• 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: 1645

  • 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: 1764

  • 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: 1757

  • 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: 1584

  • 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: 1829

  • Credo Reference

    The DCTC Library now subscribes to Credo Reference! Credo Reference is a full-text online reference service. The collection includes over 3,200,000 entries from more than 400 well-regarded titles from some of world’s the best reference publishers. Credo’s collection is intelligently integrated with millions of cross-references and contains dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, quotations, and atlases, plus a wide range of subject-specific titles covering everything from art to accountancy, science to Shakespeare, and law to literature [Adapted from Credo Reference’s Library Services page].

    Give it a try. Just go to the DCTC Library home page and enter a topic in the box labeled Search Credo Reference. Enjoy!

    April 27, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1607

  • For Earth Day, a few good Web sites

    Looking to “green” your home, watch some frogs or bursting buds? Some recommended Web sites, courtesy of Librarians’ Internet Index:

    Sierra Club Green Home
    Dedicated to helping you create “a more sustainable home environment.” Main topics include reducing energy consumption (and a home carbon dioxide calculator), solar energy, and home health hazards (such as radon, pesticides, and mold). The “Learn More” section includes content organized by subjects such as bath, cleaning, flooring, landscaping, and plumbing. Also includes a video library. From the Sierra Club.

    Frogwatch USA
    “Frogwatch USA is a Citizen Science Monitoring Program that gives you the opportunity to help scientists conserve amphibians.” On this site read the eight easy steps for becoming a frog-watching volunteer, discover the instructions for frog-watching, and learn about the frog species in your state (including images and sounds). From the National Wildlife Federation.

    Project Budburst
    Another way to be a citizen scientist. “Join thousands of others in gathering valuable environmental and climate change information from across the country. Project BudBurst engages the public in making careful observations of the phenophases such as first leafing, first flower, and first fruit ripening of a diversity of … [plants] in their local area.” Learn how to join, review illustrated field guides (on wildflowers, grasses, trees, and more), and see data. From the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. You can even join them on Facebook!

    April 23, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1625

  • Training sessions in May

    DCTC students and employees can access dozens of databases through the DCTC Library web site. State tax dollars pay for many of these databases, which are collectively known as ELM, the Electronic Library for Minnesota. ELM is one of several Minitex programs.

    Minitex offers free web-based training on ELM databases from time to time. Here are some of the upcoming training sessions, as described on the Minitex web site:

    EBSCO Academic Search Premier Advanced
    This one-hour webinar will build upon the Academic Search Premier Basic Overview webinar by taking a look at the more advanced features of the database. Time will be spent exploring the Advanced Search & Limiter options, Cited References, Search History Management, Search & Journal Alerts, and Folder Features (e.g., Results Management, Page Composer).
    Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2009
    Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM
    Register

    Gale K12 Resources and PowerSearch
    This session covers the K12 resources available in ELM from Gale, including the Discovering Collection, Kids InfoBits, InfoTrac K12 editions, and Junior Reference Collection. This session will cover the new PowerSearch interface.
    Date: Thursday, May 14, 2009
    Time: 3:30 – 4:30 PM
    Register

    To learn more about these and other resources, register for a training session or just ask a librarian!

    April 20, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1527

  • We’re on Facebook!

    The DCTC Library has just published a page on Facebook! Check us out for updates, photos, recommended new books, and discussions. You can even search the Library catalog and a few of our most popular databases right from our Facebook page. On our Wall, you can ask a question or make a suggestion. There’s more to come, as we are just building the site.

    Come visit the Library’s new Facebook page. Become a Fan!

    April 14, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1571

  • More new titles in March

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

    April 6, 2009 • Uncategorized • Views: 1485