Welcome New Cataloging Librarian!

A new cataloging librarian has joined the staff of the Henry G. Bennett Memorial Library. Kathryn (Kate) Plunkett comes to SOSU from Austin College in Sherman, TX, where she was the cataloger and serials supervisor. Kate is an SOSU alumna graduating in 1993 with a BA in Psychology. Her MLS is from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX with an emphasis in Technical Services.
Kate lives in Denison with her husband Henry. They live in a geodesic dome which they built themselves. She has one daughter, Alexa, who is a Montessori teacher in Seattle, WA.

In her free time, Kate enjoys travel, fitness, meditation and communing with nature.
Kate has volunteered to be the SOSU contact person for anyone wishing to form a carpool. Just email her (kplunkett@se.edu) with your location and schedule and she will let you know if there is a possible match with someone else on campus.

Students get creative at library

I would like to announce a new link on the Library’s main page called: yourspace.com—a place for student tutorials.
This page contains links to four PowerPoint presentations created by students in the library section of the Orientation (College Success) classes taught by Sharon Morrison and Susan Webb this past fall semester and the current spring semester. There is one called “So You Have to do a Research Paper?” that explains how to use EBSCOhost, another one called “Searching the Library for a Book” on the catalog. A third one is called “The Spot for What’s Hot” which talks about using the Internet, and the final one is called “Wilson Select Plus Tutorial, which explains how to use FirstSearch databases. Take a look at what creative things that students can do!
The link is: http://www.se.edu/lib/studentppt.htm

St. Patricks' Day

"St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling." Who Was St. Patrick? on the History Channel Online for more information on St. PAtrick and from where the above information came from.
"St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years....Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore, and Russia." See St. Patrick's Day History on the History Channel Online for more information on the History of St. Patrick's day and from where the above information came from.

Why Do We have Daylight Savings Time?

This Sunday Americans in most states will move their clocks forward one hour in observance of Daylight Savings time. But what is daylight savings time?

"Daylight Saving Time was instituted in the United States during World War I in order to save energy for war production by taking advantage of the later hours of daylight between April and October. During World War II the federal government again required the states to observe the time change. Between the wars and after World War II, states and communities chose whether or not to observe Daylight Saving Time. In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act which standardized the length of Daylight Saving Time."

"Arizona (except some Indian Reservations), Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa have chosen not to observe Daylight Saving Time. This choice does make sense for the areas closer to the equator because the days are more consistent in length throughout the year."

"Other parts of the world observe Daylight Saving Time as well. While European nations have been taking advantage of the time change for decades, in 1996 the European Union (EU) standardized a EU-wide European Summer Time. This EU version of Daylight Saving Time runs from the last Sunday in March through the last Sunday in October."

"On Sunday, March 9 (the second Sunday in March) at 2 a.m., Daylight Saving Time begins in the United States. This is the second year that Daylight Saving Time is four weeks longer due to the passage of the Energy Policy Act in 2005. The Act, which extends Daylight Saving Time by four weeks from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November, is expected to save 10,000 barrels of oil each day through reduced use of power by businesses during daylight hours."
From Daylight Saving Time (Not Daylight "Savings" Time)" by Matt Rosenberg at About.com Geography

Thanks to Judy Hodges for the picture

Thank you Judy Hodges for the picture of the Library in the snow. The picture was taken Tuesday morning after the early morning snowfall.

Alexander Graham Bell Birthday

Today marks the 161st anniversary of Alexander Graham Bell's birth. Born March 3, 1847, Bell is best known for the invention of the telephone in 1876. Here are some web sites that are about Bell:

Alexendar Graham Bell, Biography

Alexendar Graham Bell and His Telephone

Alexendar Graham Bell's Path to the telephone

Alexendar Graham Bell Family Papers

More About Bell from PBS