Henry G. Bennett Memorial Library Blog

Nuclear bomb Dropped on Hiroshima

2009-08-06T12:02:00.001-05:00

Today marks the 54th year since the first time that human beings used a nuclear bomb on other people. On August 6, 1945, A lone B-29 bomber flew to Japan and dropped one bomb on the city of Hiroshima. The Japanese were not afraid of one lone aircraft, but when that one bomb exploded, it killed thousands of people. Read the description of the effects of the blast:

Those closest to the explosion died instantly, their bodies turned to black char. Nearby birds burst into flames in mid-air, and dry, combustible materials such as paper instantly ignited as far away as 6,400 feet from ground zero. The white light acted as a giant flashbulb, burning the dark patterns of clothing onto skin (right) and the shadows of bodies onto walls. Survivors outdoors close to the blast generally describe a literally blinding light combined with a sudden and overwhelming wave of heat. (The effects of radiation are usually not immediately apparent.) The blast wave followed almost instantly for those close-in, often knocking them from their feet. Those that were indoors were usually spared the flash burns, but flying glass from broken windows filled most rooms, and all but the very strongest structures collapsed. One boy was blown through the windows of his house and across the street as the house collapsed behind him. Within minutes 9 out of 10 people half a mile or less from ground zero were dead.

People farther from the point of detonation experienced first the flash and heat, followed seconds later by a deafening boom and the blast wave. Nearly every structure within one mile of ground zero was destroyed, and almost every building within three miles was damaged. Less than 10 percent of the buildings in the city survived without any damage, and the blast wave shattered glass in suburbs twelve miles away. The most common first reaction of those that were indoors even miles from ground zero was that their building had just suffered a direct hit by a bomb. Small ad hoc rescue parties soon began to operate, but roughly half of the city's population was dead or injured. In those areas most seriously affected virtually no one escaped serious injury. The numerous small fires that erupted simultaneously all around the city soon merged into one large firestorm, creating extremely strong winds that blew towards the center of the fire. The firestorm eventually engulfed 4.4 square miles of the city, killing anyone who had not escaped in the first minutes after the attack. One postwar study of the victims of Hiroshima found that less than 4.5 percent of survivors suffered leg fractures. Such injuries were not uncommon; it was just that most who could not walk were engulfed by the firestorm.

Read more at the following website: http://www.cfo.doe.gov/me70/manhattan/hiroshima.htm

The Top 100 Books Ever Written

2009-07-16T10:54:00.002-05:00

Newsweek Magazine published a list of the top 100 books ever written. Whenever someone does things like this, there is always spirited debate about the ones included and left out. You may agree or disagree, but the list was made up of books that have been on other lists, such as the New York Public Library, and Oprah.

The link to the list follows: http://www.newsweek.com/id/204478

Government websites: Weather and Drought

2009-06-18T09:33:00.009-05:00

The National Weather Service web site at http://www.weather.gov/ has 8 tabs on top of the web page above the U.S. map. The home page defaults to the first tab, which is Warnings & Forecasts. There are several ways to navigate this site. By clicking on a specific area on the U.S. map, you would be linked to a different National Weather Service Forecast Office. Using the drop down menu below the Warnings & Forecasts tab, you can find warnings for a specific state. You can also find the weather forecast to a specific location on the left hand side of the page in the search box that says Local forecast by “City, St.” You can use the search box by typing the zip code rather than the city and state.

The second tab is the Graphical Forecasts tab. This tab will show graphical forecasts for the current weather, temperature, wind speed and direction, precipitation amount and chance of precipitation. This information comes from the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD).

The National Maps tab is where you can find the old fashion maps seen on TV. You can click on the Legend link, which is located right below the map, for information on the different fronts and other symbols that can be found on a map.

Next is the Radar tab which defaults to the continental U.S. You can choose a specific part of the nation as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and Puerto Rico and by clicking on Loop of this image you can see the radar in action.

The Water tab contains information about rivers with an emphasis on flooding. This is a joint initiative from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The Air Quality tab gives information about ozone. By using the Satellite tab, you will find infrared, visible, and water vapor satellite images.

The drought.gov web site at http://www.drought.gov/ is a clearinghouse of information gathered by several agencies. Some of these agencies include the Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, Interior and Transportation departments. The emphasis for this web site is the scarcity of water. This site has several tabs on top of the web page. After the What is NIDIS tab, which stands for the National Integrated Drought Information System, is the Current Drought tab. This tab has links to the U.S. Drought Monitor and the North American Drought Monitor.

By using the Forecasting tab, it shows the latest U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook. The Impacts tab defaults to the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Drought Impact Reporter, which gives an opportunity for citizens to report actual drought impacts. This section also has a gallery of photos related to drought.

The Planning tab has a section called Drought Planning Processes and it provides links on how to plan for a drought. The Education tab has links to educational materials and it’s organized by General Audiences and K-12 and Above.

The 100th Anniversary of the start of classes

2009-06-08T11:15:00.008-05:00

Monday, June 14, 1909, was the first day of classes for the new institution that would one day be called Southeastern Oklahoma State University, or just Southeastern. At that time it was one of several state normal schools that had been established to help train teachers. Around 500 teachers registered for this, the first summer semester of the institution. According to David Norris, classes conviened each day at 8:00 AM. Since the first building built at Southeastern was not completed until 1911, classes were held at either the high school or the Presbyterian College. There was a break for lunch and then classes continued for four more hours in the afternoon. At 8 PM there were chapel exercises held at the Methodist Church.

This Sunday, marks 100 years from the start of classes at SOSU. Thus, this is the marks 100 years of Southeastern as an institution. This is the day that all activities that have been done this year in commeration of 100 years have been pointing to. Congraulations to Southeastern for 100 years of building futures!

Source:

David Norris. A History of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Durant, OK: Mesa Publishing Co, 1986.

D-Day 65 Years Ago

2009-06-03T10:04:00.004-05:00

This Saturday marks the 65th anniversary of when the combined Allied forces landed on the shores of Normandy, France in an attempt start a second front to bring down Hitler's Nazi Germany. Wikipedia states that D-Day "was the largest single-day amphibious invasion of all time, with 160,000 troops landing on June 6, 1944."

Each year, more and more of those who survived the invasion and passing on, making fewer to remember. But we as Americans should always remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on that day and the days after to bring the war to its end. We should also remember all those who fought bravely on this day.

The Great Flu Pandemic of 1918-1919

2009-05-04T09:11:00.004-05:00

The news media have been comparing this current swine flu epidemic to the great flu pandemic of 1918. Here is a government website from the Department of Health and Human Services that contains information about this great pandemic. http://1918.pandemicflu.gov/index.htm. There is information about what life was like in 1918, facts about the pandemic, the pandemic in every state, documents and media, and books about the pandemic.

Buy Indie Day

2009-05-01T09:16:00.000-05:00

May 1st has been declared Buy Indie Day. The idea: buy one book—paperback, hardcover, audiobook, whatever you want!—at an independent bookstore near you. See more information at: Indebound

May Day

2009-04-30T10:37:00.003-05:00

Tommorrow is the first of May, called May day. Here is what the Infoplease says about May Day: "May 1st, often called May Day, just might have more holidays than any other day of the year. It's a celebration of Spring. It's a day of political protests. It's a neopagan festival, a saint's feast day, and a day for organized labor. In many countries, it is a national holiday."
"Beltane was a Celtic calendar feast ushering in the start of summer. (It also went by a variety of other spellings and names in assorted dialects of Gaelic.)"

"Bonfires, often created by rubbing sticks together, were common features of Beltane celebrations. Related rituals included driving cattle between two fires, dancing around the fires, and burning witches in effigy. Another tradition was Beltane cakes, which would be broken into several pieces, one of which was blackened. They would be drawn by celebrants at random; the person getting the unlucky blackened piece would face a mock execution."

"In medieval England, people would celebrate the start of spring by going out to the country or woods—"going a-maying"—and gathering greenery and flowers, or "bringing in the may.""

"Another English tradition is the maypole. Some towns had permanent maypoles that would stay up all year; others put up a new one each May. In any event, the pole would be hung with greenery and ribbons, brightly painted, and otherwise decorated, and served as a central point for the festivities."

"May Day was also a time for morris dancing and other dances, often around the maypole. In the 19th century, people began to braid the maypole with ribbons by weaving in and out in the course of a dance. Other later traditions include making garlands for children and the crowning of the May Queen."

"In many countries, May Day is also Labor Day....Labor Day is still celebrated on May 1 in countries around the world, and it is still often a day for protests and rallies. In recent years, these have often been targeted against globalization."

For more information see the Infoplease web site at: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mayday.html

New Government Documents

2009-04-07T11:42:00.008-05:00

The Library at Southeastern has recently acquired a number of books about the military from the Department of Defense. Since Southeastern is a government depository, the library has an excellent collection of military history as well as what’s been going on with the war on terrorism, Iraq and Afghanistan. A majority of the material published by the Department of Defense including those that are listed below are located in the Government Documents room on Floor 2A. Some of the other titles are located on the second floor.

