Movie Monday: The Divide

by Sarah Berry

Investigating the growing issue of wealth inequality, specifically in the U.S. and the U.K., “The Divide,” offers an in-depth look into the lives of seven individuals of varying wealth.

In addition to providing insight into the day-to-day lives of everyday people, the documentary also offers expert commentary to analyze and explain the shrinkage of the middle class and subsequent gap in wealth.

“The Divide” is available now on Kanopy Streaming. If you are accessing Kanopy Streaming off-campus, view our blog post, Accessing Library Resources Off-Campus, for more information.

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“Starving the Beast”continues to gain media coverage

by Sarah Berry

Kanopy Streaming’s newest addition to its catalog, “Starving the Beast,” is earning acclaim and attention from national media sources, like “The New York Times.”

Check out the links below to read some of the coverage “Starving the Beast” and don’t forget to watch it for free through Kanopy Streaming here.

• New York Times: “Starving the Beast”
• The Atlantic: The Politics of Higher Education
• Variety: “Starving the Beast” Review

Movie Monday: “Blackfish”

by Sarah Berry

Released in 2013, “Blackfish” made waves with its findings regarding the captivity of orcas, with a specific focus on SeaWorld and one of its killer whales, Tilikum, who has killed three individuals during his captivity.

Chronicling Tilikum’s journey, the documentary sheds light on the health effects of captivity on orcas, such as the collapsed dorsal fin, which is seen almost exclusively in captive orcas and the gnawing of concrete, which wears down their teeth.

As well, the film educates viewers about the methods used to train orcas, such as by withholding food; this method resulted in Tilikum being abused at Sealand by two other orcas, who were also denied food.

Since the film’s release, SeaWorld has denied many of the claims by filmmakers. Audiences, however, appear to have sided with the filmmakers as represented by SeaWorld’s continued drop in profits, most notably in 2015, when it reported a 84% drop in profits.

“Blackfish” is available now on Swank Digital Campus. If you are accessing Swank Digital Campus off-campus, view our blog post, Accessing Library Resources Off-Campus, for more information.

Starving the Beast:The defunding of America’s public universities

by Sarah Berry

Earning its title from the political strategy of limiting government spending by cutting taxes (and therefore revenue), the documentary “Starving the Beast,” provides an in-depth examination of the ongoing power struggle between public universities and political representatives, in regards to funding, which has led to budget cuts and higher tuition rates for students.

Public universities like the University of Texas, Texas A&M, and the University of Virginia are featured throughout the documentary, which examines two opposing views of public education: one, that it is a public good to be supported by society and the other, that the cost of public education should be met by individual degree-earners and private entities.

To begin watching “Starving the Beast,” click here. If you are accessing Kanopy Streaming off-campus, view our blog post, Accessing Library Resources Off-Campus, for more information.

Movie Monday: The Fidel Castro Tapes

by Sarah Berry

Released in 2014 by PBS, “The Fidel Castro Tapes,” chronicles the life of Cuba’s controversial leader, Fidel Castro, who passed away in 2016.

Through rare images and recordings, audiences gain insight into Castro’s life and career as a revolutionary and a politician, as well as the strained relationship between the United States and Cuba. Events such as the Bay of Pigs, the U.S. embargo on Cuba, and the custody battle of Elian Gonzalez are also documented.

“The Fidel Castro Tapes” is available now on Kanopy Streaming. If you are accessing Kanopy Streaming off-campus, view our blog post, Accessing Library Resources Off-Campus, for more information.

Movie Monday: Her

by Sarah Berry

Featuring  Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, “Her” follows soon-to-be divorced Theodore Twombly and the beginnings of his romantic relationship with Samantha, an artificial intelligence operating system that serves as Theodore’s personal assistant.

Nominated for several film awards, “Her” was awarded Best Original Screenplay by the Academy Awards for its humorous, yet heartbreaking exploration into romance in the digital age.

“Her” is available now on Swank Digital Campus. If you are accessing Swank Digital Campus off-campus, view our blog post, Accessing Library Resources Off-Campus, for more information.

#ThrowbackThursday: Snapshot PA

by Sarah Berry

Take a look back on the Rohrbach Library’s SnapShot PA video, which aimed to create a “snapshot” of a day at the Rohrbach Library. In addition, the library surveyed students about their library usage and gathered data on items checked out, questions asked, and more.

Check out the complete survey results below!

The More You Know...

If you walked through Rohrbach Library on October 15th, you likely saw the table and video camera set up just beyond the Elusive Sea Cow, near the stairs to the top floor. Those who stopped heard all about SnapShot PA and its purpose and importance to libraries across the commonwealth! We want to thank everyone who took the time to fill out our survey and also offer an especially enthusiastic thank you to those who were brave enough to go on camera and tell us why you were visiting the library that day!

For those who missed us, here’s the low-down on what the event was about:

The goal of the project is to create a “snapshot” of one day in the life of Pennsylvania libraries. From school and public libraries to academic libraries like our very own Rohrbach Library, we wanted tangible evidence of the impact PA libraries on their respective…

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