IN THIS ISSUE * Georgia Southern Students Give Henderson Library High Marks in Survey * Henderson Library Sponsors Luncheon, State Poet Laureate, Mystery Week * George Burford Lorimer Reading Room Dedicated

The Office of Institutional Research has released the results of the 2001 American College Testing Service Student Opinion Survey, which showed that Georgia Southern University students gave Henderson Library very high marks for information services. An analysis of the survey responses shows an increase of 13% over the ACT-SOS of 1994 in student respondents who are satisfied with the Library. About 93% of the 744 students sampled indicated overall satisfaction with Henderson Library, while only 1% were dissatisfied. These scores compare very favorably with national ACT-SOS norms, where 75% of responding students indicate satisfaction and 10% indicate dissatisfaction with their university library.

The University System of Georgia selected the ACT-SOS to be conducted on USG campuses because of the survey's flexibility and the availability of national normative data. More than 500 campuses nationwide have used the ACT-SOS to collect data on student satisfaction, values, and goals. The data from these campuses are pooled to identify norms against which individual institutions may compare their scores.

Henderson Library Sponsors Numerous Activities The Friends of Henderson Library sponsored three events during Fall Semester. On September 27 the Hotel and Restaurant Management Friday luncheon was devoted to recipes from Damon Lee Fowler's New Southern Kitchen, a cookbook published in 2002 by Simon and Schuster. The author, a food writer based in Savannah, sold and signed copies of his book, and addressed the 50 attendees on the subject "Kitchen Tales: The Recipe as Story Telling." David Bottoms, Georgia's state poet laureate, came to Statesboro on October 21 as the guest of Henderson Library, the Bulloch County Historical Society, the Georgia Southern Museum, the Campus Life Enrichment Committee, and the Department of Writing and Linguistics. He spoke both at a luncheon at R.J.'s Restaurant, and in the evening in the College of Education Auditorium. Reading from his several books of poetry and engaging his audience with stories from his life and observations that lie behind the poems, Bottoms revealed much about the soul of a state and a people which he knows well. Dr. Bottoms also gave students invaluable insights into the writing of poetry. A professor of English at Georgia State University, Bottoms was appointed Georgia Poet Laureate by Governor Roy Barnes in 2000. The Canton, Ga., native has received many honors, including the Walt Whitman Award, the Levinson Prize, an Ingram-Merrill Award, an American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters Award, and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. His poems have appeared in many magazines, including The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, The Kenyon Review, The New Yorker, The Paris Review and The Southern Review. He has written several books of poetry, including "Vagrant Grace" and "Armored Hearts," and a novel, "Easter Weekend." "Mystery Week," which took place November 4-9, 2002, was devoted to the premise that reading mystery fiction is more than just recreation. Mysteries offer us a chance to explore human psychology, ethical and social issues, and the relationship between text and hypertext. Mysteries can also teach us fabulous new recipes, the art of change-ringing, or the history of nursing. Mystery Week was sponsored by the Campus Life Enrichment Committee and the Department of Writing and Linguistics, as well as Henderson Library. Highlights of the week were the keynote speeches of two outstanding mystery authors. Teri Holbrook, who writes novels exploring issues that arise in small towns in Georgia and in England, spoke about how her own family history in Georgia has contributed to her fascination with mysteries. She also talked about the potential of hypertext and her current work on a hypertext novel. Lois Duncan, who has written over forty books, many of which grapple with issues that especially concern young adults, spoke about her life, her writing career, and a tragedy in her family. She answered many questions from the audience, including a number from pre-college students. There was good attendance for both of these engaging talks.

Other programs offered a wide variety of windows into mystery fiction. James Pugh of the Georgia Southern University Department of Psychology spoke about the psychological appeal of mysteries, crime fiction, and thrillers. Lyn Hugensmith from the Statesboro Regional Library described the genre of culinary mysteries and served chili and cookies made from recipes in mystery novels. Rebecca Ziegler's talk on religious symbolism and ethical issues in Dorothy Sayers' The Nine Tailors was accompanied by a demonstration of change-ringing, which plays a central role in the novel, by Cynthia Humphrey and the Statesboro Handbell Choir. "The Dark Secret in Anne Perry's Novels" was presented by Caren Town of the Literature and Philosophy Department. Nursing faculty Donna Hodnicki, Chuckie Hanson, and Kathy Koon gave a panel on the mysteries of Anne Perry and the light they shed on nursing history. Students from ReVISION, a campus feminist group, explored cultural and gender issues in mystery novels from various countries. The week concluded with a talk by Dick Farr, proprietor of Archaia Bookstore, on real-life book crime, such as theft and forgery.

On December 13, 2002 the Library dedicated its new reading room, named for George Burford Lorimer and created with funding from the estate of the late Mrs. Huldah C. Mingledorff. Mr. Lorimer was married to Mrs. Mingledorff from 1949 until his death in 1952. He had been a writer and editor for Bobbs-Merrill Publishing Co. before beginning to restore Millhaven Plantation during World War II. The Lorimer Reading Room is located in the northeast corner of the fourth floor and has windows running along both exterior walls, so there are nice views and natural light. The room seats more than 70. There are seven round tables that each seat four, and the rest of the seating is one- or two-person lounge furniture that is very comfortable for reading. There is waist-high shelving running around the perimeter to house books donated by Mrs. Mingledorff. The gift books are still being processed, so while the exact number is yet to be determined it clearly runs into the several thousands. The shelving and furnishings are Mission-style, in a dark red cherry wood finish. At the dedication Mrs. Mingledorff’s daughters, Mrs. Huldah Carlton, Mrs. Pat Lord, and Ms. Jerry Gentry, joined President Bruce Grube in unveiling a cast bronze plaque which states "George Burford Lorimer Reading Room funded through a generous gift from the estate of Mrs. Huldah C. Mingledorff." In addition, a portrait of Mrs. Mingledorff was revealed.

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