D 1.2:SCO 8
Scouts out!: The development of reconnaissance units in modern armies by John J. McGrath

D 101.2:AF 3/2
Long hard road: NCO experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq

D 114.2:AR 5
The U.S. Army and Irregular Warfare, 1775-2007

D 114.2:T 68/2
Transforming an Army at war: Designing the modular force, 1991-2005 by William M. Donnelly

D 114.2:V 67/3
Field artillery, 1954-1973 by David Ewing Ott

D 208.202:AS 4
Asia eyes America: Regional perspectives on U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy in the twenty-first century by Jonathan D. Pollack

D 214.13:AL 4
U.S. Marines in battle: al-Khafji, 28 January -- 1 February 1991

D 214.13:IR 1/2
U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2003: Basrah, Baghdad and beyond by Nicholas E. Reynolds

D 214.13:IR 1/3
Among the people: U.S. Marines in Iraq by David A. Benhoff

D 221.2:C 88
The world cruise of the Great White Fleet: Honoring 100 years of global partnerships and security by Michael J. Crawford

D 301.26/6:AF 8
Stopping mass killings in Africa: Genocide, airpower, and intervention by Douglas Carl Peifer

D 301.82/7:D 72
General James H. Doolittle : the Air Force's warrior-scholar

D 301.82/7:K 82
Khobar Towers: Tragedy and Response by Perry D. Jamieson

D 301.82/7:L 46
A century of air power leadership: Past, present, and future: Proceedings of a symposium by Jacob Neufeld

D 301.82/7:L 56
United States Air Force 60th anniversary: Lessons learned in airpower throughout the ages

D 301.82/7:R 25/2
Reflections on Air Force independence by Herman S. Wolk

Other titles that have been added to the government documents collection are

HE 1.2:R 53/SPAN.-ENG.
The road to a healthy life: Based on the dietary guidelines for Americans

HE 1.2:W 84/10
The healthy woman: A complete guide for all ages

HE 20.6202:2007
Adolescent health in the United States, 2007

J 1.14/2:C 33/3
The FBI: A centennial history, 1908-2008

LC 1.6/4:AE 8
Aeronautical and astronautical resources of the Library of Congress: A comprehensive guide

NF 3.2: AM 3/8
Picturing America

PREX 3.17:AG 3
The Agency and the Hill: CIA's relationship with Congress, 1946-2004 by L. Britt Snider

Y 1.1/7:108-224
Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007

Y 3.N 21/29:2 H 34
The health benefits of volunteering: A review of recent research

Government CD's and DVD's

2009-04-07T09:32:00.011-05:00

Within the Government Documents collection, we have CD's and DVD's.
The Census (C), NASA (NAS) and Homeland Security (HS) CD's and DVD's are located in the Government Documents room on Floor 2A. All other CD's and DVD's that pertain to Education (ED), Environment (EP), Health (HE) and so forth are located on the main floor of the Library. Most of them are on top of the Microfiche cabinets. The rest are at the Circulation Desk. Some of them have statistical information. All of these item can be checked out.

April Fools Day

2009-04-01T09:17:00.005-05:00

The origin of April Fools' Day is obscure. One likely theory is that the modern holiday was first celebrated soon after the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar; the term referred to someone still adhering to the Julian Calendar, which it replaced.[2] In many pre-Christian cultures May Day (May 1) was celebrated as the first day of summer, and signalled the start of the spring planting season. An April Fool was someone who did this prematurely. Another origin is that April 1 was counted the first day of the year in France. When King Charles IX changed that to January 1, some people stayed with April 1. Those who did were called "April Fools" and were taunted by their neighbors.[citation needed] In the eighteenth century the festival was often posited as going back to the times of Noah. An English newspaper article published on April 13th, 1789 said that the day had its origins when he sent the raven off too early, before the waters had receded. He did this on the first day of the Hebrew month that corresponds with April.[3] A possible reference to April Fools' Day can be seen in the Canterbury Tales (ca 1400) in the Nun's Priest's tale, a tale of two fools: Chanticleer and the fox, which took place on March 32nd.[4]

[1] KIDPROJ Multi-Cultural Calendar

[2]April Fools' Day Encyclopaedia Brittanica

[3] Olmert, Michael (1996). Milton's Teeth and Ovid's Umbrella: Curiouser & Curiouser Adventures in History, p.186. Simon & Schuster, New York. ISBN 0-684-80164-7.

[4] thirty-two days since March began

April Fool's Day-Wikipedia

Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time

April Fool's Day--Origin and History--Information Please

April Fool's Day--History, Traditions and Foolishness

Snoopes--April Fool's Day Origins

It is Spring

2009-03-23T16:23:00.003-05:00

On the Twentieth of March (last Friday) the sun was directly over the equator, and the amount of day and night were equal. When this happens each March of every year, it is known as Spring. So now we are officially in Spring, the time when plants begin to grow again and everything becomes green.

For more information, see the following:

Equinox

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_equinox

Friday the 13th

2009-03-13T09:33:00.003-05:00

Today is Friday the 13th, a day considered by many to be unlucky. Why is this day considered so? The following is from Wikipedia:

"According to folklorists, there is no written evidence for a "Friday the 13th" superstition before the 19th century.[1][2][3]....

However, some folklore is passed on through oral traditions. In addition, "determining the origins of superstitions is an inexact science, at best. In fact, it's mostly guesswork."[5] Consequently, several theories have been proposed about the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition.

One theory states that it is a modern amalgamation of two older superstitions: that thirteen is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.

In numerology, the number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the twelve months of the year, twelve signs of the zodiac, twelve hours of the clock, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve Apostles of Jesus, twelve gods of Olympus, etc., whereas the number thirteen was considered irregular, transgressing this completeness. There is also a superstition, thought by some to derive from the Last Supper or a Norse myth, that having thirteen people seated at a table will result in the death of one of the diners.[2]
Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century's The Canterbury Tales,[6] and many other professions have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys or begin new projects. Black Friday has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s.[3][7] It has also been suggested that Friday has been considered an unlucky day because, according to Christian scripture and tradition, Jesus was crucified on a Friday. [8]"

2009-03-09T21:25:00.001-05:00

The 1930's at Southeastern

2009-03-04T10:28:00.005-06:00

The 1930's at Southeastern was a time of change for the campus. It saw its first female President and the wife of the President of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt come to the campus. The library has a display of pictures, programs and events from the 1930's at Southeastern on display at Henry's on the first floor of the Library. Some of the items in the display include:

An inviation to the Progress Dinner on May 20, 1937 honoring President Kate Galt Zaneis

A 1931 Savage Football schedule

SOSU Bulletins from 1930 to 1940

an aerial view of the Southeastern Campus in the 1930's

A copy of Kate Galt Zaneis: First Lady of Educationa master's thesis submitted in 1976 by Linda Arlene Beach

A copy of the program of when Eleanor Roosevelt visited the Southeastern Campus in 1937

Information on External Sources of Funding on Library Website

2009-02-25T15:49:00.009-06:00

The Library has a webpage that contains links to websites that contain information about grants, foundations, and charitable giving. This webiste is located at: http://www.se.edu/lib/grants8.htm.
This page has links to many different kinds of fundraising websites, including:

Links to fundraising databases, which contain lists of organizations invovled in giving to other people or organizations.

It also contains sources of funding from the Federal government and from the Oklahoma and Texas governments.

A list of public foundations, of which the American Medical Association Foundation and the Gene and Jerry Jones Family/Dallas Cowboys Charities are two examples.

Community foundations, of which the Dallas Foundation, and the Oklahoma City and Tulsa Community Foundations are examples.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Many company sponsered foundations, and other foundations located in Texas and Oklahoma listed.

If you are looking for funding outside of the United States, there are links to websites of funding abroad.

For those wanting to search the Internet for fundraising websites, there are links on this webpage to search tools that you can use to search

Links to online fundraising magazines

Links to sites that teach how to write grants proposals

Charles Darwin-The Father of Evolution

2009-02-12T13:51:00.002-06:00

Charles Darwin is the father of the scientific theory of evolution, a theory that has stirred controversy for many years. Today marks the two hundereth anniversiry of his birth on February 12, 1809. The library has many books on Darwin and his theory, including a reference book called All things Darwin : an encyclopedia of Darwin's world

Two Hundred Years Ago A Great President Was Born

2009-02-12T08:30:00.003-06:00

Today marks the two hundred year anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth in a log cabin in Kentucky. THrough the tradegies and trials on his life he arose to become our Nation's 16th presindent at a time when his leadership was sorely needed. HE saved the country from being split apart and also in the process freed the slaves so that one day a man of color could become the President of the United States.

The library has many books on Abraham Lincoln. A list of links of Internet Sites on Abraham Lincoln are found at the following website: http://www.se.edu/lib/alincoln.htm

Tradegy in the Skies

2009-02-03T08:47:00.004-06:00

Sunday , February 1st, marked the sixth anniversary of the tragic Shuttle accident that took the lives of the following:

Commander: Rick D. Husband, a US Air Force colonel and mechanical engineer, who piloted a previous shuttle during the first docking with the International Space Station (STS-96)

Pilot: William C. McCool, a US Navy commander

Payload Commander: Michael P. Anderson, a US Air Force lieutenant colonel and physicist who was in charge of the science mission.

Payload Specialist: Ilan Ramon, a colonel in the Israeli Air Force and the first Israeli astronaut.

Mission Specialist: Kalpana Chawla, an Indian-born aerospace engineer on her second space mission.

Mission Specialist: David M. Brown, a US Navy captain trained as an aviator and flight surgeon. Brown worked on a number of scientific experiments.

Mission Specialist: Laurel Clark, a US Navy captain and flight surgeon. Clark worked on a number of biological experiments.

taken from the Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Columbia_disaster
Other online resources:

NASA faults equipment in Columbia shuttle disaster

Space Shuttle Columbia and her Crew

NOVA: Space Shuttle Disaster

New Display in Library reflect's University's Past

2009-01-30T11:36:00.005-06:00

The Library has put together a display of celebrating the University's past. Included in the display is a copy of the first annual edition of the yearbook, the Holliso (name means book in Choctaw) in 1911, a course of study booklet from 1914, a student handbook from 1929-1930, a picture of the student body taken in front of the Morrison building in July 1917, a copy of the Southeastern newspsper, dated November 27, 1922, and another issue of the same newspaper, dated May 5, 1926, which shows an aerial view of the campus at that time (the library building was not even there yet), and other pictures from early Southeastern history.

The display is located in Henry's. So why don't you come over to the library and see and feel a little of Southeastern's past!

