Library News Blog
In honor of April being the National Month of Volunteering, the University Libraries has various resources related to the act of giving and sources for helping others.
Within our collection, you will find several resources related to the field of “Volunteering” via our SHU Book Catalog, SHU Search site and in support of the numerous Volunteer Organizations that are active campus-wide.
For additional information please feel free to contact us via e-mail via the University Libraries Homepage.
The University Libraries has a long and successful relationship with organizers, presenters, and attendees at the annual Petersheim Academic Exposition sponsored by Seton Hall University which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026.
Counted among the successful presentations sponsored through the University Libraries included the following events . . .
Wednesday, April 22nd 2026
2026 Petersheim Faculty Research Expo
Organizers: Maria Alonso; Norma Rubio
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Walsh Library, 24/7 Study Room
This year, we proudly celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Petersheim Academic Exposition—a milestone that reflects three decades of curiosity, innovation, and scholarly excellence at Seton Hall University. Throughout its history, the Exposition has shown the remarkable diversity of ideas and research that define our academic community. This year’s event invites us to witness how bold questions, disciplined inquiry, and the pursuit of truth can spark new possibilities. It is a testament to the power of research to illuminate challenges, inspire solutions, and help shape a better, more thoughtful world.
Muse: Art and Design Student Exhibition
Organizer: Christine Lhowe
5 – 7 p.m. | Walsh Library, Gallery
The College of Human Development, Culture, and Media, along with the Walsh Gallery, will be hosting an opening reception for Muse—a student art and design exhibition. While this is the 22nd annual exhibition, the exhibition has been held virtually since 2020. We are excited to be back in person this year. The exhibition will showcase approximately 100 projects from students in 15 classes in the Art, Design and Interactive Multimedia program. With a range of disciplines including graphic design, fine art, digital art, package design, user experience and interface design, game design, and animation it will be an evening of inspiration and community!
Thursday, April 23rd 2026
DataLab: Advancing Research Through Student-Faculty Collaboration
Organizer: Samah Alshrief, Ph.D.
11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Walsh Library, 2nd Floor Common Area and Virtual (Click to join the event on Microsoft Teams »)
This DataLab session highlights interdisciplinary student research supported by Research Data Services in collaboration with faculty mentors across multiple departments. Students will present projects demonstrating the application of data analysis, computational methods, and research technologies to address real-world research questions. The following presentations showcase the work of DataLab student researchers and their faculty mentors across participating departments.
Time Machines Symposium
Organizer: Sarah Ponichtera
2 – 4 p.m. | Walsh Library, 24/7 Study Room
This session shares the research projects of five undergraduate students who worked in Special Collections, delving into a specific object or collection over the course of an academic year. Attendees will have the opportunity to see the actual objects students worked with, which will be on display as they present their work:
In the second hour, faculty will present on their archival research, highlighting shared challenges and discoveries common to both student and faculty research experiences. Professor James Kimble will speak about his research on “the Kid in Upper 4,” an advertising campaign by the New Haven Railroad during World War 2 which highlighted the human cost of the war. Laura Hapke and Emily Handlin will speak about museum research, discussing discoveries made during their work tracing the history of objects in Seton Hall’s collection. Finally, Sarah Ponichtera will discuss the research and preservation work that led to the discovery of the Yiddish science fiction novella she translated.
Connected Events
Exhibit: Ukraine’s People Revealed! Early Eighteenth-Century Paintings of Ukrainian Society
Organizer: Nathaniel Knight
February 25 – May 1 | Walsh Library, Silent Study Room
An exhibit of ethnographic images from the Swedish National Museum in Stockholm.
The Petersheim Committee for 2026 includes Faculty Librarians Natalie Lau, Lisa Rose-Wiles, and Alan Delozier.
For additional information please feel free to contact us via e-mail via the University Libraries Homepage.
