CFL Light Bulbs in Plain English

Confused on what CFL light bulbs are all about? Check out this informative clip from the “Plain English” folks!

Magazine Exchange Stations in Library

Looking for a little recreational reading? Not sure what to do with that pile of magazines in your dorm room? Need some magazine pictures for a collage project?

We’ve set up three “Magazine Exchange” stations in the library—located in the Copier Lounge, Study Quad, and International Student’s Reading Area (3rd Floor, SE Quadrant). Feel free to drop off your “gently used” magazines in any of the racks—and take what you’ll read or re-use.

Questions? Please e-mail Lisa Forrest forresla@buffalostate.edu OR Andy Chambers chambeab@buffalostate.edu for more information.

Magazine Exchange Station in Copier Lounge

Magazine Exchange Station in StudyQuad

Congratulations to our “LibQUAL” Prize Winner!

Thanks to all of those who participated in our LibQUAL+TM survey this semester. LibQUAL+TM is a national research and development project undertaken by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) to measure library service quality across institutions and to create quality assessment tools for planning. Your feedback is instrumental to many changes and improvements made at E. H. Butler Library. We appreciate those who took the time to complete the survey. As a token of our appreciation, all survey participants were automatically entered to win a free iPod. We’re pleased to announce that the winner of our prize drawing is Young Lee. Happy listening, Young…we hope that you enjoy your new iPod!

Librarian Amy Rockwell presents Young Lee with the prize of a new ipod.

Buffalo ReUse “Green Talk”

On May 5th, Caesandra Seawell spoke to us about the grassroots organization Buffalo ReUse. Buffalo ReUse is a Green Demolition crew/company that provides job training for at-risk young adults. Buffalo ReUse invests in the community by helping people stay in their homes. They do this by providing low-cost used building materials that can be used for property maintenance and which would have otherwise been thrown into landfills. The ReUse crew also educates the community on environmental stewardship and collaborates with other community-based organizations in the City. They facilitate activities such as tree plantings, street blitzes and community gardens–and need all of the volunteer help that they can get! Interested in volunteering? Contact caesandra@buffaloreuse.org

Check out the Buffalo ReUse blog:
http://buffaloreuse.wnymedia.net/blogs/category/neighborhood-beautification/
and photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/buffaloreuse/sets/

Sue Jaworski studies a photo of a Buffalo ReUse project.

Donna Gesel-Youngs and Andrew Chambers

Caesandra Seawell speaks to the group.

Sue Jaworski, Andrew Chambers, and Kevin Rabener

News from Buffalo ReUse

On Friday, April 17th, 2009, Buffalo ReUse submitted their application to the U.S. Conference of Mayors to initiate a Pre-Apprenticeship, Green Jobs Training Program called the ReBEL (Buffalo ECO Leaders) Corps in Buffalo, NY. To be considered, we must have a letter of support from our Mayor, Byron Brown and we need your help!

We know the Mayor is committed to creating Green Jobs and to training youth in our neighborhoods. Your signature will communicate your support for this proposal and urge the Mayor to submit a letter of support on behalf of the City of Buffalo to make GREEN JOBS TRAINING possible for out of school young adults, ages 17 – 24. Visit
http://www.petitiononline.com/ed2day/petition.html to support this effort!

Also…Tools Wanted for Loaning Library

Buffalo ReUse is continuing its first tool drive for the tool lending library. This is a component of our Buffalo Action for Revitalization (BAR) program funded by The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. We hope to equip people, literally, with the tools they need to maintain their properties and/or make improvements on their streets. Many people we meet do not have the transportation or money to buy and rent equipment from home centers. Some of the tools they may need are special or only necessary for a limited time. There are also block clubs or service groups that would like to do things like street cleanups/blitzes with more regularity, but don’t have the edgers, rakes, loppers, weed whackers they would need to make it easier. Maybe they need to repair or paint their porch, but don’t have a ladder, table saw, or reusable drop cloths. Maybe they don’t have the extra funds to get the safety equipment either. It becomes overwhelming –you can imagine! We believe people should have access to the tools they need to make their neighborhoods a source of pride. So, if you have used tools, extra tools or tools you never knew how to operate and want to donate them, we’ll take them anytime at The ReSource, 298 Northampton or drop them off on June 6 at the Electronics Dropoff.

Spring Song: Earth Poems by The Rooftop Poetry Club

This exhibit was on display May 2009.

In honor of Earth Day, the Rooftop Poetry Club sponsored an Earth Day poetry contest through the E. H. Butler blog. All of the submissions, including the winning poem by Irene Sipos, are on display in the library’s lobby display case for the month of May. (Look to the wall to your left as you walk in the main doors). Ahhh…the sweet songs of spring!

Check out the lobby display case for poems by Rooftop Poetry Club members.

Urban Roots Community Garden Center “Green Talk”

Urban Roots Community Garden Center is a consumer cooperative business whose mission is to provide quality products for gardening in the City of Buffalo. As part of E. H. Butler’s “Green Talk” series, Deb Cohen from Urban Roots Community Garden Center shared her expertise on container and windowsill gardening techniques. It was a really informative session…and a beautiful day on the rooftop!

Deb Cohen directs volunteers in planting techniques.

Deb Cohen discussing organic seeds.

Volunteers getting their hands dirty!

The view from the lobby