A new study showing that most black American male students perform worse then their peers by almost every measure suggests that some of the obstacles to their academic success start before school the school bell even rings. NBC's Ron Allen reports.
WATCH VIDEO HERE.
Source: New York Times Novembeer 9 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Imagine Science Short Film
At the Imagine Science Film Festival in New York last month, Skhizein directed by Jeremy Clapin won honorable mention. It uses sophisticated computer graphics as its hero descends into schizophrenia.
SKHIZEIN is a strange film that begins with a man at a psychiatrist's office talking about his problem. It seems that since a meteorite struck nearby, he's been "out of phase". In other words, every thing he does is 91 centimeters off (that's a yard for all of us non-metric folks)!
Unique, compelling and clever--what more could you want from an animated short of about 13 minutes.
SKHIZEIN Part 1
SKHIZEIN Part 2
Source: "learning to Love Science Films" Nature November 4 2010
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Environmental Health
"Our environment affects our health. Our average life span has almost doubled over the past century or so mainly because we have clean, safe drinking water. If parts of the environment, like air and water, or soil become polluted, it can lead to health problems. For example, asthma attacks can result from pollutants and other chemicals in the air and in the home.
Some environmental risks are a part of the natural world, like radon in the soil. Others are the result of human activities, like lead poisoning from paint, or exposure to asbestos or mercury from mining or industrial use."
MedlinePlus includes Environmental Health among its many topics. The site is available in Spanish as well as English and includes abundant additional information on related topics. You can sign up for an email update: www.medlineplus.org
Source: NIH: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Some environmental risks are a part of the natural world, like radon in the soil. Others are the result of human activities, like lead poisoning from paint, or exposure to asbestos or mercury from mining or industrial use."
MedlinePlus includes Environmental Health among its many topics. The site is available in Spanish as well as English and includes abundant additional information on related topics. You can sign up for an email update: www.medlineplus.org
Source: NIH: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Library Circulates Kill a Watt Monitor
It's more than books here, folks. The library is now circulating Kill A Watt EZ electricity usage monitor.
The device measures the energy consumption of electrical appliances. Just plug it into a wall socket and then plug in your appliance to assess how efficient it is. Program in your local utility rate and display projected costs. The meter will circulate with a protective case and complete instructions. Pick it up at the circulation desk. The knowledge you gain can save you thousands of dollars.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
No Cureballs for Higher Education
WASHINGTON -- Final tallies of exactly how many seats Republicans gained Tuesday in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are days -- if not weeks -- away (though by early Wednesday morning, the major news networks were projecting gains of more than 60 seats in the House). But anyone who didn’t stay up all night watching election results pour in has woken up to a GOP-led House of Representatives and a Senate guided by a small Democratic majority.
What do the results mean for federal higher education policy and the members of Congress who’ve played key roles in crafting those policies?
Read this article from Inside Higher Ed.
Source: Inside Higher Ed November 3, 2010
What do the results mean for federal higher education policy and the members of Congress who’ve played key roles in crafting those policies?
Read this article from Inside Higher Ed.
Source: Inside Higher Ed November 3, 2010
Monday, November 01, 2010
Sign at Rally to Restore Sanity
Do you think this sign at the Rally to Restore Sanity could be associated with a college?
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Gulf Between Us
"The oil is not gone. This story is not over. We smelled it in the air. We felt it in the water. People along the Gulf Coast are getting sick and sicker. Marshes are burned. Oysters are scarce and shrimp are tainted. Jobs are gone and stress is high. What is now hidden will surface over time.
Meanwhile, 1 billion birds are migrating through the Gulf of Mexico this fall, resting, feeding, and finding sanctuary as they have always done, generation after generation. The endangered piping plover will be among them. Seventy percent of all waterfowl in North America fly through the Mississippi Delta. Their energy will be compromised, with food not as plentiful. Their health will be vulnerable to the toxic traces of oil and dispersants lingering in the marshes."
Please read this article by Terry Tempest Williams in Orion Magazine:
"The Gulf Between Us:Stories of terror and beauty from the world's largest accidental offshore oil disaster."
A web extra, and companion to Terry Tempest Williams's article about the 2010 BP Gulf oil spill, containing extra images and audio narrative from photographer J Henry Fair.
CQ RESEARCHER REPORTS IN OCTOBER
Animal Intelligence October 22
Do animals think?
