Kate Ouimette
LIS Projects

These projects (including this website!) were done as various parts of Library & Information Science courses at Simmons University.

Tech Tutorial: Ancestry Library Edition

In this series of videos we introduce Ancestry's Library Edition database for genealogical research. We go over basic information about the platform, how to use the search features, and how to download ancestral records, as well as providing sources for further exploration.

Video 1: Introduction to Ancestry Library Edition

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Video 2: Searching in Ancestry Library Edition

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Video 3: Accessing Records from Ancestry Library Edition

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Buzzword Presentation: Biometrics

The "Buzzword" projects were quick presentations on topics related to library science; mine was about the use of biometrics in library and archival settings. To download the PDF that accompanied my presentation, please click here.

Libguides

Grimoires: What the Hex?

This Libguide explores the history of grimoires as textual objects. Taken from the "Why Should We Care?" segment: "From a book history perspective, studying grimoires can teach us about networks of interaction; the impacts of phenomena like the printing press; the influence of religion on textual objects; and the roles of such objects in a given society. Anthropologically, grimoires can also tell us a lot about the people who created them: societal anxieties are reflected in the nature of the grimoire's contents by way of spells. For instance, in areas and/or times where warfare was common, grimoires contain spells of protection for soldiers, and reflect the advances in weaponry as some spells protect against swords and spears, and others against bullets. Grimoires have existed in nearly every society and culture, and their history spans thousands of years. Grimoires as objects provide a fascinating, if sometimes weird, window into the history of books and society."

External link to "Grimoires: What the Hex?" Libguide

A Book Nerd's Meta-Guide

This one was exceptionally fun to create, as it's intended for those of us (like me!) who are just endlessly fascinated by books. It includes reading suggestions, videos about the history and construction(s) of books, library resources and short tech guides to using the resources, and more.

External link to "A Book Nerd's Meta-Guide"