Back in the days when I was still a Spanish major, I missed a few days of a Spanish civilization class and ended up missing a few videos. I was reassured that the videos were available for me in room 1141 JFSB. Being completely unaware that the JFSB offered anything of the sort, my brain registered this information as meaning the library. Well after ending up deep in Special Collections and asking three different desk secretaries where I could find a copy of "Gaudí, the Spirit of Barcelona" and coming up empty handed, I decided to recheck my facts. I could almost hear Blackboard laughing at me as I reread the instructions and realized that the room I was looking for was in a different building altogether. I mumbled something to the secretaries about realizing that I wasn't sure I needed their help. I didn't understand what could possibly be at the JFSB. I had been to the LRC in the library on many occasions for different classes, but had never been asked to go to the JFSB for a similar purpose. What I discovered impressed me deeply, and I'd like to share that with you today.On the first floor of the JFSB, in room 1141, there is the most amazing foreign language lab available to BYU students. It is called the Humanities Learning Resource Center. I'd like to talk about two aspects of it today. Each computer is equipped with a program on the desktop called EyeTV. It basically receives a whole slew of foreign language channels with all sorts of programming, ranging from news and network sitcoms, to cooking and shopping networks. This is a great opportunity to get free French programming from the top international French Station TV5 Monde. I'd like to make you readers aware of what is available to you. The second aspect will hopefully be a running feature of the blog. The lab here is stocked with a ton of videos that can be checked out and viewed right there at one of the computers. They are all equipped with both DVD players and VCRs. My goal is to periodically and systematically check out, watch, review, and catalogue the videos there that are in or about French. I have often held that some educational videos are just as good if not better than some Hollywood releases. These videos have the potential to be popular and entertaining, but due to their classification as educational videos and "classroom fare", they will never be paid much attention. I plan on taking an objective look at these videos and letting you know what is actually out there, granted, some education videos are just about as boring as anything else, but that is going to be half the fun. So stay tuned for that.
There are a lot of great resources on this website including a comprehensive list of the media resources available for checkout. The list is much more formidable than I expected and it may take a lot longer than I might have thought to go through these. It also has the hours of operation, which I will risk copyright infringement for you by reproducing them right here.
Monday-Thursday: 7:45 am to 9:00 pm
Friday: 7:45 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Friday: 7:45 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Now when you go, follow my instructions. It is imperative that you log in to the Mac side of the computer, it is equipped to run on both operating systems. EyeTV will only be available on the Mac. There are 31 computers available, which is very nice, and as you stroll through the room you will see all sorts of language activities going on. Some working on their Arabic, some watching films on Gothic architecture, plenty of people putting the finishing touches on a foreign languages paper, and yes, even the HLRC is plagued by the occasional student who feels like checking his Facebook account is important enough to merit me waiting in line to get a workstation.
Now, TV5 Monde is available on channel 28. It plays the whole day long. If you click on the title of this blog, you will be directed to TV5's website where you can learn all about their programming. They are the second most globally available network in the world, trailing only--brace yourself--MTV, and coming in right in front of CNN. Not bad company to find yourself in.
The programming for TV5MONDE is basically a collection of content from all the biggest French networks in France, Belgium, and Switzerland. They also have international news and a lot of information on French pop culture.
You owe it to yourself to stop in and take a look. A computer is usually available and it is definitely much less crowded and much more personal than the library. I for one, love it. Please go.
Mot du Jour: enchevêtrement (n.) an overlap.
We learned this in my French 361 class today while discussing Romanesque cathedrals. Our teacher, Professor Hurlbut said that students have never been familiar with that word. Take 361 after reading this post and prove him wrong.
-Pete
