To celebrate Native American Heritage month, you recommend stories from Latin American indigenous authors?

To celebrate Native American Heritage month, you recommend stories from Latin American indigenous authors?
To celebrate Native American Heritage month, you recommend stories from Latin American indigenous authors?

I am following up with my library helpers to get you a good list of recommendations!

And here they are:
1. “I, Rigoberta Menchú: An Indian Woman in Guatemala,” by Rigoberta Menchú and Elizabeth Burgos
2. Saints of the Household by Ari Tison, Lizards Hold the Sun by D.H. Trujillo, Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko
3. And check out the list from the Boston Public Library for books celebrating indigenous authors: https://bit.ly/bplindigenous

Best places to nap on campus :)

Best places to nap on campus :)
Best places to nap on campus 🙂

If you’re tired enough, anywhere works. But! There are some comfy chairs in Gasson on the lower level, and of course O’Neill is chock-ful of comfy chairs. May I recommend the ones in the hallway to the 5th floor study area? We also have some older chairs here and there in nooks on the upper floors. I’ve seen many napping head-down on tables or even in the stacks, but those floors are hard, and you might prevent someone from retrieving a book located 6 feet above your sternum.

What is your favorite holding in the archive?

What is your favorite holding in the archive?
What is your favorite holding in the archive?

I asked my archivist friends and they said that in the Burns collections they’d have to choose a few becuase there are so many to love! Check out the VHS of a Tampa reunion, 1988 June, which includes a lively sing-along of “Charlie on the MTA” and other classics (https://bit.ly/burnstampa); the Rubricator for Pontifical Solemn Mass at the Throne, 1956 (https://bit.ly/burnsrubricator); A Gasson Hall plaster model (https://bit.ly/burnsgasson) . You can visit Burns to see these and more as well! 

Can you tell lower dining to ditch the new plastic salad bar bowls?

Can you tell lower dining to ditch the new plastic salad bar bowls? The old one was biodegradable - or who should I tell?
Can you tell lower dining to ditch the new plastic salad bar bowls? The old one was biodegradable – or who should I tell?
- p.s. it's annoying they raise tuition 4.5% and still aggressively cut costs, being unsustainable too!
– p.s. it’s annoying they raise tuition 4.5% and still aggressively cut costs, being unsustainable too!

The best I can do is send your feedback to Dining Services, which you can do as well: bit.ly/bc-dining-feedback. If they respond, I’ll post it here.

BC Dining Responds:

The plastic salad bowls are only a temporary substitution from our vendor. We will return to the biodegradable containers as soon as they become available.

This year’s Green2Go program allows students to opt for a free reusable to-go container instead of paper or plastic when they are eating on the go. It’s now available at Lower, McElroy, Stuart, Addie’s, and Eagle’s Nest. There’s no upfront cost, plus, students get 10% off each meal they checkout in a Green2Go container.

Can you rank the buildings on campus in terms of coziness/how welcoming they are?

Can you rank the buildings on campus in terms of coziness/how welcoming they are?
Can you rank the buildings on campus in terms of coziness/how welcoming they are?

I may be biased, but I would have to say that O’Neill Library is the most *surprisingly* cozy & welcoming. The facade is new brutalism, but my supportive & kind library helpers and the comfy chairs give this building a warm heart. I’m more familiar with academic buildings, most of which are more grand than cozy, with the exception of the libraries, of course. I’m not as familiar with the residence halls. Maybe you all can rank them?

Do u think suites should be able to be made of mixed genders?

Do u think suites should be able to be made of mixed genders? Some other schools allow it. What's the reasoning for not? Do u think it could ever change
Do u think suites should be able to be made of mixed genders? Some other schools allow it. What’s the reasoning for not? Do u think it could ever change

It can work, but it’s extremely unlikely BC will change that policy anytime soon, if ever. Res Life planning is based on Catholic ideas about sex and marriage (check the student code of conduct under “sexual activity” for a surprise), so short of a dramatic change in Church doctrine I wouldn’t expect that to change.

How has BC’s administration to faculty spending ratio changed?

How was BC's administration to faculty spending ratio changed?
How has BC’s administration to faculty spending ratio changed?

It depends a little on how you define your terms, but using my friend the BC Factbook you can look at summaries of BC’s finances going back a long way. Since you asked for a ratio I’ll answer broadly. If we define “faculty spending” as including BC’s line items for expenses in Instruction, Academic Support, and Research, the ratio of faculty spending to every other expense at BC has been very steady over the last decade. From 2014 to 2022 it has been as low as 41% in 2021 to as high as 44% in 2016. 1% of a billion dollars is still a lot of money. If you want to look at the details or define things differently, the Factbook and BC’s annual financial statements are available online. https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/offices/institutional-research-planning/institutional-research/fact-book.html

Who was Mr. Oneil?

Who was Mr. Oneil?
Who was Mr. Oneil?

Tip O’Neill was a 1936 BC graduate who went on to a very distinguished career in state and national politics. He ran for and won John F. Kennedy’s House seat when JFK ran for Senate in 1952, and he served as representative for Cambridge and Boston for sixteen terms. He was elected Speaker of the US House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987. BC honored him many times, and he attended the opening of this library in 1981. Here’s a virtual exhibit my colleagues over at Burns library did to comemorate his life: https://library.bc.edu/burns-exhibits/tip-oneill/

What restaurants should I try before leaving BC this semester?

What restaurants should I try before leaving BC this semester?
What restaurants should I try before leaving BC this semester?

I had my esteemed BC Libraries colleagues answer this for me, as my diet consists entirely of post-it notes. Here are their gustatory responses.

  • Seoul Soulongtang is AMAZING
  • Thonglor!
  • Gyro City
  • Brookline Lunch
  • Jinny’s pizza in Newton Centre
  • Brighton Bodega
  • Citrus & Salt
  • Hopewell Bar & Kitchen
  • Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
  • Asmara
  • Bakey!!!! It has the best bagels in Boston, you don’t need to have them toasted. And, the best Babka! The Brookline location is in walking distance to the Booksmith as a bonus!
  • Rino’s in East Boston. It was on Guy Fieri’s show, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and makes pasta fresh in-house. http://www.rinosplace.com/
  • Pizzeria Regina in the North End (especially if you like pepperoni pizza)
  • Oleana (134 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139)
  • Lee’s Burger Place
  • Fire + Ice
  • Thonglor (Great Thai right here in Brighton)
  • Gyro City on Chestnut Hill Avenue
  • MDM Noodles on Washington Street
  • Blue Ribbon BBQ in Newton
  • Boston Shawarma House of Kebab in Newton
  • Dumpling Daughter
  • It’s a trek via the T (Blue Line – Orient Heights) but Melodias is worth it!
  • Sophia’s Grotto, Roslindale

I’m sad that I’ll leave BC soon. What should I do during my last month here? Also, do you like Ken Car$on?

I'm sad that I'll leave BC soon. What should I do during my last month here? Also, do you like Ken Can$on?
I’m sad that I’ll leave BC soon. What should I do during my last month here? Also, do you like Ken Can$on?

Maybe try visiting a few of your favorite places, places where you have happy memories of BC/Boston. Take some photos and/or videos. Then you’ll have your own personal yearbook to look back at later.

Ken Car$son: yes or no. Yes [2 tally marks] No [0 tally marks]
Ken Car$son: yes or no. Yes [2 tally marks] No [0 tally marks]

Always fun to listen to new artists!