Australian scientists recently reported that octopuses were the first invertebrates to be observed using tools. In January, in a laboratory, a crow became the first bird to show “insight” — grasping the solution to a problem by mental activity, not trial-and-error behavior. Today virtually all animal scientists agree that animals — down through the insect kingdom — have amazing powers of mind.
States and Federalism October 15
Is the federal government usurping states’ rights?
Arizona enacted Medicaid cuts early this year only to have the action countermanded by the Obama administration's recently passed health care law. Arizona is now one of 20 states challenging the new law as unconstitutional. Meanwhile, the state is also tangling with the federal government over national immigration policy. The cases highlight the recurrence of high-profile clashes over federal power and state prerogatives.
Journalism Standards in the Internet Age October 8
Are the news media sacrificing news ethics online?
Press critic A.J. Liebling of The New Yorker wrote in 1960 that “freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.” A half-century later, everyone with an Internet connection owns a virtual press. And many of them scorn the journalism standards that have guided America's mainstream media since before Liebling penned his famous aphorism.
Preventing Obesity October 1
Do Americans face too many obstacles to healthy eating?
The number of obese Americans has increased dramatically over the last 40 years, and in 2001 the nation's surgeon general went so far as to call obesity an epidemic. One-third of children and two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, posing a daunting public-health challenge.
The last report of the month will be Democrats’ Future.
Do animals think?
Australian scientists recently reported that octopuses were the first invertebrates to be observed using tools. In January, in a laboratory, a crow became the first bird to show “insight” — grasping the solution to a problem by mental activity, not trial-and-error behavior. Today virtually all animal scientists agree that animals — down through the insect kingdom — have amazing powers of mind.
States and Federalism October 15
Is the federal government usurping states’ rights?
Arizona enacted Medicaid cuts early this year only to have the action countermanded by the Obama administration's recently passed health care law. Arizona is now one of 20 states challenging the new law as unconstitutional. Meanwhile, the state is also tangling with the federal government over national immigration policy. The cases highlight the recurrence of high-profile clashes over federal power and state prerogatives.
Journalism Standards in the Internet Age October 8
Are the news media sacrificing news ethics online?
Press critic A.J. Liebling of The New Yorker wrote in 1960 that “freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.” A half-century later, everyone with an Internet connection owns a virtual press. And many of them scorn the journalism standards that have guided America's mainstream media since before Liebling penned his famous aphorism.
Preventing Obesity October 1
Do Americans face too many obstacles to healthy eating?
The number of obese Americans has increased dramatically over the last 40 years, and in 2001 the nation's surgeon general went so far as to call obesity an epidemic. One-third of children and two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, posing a daunting public-health challenge.
The last report of the month will be Democrats’ Future.
PROQUEST CENTRAL coming soon!
The library has signed up for a free trial of Proquest Central beginning November 1.
ProQuest Central is the largest aggregated full-text database in the market today totaling more than 13,970 titles—with over 10,910 titles in full text. It serves as the central resource for researchers at all levels in all markets.
While ProQuest Central provides access to millions of much-coveted full text articles from thousands of scholarly journals, it also provides access to information not available in other aggregated resources such as:
•Over 880 full text U.S., Canadian and international newspapers including exclusive access to the full text of The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times
•Over 34,200 full text dissertations in the areas of business, psychology, physical sciences, health, education and more, helping end users build a more robust results set
•Concise business information from nearly 9,000 market reports across 43 industries in 40 countries, spanning the UK, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Latin America.
Format: Abstract and index, Full Text, Full Image, Text+Graphics
Media: Electronic/Online
Coverage: 1905-Present
Total Sources Covered: 13,970+
MARC Records: YES | Counter COMPLIANT: YES | ATHENS enabled: YES
Open URL enabled: YES | z39.50 enabled: YES
ProQuest Central is the largest aggregated full-text database in the market today totaling more than 13,970 titles—with over 10,910 titles in full text. It serves as the central resource for researchers at all levels in all markets.
While ProQuest Central provides access to millions of much-coveted full text articles from thousands of scholarly journals, it also provides access to information not available in other aggregated resources such as:
•Over 880 full text U.S., Canadian and international newspapers including exclusive access to the full text of The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times
•Over 34,200 full text dissertations in the areas of business, psychology, physical sciences, health, education and more, helping end users build a more robust results set
•Concise business information from nearly 9,000 market reports across 43 industries in 40 countries, spanning the UK, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Latin America.
