Monday, May 2, 2016

Help Getting Through Finals Week and New Database Additions

You know the Library is always there for you and never more than Finals Week! You’ve survived the semester and you are in the home stretch. If you need a break, the Library has plenty of space and comfortable seating for you to relax.
Don’t forget that the Therapy Dogs will be visiting the Library and waiting for you to come hang out with them.
Snacks are a good way to keep up your energy during this stressful week and the Library will have a table of snacks out all week so you can stop by and get something quickly.
Need an activity to distress? The Library will have a table of stress therapy adult coloring books ready to help take your mind off finals.
Finals Week is stressful for everyone. What helps you with your stress? Calming sounds? Meditation? Better sleep? Putting away your phone? This is a collection of recommended stress relieving apps for your phone (Android or iOS), tablet or computer.All are free at the basic level. See what works for you.

New Additions

The Library now has access to Elsevier journals through the database ScienceDirect College Editions. This is a really exciting addition to the Library’s databases. ScienceDirect College Editions provides access to thousands of titles in the three subject areas of Health & Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences. Some of ScienceDirect’s benefits are:

  • Access to relevant, high quality, peer-reviewed content need to help with undergraduate level studies for two and four year institutions
  • Enhances the quality of teaching resources that are available, helping course material and assignments stay current
  • Helps faculty stay up to date with their field of work/study for their own continued education
Access to historical newspapers is back as well! The Library once again has access to Newsbank’s America’s Historical Newspapers. This database is a wonderful primary source resource and provides articles exactly as they appeared in print. Library staff are available to assist students and faculty in learning how to utilize both these databases. They will be great additional resource options for both students and faculty.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Women’s History Month

March is the month we honor the women of America who through their deep commitment to public service and leadership, have made incalculable contributions to our Country. The first Women’s History Week was celebrated after Congress passed Public Law 97-28 in 1981, and President Regan’s Proclamation 4903 in 1982. Since 1995, March has been proclaimed Women’s History Month. Check out the 2016 Honorees and the legislative documents from these links. Don’t forget, the Library has great information about this subject in many formats!


 All About Women's History Month

2016 National Women’s History Month Honorees

Proclamation 4903 - Women's History Week, 1982

PI day


PI day is March 14th! How often do we celebrate something math related? PI is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter and its symbol is π.  Check out the link with the million digits of PI and the link from piday.org.

One million digits of PI 

My take on PI would be to celebrate PI day with pie!

Michelangelo

When I think of Michelangelo, I think Renaissance Man. Born March 6, 1475 in Caprese, Italy Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was a leader in the Italian Renaissance. Everyone, whether you realize it or not, has seen works of Michelangelo. He was, even in his own time, renowned as a sculptor and painter. I would have to say the Pieta sculpture (1499) is my favorite. What is even more amazing to me is that Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael lived in the same time, in the same country! Fellow artists, rivals, incredible geniuses. Their gifts as artists, their influence on art and the world, are unequaled.


Video from the Library's Films on Demand Collection
Michelangelo Buonarroti’s career spanned almost seven decades, during which time he was instrumental in the development of an art style that represents the pinnacle of the Italian High Renaissance. His unrivaled genius, violent temper, and singular determination to pursue his art meant that he often worked alone, undertaking great feats of physical and intellectual endurance. Michelangelo is the archetypal brooding artist, the romantic symbol of the creative spirit tortured by his own internal demons and antagonized by his influential patrons. As an architect he designed the dome of St. Peter’s in the Vatican. As a sculptor he produced figures of unimaginable quality. As a painter he single-handedly undertook the decoration of the Sistine chapel's ceiling. Works featured in this program include David, Frescoes, Sistine Chapel, Bacchus, Pieta, Dying and Rebellious Slaves, and The Last Judgement. Watch below:

Also check, Michelangelo's Biography from Credo Reference Database

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Black History Month

President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.

Here at the Ivy Tech Library we would also like to honor this observance, celebrating African-Americans’ achievements and contributions to our country.

