I did a search on Google for "universal remote" review.
What did I find? Several snazzy looking sites with reviews on universal remotes that cost $60-$400 (and up). I admit, I only spent $8.95. That could be why the universal remote doesn't do what I want.
Still trying- a search using "universal remote" "under $10" review turned up individual reviews. That will have to do.
On to real library research - you get what you pay for.
-kls
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Chirp, tweet
I'm still thinking about universal remote reviews.
I was scrolling through the All Databases list in GALILEO and ran across this addition All About Birds which "is a website from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that includes information about watching birds, learning their nesting behaviors, attracting birds, identifying them, recording observations, and getting involved in bird conservation. The site includes guides, images, maps, sounds, videos, and much more. There is also a link to the Macaulay Library, an archive of animal sounds and videos. "
Database Provider: National Science Digital Library (NSDL)
I regularly sit on my deck enjoying the birds in the yard. This resource will help me figure out which bird is which!
I'll go back to thinking about universal remote reviews. I may do a Google search and see what appears. I think I can evaluate the sites to find the one that will really have accurate information.
-kls
I was scrolling through the All Databases list in GALILEO and ran across this addition All About Birds which "is a website from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that includes information about watching birds, learning their nesting behaviors, attracting birds, identifying them, recording observations, and getting involved in bird conservation. The site includes guides, images, maps, sounds, videos, and much more. There is also a link to the Macaulay Library, an archive of animal sounds and videos. "
Database Provider: National Science Digital Library (NSDL)
I regularly sit on my deck enjoying the birds in the yard. This resource will help me figure out which bird is which!
I'll go back to thinking about universal remote reviews. I may do a Google search and see what appears. I think I can evaluate the sites to find the one that will really have accurate information.
-kls
How universal is universal?
I bought a universal remote because our remotes seem to get away from the equipment they control. I've thought about velcro straps and links to the stand. Yet, I know I like to wander around a classroom and aim the remote. I don't want to be tethered to a cart or TV. So we "lose" remotes.
The universal remote I purchased isn't working with the specific equipment. Would it have made a difference in what I purchased if I did a little research?
Consumer Reports popped into my head. You know where I'm going - to GALILEO.
I selected the Journals A-Z tab
Typed in Consumer Reports and saw several databases that have the magazine.
I selected Ebsco - well they do have the new interface.
The Consumer Reports Buying Guide in Ebsco's Academic Search Complete came up.
I selected search within this publication (teeny tiny print above the list of years)
And this is where I got confused - the search box was filled in with JN "Consumer Reports Buying Guide"
I stared at the screen and thought- where do I fill in my query?
I selected Advanced Search
OK- there were the extra search fields
I typed in Universal Remote -
Nothing came up - How can that be?
Ah- I did not change the "Select a Field" drop down
I changed the field search to TX - All Text
and - 27 articles came up.
Yet- as I skim the titles- I'm not seeing a specific article for universal remotes. The first article PRODUCT RATINGS AND BRAND RELIABILITY might be helpful. I opened it and choose to search through the 140 page PDF file to find mention of remotes. Lots of remotes noted but not a section on universal remotes (that I saw)
Hmm. I think I need to rethink the process. I'll try something else and let you know how it works!
You may get the password to use GALILEO at home from your Georgia Librarian.
-kls
The universal remote I purchased isn't working with the specific equipment. Would it have made a difference in what I purchased if I did a little research?
Consumer Reports popped into my head. You know where I'm going - to GALILEO.
I selected the Journals A-Z tab
Typed in Consumer Reports and saw several databases that have the magazine.
I selected Ebsco - well they do have the new interface.
The Consumer Reports Buying Guide in Ebsco's Academic Search Complete came up.
I selected search within this publication (teeny tiny print above the list of years)
And this is where I got confused - the search box was filled in with JN "Consumer Reports Buying Guide"
I stared at the screen and thought- where do I fill in my query?
I selected Advanced Search
OK- there were the extra search fields
I typed in Universal Remote -
Nothing came up - How can that be?