Today's Website: Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts

2009-01-26T10:04:00.003-06:00

Today we will look at Alex. This is a database collection of about 14,000 "Classic public domain texts in English which covers American and English literature as well as western philosophy. By public domain is meant those works that the copyright has expired, which are those works publised 75+ years ago, or before 1924. So recent authors will not be included.

History Government Websites

2009-01-20T10:58:00.008-06:00

The web sites below are located on the History Subject Guide of the Government Documents home page. The web address for the History Subject Guide is http://www.se.edu/lib/govdocs/historygov.html.

Next month is the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. In honor of this great president, the Library of Congress has a web site called Abraham Lincoln: A Resource Guide. The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide variety of material associated with Abraham Lincoln, including the complete Abraham Lincoln Papers from the Manuscript Division. This resource guide compiles links to digital materials related to Lincoln such as manuscripts, letters, government documents, and images that are available throughout the Library of Congress web site. In addition, it provides links to external web sites focusing on Lincoln and a bibliography containing selected works for both general and younger readers. The web address is http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/presidents/lincoln/.

Since 1917, when Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman to serve in Congress, a total of 259 women have served as U.S. Representatives or Senators. This Web site, based on the book Women in Congress, 1917-2006 (Y1.1/2:SERIAL 14903), contains biographical profiles of former women who were Members of Congress, links to information about current women Members, essays on the institutional and national events that shaped successive generations of Congresswomen, and images of each woman Member, including rare photos. The web address is http://womenincongress.house.gov/.

Since 1870, when Senator Hiram Revels of Mississippi and Representative Joseph Rainey of South Carolina became the first African Americans to serve in Congress, a total of 125 African Americans have served as U.S. Representatives of Senators. This web site, based on the book
Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007 (Y 1.1/2:SERIAL 14904), contains biographical profiles of former African-American Members of Congress, links to information about current black members, essays on institutional and national events that shaped successive generations of African Americans in Congress, and images of each individual member, supplemented by other historical photos. The web address is http://baic.house.gov/.

Oklahoma Weather Government Websites

2009-01-20T10:50:00.003-06:00

The Government Documents web page at http://www.se.edu/lib/govdocs/govdoc%20home.html has been updated with these additional websites. The links below are located on the Oklahoma & State section of the web page.

Oklahoma Mesonet is a website that has up to date weather information for the state of Oklahoma. You can find out the current conditions (i.e. temperature, wind, and wind gusts). This information is updated every five to ten minutes. You can also find out the amount of rainfall an area has received as far back as 1994. The web address is http://www.mesonet.org.

Agweather is another Oklahoma weather website. It has similar information as the Oklahoma Mesonet website does. You can also find the forecast for a specific area and climate data. The web address is http://agweather.mesonet.org/.

Earthstorm is an educational website for teachers and students. The web address is http://earthstorm.mesonet.org/.

SIP, which stand for Simple Irrigation Plan, is a website about watering. The web address is http://sip.mesonet.org/.

Martin Luther King

2009-01-15T11:26:00.006-06:00

Martin Luther King was a great American who deserves to have a national holiday in commeration of his birth and life. He was actually born on January 15, 1929. If he were alive today, he would be eighty years old. The library has many items to offer about his life and writings.

323.1196073 B73A At Canaan's edge : America in the King years, 1965-68New York : Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2007.

Y 1.2 RP:C95.S2/182 Investigation of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. : hearings before the Select Committee on Assassinations of the U.S. House of Representatives, Ninety-fifth Congress, second session
United States. Congress. House. Select Committee on Assassinations. Washington : U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1979-

323.092 K53BR Martin Luther King, Jr. : a biography Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2006.

323.092 K53J King : the photobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr New York : Viking Studio, 2000.

Today's Website: CQ Researcher

2009-01-13T13:45:00.002-06:00

Hi to all the Southeastern community. Today is the day before the start of another semester. This is a good day to talk about CQ Researcher. As the name indicates, this site contains the results of research done by the staff of CQ Press, who publishes many items on politics and the U.S. political system. The researchers at CQ Press do research on topics of current or national interest and then publish a report about them. There is one report published each week, and each weekly topic is different from the previous one. Some of the recent reports were: Limiting Lawsuits, Mexico's Drug War, Reducing Your Carbon Footprint, Declining Birthrates, The National Debt, Juvenile Justice, Gun Rights Debates. CQ Press has been publishing these weekly reports for many years, and all of the reports are in this online database. You can search by topic, by date, and in advanced search you can also search by section of each report. You can even suggest a topic if you have one that interests you. Here is what the website says about where the editors come up with report ideas. "CQ Researcher's editors and staff writers monitor current events through a wide range of media outlets and professional journals while also tracking broad trends across a variety of fields, including civil liberties and criminal justice, social policy, health, foreign policy, education, and the environment. In addition, readers—students as well as librarians and teachers—often provide helpful suggestions for report topics."
This is a great place to begin to do research on many controversial topics.
CQ Researcher is located on the electronic resources page at: http://www.se.edu/lib/electres.htm. Once on this page, you simply scroll down until you get to Current Issues Resources. The third link under this heading is to CQ Researcher. You can also go to CQ Researcher from home by accessing the Proxy server on the main page http://www.se.edu/lib/.

Today's Site: STATS

2009-01-12T13:54:00.006-06:00

Today we will look at STATS, the website that takes a critical look at the statistics that we hear in the media every day. Here is what the main page of STATS says: "Numbers describe our world. Statistics shape our politics and policies. But can they always be trusted? STATS mission is to examine how numbers are distorted and the statistics misunderstood in the media and society." STATS is a nonprofit organation affilated with George Mason University in Virginia.

STATS is located on the Library's Website on the Electronic Resources page, at: http://www.se.edu/lib/electres.htm
Just scroll down the page until you come to Current Issues Resources. The link to STATS is towards the bottom of the list.

Today's Website: Polling Report.com

2009-01-09T08:40:00.002-06:00

Hi Today's website is Polling Report.com. This website says that it is "an independent, non-partisan resource on trends in American public opinion." It contains the latest polls on the major issues of the day, such as: abortion, disasters, energy, environment, gun laws, health policy, immigration, same-sex marriage, social security, stem cell research, national security, and of course, politics. Polling Report is located on the Library's Electronic Resources webpage, at: http://www.se.edu/lib/electres.htm. When you get to this page, simply go down to the Current Issues Resources heading, and the links under this heading are arranged alphabetically by title.

The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press

2009-01-08T13:11:00.004-06:00

Today I will talk about the Pew Research Center. Here is some information about the Center from the About page on the website:

"The Center is an independent opinion research group that studies attitudes toward the press, politics and public policy issues. We are best known for regular national surveys that measure public attentiveness to major news stories, and for our polling that charts trends in values and fundamental political and social attitudes. Formerly, the Times Mirror Center for the People & the Press (1990-1995), we are now sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts and are one of seven projects that make up the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world."

"The Center's purpose is to serve as a forum for ideas on the media and public policy through public opinion research. In this role it serves as an important information resource for political leaders, journalists, scholars, and public interest organizations. All of our current survey results are made available free of charge."

"The research program includes five principal areas of investigation:

The People & The Press - explores public attitudes about the credibility, social value and salience of the news media.

The People, The Press & Politics - features a typology which divides the American electorate into distinct voting groups and identifies the basic values and attitudes that animate political behavior.

The News Interest Index - measures on a regular basis how closely the public follows the major news stories and links this to views about politics and policy issues.

America's Place in the World - a series of in-depth surveys and analyses of the public and opinion leaders on international policy in the post-Cold War era.

Media Use - major surveys that measure the public's use of, and attitudes toward, the Internet and traditional news outlets.

Open CRS

2009-01-07T15:39:00.001-06:00

The Henry G. Bennett Memorial Library has hundreds of links to many useful web sites on its webpage. Today one of those web sites will be discussed, called Open CRS. Here is some information about the Open CRS website taken from the about page on the website:

"American taxpayers spend over $100 million a year to fund the Congressional Research Service, a "think tank" that provides reports to members of Congress on a variety of topics relevant to current political events. Yet, these reports are not made available to the public in a way that they can be easily obtained. A project of the Center for Democracy & Technology through the cooperation of several organizations and collectors of CRS Reports, Open CRS provides citizens access to CRS Reports already in the public domain and encourages Congress to provide public access to all CRS Reports."

"CRS Reports do not become public until a member of Congress releases the report. A number of libraries and non-profit organizations have sought to collect as many of the released reports as possible. Open CRS is a centralized utility that brings together these collections to search."

"Unfortunately, there is no systematic way to obtain all CRS reports. Because of this, not all reports appear on the Open CRS web site. CDT believes that it would be far preferable for Congress to make available to the public all CRS Reports."

The link to the Open CRS website is on the Library's Electronic Resources Page under the topic of Current Issues Resources Just go to the Electronic Resources Page at: http://www.se.edu/lib/electres.htm and scroll down until you see the Current Issues Resources heading.

Valkyrie

2009-01-06T09:54:00.000-06:00

It was July 20, 1944. The location was somewhere in East Germany. Adolf Hitler and his top generals are discussing the war in a secret location. Suddenly a bomb goes off in the building.

The war was going badly for Nazi Germany. The Russians were pressing in from the east, while the Americans, French and British were coming from the west. The handwriting was on the wall. Defeat was certain. Adolf Hitler, who began the war in 1939, was determined to fight on until the end. An that end meant burned and bombed out cities, a destroyed economy, many millions killed or wounded. However, there were some German leaders who wanted a different end to the one mentioned above. They thought that if they could only kill the leader of their nation, that they could negotiate a peace with the Allies and save Germany from utter destruction. So they determined to kill Hitler, and on July 20, 1944, they almost succeded. The name of the plan was Valkyrie. This is the name of a motion picture also that is currently playing in theaters. It brings to mind the valiant efforts of Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg and others to free their country of a tyrant.