Please stop by the Library and check out the Black History Month display. If you can’t make it in to the Library, no worries, check out these links below.
Black History books on your Library shelves
African-American History Month in Britannica
African American History Month in the Library of Congress
All about Black History from the Library of Congress
Black History from Smithsonian

National Random Acts of Kindness Day

I personally believe that kindness is the key. An act of kindness makes the world a better place in everyone’s daily life. When we are mindful of those around us, something happens, something really cool! It catches on, it gets paid forward, positive things happen and someone’s day gets a little better. February 17th is National Random Acts of Kindness Day. My hope is that by bringing awareness of this day, we can celebrate small acts of kindness every day!
Random Acts of Kindness website
Random Acts of Kindness: Magical Moments? video segment from Films on Demand

Civility

Civility is a term we hear about occasionally. What does civility really mean, though, and what impact should it have in our daily lives? The CAN group (Change Action Northeast) is a group of Ivy Tech employees that meet on a monthly basis and their current project deals with identifying values and behaviors they, as a group, would like to see prevail in our everyday environment. The topic they are discussing this semester is civility. The Library is very excited to be collaborating with the CAN group on this topic. Stop in the Library and check out a book from the civility display, and stay tuned to the CAN group’s updates about the activities happening this semester. Here are some additional informational links from the Library’s resources!

What is Civility? from Credo Reference
Rude: Where Are Our Manners? video from Films on Demands

National Periodic Table day celebration on February 7th

I know I am breaking my rule of grouping in three’s on my blog but being a little bit of a science geek, I have to also recognize the National Periodic Table day celebration on February 7th. I know it’s a little well, geeky, but I have always loved the periodic table. (I have always been a little envious of Sheldon Cooper’s Periodic Table shower curtain on the Big Bang Theory show.) Here are some fun links to learn more about it.
Books about Periodic Table of Elements on the Library shelves
Periodic Table of Elements from Britannica
These are just a few resources to perhaps ignite your interest to learn more. There’s so much out there to learn about. Check out the Library’s newsletter as well. It’s is a fantastic information resource.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, National Blood Drive Month and STATS Indiana

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

We honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the third Monday of January every year. An advocate of non-violence, Dr. King’s leadership of the modern American Civil Rights Movement brought about significant achievements toward racial equality in America through the use of nonviolent resistance and the power of words. Born January 15, 1929 to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King, he was the son, grandson and great-grandson of Baptist ministers. He won the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, and drew inspiration from his faith as a Christian as well as the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Take a moment and learn more about Dr. King, his life and the Civil Rights Movement.

All about Dr.King from the King Center
I Have a Dream" Speech ca. 1963 - video from Films on Demand
Biography of Martin Luther King Jr. from American History Online
 

National Blood Drive Month


Help the American Red Cross celebrate National Blood Donor Month by giving blood this month! Founded in 1881 by Clara Barton and a group of acquaintances, the Red Cross supplies approximately 40% of the nation’s blood supply. As a nonprofit, the Red Cross depends on volunteers and the public to help them achieve this. The Ivy Tech Library is once again collaborating with Faculty member Pam Neu and the Medical Assisting Program to hold a blood drive here at Ivy Tech January 21st from 1-3:30 p.m. at the Coliseum Campus.
Give blood and take a free book home with you to enjoy reading on these cold January evenings, feeling good that you helped someone in need.

Blood Facts and Statistics from American Red Cross Website
 

STATS Indiana


STATS Indiana is a MUST CHECK OUT site. What is STATS Indiana? This “free” database is a one-stop site of 5 billion plus data records from over 100 state and federal agencies! STATS Indiana owes its origins to the work of the Indiana Business Research Center through the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, although it currently gets support through the State of Indiana, Indiana University, and the Lily Endowment. One can research data geographically other U.S. States, cities, towns and metro areas, or by one of 48 topics such as population, employment, or housing. There is a plethora of information on this site and a go-to site for me.

http://www.stats.indiana.edu/index.asp

These are just a few resources to perhaps ignite your interest to learn more. There’s so much out there to learn about. Check out the Library’s newsletter as well. It’s is a fantastic information resource.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Bill of Rights, Glenn Miller and Jane Austen

I often feel that as we navigate the hectic “busyness” of our everyday lives, we take for granted the rights we have as citizens of this great Republic in which we live. Although the Revolutionary War was over and the Constitution was in effect, there were a number of points of contention between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists in the 1780s. One particular point of contention was that the Anti-Federalists felt the Constitution needed a bill of rights to place specific limits on the power of federal government. While the Federalists argued that the people and states kept the powers that weren’t given to the federal government, Anti-Federalists believed “that a bill of rights was necessary to safeguard individual liberty”. James Madison, who was then a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, became involved with this issue of the limits of governmental power. Madison presented the list of amendments to the Constitution to the House and Senate in 1789. It took until December 1791, however, for all the states to ratify the amendments. Virginia’s legislature was the final state to ratify them on December 15, 1791. Take a moment and check out these links for more information concerning the Bill of Rights!

