Archive

The Trivia Contest is Back!

Published
by
kyle
on September 3, 2008
in around the library
. 9 Comments

The Library is sponsoring a trivia contest in which students have a chance to win great weekly prizes or an even better grand prize. All you have to do is come into the library or visit the Library’s website and answer some questions. How hard is that?

Back for More

On Monday, September 8, the trivia contest questions will be posted on the University Library Blog (where you are right now) and on the contest home page. You have until 8 AM on Friday, September 12 to answer as many of the questions as you can. Each correct answer will count towards one chance at winning our Back to School prize. Answer all five questions correctly and you’ll be entered in the drawing five times!

For more information, check out the contest home page or e-mail Kyle at naffk@uww.edu.

New Stuff Tuesday - September 2

Published
by
kyle
on September 2, 2008
in around the library and new stuff tuesdays
. 0 Comments

Raise your hand if you’ve taken a tour.

Raise your hand if you actually paid attention and/or remember every little detail of the tour.

My point exactly.

We understand that traveling as a herd with your classmates isn’t the most enjoyable experience, regardless of whether you’re checking out the library or a museum. That’s why there’s now a podcast tour of the library! Ronna will guide you through the three floors of the library while you listen on your MP3 player without anyone knowing that you’re NOT rocking out to your favorite song. Trust me, you’ll go places you didn’t even know existed. And that’s a good thing!

You can get to the library’s podcast tour through the Podcast@UWW directory under Non-instructional or go straight to it.

Library Hours Sept. 2-8

Published
by
Barbara
on September 2, 2008
in around the library
. 0 Comments

The University Library will have slightly different hours for the first week of fall semester. We’ll close at 10pm on the nights when we normally close at midnight:

Library entrance map

  • Tues., Sept. 2: 7:30 am-10 pm
  • Wed, Sept. 3: 7:30 am-10 pm
  • Thurs., Sept. 4: 7:30 am-10 pm
  • Fri., Sept. 5: 7:30 am-6 pm
  • Sat., Sept. 6: 9 am-5 pm
  • Sun., Sept. 7: 1-10 pm

Starting on Monday September 8th regular fall semester hours.

New Stuff Tuesday - August 26

Published
by
kyle
on August 26, 2008
in new stuff tuesdays
. 0 Comments

The Entrepreneur's Guide to Writing Business Plans and Proposals

The Chancellor’s State of the University Address this morning made several mentions of entrepreneurship and the University’s involvement in regional affairs. We’ve taken notice of the increased focus on local economic development and you’ll find quite a few books dealing with small business and innovation when browsing the New Book Island. Here’s a few:

The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Writing Business Plans and Proposals (pictured)
HD62.5 .C423 2008
Part of the Entrepreneur’s Guide series from Praeger, focuses on constructing one of the most crucial elements of a successful business venture. The business plan can make or break a proposal, and this book outlines the process for you.

The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Managing Information Technology
HD30.2 .R525 2008
Also part of the Praeger series, the author takes on IT for new businesses - what you need to know about IT and the difficulties in dealing with technology and network infrastructure.

The Entrepreneur in Youth: An Untapped Resource for Economic Growth, Social Entrepreneurship and Education
HD60.5.U5 K68 2007
No, this book doesn’t talk about the kids on the street with the lemonade stand. It reports the results of a study of high school students, finding that they have a high entrepreneurial interest but don’t know what to do about it.

University teaching staff: Library orientation for you (Thurs 8/28)

Published
by
Barbara
on August 26, 2008
in around the library and tips for research
. 0 Comments

Learn what resources and services University Library offers you & your students:

When: Thursday, August 28, 2008 @ 2:30 p.m.
Where: University Library* instruction lab (L2211-ask at Reference or Circulation desks for directions)

Bring your questions! For example:

  • How can you make sure the Library has resources your students need?
  • Need help making links to articles in databases?
  • Would your students benefit from an online tutorial or an online class guide?
  • How do you reserve a video for showing in class?
  • Can a student check things out for you?

*Yes, the mall construction is blocking our front doors. Please enter from the Prairie St./east side:

Library entrance map

Making the Most of Google workshop

Published
by
Barbara
on August 25, 2008
in around the library and campus connection
. 0 Comments

Orientation Week Special: Faculty & Teaching Staff are welcome to attend the “Making the Most of Google” LEARN Center-sponsored workshop.

When: Thursday, August 28th, 9:15am-10:30am
Where: University Center Room 262

Learn about iGoogle, Google Gadgets, Google Books, Google Scholar, Google Documents, and more from Martha Stephenson, Reference & Instruction Librarian.

No Free Refills?!

Published
by
kyle
on August 22, 2008
in around the world
. 0 Comments

Oh, wait, you wouldn’t know what that’s like (unless you’ve traveled to Europe).