Anniversary of flight

2008-12-15T10:31:00.001-06:00

This Wednesday marks the 105th anniversary of an important day in the history of the world, the day when the first flight took place with a machine that was heavier than air. On December 17, 1903 Orville and Wilbur brought their aircraft out on the sandy beaches of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and started the motor and flew several flights that day. The world did not know the impact of those few flights would have on the course of world history. To find more information about this event, see the following:

The Wright Brothers and the invention of the aerial age

The Time 100: The Wright Brothers

The Wright Brothers National Memorial

The Wright Brothers Flying Machine

New Web site: Encyclopedia of Life

2008-12-08T11:45:00.000-06:00

This post is about the Encyclopedia of Life website at: http://www.eol.org. The organizations responsible for this website are: The Field Museum of Natural History, Harvard University, Marine Biological Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution, and Biodiversity Heritage Library. They joined together to initiate the project, in May of 2007. And it says on the press release page that: "The effort is spurred by a $10 million grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and $2.5 million from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and will ultimately serve as a global beacon for biodiversity and conservation."
"The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is an ambitious project to organize and make available via the Internet virtually all information about life present on Earth. At its heart lies a series of Web sites—one for each of the approximately 1.8 million known species. Each site is constantly evolving and features dynamically synthesized content ranging from historical literature and biological descriptions to stunning images, videos and distribution maps. Join us as we explore the richness of Earth’s biodiversity!"

Sunday-A Day that has lived in Infamy

2008-12-05T08:28:00.000-06:00

The words rang out in the Capital of the United States: "Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a day that will live in infamy...." The words were spoken by President Franklin Deleno Roosevelt, and he was referring about the recent suprise attack of the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan on Pearl Harbor, a United States Naval base in the Pacific Islands of Hawaii, which were owned by the United States. This Sunday marks the 67th anniversary of that attack. Some feel that the attack was a setup, that Roosevelt knew that the Japanese would attack. Others feel that it truly was a suprise attack. Whatever the viewpoint, that attack changed the United States forever. At the end of World War II, the United States stood as as the supreme protector of democracy and freedom in the world, one of only two superpowers in the community of nations, a role that it still has. Those who did not survive the attack on Perl Harbor should be honored, and those who survived it should be regarded as heroes. In fact, all those who participated in World War II should be rightly regarded as Tom Brokow put it, as the "greatest generation".

New Website on Terrorism

2008-12-03T10:14:00.000-06:00

There is a great website on the Internet about terrorism. It is called the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT). It is located at: http://www.mipt.org. It is located in Oklahoma City and is was created by those who were involved in the Oklahoma City Federal Bombing in 1995. Those people “believed it important to create an Institute to actively engage in research and study, programs and reporting, to help policymakers and leaders have the best and most complete information in their hands to avert terrorism and/or lessen the impact of a terror event.”

It contains an information portal for those who are first responders to a terror event, and information for all citizens, and a information for researchers and academics. In this area, there is a large collection of documents about terrorism that has been collected and are available to the public. Also there is the Lawson Terrorism Information Center, in which you can access many ebooks from the Gale War and Terrorism collection and the Gale Virtual Reference Library about terrorism by registering (it is free to do so) with the Lawson Terrorism Information Center.

So come and take a look at this free website on terrorism. There are more resources being added to this collection all the time. A link will be added to this site under terrorism on the Social Issues Page, which is located as a link on the Internet Resources By Subject Page at: http://www.se.edu/lib/search2.htm.

2008-12-01T09:38:00.000-06:00

The Red ribbon is a symbol for solidarity with HIV-positive people and those living with AIDS. Source graphics by Niki K. Date 14/12/2006 Author Gary van der Merwe

"The 1st of December, World AIDS Day, is the day when individuals and organisations from around the world come together to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Whilst we have come a long ways since 1988, there is still much more to be done."

See World AIDS Campaign for more details.

History of Thanksgiving, Part 2

2008-11-25T08:21:00.000-06:00

In the midst of the great Civil War, President Lincoln thought it proper to give thanks. Said he in his proclamation of October 3, 1863:

"The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To those bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God."
"In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by advancing armies and navies of the Union."
"Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders or our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom."
"No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy."
"It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."

Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Whatever you religious persuasion, it seems fitting and proper to be grateful for whatever we have. We do live in a great nation blessed with liberties that others can only dream of.

History of Thanksgiving

2008-11-24T08:43:00.000-06:00

In 1620, Separatists from the Church of England, better known as the Pilgrams, came to America and settled in Massasschuetts. After a hard winter, by the fall of 1621 they had several days of feasting with the local Indians that has come to be known as the First Thanksgiving. This is what History.com has to say about Thanksgiving:
"In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans. Although this feast is considered by many to the very first Thanksgiving celebration, it was actually in keeping with a long tradition of celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. Native American groups throughout the Americas, including the Pueblo, Cherokee, Creek and many others organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America."

Here is more information taken from History.com about the first thanksgiving feast:

"What Was Actually on the Menu? What foods topped the table at the first harvest feast? Historians aren't completely certain about the full bounty, but it's safe to say the pilgrims weren't gobbling up pumpkin pie or playing with their mashed potatoes. Following is a list of the foods that were available to the colonists at the time of the 1621 feast. However, the only two items that historians know for sure were on the menu are venison and wild fowl, which are mentioned in primary sources. The most detailed description of the "First Thanksgiving" comes from Edward Winslow from A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, in 1621:
"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, among other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed upon our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.""

See the Library Blog tommorrow and read about President Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation of 1863.

That event in Dallas forty-five years ago

2008-11-21T13:26:00.000-06:00

The early afternoon sun shone on the city as the procession of cars went through the downtown streets of Dallas. The procession of cars turned unto Elm Street, on the north side of Dealey Plaza on the western side of the downtown area. On the north sat the Texas School Book Depository building. In one of the cars of the Motorcade sat the President of the United States, John Fitzgearald Kennedy. Beside him sat his wife, Jacqueline. In front of the Kennedys sat Texas Governor Connally and is wife. Outside of the car police on motorcycles guarded the President. Suddenly several shots rang out, the President slumped over, and the History of the United States changed forever. Tomorrow, November 22, 2008 marks the 45th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Those over 45 years old may be able to remember what they were doing when word was broadcast over television or radio about the shooting. However, there is now a raising generation who have no memory of this tragic event. Today, over 60% of the people of the United States were not alive when shocking event happened.

The Warren Commission decided that one man was responsible for this action, Lee Harvey Oswald, who was killed by Jack Ruby two days after the assassination of President Kennedy. Whether Oswald acted alone, or in conspiracy with others remained a heated debate for years afterwards.

The Library has many books on the assassination:

Kallen, Stuart A. Are Conspiracy Theories Valid? Greenhaven PRess, 2006

Johnson, Lyndon Baines The Kennedy Assassination Tapes. Alfred A. Knopf, 2004

Semple, Robert D., Ed. Four Days in November: The Original Coverage of the John F. Kennedy Assassination by the Staff of the New York Times St. Martin's Press, 2003.

Posner, Gerald L. Case closed : Lee Harvey Oswald and the assassination of JFK Random House, 1993.

Scheim, David E. Contract on America : the Mafia murder of President John F. Kennedy Shapolsky Publishers, 1988

Epstein, Edward Jay. Legend : the secret world of Lee Harvey Oswald Readers Digest Press, 1978.

Belin, David W. November 22, 1963; you are the jury Quadrangle, 1973.

Bishop, Jim. The day Kennedy was shot Funk & Wagnalls, 1968.

Manchester, William Raymond. The death of a President, November 20-November 25, 1963 Harper & Row, 1967.

United States. Warren Commission. Investigation of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy; hearings before the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy U.S. Government Printing Office, 1964.

New! Salem Press Medical Guide

2008-11-20T09:58:00.000-06:00

The Library has purchased a four volume set, called the Magill's Medical Guide, published by Salem Press. This set, in the words of the publisher's note at the begining of volume 1, "describe[s] major diseases and disorders of the human body, the basics of human anatomy and physiology, specializations in medical practice, and common surgical and nonsurgical procedures...In addition, other areas of medical practice are represented: alternative medicine, ethical issues, genetics, organizations, procedures in the field of psychiatry, testing and examinations, and various types of transplantation."

One of the benefits of the purchase of the print edition, which is housed in the Library's reference section, is access to the online version of this set. Access is done via the library's home page, at: http://www.se.edu/lib/
Then you click on Find, then articles. After clicking on Articles, scroll down the page until you get to Medical/Nursing, and the only link under that heading is the Salem Press Medical Guide. Once you click on the link, you are taken directly to the Guide. Access is done remotely via the proxy server.

Announcement of new web content at the SE Library

2008-11-18T12:47:00.000-06:00

Salem Press has published several reference sets that deal with American History:

Milestone Documents in American History

The Fifties in America

The Sixties in America

The Seventies in America

The Eighties in America

Our Library has the paper copy of all of these sets. Salem press has granted access to the online version of these reference sets. Access can be gained by:

1. Going to the Library Webpage at: http://www.se.edu/lib/
2. Click on Find
3. Click on Articles
4. Scroll down to History Resources
5. Click on Salem Press History

Now you are ready to start searching. On this website, a search preformed automatically searches all the reference sets listed above. If you want to limit your search to one of the reference sets, then you will need to go into advanced. Search and click on the set that you want to search.

I hope that you enjoy having this online resource, and that it will meet your information needs.

