Author Archive for Barbara

Homecoming: The ’90s

It’s Homecoming Week @UWW! “The ’90s: Lived ‘em, Loved ‘em, Never Left ‘em.”

Friends DVD set photoSo get into a ’90s mood! Some Andersen Library resources might help, such as the DVD set of the complete Friends series (2nd-floor Browsing DVD–Features, call no. Fri). You can spend a whopping 4800 minutes watching this television series that premiered in September 1994. The Physics of the Buffyverse coverOr read about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a television series that first aired in March 1997. A search of HALCat, the Library catalog, would find titles such as Fighting the forces: what’s at stake in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (3rd-floor Main Collection, PN1992.77.B84 F54 2002) and The physics of the Buffyverse (3rd-floor Main Collection, QC75 .O84 2006). Magic Eye I, II, III coversI was among many who bought some “magic eye” art. You can see three books on this in Andersen Library (Magic Eye, Magic Eye II, and Magic Eye III, all in the 3rd-floor Main Collection, N7430.5 .M24)

Clone coverThe ’90s were years of many scientific and technological wonders. Who can forget Dolly, the cloned sheep born on July 5, 1996? Read all abaaaaaaht it in Clone: The road to Dolly, and the path ahead (3rd-floor Main Collection, QH442.2 .K65 1998). And think about the ’90s this week as you search the Internet, watch DVDs, play video games, and take pictures on your digital camera…the World Wide Web, HTML, digital cameras, and the DVD format all started during the ’90s. And in the 1990’s video games underwent a major explosion, fueled by the advent of optical storage and 3-D. Games like Final Fantasy, Mortal Kombat, and Pokemon started during this decade. Andersen Library has the video games Final fantasy XII (PlayStation) and Mortal kombat vs. DC Universe, among others (2nd-floor Browsing Video Games). So, you see, we haven’t left the ’90s, we’ve just improved upon them.

Please ask a librarian for assistance in finding additional Library materials, such as the Reference book Day by day: The nineties.

Borrow from other UW libraries

Is UWW’s copy of a book or DVD checked out? Or does Andersen Library not have the title you need? UWW students and staff can search other UW libraries and borrow from them for free using “Universal Borrowing.”

Here’s a little video (made with Jing) that shows you how.

Requested materials arrive in 2-4 weekdays (no weekend delivery van). You receive an email to your campus email account alerting you to pick up your requested item(s) at the Circulation Desk. More information about “UB” is online, or ask a librarian.

Make a group space

Looking for group work space in the Library? If the group study rooms are in use, you can use the expandable “group study panels” on 2nd floor to define a group space around a table. Watch the “movable group study panels” video.

Group Study Panels photos

“How to Be Mexican” lecture 10/12

What does it mean to be a Mexican today? Alma Guillermoprieto, award–winning journalist born in Mexico, will speak on “How to Be Mexican” on Mon., Oct. 12, at 7 pm in Young Auditorium. This is the first 2009/2010 Contemporary Issues lecture.

“Alma Guillermoprieto is considered an authority on the cultural and political life of Mexico and South America, especially as they relate to the United States. For the last thirty years, she has traced the history of Latin America incorporating her personal experiences.” She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, won the George Polk Award for Foreign Reporting in 2000, and she is a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Heart that Bleeds coverThree of her books are available in Andersen Library:

If Andersen Library’s copies are checked out, UWW students and staff may borrow titles from other UW libraries by using the free Universal Borrowing service. Requested titles arrive in 2-4 weekdays.

Alma Guillermoprieto also writes frequently for publications such as the New Yorker and National Geographic. Search article databases such as Academic Search Complete (EBSCOhost) for au Guillermoprieto to find her articles, including “Days of the dead” (New Yorker, 11/10/2008, pp. 44-51) on the violence of the illegal drug trade in Mexico and its social repercussions.

Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.

