Christmas brainteaser

This week's Credo brainteaser is about things connected with Christmas.

1. The three gifts that the Wise Men brought to the infant Jesus were traditionally gold, frankincense, and what else?

2. What is the date of the first day of the Twelve Days of Christmas?

3. When drilling for oil or gas, what is a Christmas tree?

4. What phrase is used for a late-night church service on Christmas Eve?

5. In Charles Dickens's novel "A Christmas Carol", what was the name of Tiny Tim's father?

6. A yule log is a large log which used to be put on the hearth as the foundation for the fire - on which day?

7. In which book by Louisa May Alcott did someone say "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents"?

8. What is the English title of the Christmas carol which is "Adeste Fideles" in Latin?

9. In the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" ("On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me..."), what total of gifts was given over the whole twelve days: 78, 280, or 364?

10. According to Clement C. Moore's "The Night Before Christmas", Father Christmas had eight reindeer. Can you name six of them?

Questions set by Tony Augarde (www.augardebooks.co.uk)
________________________________________
Answers
Find out the answers here, or copy and paste this link into your browser address bar: http://blog.credoreference.com/2011/12/credo-reference-brainteaser-christmas/

It is fun to have Credo provide the weekly trivia! We have access to the complete Reference collection in Credo- 579 titles.

Credo is accessible through GALILEO. If you use your CTC library account, the passwords are in the My Account information!
...Databases A-Z.
.....C.
.......Credo.

I'll blog sporadically till January 3rd when we start up again for our second semester.

Merry Christmas.


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American Political Rhetoric

The day began with a commendable commencement speech by a local politician. An e-mail from Facts on File reminded us about using Issues and Controversies to keep up with the campaign season. Both events segue nicely into considering the electronic book American Political Rhetoric 6th edition. Speeches and politics with history thrown in. Perfect for this time in the political cycle. The book description on Amazon notes that the book

explores fundamental political principles through classic examples of political rhetoric, from the Declaration of Independence to today. Selections include the entire political spectrum and contributors range from the founders to elected public officials, Supreme Court opinions, and representatives of historic movements for social change. Organized thematically, American Political Rhetoric allows students to explore the institutions of government and current controversies in civil rights, race, gender, and America's role in the world as the issues have evolved over time.

The 6th edition includes several speeches by President Obama. This volume offers a timely opportunity to compare and contrast current political speech with past offerings, all tied together with the United States Constitution.

The author, Peter Augustine Lawler , is Dana Professor of Government at Berry College in Georgia.

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Use your student ID to access this book off campus.

Are you ready?

The official 2012 campaign season begins in a few weeks. Facts on File sent out a reminder.

As the 2012 election year nears, we want to remind you of Issues and Controversies invaluable election-related content. Don't forget to direct your students and patrons to the comprehensive background on all presidential races since 1996--including lengthy articles about the candidates' views on major campaign issues, party platforms, excerpts from convention speeches, and more.

Plus, our ongoing in-depth coverage of key 2012 campaign issues will culminate in a full-scale examination of the entire presidential race, including maps, charts, and discussion questions, which will be published a few weeks before the November 2012 election.

Issues and Controversies is used by our English classes when they are researching their argumentative, persuasive, pro&con paper. Issues and Controversies has a quick overview of both sides of a topic.

Go to the section under Curriculum Tools, Student tools, select the More link.
On this screen Select Issues Pro and Con in the Tools for Students box.
Now you can scroll through the list or use the alphabetical tool to hop to your topic.

In three sentences they give you both sides of a topic. It is a very handy way to see that, yes, there could be another side to this subject.

Keep up with current issues by using Facts.Com, Issues and Controversies!


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Galileo
...Databases A-Z
....F
......Facts.com
Notice the link to the login/password which you'll need to use even though you're in GALILEO.
Select Issues and Controversies

Commencement

The December CTC Graduation ceremony was held this morning at the Cobb Performing Arts Center.

The speaker was Senator Chip Rogers. The three points he gave the graduates will work for anyone. Here's my take on what he said- Look forward to Monday morning because when you're doing a job you enjoy, you'll do it well. Ask when you need or want something. If you don't ask for it how will you ever get it. Last but not least, give back to the community, service to others makes life worthwhile.

Sometimes commencement speeches are just dreadful. It was good to hear one with a clear and useful message.

Congratulations to the current crop of graduates. May you love Monday morning, remember to ask for what you need, and  always serve others.


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Compare and Contrast

MasterFILE Premier is a "general database created for a public library audience. It provides abstracts and indexing for over 2,690 titles as well as full text for over 1,800 journals and general magazines covering nearly all subjects including general reference, business, consumer health, general science, and multicultural periodicals.". It is not a resource usually used by students for their research. One of the EBSCO standards for college students is Academic Search Complete with over 6000 periodicals.

Since both databases are produced by EBSCO, I wondered if there was that great a difference in content? Comparing the two Publications lists, it became very apparent that MasterFILE Premier is not a watered down version of Academic Search Complete.  MasterFILE Premier starts with 1931. Academic Search Complete starts with 1911. Scrolling through the A's, I noticed MasterFILE has AARP, Academic Search Complete does not. They are aiming at different audiences. Yet, I can see some Health programs that would use the AARP information. I'll remind students to check both resources!


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GALILEO you may get the current password from your Georgia librarian
...Databases A -Z
.....Select M for MasterFILE Premier
.....Select A for Academic Search Complete

What do we have?

We are blessed with multiple resources in GALILEO. Regularly users say to me that they can't find anything in GALILEO. GALILEO is a library. It's not a single source. Just like in the physical library there are many places to look for information.

The physical library has a catalog that serves as the index for the collection. The Databases A-Z tab is the closest thing to a catalog for GALILEO.

- You may select the all databases link and scroll through the list. I do that a lot. I like stumbling upon a new resource. It reminds me of browsing through a shelf of books. This doesn't work well when you absolutely, positively need an article!
- You may click on letters to see the resources that start with that letter. You do have to have an idea of what you might be looking for.
- There's a search box where you can use keywords to search through the list. This is the closest to a catalog tool. It searches through the list and pulls up various resources for you to choose from.

If you're not sure which resource will suit your needs, there's a more >> link which opens a description of the resource. When I describe a resource in the blog, I'll use the GALILEO description.

There is a plethora of information in GALILEO. It can be overwhelming at first glance. The Databases A-Z tab will help you find the best resource to use for your information needs.


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Online Dictionaries

Obviously, Today in Georgia History has set off a dictionary stream of consciousness.