Dennis Miles
Systems Librarian
Henry G. Bennett Memorial Library
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Durant, OK 74701

dmiles@se.edu

Thanksgiving

2008-11-17T08:24:00.000-06:00

A week from Thursday we will all be celebrating Thanksgiving, a day set aside to be thankful for our blessings, and yes, of course, to eat turkey and be with friends and family. There is so much to be thankful for. We live in a wonderful land, were we can enjoy freedoms that many in other nations cannot enjoy. We live in a nation where power is transferred from one person to another peacefully and always has been so. We have had not kings nor dictators in this nation's history. We can be thankful that we are not starving. We can be thankful that the nation's common people, for the most part, are basically good people. We can be thankful for the right to vote, to speak, to assemble peacefully, and the freedom of the press and religion, to worship how we choose or not to worship at all. At this time of national financial crisis, we need to reflect on these and other blessings that we have.
I will touch on the history of Thanksgiving at a later time.

Tim Tingle, Choctaw Storyteller, Visits Southeastern

2008-11-14T12:03:00.000-06:00

Tim Tingle, Choctaw storyteller and author, came to Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Wednesday, November 12, 2008, to speak at the Native American Symposium Insights 2008 event. He spoke in the Fine Arts building at 9 AM and then a "meet the author" session was held in the Library afterwards. The Library has several of his books:

When Turtle grew feathers : a folktale from the Choctaw nation. 2007

Crossing Bok Chitto : a Choctaw tale of friendship & freedom. 2006

Walking the Choctaw road

Veterans Day

2008-11-11T08:08:00.000-06:00

Today is Veterans Day, a day now for all Veterans or any war, but before World War II it was called Armistice Day, the day when all fighting stopped in World War One.
Here are some links about Veterans Day:

United States Department of Veterans Affairs: Veterans Day--November 11/

Veterans Day: infoplease.com

Today in History: Veterans Day--November 11

The History of Veterans Day

Halloween--What is it?

2008-10-31T08:04:00.001-05:00

Today is Halloween, the day to fun and scary things, and of course, trick or treat. But where did this holiday come from? According to the book Holiday Symbols (found in the Library) "Halloween can be traced directly back to the SAMHAIN, the ancient Celtic harvest festival honoring the Lord of the Dead. Observed on November 1 in the British Isles and parts of what is now France, Samhain also marked the beginning of the Celtic New Year. Beacuse it was a time of transition between the old and the new, the Celts believed that the souls of those who had died during the previous year gathered to travel together to the land of the dead. They lit bonfires and sacrificed fruits and vegetables, hoping to win the favor of the spirits of the decased and to avoid their punishments. Sometimes the living disguised themselves in masks and costumes so that the spirits of the dead wouldn't recognize them...By the fourth century, the Christian church was doing everything it could to stamp out pagan festivals like Samhain, but the Celts wouldn't give up their ancient rituals and symbols. So the Christian church gave them new names and meanings. November 1 became All Saints' Day (All Hallows' Day in England), a celebration of all the Christian saints. The night of October 31 became All Hallows'Eve (later Halloween). But is association with the supernatural persisted. Halloween came to America with the Irish immigrants of the 1840's."

Source: Thompson, Sue Ellen, ed. Holiday Symbols: A guide to the Legend and Lord Behind the People, Places, Food, Animals, And Other Symbols Associated with the Holidays and Holy Days, Feasts and Fasts, and Other Celebrations, Covering Popular, Ethnic, Religious, National, and Ancient Events, and Observed in the United States and Around the World. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 1998.

Chambers, R., ed. The Book of Days. London : W&R Chambers, 1906?

New Catholic Encyclopedia New York : McGraw-Hill, 1967-1979

Etzion, Amitai. We are What We Celebrate: Understanding Holidays and Rituals New York University Press, 2004.

Harper, Wilhelmina. Ghosts and Goblins: Stories for Halloween. E.P. Dutton, 1965.

Black Tuesday The Stock Market Crash, October 29, 1929

2008-10-29T16:18:00.000-05:00

Today marks the 79th anniversary of when the Stock Market fell in October 1929 that brought on the Great Depression of the 1930's. This crash is important to us today because of what is going on right now with our economy. On Tuesday, October 29, 1929, over nine million shares had traded hands, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 12.8 percent, the highest in the history of the Stock Market up to that time. (Information on the Stock Market taken from Martin Gitlin's book, The 1929 Stock Market Crash, Edina, Minn: ABDO Publishing Company, 2008.)
In September-October, 2008, the Stock Market fell again, losing billions of dollars, and it is unknown what the outcome will be. Are we in a recession now, or are we heading for a depression?

Election 2008 Voters Guide

2008-10-28T09:18:00.000-05:00

With the Election only a week away, I thought that it would be useful post websites that will be useful in finding out more about the candidates.

Texas Secretary of State: Elections Divisions.

This site contains information about the candidates in Texas, Voter information, and a Voter FAQ.
Oklahoma State Election Board

This site is the counterpart to Texas' Election site.
2008 Presidental Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College.
Election 2008: NPR

Teddy Roosevelt--born 150 years ago today

2008-10-27T08:36:00.001-05:00

He is an interesting character from U.S History, A rich man who is interested in reform, a robust man who as a boy was weak and sickly, and a war hero, governor and finally President of the United States. He was one who brought back power and influence to the Presidency after several post- Civil War presindents who were weaker and when the balance of power was shifted more towards congress. He was born on October 27, 1858, and while he was alive, he was always stirring things up. HE was a man made for the Presidency, and the greatest mistake that he made was when he promised that he would not be a candidate for the Presidency in 1908.

He is one of four U.S. Presidents on Mount Rushmore, and most historians rate Roosevelt near the top of the list of Presidents. HE was a man who experienced tradgey in his life. His wife and mother died on the same day in 1884. He went out west to the Dakotas and tried his hand at ranching and captured thevies by himself.

The Library has several books on this great American.

973.911 R781M Morris, Edmund. Theodore Rex. Random House, 2001.

973.911 R 781G Grubin, David. TR, the Story of Theodore Roosevelt. PBS Video, 1996

NA 973.0497 R67B Hagan, William Thomas. Theodore Roosevelt and six friends of the Indian. University of Oklahoma Press, 1997.
973.913 W754COO Cooper, John Milton. The Warrior and the Priest: Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt.Belknap Press of Harvard University Press,1983.

973.911 R781R Morris, Edmund. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1979.

NationMaster, a new website

2008-10-15T09:12:00.001-05:00

Nationmaster (http://www.nationmaster.com) is an online resource about countries. Read what Luke Metcalfe, the Manager/Developer says about why he made this site: "The idea for NationMaster arose as I was surfing around the CIA World Factbook. It's a great read but I felt the individual figures (like number of TV's, or kilometres of coastline) didn't mean much on their own. They'd be more illuminating if they were placed alongside other countries and shown relative to population."

"So I decided to put together a website that allowed users to generate graphs based on numerical data extracted from the Factbook. The next (rather obvious) realisation was that there's no reason I couldn't take in data from other sources. Why shouldn't the net have a central location that allows you to compare countries on any statistic you like?"

But why did I do it? To promote education and understanding about the world. To make it easy to engage with the indicators that shape global commerce, health, politics and ecology. To make the facts easily accessible and meaningful. To bring the works of academics, public agencies and private researchers to a wider audience.

One intended use for this site is, during debates in discussion groups, people link to comparisons of specific countries. I hope students, educators and librarians will find the site a useful teaching aide. More generally, I hope the figures will spark people's interest and they'll want to read more.

Further information from the About page says this about NationMaster: "This website was created by Rapid Intelligence, a web technology company based in Sydney, Australia. We produce original sites that provide people with unique views of content."

All statistics on this site are cited. If you are concerned about authenticity and authorship, please view the "Source:" field, found below each graph. Or when viewing country statistics, click the "View with citations" link below the bottom of the page.

Other sites similar to NationMaster include:

UNdata
GlobalEdge
The World Factbook
Background Notes

Columbus sighted America 516 years ago

2008-10-13T09:20:00.000-05:00

Yesterday marked the 516th anniversary of when Columbus first sighted land in the Carribean Sea that started the flow of Europeans to the Americas. Today, Monday, October 13, is when this event is observed. Whether this event began the colonization and civilization of the Americans, or the destruction and slaughter of thousands and thousands of Native Americans, and the destruction of many Native civilizations is left to you to decide. However you feel about this event, here are some links that contain more information:

The Columbus Navigation Homepage

1492: Christopher Columbus: Man and Myth

Catholic Encyclopedia: Christopher Columbus

Famous People: Christopher Columbus: BBC

Images of Christopher Columbus and His Voyages

Christopher Columbus and the Flat Earth Myth

The Scandalous Flat Earth Myth

Zarahemla Research Foundation: Christopher Columbus: Man of Vision and Faith

Christopher Columbus: Hero or Murderer?

Today in History: October 12

The History of Columbus Day

Examining the Reputation of Christopher Columbus

The Library has many books on Columbus:

970.015 C781 Columbus, Christopher. The Log of Christopher Columbus. Camden, Maine: International Marine Pub. Co., c1987.

B C72cEk Colon, Fernando. The Life and Times of Admiral
Christopher Columbus by His Son Ferdinand. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1959.

973.1 Ir8D Discovery and Conquest of the New World: Containing the Life and Times of Christopher Columbus (by Washington Irving). Chicago: Chas. Webb & Co, 1892

B C72d2 Downworth, Albert Bernard. Why Columbus Sailed. New York: Exposition Press, 1953.

R 970.015 C46 Christopher Columbus Encyclopedia. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992

929.7315 C776L Landstrom, Bjorn. Columbus; the Story of Don Christobal
Colon, Admiral of the Ocean. New York: Macmillan, 1967.

B C72mor Morrison, Samuel Eliot, ed. Journals and Other Documents on the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. New York: The Heritage Press, 1963.

B C72m Morrison, Samuel Eliot. Admiral of the Ocean Sea, A Life of Christopher Columbus. Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1942.