Format: Abstract and index, Full Text, Full Image, Text+Graphics
Media: Electronic/Online
Coverage: 1905-Present
Total Sources Covered: 13,970+
MARC Records: YES | Counter COMPLIANT: YES | ATHENS enabled: YES
Open URL enabled: YES | z39.50 enabled: YES
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Book Display in Honor of the Half-Moon
Fatal Journey: The Final Expedition of Henry Hudson by P. Mancall
Rhinecliff: A Hudson River History. The Tangled Tale of Rhinebeck’s Waterfront by C. Philip
The Hudson: A History by T. Lewis
Henry Hudson in Holland: An Inquiry into the Origin & Objects of the Voyage Which Led to the Discovery of the Hudson River by H. Murphy
Peekskill’s African American History: A Hudson Valley Community Untold Story by J. Curran
Denning’s Point: A Hudson River History by j. Heron
Official Program, Hudson-Fulton Celebration; Discovery of the Hudson River by Henry Hudson, 1609; Inauguration of Steam Navigation by Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commission
Island at the Center of the World by R. Shorto
Henry Hudson and the Algonquins of New York by E. Pritchard
Dutch New York: The Roots of Hudson Valley Culture edited by R. Panetta
Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Ethnographic Video Online From the Library
A new online resource lets you stream, cross-search, annotate, and share hundreds of classic and contemporary documentaries. The library has arranged free access to this exciting resource through December 31. Call the library for access information.
A comprehensive online resource for the visual study of human culture and behavior and the largest, most affordable streaming video collection of its kind, Ethnographic Video Online contains more than 750 hours of classic and contemporary documentaries produced by leading video producers in the discipline; previously unpublished footage from working anthropologists and ethnographers in the field; and select feature films. Wherever possible, videos include accompanying field notes, liner notes, filmmaker biographies, related articles, study guides, and other context-enhancing, full-text materials. Learn more about Ethnographic Video Online here
Monday, October 18, 2010
What CT Government does for us
Interlibrary Loan Service 2010
Our Interlibrary Loan services is provided by the Connecticut State Library with delivery by Connecticar (Ccar). It serves 226 libraries with 2.75 million items shipped. The average delivery time is usually several business days.
Cost using Ccar =$580,000
Cost to do this using USPS =$7,101,000
Cost to our library =$0
ICONN
-over 8 million page views
-2,312,183 searches in statewide catalog
-200 libraries lent 130,448 items through reQuest, a 6% increase
-22.1 million items now in reQuest
-$27 million-the value of all iCONN databases to local communities
Source: Connecticut State Library/Division of Library Development
Our Interlibrary Loan services is provided by the Connecticut State Library with delivery by Connecticar (Ccar). It serves 226 libraries with 2.75 million items shipped. The average delivery time is usually several business days.
Cost using Ccar =$580,000
Cost to do this using USPS =$7,101,000
Cost to our library =$0
ICONN
-over 8 million page views
-2,312,183 searches in statewide catalog
-200 libraries lent 130,448 items through reQuest, a 6% increase
-22.1 million items now in reQuest
-$27 million-the value of all iCONN databases to local communities
Source: Connecticut State Library/Division of Library Development
New England Library Association Conference
Yesterday, I attended the opening day of the New England Library Conference at Boxborough, MA. The New England Library Association (NELA) is a membership organization for library staff and supporters in the New England States. The theme of this year’s conference was “Outside the Box; Results Support Sustainability.”
The first session was “Meeting the Challenge: Libraries in a Time of Change presented by American Library Association Executive Director, Keith Michael Fiels” who refuted the many myths about libraries and librarians. The Jordan Miller Storytelling program featured Judith Black, nationally recognized storyteller, who explored expanding literacy through stories and the current problem of the rampant self-censorship of children's literature. In the annual discussion group, State of the States, representatives of each state agency provided gloomy status reports on coping with current realities of decreasing funding and increasing service demands. Featured speaker at the banquet was Joe Raiola, Senior Editor of MAD magazine and a long-time First Amendment champion. His Joy of Censorship presentation included an illuminating, satiric and sometimes disturbing look at censorship and related issues. He also traced the unlikely and colorful history of MAD magazine and presented a survey of MAD’s most controversial covers and articles.
Next year's conference will be at Burlington, Vermont, earlier in October.
Source: Marilyn Nowlan
Mark Twain's Autobiography just arrived!