Ah- I did not change the "Select a Field" drop down
I changed the field search to TX - All Text
and - 27 articles came up.
Yet- as I skim the titles- I'm not seeing a specific article for universal remotes. The first article PRODUCT RATINGS AND BRAND RELIABILITY might be helpful. I opened it and choose to search through the 140 page PDF file to find mention of remotes. Lots of remotes noted but not a section on universal remotes (that I saw)
Hmm. I think I need to rethink the process. I'll try something else and let you know how it works!
You may get the password to use GALILEO at home from your Georgia Librarian.
-kls
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Carnivore, herbivore, locavore
And what are you?
In yesterdays New York Times "Getting That Locally Grown Flavor With Fuss but No Muss" noted new businesses springing up to support those who would like to eat locally grown produce but don't want to garden (or can't garden because they live in a high rise). I shared the article with our Horticulture department. It could be a growing (no pun intended) business market.
I found the article for you by using GALILEO.
I selected Databases A-Z and scrolled looking for newspapers.
I found the New York Times (ProQuest databases).
I searched for locavores limiting my search to the previous seven days. Nothing came up but ProQuest suggested using the terms Farmers Market or Farmers Market AND Fruit.
I selected Farmers Market, limited to the previous seven days and victory! The article was there.
Yet, it was the article in today's Britannica Blog by Robert McHenry that made me smile -
I'm delighted to have the variety of foods I find in my huge grocery store- though I do admit the fresh tomatoes from my neighbors garden and the fresh eggs from my friends chickens do taste better.
-kls
In yesterdays New York Times "Getting That Locally Grown Flavor With Fuss but No Muss" noted new businesses springing up to support those who would like to eat locally grown produce but don't want to garden (or can't garden because they live in a high rise). I shared the article with our Horticulture department. It could be a growing (no pun intended) business market.
I found the article for you by using GALILEO.
I selected Databases A-Z and scrolled looking for newspapers.
I found the New York Times (ProQuest databases).
I searched for locavores limiting my search to the previous seven days. Nothing came up but ProQuest suggested using the terms Farmers Market or Farmers Market AND Fruit.
I selected Farmers Market, limited to the previous seven days and victory! The article was there.
Yet, it was the article in today's Britannica Blog by Robert McHenry that made me smile -
."Yes, locavoracity is yet another application of that grand green dictum, Think Glibly and Act Vocally."
I'm delighted to have the variety of foods I find in my huge grocery store- though I do admit the fresh tomatoes from my neighbors garden and the fresh eggs from my friends chickens do taste better.
-kls
Monday, July 21, 2008
North Metro Tech Library Reference Wiki
Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . .
Hello. Last week I decided to create a reference wiki for North Metro Technical College Library, North Metro Tech Reference Home. You may, or may not, be asking yourself why. There are several reasons for doing this.
1. This is a useful tool for the librarians at NMTC. We are not always working at the same time. One of us may help a patron with a unencountered area of need and forget (gasp) to tell the other. This wiki allows each of us to examine ways that the other has been helping our patrons.
2. The wiki will prove a useful off campus tool. Hopefully, the wiki will be a site that patrons can access from home to avoid an unnecessary trip to campus. There will be lots of 'how to's' on the wiki, along with general and basic information about the library.
3. This wiki is separate and apart from the Policies and Procedures NMTC wiki at North Metro Technical College Library Policies and Procedures. Yes, some of the information may be redundant. However, I hope that this new wiki will enable you the patron to access information on how to use library resources and also to get help when a librarian just may not be available (namely at 2:00 a.m.).
4. Other college and university libraries have developed their own reference wikis. This one will be unique, as the others are already unique, and its aims, purposes, services may not exactly match up to those of other libraries.
The format I selected to use for the wiki was Wetpaint. Comparing it to Wikispaces, I felt that it was more easily edited and updated. However, one drawback to Wetpaint is that there is some commercialization in the form of banners. I do hope that these banners will not become too much of a distraction.
The wiki will be a long work in progress and will never truly be finished. Stay tuned . . .
