LIS5313

Student Posts

Dreams Built of Stone and Time

Photo: Tall, weathered stone tower standing in a grassy field under a colorful sunset sky.
Green Grass, County Galway, Ireland, by Franz van Heerden, is licensed under the Pexels Free to Use (some rights reserved) license.

Long Road Ahead B, by Kevin MacLeod, is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Dreams Built of Stone and Time, by Kristi Mosac, is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.” ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Ireland has always been a dream of mine. To travel there, to live there — I have wanted these things for nearly 40 years. This image invokes these desires, showcasing the beautiful scenery and sunset, while focusing on the relics of the past. While dreaming of my journey I wish to one day take, it also calls to mind the dreams I have achieved: earning my undergraduate degree, continuing my education in graduate school, and embracing my role in libraries.

Kevin MacLeod’s stunning music, “Long Road Ahead,” not only enhances the vision of this Irish dream but also evokes the long road I have already travelled in my second-chance career and education. Further, it embraces traditional Irish musical styles, creating a lovely balance with Franz van Heerden’s image.

January 25, 2026 by Spring 2026 Student Posts 2

Bold and Regal: History’s Rulers Defined

“Ancient Egypt, London” by jpitha licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
“Film Reveal” by SergeQuadrado is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0

As an avid learner about ancient cultures, and a graduate of an anthropology program, one of the most fascinating cultures was that of ancient Egypt. The plethora or subcultures, the variety of artwork, the ingenuity that has stood the test of time, and a locality all its own, Ancient Egypt has been at the top of my study interests for quite some time. The above image on Flickr, entitled Ancient Egypt, by jpitha is one that I located after an extensive search through creative commons. The regal appearance, the use of parallel lines, and the unique applications associated with a metal work bring to life the concept of a pharaoh.

To complement the image of this pharaoh, the audio of Film Reveal by SergeQuadrado, contains that of many common instruments found in classical music, but applicable to the plight of a ruler. The piano is the solo piece, with epic persona, elegant mood, and an almost cinematic perspective. The music can be seen as mysterious, prominent, calm, intriguing, and even resembles the ambiance of a strong powerful quiet ruler. The music mirrors that of a pharaoh who would find themselves challenged, yet remain steadfast in their perspectives and decisions, much like that of the music linked above.

One of the most interesting aspects of this process for me as a future librarian, was that it allowed me to dive deep into my ability to connect imagery and audiology. The image displays power, much like that of the music, which is one of the key aspects of why I am so enamored with the Egyptian culture and history. The challenge of connecting the two and creating a seamless relationship was daunting, but much like that of a ruler in Egypt connecting unrelated cultures, this process was both rewarding and satisfying.

Terms of Use: “Bold and Regal: History’s Rulers Defined” by Kelly John-Strate is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

January 25, 2026 by Spring 2026 3

Beneath the Surface

“Sculpture under water, Copenhagen” by phototouring is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
“Stormchaser Duet” by Martijn de Boer (NiGiD) is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0

When I first came across this image on Flickr titled “Sculpture, under water, Copenhagen” by phototouring, I thought about a past history, a culture that seemingly vanished under unforeseen circumstances. The statues reaching towards the surface in a manner that exudes a state of panic and longing for escape. Its almost as if they were actual people frozen in stone, by a cataclysmic event. It turns out this is a modern bronze sculpture titled “Agnete and the Merman”, by Danish Artist Suste Bonnén from the year 1992. Given that the piece is based on a Danish folk tale about abandonment, my original interpretation wasn’t too far off.

The audio I chose, “Stormchaser Duet” by Martijn de Boer (NiGiD), features a guitar and bass duet that play off each other, alternating between rhythms and tempos. The bass is deep and heavy evoking memories of muffled underwater sounds harnessed by a light airy reverberating guitar that floats on the senses. I paired the audio with the photo because its ethereal sound evokes mystery and a subtle, haunting nostalgia without being overly direct. During the editing process, I chose to use only the final minute and a half of the seven-minute track, focusing on its emotional progression and climactic build while staying true to my original vision.

I found it easier to start from an image and find the sound that matched rather than vice versa. My overall goal was to find a sound that closely matched my original emotional response to the image. I believe the pairing enhances both elements, as together they evoke a sense of mystery and a forgotten tale. During this exercise, I also thought about how a soundtrack is created and how that can truly elevate or diminish a scene.

Terms of Use: “Beneath the Surface” by Kenneth Jones is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

January 25, 2026 by Spring 2026 Student Posts 4

Through Space Through Time – The Meteors Shine

Leonid Meteor Shower over Niagara Falls by Anonymous is licensed under Public Domain
Gas and Gravity by Hieron is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International

I love the aesthetics of space which is what initially drew me to the Leonid Meteor Shower over Niagara Falls, I knew I wanted to work with it in some way but was not sure what style of audio would best work for “enhancing” the image. Picking a “celestial” instrumental soundtrack seemed the obvious thing to do, but I wanted to push the idea a little further so I started searching for spoken word poetry relating to space. I stumbled upon Gas and Gravity by Hieron which uses acoustic guitar from martinsea, the voice of SackJo22, and the electric guitar and voice arrangement from 7OOP3D to help create their piece. I did have to drop the quality a bit on the audio to get the file size right for upload, but otherwise I made no additional changes to the audio besides pairing it with the image.