On the books tab, the Fundamentals of English Library Guide has a search box for the Credo Reference English Dictionaries. A search for one of the vocabulary words pulled up 51 entries . The first few were the strict definition in a 'regular' dictionary.

A click on the definition opens the screen and shows links to related entries on the left. Those related entries pull from reference sources that you might not consider using when looking for the meaning of a word. It's not the same historic perspective of the OED but it definitely broadens your horizon on the use of a particular word.

Talk to your CTC librarian about how to access Credo Reference off campus.


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What does that mean?

Today in Georgia History has a vocabulary work sheet. They suggest looking up the words in a dictionary. We have a dictionary that not only provides the definition but the history behind a word. The 20 volume Oxford English Dictionary in our Reference section is a treasure of information about single words.
From Amazon: The key feature of the OED, of course, is its unique historical focus. Accompanying each definition is a chronologically arranged group of quotations that illustrate the evolution of meaning from the word's first recorded usage and show the contexts in which it can be used. The quotations are drawn from a huge variety of sources--literary, scholarly, technical, popular-and represent authors as disparate as Geoffrey Chaucer and Erica Jong, William Shakespeare and Raymond Chandler, Charles Darwin and John Le Carre. In all, nearly 2.5 million quotations--illustrating over a half-million words--can be found in the OED. [More]

The English teachers have an assignment where students must come to the physical library and use the physical OED. I bless them for this task.

The OED is available online via a subscription.  GALILEO used to offer the subscription. When the online OED was dropped, we purchased the print edition. You don't have to worry about a subscription being canceled when you own the hard copy. Stop by the North Metro campus library (Room 103) and read all about it.



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What happened?

My scroll through the list of Databases A-Z in GALILEO revealed a link to Today in Georgia History. It is a 'public' site available on the free web. The link in GALILEO is a service to Georgia residents.

Today in Georgia History is an educational program that includes daily television and radio segments focusing on significant people and events associated with a particular day in Georgia history. A joint collaboration of the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Public Broadcasting, this interactive website allows you to access streaming audio and video of the episodes, as well as transcripts, tips for teachers, curriculum, writing prompts, review questions and discussion topics, classroom exercises, follow-up research topics and selected primary-source material. Together, these resources will reach students of all grade levels, cover all subject areas based on content, and will align with Georgia's social studies curriculum and performance standards.

On the right side of the screen under the Audio Player button is a link for a Daily Activity. The activity is geared to the 8th grade curriculum. As a parent, I can see this Daily Activity being used by the family during the holiday break. Homeschoolers might find it a very handy way to cover Georgia History!

I'm going to get a dictionary and go through the vocabulary words for today. Another way to keep my brain active.


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Exam week

Today is the first day of final exams. Students are studying earnestly. Some are looking forward to graduation from CTC. They are asking about standardized tests to enter the next phase of their education. We have a Library Guide just for this purpose.

The Study / Test Prep Guides Library Guide has tabs for books, articles and internet sources. The internet sources page has boxes for Health Sciences, General Tests, Personal and Public Service. The test prep areas that charge a fee have the $ sign after the title.

The Library Guide is a handy tool to get ready for the next step now that this first tier of higher education has been mastered.

Our Library Guides can be found through the CTC Library page.
..Look on the right side, on the scrap of notepaper for Library Guides.
.....Select All Library Guides to get to the main page.
........The Study / Test Prep Guides is in the Program and Special Topic Guides area.


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Where are the ebooks?

In our catalog there is a drop down link to search our Electronic Book Library. We have electronic books through ebrary, Ebsco, Ovid, Credo, and Project Gutenberg. We don't have everything these vendors make available. If we don't have an electronic version of a title you'd like to use, how might you search for an electronic book without going to each vendor?

In GALILEO, E-Books Index (Electronic Books) includes records for more than 675,000 eBooks that have been cataloged by OCLC member libraries, including titles available from NetLibrary [now Ebsco]and other providers. They include Project Gutenberg titles that have been cataloged.

The difficulty with electronic books is you can't 'borrow' them from other libraries (as far as I know). This index lets you know which vendor produces the title and which library has access. Some public libraries will let you pay for an annual library card which would give you access to their electronic books.

Our library shows up often enough in the list. We do have an extensive e-book collection. The Ebsco, ebrary and Project Gutenberg titles can be downloaded. Get ready for break by 'borrowing' electronic books to read (and not misplace) while traveling.

You will need a CTC login to use our ebrary, Credo and Ebsco electronic books. Check with your CTC librarian for the access information.


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To access the E-Books Index
Go to GALILEO (get the current password from your Georgia librarian)
..Select Databases A-Z
....Select E
......Then select E-Books Index

Knowledge is power

So you've checked out the ConsumerEd.gov page. You've searched through Encyclopedia of contemporary American social issues [HN59.2 ONLINE RESOURCE 2011]. What else can you do to make sure your shopping adventures are more fun and less traumatic?

Knowledge is power. If you know how advertisers and businesses place products to catch your eye,  then you can make a less emotional  decision to buy or not to buy. Our Marketing program " is designed to prepare students for employment in a variety of positions in today’s marketing and management fields. The Marketing Management program provides learning opportunities that introduce, develop, and reinforce academic and occupational knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement."

How does that help you right now? We have created 9 Library Guides for Marketing classes. Check out the Intro to marketing for clues to arm yourself to withstand the onslaught of temptations this shopping season.

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Consumer rights

After thinking about shopping and consumer rights, I did a search in our catalog for the words "consumer rights". This pulled up 23 titles. I sorted by newest to oldest.

Do you know how to sort in our catalog?
- You can sort before you search by selecting 'Power Search'. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and see the drop down box for "Sort" options.
- If you've already searched and you'd like to organize your results, you can select the 'Limit search' link in the yellow bar. This opens the same screen you see with 'Power Search'. Leave your search term alone, scroll to the bottom of the screen and change the 'Sort' option. Click the blue 'search' button in the middle of the screen to arrange your search.

Encyclopedia of contemporary American social issues [HN59.2 ONLINE RESOURCE 2011] is the newest title in our collection after a quick search on the topic of consumer rights. By rights, I mean protection by the law against individuals or businesses who just might like to use my buying power for their advantage.

I figured a current encyclopedia would have both brief articles and timely information. My hunch was correct. Encyclopedias offer  the right amount of information. The 2011 copyright date implies current information. After you've opened the book (use the 'ebook full text' link on the left to open the book), you may search within the book by using the search tool that looks like a magnifying glass on the right side at the top of the column.

To use the ebook off campus you'll need to login. Ask your CTC librarian about the login information for our electronic books.