970.015 C726p Phillips, William D. The Worlds of Christopher Columbus. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

R 912 T48 The Times Atlas of World Exploration: 3000 Years of Exploring, Explorers and Mapmaking. New York:
HarperCollins Publishers, 1991.

B C72w Wassermann, Jakob. Columbus, Don Quixote of the Seas.
Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1930.

Finincial Crisis

2008-10-02T14:58:00.001-05:00

The financial situation in our country is precarious. Here are some links to some sites on the Internet that might be of help in learning more about what is going on:

The United States Department of the Treasuary
Finaicial Crisis: A Guide to the Recent Financial Crisis by the Colorado State University Libraries
Yahoo Finance
CNN/Money
Forbes.com
MSN Money
NYSE: The New York Stock Exchange
The Financial Times London-Global Financial Crisis
The Guardian: The Observer: The 2008 Crash
America's Money Crisis
HowStuffWorks LibGuide: Economy 101 and Financial Crisis Guide

Equinox (That is Fall) approaching

2008-09-19T13:57:00.000-05:00

Equinox! What does it mean? Well, the term is from Latin and it means "equal night."
Further definition comes from Infoplease:

"In the language of science, an equinox is either of two points on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic and the celestial equator intersect. For the rest of us, it's one of two times a year when the Sun crosses the equator, and the day and night are of approximately equal length.

At the autumnal equinox (Sept 22, 2008; 11:44:18 A.M. EDT), the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, from north to south; this marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere."

Here are some other websites that explain all about the Autumnal Equinox.

"The Autumnal Equinox" Infoplease
Fall Equinox Celebrations
The First Day of Autumn
National Weather Service: Why Do We Have Seasons?
Seasons of the Year
Interplanaetary Fall

Constitution Day

2008-09-17T07:35:00.000-05:00

Today marks the 221st anniversary of when the United States Constitution was signed, on September 17, 1787. We need to remember the freedoms thet we enjoy through the Constitution on this day. For more information on the signing of the Constitution and on Constitution Day, see the following: Constitution Day

9-11 Seven Years Later

2008-09-04T11:07:00.001-05:00

Seven years ago, on September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center buildings were attacked by terrorists that flew two commercial airliners into each building. The two towers were destroyed with great loss of life. A third airliner crashed into the Pentagon, while a fourth crased in rural Pennsylvania. More information about that awful day may be found at this site: 911 Remembered

Labor Day

2008-08-29T08:31:00.000-05:00

While you are enjoying Labor Day this comming Monday, I thought that you might be interested to know what Labor Day is all about and how it came to be. This information comes from the U.S. Department of Labor web site:

"Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."

"More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers."

"Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.""

"But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic."

"The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883."

"In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country."

More information can be found at the U.S. Department of Labor site at: http://www.dol.gov/OPA/ABOUTDOL/LABORDAY.HTM

Textbooks Now Available in the Library!

2008-08-25T10:17:00.000-05:00

The cost of textbooks has increased markedly in the last few years and many students are having difficulty in purchasing all the required texts for their courses. To help alleviate this challenge, SE has established the Textbook Reserve Program (TRP). The TRP cannot provide textbooks for every course offered; however, the program wishes to serve as many students as possible.

• The TRP currently targets currently enrolled undergraduate students.
• Textbooks are available for the following courses: College Success; all zero-level courses; all general education courses.
• Number of textbooks available for a class is based on enrollment (ca. 1 for every 33 students)
• Textbooks may be checked out from the Circulation Desk at the Henry G. Bennett Library for a 2-hour period with a valid student ID.
• Textbooks are for room use only and may not be removed from the library or checked out overnight.
• A list of textbooks available in the TRP may be found on the TRP website (textbooks are listed by Instructor, Course Title, and Course Number).
• There are plans to expand the program in the future.

The web address for the TRP program is as follows: http://www.se.edu/lib/trp/

Welcome/Welcome Back SE Students!

2008-08-20T14:27:00.000-05:00

The Library faculty and staff would like to take this opportunity to welcome all new students to Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and to welcome back those returning students. We hope that your time here at SE will be enjoyable and that you will drink freely in the fountian of knowledge that is being offered to you while you are here.

Hiroshima--The Atomic Bomb 63 Years Later

2008-08-04T13:02:00.000-05:00

On August 6, 1945, a single U.S. airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima. The Japanese who lived in the city were not afraid of a single airplane. But the ensuing destruction caused by the bomb to the city, and the thousands who died in the blast and in the years afterward.
Whether the atomic bomb was needed to end the war with Japan, or whether the U.S. used the bomb to scare the Russians is debatable, but this much is known: that the destructive power of the nuclear bomb is so great, that such a weapon has been used on people in wartime only twice, in August 1945. Since then the destructive power of nuclear bombs have grown tremendously, but since 1945 they have not been used. Here are some websites that discuss Hiroshima nad Nagasaki:

The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Hiroshima Archive
The Voice of Hibakusha: Eyewitness Accounts of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered

Anniversary of the westward migration of a people

2008-07-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

This Thursday, July 24, is the 111th Anniversary of when the the vanguard company of the Mormons arrived at their new home, in the Salt Lake Valley. They had traveled from Winter Quarters, Nebraska, and followed the Platte River on the north side, and stopped at Ft. Larime. They then crossed Wyoming and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24th. This began the exodus of the Mormons from the east over the next several years. Over the next fifty years, many were began in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, and Mexico.

Here is what the Library of Congress has to say about the exodus of the Mormons:

"Completing a treacherous thousand-mile exodus, an ill and exhausted Brigham Young and fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints arrived in Utah's Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. The Mormon pioneers viewed their arrival as the founding of a Mormon homeland, hence Pioneer Day. The Mormons, as they were commonly known, left their settlement in Nauvoo, Illinois, and journeyed West seeking refuge from religious persecution. The final impetus for their trek was the murder of founder and prophet Joseph Smith on June 27, 1844."

"Determined to settle in an isolated region, the pioneers made their way across the plains and over the Rocky Mountains to Utah. They lost many of their party to disease during the winter months. By the time that they reached Utah, the desolate valley was a welcome sight. Potatoes and turnips were soon planted, and a dam was built. With solemn ceremonies, the settlers consecrated the two-square-mile city, and sent back word that the "promised land" had been found. By the end of 1847, nearly 2,000 Mormons had settled in the Salt Lake Valley."

Whatever you think about the Mormons, this was truly an amazing accomplishment to travel across the plains and build community in such hostile land as the Salt Lake Valley.

Other sources include:

The Mormon Pioneer Trail
The Pioneer Story: The Mormon Pioneer Trial

PBS: The West: Brigham Young

Brigham Young, 2nd President of the Church

Newspaper Archives are Now Available on the Internet

2008-07-09T15:32:00.000-05:00

It used to be that if you wanted to have access to the archives of a newspaper, you had to go to a library that had those archives in its holdings. Newspapers were housed in libraries on microfilm reels. This made accessing non-local newspapers difficult.

The Internet is making access to historical newspapers easier. Many newspapers are being scanned and made available on the Internet. Most of the large newspapers, such as the Dallas Morning News, The Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times offer searching their newspaper archives, but to get the full text of the article, it costs money. There are other companies who have gathered together a large number of newspapers and scanned them and they are available to be searched for a fee.

However, there are some local towns and also some states that are beginning to put historical archives of newspapers on the Internet that can be searched and viewed and printed for free. I have provided links to many local and regional newspapers that are available for free at the following website: http://www.se.edu/lib/ecollect.htm.
These newspapers are arranged by state, and not every state has newspaper archives freely available.

These digitized newspapers have been scanned in as pdf documents, so they are very clear to read, and can be enlarged or shrunk down as desired. They can also be searched much easier than paper newspapers on microfilm. Articles from these scanned online newspapers can also be printed out. In some cases, entire pages of the newspaper can be printed out.

These newspapers would be great for researching history topics, or to just view the advertising in these newspapers. It is great to have access to more newspapers from the country. There are several that highlight the Civil War period.

Fourth of July

2008-07-03T14:27:00.000-05:00

The 4th of July is Independence Day for the United States of America. On this day in 1776, 232 years ago in Philedelphia, members of the Continental Congress completed signing the Declaration of Independence, establishing the United States of America. It took seven long years of war before that independence was a reality, and four more years before a government was established that really united the United States.
The Library at SOSU has many books on this topic, and here is a good internet site on Independence Day: http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence_Day.shtml.

Are We Running out of Oil?

2008-07-01T17:27:00.000-05:00

The amount of oil left in the world is debatable depending on the source that you use. Some people think that we have already or soon will reach peak oil production, and that after the peak has been achieved, that declining production rates coupled with rising demand from different countries of the world, particularly China and India, will cause wars and eventually the end of our way of life. Others say that peak oil production is still 10 to 30 or longer years away and that we don’t have to worry now. One thing is clear, we will eventually run out of oil, and that we need to find an alternative source of energy or our way of life as we know it now will come to an end.

The peak production theory was formulated by M. Hubbert. He said that for any non renewable commidity, when half of that commidity has been produced, then you have reached the peak of production for that commidity, and after the peak has been reached, production will fall rapidly. He predicted in 1956 that U.S. oil production would peak in 1970, which it did. He also predicted that world oil production would peak at around 2000. Most now feel that the peak has yet to be reached, but some say that it is looming in the very near future.

Come to the Library and see the display on Are We Running Out of Oil?. Also you can go to the Internet Resources by Subject page, at http://www.se.edu/lib/search2.htm, and click on Energy Resources. It has links to oil energy sites, plus alternative energy sites.

Two agencies of the federal government, The Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy http://www.eia.doe.gov/, and the U.S. Geological Service, http://energy.usgs.gov/ contain information about energy. They contain information about petroleum, and other energy sources. Some people say that the information about the amount of oil left in the world is flawed, and that the amount of oil left in Saudi Arabia is less than they report. The Energy Information Administration publishes two reports report each year, called Annual Energy Outlook.http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/index.html and the International Energy Outlook http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/index.html.