Explore this topic in Library's CQ Researcher Database
Bill of Rights from the Charters of Freedom
U.S. Bill of Rights from ConstitutionFacts.com
Bill of Rights of the United States of America (1791)


If you love the big band sound of the swing era, then you are familiar with Glenn Miller. He is one of my favorites from that era. Born in Clarinda, Iowa in 1904, his love of music was apparent by the time he joined the high school band and played the trombone. Desiring a band with its own unique sound and “personality”, it took Miller from 1921 to 1938 to accomplish this as he worked with a number of well-known bands and musicians. The Glenn Miller Orchestra achieved great success and had many hit songs. Enlisting in 1942 to serve his Country, Glenn did not leave his music behind. He was appointed a Captain in the Army Specialist Corps and formed the Army Air Force Band which toured to raise the morale of soldiers fighting WWll. Sadly, Miller met a tragic end December 15, 1944 when the flight he took to Paris to make arrangements for his band to embark on a tour of Europe, disappeared and was never recovered. There has been much speculation on this through the ensuing years. While his death was tragic, Miller’s influence and music legacy lives on. Here are some great sites for more information:
The Official Site of Glenn Miller
Listen to Glenn Miller’s Moonlight Serenade" from Library's Naxos Music Database

Here’s some hints on my next topic: British novelist, romance, social commentary, and works never publicly acknowledged in her own lifetime. Yes, you’ve got it, Jane Austen! Whether or not Austen’s novels are your cup of tea, you are familiar with her name. Born in Hamsphire, England December 16, 1775, Austen was the seventh child of country clergyman George Austen and his wife, Cassandra. She began writing “comic” stories as a child and published her first serious work at 19. While she lived a quiet life, Austen was well educated at home and her development as a writer was supported by her entire family. Every Jane Austen fan has her/his favorite. Emma and Pride and Prejudice are mine. By 1815, as she was finishing Persuasion, Austen’s health began to fail. She died July 18, 1817. The world will never know what other wonderful works she could have written. Two of her works, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, were published posthumously by one of her brothers. It was only after her death that she achieved fame as a novelist.
A Brief Biography of Jane Austen
All about Jane Austen from JaneAusten.co.uk
Explore biographies and criticism of Jane Austen's novels in Bloom's Literature Database
The possibilities are unlimited. See you soon at the Library.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Computer Skills Connection, Monet and O’Keeffe, and Thanksgiving

Computer Skills Connection

The Library is very excited to collaborate with the Center for Academic Excellence and Online Technologies here in the Northeast region concerning the Computer Skills Connection program. Having strong computer skills is an essential component of a college student’s skill set, and building these skills is essential for success both academically and in the work place. Stop by either the Library at the Coliseum Campus, the Center for Academic Excellence in Harshman 1610 or Online Technologies in Harshman 1330 on the North Campus to learn more about the resources and support available to you to increase your computer skills here at Ivy Tech. For more information download CSC flyer.

Claude Monet

Claude Monet is my favorite artist. Born November 14, 1840 in Paris, France, Monet is considered one of the founding members of the impressionist style of painting. The “impressionist” style of art was quite controversial in the beginning, and Monet spent periods of his life struggling financially. Fortunately, in Monet’s later years, acceptance for the impressionist style increased.

 

Georgia O’Keeffe

American artist, Georgia O’Keeffe, is another favorite of mine. Born November 15, 1887 in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, O’Keeffe was the first American woman artist to achieve international recognition. By the age of thirteen, she had already decided to pursue a career as an artist. O’Keeffe was known for her strong independent spirit as a pioneer in American modernism. Her later works were often influenced by southwestern motifs and desert symbolism.

 

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a truly American holiday. While Thanksgiving has a long history, it did not become a national holiday until President Lincoln supported it in 1863. Here are some helpful links to learn more about the history of Thanksgiving. (from Library's Britannica database) and from the Smithsonian site. Food has long been a fundamental element of this holiday where we gather to celebrate the harvest and be grateful. If you need some inspiration for your Thanksgiving meal, check out these two links:

  • Watch episode First Thanksgiving  from After the Mayflower: We shall Remain - America Through Native Eyes (Films on Demand Library Database)
  • Make it ahead : a Barefoot Contessa cookbook (TX714 .G3644 2014) - Ina includes recipes for the biggest cooking day of the year--Thanksgiving! Her Ultimate Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and Gravy with Onions & Sage may just change your life. With beautiful photographs and hundreds of invaluable make-ahead tips, this is your new go-to guide for preparing meals that are stress-free yet filled with those fabulously satisfying flavors that you have come to expect from the Barefoot Contessa.

