Dillard U. Library Blog

Librarian Conferences 2010

2009-12-10T17:53:00.000-06:00

http://worldcat.org/blogs/archives/2009/12/conference-publications-added.htm

Joint Conference of the Mountain Plains Library Association & Oklahoma Library Association -- TBA

January 15, 2010-January 20, 2010
Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association -- Boston, MA, USA

April 4, 2010-April 10, 2010
National Library Week of the American Library Association

April 7, 2010-April 9, 2010
Tri-Conference of the Kansas Library Association & Kansas Association of School Librarians & Kansas Association for Educational Communications and Technology -- Wichita, KS, USA

April 12, 2010-April 16, 2010
Annual Conference of the Texas Library Association -- San Antonio, TX, USA

May 6, 2010-May 7, 2010
Annual Membership Meeting of the Southeastern Library Network, Inc. (SOLINET) -- Atlanta, GA, USA

June 5, 2010-June 10, 2010
101st Annual Meeting of the Special Libraries Association -- Salt Lake City, UT, USA

June 24, 2010-June 30, 2010
Annual Conference of the American Library Association -- Orlando, FL, USA

Facebook for Scientists Gets Millions in Funding, Seven Founding Schools Involved

2009-11-05T11:38:00.001-06:00

From the Article:

The University of Florida, Cornell University and a handful of other schools have been awarded $12.2 million to build a social/collaborative network for scientists and researchers. The idea is to make it easier to find research and like-minded researchers in an effort to speed new discoveries.

The project, funded via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will initially take of the form of networks within each of the 7 founding schools but within two years could expand across the country. Eventually, the network will go worldwide, grant recipients hope.

Technologies used to support the effort will include VIVO, an open source discovery tool out of Cornell used to search for research information. It will also exploit concepts of the Semantic Web, Tim-Berners Lee’s vision for an even more useful Web that enables better sharing of data.

In addition to the University of Florida and Cornell, also involved in the project are Indiana University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Washington University in St. Louis, the Scripps Research Institute and the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico.

Source: CIO

Publisher’s Weekly Publishes Their Best Books of 2009 Lists

2009-11-05T10:20:00.000-06:00

Lists: Top 10 Adult Books of 2009 as Chosen by Editors of Publisher’s Weekly
Yes, it’s true, the end-of-year lists begin rolling out some two months before December 31st. We love lists at ResourceShelf and welcome suggestions and links to include on the site.

This Top 10 list (the first-ever) from Publisher’s Weekly consists of both fiction and non-fiction titles. The books were selected from the 50,000 titles submitted to PW for review in 2009.

Nonfiction

The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science, by Richard Holmes

Cheever: A Life, by Blake Bailey

A Fiery Peace in a Cold War: Bernard Schriever and the Ultimate Weapon, by Neil Sheehan

Stitches: A Memoir, by David Small

Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew Crawford

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon, David Grann

Fiction

Await Your Reply, by Dan Chaon

Big Machine, by Victor LaValle

Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi, by Geoff Dyer

In Other Rooms, Other Wonders, by Daniyal Mueenuddin

This link will take you to the PW reviews of these titles.

The complete list of the 100 adult best books of the year, broken down by major categories, as well as 30 best children’s books of 2009, will appear in the November 2 issue of PW.

Source: Publisher’s Weekly

Obama Awarded 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

2009-10-09T08:55:00.000-05:00

Oct. 9, 2009
By Ed Wiley III

In a surprise move, Barack Obama, who made “hope” the cornerstone of his campaign to become America’s first African-American president, was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama woke up to the news a little before 6 a.m. EDT. The White House had no immediate comment on the announcement, which took the administration by surprise.
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in praising the U.S. president. "His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."
The Associated Press reported that when Obama’s name was announced in Oslo, Norway, a roomful of reporters there gasped in surprise.
But given Obama’s whirlwind of activities during his very short tenure as president, the selection was a good one, sayformer award recipients and others.

When Obama was elected president, he inherited a host of daunting hurdles – including the worst U.S. economy in memorable history, the constant threat of terrorism and two unpopular wars in the Iraq and Afghanistan – and he has been a leading voice on such issues as Mideast peace and the need for the United States to aggressively confront global warming. He has also been the catalyst behind America’s push for universal health care health care.

In recent weeks, Obama even headed to Denmark, hoping to land the 2016 Olympics for Chicago, which could use a boost in revenues – and image, considering the current spotlight on youth violence in the Windy City. In its final analysis, the Nobel Committee agreed that Obama had not only “created a new climate in international politics,” but he made “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international politics.”

Ironically, many of Obama’s harshest critics in the United States have blasted him for being so involved on so many different fronts, arguing that he has been unable to focus on the main domestic issue: the economy. During his trip to Denmark, some conservative commentators unabashedly announced their desire to see Obama fail in his attempt to bring the Olympics to his hometown.
But for those praying that such a “failure” would dull his national and international appeal, their hopes were dashed with today’s announcement.
"I see this as an important encouragement," former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, last year's Peace Prize laureate, told AP.

Wangari Muta Maathai, the Kenyan who won the 2004 Peace Prize, agreed. "I think it is extraordinary," she said. "It will be even greater inspiration for the world. He has shown how we can probably come together, work together in a cooperative way."
Mohamed ElBaradei, the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize winner, said Obama deserved to win for his efforts to bring Iran to the table for direct nuclear talks with the United States. "I could not think of anybody who is more deserving," said ElBaradei, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, known for his efforts to keep nations from using nuclear energy for military means.

Obama became the third sitting U.S. president bestowed with the prestigious award, which includes a prize of about $1.4 million. Theodore Roosevelt won in 1906, and Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Jimmy Carter also won the award in 2002, but he had been out of office for many years.

Obama was chosen from among 172 nominees and 33 organizations.