The library has an early release of Volume One of Mark Twain's uncensored autobiography. This major literary event brings us the first of three volumes presenting Twain's authentic and unsuppressed voice, brimming with humor, ideas, and opinions, and speaking clearly from the grave--as he intended. He left strict instructions that it not be published until 100 years after his death.
Who will be the first of the Goodwin Community to read it?
Autobiography of Mark Twain
Edited by Harriet Elinor Smith
University of California Press, 2010
PS1331.A2 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Highlighted Service: Text a Librarian (TAL)
Text a Librarian (TAL) allows members of the Goodwin community to text questions from mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Answers are disseminated by library staff who text messages back during library hours. Questions are responded to in turn and in brief (320 or fewer characters). Face-to-face research consultations can be scheduled, or patrons can be directed to other options such as real-time chat or web forms.See directions for accessing on the library page.
Some of the other libraries using TAL include Kresge Engineering Library, University California, Berkeley; Cushing/Whitney Medical Library, Yale University; BioMedical Library, University of Pennsylvania; biology and chemistry house librarians, CalTech; and Mann Library, Cornell University.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Librarian of Congress here October 12
All students, faculty, and staff are invited to join Congressman John Larson and the Librarian of Congress, Dr. James Billington, for a discussion about resources available on the Library of Congress website for teachers and students. The discussion will take place Tuesday, October 12, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Goodwin College auditorium.
Under Dr. Billington’s leadership, the Library of Congress has expanded its public outreach through the establishment of a new National Digital Library and other electronic services. The Library of Congress has made digitized versions of collection materials available online since 1994, concentrating on its most rare collections and those unavailable anywhere else. These services are your gateway to a growing treasury of digitized photographs, manuscripts, maps, sound recordings, motion pictures, and books, as well as "born digital" materials such as Web sites. In addition, the Library maintains and promotes the use of digital library standards and provides online research and reference services.
By providing these materials online, those who may never come to Washington can gain access to the treasures of the nation’s library. Such online access also helps preserve rare materials that may be too fragile to handle.
Source: Library of Congress online
Recommended site: Population Reference Bureau
The Population Reference Bureau informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment, and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and future generations.
•Inform. PRB analyzes complex demographic data and research to provide the most objective, accurate, and up-to-date population information in a format that is easily understood by advocates, journalists, and decisionmakers alike.
•Empower. Our commitment to putting information into action sets us apart. PRB builds coalitions and conducts workshops around the world to give our key audiences the tools they need to understand and communicate effectively about population issues.
•Advance. PRB works to ensure that policymakers in developing countries and in the United States rely on sound evidence, rather than anecdotal or outdated information, when creating population, health, and environmental policies.
Source: Populaton Reference Bureau
•Inform. PRB analyzes complex demographic data and research to provide the most objective, accurate, and up-to-date population information in a format that is easily understood by advocates, journalists, and decisionmakers alike.
•Empower. Our commitment to putting information into action sets us apart. PRB builds coalitions and conducts workshops around the world to give our key audiences the tools they need to understand and communicate effectively about population issues.
•Advance. PRB works to ensure that policymakers in developing countries and in the United States rely on sound evidence, rather than anecdotal or outdated information, when creating population, health, and environmental policies.
Source: Populaton Reference Bureau
Monday, October 04, 2010
New Resources: Children's Lit Database
Goodwin College's subscription request for The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD www.childrenslit.com ) is active using the following:
User name: goodwin
Password: hartford
both are case sensitive
The CLCD is a subscription-based information retrieval service designed to meet the needs of organizations and individuals who work with children's books. Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) contains annotations, reviews, curriculum tools, and awards, honors, and reading lists for thousands of children's books. Overall, the database contains 200,000+ critical reviews of children’s literature, ranging from baby board books to novels and nonfiction for young adults. About 1,500 new reviews are added to the database monthly.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
About Banned and Challenged Books
During Banned Book Week, perhaps you might wonder what is the difference between a challenge and a banning. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.
According to the American Library Association, there were 460 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2009. Among the titles are "And Tango Makes Three," by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson; "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," by Stephen Chbosky; and "Twilight," by Stephanie Meyer.
The ten most challenged books last year were:
ttyl; ttfn; 18r, g8r (series ) by Lauren Myracle
And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell & Justin Richardson
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Twilight (series) by Stephanie Meyer
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
My sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
Source: American Library Association
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)