We should take the time to look at everyone as individuals and to put our biases aside.
Growing up, Williams lived in an urban area, but attended a suburban school thanks to the Urban-Suburban Program in Rochester, New York. She wanted to share her struggles with classism, racism and bullying and what she learned. “I was hoping to teach that resiliency is not taught, but only happens when a person does not give up,” she says. From some of the teachers and suburban students, she encountered preconceptions of how she “should” look or act coming from an urban area. She hoped to dispel those ideas by talking through her experiences. “We should take the time to look at everyone as individuals and to put our biases aside,” she says.
Twanna Hodge, an academic health sciences librarian at SUNY Upstate Medical University Health Sciences Library, shared her journey from growing up on St. Thomas—a Caribbean island that’s 32 square miles— to embracing life as a first-generation college student pursuing her childhood dream of becoming a librarian.
As a first-time living book volunteer, Hodge was inspired to tell her story in a space that encouraged openness and curiosity. “You are able to engage with people in a different context, one that promotes inquisitiveness and deep conversations,” she says.
But Hodge also connected with a reader who had a similar background, and she cites it as the most thought-provoking of her conversations. “The questions had me thinking and reframing my experiences, but also enabled me to know I am not alone,” she says.
As a scientist nearing retirement from Syracuse University, Donald Siegel, Meredith Professor Emeritus and president-elect of the Geological Society of America, decided to polish his guitar-playing skills. Having dabbled with the instrument when he was younger, he took learning seriously and became a proficient solo jazz guitarist, playing on a custom model he had made by a luthier. Siegel also endeavored to spend more time writing fiction, another area of interest. For his experience as a living book, he wanted to show the benefit of indulging in hobbies. “It keeps my mind active dealing with subjects outside of my professional discipline,” he says.
I think in an age of faceless communication there is absolute value to stepping away from our screens and seeking information face-to-face.
Emma Rothman ’21, a food studies major in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, discussed the faces of organ, tissue and cornea donation with readers at the Living Library. “I was hoping to explain the lifesaving connections between individual strangers and how those connections can save more than one life,” she says. “It was the connection from a stranger that saved my life because their family chose to donate their loved one’s organ.” Rothman received a heart transplant in 2011.
This story was first published on May 22, 2019 and last updated on May 23, 2019.
This event is offered in partnership with the Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University, the Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS), the Disability Cultural Center, Hendricks Chapel, the LGBT Resource Center, the Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA) at the School of Information Studies, the Office of Learning Communities, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) and the Slutzker Center for International Services.
If you’re interested in participating in the next Living Library, please contact Abby Kasowitz-Scheer |||EMAIL_ADDRESS||| or Tarida Anantachai (tanantac@syr.edu).
All photos courtesy of Tarida Anantachai.
Syracuse University believes that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. We also work to educate members of the University about their rights and responsibilities with regard to how they are treated and how they treat others.
Missing out on events? Stay up to date with what's going on in the community and around campus with the Event Calendar!I was really rooting for Farrah in a way that I wanted an underdog to win, y'know? Valentina honestly just stole that lip sync. Was anyone else thinking, *FINALLY NAOMI GETS SCREENTIME!* I still think Naomi is being slept on. I LOVE Manila's outfit. Even though she was safe, she SERVED. Gia's schoolgirl outfit was something, wasn't living for it.    


I would have liked to see a bit of a switch up, but really seeing how these lip syncs went, you know who deserves to be there. All in all, my mouth dropped open when Monique was given a chance to stay. Ooof, seeing the preview makes me nervous. It looks like Manila may be at the bottom this time. I'm scared.Sjögren’s syndrome is mainly affects the exocrine glands. Patients usually complain of persistent dryness of the mouth and eyes. However, nonexocrine organs such as the kidneys are often affected in these patients. Distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) and interstitiel nephritis are common in Sjögren’s syndrome. Nonetheless, severe hypokalemia and paralysis secondary to dRTA are unusual initial manifestation of Sjögren’s syndrome. Here, we describe a case of a 48 year old women admitted to the emergency setting with severe hypokalemic paralysis and diagnosed Sjögren’s syndrome.It all started when we traveled to Michigan. We were wandering around Mackinac Island and stepped into a bookstore. I was browsing the shelves and ran across a fun mystery series set on the Island. I quickly grabbed a copy.
Not only did I welcome the chance to relive our trip once I got home, but it was so much easier to picture the setting when I had actually visited.
So, to help us all along in all of our armchair travels, I’ve compiled a list of mysteries from all 50 states.
Special Note: Unlike most of the other posts on this site, I have not read all of the books listed (although I have read many of them). But, I wanted to create a depository for reference for anyone looking for a book in a specific setting.
Not all mysteries are set in a real life location, like my Mackinac Island reference above. Many series, cozy mysteries in particular, are set in a fictional location within a particular state. They have a strong sense of place and often the fictional (and sometimes real-life) town becomes as important of a character as the people.
Here are the mysteries that I’ve compiled, sorted by state.
Note: I’m still searching for an entire series set in Delaware, but until then, here is one book from another series and a stand-alone mystery that takes place in Delaware.
I’m struggling to find books for this state. Do you have any suggestions?
This is another state where I’m having difficulties finding books. Suggestions are welcome!
Well, there you have it! That’s quite a list, isn’t it? And, I’ll admit that it’s certainly not an exhaustive list of mysteries from all 50 states, but it’s a start and it’s full of great books!
Do you have any suggestions for this list?
Slimy, mouthwatering, revolting, or savory- each of us has a different word to describe the Eastern oyster or Crassostrea virginica. One thing that we can all agree on is their importance. This time of year, oyster roasts are a common trend unique to the Lowcountry. On February 21, Michael Hodges, Coordinator of the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Program, SCORE, highlighted the many reasons to celebrate oysters.
The SCORE program directly supports the oyster lifecycle by laying the foundation for oyster growth. After fertilization occurs, free swimming larva, or baby oysters, will spend two to three weeks feeding and looking for a suitable substrate to land on. Once larva find a hard structure, they will settle, attach and grow. The preferred substrate to attach to is an old oyster shell. Not all oysters have the luxury of attaching to a used shell and have to ‘settle’ for discarded materials.
Once oysters establish themselves, they will grow for two to three years. During this time, they filter 2.5 gallons of water per hour, aiding in chemical exchange, denitrification and removal of heavy metals. Nutrients are then deposited onto the banks as pseudo feces, or “nutrient rich muck,” a food source for other invertebrates like fiddler crabs.
Thanks to the oyster, the saltmarsh is one of the most biodiverse habitats in the world; second only to the rainforest. Oysters form a structured habitat that is home to over 130 species of finfish and macro invertebrates like mud crabs, shrimp and worms. These animals, in turn, serve as a food source for other animals like raccoons, sheepshead fish and humans. After just three years, a typical SCORE bag will support 408 oysters, 172 mussels and 34 crabs.
Oysters also serve as the first line of storm defense.  Holding the pluff mud in place allows for the growth of saltmarsh cordgrass, or Spartina alterniflora, which further fortifies this environment.
The success of the SCORE Program has been attributed to a strong emphasis on education and relationship building. SCORE works with many partners including the South Carolina Aquarium, scout troops, church groups, retirement communities and K-12 students. SCORE offers opportunities to get involved in the