August Monthly Observances

2009-08-19T12:50:00.000-05:00

American Adventures Month
American Indian Heritage Month
American History Essay Contest (8/1 - 12/15)
Black Business Month
Cataract Awareness Month
Children's Eye Health & Safety Month
Children's Vision & Learning Month
Get Ready for Kindergarten Month
Golf Month
Happiness Happens Month
Motorsports Awareness Month
National Immunization Awareness Month
National Inventor's Month
National Panini Month
National Water Quality Month
National Win With Civility Month
Neurosurgery Outreach Month
Psoriasis Awareness Month
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month
What Will Be Your Legacy Month

Book Recommended for Your Collection...The Elements of Library Research: What Every Student Needs to Know Mary W. George

2009-08-19T11:53:00.000-05:00

The Elements of Library Research:
What Every Student Needs to Know
Mary W. George

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Published by Princeton University Press and copyrighted, © 2008, by Princeton University Press. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the publisher, except for reading and browsing via the World Wide Web. Users are not permitted to mount this file on any network servers. Follow links for Class Use and other Permissions. For more information, send e-mail to permissions@press.princeton.edu

This file is also available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format

CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Research as Inquiry

Let me explain what this little book is and why I am writing it. It is not a guide to whipping up successful research papers from dribs and drabs of information. Nor is it a set of commandments or a list of random reference works. It is about the interplay of ideas (yours) with sources (from outside yourself) and about the nature and discovery of those sources. I want to persuade you, as a serious but uncertain student, that library research is not a mystery or a lucky dodge, but an investigation you control from start to finish, even though you cannot usually tell what sources you will discover. Like its twin, scientific experiment, library research is a form of structured inquiry with specific tools, rules, and techniques. Also like its twin, it is unpredictable, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately rewarding as you examine your findings, then add your own insights to make a compelling case. As a bonus, when you share your work—whether through writing, speaking, or technology—addressing one person or a wide audience, you create a new source, extending the cycle. There is no more fulfilling intellectual experience.

What do I mean by student and library in the previous paragraph? I want to reach anyone who feels anxious—or downright scared—when facing a task that involves seeking and weighing information. You may be starting your first research paper, your nth term project, even your doctoral dissertation: if you worry that you are not going to find enough of the ‘‘right stuff,’’ then the ideas and suggestions in this book will put you at ease and back in charge. Each time you work through the library research process, regardless of how different your aim or subject is from your previous efforts, you will become more fluent. Soon you will see how to modify the method and what alternatives exist if you are missing a key fact or suspect that a source cannot be trusted. As with any other complex activity, repetition with variations will lead first to mastery, then to creativity.

Novices often think that unless they have a gigantic university library at their disposal, they will fail to find all the sources they need. Not so. A bigger collection is not necessarily a better one for a specific research project. Not only are tens of millions of reputable sources of all sorts now in digital form as licensed databases or free on the Web, but libraries can often obtain material from elsewhere within a few days. Unless and until you come up short in the nearby collections available to you—typically your school’s own library and your local public library—I urge you not to worry. But if you do conclude that you need more sources, speak with both your instructor (assuming you are doing a course-related research project) and a reference librarian about what you can do.

Likewise, do not assume dire consequences if your library does not have all the reference works and databases I mention. I name these titles simply as examples, not as necessary resources for everyone. Once you understand what each type of tool does, you can figure out—on your own or by asking— what your library has to offer for the job.

Moving from the Known to the New

When you are familiar with an activity because you have done it flawlessly in the past, then you do not give it much time or thought or emotion. Why would you, unless the outcome is especially significant, such as earning a high grade on a math exam tomorrow so that you can take calculus next term?

But if an activity is new to you—if it is familiar but a lot more complex than anything you have done in the past, if factors such as the setting or criteria for success are strange— then you will inevitably be unsure, anxious, and probably tempted to avoid the experience. Think about the first time you needed to figure out a big city’s public transportation system on your own, so that you could travel from point A to point B within an hour. It was stressful—right?—even if all the maps and signs were in English. Now imagine the first time you got behind the wheel of a car, presumably after learning dozens of rules and cautions in a driver’s education class. My guess is that although you felt somewhat uncertain about what to do and the order to do it in, you were so eager to get your permit that you remember the event as a stimulating rather than a harrowing experience.

These scenarios illustrate the range of research projects you will encounter in college and beyond, some completely foreign to you and others for which you have some background or experience. The trait they share is the hunt for ‘‘what’s out there,’’ a favorite phrase of teachers everywhere.

In the following sections I cover the purposes of research in general, the varieties of research, and the ways researchers communicate their findings. I start this way because I want to convince you that the library research process is part of a larger universe of inquiry. If you can identify the facets of any research study you encounter, and figure out how someone designed it (or could have designed it better), then you will be much readier for college-level research than most students, whether in a library or a laboratory. As you read the next few pages, keep in mind that your professors live and breathe these issues as they go about the business of creating new knowledge in their fields.

Reasons for Research

Before we examine the varieties and characteristics of research, we should consider why anyone does formal research in the first place. Here is a list of research goals I encounter frequently on a university campus, but they occur in other settings as well, such as in business, government, and professional organizations. Research serves to

Reveal the cause or causes of a phenomenon
Resolve an anomaly (something that doesn’t make sense)
Test a hypothesis or develop a theory
Verify or replicate someone else’s findings
Determine what a new instrument or technique can do
Adapt methods or results from one field to another
Observe or record an event as it occurs
Reproduce conditions from the past in the present
Understand human motivations for actions
Isolate factors and their interrelationships in a complex system
Predict or influence individual or group behavior
Improve the quality of life across cultures and populations
Analyze the components of a creative work
No doubt you can supply examples of each of these research incentives from your own reading and experience. I suggest you keep track of additional ones you come across from now on. My point is that although a researcher’s intent helps determine the specific methods he or she will use, all researchers share a deep, universal aim: to discover the truth about something that intrigues them.

