National Women’s History Month Begins Friday

Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination

Each year, March is designated as National Women’s History Month to ensure that the history of American women will be recognized and celebrated in schools, workplaces, and communities throughout the country.
The 2013 National Women's History Month theme, Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination, recognizes American women's outstanding contributions to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics commonly referred to as STEM.

The 2013 Honorees for National Women’s History Month include:
Hattie Elizabeth Alexander (1901-1968) Pediatrician and Microbiologist
Marlyn Barrett (1954) K-12 STEM Educator
Grace Murray Hopper (1906-1992) Computer Scientist
Olga Frances Linares (1936) Anthropologist and Archaeologist
Julia Morgan (1872-1957) Architect
Katharine Burr Blodgett (1898-1979) Physicist and Inventor
Edith Clarke (1883-1959)  Electrical Engineer
Rita R. Colwell (1934) Molecular Microbial Ecologistand Scientific Administrator
Susan Solomon (1956) Atmospheric Chemist
Flossie Wong-Staal (1946) Virologist and Molecular
Patricia Era Bath (1942) Ophthalmologist and Inventor
Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) Physician
Louise Pearce (1885-1959) Physician and Pathologist
Jill Pipher (1955) Mathematician
Mary G. Ross (1908-2008) Mechanical Engineer
Diane Fossey (1932-1985) Primatologist and Naturalist
Susan A. Gerbi (1944) Molecular Cell Biologist
Helen Greiner (1967) Mechanical Engineer and Roboticist

CQ Researcher: Coastal Development

Coastal Development February 22, 2013 • Volume 23, Issue 8

Is over-building putting coastal regions at risk?

by Jennifer Weeks

Introduction

"Superstorm Sandy, which devastated portions of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut last October, has revived longstanding debates about coastal development. Congress has approved more than $60 billion in relief funding for Sandy, which ranks as one of the most destructive storms in U.S. history. Future storms could be even worse because of climate change, which is raising global sea levels. New York officials are considering building floodgates to protect against storm surges, one of many strategies under consideration. Some experts argue that to make coastlines better able to withstand extreme weather, storm-damaged houses in vulnerable zones should not be rebuilt. Meanwhile, critics blame the federal flood insurance program, designed to help homeowners who cannot get private coverage, for subsidizing risky development with taxpayer dollars. But advocates say the program is needed to protect homeowners against catastrophic loss."


Read the full report at CQresearcher.com (username and password required)    

PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Kauai, Hawaii

Photograph by Scott Chapman

An aerial view of Tunnels Beach on the island of Kauai
(This photo was submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest. Submit your best travel shot for a chance to win great prizes and be featured in an issue of National Geographic Traveler.)

EBRARY COMPLETE 10TH ANNIVERSARY

Celebrate Academic Complete's 10th Anniversary with ebrary!


Academic Complete™ is turning 10 this year and we want to celebrate with you! Our subscription database serves as a foundational, growing collection with over 80,000 scholarly titles from which you can pinpoint your needs.

10 Reasons for 10 Years – Why Academic Complete?

More usage data – meaning more understanding of academic library users’ needs

The most university presses

More YBP top publishers

More YBP core titles

More key titles in core disciplines including CHOICE Outstanding Academic Titles (OAT)

More careful content selection by our expert librarians

More awards – Library Journal’s Best E-book Database, CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title, CODiE finalist for Best Service using Aggregated Content

More integration – DASH!™ (Data Sharing, Fast) to upload and integrate your own digital repositories

More discoverability – results available on the ProQuest platform and full-text searchable through the Summon® service

More great reviews

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Bear surprises Samsung crew on washing machine shoot

On an advertising shoot for washing machines in Canada to show off the cold wash performance, the Samsung crew are surprised when a bear wanders into the shoot location.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Xoe5Vjl90-o

 

 

Susan B. Anthony's Birthday

In Honor of Susan B. Anthony's Birthday- February 15th

Susan B. Anthony's last birthday celebration was held on February 15, 1906 in Washington, DC. At this event Susan gave her last public speech, which she ended by paying tribute to the countless numbers who had joined in the campaign for women's rights. She said, "There have been others also just as true and devoted to the cause-I wish I could name every one-but with such women consecrating lives--failure is impossible."

So today let us pay tribute to Susan B. Anthony and the countless others who unrelentingly and tirelessly worked for women to win the right to vote.