Library @Employee Benefit Fair

Check out Andersen Library’s table at the Employee Benefits Fair (Thursday, Oct. 8, 10am-2pm, UC Hamilton Center) to see what we’ve got for staff! Betcha didn’t know about…movies, children’s books, Kindles, Flip video cameras, graphic novels, and more. See you there.

Photo of Willie at Browsing Books

Autism

Earlier this week two government studies indicating increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in children in the U.S. were in the news, including “Autism is more widespread, U.S. studies show, but why?” in USA Today.

The first study, “Prevalence of parent-reported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder among children in the US, 2007,” was published online by Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, on Oct. 5.

In response, the Centers for Disease Control issued a statement that similar findings will appear in a report from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network later in the year, and “these data affirm that a concerted and substantial national response is warranted.” CDC recommended the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) web site for more information, such as its “Summary of advances in autism spectrum disoder research: Calendar year 2008.”

Students With Autism coverIn addition, Andersen Library has materials on autism. Search HALCat (Andersen Library’s catalog) to find books titles such as Healing and preventing autism: A complete guide (2nd-floor Browsing Books, RJ506.A9 M4252 2009), Autism spectrum disorders: Psychological theory and research (3rd-floor Main Collection, RC553.A88 B694 2007), and Students with autism spectrum disorders: Effective instructional practices (3rd-floor Main Collection, RJ506.A9 H42 2007). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders coverSearch article databases to find articles such as “Trends in autism spectrum disorder diagnoses: 1994–2007″ (Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, Aug. 2009, v.39, no.8, pp. 1099-1111) and “Timing of identification among children with an autism spectrum disorder: Findings from a population-based surveillance study” (Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, May 2009, v.48, no.5, pp. 474-483).

Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.

Government Printing Office logo

The University Library is a federal depository with many federal, state, local, and international documents on a variety of current and relevant issues available to you in print, microfiche, CD-ROM, and electronically. Come check out your government at the University Library!

Nat’l Alcohol Awareness Week @UWW

UWW will observe National Alcohol Awareness Week with several events:

  • Mon., Oct. 5, 6:45 pm: The “Day of Dialogue” program will include stories from students, faculty & staff about alcohol and other drug experiences. Thomas Farley, brother of the late comedian Chris Farley, will speak at 7 pm about his brother’s struggles with addiction. (Hamilton Center, James R. Connor University Center)
  • Tues., Oct. 6, 6:30 pm: Former UW-Whitewater prof. Dan Sable’s video presentation will chronicle his wife’s battle with alcoholism. Sable lost both his wife and son to alcohol-related circumstances. (Room 1303, Hyland Hall)
  • Wed., Oct. 7, 8 pm: Party without drinking–root beer pong, simulated sobriety testing through UW-Whitewater Police Services, a pouring station to illustrate the amount of alcohol in one serving, and musical guest De La Buena. (Down Under, James R. Connor University Center)

College Drinking book coverInterested in research about alcoholism? Andersen Library has materials. Searching HALCat (Andersen Library’s catalog) could find titles on various aspects of alcohol and alcoholism, such as College drinking: reframing a social problem (3rd-floor Main Collection, HV5135 .D69 2009) which explores why students binge drink, what are links to campus crime and sexual assault, and what are effective prevention programs and countermeasures. Another title that could be found is Secondary effects of heavy drinking on campus, an online government publication from the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention. A search of the Library’s article databases will find many articles as well.

Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.

Int’l Day of Older Persons (Oct.1)

The 10th annual International Day of Older Persons, a United Nations-sponsored observation, is Oct. 1, 2009. Each year has a theme, which in 2009 is “Towards a Society for All Ages.”

Graph of aging population increases 1900 to 2050Why is this important? The introduction to the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing (1982), the first international instrument intended to guide the formulation of policies on aging, commented on the “social, economic, political and scientific questions raised by the phenomenon of ageing on a massive scale” unknown in previous years, and the trend toward increasing numbers of people living longer is continuing. Since I am, ahem, slowly but relentlessly approaching membership in the “older person” group, since most if not all of us know and care about people who are “older persons” already, and since (with a little luck) most of us will one day be “older persons’ ourselves, these issues affect all of us.