  • A Healthier Thanksgiving from EBSCO Food Science Source - Recipes for several Thanksgiving cooking including Mashed Rutabaga and Potatoes, Roasted Herb Turkey and Wild Rice Stuffing.
These are just a few resources to perhaps ignite your interest to learn more. There’s so much out there to learn about. Check out the Library’s newsletter as well. It’s is a fantastic information resource.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Eleanor Roosevelt, Digital Public Library of America and Picasso

First Lady of the World
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
Affectionately called "First Lady of the world", Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd U.S. President. Born October 11, 1884, Eleanor was one of the most revered women of this generation as she worked steadfastly as Franklin’s political helpmate and for the underprivileged of all creeds, races, and nations. She transformed the role of the First Lady as she also worked tirelessly and independently for the issues she was driven to bring awareness of and improve, especially human rights. Late in life, she served as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations and helped write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Her graciousness, integrity, and candid expression of thoughts and opinions show her true strength of character.

All About Eleanor Roosevelt from Biography in Context Database
United Nations- Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Check out these streaming videos of Eleanor from the database Films On Demand

Digital Public Library of America
Public libraries have historically championed the ability to access materials and information freely. The Digital Public Library of America “works, along with like-minded organizations and individuals, to ensure that this critical, open intellectual landscape remains vibrant and broad in the face of increasingly restrictive digital options. DPLA seeks to multiply openly accessible materials to strengthen the public option that libraries represent in their communities.” The DPLA is a culmination of materials from libraries, museums and archives made available to the public. The DPLA currently contains 2,412,899 books and periodicals, 11,339,564 images, text, sounds and objects, 11,339,564 informative timelines by map, and a broad scope of themed online exhibitions. This phenomenal site is well worth taking a look at. In fact, bookmark it on your computer. The “Help” tab has good tutorials and introductory videos, and creating an account allows you to save searches and items and create playlists for your own use or to share with others. Check this site out!

http://dp.la/ 

Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso - Self Portraits in Different Styles
Picasso was born on October 25, 1881, in Málaga, Spain. Picasso is considered one of the world’s greatest artists. He was well known for his Primitivist and Cubist periods but produced a staggering amount of work in a variety of styles and media. Controversial and larger than life, Picasso is not an artist that people are ambivalent about; you are either drawn to his art or not. Take a look at some of his art through the Library’s ARTstor database.
Watch this short episode from our Films on Demand collection describing Picasso's phenomenal impact on all areas of modern art:
Explore more about Pablo Picasso in the Library's Films on Demand video collection:
Pablo Picasso: Artist of Carnal Knowledge
Tour of Picasso's Art
 


Thursday, September 17, 2015

Oz, Labor Day Tribute and Rhapsody in Blue

76th Anniversary of the movie Wizard of Oz

The popular movie version of The Wizard of Oz was released 76 years ago in 1939.  Author L. Frank Baum created many stories and tales for his children, enjoyed writing, and had been a reporter and editor in Chicago and South Dakota.  He published The Wizard of Oz in 1900 and it has been reprinted many times since then.  My oldest daughter so loved Dorothy and the movie version of this story as a child, that she named her teddy bear and a neighbor’s dog, Toto.  Although many think of this book as a children’s story, the movie version, starring Judy Garland, has had a big cultural impact to this day with intriguing popular urban legends attached.  Check out more information on the Library’s database links in Biography in Context and Bloom’s Literature.   
Biography articles about L. Frank Baum from the Library's Biography in Context Database
All about Wizard of Oz in Library's Bloom’s Literature Database
Susanne Kessel performs Somewhere Over the Rainbow from Library's Naxos Database
Wizard of Oz through Warner Bros
Wizard of Oz eBook in the Library catalog
What is Labor Day really about? 

This national holiday, celebrated the first Monday in September, acknowledges “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.”

History of Labor Day

Read former U.S. Department of Labor’s historian, Linda Stinson’s perspective on Labor Day.

Gershwin Birthday in September

I love Gershwin music. The son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn on September 26, 1898. George and his brother, Ira, were a very successful musical team with George composing the music and Ira as the lyricist. Popular songs, orchestral music, Broadway, George could do it all. Sadly, George died at the young age of 38 from a brain tumor. The world can only imagine what the possibilities could have continued to be from this creative genius. For more information about George Gershwin and his music, follow these links to a few of our Library databases.
Biography of George Gershwin from Encyclopaedia Britannica
Rhapsody in Blue song from Library's Naxos Database
All about George Gershwin from Library's Biography in context

Check these sites out and do some exploring. The possibilities are unlimited. See you soon at the Library.