Varieties of Research

Most people think about research in large categories labeled with the field of the researcher or the course that requires a research project. For instance, you might refer to historical research, scientific research, textual research, or sociological research. These phrases suffice for general communication about what is meant, and they are the ones you see and hear in the media. They are not, however, precise as to the way someone tackles a research problem. The following chart lists some, but by no means all, of the common approaches to investigation used in research projects (also frequently called research studies), with brief descriptions. I don’t dwell on any of them except the first—which is, after all, what this book is about. I simply want to lay out the cards so you will see how diverse the deck of inquiry is. The forms of research toward the top of the chart are the ones you are most likely to encounter during your first two years of college.

These methods overlap in real life—in fact, it’s unusual for a given project not to involve more than one of them. Furthermore, the qualitative, quantitative, and empirical approaches are umbrella terms that can be applied to other methods as well. For now, just be alert to this variety.

Research Method Characteristics and Examples
Library Involves identifying and locating sources that provide factual information or personal/ expert opinion on a research question; necessary component of every other research method at some point
Experimental Takes place in a dedicated environment, typically a laboratory, and involves specific equipment and procedural steps; molecular biological research to decode a species’ genome is an example
Explicatory Entails a careful, close, and focused examination of a single major text, or of evidence surrounding a single complex event, in an attempt to understand one or more aspects of it—for instance, why a poem is pleasing, or the probable causes of an event
Field Occurs wherever the phenomenon under study exists, meaning the researcher goes to that location; archaeological excavation is one type
Observational Takes place either in a laboratory or in the field, but entails capturing an exact record of some behavior (of either animate or inanimate objects); child psychologists who watch infants interact do this sort of research. Note that researchers may be observers or participants in the phenomenon they are studying, as when an anthropologist lives in a remote village to record the language used by people during religious ceremonies
Interview Includes any sort of conversation that addresses a specific experience or issue about which the interviewee is knowledgeable, involves questions prepared in advance, and is recorded in its entirety; oral history, for instance
Survey Poses a series of questions to a group of people (usually a sample) with specific responses for individuals to choose from; usually captures demographic and socioeconomic information as well, to correlate with the responses; written questionnaires and telephone opinion polls are examples
Longitudinal Follows a phenomenon over time; often used in educational or medical studies where the individuals in a group are periodically reexamined at specific intervals over many years
Archival Involves the researcher in a close study of original documents—typically collected and retained by governments, organizations, or families—that exist in a unique location; genealogical research is a case in point
Qualitative Designates any research whose results are captured in words, images, or nonnumeric symbols; for instance, research on dreams
Quantitative Describes any approach where the phenomenon under study is captured via measurement and expressed in numbers that can be analyzed; opposite of qualitative research; econometric research on the international oil trade is an example
Empirical Refers to studies using experiment or observation to test the validity of a phenomenon; less rigorously, refers to knowledge derived from experience, as when people assert that, based on empirical evidence, the sun will rise tomorrow morning
Theoretical Entails speculation on the part of the researcher, and is usually based on the findings of other kinds of studies, in an attempt to account for or predict the behavior of a phenomenon; Einstein’s work is a case in point

How Researchers Share Their Findings

You can think of these and other research methods as the engine of the new-knowledge-creation process, the necessary transformative stage between the researcher’s curiosity and conclusions. Before you can appreciate those conclusions or take part in the process itself, you should be aware of the various ways researchers convey their results and interpretations to other experts and to the general public.

Here is yet another list, this time of how and where researchers most commonly communicate. Since most of these channels are familiar or self-explanatory, I keep my elaboration to a minimum. The product of research can be

A report in the form of a peer-reviewed article in a scholarly journal
An announcement in the form of a press release, interview, or story written by a journalist for a news publication or popular periodical
A book (also called a monograph when it is devoted to a single, complex topic)
A chapter in a collection of essays addressing the same or related themes
A presentation at a conference, sometimes later published in a proceedings volume or as a journal article
A master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation, which may later be revised and issued as a book
A memoir or autobiography, typically by a senior scholar reflecting on his or her research career and appearing in journal article, chapter, or book format
A comment on another researcher’s work, such as a letter to the editor or a book review, published in a newspaper or periodical
Nonprint media such as e-mail, listserv postings, blogs, personal Web pages, filmed documentaries, or broadcast interviews on radio or television
An overview or synthesis in an encyclopedia article or college textbook
Classroom teaching, conversations with colleagues, and student advising, types of communication that are seldom published but may well be captured and preserved as lecture notes, in footnotes, or in the acknowledgments of books or journal articles
In the course of your college education, you will read about each of these forms of communication. You will likely observe your professors engage in or allude to them as well.

Peer Review
This is an essential activity in the world of learning. In its more general sense, peer review means that specialists on a topic have a duty to evaluate the work of others in the same area of expertise—just as those with experience in the professions serve as gatekeepers for their field. In its narrower sense, a peer-reviewed article is one that scholars in a discipline have judged to be worthwhile before it is published in a journal, thus assuring that poor research and weak arguments never see the light of day.

Literature Review A standard outcome of research is a literature review (also called a research review or a review of the literature). This is a paragraph, section, or entire chapter—depending on the nature and length of the publication—in which the author identifies and comments on previous attempts to answer the same, or related, research questions. Although you may never be asked to include a formal research review in anything you write in college, you will most definitely be expected to do research reviews for various projects, mainly to back up your own ideas and arguments, but also to prove to your teachers that you can identify and evaluate relevant sources.
Don’t be misled by the phrases literature review or review of the literature. They refer to a summary of related research in any field. The terms are not limited to the novels, poems, or plays you read in an English course. So you may well come across a literature review on AIDS-related infant mortality in a journal article by medical researchers describing their study of the disease in newborns.

