Shorts or 5 Things to Know this Week!

Welcome to the first issue of "Shorts" -- as in the Shorts of Features and Shorts.

Shorts or 5 Things to Know this Week will feature short blurbs on interesting topics related to film and theatre studies, research and resources, theatre goings on in New York City, lots of library-related news and other stuff.


1. MORE ABOUT ME -- I am Nancy E. Friedland, Librarian for Butler Media, Film Studies and Performing Arts at Columbia University. I know a lot about researching film and performing arts-related subjects. I was recently elected President of Theatre Library Association -- take a look at our work -- we are a dynamic organization. I also teach at Pratt's School of Information and Library Science and at LIU's Palmer School of Information and Library Science. I teach "Film and Media Collections," "Digital Humanities," and currently developing a course "Researching Local History: Cities and Towns." I love New York City and go to the theatre very often.


2. SILENT FILM ONLINE -- published by Alexander Street Press, Silent Film Online currently includes 381 videos mainly from the KINO International Catalog. Access to this database through Columbia University Library is restricted to current affiliates.

3. ON BROADWAY -- I just saw "Hands on a Hard Body" -- and loved it. This is a "new musical made in America" -- with Book by Doug Wright, Lyrics by Amanda Green and Music by Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green -- the  musical was inspired by true events surrounding 10 hard-luck Texans filled with hope and ambition. 

4. DETROPIA -- recent addition to the Butler Media Collection -- this documentary about the city of Detroit provides a "vivid portrayal of the connections between a city and larger economic and political forces."  Timely!

5.  NEW BOOK -- I recently acquired  "The Screenplay Business: Managing Creativity and Script Development in the Film Industry" by Peter Bloore -- the book is now on the shelf in Butler Library. If you are not a Columbia affiliate -- check with your local library for holdings.