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Shopping season

It's the shopping season. Do you know how your purchases may affect your buying power? ConsumerEd.com was created by the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs to help Georgians be more informed consumers by learning to make wise purchasing and financial decisions, knowing their rights, and avoiding becoming victims of scams or deceptive practices in the marketplace.

This is an 'open' site available to everyone on the web. I discovered it by scrolling through GALILEO.

The nice thing about the Georgia online library is GALILEO links to sites like the ConsumerEd.com which was created by The Governor’s Office of Consumer Protection for Georgia residents.

Using the Georgia online library is very easy.
Get the current password from your Georgia librarian.
...Log in.
......Select Databases A-Z.
.........Select all databases.
............Scroll through the list to see what treasures are 'on the shelf' at your Georgia online library .

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Where is it?

All this talk about Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Japan, Hawaii made me aware that geography is not my strong suit. There are no classes at CTC specifically for geography. Yet, it seems that the knowledge of geography is integral to understanding why an event took place. The Library provides a Geography Library Guide to supplement the courses in History, Humanities, Political Science, and even Allied Health.

The Books tab has several subject searches ready to go. The one for 'human geography' surprised me with 143 titles. Scrolling through that list revealed a Dictionary of Human Geography available in two electronic collections (one could be downloaded into an e-reader).

The Articles tab points to Global Road Warrior. Practical information about many countries is readily available through this resource.

Internet tab, of course lists sites that deal with geography, including links to Google Earth, Google Moon, and Google Mars.

The Geography News tab includes RSS feeds  for news and views about the planet.

My favorite tab in the guide is the Atlas Stand. Here you can see which physical books are located on the atlas stands of each campus. The over sized atlas' are a tactile delight to peruse.

The steps to find the Geography guide seem lengthy but the destination is worth it:

Go to the CTC main page
...Select Quicklinks
.....Scroll and select Library
.......On the far right on the 'scrap of notepaper' select Library Guides
...Select Library Guide
.....Select Program and Special Topic Guides
.......Scroll down to Geography

You'll discover how important the knowledge of geography can be to just about any topic!


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70 years

Today is the 70th anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. In Annals of American History you can hear FDR tell the country what happened on December 7, 1941. For the 5oth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor , Robert S. LaForte collected the 'eyewitness accounts by U.S. military men and women'
for Remembering Pearl Harbor.

The seven chapters cover the areas of Oahu that were attacked. The interviews are in the words of the military personnel remembering where they were and what happened. Mr. LaForte included information about what happened to the military person after the war. This makes it a genealogical treasure as well as a historical find.

Remembering Pearl Harbor is an electronic book that can be downloaded onto your reader. The index has the name of each person mentioned in a story. By any chance is one of them kin to you or from an area you're familiar with?

When you are in the book, use the search tool, which is on the far right at the top of the column, to look for a word or phrase. I didn't find any family names that I'm familiar with but I did find people from Georgia.

First person history brings an event to life. Your CTC librarian can give you the access information to use this e-book off campus.

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Date that will live in infamy

Franklin D Roosevelt's radio address to the country following the attack on Pearl Harbor is available through Annals of American History in GALILEO.

There are two ways to find the speech. A straight search for 'Pearl Harbor' brought the 1941 speech up first on the results list. Using the index for authors, click on R, select Franklin D Roosevelt, and scroll through the articles in date order till you get to 1941.

The audio of the speech may be downloaded. The full text may be printed. The speech is more than it's most famous phrase. Listen or read the entire speech to get a feeling for what our country was going through.

Have you listened  to any members of your family talk  about their memory of December 7, 1941? Consider taking this person to a Story Corps location and interviewing them about that "date that will live in infamy". Remembering is one thing, making sure the story is not forgotten is another!


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The password to use GALILEO is available from your Georgia librarian
...Select Databases A-Z
.....Select A
.......Select Annals of American History

Shoes full?

Were your shoes filled with treats this morning? Do you know who should have come by and filled them? I know who should have visited, which gives me a head start in my search.

But what if I wasn't sure what should be remembered on December 6th. A search for December 6 in Credo Reference turned up over 7000 entries. Credo makes it easy to narrow the search using the links on the left side. Select event, then select celebration. The first entry is for St. Nicholas's Day. The basic info on the day is there.

A search for Saint Nicholas, in quotes, gives me information about the man himself. Again, I do need to narrow my search using the column on the left. Selecting entry type, biography, and then religion, narrowed the search to one entry for Nicholas (? fourth century) from Who's Who in Christianity, Routledge

Resembling the game of telephone, the Bishop of Myra has morphed into our Santa Claus!

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You may access Credo through GALILEO. Ask your CTC librarian for the login.

Second Star to the Right

While searching for Peter Pan in our catalog, I noticed that we have 2 copies of "Second star to the right [electronic resource] : Peter Pan in the popular imagination" by Allison Kavey, available as e-books. Both e-books may be downloaded to a reader. The Choice review, from the MARC record,notes:

Perhaps responding to the modern phenomenon known as Peter Pan syndrome, Kavey (history, CUNY, John Jay College) and Friedman (media studies, Hobart and William Smith Colleges) collect nine excellent essays that explore the social and artistic impacts of J. M. Barrie's classic tale over the past century. The contributors treat subjects ranging from the Disney versions of Peter Pan and Steven Spielberg's Hook to what constitutes children's literature. Among the questions addressed: Is the Peter Pan story suitable for children (a lot of not-so-buried sexual tension)? Do children even read Peter Pan anymore? How does content determine the categorization of a book as children's literature or adult literature? And, perhaps most important, how does a work like Peter Pan address the shifting boundary between adult- and child-appropriate reading? [More].

The third essay, "I do believe in fairies, I do, I do", caught my attention. I found myself pulled into the relationship between Peter Pan and the Greek Pan. In the TV movie, Neverland, Peter used his flute to give directions to his band of Lost Boys. I hadn't tied the flute playing of Peter Pan to the Greek Pan!

I'm going back to read the other essays. Who knows what other insights I will pick up.

Check with your CTC Librarian for information on how to access the e-books off campus.


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If you believe

...clap your hands. Do you remember Peter Pan? From Chapter 13, pg 216 in J. M. Barrie's story

Her voice was so low that at first he could not make out what she said. Then he made it out. She was saying that she thought she could get well again if children believed in fairies.

Peter flung out his arms. There were no children there, and it was night time; but he addressed all who might be dreaming of the Neverland, and who were therefore nearer to him than you think: boys and girls in their nighties, and naked papooses in their baskets hung from trees.

"Do you believe?" he cried.