Practice Critical Thinking Create a dedicated computer file, notebook, or folder where you keep track of interesting research projects you encounter. Include where and how you came across the information, so that you can get back to it in the future. A good method is to regularly examine current issues, either online or in print at your library, of periodicals that carry what I call breakthrough stories: for example, any of the major news magazines (Newsweek, Time, U.S. News & World Report); the science section of a daily newspaper; or publications like Nature, Psychology Today, Science, or Scientific American. In each issue, look at the table of contents and choose the article that most intrigues you. Read it thoroughly and make notes about the questions the researchers address, the methods they use, and how they describe the results of their study. If other ideas occur to you—for instance, if you’ve read an article about how honeybees communicate and you wonder whether the same conclusions apply to wasps—write those down too, so you will get in the habit of thinking critically about the work of others. Be sure to record the bibliographic details of the article: author(s), title of the article, name of the publication, date, and page(s). If you prefer, you can print out or photocopy the article, write the bibliographic details on the copy (if they are not already present), and put your own comments in the margins.

The rest of this book guides you through the process of identifying sources for your own research projects. For now just realize that everyone starting a complex inquiry needs to discover two things: as much background information as possible on their topic of interest; and the research, conclusions, and opinions of others who have examined the same topic and asked similar questions about it. Even a genius must start from the work of earlier thinkers, a truth symbolized by the image of Sir Isaac Newton (1642–1727) seeing farther because, as he is reputed to have said, he stood on the shoulders of giants—that is, of his own predecessors.

From Here Forward

The next chapter of this book expands on the idea of library research as inquiry and recommends an efficient, effective way to plan your investigation before you start to uncover evidence. To do this, it offers a diagram of the library research process, three key definitions, and several suggestions for choosing a congenial research topic. It also raises the gnarly matter of plagiarism and introduces Mary’s Maxims, a few friendly injunctions to all library researchers, which I intersperse throughout the book. The purpose of these maxims is to lower your anxiety and raise your expectations—and, I hope, your enjoyment—as you conduct library research in any setting.

Chapter 3 focuses on a basic, and versatile, library research strategy and the tools you need to wield at each stage. I concentrate on the characteristics of each kind of reference work and give examples, recognizing that your own library may well have different resources that perform the same functions.

Chapter 4 addresses practical issues everyone confronts in the course of research. I describe in detail the known-item and concept approaches for identifying sources and the two complementary variations of the latter, keyword and subject searching. I also go over search logic, the nontrivial matter of locating and obtaining items, and some other techniques for discovering evidence.

Chapter 5 considers ways to evaluate sources and discusses the dynamism of inquiry—that is, the ever-shifting relationship among research questions, findings, and insight. Although this is emphatically not a composition textbook, I offer a few words about developing an argument, dealing with obstacles in the writing process, and documenting all the pertinent evidence. This final chapter reiterates a serious message I address at several points in the book: avoiding plagiarism. To conclude, I extract the principles and techniques covered earlier and suggest how, with a bit of tailoring, you can extrapolate them from one inquiry to the next—across time, place, and topics, as you move through your education and daily life.

File created: 7/23/2008

Questions and comments to: webmaster@pupress.princeton.edu
Princeton University Press

2009-07-25T14:43:00.000-05:00

Collaboration/Social Networking - Thank you Librarian Chick @ http://librarianchick.pbworks.com/#Collaboration/SocialNetworking

•4shared - Upload, download and share music, books, video and more with 5 BG of free space
•Blackboard Scholar - A social bookmarking service customized for education
•CentralDesktop - Shared workspaces and Web conferencing that let you collaborate anytime
•CollectivX - Social networking for groups of all types and sizes
•Connotea - Free social reference management for researchers, clinicians and scientists
•Edmodo - A microblogging platform where teachers and students can exchange notes, links, files, alerts, assignments, etc.
•Eduforge - An open access environment designed for the sharing of ideas, research outcomes, open content and open source software for education
•eHow - More than 100,000 articles that are professionally written with clear and concise directions on how to do things
•Elgg - A free social networking site for education based on the open source Elgg social networking platform
•eloops - Online calendar, data backup, project management, and social networking
•ePals - Communicate with classrooms in 182 countries, and collaborate with teachers around the world
•First Tutors - Search to find UK private tutors in your area
•Gimao - Group knowledge and information management
•GroupLoop - Simple web-based software to organize your group
•Groupvine - Groups made easy, fun and simple
•Imagination Cubed - Collaborative drawing tool
•Instructables - A community for sharing and learning tips and instructions
•iPeer - Develop and deliver peer evaluations, review and release student comments, build rubrics and progress report forms online, etc
•Jotspot - Create and share documents, spreadsheets, calendars and more
•Jottit - Create simple websites and collaboritive blogs that are easy to edit and share
•KnowledgeForge - A digital open knowledge community that provides the facilities and tools to create everything from textbooks to maps
•Labmeeting - Scientists can upload, search, organize, and retrieve their research papers and recommend them to colleagues
•MindMeister Basic - Hold online real-time brainstorming sessions with friends and colleagues
•OneBigU - Earn money for answering questions posed by other users or donate that money to support a good cause
•Qipit - Copy and share documents with your camera phone or digital camera
•Sakai - An online collaboration and learning environment for education
•Scribd - Upload your documents, share them with others and explore an expanding library of documents submitted by others
•SpringNote - Collaborate, share files, and create pages with numerous templates and 2 GB free storage
•Squidoo - A community where you can share your expertise and learn from others
•Tapped In - Where teachers, librarians, administrators, university faculty, students, and researchers gather to learn, collaborate, share, and support
•Thinkature - Free unlimited workspaces for real-time collaboration online
•ThinkFold - Groups can collaborate on ideas, documents, presentations and plans
•Tuggle - Catapult your organization's administration and communication methods
•Tutor Hunt - Connecting private tutors and students for free

•Versionate - Create, edit content and share documents with others
•Wikiversity - Students and teachers are invited to join the project as collaborators in teaching, learning, and research
•wis.dm - A social web application for college students and recent graduates, that enables members to promote, learn, share and engage
•Wridea - Collaborative brainstorm sessions and a place to get your ideas organized
•ZedZone - A powerful website for communication, sharing files, and/or collaboration for any community or group
•Zoho - Create, aggregate, and share content with this intensive collection of productivity and collabration applications

