, it makes some people think we hate books and the people who love them. And when we actually throw books away, those awful suspicions are confirmed.

FULL ARTICLE

Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa wins Noble Prize for Literature

Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llos won the 2010 Nobel Prize for Literature. Take a look at these articles and list of items we have about or by him.

Coverage in NY Times and The Guardian

Reference Article on Marion Vargas Llos (Literary Encyclopedia)

At WU Libraries: Items by Vargas Llos & Items about Vargas Llos

Google Starts Grant Program for Studies of Its Digitized Books

"[Google] is creating a "collaborative research program to explore the digital humanities using the Google Books corpus," according to a call for proposals obtained by The Chronicle. Some of Google's academic partners say the grant program marks the company's first formal foray into supporting humanities text-mining research"--from the Chronicle Article.

Full article: Parry, Mark. Chronicle of Higher Education, March 31, 2010

Article in WU Student Life -- "Keep Libraries a Priority"

An editorial (Feb. 17, 2010) in Student Life about the budgetary challenges facing the WU Libraries.

Romanian-born German novelist Herta Müller wins Nobel Prize for Literature

The Romanian-born German novelist Herta Müller wins this year's Nobel Prize for Literature. See the NY Times article.

Some books and articles the Libraries have access to:

Books by Herta Müller in German

Books by Herta Müller in English

Books about Herta Müller (all languages)   

Recent articles on Herta Müller from the MLA Int'l Bibliography: http://libproxy.wustl.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mzh&bquery=(SA+(m%c3%bcller))+and+(SA+(herta))&cli0=RV&clv0=Y&type=1&site=ehost-live&scope=site

In Tough Times, the Humanities Must Justify Their Worth--NY Times Article

Article from the New York Times, Feb. 24, 2009

In Tough Times, the Humanities Must Justify Their Worth

Competitions for Modern Lang. Assoc. Publication Awards

From the MLA: "Eighteen publication prizes will be awarded in 2009, including the MLA Prize for a First Book, an award for a manuscript in Italian literary studies, the MLA Prize in United States Latina and Latino and Chicana and Chicano Literary and Cultural Studies, the MLA Prize for Independent Scholars, and the MLA Prize for a Distinguished Scholarly Edition."

http://www.mla.org/resources/awards/awards_submissions/awards_competitions