Tink sat up in bed almost briskly to listen to her fate.

She fancied she heard answers in the affirmative, and then again she wasn't sure.

"What do you think?" she asked Peter.

"If you believe," he shouted to them, "clap your hands; don't let Tink die."

Many clapped.

Some didn't.

A few beasts hissed.

The clapping stopped suddenly; as if countless mothers had rushed to their nurseries to see what on earth was happening; but already Tink was saved. First her voice grew strong, then she popped out of bed, then she was flashing through the room more merry and impudent than ever. She never thought of thanking those who believed, but she would have like to get at the ones who had hissed.

Did you clap when you heard the request from Peter?

I was reminded of this classic when I watched Neverland the past few nights. We have two copies of the story in our collection. I've borrowed the print edition to read aloud! Cold winter nights are the perfect time to read aloud to the family. Do you have a favorite read aloud?

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Lists

Sometimes you want a list of titles on a particular subject. Our catalog can help you pull together that list by selecting the 'keep' box next to an item. Yet, we may not have the variety you want. Where else can you get a list of books on a subject?

There is a print resource that is most helpful in providing lists by subject and author.

For teachers, librarians, and parents, this reference of nonfiction and fiction children's picture books has about 28,000 titles in 1,350 subjects to aid in book choice. The volume begins with a subject guide listing books alphabetically by author name, followed by a bibliographic guide by author, with publication information and correlated subjects, and indexes by title and illustrator. Book listings only feature their subjects; they are not described. The introduction outlines the origins of the picture book in the English language. Carolyn and John Lima are former librarians at the San Diego Public Library. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Children's books aren't just for children anymore. Some children's books have amazing illustrations which convey the information from the text. Children's books can usually be read aloud in under 30 minutes.

See how a picture book can spark a discussion or illuminate your presentation!

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What to read next?

Sometimes people ask the librarian, what do you suggest I read next? We call that conversation 'Readers Advisory'. One tool to use for Readers Advisory is NoveList.

an online readers' advisory tool that helps readers find new books based on books they've read or on topics in which they are interested. NoveList provides enhanced subject access to over 125,000 fiction titles and more than 90,000 full-text book reviews or annotations.

Who else do you ask, besides the librarian and the book store clerk, about something good to read? Did you check out books in the pre-computer era where there were cards in the back of the book that you signed? At my first library, students would use that card to figure out if the book was any good, solely based on who had read it before them! Word of mouth is a fine way to find out what might be a fun read.

On a cataloging list, an article was shared about the Muncie Library circulation ledgers. As a genealogy bug, I know the 1890 census was destroyed. This database gives a clue as to who lived in Muncie from 1891 to 1902. Better yet, it tells you what they were reading. What we consider the classics of Mark Twain and Jane Austen were regularly read by the folks of Indiana.

If you had kin in Muncie at the end of the 19th century, would you like to know if they were using their public library and what they were reading? This Readers Advisory just might help you find your relative and get to know a little bit about them. It might inspire you to read what they read.

We no longer keep the record of individual borrowers after an item is returned. Privacy is a two edged sword. I'm glad the Muncie ledgers survived to let us know what really was being read!

-and another thought- American Lit aficionados might find this database extraordinarily enlightening. What was the MidWest reading at that time?

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If you want a current Readers Advisory tool use NoveList
Your Georgia librarian can give you the current password to GALILEO
..Select the tab Databases A-Z
....Select N
......Scroll down a bit to NoveList

Keeping up

Tax information changes rapidly. We have four copies of Deduct it!. They range in copyright dates from 2004 to 2011.

The 7th edition (2011) is on the shelf at the Marietta campus library. The older editions are available electronically through Ebsco.

It might be interesting to do a compare and contrast between the 2004 edition and the 2011, 7th edition. While searching for a cover image, the 8th edition popped up. 'Deduct It!' seems to be an annual publication. Many folks purchase the new TurboTax every year. It makes sense that a new book would be needed, too.

Changes in the tax code, how do you keep up?


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Check with your CTC Librarian for the log in to use the Ebsco books.

Checking it twice

It's getting close to the end of the IRS fiscal year. Do you have your deductions in order? Is there something you could do to maximize your financial worth?

Our Accounting program offers a Tax Preparation Specialist Certificate. You might not want to be a tax preparer for others but this certificate could help you with your personal or small business taxes. It is too late for the April 2012 tax cycle but keep the certificate in mind for something to complete before April 2013.

To help you right now, we have a Library Guide for Accounting. Check out the box on the Articles tab with directions for setting up an alert in the Accounting database in GALILEO. The alert is an invaluable resource for keeping up with current information.

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Your Georgia librarian can give you the GALILEO password.

Narrowing the digital search

Learning how to narrow a search can be frustrating. One needs to know the source one is using- what is in this database? One needs to have a clear search term - using one word might pull up a plethora of information while using a synonym pulls up nothing. What is a novice researcher to do?

A scroll through Databases A-Z in GALILEO revealed Career & Technical Education by [ProQuest}"which includes several hundred full-text titles in the area of vocational information". A look at the Publications list notes 798 titles are available, that is a few more than "several hundred". The regular ProQuest has 11207 titles listed in Publications.

Already I can see how Career & Technical Education by ProQuest has helped me narrow my search. They have selected titles that apply to technical education. There are specific titles for Automotive, Cosmetology and Horticulture.

Comparing the publication lists of the specialized database with the regular ProQuest, shows that what is in Career & Technical Education really will meet the specific needs of our technical students information needs.


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Your Georgia librarian can give you the password to access GALILEO from home.

Sneak Peek

A change is coming from ebrary -

"ebrary is getting a new look! Over the next few weeks, we are updating the standard design of our customer sites. We believe the simplified instructions and graphical subject areas of the new design will make the research experience faster and more enjoyable for patrons." Preview the new design.

You've read my mumbling about ebrary. My quick perusal of the preview didn't silence the mumbles.
- I don't see a print option, though their competition offers printing and pdf e-mailing.
- I don't see a citation option, though it continues to list all the info you'd need to create a citation. Their competition offers citations ready to use.
- The 'search all of ebrary' box is still prominent above the book while the 'search the particular book' box is off to the right.

The new graphic interface at the opening of the resource might not get much use from our students. We have links directly from the catalog to the individual ebrary title.

We'll see if this effort makes a difference in use. Check out the Preview for yourself. If you need a login, check with your CTC librarian.