At the second world assembly on aging in 2002, a plan of action was adopted that had three priority directions: older persons and development; advancing health and well-being into old age; and ensuring enabling and supportive environments. The report states that the increase in persons over 60 years of age

“will be greatest and most rapid in developing countries where the older population is expected to quadruple during the next 50 years. This demographic transformation challenges all our societies to promote increased opportunities, in particular opportunities for older persons to realize their potential to participate fully in all aspects of life.”

World Alzheimer's Report 2009 coverUnless we are hiding under a rock, we all hear about a number of issues facing our aging populations, such as financial concerns, nursing home quality control, and many age-related health issues. Recently, for example, I was listening to a segment on NBC’s Today show about one of the health issues related to aging: Alzheimer’s. The cases of people with this dreadful condition are increasing faster than was predicted; according to the World Alzheimer Report dementia cases will nearly double every 20 years, and by 2050 it will affect a “staggering 115.4 million people.” The implications are rather staggering as well. How would we provide decent care for so many? In the meantime, the National Institute on Aging has some information online for this and other age-related health issues. Continuing research on these issues is important so that our increasing numbers of older persons can enjoy a high quality of life for as long as possible. And it will benefit all of us (eventually). It’s also important to consider how our treatment of our older population reflects on us now, and how it will impact the way we are treated as we ourselves age.

Social Policy and Aging book coverIf you are interested in doing research on topics related to aging, Andersen Library has materials you can use. Searching the HALCat, Andersen Library’s catalog, would find titles such as Exploitation of seniors: America’s ailing guardianship system: hearing before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate (online or 2nd-floor Federal Documents, Y 4.AG 4:S.HRG.109-753) and Social policy & aging: a critical perspective (3rd-floor Main Collection, HQ1064.U5 E76 2001). Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.

Government Printing Office logo

The University Library is a federal depository with many federal, state, local, and international documents on a variety of current and relevant issues available to you in print, microfiche, CD-ROM, and electronically. Come check out your government at the University Library!

Distracted Driving Summit, Resources

screenshot from the online summitWatch the Distracted Driving Summit live webcast Sept. 30 (7:30am-4pm)-Oct. 1 (6:30am-12:15pm). The archived summit will be available for a year. The agenda is online as well.

Driver Distraction coverIf you are interested in researching driver distraction, Andersen Library has materials. A search of HALCat (Andersen Library’s catalog) will find titles such as Driver distraction: theory, effects, and mitigation (3rd-floor Main Collection, HE5620.D59 D75 2009) and Driver distraction, a review of the current state-of-knowledge (an online document from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Searching the Library’s article databases would find articles such as “Engrossed in conversation: The impact of cell phones on simulated driving performance” (in Accident Analysis & Prevention, Mar. 2006, v.38, no.2, pp.415-421).

Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.

Government Printing Office logo

The University Library is a federal depository with many federal, state, local, and international documents on a variety of current and relevant issues available to you in print, microfiche, CD-ROM, and electronically. Come check out your government at the University Library!

Latino Heritage Month @UWW

UWW is celebrating Latino Heritage Month (September) with several free events on campus, all of which take place in the Old Main Ballroom of the James R. Connor University Center:

Somos Boricuas CD coverIf you are interested in related materials, check out Andersen Library! For example, a search of HALCat, Andersen Library’s catalog, will find CDs such as Somos boricuas/We are Puerto Rican (Browsing CDs, 2nd floor, Call Number: M1681.P6 P57 1996) and books such as Improving schools for Latinos: Creating better learning environments (Main Collection, 3rd Floor, Call Number: LC2670.3 .V35 2006.

Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.