JWF
Hello. Last week I decided to create a reference wiki for North Metro Technical College Library, North Metro Tech Reference Home. You may, or may not, be asking yourself why. There are several reasons for doing this.
1. This is a useful tool for the librarians at NMTC. We are not always working at the same time. One of us may help a patron with a unencountered area of need and forget (gasp) to tell the other. This wiki allows each of us to examine ways that the other has been helping our patrons.
2. The wiki will prove a useful off campus tool. Hopefully, the wiki will be a site that patrons can access from home to avoid an unnecessary trip to campus. There will be lots of 'how to's' on the wiki, along with general and basic information about the library.
3. This wiki is separate and apart from the Policies and Procedures NMTC wiki at North Metro Technical College Library Policies and Procedures. Yes, some of the information may be redundant. However, I hope that this new wiki will enable you the patron to access information on how to use library resources and also to get help when a librarian just may not be available (namely at 2:00 a.m.).
4. Other college and university libraries have developed their own reference wikis. This one will be unique, as the others are already unique, and its aims, purposes, services may not exactly match up to those of other libraries.
The format I selected to use for the wiki was Wetpaint. Comparing it to Wikispaces, I felt that it was more easily edited and updated. However, one drawback to Wetpaint is that there is some commercialization in the form of banners. I do hope that these banners will not become too much of a distraction.
The wiki will be a long work in progress and will never truly be finished. Stay tuned . . .
JWF
After all the fuss
Last week Ebsco rolled out the new interface. I mentioned it twice then became so wrapped up in using it, I forgot to mention it again!
What makes it better? The colors are the same. The layout is different. It feels cleaner, spacious, easier to navigate. The search options seem straight forward and easy to follow. The limiters follow along nicely.
The real beauty is in the results screen. On the left you may narrow your search. In the center are the articles. To the right more options.
A cleaner, visually friendly way to display the results!
Get the password to use GALILEO at home from your Georgia librarian.
GALILEO is the library...Ebsco is a resource in the library!
-kls
What makes it better? The colors are the same. The layout is different. It feels cleaner, spacious, easier to navigate. The search options seem straight forward and easy to follow. The limiters follow along nicely.
The real beauty is in the results screen. On the left you may narrow your search. In the center are the articles. To the right more options.
A cleaner, visually friendly way to display the results!
Get the password to use GALILEO at home from your Georgia librarian.
GALILEO is the library...Ebsco is a resource in the library!
-kls
Word Clouds
Wordle is a website that allows you to create word clouds/graphics out of text that you enter. You can enter song lyrics, poetry, nonsense, prose, jargon, etc. into Wordle and generate an interesting word graphic. You may then edit the graphic if you so choose to suit your personal preferences.
One great source for text for Wordle is LION (Literature Online), available through Galileo. LION allows you to search for poetry. Once you find a poem or bit of prose that you like, you can go to Wordle, paste in the text, and create your very own word cloud. Remember, your local public library in Georgia can give you the Galileo password if you are a state resident.
This blogger made a Wordle out of the French National Anthem in honor of Bastille Day a few weeks ago. -JWF
One great source for text for Wordle is LION (Literature Online), available through Galileo. LION allows you to search for poetry. Once you find a poem or bit of prose that you like, you can go to Wordle, paste in the text, and create your very own word cloud. Remember, your local public library in Georgia can give you the Galileo password if you are a state resident.
This blogger made a Wordle out of the French National Anthem in honor of Bastille Day a few weeks ago. -JWF
Privacy
This morning I read about bloggers being arrested for libel and slander because of what was posted. On a list serve I belong to there was vigorous discussion about forwarding what is sent with people not on the list. On another list there was vigorous discussion about Information Literacy. Yes, I read a lot.
All of which reminded me of George Orwell's Nineteen eighty-four : a novel.
In GALILEO, NoveList provides a good summary of the book along with an interesting discussion guide. The question in the discussion guide that struck me had to do with memory.
We spend so much time creating lists, journaling, writing things down so we don't forget that in the end we forget.
Something to think about privacy and memory.
You may get the password to use GALILEO at home from your Georgia librarian.