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Look who is fifty

Adam Gopnik wrote for the New Yorker in October:

Our cult of decade anniversaries—the tenth of 9/11, the twentieth of “Nevermind”—are for the most part mere accidents of our fingers: because we’ve got five on each hand, we count things out in tens and hundreds. And yet the fifty-year birthday of a good children’s book marks a real passage, since it means that the book hasn’t been passed just from parent to child but from parent to child and on to child again.

[More]

NPR played an interview with Norman Juster on November 29th.

Both sources gave me intriguing information about this classic, that I admit, I haven't read. Using World Cat shows me the nearest library that owns the book. I'm going to use Inter Library Loan to borrow a copy and read this work!


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Is it real?

We're into the crunch time for research. There are just a few weeks left till this first semester at CTC is over.

The campus libraries are filled with students finding and using resources both online and in print.

It seems easy to me to use GALILEO for quality information. Yet, sometimes what a student thinks they need isn't readily apparent in one of the databases.

They resort to a quick Google search. We know this is going to happen. To help students decide if the site they are using is authoritative, we've created an Evaluating Websites guide. It's not as comprehensive as some evaluation links but we do offer hints and tips on how to decide if a web site is going to be helpful.

We encourage care as you hurry to finish your research. Make sure the web resource you are using meets the standard of academic rigor you are striving for!


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Still stuffed

My stomach has yet to recover from eating too much, too often, over the holiday. Going from one family event to another, where the host expects to be honored, not only by your presence, but by your consuming the delectables presented, leads to indigestion. What is one to do to alleviate the consequences of plain old gluttony?

CTC Library subscribes to several health databases. Each requires a login if accessed from the CTC Library page. All are also listed in GALILEO. Your CTC Librarian can give you the passwords to the individual resources or to GALILEO.

From the CTC Library page, I chose Facts on File : Health Reference Center to look for indigestion information. 81 articles were pulled. The three column results format makes it easy to see what might be helpful. The first column has title and source. The second column notes article, drug, and article overview. The third column allows you to save the item.

Is there a way to sort the information? I checked 'Help'. The FAQ
did not offer a suggestion for sorting. The Advanced Search option has the Boolean search limiters, type of source, and date limiters for News Articles. News Articles can be sorted by date. That option seems to be the only way to 'sort' and it is totally limited to News Articles.

It's not difficult to scroll through the list. What I found were articles that discussed ways to prevent indigestion. One article did describe using baking soda to help alleviate a bit of discomfort. Several drug articles with references on how the drug may cause indigestion. Hmm. Not much help with my current problem.

I think I may just have to wait this out. The consequence of gluttony is a bit of discomfort!


-kss

Catch 22

Have you lived through a Catch 22 situation?

Most of us have been caught in some bureaucratic circle of unreasonableness. My circle has to do with my internet provider, Comcast.

I have an internet phone service that ties to the Comcast cable modem. Here's where the Catch 22 begins- when the internet doesn't work, the phone doesn't work. My modem chose to not light up. It seemed to have quit. I was able to schedule a service call. The tech never showed up. When I reached a phone that worked and called Comcast, I was told the tech tried to call but because I didn't answer, they cancelled the service call.

Can you see my hair curling?

I had no phone service at home because I had no internet access. Without the phone service, the tech couldn't tell me they were coming. No internet, no phone, no service. What makes it more interesting is the lack of awareness by the Comcast service people to this conundrum. They really don't see the problem.

Who can I write to that might have a modicum of common sense?

Here's where GALILEO fills the bill for company research. We have access to Hoover's Company Capsules and Profiles which "includes information on more than 40,000 companies, 600 industries, and 225,000 key executives". A search for Comcast Cable Communications, LLC provides a full page of names with a corporate address, FAX and phone. Yes, now I have a name to put in the salutation of my concerned customer missive.


When you have something to say to a business, get the name of the person who might care enough to respond to your concern.
GALILEO - your Georgia librarian can give you the password
...Databases A-Z
.....H
.......Hoover's Company Capsules and Profiles

-kss

Aaahhhh, can you smell it?

Some cooks have begun to prepare for the family feast. Pumpkin pies are baking. Cranberries are popping for the sauce. Cinnamon scents the air. If you haven't begun, it's not too late to find just the right recipe to recreate your holiday memory.

I've talked about finding recipes in ProQuest and Ebsco. You can type the ingredient in the search box and limit the search to recipes. Both resources let you print, save and e-mail.

We have a sizable print collection of cooking books to support our Culinary programs. I want a book that could be used right now. With both ebrary and EBSCO books offering the download option, the cookbooks in those electronic collections become incredibly handy. I've talked about how once you've opened a book in either collection, you may search the full text of every book in the collection.

A search for cookbook while limiting the search to the Electronic Books, retrieved 75 titles with cookbook somewhere in the text (title or subject or description). I selected the first EBSCO title and then searched for cranberries. That full text search pulled up 65 titles. Interesting to see the mix of science, bar tending, health, and cooking information from a full text search for cranberries. Now to pick a title and search within that particular book to see what I can find about cooking with cranberries!

Sometimes the searching is just as satisfying as the finding. Happy Thanksgiving. I'll be back on Monday.


-kss

To use ProQuest and Ebsco in GALILEO get the current password from your Georgia librarian.

To use the e-book collections off campus, get the login information from your CTC librarian. Don't forget most campus libraries will be closed after 8pm tonight until Monday morning.

Magic words

Do you remember as a child, hearing the reminder, use the magic words? This is the week to use the magic words with people you see rarely but are connected with through the ties that bind.


I see rude people isn't a manners book in the way that Etiquette & manners is. The reviews on Amazon for
I see rude people clearly point out this is Ms. Alkon's response to what she has encountered in public. It might be helpful as one travels over the holiday weekend to keep her anecdotes in mind. Some of the ways, she helps others polish their manners, are refreshing.

Yet, when faced with what to say, which utensil to use, and do I bring a house gift,Etiquette & manners would be the better selection.

Both are available through our electronic book collection. Both can be downloaded into an e-reader. Check with your CTC librarian for the login to the electronic book collections.

Most campus libraries will have limited hours on Wednesday (some of us will be closed entirely).



-kss

Short week

Public schools in Cherokee County are closed this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. The roads felt a little less congested on the way to work.

CTC is 'open' on Wednesday, no classes will be held but some offices are open. The campus libraries will have limited hours on Wednesday and be closed Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Check with your campus librarian before heading for the library!


-kss

The North Metro campus library will be closed on Wednesday, so you don't need to check with us.

Eight

Every Friday, if you subscribe to the quiz, Credo Reference sends out a short, fun quiz to draw you into using their database of over 500 reference books. The quiz is available to everyone on the Credo blog.

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All the questions in this week's brainteaser concern the number eight and things with "eight" in their names.