I believe that pairing this audio with this image emphasizes the idea of light found in both pieces, creating a story of sorts that the lights from this meteor shower over a hundred years ago can guide us today through space and through time. I think the music that accompanies the poetry also works to push the “story” forward, there is a sense of dread in some of the rhythms that I think speak to an idea of being pushed over a (metaphorical) waterfall (or otherwise into some precarious situation) while the voice assures us that the lights above will guide the audience to safety.

Through Space Through Time – The Meteors Shine by Nicole Davis is licensed under
Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International

January 24, 2026 by Spring 2026 Student Posts 4

The Calm After the Storm

If you haven’t gotten the chance to read my introductory post, its good context to know that I reside in a tiny town in West Virginia. Tonight, around midnight, much of the east coast is expecting the most snow its seen in years, and my tiny town is right in the middle of it all. I took inspiration from my anticipation and thought about those nights where you lay in bed hearing the wind howl, seeing snow flurries rush by your window. Then you wake up, all is still, and as you peek out between your blinds you see that the world outside is covered in a fresh blanket of snow. I wanted to capture this feeling through this project.

“First Tracks” by arbyreed is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
210523_1598_FR_Blizzard.wav by kevp888 — https://freesound.org/s/573290/ — License: Attribution 4.0

New Media licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

January 24, 2026 by Spring 2026 Student Posts 4

fast forward


Child driving a toy car, 1930, Unidentified, Flickr, State Library of Queensland, licensed under CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International


Go Ahead, 2025, Andrew R. Codeman, Free Music Archive, is licensed by CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

The image of a young girl in sunglasses, ready to move forward in her toy car, paired with the upbeat synth/dance music evokes a hopeful inevitableness that we’ve all felt in our youth, and also when watching young children as they move through each stage of life. More than this, though, it’s a reminder that we all face a future whose pace of technological expansion increases by the day. We ALL rush forward into an unknown future, whether we like it or not. The music doesn’t stop. Hopefully, we can put on the shades and steady ourselves optimistically with both hands on the wheel, like this young one. Ready, set…..goooooo!

fast forward, 2026, Karen Jesina, with image from the State Library of Queensland, is licensed by CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

January 23, 2026 by Student Posts 3

Coffee, Music, and Not Freezing to Death

This morning, it was -48° with wind chill in Bismarck, ND. The walk from my car to my school actually felt like I couldn’t breathe. We moved here 12 years ago, and I still wonder sometimes why I live in a place that makes my face hurt and my nose hairs freeze. I am trying to psych myself up to put gas in my car on the way home from school. I decided to look for an image that makes me feel warm and cozy. A Book and a Coffee by Rahime Gül gave me that vibe.

Before I became a teacher, I was a barista at a small local coffee shop in Scranton, PA. I loved working there because I got to learn how to do latte art and create my own specialty drinks. However, my favorite part was coming in early in the morning and choosing the background music for the day. I would create the best coffee shop playlist and then hook up my iPod to the sound system. This was the early 2000s, so it was mostly Jack Johnson and Norah Jones with some John Mayer and Sufjan Stevens trickled in.

Closing my eyes while listening to “Gloss Maestro” by Robbero and imagining that I am slowly sipping a mug of hot coffee will give me the serotonin boost I need to put my life in harm’s way while I pump gas this afternoon.

A Book and a Coffee by Rahime Gül, Pexels, Public Domain

“Gloss Maestro” by Robbero, CCMixter, Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0)

January 23, 2026 by Spring 2026 Student Posts 3

Tide and Joy

“Jasper laughing at the beach” by Danielle Pluhacek
“Happy Feelings (short ver.2)” by AudioCoffee is licensed under CC-BY-NC 4.0

New Media: “Jasper laughing at the beach/audio” by Danielle Pluhacek is licensed under CC-BY-NC 4.0

After my eyes went cross looking at so many amazing photos on the CC sites, I was overwhelmed. I know that I take pretty decent photos, so I decided that I would use one of mine.

This is my son, Jasper, over 10 years ago on Melbourne Beach, Florida. We went to visit family friends for the day. Jasper was the only little one and I could tell he was getting restless, so we took the short walk to the ocean. It was early March, still cool enough not to swim, but nice enough to dip our toes. If I had to choose a soundtrack for this moment when I replay it in my mind, I think AudioCoffee captured what makes the image come to life. We ran around on the beach in and out of the water, laughing and splashing. Now that he is much older, I often think about little moments like this, remembering the sun on our cheeks, toes in the tide, and that unmistakable little laugh.

To Note: I only used the intro and outro to HappyFeelings (shortver2) Because the license is CC BY-NC, (allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format) I used AudioMass to cut and splice the parts of the audio I liked the best.

January 23, 2026 by Spring 2026 Student Posts 3

Ziegler’s Fountain


I chose the image below because of its title, Baden-Baden, which suggested something beautiful and European. Visually, the photograph feels elegant but somewhat dry. Pairing it with the Andalūzijas romance song adds warmth. The title of the photo also made me think of Better Call Saul, where Baden-Baden is referenced by Werner Ziegler as a place of respite. I then recalled how Vince Gilligan uses music to transform visuals into layered experiences—something this pairing attempts to do by letting sound reshape how the image is felt rather than what it shows.

Baden-Baden 10-2015 img13 Hector Berlioz Park by A.Savin, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baden-Baden_10-2015_img13_Hector_Berlioz_Park.jpg

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Audio:

Andalūzijas romance (public domain sound recording), from Wikimedia Commons.

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andal%C5%ABzijas_romance3470.wav

License for this work:

This combined work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

January 20, 2026 by Spring 2026 Student Posts 4