-kls
All of which reminded me of George Orwell's Nineteen eighty-four : a novel.
In GALILEO, NoveList provides a good summary of the book along with an interesting discussion guide. The question in the discussion guide that struck me had to do with memory.
Why is the thought that he might be "alone in the possession of a memory" (p. 60) so troubling to Winston?
We spend so much time creating lists, journaling, writing things down so we don't forget that in the end we forget.
Something to think about privacy and memory.
You may get the password to use GALILEO at home from your Georgia librarian.
-kls
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Rolling over
Latest news from GALILEO (10:02am):
-kls
The EBSCOhost 2.0 switchover is in process.
EBSCO has reported to us that during the initial deployment today, EBSCOhost personal folders will not be available. They have also reported that some slowness with searching may occur. Both problems should resolve when the deployment completes later this afternoon.
Again, if you encounter any problems with the new EBSCOhost 2.0 interfaces, please report them to GALILEO using the Contact Us form.
-kls
Plink, plink, plink
Early morning is the best time to pick blueberries, said the city girl. I just returned from picking a basket of Georgia blueberries. While I was picking I thought of Robert McCloskey's "Blueberries for Sal". Using GALILEO I looked at NoveList K-8 for extenders, ties ins and reviews.
NoveList K-8 has a slightly different look than NoveList. Both offer hints on what else to read, reviews, links to WorldCat so you can find the closest library that has the title. Yes, NMTC has the book for the Early Childhood literature classes to use!
-kls
NoveList K-8 has a slightly different look than NoveList. Both offer hints on what else to read, reviews, links to WorldCat so you can find the closest library that has the title. Yes, NMTC has the book for the Early Childhood literature classes to use!
-kls
Monday, July 14, 2008
Testing, testing
Something new this way comes.....
You may test Ebsco by going to GALILEO
-- select Ebsco from the Databases A-Z list
--- select the Ebsco database you'd like to use
---- click on New Features! (upper right hand side of the screen)
It does "look" better! Your Georgia Librarian will give you the current password to use GALILEO at home.
-kls
The next generation EBSCOhost user interface will become available to all customers in July 2008. Based upon results gathered from extensive user testing, EBSCOhost 2.0 offers a clean new look and feel, for a technologically sophisticated, yet familiar search experience, with the built-in flexibility to provide individual user customization options.
You may test Ebsco by going to GALILEO
-- select Ebsco from the Databases A-Z list
--- select the Ebsco database you'd like to use
---- click on New Features! (upper right hand side of the screen)
It does "look" better! Your Georgia Librarian will give you the current password to use GALILEO at home.
-kls
I'll drink to that
George Will noted in his Sunday column, Survival of the sudsiest: A toast to beer, The Ghost Map : the story of London's most terrifying epidemic and how it changed science, cities, and the modern world by Steven Johnson [RC 133 .G6 J64 2006]. Through GALILEO I looked in Book Index with Reviews. The review noted:
You'll notice that World Cat has a link in BIR. It's easy to find the nearest library that has the title.
A mention in a column, a look in GALILEO and I think I'll read this book!
-kls
"An account of the worst cholera outbreak in Victorian London--and an exploration of how Dr. John Snow's solution revolutionized the way we think about disease in cities. In the summer of 1854, a devastating cholera outbreak seized London just as it was emerging as a modern city: more than 2 million people packed into a ten-mile circumference, a hub of travel and commerce, continually pushing the limits of infrastructure that's outdated as soon as it's updated. Author Johnson chronicles Snow's day-by-day efforts as he risked his own life to prove how the epidemic was being spread. When he created the map that traced the pattern of outbreak back to its source, Dr. Snow didn't just solve a pressing medical riddle--he established a precedent for the way modern city-dwellers, city planners, physicians, and public officials think about the spread of disease and the development of the modern urban environment.--From publisher description."--
You'll notice that World Cat has a link in BIR. It's easy to find the nearest library that has the title.
A mention in a column, a look in GALILEO and I think I'll read this book!
-kls
Sunday, July 13, 2008
What did they say?