Walsh Gallery, in partnership with the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media, will be hosting an in-person student art exhibition! A tradition for decades until Covid, we are so happy to once again feature the talent of our student artists. MUSE: A Student Exhibition will run from April 22, 2026 – May 11, 2026. The SHU Community is welcome to visit the exhibition for free.
Seton Hall University Libraries’ Research Data Services Team hosted its ninth annual Love Data Week from February 9 – 13, 2026 with workshops on topics including AI, Ethics and the Law, Powering AI within Excel, and a Douglass Day transcribe-a-thon event. This international event, sponsored by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), the premier social science data repository hosted by the University of Michigan, celebrates data analysis and data science in all its forms.
This year’s Love Data Week theme was “Where’s the Data?” – a way to get people thinking about data’s journey from collection through storage and preservation. The theme opens up exciting possibilities for interactive programming, whether hosting data-themed games, building data literacy skills, or diving into the ethics of responsible data use. Our goal is to connect everyone – from data newcomers to veterans – with the training and resources they need to make progress on issues close to their hearts
Seton Hall University Libraries is a member of ICPSR. ICPSR partners with several federal statistical agencies and foundations to create collections organized around specific topics ranging from the Child and Family Data Archive to the National Addiction & HIV Data Archive Program. Learn more about ICPSR @SHU [here].
Love Data Week also provides international exposure for Seton Hall. Past years’ events have attracted attendees from international institutions, including the University of Cologne, Germany; the Technical University of Liberec, Czech Republic; and Krakow University of Economics, Poland. Attendees from U.S. institutions include the University of Michigan, the University of Chicago, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation and the Health Resources and Services Administration.
According to Samah Alshrief, data specialist, “Love Data Week is one of my favorite events of the academic year because it brings together our community to celebrate the power of data, and what makes it even more exciting is the opportunity to connect with a global community through ICPSR, seeing how universities and institutions worldwide are innovating with data.” Alshrief continues, “There is something special about dedicating an entire week to data. Love Data Week gives us the space to explore new ideas and learn from others.”
We welcome you to our information center in the near future, but in the meantime if you need detailed help through the University Libraries. You can book a research appointment here: Research Appointment Site
With the 250th anniversary commemoration of the Declaration Independence (and the United States by extension) being celebrated throughout 2026, the University Libraries features several resources that trace the documentary history of the United States from pre-nation to the present day.
A special exhibit honoring the four major early documents that created the Republic along with the Declaration, the Articles of Confederation (1777), United States Constitution (1789), and the Bill of Rights (1791) are among the most important foundation charters that helped to shape American life during the eighteenth century. Along with these examples are countless other texts that have formed the written story of the nation. Additional landmark documents included within this display are copies of the Emancipation Proclamation (1863), 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1920), Social Security Act (1935), Brown v. Board of Education (1954), and the Civil Rights Act (1964).
Several other important records that have benefitted the United States of America over time have been collected by several different academic, governmental, public history, and other types of repositories including the Seton Hall University Libraries which preserve such significant information for the ages. The most prolific center of country-wide Milestone Documents are housed at the National Archives. Along with this Internet Site, a number of relevant print books that are shelved within this display located on the Second Floor of Walsh Library can be personally checked-out at the University Libraries Circulation Desk located on the same level as this exhibit.
Within the Seton Hall University Libraries Collection, there are various copies of these documents along with historical details found within our holdings catalog. This can be combined with other information-centered leads including our Introduction to U.S. History Research Guide which is available to our research community. In addition, we have specific volumes devoted to individual writings, but we also offer compilations and starter lists for your consideration found via our SHU Search, Book, and Database sites.
In addition, in honor of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution you can vote for your own favorite documents from History and/or Your Own Experience via the Ballot Box found within this display. We look forward to seeing what your choices are!
We welcome you to our information center in the near future, but in the meantime if you need detailed help through the University Libraries. You can book a research appointment here: Research Appointment Site
In recognition of Women’s History and Irish History Months the University Libraries have several resources related to the individuals and works that have shaped this specialized combination.
