O’Neill Library

Hi, I’m the Answer Wall! I’ve been perched in the O’Neill Library lobby at Boston College since February 2017, except for a year in 2020 when I went fully online. Ask me a question by posting a post-it on me in O’Neill Library. I’ll answer within a day on weekdays. I snooze on the weekends, because answering questions is hard work!

I looked online and I have a question… why is Bapst the only library without a head librarian? Also who are the people in charge at Bapst?

I looked online and I have a question… why is Bapst the only library without a head librarian? Also who are the people in charge at Bapst?

Bapst Services and Collections are managed by a team that divides its time between the Bapst and O’Neill Libraries. Collection Development is overseen by my talented colleague Nina Bogdanovsky, while library services are managed by Lida Supernaw (Daytime) and Morgan Wilson (Evening), with support from other colleagues at O’Neill and a team of student employees. Bapst currently has no Head Librarian due to a decision made several years ago to shift collection development responsibilities to O’Neill.

Best new fiction by women authors?

Best new fiction by women authors?
Best new fiction by women authors?

I polled BC Libraries staff. They say these are all worth your attention:

  • The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
  • When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén
  • Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (2 votes)
  • The Antidote by Karen Russell
  • Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One by Kristen Arnett
  • Colored Television by Danzy Senna
  • Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
  • Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
  • The Pretender by Jo Harkin
  • Tell Me Everything, Elizabeth Strout
  • Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
  • The Names, by Florence Knapp
  • These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean
  • A/S/L by Jeanne Thornton
  • The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling
  • The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko
  • Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab
  • The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis (2 votes)
  • The Names by Florence KnappBroken Country by Leslie Hall

how many groupers fit in O’Neil? 🐟

how many groupers fit in O'Neil? 🐟
how many groupers fit in O’Neil? 🐟

A red grouper, a common Atlantic Ocean fish, has an average length of 2ft. Assuming their max girth is 1/4 of their length, the typical area of a grouper would be 1 sq. ft. According to the most recent BC Fact Book, O’Neill has 206,910 sq ft (bit.ly/FactBook2425). So, you could hypothetically fit 206,910 groupers in O’Neill, though they’d require way too much water and zero bookshelves.

Why do the clocks in classrooms have four as IIII and not IV?

Why do the clocks in classrooms have four as IIII and not IV?
Why do the clocks in classrooms have four as IIII and not IV?

Actual Romans used both, sometimes in the same document. Consistent spelling and numbering are a relatively recent phenomenon. And clockmakers are making art, so they have options on how to display things. I think it looks cool and old old-timey. Check out my friend the Oxford Classical Dictionary for a discussion: bit.ly/bc-roman

Who will win UFC 322, Islam or Jack?

Who will win UFC 322, Islam or Jack?
Who will win UFC 322, Islam or Jack?

I didn’t have access to ESPN PPV, so I missed the fight, but I see that Islam won, moving up to welterweight. Thought I heard it was a history making, I saw another fighter call it boring (bit.ly/UFC322), so this is keeping my FOMO at bay.

Why are there so many bunnies around the campus? Is it legal to hunt them? Asking for a friend…

Why are there so many bunnies around the campus? Is it legal to hunt them? Asking for a friend...
Why are there so many bunnies around the campus? Is it legal to hunt them? Asking for a friend…

My assistants tell me there’s an excess of bunnies all over the Boston area. Rabbits breed like… well, rabbits (bit.ly/audubon-cottontail), which may explain why there are so many. It’s illegal to hunt within 500 feet of a dwelling without the owner’s permission (bit.ly/kill-the-wabbit), so it’s unlikely your friend can realize their Elmer Fudd dreams at BC.

How do I find the right one? #romantic

How do I find the right one? #romantic
How do I find the right one? #romantic

Love has a great capacity to find you when you’re being yourself and not worrying about it. It also tends to have awkward timing. Be patient, be yourself. There are many possible someones for everyone.

I met mine at church. 1.5 years later, each other's first love.
I met mine at church. 1.5 years later, each other’s first love.

Solid choice.

What is the meaning of life? and how can you have purpose?

What is the meaning of life? and how can you have purpose?
What is the meaning of life? and how can you have purpose?

This question is a pressing one for most people, so it’s a great service to them that you asked. I wish I had an answer. The difficulty is it’s different for everyone. Perhaps rephrase the question: how can I find my purpose and meaning? Father Himes (1947-2022), a beloved professor of theology at BC, said to ask yourself three key questions: What brings me joy? What am I good at? To whom can I be of service? Your meaning and purpose is where those three overlap. Here’s his famous lecture: bit.ly/himes-3key