VIDEO FOR THE WEEK: WATCH THIS NOW!

Dakuwaqa's Garden: Underwater Footage
From Fizi and Tonga

There is still snow on the ground, and, yes, we may get more snow this weekend. Don't we all deserve something special? Well, here it is.

WATCH THIS NOW!
http://www.youtube.com/embed/mcbHKAWIk3I


(Thanks to Ann Zajchowski for sharing this!)

123456: Is this your password? Really?

Easy-to-recall codes are way too easy for others to guess. Yet the most popular passwords are "123456" or "password," according to app developer SplashData. One in 10 four-digit PINs is "1234." Data Genetics president Nick Berry says people's lack of imagination is staggering.

Advice: go big and random, don't repeat, tell lies. By the way, there is a free, multi-device app for storing codes--Dashlane. But do you trust them?

Source: Money Magazine March 2013

New Report on U.S. Health: Not so Good

Although the United States spends more on health care than any other country, U.S. citizens live shorter and less healthy lives than do people in other developed nations, according to a new report from thne National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine. The report also found that the mortality gap is growing because of a disproportionately higher rate of early deaths among indivudals in the United States before their 50th birthday, If you make it to 75, you actually fare better than other countries on longevity.
Report: http://tinurl.com/a4yzn3o

Source: Journal of the American Medica Association (JAMA) February 13

Website to Watch: Storenvy

Calling all Shoppers!
Storenvy is a mashup of two online platforms:an easy to use storefront and a social media network.  "envies" are Storenvy versions of Facebook's "like" button.  This allows shoppers to follow the purchases of shoppers who have similar taste. So far it has a community of 500,000 shoppers. Basic storefronts are free--so far. Not surprisingly it started in San Francisco. The eight-person compoany is hiring: engineers, deisgners, and product managers in case you are considering a move to California.
www.storenvy.com

Source: Entrepreneur March 2013

Make Your Brain Smarter: Increase Your Brain's Creativity, Energy, and Focus

By Sandra Bond Chapman In this book, Chapman reviews recent research in brain studies and techniques to keep brains in peak condition.

"Chapman (Behavioral and Brain Sciences/Univ. of Texas, Dallas) founded and directs the Center for BrainHealth. Distilling a vast amount of research, the author reinforces some conventional wisdom while poking holes in other ideas about brain function. Intelligence, long thought to be innate, is becoming recognized as a more complex function of various environmental and genetic influences, not least of which is the approach we take to teaching and learning. Society's tendency toward adding more stimuli to every activity, from listening to music while doing homework, to the office with a TV always tuned to 24-hour news, is wearing away at our brain function. The book may stretch readers’ minds to incorporate the ideas in new forms, no doubt boosting brainpower--a decent cross section of research and practical ideas about exercising and maintaining brain function." (from Kirkus Review)

A COPY IS ON ITS WAY TO THE HOFFMAN FAMILY LIBRARY. GET ON THE WAITING LIST!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK: MAKERSPACE

 A space in Makerspace, Somerville, MA, the largest maker space on the East Coast (40,000 square feet). This picture was taken during the 'How to Make a Maker Space" Feb. 1-3, 2013.

The Abstract, Reinvented

Structured abastracts first appeared in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) more than 20 years ago. Almost all medical journals use structured abstgracts for articles reporting the results of research papers.

The current issue of JAMA introduces the next generation of a structured abstract, featuring a table embedded in the Results section.The staff of JAMA anticipates that the Results section will generally start with a qualitative description of the principal findings, the table will highlight those findings by providing well-organized data, and then secondary outcomes or additional analysis will appear below the table.

They anticipate that this new abstract format will improve the clarity with which research results are communicated. It make take some time for this format to filter through the logistical and technical requirements of the National Library of Medicine and journal content aggregators.

Source: "The Restructuring of Structured Abstracts" by H. Bauchner, R. Henry, and R. M. Golub in The Journal of the American Medical Association, February 6, 2013, beginning on page 491.

2013 NEWBERY AWARD

The 2013 Newbery Medal winner

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Ivan’s transformative emergence from the “Ape at Exit 8” to “The One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback,” comes to life through the gorilla’s own distinct narrative voice, which is filled with wry humor, deep emotion and thought-provoking insights into the nature of friendship, hope and humanity.

The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Susannah Richards of Eastern Connecticut State University was a member of the 2013 Newbery Medal Committee.