July Holidays & Observances

2009-07-14T10:46:00.001-05:00

Air-Conditioning Appreciation Days
Bereaved Parents Month
Bioterrorism/Disaster Education & Awareness Month
Blueberries Month
Cell Phone Courtesy Month
Dog Days
Family Reunion Month
Hemochromatosis Screening Awareness Month
Herbal/Prescription Awareness Month
International Blondie and Deborah Harry Month
International Group B Strep Awareness Month Link
National Child-Centered Divorce Month
National "Doghouse Repairs" Month
National Grilling Month
National Ice Cream Month
National Horseradish Month
National Hot Dog Month
National Make A Difference to Children Month
National Recreation & Parks Month
National Share A Sunset With Your Lover Month
National Wheelchair Beautification Month
Sandwich Generation Month
Smart Irrigation Month
Social Wellness Month
Tour de France Month
Women's Motorcycle Month

June Holidays & Observances

2009-06-25T16:06:00.000-05:00

Monthly
Adopt A Shelter Cat Month
Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome Awareness Month Link
Cancer From The Sun Month
Celibacy Awareness Month
Child Vision Awareness Month
Children's Awareness Month
Dairy Alternative Month
Effective Communications Month
Entrepreneurs "Do It Yourself" Marketing Month
Fireworks Safety Month
Gay & Lesbian Pride Month
Great Outdoors Month
International Childhood Cancer Campaign Month
International Men's Month
Dairy Month
June is Lane Courtesy Month
June is Perennial Gardening Month
June is Turkey Lovers Month
National Accordion Awareness Month
National Aphasia Awareness Month
National Bathroom Reading Month
National Candy Month
National GLBT (Gay,Lesbian,Bisexual & Transgender) Month
National Ice Tea Month
National Rivers Month
National Rose Month
National Safety Month
National Smile Month Link
National Soul Food Month
National Steakhouse Month
Pharmacists Declare War on Alcoholism Month
Potty Training Awareness Month
Professional Wellness Month
Rebuild Your Life Month
Sports America Kids Month
Student Safety Month
Vision Research Month
World Infertility Month

Weekly
National Sun Safety Week: 1-7
National Headache Awareness Week: 7-13
(World) Dystonia Awareness Week: 4-11
International Clothesline Week: 6-15
National Business Etiquette Week: 7-15
National Automotive Service Professionals Week: 8-14
Superman Week: 11-14
Nursing Assistants Week: 11-18
National Flag Week: 14-20
Men's Health Week: 15-21
Universal Father's Week: 15-21
Meet A Mate Week: 15-21
Carpenter Ant Awareness Week: 21-27
National Mosquito Control Awareness Week: 21-27
National Old-time Fiddler's Week: 22-27
Watermelon Seed Spitting Week: 25-28
National Prevention of Eye Injuries Awareness: 28 -7/4
Fish Are Friends, Not Food! Week: 29-7/5
Freedom from Fear of Speaking Week: 29-7/4
Special Recreation Week: 29-7/4

President Barack Obama's Notre Dame Commencement Speech

2009-05-26T20:24:00.000-05:00

Obama Calls for Understanding in Notre Dame Speech

By JULIE PACE, Associated Press Writer Julie Pace, Associated Press Writer – Sun May 17, 7:27 pm ET

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – President Barack Obama strode head-on Sunday into the stormy abortion debate and told graduates at America's leading Roman Catholic university that both sides must stop demonizing one another.

Obama acknowledged that "no matter how much we want to fudge it ... the fact is that at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable." But he still implored the University of Notre Dame's graduating class and all in the U.S. to stop "reducing those with differing views to caricature. Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words. It's a way of life that always has been the Notre Dame tradition."

One of the noisiest controversies of his young presidency flared after Obama, who supports abortion rights but says the procedure should be rare, was invited to speak at the school and receive an honorary degree. "I do not suggest that the debate surrounding abortion can or should go away," the president said.

The Rev. John Jenkins, Notre Dame's president, introduced Obama and praised the president for not being "someone who stops talking to those who disagree with him." Jenkins said too little attention has been paid to Obama's decision to speak at an institution that opposes his abortion policy.

Ahead of Obama's address, at least 27 people were arrested on trespassing charges. They included Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff identified as "Roe" in the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. She now opposes abortion and joined more than 300 anti-abortion demonstrators at the school's front gate.

More than half held signs, some declaring "Shame on Notre Dame" and "Stop Abortion Now" to express their anger over Notre Dame's invitation to Obama.

Obama entered the arena to thunderous applause and a standing ovation from many in the crowd of 12,000. But as the president began his commencement address, at least three protesters interrupted it. One yelled, "Stop killing our children."

The graduates responded by chanting "Yes we can," the slogan that became synonymous with Obama's presidential campaign. Obama seem unfazed, saying Americans must be able to deal with things that make them "uncomfortable."

The president ceded no ground. But he said those on each side of the debate "can still agree that this is a heart-wrenching decision for any woman to make, with both moral and spiritual dimensions.

"So let's work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions by reducing unintended pregnancies, and making adoption more available, and providing care and support for women who do carry their child to term."

He said he favored "a sensible conscience clause" that would give anti-abortion health care providers the right to refuse to perform the procedure.

Before taking on the abortion issue, Obama told graduates they were part of a "generation that must find a path back to prosperity and decide how we respond to a global economy that left millions behind even before this crisis hit an economy where greed and short-term thinking were too often rewarded at the expense of fairness, and diligence, and an honest day's work."

Obama's appearance appeared additionally complicated by fresh polls that show Americans' attitudes on the issue have shifted toward the anti-abortion position.

A Gallup survey released Friday found that 51 percent of those questioned call themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42 percent "pro-choice." This is the first time a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as "pro-life" since Gallup began asking this question in 1995.

Just a year ago, Gallup found that 50 percent termed themselves "pro-choice" while 44 percent described their beliefs as "pro-life."

A Pew Research Center survey found public opinion about abortion more closely divided than it has been in several years.

