January 6, 2023
Thanks to Alissa Simon, HMU Tutor, for today’s post.
Libraries are changing from in-person spaces to digital spaces. They are also trending towards shared, collaborative ones. Likewise, Harrison Middleton University’s library has undergone some changes over recent years. For example, a few years ago we added Britannica MODERNA, a Spanish resource which includes an English-Spanish dictionary. You will find the Oxford Very Short Introduction series as well, which allows students to quickly research a subject and find links to further reading on hundreds of topics. In this way, students can become minimally acquainted with a research interest in order to better understand if they want to pursue it for a final paper or capstone, etc.
This week, I want to highlight one my favorite resources on the HMU Library: the catalogue of listservs and Professional Organizations. To access this resource, students should navigate to hmu.edu, click on the Online Library link, enter the username and password, and then select HMU Student Resources. This leads to three options: Student Handbook, Humanities Listservs and Professional Organizations, and Shared Inquiry Handbook. The list of organizations includes a wide variety of professionals and communities focused on research in many areas that often interest students as well.
For example, on this blog, I recently noted that Plutarch is one of my favorite authors. Interestingly, our resources page led me to the International Plutarch Society, which has a current call for papers. This immediately expands publishing opportunities.
Furthermore, the list might also lead you to organizations which host meetings and conferences. For example, the American Comparative Literature Association (ACLA) hosts an annual meeting with paper presentations. In fact, most scholarly organizations offer such benefits. Due to COVID, some organizations prefer hybrid or online events, but many are returning to in-person events also. In order to participate, students should review the topics suggested by the organization, submit a proposal by the deadline, and then write a presentation for the conference. Attending conferences is another way to engage with a community. We encourage students to use the resource list as a way to find organizations that match their study of focus, to understand and remain current within their field(s) of research, but also to foster community. Furthermore, the organizations that host conferences often provide publications for further research and publishing opportunities.
Finally, as a student, financial resources become a number one priority. In searching through the various entities, students will be able to find organizations that fund student research. For example, The Institute for Citizens and Scholars (previously The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation) funds dissertations in Women’s Studies. The website explains, “Women’s Studies Fellows shape how we understand women and gender in history, society, politics, and more. Fellows are late-stage Ph.D. candidates completing original, interesting, and interdisciplinary dissertations that address issues involving women and gender.” In addition to supporting Women’s Studies, they also provide fellowships for new and/or adjunct faculty.
The Humanities Listservs and Professional Organizations offers incalculable potential resources. We hope that you will be able to take advantage of this resource.
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