Our holdings encompass not only Irish Women Authors, but also their Biographies, History, and Styles, but contributions to the Art, Culture, and Uniqueness of Éire and the World at large.
Included among the helpful resources related to Irish Women currently available include those in our Book Collection, Library Guide, SHU Search among other resources found on our Homepage and within Walsh Library proper.
For additional information please feel free to contact us via e-mail via the University Libraries Homepage.
We are happy to announce the latest installment of the University Libraries podcast series entitled: Zet Forward. This podcast entitled: “Social Work Licensing Masters Exam Guide: Comprehensive ASWB LMSW Exam Review,” (Chambersburg, PA: Springer Publishing Company, 2025) with guest scholar Dawn Apgar, Ph.D., LSW, ACSW.
This broadcast features Director of the BSW Program and Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work and Public Administration, Dr. Dawn Apgar. For more information about Dr. Apgar and her accomplishments please visit her Faculty Profile Homepage.
This guide features expert perspective by Dr. Apgar and her publisher notes that this work includes the following facets: “Social Work Licensing Masters Exam Guide, 4th Edition, is now updated with more practice questions and features to help you study for and pass the LMSW exam. Chapters fully cover the four exam content areas and all Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs), and end-of-section questions test your understanding and retention.” You can find this podcast at: Podcast @ Seton Hall University.
Further details connected to this work can be found via the Springer Publishing Company homepage. A physical volume of the title: Social Work Licensing Masters Exam Guide: Comprehensive ASWB LMSW Exam Review, is ready for circulation and can be found within the Main Collection of the University Libraries, specifically within the Faculty Publications section (Call #: HV40.52_.A74 2025) and found with the Faculty Publication works located on the Second Floor of Walsh Library.
Zet Forward is a podcast to celebrate authors and other individuals who are involved with projects for the benefit of Seton Hall University and the wider world. The series began in February of 2022.
For additional information please feel free to contact us via e-mail via the University Libraries Homepage.
With the creation of our successful Leisure Collection, there are several book titles in the University Libraries collection that are available for personal knowledge building and learning enjoyment. We are presenting a regular series of recommendations based on the reactions of our library faculty . . .
Gideon the Ninth (New Zealand: Tor Books, 2019) by Tamsyn Muir is a weird story for weird people. A perfect blend of sci-fi and fantasy, it explores the (attempted) escape off of the Ninth House – a planet – by Gideon Nav, and her subsequent (forced) recruitment into becoming her sworn enemy’s cavalier, aka sword bearer, Harrowhark Nonagesimus, princess of the Ninth House and skilled and powerful necromancer. The story revolves around these two enemies, begrudgingly teaming up together so Harrow can (hopefully) become a new Lyctor – or an immortal, ascended necromancer—for His Celestial Kindliness, the First Reborn, the Necrolord Prime. But there’s more to becoming Lyctor than it seems…
This is a book full of mystery, humor, and sapphic love. If you enjoy laughing at terrible nicknames, dialogue full of hilariously placed memes and references, and huge character lists (seriously, huge), this is the book for you. And once you’re done with Gideon the Ninth, rest assured, there’s more to the Locked Tomb series! You’ll have Harrow the Ninth and Nona the Ninth to look forward to next, and then eventually the long-awaited Alecto the Ninth. Grab all three books in the series from our Leisure Collection next time you’re in Walsh Library!
Call Number: PR9639.4.M84
Harrow the Ninth, (New York: Tor Books, 2020) by Tamsyn Muir. While I liked Gideon the Ninth, I loved Harrow the Ninth. In my experience, it is unusual for books in a series to be very different from each other but hold together so well, and that is something Tamsyn Muir is fantastic at as a writer. Harrow the Ninth covers completely new ground in the story but also makes the reader question what they learned in the first book. I, for one, was inspired to reread Gideon immediately after finishing Harrow. Muir plays with some of my favorite literary conventions, particularly the unreliable narrator, and sprinkles pop culture references and literary allusions throughout the narrative as you try to piece together what the narrator isn’t telling you. All of this, along with a sharp sense of humor and devastating emotional beats, are why I knew I had to recommend Harrow the Ninth in particular, even though it’s a sequel.