Pew said its latest polling found that 28 percent said abortion should be legal in most cases while 18 percent said all cases. Forty-four percent of those surveyed were opposed to abortion in most or all cases.

Gallup said shifting opinions lay almost entirely with Republicans or independents who lean Republican, with opposition among those groups rising over the past year from 60 percent to 70 percent.

The abortion issue also is front and center as Obama considers potential nominees to fill the vacancy left by the retirement this summer of Justice David Souter. Abortion opponents are determined to see Roe v. Wade overturned, but only four court justices out of nine have backed that position. Souter has opposed arguments for overturning the ruling.

The Catholic Church and many other Christian denominations hold that abortion and the use of embryos for stem cell research amount to the destruction of human life, are morally wrong and should be banned by law.

The contrary argument holds that women have the right to terminate a pregnancy and that unused embryos created outside the womb for couples who cannot otherwise conceive should be available for stem cell research. Such research holds the promise of finding treatments for debilitating ailments.

Within weeks of taking office in January, Obama eased an executive order by President George W. Bush that limited research to a small number of stem-cell strains.

On the Notre Dame campus, members of an abortion rights group also protested while a plane pulling an anti-abortion banner circled above. Tara Makowski of Seattle, who received a master's degree Saturday from the school, said she was dismayed by the way Notre Dame was being characterized.

"Seeing us being portrayed nationally as radical conservative has been really tough," she said. "People need to realize that the majority of students and faculty" favored Obama's visit.

But Bishop John D'Arcy, whose diocese includes Notre Dame, skipped commencement. He attended an open-air Mass and rally. He said he wanted to support the students protesting Obama's speech.

"All of you are heroes, and I'm proud to stand with you," he said.

Obama was the ninth president to receive an honorary degree from Notre Dame and sixth sitting president to address graduates. Other commencement speakers have included Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Before returning to Washington, Obama stopped in Indianapolis for two fundraisers. About 40 people attended a $15,000-per-couple Democratic National Committee event, which raised between $300,000 and $400,000.

About 650 people attended a second fundraiser for four Indiana Democratic congressmen. That dinner cost $250-$5,000 per person.

Indiana is a traditionally conservative state that Obama carried in the presidential election.

Associated Press writer Tom Coyne contributed to this report.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

TNT...The Librarian Trilogy - One of My Favorite Librarian Movies!

2009-05-26T19:39:00.000-05:00

TNT - DramaVision

President & Mrs. Obama To Be Honorary Chairs of National Book Festival

2009-05-26T17:28:00.000-05:00

Ninth Annual Event on Sept. 26 Will Draw Book-Lovers to the National Mall

http://www.prweb.com/releases/Library-of-Congress/Book_Festival/prweb2463664.htm

(Vocus/PRWEB ) May 26, 2009 -- President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will serve as Honorary Chairs of the 2009 National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress. Now in its ninth year, this popular event celebrating the joys of reading and lifelong literacy will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 7th and 14th Streets from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (rain or shine). The event is free and open to the public.

"We are delighted that the President and Mrs. Obama are committed to bringing this inspirational event to people of all ages nationwide," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. "The National Book Festival has become a true American institution. It is a joyous and very popular celebration of books and reading in the Washington, D.C. area."

The 2009 National Book Festival will feature about 70 award-winning authors, poets and illustrators in pavilions dedicated to book subjects ranging from history and biography to mysteries, thrillers, poetry and prose, and books for families and young people. Festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite authors, get books signed, have photos taken with PBS storybook characters and participate in a variety of learning activities.

The Pavilion of the States will represent reading- and library-promotion programs and literary events in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. trusts and territories.

The popular Let's Read America pavilion will offer reading activities that are fun for the whole family. The Library of Congress Pavilion will showcase the cultural treasures to be found in the Library's vast online collections and offer information about
Library programs.

The 2009 National Book Festival will be made possible through the support of Distinguished Benefactor Target and many other generous supporters.

The Library of Congress, the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, is the world's preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled collections and integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library's rich resources and treasures may be accessed through the Library's website, www.loc.gov, and via interactive exhibitions on myLOC.gov.

Public contact: Roberta Stevens (202) 707-1550, rste(at)loc.gov
Press contact: Jennifer Gavin (202) 707-1940, jgav(at)loc.gov

President Obama's Commencement Speech @ ASU Pt.1

2009-05-14T14:09:00.001-05:00

President Obama's Commencement Speech @ ASU Pt.2

2009-05-14T14:07:00.001-05:00

President Obama's Commencement Speech @ ASU Pt.3

2009-05-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

Obama Turns a Dis Into a Lesson...BET News Blog

2009-05-14T12:33:00.000-05:00

President Obama Turns a Dis Into a Lesson

BET Blog May 14th, 2009

Despite being dissed by Arizona State University, President Obama decided to show up anyway, turning a seeming outrage into a tender teaching moment. Last month, Obama - a former U.S. senator, Harvard University graduate, University of Chicago law professor, Grammy-Award-winner and proverbial leader of the free world - learned that he wouldn’t be getting the customary honorary degree because university officials concluded that his “body of work” didn’t justify the honor. To hear Obama tell it, there was something to learn from ASU’s controversial assessment. “I come here not to dispute the suggestion that I haven’t yet achieved enough in my life,” Obama told a stadium full of graduates. “First of all, Michelle [Obama] concurs with that assessment. She has a long list of things that I have not yet done waiting for me when I get home.” The audience roared. “…In all seriousness,” he continued, “I come to affirm that one’s title, even a title like ‘president of the United States,’ says very little about how well one’s life has been led. …I want to say to you today, graduates, class of 2009, that despite having achieved a remarkable milestone in your life - despite the fact that you and your families are rightfully proud - you, too, cannot rest on your laurels. … Your own body of work is also yet to come.” Echoing the theme he has hammered during and after the presidential campaign, Obama urged his listeners to reject the “greed and irresponsibility that has rippled out from Wall Street,” … and focus on serving America and mastering their professions. “That other stuff, the trappings of success may be a byproduct of this larger mission, but it can’t be the central thing,” Obama said. “Just ask Bernie Madoff.”

http://blogs.bet.com/news/newsyoushouldknow/obama-turns-a-dis-into-a-lesson/

ASU Commencement: Obama Giving Address Tonight

2009-05-13T18:26:00.000-05:00

The Huffington Post - May 13 2009

PHOENIX — Arizona State University students are getting a graduation ceremony to remember forever.