1. Which popular music group released a song in 1964 called "Eight Days a Week"?

2. What are or were "pieces of eight"?

3. What is the meaning of the phrase "be (or have had) one over the eight"?

4. In popular music, what is the "middle eight"?

5. In mathematics, a horizontal figure of eight is a symbol of what?

6. What is the meaning of the phrase "behind the eight ball"?

7. Who wrote the 1966 novel "When Eight Bells Toll"?

8. The G8 or Group of Eight is an organization of the eight leading industrial nations of the world. Can you name four of them?

9. In 1984, Peter Hyams directed a sequel to the film "2001: a Space Odyssey". Fans of the original movie were not impressed and gave it the alternative title "Ten Past Eight". What was Hyams' film actually called?

10. The Warsaw Pact was a military defensive alliance between eight countries: the USSR and seven East European communist states. Can you name five members of the Warsaw Pact?

Questions set by Tony Augarde (www.augardebooks.co.uk)

Find the answers here, or copy and paste this link into your browser address bar: http://blog.credoreference.com/2011/11/credo-reference-brainteaser-eight/

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I like how they include a link to the citation with each answer.

You may remember from the October quiz, that I knew nothing about music. I can answer a few of these. How many did you 'know'?


-kss

To access Credo reference check with your CTC librarian for the login.

1951 was a very good year

Americans know that the Fourth Thursday in November is Thanksgiving. Do they know the significance of the Third Thursday in November?

Here we go - a few facts about Beaujolais Nouveau which was released at midnight.
When did the release of the new wine become a big deal? It's been a big deal in rural France for decades. To regulate the industry, in 1951, November 15 was designated as the release date. In 1985 the date was changed to the 3rd Thursday in November. This gave a weekend for enjoying the wine.

A Google search reveals multiple sites with information about Beaujolais Nouveau 2011.

The question is, can I find something about beaujolais nouveau in our library resources? A scroll through GALILEO hunting for a gastronomic database didn't turn up anything specifically relating to consumption of food and drink. Yet, Hospitality & Tourism Complete covers scholarly research and industry news relating to all areas of hospitality and tourism. Coverage includes periodicals, company and country reports, and books from domestic and international sources. Subject areas include culinary arts, demographics and statistics, development and investment, food and beverage management, hospitality law, hotel management and administrative practices, leisure and business travel, market trends, technology, and more. This EBSCO database might have something informative about wine.

A search for Beaujolais Nouveau did pull up articles. I realized the first few were not full text. The purple Find It button gives helpful clues on which library holds the periodical. Limiting my search to full text pulled up this 2005 article, Beaujolais Nouveau, the abstract tells me it-

presents information on the Beaujolais Nouveau wine. Beaujolais Nouveau is a French wine made from Gamay grapes. It is made by the special combination of carbonic maceration and pasteurization. It is best served chilled. It looks like a red wine but tastes like a white wine.

And, it can be translated into French!


-kss

GALILEO, your Georgia librarian has the password
...Databases A-Z
....H
......Hospitality & Tourism Complete

That's Greek to me

A couple of days ago, I mentioned that EBSCO had a translation feature but it had not been activated.

GALILEO has a 'Contact Us' link in the upper right side of the screen. Within 24 hours of contacting GALILEO, the translation features had been turned on in EBSCO.

There are two translation options. One translates the interface. That option is at the top of the screen to the right under Languages. It does not list Greek (as far as I can tell), even though Greek is listed in the Help section as one of the languages for the interface.

After you find the article and open it, scroll below the abstract and article details to a drop down translate box. That list does offer Greek as an option.

EBSCO translates articles in the databases I spot checked- Academic Search, Student Research Center, Regional News, and Primary Search. The interface can be translated in Books but not the content. Neither interface nor content seem translatable in NoveList.

The translate option is good for students (of any age) and immigrants! My guess is the translation may not be grammatically perfect but it's close enough. Language teachers might find the translate option handy for classwork or homework assignments.

Get the GALILEO password from your Georgia librarian and read to your hearts content in the language of your choice!


-kss

Action

How does one tell a story effectively with moving pictures? I've seen enough You Tube videos to know some of us have the skill for visual story telling and some of us do not. It's not just the visual idea but the execution of that idea that can make a video become viral!

CTC offers a Television Production Technology degree.

The Television Production Technology program is designed to allow students to gain education and training for careers in the television production field. Learning opportunities develop academic, technical, and professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement.

The program emphasizes a combination of technical courses and supporting courses. Graduates of the program will have a wide variety of job opportunities in the television production field in the areas of video, audio, lighting, animation, and non-linear editing.

There is a Library guide to assist students in the program. In addition to the standard Book and Article pages, there are pages for Film Festivals, Film Reviews, and Film Schools. The News Sources page has RSS feeds for four film info sources including Variety. The RSS feeds keep the guide current without a lot of attention from the library staff.

The Film Library guide isn't just for students!




-kss

More visual

Thinking about the visual led me to search the catalog for 'history pictures'. Admittedly not an erudite search strategy but still it brought up 357 titles.

My quick skim of titles did reveal one that seems most appropriate to the thought of the day (visual history)- American History Goes to the Movies: Hollywood and the American Experience .

From the Book Description on Amazon - "Whether they prefer blockbusters, historical dramas, or documentaries, people learn much of what they know about history from the movies. In American History Goes to the Movies, W. Bryan Rommel-Ruiz shows how popular representations of historic events shape the way audiences understand the history of the United States, including American representations of race and gender, and stories of immigration, especially the familiar narrative of the American Dream." [more]

Best of all, this is an e-book that you can read right now! It is in the EBSCO collection, get the login information from your CTC Librarian.



-kss

What are you watching?

There are a plethora of online options for viewing pleasure from NetFlix and Comcast, to CNN and other news organizations. What if you want to review real history? Not historical fiction, not a sound bite, but an event.

GALILEO offers a link to the C-SPAN Video Library.

The C-SPAN Video Library includes over 160,000 hours of coverage of C-SPAN programs since 1987. The C-SPAN Archives, which records, indexes, and archives all C-SPAN programming for historical, educational, research, and archival uses, records all three C-SPAN networks seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Programs are indexed by subject, speaker names, titles, affiliations, sponsors, committees, categories, formats, policy groups, keywords, and location. The congressional sessions and committee hearings are indexed by person with full-text.

The C-SPAN Video Library is available freely on the net but would you remember it was there? The GALILEO link is another reason Georgians turn first to their Online Library! Resources gathered to help Georgia residents.