Source: Assocation for Library Service to Children accessed January 29, 2013

2013 CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER

The 2013 Caldecott Medal winner Announced January 28

This Is Not My Hat, written and illustrated by Jon Klassen

In this darkly humorous tale, a tiny fish knows it’s wrong to steal a hat. It fits him just right. But the big fish wants his hat back. Klassen’s controlled palette, opposing narratives and subtle cues compel readers to follow the fish and imagine the consequence.

The Caldecott Medal  is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
Kiera Parrott of the Darien Library was a member of the 2013 Caldecott Medal Committee.

Source: Association for Library Service to Children accessed January 29, 2013.

Resource Highlight: CQ Researcher

CQ Researcher plus Archive


Goodwin students recommend this resource!

CQ Researcher Reports are published in print and online 44 times a year by CQ Press, an imprint of SAGE Publications. Each single-themed, 12,000-word report is researched and written by a seasoned journalist. Each report  provides researchers with an introductory overview, which includes three pro-con debates; a background and chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; a pro/con debate by representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.

CQ Press began digitized CQ Researcher's archive of more than 3,000 Reports published between 1923 and 1990 in order to offer the entire Researcher collection online. Archive content adds a new historical dimension to the CQ Researcher site, extending its coverage beyond politics and current events to the fields of history, sociology, cultural studies, and other social sciences.

The CQ Researcher Plus Archive reports for January:

January 4   Plagiarusm and Cheating
January 11 Peace Corps Challenges
January 18 Future of Public Universities
January 25 Report topic: Social Media Explosion





















Each single-themed, 12,000-word report is researched and written by a seasoned journalist. The consistent, reader-friendly organization provides researchers with an introductory overview, which includes three pro-con debates; a background and chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; a pro/con debate by representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.

Libraries and Inspiration Architecture

"A library is an act of inspiration architecture. It lifts us up, not only by enabling our search for the truth, but also by serving as a symbol of past accomplishment and future potential. It reminds us that the path to discovery isn't always, or even usually, a straight line. It invites us, in the interplay between physical and digital, to explore strange connections between intellect and emotion, wisdom and knowledge, mind and body.

A library, like a national park, teaches us that we all benefit when our most valuable treasures are held in common. In the wonderful and wacky intertwingularity of information and architecture, it inspires us to better ourselves. If only we'd put it all together, back then, when we had the chance."

Quoted from "Inspiration Architecture: Future of Libraries" by Peter Morville, an article adapted from a chapter he wrote for a book called Library 2020. The entire article is on the library blog today.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Legacy of Service

Constitution Hall Pass: 
"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Legacy of Service" 

Webcast Air Date: January 17-21, 2013

Live Chat: January 17, 18, and 21, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST

It's free to view and participate - all you need is an Internet connection. Click here to tune in! 

In this powerful episode of the hit webcast series, learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy as we explore how his use of nonviolence was not just a political tool but a way to demonstrate service to others. Discover some of the activists who were influenced by Dr. King, and reflect on ways you can serve your community.

HFL Inter-System Initiative

The Hoffman Family Library (HFL) loans and borrows from libraries outside of Connecticut with the Inter-System Sharing Initiative.

Inter-System Sharing Initiative (shortened to ISSI and pronounced ‘izzy’) is an initiative from Auto-Graphics, the company that provides Connecticut with the software for the reQuest catalog. ISSI facilitates lending and borrowing of material between different statewide or consortial systems that use AGent Resource Sharing.

ISSI Participants:
ISSI is available to all libraries in Connecticut that use reQuest ILL and is offered at no extra charge. Libraries participating in ISSI  lend and borrow from more than 95 libraries in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Kansas, as well as from a governmental library in Alberta, Canada.

The Hoffman Family Library is one of 19 libraries in Connecticut participate in ISSI.

Hearing Everyone's Voice: New Book for the Library

Hearing Everyone's Voice: Educating Young Children for Peace and Democratic Community


Children recognize conflict, injustice, and bias; but they need to be taught how to sort out their concerns and take action to bring about fairness for all. In Hearing Everyone's Voice, teachers and parents and children share stories of their struggles to build a democratic community by learning the many ways there are to hear each other given differences in age, ethnicity, gender, culture, and economic background. The is the perfect guidebook for integrating peace education, anti-bias perspective, and democratic practice into your curriculum.

Source: I found it on Childcare Exchange.