Wednesday evening's ceremonies were to include the president of the United States, rock icon Alice Cooper, hundreds of security officials and a crowd likely to fill Sun Devil Stadium.

Seeing President Barack Obama deliver the commencement is the big draw and something that won't soon be forgotten. "No matter what your politics are it's going to be a very cool thing. When else can you say I saw the president of the United States give my commencement speech," said Sarah Larson, a 23-year-old education major.

Ismael Paderez, 35, of Phoenix, planned to arrive at the stadium at 3:00 p.m. Nothing, he said, would have prevented his family from attending the ceremony to see him get his degree in electrical engineering.

"I'm the first person on my father's side to graduate from college," he said. "With this economy ... and looking for a job ... I want to hear the president give a message of inspiration."

The pre-ceremony show was to include an appearance by Cooper, Mexican mariachis bands, a gospel choir and a marching band.

Following Obama's address, university president Michael Crow was to award five high school students with scholarships named after the president. The President Barack Obama Scholars program will offer them up to $17,000 annually to pay for tuition, books, room and board.

Virgil Renzulli, an ASU spokesman, said ASU hopes the scholarship will serve as a national model for universities aiming to make college more affordable.

"We know that for Arizona to be competitive and the U.S. to be competitive we have got to produce more college graduates," he said. "We hope this (scholarship) will have a lasting effect."

With the temperature expected to hit a high of 99 degrees, the day was shaping up to be a long, hot one for the expected crowd of 63,000, including 9,000 graduates. University officials are warning people to expect up to a 90-minute wait to clear security checkpoints, which will be managed by U.S. Secret Service agents.

Obama ASU Address: Watch The Commencement Speech @:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/13/obama-asu-address-watch-t_n_203240.html

Celebrating Career Day at Joseph S. Clark High School

2009-05-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

Mrs. Germaine Carey-Palmer, our Reference Librarian & Information Literacy Instructor, spoke at Career Day on April 23rd, at her high school alma mater, Joseph S. Clark. She spoke to students about her career path to becoming a professional librarian and steps they needed to take to plan for their future as a professional in their desired field of interest. We're very proud of you Germaine!

Dillard University Alumni Reunion Week May 7th-10th 2009

2009-05-03T15:21:00.000-05:00

Reunion is for ALL Dillard alumni, their spouses, and guests. This year our celebration highlights graduating class years ending in 4 and 9. All alumni are invited to attend this Family Affair!
More information can be found @: http://www.dillard.edu/images/alumnievents/reunion2009activities.pdf

Thursday, May 7
6pm-7:30pm Donor Recognition Reception (by invitation only) Kearny Hall (2nd floor)
8pm-Midnight “A Stroll Down Memory Lane” Dance - Albert W. Dent Hall

Friday, May 8
8am-4pm Registration - Kearny Hall (1st floor)
8am-9:30am “Golden Graduate” Breakfast (Class of 1959) - President's Home
10:00am-12pm Campus Tours
12:30pm-2pm Jazz and Champagne Luncheon - Kearny Hall- (2nd floor)
2:00pm-2:45pm Alumni House Opening
2:45pm-3:20pm Class Meetings - DUICEF
3:30pm-5:30pm Nat’l Alumni Association Meeting - DUICEF
6pm Baccalaureate Services - Avenue of the Oaks
8:30pm Pre-Commencement Scholarship Benefit Concert featuring the legendary recording artist, Ms. Patti LaBelle!
Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-488-5252.

Saturday, May 9
8am-11am Commencement 2009- Avenue of the Oaks
6pm Reunion Banquet & Dance Class - Photos of graduating classes ending in 4 & 9
6pm-7pm Cocktails
7pm-9pm Dinner
9pm-12am Dancing

Sunday, May 10
10:00am-11:00am Reunion Worship Service - Lawless Chapel
11:00am-2:pm Cajun Rendezvous Picnic - Kabacoff Plaza

May Holiday Observances

2009-05-03T14:45:00.000-05:00

ALS Awareness Month (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's Disease)
American Wetlands Month
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Awareness of Medical Orphans Month
Better Hearing & Speech Month
Borderline Personality Disorder Month
Brain Tumor Awareness Month
Clean Air Month
Creative Beginnings Month
Family Wellness Month
Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Month
Freedom Shrine Month
Get Caught Reading Month
Gifts From The Garden Month
Go Fetch! Food Drive for Homeless Animals Month
Haitian Heritage Month
Heal the Children Month
Healthy Vision Month
Huntington's Disease Awareness Month
International Audit Month
International Business Image Improvement Month
International Victorious Woman Month
Jewish-American Heritage Month
Latino Books Month
Motorcycle Safety Month
National Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month
National Arthritis Month
National Barbeque Month
National Bike Month
National Egg Month
National Foster Care Month
National Good Car Keeping Month
National Hamburger Month
National Hepatitis Awareness Month
(World) Lyme Disease Awareness Month
National Meditation Month
National Mental Health Month
National Military Appreciation Month
National Moving Month
National Osteoporosis Prevention Month
National Photo Month
National Physical Fitness & Sports Month
National Physiotherapy Month
National Preservation Month
National Salad Month
National Salsa Month
National Smile Month (From May 18 to June 17)
National Stroke Awareness Month
National Revise Your Work Schedule Month
National Vinegar Month
Older Americans Month
Personal History Month
React Month
Strike Out Strokes Month
Sweet Vidalia Onions Month
Teen Self-Esteem Month
Tennis Month
Tay-Sachs and Canavan Diseases Month
Ultra-violet Awareness Month
Women's Health Care Month
Young Achievers of Tomorrow Month
National Family Month (5/10 to 6/21)