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More downloading

Our director forwarded this info:

ebrary is pleased to announce that you and your patrons may now download ebrary content to computers and other devices including the iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and Sony Reader!

For an overview of how it works, please refer to our training presentation.

It's active in our ebrary books! The green arrow download link is live. One can 'borrow' the book for 14 days.

I have to get an e-reader.

-kss

To login to ebrary, enter your student ID.

What does that say?

The translation feature in various databases intrigues me. Most databases do not translate the content but they will translate the interface.

- Ebrary translates into 10 languages for the interface.
- EBSCO does not translate the interface or the content (Not true. Clicking on the [Help ?] provides a link to information about translations for the interface and the content. The link needs to be enabled by the system administrator. I've contacted GALILEO.)
- Credo translates into 7 languages for the interface but not the content.
- ProQuest translates into 18 languages for the interface and 14 for the content.

I wonder why they pick the languages they pick? English, French, Spanish seem to be standards but Arabic, German, Italian and Russian pop up. The Asian languages are in the mix as well. What is missing is Greek. I know the Greek alphabet is different but if they can do several Asian languages (Japanese, Korean, & Chinese), Russian, and Arabic, then why not Greek?

EBSCO does translate into Greek according to their info screen. I'm looking forward to GALILEO responding to my query about the translation function in EBSCO.

In most resources, one can at least navigate in ones native language even if the content is in your second or third language. The translate option lets you begin to practice your communication skills!



-kss

Just because

Somewhere a volcano is steadily spewing lava. The video on the news was fascinating. Unfortunately, I didn't pick up where this volcano was shooting forth tall spikes of lava. Using Google to search for volcano current pulled up US volcano sites. Nothing on the first two pages seemed 'right'. I noticed on the left side, options for other types of searches. I selected news. The very first group provided video similar to what I thought I remembered seeing on TV!

Google provides access to web sites that might be authoritative but then again might be hoaxes. I want more information about volcanoes. I'd like to use books for a little more in depth information. Yes, I could search in our catalog and limit my search to Electronic Books but I want to explore a different resource.

In GALILEO there is a Book Collection: Nonfiction. This is an EBSCO product which is a cross-curricular research database that contains abstracts and searchable full text for more than 4,000 popular nonfiction books for youth on core subject areas, as well as information on careers, health, sports, adventure, technology, life skills, and more. It provides content representing a wide spectrum of works, including popular series from top book publishers such as Allosaurus Publishers, Bess Press, Inc., Branden Publishing, Capstone Press, Compass Point Books, Fulcrum Publishing, Lerner Publishing Group, Mason Crest Publishers, Morgan Reynolds, Inc., Morning Glory Press, Oliver Press, Rourke Publishing, LLC and Stackpole Books.

The collection is aimed at K-12. There will be more pictures. The text will be simpler. I think it might be just right for me!

Clicking on the
link brings you to the standard EBSCO search page. I'm not particularly fond of this screen. Once you're inside EBSCO, the user screens are much easier on the eyes.

A nice feature is that the books may be downloaded as an MP3 file. You get to choose the accent of the reader and the speed the material is read. The American accent is female, the British accent is male, and the Australian accent is female. I found the fast reading speed sounded the least mechanical. The words are highlighted as the reader pronounces them. This could be a super tool for anyone practicing their reading skills.

There are multiple books on volcanoes. I feel informed!

-kss

Go to GALILEO - your Georgia librarian has the current password
...Select Databases A-Z
.....Select B
........Select Book Collection: Nonfiction

The body knows

That phrase brings the radio show, the Shadow, to mind - "who knows what evil lurks" .

With the hyper holiday season looming, the Morning Edition story on NPR today has had me thinking about weight, diet, and health. How do we say 'no'? How do we pick wisely?

Our Early Childhood Care and Education program has a class on Health, Safety and Nutrition, with a Library Guide. Under Internet sources there is a page of nutrition links. Making healthy choices begins early. There's no time like today to get ready for the holiday season!

-kss

Mysteries

On the list for School Librarians someone shared the CNN interview with Chris Van Allsburg on his newest title, 'The Chronicles of Harris Burdick' [picture from CNN]. It is the fleshing out in word of the 'Mysteries of Harris Burdick'.

What else could I find on this newest title by Chris Van Allsburg?
Going to GALILEO
..selecting Databases A-Z
....choosing L
......picking Literature Resource Center (Gale).

The Gale search page is intuitive. The results are divided into groups with a tab for each division. There are 99 reviews for Chris Van Allsburg.

The Nov 13, 2011 New York Times Book review by Leonard S Marcus is the first result in Literature Resource Center. You did notice it's dated Nov 13, 2011? I am impressed with how fast the various vendors are at getting current information in their databases but this seems to be extraordinarily quick!


-kss

Check with your CTC Librarian for the current password to GALILEO.

Wait weight

Driving in this morning, the Morning Edition story was about doctors, patients and weight loss. The premise is 30% of us are obese. Some doctors aren't encouraging us to lose weight. As the story progressed, I began to empathize with the doctors. If they tell us we're fat, some of us get insulted and accuse the doctor of insensitivity. Some doctors assume we can see ourselves in the mirror, so they don't point out the obvious. Doctors get paid to cure diseases, not prevent them. Doctors can 'tell' us, but that doesn't mean we'll 'hear' them.

One lady shared her doctor didn't give her enough encouragement when she said to him "do you think I can lose 80 pounds in 8 months and run a marathon". Mind you she's 50 years old. His response- "well, you could but it's unlikely". She left and found 'support' in a friend. Good grief. He responded like a normal human being- let's see, you're 50 years old, you want to lose 10 pounds a month and run in a marathon- yes it's possible but, really?, I mean, really?

What's a person to do - either doctor or patient?

My suggestion, unasked for but here it is. The doctors should point out the obvious when a patient is in their office, your current weight does not match the norms for your height and skeletal structure. These diseases could result from your weight. The doctor should provide a resource or two for the patient.

I admit, my doctor did this - pointed out the statistics and provided a resource. I wasn't insulted. My reflection doesn't lie. The scale is fairly accurate.

So what did I do?
Did I follow his advice.
.....Hmmm, no.
Is that his fault.
.....Hmmm, no.
What's a doctor to do?
What's a patient to do?

Information may result in motivation. Look in your mirror. Really look. Stand on your scale and be honest. If you need a resource (or two), television ads are full of opportunities for help with weight loss. Better yet, read a book.