Gettysburg

2008-06-25T12:01:00.000-05:00

July 1-3 marks the 145th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, the turning point of the Civil War. Thousands go to the battle site each year, located near a small town in Southern Pennsylvania. The SOSU Library has many books on this famous battle.

D-Day is this Friday

2008-06-02T09:23:00.001-05:00

This Friday marks the 64th anniversary of the Allied landings at Normandy in Northwest France during World War II. This landing opened up the second front against Hitler's Nazi Germany. The end of that regime would come less than a year later. More information about D-Day can be found by going to the following website:
http://www.se.edu/lib/dday.htm

We Know We Belong to the Land Exhibit

2008-05-02T16:43:00.000-05:00

Southeastern Oklahoma State University will host the traveling exhibit “We Know We Belong to the Land: A Hundred Years of Oklahoma and the Congress” from May 5 through June 6.
The exhibit was created in conjunction with Oklahoma’s statehood centennial. It charts important American historical and political milestones as they affected our state, such as the territorial government, both World Wars, the Great Depression, and the civil rights movement.
The exhibit features photos of each Oklahoman who represented our state in Congress from the late 1800s to our current delegation, more than 100 in all.
Southeastern Director of Library Services Sharon Morrison said, “This exhibit started in 2007 and has been on the road for more than a year and a half throughout our state. We’re very honored to be able to host this event.
“We are hosting the exhibit on the main floor of the Henry G. Bennett Memorial Library on campus. It was created in commemoration of our statehood and this is an excellent opportunity for our entire community, adults and students, to revisit our history.
“We will complement the exhibit with some books and other items from our library. There is no admission charge and we encourage everyone to come out and experience a great look at our past.”
This exhibit was created by the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma with support from the Oklahoma Humanities Council.
There is also an online version of the complete exhibit which features audio clips of campaign jingles, speeches, and a press conference. Also available online is a PDF teachers’ guide to the exhibit. To view the online exhibit, please visit http://www.ou.edu/special/albertctr/archives/ .

Cinco de Mayo

2008-05-01T11:31:00.000-05:00

CINCO DE MAYO!

This is a holiday that celebrates not Mexican Independence, which occurs on September 16, but the Mexican Victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Mexico was in a bad way after years of rule of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, and in 1861, Benito Juarez, the president of Mexico, decided to suspend payments on the foreign debt for a couple of years. England, Spain, and France decided that they couldn't wait for payment and invaded Mexico to collect the debt owed them. Spain and England made seperate deals with Mexico, but France decided to stay and create an empire in Mexico. They marched from Vera Cruz and headed for Mexico City. But the Mexicans defeated them at the Battle of Puebla. See more about Cinco de Mayo at these sites:
http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm

http://www.mexonline.com/cinco-de-mayo.htm

May Day

2008-04-30T20:59:00.000-05:00

Tommorrow is May Day. Here is a description of what May Day is from Infoplease.com:
"May 1st, often called May Day, just might have more holidays than any other day of the year. It's a celebration of Spring. It's a day of political protests. It's a neopagan festival, a saint's feast day, and a day for organized labor. In many countries, it is a national holiday." See more about May Day at the Infoplease site, at: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mayday.html.

Annual Library Faculty and Student Surveys

2008-04-24T15:57:00.000-05:00

It is April and that means that it is time for the Annual Library Faculty and Student Satisfaction Surveys! You can be a part of making the library better! You can say what is good and what isn't good about the Library! You can help make the library serve you better! All you have to do is to read the following informed consent statement and then click on the appropriate link at the bottom of this post!

SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
INFORMED CONSENT STATEMENT

Annual Faculty and Student Library Satisfaction Surveys

You are invited to participate in a research study. The purpose of this study is to find out what the faculty at SOSU feel about the SOSU Library in order to improve the services that we offer. It will be greatly appreciated if you can take this survey.

Information

If you choose to participate in this study, you will be presented with 13 questions which are all multiple choice, except the last one. We estimate that participation in this survey will take less than 10 minutes. We hope to recruit at least 100 people for participation in this survey. Your participation is greatly appreciated!

Risks

There are no foreseeable risks associated with this study.

Benefits

As a faculty member of SOSU, your Library needs are important to us. By taking this survey, you will assist us in providing you better Library services.

Confidentiality

No personally identifying information is maintained in connection with survey results. Your responses are not connected with you in any way. In other words, this is an anonymous survey.

Contact

If you have questions at any time about the study or the procedures, you may contact the researcher, Dennis Miles, LIB 103, 580-745-2396, or by email at dmiles@se.edu. If you feel you have not been treated according to the descriptions in this form, or your rights as a participant in research have been violated during the course of this project, you may contact the chair of the office for the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Human Subjects Research Review Committee, at 580/745-2338, or by e-mail at bflippen@se.edu.

Participation

Your participation in this study is voluntary. If you decide to participate, you may withdraw from the study at anytime, and you may refuse to answer any question.

Consent

If you would like, please print this page for your records.

HERE IS THE LINK FOR THE FACULTY SURVEY

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=CwdfHm4LzKiEsBL31FpmXg_3d_3d

HERE IS THE LINK FOR THE STUDENT SURVEY

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=TWNxT10qTUMwTAxIH0LEkQ_3d_3d

Titanic Sinks 96 Years ago

2008-04-15T12:39:00.000-05:00

At 2:20 AM on April 15, 1912, the White Star Liner Titanic sank after hitting an iceburg. This has become the most well known sea disaster of all time. The Henry G. Bennett Memorial Library has several books on this disaster. For more information on the ship, see the Titanic Historical Society Website, at: http://www.titanic1.org/

New Display in Library

2008-04-04T13:17:00.000-05:00

The Display Case in the Library now holds materials relating to Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the United States. Thomas Jefferson was born 265 years ago on April 13, 1743. Jefferson was one of our founding fathers and should be honored for his accomplishments. The display was expertly done by Brooke Reynolds. Come into the library to see this display. To find out more about Thomas Jefferson, the library has several books on him.

Welcome New Cataloging Librarian!

2008-03-31T10:43:00.001-05:00

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

2008-03-27T09:17:00.000-05:00

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

2008-03-14T08:14:00.000-05:00

"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?

2008-03-06T13:40:00.000-06:00

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

2008-03-05T15:51:00.000-06:00

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

2008-03-03T08:26:00.000-06:00

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

Why do We Have a February 29th This year?

2008-02-27T12:14:00.000-06:00

February 29th comes only once every four years. The reason for this is the earth goes around the sun every 365 and 1/4 days, or 6 hours. So after 4 years, enough time has elapsed to insert an extra day into the calendar, and that day is February 29th. This occurs in the calendar that is used by most of the world, the Gregorian Calendar. A person born on leap year is called a leapling, and can celebrate their birthday on February 28 or March 1st. For additional information, please consult:

The Leap Year and Leap Day
Leap Year 101
Leap Year Explained
Wikipedia: February 29th

George Washington Remembered

2008-02-22T10:50:00.000-06:00

Today marks the anniversary of Geroge Washington's birth. He was born 276 years ago on February 22, 1732 in Virginia. As a general in the Revolutionary War and as the Nation's first president, he will be remembered by millions of Americans for generations to come. Here is a web site that contains links to some web site on him: http://www.se.edu/lib/washington.htm

New Databases on Nuclear Energy

2008-02-19T09:21:00.000-06:00

These databases come from the National Science Digital Library, and they all relate to Nuclear Energy.

NuclearPathways.org
This is a new search engine that gives students, educators and the general public the ability to explore nuclear issues across a collection of the best websites on the topic." Access at: http://www.nuclearpathways.org/

Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues

"The Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues provides a broad, balanced annotated bibliography for the studyj of nuclear issues. This searchable collection includes books, articles, films, CD-ROMS,and websites. All annotations haave been reviewed by members of the library's prestigious National Advisory Board." Access at: http://alsos.wlu.edu/

Atomicarchive.com

"This site covers the science, history, and consequences of the atomic age. Discover the world-changeing events and decisions that led to developing the first atomic bomb, from Hiroshima to today's post-Cold War era. Learn about basic atomic physics, nuclear fission and nuclear fusion to understand how nuclear weapons work." Asccess at: http://www.atomicarchive.com/

ChemCases

"The ChemCases website covers the basic concepts of nuclear chemistry from Chadwick's discovery of the neutron, to the chemistry that led to atomic bomb. It also explores the legacy of radiation: the fear of contamination, the problems in the generation of nuclear power, the widespread medical uses of radioisotopes."
Access at: http://www.chemcases.com/

NuclearFiles.org

"From nuclear proliferation to nuclear testing, from Hiroshima to North Korea, Nuclear Files offers the A to Z on nuclear issues. It provides access to primary source documents, historical and background information, and analysis. Nuclear Files is an excellent educational resource that explores the political, legal and ethical challenges of the nuclear age. Access at: http://www.nuclearfiles.org/

Famous Librarians

2008-02-18T08:14:00.000-06:00

There is a website that has a list of famous librarians from around the world, and includes the likes of Mao Tse-Tung, J. Edgar Hoover, David Hume, Casanova and Pope Pius IX. The webpage is at http://www.bwctc.northants.sch.uk/Pages/infocentres/lc_famous.html

Valentine's Day

2008-02-13T12:01:00.000-06:00

Picture: Saint Valentine of Terni and his disciples.

"Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred." Special thanks to American Greetings. To see more about the history of Valentine's Day, go to the History Channel site at:

http://www.history.com/minisites/valentine/viewPage?pageId=882 See more about the history of Valentine's Day at this site.
Other sites:
Saint Valentine's Day--Feb 14 http://www.pictureframes.co.uk/pages/saint_valentine.htm
Valentine's Day Fun for Kids
http://www.kidsturncentral.com/holidays/valentines.htm
How Valentine's Day Works
http://www.howstuffworks.com/valentine.htm
Catholic Encyclopedia: St.Valentine
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15254a.htm

Abraham Lincoln – Government Document sources

2008-02-08T10:52:00.000-06:00

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was born in Hardin County, Kentucky on February 9, 1809. At 7 years of age, he and his family moved to Indiana, which became a state in 1816. He was 21 when his family moved to Illinois. The publications that are listed below come from the Government Document room, which is located on Floor 2A.

I 29.6/6:L 63
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace: National Historic Site, Kentucky: Official Map and Guide
This is a National Park Service pamphlet is about the history of the Lincoln family.

I 29.6/6:L 63/3/999
Lincoln Home Official Visitor Guide: Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Illinois
This National Park Service pamphlet is about the home that Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd and their four sons lived from 1844-1861.

I 29.9/5:129
Lincoln Memorial: A Guide to the Lincoln Memorial, District of Columbia
This is a publication about the memorial and the life of Abraham Lincoln.

I 29.21:L 63/993
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.
This National Park Service pamphlet is about Abraham Lincoln and the Memorial.

I 29.21:L 63/4/2001
Lincoln Boyhood: National Memorial, Indiana
This National Park Service pamphlet is about where Lincoln grew up and the Living Historical Farm that is located in Lincoln City, Indiana.

I 29.58:3/4
Ford’s Theatre and the House Where Lincoln Died
A publication about Ford’s Theatre, the last day of Lincoln’s life, John Wilkes Booth and his conspirators, the Lincoln museum and the house where Lincoln died.

I 29.58/3:L 63
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Site: Historic Resource Study
This publication tells about the life of Abraham Lincoln and his father, Thomas Lincoln and the design and construction of the birthplace memorial.

TODAY, FEBRUARY 01, MARKS THE START OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

2008-02-01T13:37:00.000-06:00

An excellent way to start the celebration is to read a book. I’m recommending “Elijah of Buxton” by Christopher Paul Curtis. This is a juvenile book that adults would also enjoy. In January 2008 it won the following two awards from the American Library Association: the John Newbery Honor Book Award and the Coretta Scott King Author Book Award.

This is the story of slavery and about a boy becoming a man. Elijah is a freeborn resident of Buxton and he and his friends pretended to be slavers and abolitionists, however, they had real difficulty conceiving of actual slavery until they saw people physically bound in chains. Curtis shows the enormity of the aftereffects of violence and what it means to imprison another human being.

Digital Collections from the University of North Texas

2008-01-30T16:06:00.000-06:00

Located at http://www.library.unt.edu/govinfo/digital-collections, the first digital collection on this web page is called the A-to-Z Digitalization Project and it includes pre-1960 government documents. The Farmers’ Bulletin has been digitized and they are planning to digitize the War Department Technical Manuals. Other digital collections include the Congressional Research Service Reports Archive, CyberCemetery, Federal Newsmaps and the World War Poster Collection. The CyberCemetery collection provides permanent public access to websites and publications of defunct U.S. government agencies and commissions. The Federal Newsmaps collection, which were published by the War Department of the U.S. during World War II, feature narrative descriptions, photographic essays, and/or poster-like designs on various themes such as enemy insignias, demobilization, and farm loans.

Regional Economic Accounts from the Bureau of Economic Analysis website

2008-01-30T15:51:00.000-06:00

The Bureau of Economic Analysis website has a section called Regional Economic Accounts, which is located at http://www.bea.gov/regional/index.htm. The Regional Economic Accounts web page contains access to two major types of information. They are Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by state and metropolitan areas, and state and local area personal income. The Regional Economic Accounts gives information about the geographic distribution of U.S. economic activity and growth. This type of information is used for analyzing and comparing individual state and local area economies. Data can be created by using interactive charts, maps and tables. There is also something called BEARFACTS (BEA Regional Facts), which is narratives that describes an area's personal income using current estimates, growth rates, and a breakdown of the sources of personal income.

Groundhog Day--Feb 2

2008-01-29T16:04:00.000-06:00

Groundhog Day is comming. "Groundhog Day, February 2nd, is a popular tradition in the United States. It is also a legend that traverses centuries, its origins clouded in the mists of time with ethnic cultures and animals awakening on specific dates. Myths such as this tie our present to the distant past when nature did, indeed, influence our lives. It is the day that the Groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter sleep to look for his shadow."

"The groundhog tradition stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day and the days of early Christians in Europe, and for centuries the custom was to have the clergy bless candles and distribute them to the people. Even then, it marked a milestone in the winter and the weather that day was important."

"The Roman legions, during the conquest of the northern country, supposedly brought this tradition to the Teutons, or Germans, who picked it up and concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, an animal, the hedgehog, would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather, which they interpolated as the length of the "Second Winter."
"Pennsylvania's earliest settlers were Germans and they found groundhogs to in profusion in many parts of the state. They determined that the groundhog, resembling the European hedgehog, was a most intelligent and sensible animal and therefore decided that if the sun did appear on February 2nd, so wise an animal as the groundhog would see its shadow and hurry back into its underground home for another six weeks of winter."

Information about Groundhog day came from the following site: http://www.groundhog.org/info/ Come to this site to find out more information.

Google To Host Terabytes of Open Source Data

2008-01-22T12:46:00.000-06:00

The Wired Blog Networkhas a posting by Alexis Madrigal that says that:

Sources at Google have disclosed that the humble domain, http://research.google.com, will soon provide a home for terabytes of open-source scientific datasets. The storage will be free to scientists and access to the data will be free for all. The project, known as Palimpsest and first previewed to the scientific community at the Science Foo camp at the Googleplex last August, missed its original launch date this week, but will debut soon.

The Worst Hard Time: the Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl is a must read. 978.032 EG1W

2008-01-21T16:48:00.000-06:00

Synopsis
The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years
of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since.
Timothy Egan's critically acclaimed account rescues this iconic chapter
of American history from the shadows in a tour de force of historical
reportage. Following a dozen families and their communities through
the rise and fall of the region, Egan tells of their desperate attempts to
carry on through blinding black dust blizzards, crop failure, and the
death of loved ones. Brilliantly capturing the terrifying drama of catastrophe,
Egan does equal justice to the human characters who become
his heroes, "the stoic, long-suffering men and women whose lives he
opens up with urgency and respect" (New York Times).

In an era that promises ever-greater natural disasters, The Worst
Hard Time is "arguably the best nonfiction book yet" (Austin Statesman
Journal) on the greatest environmental disaster ever to be visited
upon our land and a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of
trifling with nature.

Winner of the 2006 National Book Award for Nonfiction

Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie Rehak

2008-01-21T16:34:00.000-06:00

From the Publisher
In 1930 a plucky girl detective stepped out of her shiny blue roadster, dressed in a smart tweed suit, ready to restore a stolen inheritance to its rightful owner. Tied up by the villains, she managed to free herself and bring them to justice - all while wearing a pencil skirt and high heels. Eighty million books later, Nancy Drew has survived the Depression, World War II, and the sixties (when she was taken up with a vengeance by women's libbers), and emerged as beloved by girls today as she was by their grandmothers. Now, in a narrative with all the fast-paced thrill of one of Nancy's adventures, Melanie Rehak solves a page-turning literary mystery: Who created Nancy Drew? And how did she go from pulp heroine to American icon?
With ebullience, wit, and a wealth of little-known source material, Rehak weaves a behind-the-scenes history of Nancy and her groundbreaking creators. Taking us from The Secret of the Old Clock to The Secret of the Spa, Rehak tells all about our fearless sleuth - including the fact that both Nancy and her "author," Carolyn Keene, were invented by Edward Stratemeyer, a dime-novel genius who also created the Bobbsey Twins and the Hardy Boys. But Nancy Drew was actually brought to life by two remarkable women: original author Mildred Wirt Benson, a convention-flouting Midwestern journalist, and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, a wife and mother who transformed herself into a CEO to run her father's company after he died. Together, Benson and Adams created a character that has inspired generations of girls to be as strong-willed and as bold as they were.
Melanie Rehak will send you back to your old Nancy Drews -- but thanks to GIRL SLEUTH you'll never read them the same way again.

Martin Luther King Day

2008-01-18T13:37:00.000-06:00

On Monday, January 21, 2008, we celebrate the anniverasary of Martin Luther King. King was born on January 15, 1929, and was killed by a sniper's bullet on April 4, 1968. There are many books in the SOSU Library on Dr. King. Here are just a few of them:

Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Biography 2006 323.092 K53BR

Martin Luther King: A Life 2006 323.092 K53FR

King: The Photobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. 2000 323.092 K53J

Martin Luther King, Jr. A Man and His Dream (Videorecording) 1997 393.092 K53E

Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King 1964 301.451 K58WH

A Martin Luther King Treasury by Martin Luther King 1964 323.4 K586M

There are also lots of Internet sites on King at: http://www.sosu.edu/lib/mlking.htm

Time Magazine Archives

2008-01-16T10:42:00.000-06:00

Time Magazine has its entire magazine content from 1923 to the present available for searching and printing. All you do is enter a search term in the search box and every article, every page of text in all of the issues of Time Magazine are searched in seconds and the results displayed. The archives are located at: http://www.time.com/time/searchresults. You can then view and print out the article too.

Come and See the Merriam-Webster Visual Dictionary Online

2008-01-10T09:16:00.000-06:00

"When you know what something looks like but not what it’s called, or when you know the word but can’t picture the object, The Visual Dictionary has the answer. In a quick look, you can match the word to the image." The Dictionary is located at: http://visual.merriam-webster.com/, and it is also located on the SOSU Library's Electronic Resources under Encyclopedias Dictionaries and other Reference Tools at: http://www.sosu.edu/lib/electres.htm