Beloit College has released their annual Mindset List, which examines the worldviews of incoming freshmen. Just in case math isn’t your forte, the majority of students beginning college this year were born late 1990 or early 1991. According to the list, these kids have been deprived of the raw umber crayon and Benefit Cereal with psyllium but have always had global positioning systems and been looking for Carmen Sandiego.

The list provides insight into what our new fresh faces have under their thinking caps, but it also might make you feel old - just FYI.

International Year of Languages

Published
by
Barbara
on August 21, 2008
in around the world, info.gov and online @ the library
. 1 Comment

“On average, a language ceases to be spoken every two weeks.”

That’s what the web page for the UN’s International Year of Languages (2008) says. UNESCO suggests that language policies enable people in linguistic communities to use their first languages as much as possible, including in education, while also learning a national or regional language and an international language. At the same time, dominant-language speakers should be urged to master another national or regional language and one or two international languages.

hello in different languagesUWW offers language classes (Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic), and language study is good preparation for life in a global society, promotes intercultural understanding, and comes in very handy during study abroad too! The University Library has materials that can help, including dictionaries (e.g., Kodansha’s romanized Japanese-English dictionary, 2nd-floor Reference Collection PL679 .V36 1993, and Oxford Reference Online’s bilingual dictionaries), books, and CDs for language practice (e.g., Conversational Japanese, 1st-floor Media Center, Oversize CDs PL535.5 .C66 2005).

  • For a partial listing of some recently-acquired CDs, search the Library Catalog for the keyword pimsleur.
  • For a broader listing of resources search for the keywords “japanese language” and (study or dictionary), substituting the language of your choice in place of japanese. This will list language practice CDs, videos, teaching methods books, K-12 language textbooks, foreign language dictionaries and grammar books, etc.
  • The 1st-floor Periodicals Collection includes some non-English subscriptions, such as Stern Magazine and Die Zeit (German), World Journal (Chinese), and Le Monde (French). Additional major non-English publications from around the world are available through the LexisNexis Academic database.

Of course, for quick and dirty help with translation of text there are translation sites online such as Yahoo! Babel Fish.

But the issue of language preservation/endangerment is much bigger than asking university students to study another language. Language transmits and embodies culture. Loss of linguistic diversity leads to a loss of cultural diversity. For more information see The Rosetta Project, which is “building a publicly accessible online archive of ALL documented human languages,” a National Science Foundation special report on Endangered Languages, and the web site of the Indigenous Language Institute.

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!

Burmese Days

Published
by
Carol
on August 20, 2008
in summer reading
. 0 Comments

The spring 2008 cyclone that ripped through the Irawaddy Delta region, once again brought the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar to the forefront of world news for the worst of reasons. As if the country’s political and economic woes were not enough, Mother Nature dished out a disaster of her own. As the world rushed to the aid of the cyclone victims,  the military regime that holds the country in its iron grip, just as swiftly blocked the flow of aid to those victims.

Finding George Orwell in Burma

Until 1989, Myanmar was known as Burma, the name given it during British rule from 1885-1948. The country obtained independence after World War II and elected new leaders despite an economy tattered by years of fighting. But within a short time, a military coup ousted the government. While there have been internal changes in leadership, the military is still in firm control of the government and swiftly squashes any form of political dissent.

To understand Myanmar’s history, it’s helpful to read George Orwell’s, Burmese Days, a depressing, but illuminating novel set during British rule in Burma in the early 20th Century. Orwell had spent five years in Burma as a military policeman before writing the novel. Emma Larkin (pseudonym) visited Myanmar in 2003 and wrote a fascinating account of her attempts to understand the country through the lens of George Orwell’s writings. In Finding George Orwell in Burma, Larkin travels around the country, meeting casually with citizens as she gauges the literary and political undercurrents of an the country.

You may also want to read Perfect Hostage: A Life of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s Prisoner of Conscience. Aung San Suu Kyi is a political activist who was essentially elected as Prime Minister of Myanmar in 1990 but was prevented from taking office by the military.

New Stuff Tuesday - August 19

Published
by
kyle
on August 19, 2008
in new stuff tuesdays
. 1 Comment

Fat Rights

Fat Rights:
Dilemmas of Difference and Personhood
by Anna Kirkland
KF4757.5 .O94 K57 2008
New Book Island, 2nd floor

Civil rights and the struggle for equality have come a long way over the last century. This week’s NST book features one group commonly left out of the discussion for equal rights, but that might be changing.

Kirkland, assistant professor at the University of Michigan, tackles the topic in a bold way, starting with the title (in the preface, she addresses her use of the term ‘fat’ as opposed to ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’ because of their medical and pejorative nature). The book examines whether or not - to use the author’s words - fatness should be added to the list of protected classes like race and gender. Because of this, the book not only looks at the current issue, but also the general case of antidiscrimination laws and movements over the years. The author explores how our society and legal system decide what differences constitute added protection under the law. It’s an eye-opening study which incorporates real-life examples accompanying the text.