Are you searching for information and you run across a web site in French or Spanish or another language? What do you do? Grab a dictionary with English/French or English/Spanish? Muddle through with your high school language skills? How do you figure out what it means?
I read two articles* today about Bastille Day (July 14th) and the new web site that lists those who lost their heads to the Guillotine, Les Guillotines de la Revolution francaise.
Both authors referred to Google : Language Tools. I went and tested the site- very interesting. This is a helpful tool if you find a site in another language- or if you want to share a site with someone whose first language is not English.
I can see a teacher using the Language Tool in a conference with a student who just may not be very clear about what the English words mean. The tool might be helpful for a student (or anyone) who wants to hone their understanding of a language other than the one they use at home. For travelers this might be an easy tool to get hints about what that sign means.
Through GALILEO, ProQuest offers translators for the directions in their database. Once an article is selected, ProQuest also offers a Translate document box. See if you can understand what the author is trying to say when you read the article in another language.
To use GALILEO at home you will need the password which you may get from your Georgia librarian.
*articles:
Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter : Guillotine Victims Listed Online
Genealogy / Kenneth H. Thomas Jr : Web site lists guillotine victims, AJC , Sunday July 13, 2008, M3
-kls
I read two articles* today about Bastille Day (July 14th) and the new web site that lists those who lost their heads to the Guillotine, Les Guillotines de la Revolution francaise.
Both authors referred to Google : Language Tools. I went and tested the site- very interesting. This is a helpful tool if you find a site in another language- or if you want to share a site with someone whose first language is not English.
I can see a teacher using the Language Tool in a conference with a student who just may not be very clear about what the English words mean. The tool might be helpful for a student (or anyone) who wants to hone their understanding of a language other than the one they use at home. For travelers this might be an easy tool to get hints about what that sign means.
Through GALILEO, ProQuest offers translators for the directions in their database. Once an article is selected, ProQuest also offers a Translate document box. See if you can understand what the author is trying to say when you read the article in another language.
To use GALILEO at home you will need the password which you may get from your Georgia librarian.
*articles:
-kls
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Another perspective
Looking at life through the eyes of another, is one way to broaden horizons and get that bit of perspective that opens us up to really living. Mark Haddon won the Whitbread Award for his first novel, The curious incident of the dog in the night-time [PZ 7 .H1165 Cu 2004]:
Our newest English Lit instructor highly recommended this title. I read it in one evening and have since recommended it to our Early Childhood instructors as they teach the classes for a Special Needs certificate. The story draws you in and illustrates how life looks from inside the head of a Special Needs teenager.
If you want a taste of the writers style - you may go to GALILEO and select NoveList- search for the title. There is link to the first chapter! A link to World Cat lists the libraries that have the book. Yes, NMTC is listed!
Ask your Georgia librarian for the password to access GALILEO from home!
-kls
The Amazon.com review notes...Mark Haddon's bitterly funny debut novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, is a murder mystery of sorts--one told by an autistic version of Adrian Mole. Fifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone is mathematically gifted and socially hopeless, raised in a working-class home by parents who can barely cope with their child's quirks. He takes everything that he sees (or is told) at face value, and is unable to sort out the strange behavior of his elders and peers.
Our newest English Lit instructor highly recommended this title. I read it in one evening and have since recommended it to our Early Childhood instructors as they teach the classes for a Special Needs certificate. The story draws you in and illustrates how life looks from inside the head of a Special Needs teenager.
If you want a taste of the writers style - you may go to GALILEO and select NoveList- search for the title. There is link to the first chapter! A link to World Cat lists the libraries that have the book. Yes, NMTC is listed!
Ask your Georgia librarian for the password to access GALILEO from home!
-kls
Monday, July 07, 2008
The wings are flapping
Summer Quarter begins on Wednesday, July 9. If you've taken online classes you're familiar with Blackboard, Web CT, and Course Compass. A new format has been added to the mix.
Training for instructors began last week. For the student there may not be much change. The colors will be different but the folders, files, drop boxes, etc will feel quite familiar.
