Citizen Wildlife Observations in WI

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Barbara

During the night before my job interview in Whitewater, Wisconsin, I saw an enormous, mean-looking varmint outside my motel. Yow! Since then I’ve had a couple of woodchucks trapped and relocated, and recently I’ve seen an opposum eating under a bird feeder. I’m not a nature-hater, but I’m much happier just watching birds, believe me.

Do you see any critters around you? Well, you can participate in “citizen science” by reporting your sightings at the Wisconsin NatureMapping web site, which is sponsored by Beaver Creek Reserve’s Citizen Science Center, the Ecological Inventory and Monitoring Section of the Wisconsin DNR, and Applied Data Consultants. You have to create an account (it’s free), even just to view the map of sightings reported by others. To report data there’s online training. Then to report a sighting or view the map, select a category (mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians), and then a specific critter, e.g., “Skink, Common Five-lined.”

Wisconsin NatureMapping screen shot

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New Stuff Tuesday – February 15

Posted on February 15, 2011 by kyle

Made in America

Made in America:
A Social History of American Culture & Character
by Claude Fischer
E169.1 .F538 2010
New Book Island, 2nd floor

Fischer, a sociology professor at UC-Berkeley, takes a look back throughout the history of our country to figure how we have evolved as a society. He investigates oft-quoted presumptions that claim that Americans are more mobile and materialistic, and demonstrates that there may more than just meets the eye. The author finds that through several hundred years have passed, the character of the American people has remained relatively intact. This book is packed with information and a great place to begin as looking at the history our nation’s culture [FYI – there are one hundred pages of works cited].

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PolitiFact Wisconsin’s Truth-O-Meter

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Barbara

“PolitiFact Wisconsin is a partnership of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and PolitiFact.com [the national site], a Pulitzer Prize-winning Web site of the St. Petersburg Times, to help you find the truth in politics.” Reporters and research staff from the newspapers and the publisher Congressional Quarterly research claims made by candidates, elected officials, political parties, interest groups, pundits, & talk show hosts, and then rate their truthfulness. Click the names of the people making claims for more information about them and other claims they’ve made that have been evaluated. You also can browse investigated claims by topic. I strongly suggest that you read the justification for the ratings and make your own judgments, however. A couple of times the research provided actually has convinced me to disagree with the “Truth-O-Meter” rating.

Examples of claims rated:

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Darwin Day!

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Barbara

Celebrate the 13th annual Darwin Day on Thurs., Feb. 10th. First take a bite of the “world’s largest edible tree of life” in the Hyland Hall atrium at 5:30pm, and then feed your minds listening to Jerry Coyne, professor of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago and author of Why Evolution Is True, talk about “Why Evolution is True, but Widely Rejected” at 6:30pm in Hyland Hall’s Timmerman Auditorium.

Want to read some of Jerry Coyne’s publications? UWW students and staff may request his book from other UW libraries by using the free Universal Borrowing service. An author search of article databases such as ScienceDirect will find some of his articles, including “(Re)Reading The Origin” (Current Biology, vol.19:no.3, 10 February 2009, pp.R96-R104) and “Sympatric speciation” (Current Biology, vol.17:no.18, 18 September 2007, pp.R787-R788).

Tangled Bank coverYou also can search the article databases or HALCAT (Harold Andersen Library’s catalog) for additional materials on evolution, such as the book The tangled bank: An introduction to evolution (3rd-floor Main Collection, QH367 .Z56 2010)

Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.

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Jeff Chang @UWW Feb 7

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Barbara

Jeff Chang, journalist and music critic, will talk about “Who We Be: The Colonization of America” on Mon., Feb. 7, at 7pm in the Irvin L. Young Auditorium. It’s the first Spring 2011 Contemporary Issues Lecture, sponsored by the College of Letters and Sciences. Mr. Chang has a blog; the “Reader” section provides some background information about him.

Cant Stop coverChang’s forthcoming book (with the same title as his talk) discusses multiculturalism in America over the last 30 years. His previous books are Total chaos: The art and aesthetics of hip-hop and Can’t stop, won’t stop: A history of the hip-hop generation. The latter title is available from Andersen Library’s 3rd-floor Main Collection (call number ML3531 .C5 2005). The other title is available online via the “Music Online: African American Music Reference” database.

You can search the Library’s article databases for articles written by Mr. Chang, such as “The Creativity Stimulus” (Nation, 5/4/2009, vol. 288:no.17, pp.14-16), which discussed the debate over whether U.S. artists should be included in the economic stimulus plan, and “Culture Before Politics” (American Prospect, Jan/Feb2011, vol. 22:no.1, p27-29), which “discusses the importance of cultural change in the success of implementing political change.”

Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.

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Library hours Wednesday–Feb. 2

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Ronna

Due to the weather, the Andersen Library’s hours for Wednesday, February 2 are 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

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It’s Just A Light Dusting

Posted on February 1, 2011 by kyle

It may be snowing like cats and dogs out there, and night classes for tonight have been canceled, but we’re still open until midnight.

Come in, hang out, study, whatever you want. We’ll be here.

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New Stuff Tuesday – February 1

Posted on February 1, 2011 by kyle

Not Quite Adults

The Disappearing Center:
Engaged Citizens, Polarization & American Democracy
by Alan Abramowitz
JK2261 .A28 2010
New Book Island, 2nd floor

This last week seemed to have people at odds with each other. I’m not exactly sure whether it was the State of the Union address on Tuesday night or the fact that my poor Bears lost to the Packers. While the Packers-Bears rivalry does create some tension, the President’s speech and subsequent rebuttals by the Republicans and Tea Party members had people riled up. Conveniently enough, there’s a book on this very topic.

Abramowitz, political science professor at Emory University, has noticed a change in American politics, with the two sides growing farther and farther apart. However, he’s not referring to the left and the right. He presents an argument that pits the engaged individuals of society against those apathetic to the democratic process. The author addresses this polarization and how its seemingly detrimental effect on our society may actually aid in motivating people to participate in elections.

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State of the State address Feb 1

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Barbara

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker will deliver his first State of the State address on Tues., Feb. 1, at 7pm, followed by the Democratic response provided by Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca. The speech will be broadcast live on Wisconsin public radio‘s Ideas Network stations (and streamed online), as well as Wisconsin Public Television (also streaming it online). Andersen Library’s big screen TV will be showing it.

Screenshot of Governor web siteWant to keep up with Governor Walker’s activities? Follow him on Twitter and/or Facebook. The Governor’s website offers a link for “Citizen Suggestions.”

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Resume Doctor at Andersen Library – 2/3

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Rebecca

Career and Leadership Development is again holding Resume Doctor sessions in Andersen Library! Stop by with your resume to have it professionally reviewed! No appointments necessary. Located on the second floor of Andersen Library near the circulation desk.

Thursday, February 3rd: 1:00-4:00pm

Thursday, April 7th 1:00-4:00pm

Need more help with your resume?  Stop in early to prepare with the help of a book such as Resume Magic or 175 High Impact Cover Letters!

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