DU Library Hours During Spring 2009 Finals

2009-04-28T21:01:00.000-05:00

Sunday April 26th through Saturday, May 2nd
Sunday April 26th 1pm-12am
Monday April 27th 7:30am-12am
Tuesday April 28th 7:30am-12am
Wednesday April 29th 7:30am-12am
Thursday April 30th 7:30am-12am
Friday May 1st 7:30am-5pm
Saturday May 2nd 10am-6pm

Sunday, May 3rd Through May 9th
Sunday May 3rd 1pm-12am
Monday May 4th 7:30am-12am
Tuesday May 5th 7:30am-12am
Wednesday May 6th 7:30am-12am
Thursday May 7th 7:30am-8pm
Friday May 8th 7:30am-4pm Bacculaureate
Saturday May 9th Library Closed Graduation

April 2009 Monthly Observances

2009-04-22T16:35:00.000-05:00

African-American Women's Fitness Month
Alcohol Awareness Month
Amateur Radio Month
Autism Awareness Month
Cancer Control Month
Car Care Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
Child Abuse Prevention Month(International)
Cesarean Awareness Month Couple
Appreciation Month
Emotional Overeating Awareness Month
Fair Housing Month
Financial Literacy Month
Fresh Florida Tomatoes Month
Global Child Nutrition Month
Grange MonthHoly Humor Month
Home Improvement Time (April-Sept.30)
Informed Women Month
International Customer Loyalty Month
International Pet First Aid Awareness Month
International Twit Award Month
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) Month
Jazz Appreciation Month
Keep America Beautiful
Month of the Young Child
Month of the Military Child
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Card and Letter Writing Month
National Decorating Month
National DNA & Genomics & Stem Cell Education & Awareness Month
National Donate Life Month
National Garden Month
National Humor Month
National Kite Month
National Knuckles Down Month
National Landscape Architecture Month
National Library Week (April 12th-18th)
National Occupational Therapy Month
National Parkinson's Awareness Month
National Pecan Month
National Poetry Month
Nationally Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
National Sexual Assault Awareness Month
National Youth Sports Safety Month
Pharmacists War on Diabetes Month
Physical Wellness Month
Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month
Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month
Rosacea Awareness Month
School Library Media Month
Straw Hat Month
Stress Awareness Month
Southern Belles Month
Women's Eye Health & Safety Month
Workplace Conflict Awareness Month
World Habitat Awareness Month
International School Spirit Season (April 30 - Dec. 26)

DU Library Contact Information

2009-04-22T15:19:00.000-05:00

Dillard University
Will W. Alexander Library
2601 Gentilly Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70122
504-816-4784 Main Office
504-816-4787 Fax
504-816-4786 Circulation Desk
http://books.dillard.edu
www.dillard.edu
Tommy Holton, Dean

Our Hours of Operation @ the DU Library

2009-04-22T15:07:00.000-05:00

Monday - Thursday
7:30a.m. – 11:00p.m.

Friday
7:30a.m. - 5:00p.m.

Saturday
10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

Sunday
1:00p.m. - 8:00p.m.

*HOLIDAY, MID-TERM, FINALS, SUMMER AND INTERSESSION HOURS POSTED AS NEEDED*

Meet the Rest of the DU Library Team!

2009-04-22T15:04:00.000-05:00

Vacant - Administrative Assistant to the Dean
Miss Melissa Dellihoue - Cataloging Assistant, Technical Services mdellihoue@dillard.edu

Mr. Malik Bartholomew - Library Assistant, Access Services, Public Services & DU Historian mbartholomew@dillard.edu

Miss Latrisha Bernard - Library Assistant, Access Services, Public Services lbernard@dillard.edu

Ms. Kim Robinson - Information Technology Trainer & Library Webmaster krobinson@dillard.edu

Who are the Information Literacy Liaisons for the DU Library?

2009-04-22T14:43:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the library has subject specialists who can help you with your research? We are librarians designated to work with the faculty and students of each discipline. We know the databases, reference materials, and other special resources that relate to all disciplines @ DU. If you need help with your research – or if you want a librarian to teach your class about library resources, contact your library liaison! We are...

Dean Tommy Holton- Natural Sciences & Public Health Liaison
tholton@dillard.edu
• Biology (Pre-Med, Pre-Optometry, Pre-Dentistry, Pre-Podiatry)
• Chemistry (Pre-Med, Pre-Pharmacy)
• Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Physics (Pre-Engineering)

Asst. Dean Cynthia Charles – Humanities Liaison
ccharles@dillard.edu
• Creative Writing
• English
• Japanese Studies
• Mass Communications
• Music & Music Industry
• Philosophy & Religion
• Sacred Music
• Theater Arts
• Visual Arts
• Women’s Studies
• World Languages
• Japanese
• French
• Spanish

Mrs. Germaine Carey-Palmer - Education & Psychology Liaison / Reference Information Literacy Librarian Public Services
gpalmer@dillard.edu
• Early Childhood Education
• Educational Studies
• Elementary Education
• Secondary Education
• Special Education
• Psychology

Ms. Beverly Harris - Business Liaison / Collection Development Librarian Technical Services
bharris@dillard.edu
• Accounting
• Business Management
• Marketing/ Management Information Systems
• Economics and Finance
• International Business/ World Language target
International Finance/World Language target
&
Social Sciences Liaison
• African World Studies
• History
• Political Science
• Sociology- Criminal Justice
• Sociology- Social work
• Urban Studies & Public Policy

Mr. Michael Campbell – Nursing Liaison / Cataloger & Archivist Technical Services
mcampbell@dillard.edu

Welcome to the Dillard University Library Blog!

2009-03-13T12:08:00.000-05:00

My name is Cynthia Charles, Asst. Dean of the DU Library!