A search in our catalog for weight loss retrieved 176 titles. I redid the search and limited the library to Electronic Books (which I can read at my desk), this pulled up 43 titles. The newest title in the catalog is 'The gravity of weight, [electronic resource] : a clinical guide to weight loss and maintenance'[2010]

New York-based psychiatrists Sylvia (Weill Cornell Medical College) and Byram (Albert Einstein College of Medicine) review the entire body of medical and scientific knowledge about weight and weight loss, always emphasizing that there are nothing but indications--though some of them very strong--about causes and consequences, no linear relationship between one cause and one effect. They consider obesity in the US; food and the basic principles of calories; the psychology of the eater; the metabolic complexities of weight control; psychiatric disorders and weight; medical conditions and weight; exercise; circadian rhythms, sleep, and weight; diet and weight; psychological treatment strategies and weight; and pharmacological and surgical treatments for overweight and obesity

It's not a how-to book but a resource of information on what might cause the weight gain and weight retention. This could be the needed inspiration. This Ebsco ebook can be downloaded onto an e-reader!

Your CTC librarian can give you the login to access e-books off campus!


-kss

11-11-11

There are many veterans (and future veterans) in my family. They are honored and remembered on this day.

Looking for information on Armistice Day, I started with our catalog. A subject search armistice day pulled up two ebrary titles. You remember, I'm not thrilled with using ebrary but here we are.

The greatest day in history [electronic resource] : how, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the First World War finally came to an end was published in 2008. I chose it for the positive nature of the title.

Each chapter details a single day leading up to November 11, 1918. November 11th is broken into four chapters. It is easy to go from chapter to chapter by using the Table of Contents on the right side. To turn the page there are arrows at the top of the document in the InfoTools bar. If you're reading the book, when you get to the bottom of the page you need to scroll back up to turn the page. Admittedly, not that big a deal but it would be helpful to have the arrows at the bottom of the screen as well.

Another librarian noted she uses the general search box to look through every ebrary title. A search for armistice day in the general search box at the top of the book, brought thousands of hits. Scrolling through the results showed me it was picking up the individual words. A new search, with 'armistice day' in quotes, narrowed the results to under 500. The ability to search through the full text of all the electronic books is an amazing research tool in any electronic book collection. This quick search provides you with the desired information that might be in just one paragraph.

Read all about the week before and the day of November 11, 1918 in The greatest day in history [electronic resource] : how, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the First World War finally came to an end. Let us not forget.

-kss

Check with your CTC librarian for the login information.

Three copies

Continuing the discussion....

A search in our catalog shows we have three electronic copies of the Readers Companion to Military History.

The catalog MARC records reveal a few differences in the e-books:
-- NetLibrary (now Ebsco) notes "This is a paperbound reprint of a 1996 work" and "This NetLibrary eBook does not include some or all of the images that were part of the original hardcopy book".
-- Ebrary notes it is a 2001 edition.
-- Credo notes it is the 1996 edition with little more information. You may remember from my last blog entry that in Credo itself, the description of the title is quite extensive.

All three MARC records include a hyperlink to access the book. What I found intriguing is the differences in finding the same information within the books.

I started in Credo. The link from the catalog took me directly to the book with the search box open at the top of the screen. A search for marines pulled up 12 articles. The first article was by Allan R. Millett and talked about marines in various countries. It is not specifically about the United States Marines. I decided to use that article as my base for looking in the other two e-books.

To open the Ebsco copy requires clicking on the left side - open ebook full text. To search with in the text you click on the search tool on the right side. A search box opens at the top of the screen. The search for marines pulled up 42 keyword references. I started scrolling through the results to see if I could find the article by Allan R. Millett. Because the search is going through the 'book' you are given page numbers as reference points. I didn't find the section on my first go round. I did a search by Millett. I went back to the Credo article to see what other phrases might help me find the exact article. Finally I found it but it wasn't fast or easy.

The e-brary version of the Readers Companion opened in the book. I admit I'm not as familiar with ebrary as perhaps I should be. After I describe my experience with this search, you may understand my reluctance to use the resource. Here we go. There is a search box at the top of the book. However, upon close inspection that search box looks through all of ebrary's titles. The search box for the specific title we're in, is on the right side, in a column. I entered the word marines. There is an arrow at the top of the screen to go to the next highlighted entry. Is there no list of all the hits? After much looking around, I realized the right side of the screen has a drop down arrow by the word entries. A magnifying glass by the letters is the clue that there is a highlighted word there. This is a reference book and the articles are in alphabetical order. I clicked on M and voila there was the article I was looking for. There is no citation. I couldn't find a durable URL to get to the title in ebrary.

I feel like Goldilocks. Hands down, Credo was the easiest to use but it looks least like the book. Ebrary and Ebsco had different good and bad qualities. Both looked like the print version, if that really matters. I just want to find the information.

And now you know that, although the titles are the same, the search strategies would be different for each e-book.



-kss

Check with your campus librarian for the login to each e-book collection.

575 online

In honor of the US Marines 'birthday' I went looking for information in our collection about the Marines. Our subscription to the complete
Credo Reference gives us access to 575 reference books on-line. The history collection in Credo includes the Readers Companion to Military History. That title did seem to be the most likely source for information about the Marines.

The 'about this book' tab provides an extensive description:

How did war originate? What makes a war popular or unpopular at home? How common is desertion or mutiny? What makes a successful guerrilla insurgency? How have armies been fed throughout history? The Reader's Companion to Military History addresses these and other intriguing aspects of the most destructive, fascinating, and relentless of human enterprises -- war.

Filled with surprising anecdotes, little-known facts, and rare illustrations, The Reader's Companion covers major events and battles, commanders and theorists, weaponry and technological advances, and strategy and tactics. What makes the volume especially distinctive, however, is the range of thematic articles, covering such topics as courage, discipline, the effects of weather on warfare, military justice, surrender, the role of propaganda, the use of animals in war, the evolution of uniforms, psychological warfare, and morale. Unlike many military histories, the volume covers Asian, African, and South American history as well as that of Europe and North America. Subjects range from the Persian Wars of 490 B.C. to contemporary topics such as the revelations of Robert McNamara, gays in the military, and ethnic cleansing. One hundred fifty distinguished military historians, biographers, and journalists produced this volume under the editorship of Robert Cowley, editor of MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History, and Geoffrey Parker, Robert A. Lovett Professor of Military and Naval History at Yale University. The result is a remarkable chronicle of warfare that combines compelling historical narrative with the latest in contemporary scholarship..

It is easy to search Credo as a whole or through individual books. A complete Credo search pulled up 1323 references to 'marines'. A search just in The Readers Companion to Military History provided 12 articles.

Semper Fi.

-kss

Check with your campus librarian for the login.