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• Science Online update

  I just received this update from Facts On File regarding our Science Online subscription. Check it out!

  Overview
  This update further broadens the scope of this outstanding database, adding coverage of several core-curriculum subject areas–marine science, chemistry, and physics. As always, our new content comes in a variety of student-friendly formats–including more than 250 new or newly colored illustrations, more than 60 new photographs, and more than 440 new essays. In addition, a record URL has been added to the Advanced Search page, allowing users to easily bookmark and link directly to this page. Continue reading for more details about this update.

  New Marine Science Subject Page
  A new marine science subject page has been added to Science Online, easily accessible from the “Explore Subjects” menu on the home page. From this page, students and researchers will find the perfect starting point for exploring the wealth of newly added content on this topic–including new or newly colored illustrations, new photographs, and hundreds of new essays. The helpful suggested searches give ideas for important topics and terms to research, and the links to diagrams and images, experiments, biographies, videos, and a timeline will help educators liven their lesson plans while clarifying important concepts.

  Examples of the new content include: Formation of the Hawaiian Islands: Use this clear illustration to help explain how the drifting of the Pacific tectonic plate over a hot spot resulted in the formation of the Hawaiian Islands. Ocean currents: Get an informative overview, with links and illustrations, of this important part of marine science. Marine sextant: Learn exactly how this navigational tool works with this clear diagram and labels.

  New Chemistry Content
  With new essays as well as new or newly colored illustrations, our new chemistry content provides an overview of some fascinating areas of research. Coverage ranges from the most fundamental fields of chemistry, such as the origins of matter and of the universe, to those with important applications to everyday life, such as the composition of foods and drugs, to hot topics such as forensic chemistry, and more. The new material will be helpful to teachers looking to supplement coursework in general science, physical science, and chemistry classes.

  Examples of the new content include:

  • Chemistry of interstellar space
  • Chemistry of water pollution
  • Synthetic foods

  New Physics Content
  Studying matter and energy and their interactions is an integral part of science. The new physics material added with this update makes it easy for students to grasp the fundamental science by providing accessible real-life examples to which they can relate. New essays along with new or newly colored illustrations cover the wide world of physics, from the smallest particles that make up matter to the immense forces that move the continents. Use this new material to teach this core-curriculum topic in an entertaining way.

  Examples of the new content include:

  • Observing the night sky
  • Household energy use
  • Radioactivity

  July 9, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1878

• Summer reading suggestions

  Everything from “click lit” to politics! Here’s a super compilation of great summer ’09 reading lists for adults, teens and children. Lists come from from NPR, the New York Times, Oprah, various libraries, the American Library Association and myriad newspapers, radio stations, and other sources.

  It’s called Rebecca’s Pocket, and comes from a long-time book blogger.

  (Thanks to Librarians’ Internet Index for this great suggestion.)

  July 1, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1692

• Gale PowerSearch 2.0

  From the June 2009 Gale Product Update Bulletin:

  Gale PowerSearch 2.0 Now Available

  Since its launch in 2002, the Gale PowerSearch platform has offered comprehensive access to authoritative reference, periodical and primary source information. Gale has incorporated new enhancements, creating Gale PowerSearch 2.0, a platform providing even greater ease and giving more power to the user. Gale PowerSearch 2.0 simplifies browsing through Gale’s more than 20,000 publications, providing the ability to search across more than 150 million documents.
  Improvements include:

  • Web 2.0 sharing tools including Del.icio.us, MySpace, Reddit, Digg, Facebook, Newsvine, Twitter and others to connect users with their community, allowing them to push interesting articles out to the Web to share with others
  • ReadSpeaker (text-to-speech technology), allowing users to have all articles available from within the platform read aloud to them. All articles are fully downloadable in MP3 file format and can be played on an iPod or other audio devices
  • Addition of “named user” functionality, allowing researchers to create custom profiles, name and save any search and modify RSS feeds on the product’s homepage, thus facilitating ongoing research and supporting user’s interests
  • Search results that incorporate portals of context sensitive multimedia (images, video and podcasts)
  • On demand translation of documents into 11 different languages, helping institutions support a global community of users

  Visit the Gale PowerSearch web site for more information. Happy researching!

  June 25, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 2134

• Understanding Iran and the recent election

  For reliable news and updates on the recent election in Iran and its aftermath, check out the following Web sites:

  The BBC News Special Report on Iran: In-depth reporting and late-breaking news from the British Broadcasting Corporation, renowned for its coverage of world affairs.

  The New York Times Middle East page: Current news stories, in-depth reports and analysis on the Middle East, currently focusing on the Iran crisis.

  To understand the news from Iran, it helps to have credible background information. Here’s a link to information on Iran from the World Factbook, published by the U.S. government.

  June 23, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1640

• Credo Reference content update

  Credo Reference added the following new titles in May:

  • Chambers Dictionary of Literary Characters
  • The Elgar Companion to Consumer Research and Economics Psychology
  • The Elgar Dictionary of Economic Quotations
  • A Handbook of Globalisation and Environmental Policy
  • The Human Body Book: An Illustrated Guide to Its Structure, Function and Disorders
  • Ripples of Hope: Great American Civil Rights Speeches

  Credo Reference has also updated the following titles to the latest available edition:

  • Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms
  • Dictionary of Optometry and Visual Science
  • The Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  • Mosby’s Dental Dictionary
  • The New Food Lover’s Companion
  • The Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of Women’s Biography
  • The Wisden Archive of Cricketers’ Lives 2009

  Enjoy!

  June 2, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1579

• Web sites on Pakistan and Afghanistan

  These days all eyes are on Pakistan and Afghanistan as the volatile “hot spots” that most concern national security.

  Here are two information-packed Web sites, one with updates, the other providing background and analysis. The links and commentary are from Librarians’ Internet Index .

  Conflict Zones: Pakistan & Afganistan
  Ongoing coverage of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan-Pakistan relations. Provides documentaries and reports on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the Taliban, politicians and elections, and U.S. policy. Includes video dispatches from the region, and related links. From Frontline/World, a national public television series produced by KQED and WGBH.

  Rough Neighbors: Afghanistan and Pakistan
  This 2003 article provides historical context for contemporary Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, noting that after “the end of the Cold War this relationship became a prime facilitator of the international terrorist network, which found its locus in the region.” Covers effects of the Pashtun movement back to the 19th century, the Taliban, the “Pashtunwali” code, elections in Pakistan, and related topics. From Strategic Insights, an electronic journal from the Center for Contemporary Conflict, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

  May 20, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1620

• Summer hours

  Today is the first day of the summer session and the Library’s hours have changed. From now until August, we’ll be open from 8 AM to 12 PM, Monday through Friday.

  May 19, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1730

• Free books

  Please see our spreadsheet of May 2009 Library discards and contact us if you’d like any of them.

  May 13, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1739

• New titles in April

  Please see this spreadsheet for a list of books and videos we added to our collection in April. You’ll find these and other great titles in our catalog, MnPALS Plus.

  May 4, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1557

• Swine flu resources

  Looking to distinguish fact from hype? Here are some reliable sites to keep you informed on the developing swine flu situation:

  Up-to-date and in-depth information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  Swine flu info and current news from the World Health Organization.

  And finally, a couple of links from the New York Times (copy and paste the links to read the articles):

  A news article from April 28, 2009: “Border Controls Are Tighter As Swine Flu Cases Rise”:
  

  and a Q&A, answering readers’ questions:
  http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/readers-questions-the-swine-flu-outbreak/?hp

  Wash those hands, and stay healthy!

  April 28, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1797