Laura Hapke, Collections Manager for Special Collections
Call Number: PR9639.4.M84
The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson (Boston: Mariner Books, 2022) by Jeff Pearlman is required reading for anyone who loves sports and a good read! Drawing on more than 700 interviews, author Jeff Pearlman vividly captures Bo Jackson’s mythic life and amazing accomplishments. This biography is great fun and at times laugh out loud funny. And as a bonus, you can learn why ESPN and USA Today called Jackson “the greatest video game athlete of all time.” Highly recommended!
Call Number: GV865.J28 P43 2022
Additional highly recommended books include the following titles listed by faculty individual members and their location within the Leisure Collection housed on the Second Floor of Walsh Library . . .
For additional information please feel free to contact us via e-mail on the University Libraries Homepage.
February of 2026 marks the 100th observance of Black History Month in the United States. This is an important milestone which commemorates the countless contributions that African Americans have made to our nation and the world.
The University Libraries has setup a display to honor the founder and inspiration behind this tribute. Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) is remembered as a legendary figure in the Civil Rights movement as a social reformer, abolitionist, writer, speaker, and statesman over the course of his lifetime.
Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) was a historian, author, journalist and journal editor. He founded the Association for the Study of African American Life & History (ASALH). He pioneered the study of the African American diaspora and devised the observation of Black History Week (as a starting point) in 1926 until it expanded to the full month of February decades later. Woodson chose the second month of the year based on the birthday of Frederick Douglass. Douglass never knew when his real day of birth was so he chose Valentine’s Day (February 14th) as a substitute.
When it comes information related to Douglass (Books, Journals), Woodson (Books, Journals), and African America History Month (Books, Journals) among several other topics related to the full Africana (Library Guide) experience, the University Libraries houses several resources related to these specific topics and several other subject areas of importance.
We welcome you to our information center in the near future, but in the meantime if you need detailed help through the University Libraries. You can book a research appointment here: Research Appointment Site
Tired of Buying Expensive Textbooks? We’ve Got You Covered!
Ever find yourself buying a textbook for just one class, only to have it collect dust on your shelf forever? We get it. Textbooks are expensive, and sometimes you only need them for a semester. That’s why we created SHUShelf, a student-led, Buccino-supported initiative that makes textbooks more accessible for the entire Seton Hall community.
What is SHUShelf?
SHUShelf is a textbook exchange program designed to help students access the books they need—without breaking the bank. Whether you’re taking a CORE class, in the Honors Program, or any other specified course, we accept and exchange textbooks across all disciplines. Through student and alumni donations, we’ve built a growing collection of over 300 books (and counting!).
How It Works
Getting a textbook through SHUShelf is easy! Just fill out a simple form here with:
Your Name SHU ID Number The Book(s) You Need
If we have the textbook in our system, we’ll get it to you!
Additionally, we maintain a real-time inventory of available books to ensure a seamless experience. You can view the live list here.
Where to Find Us
Location: 2nd Floor, Walsh Library
Book Exchange: By Appointment
We operate at the beginning and end of each semester for open hours. During the semester, students can access drop boxes for book donations and schedule pick-ups by appointment.
Why SHUShelf?
Despite having no official marketing campaign or funding, we’ve already made a big impact:
300+ books available 25+ students directly helped so far Official partnership with Walsh Library
Join the Movement
SHUShelf isn’t just about books—it’s about students helping students. By donating, exchanging, or spreading the word, you’re making academic resources more accessible for your peers. Whether you need a textbook or want to give one a new home, SHUShelf is here for you.
Looking for a textbook or interested in donating one?
Visit us at Walsh Library or contact our founding members for more information:
Adreanna Dones – adreanna.dones@student.shu.edu Samantha Gizzi – samantha.gizzi@student.shu.edu Edward Vela – edward.vela@student.shu.edu