I like the resources tabs. Right now Google and Wikipedia are listed. Soon GALILEO and the link for Resources related to your program of study and the NMTC Library catalog will be included to make it easier for students to find information to support their studies!
We'll all be learning how to spread our wings this summer.
-kls
Training for instructors began last week. For the student there may not be much change. The colors will be different but the folders, files, drop boxes, etc will feel quite familiar.
ANGEL for GVTC Online Classes, is a Web-based course management and collaboration portal that enables educators to manage course materials and to communicate with students. ANGEL can function both as a complement to traditional courses and as a site for distance learning. With ANGEL, you can take surveys, quizzes, and tests; send and receive course mail; post messages to threaded discussions and chat rooms; upload assignments using online drop boxes; and more. You can check your progress and grades at any time during a course.
I like the resources tabs. Right now Google and Wikipedia are listed. Soon GALILEO and the link for Resources related to your program of study and the NMTC Library catalog will be included to make it easier for students to find information to support their studies!
We'll all be learning how to spread our wings this summer.
-kls
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Election 2008 Resources
Election Resources
Hello. The 2008 Presidential Elections are fast approaching. Here in Georgia, we will vote in federal and state primaries on July 15th.
You have probably been inundated with news about the elections on television and on the radio. Need we even mention the various ads on television, radio, and now even the web.
Here are some resources related to the upcoming 2008 Elections:
Okay, first are links to local county election boards and government sites. Also included is a link to the Elections Division of the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
Cobb County Board of Elections
Bartow County Board of Elections
Paulding County Government-Elections Section
Cherokee County Elections and Registration
Elections Division of the Georgia Secretary of State
This next link is to a website/blog with really detailed information. It is called electoral-vote.com. This is a very well maintained website and is almost always updated daily. The key feature of this site is that the lead graphic is a map of the United States. Based on the most current polling data for each state, the particular state is shaded a degree of either red or blue. For instance, a dark blue state would mean that the state has currently polled very strong for Obama, and a dark red state would mean the opposite in favor of McCain. The colors of the states change as new polls for the state are reported. A running tally of electoral votes for each candidate is kept as new polls come in. Moving your mouse over a state you are interested in will give you even more detailed information. The website also keeps a close tab on US Senate races that are consider competitive. The website watches US House of Representative races that are competitive, though less attention is paid to these since there are so many to keep an eye on.
Electoral-Vote.com
Our next site is one that is of historical interest. This is a massive archive of results from previous Presidential elections. You may access results from these past elections in both graphical and statistical form. Results may be further broken down by state and in most cases even by county level. It should be noted that some information on this site requires a fee. Also, the author of this site reverses the red state/blue state color scheme by assigning blue to Republicans and red to Democrats.
Dave's Presidential Election Atlas
This site is a general political news site that is frequently updated. This site also provides polling data for Presidential, Gubernatorial (governor), and Congressional races. Interestingly, this site did a very clever NCAA bracket style mock tournament where users picked the Vice Presidents for both parties. The tournament featured head to head matchups of potential VPs over several weeks just like the NCAA’s. Users voting in the Republican bracket eventually picked former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as their choice for McCain’s VP and users participating in the Democratic side picked General Wesley Clark as their favorite for Obama’s VP choice.
CQPolitics
National Public Radio is public radio news service. However, they cover political stories and elections both on air and via their website. On the website you can find web articles about elections, and also listen to podcasts of related news segments.
NPR
This site is run by Larry Sabato, of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. However, the site is not updated as frequently as some others. Still has some good information though.
Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball
The following websites also explores political leanings and election predicitions. However, you have to pay for a good portion of the information.
The Rothenberg Political Report
the Cook Political Report
JF
Hello. The 2008 Presidential Elections are fast approaching. Here in Georgia, we will vote in federal and state primaries on July 15th.
You have probably been inundated with news about the elections on television and on the radio. Need we even mention the various ads on television, radio, and now even the web.
Here are some resources related to the upcoming 2008 Elections:
Okay, first are links to local county election boards and government sites. Also included is a link to the Elections Division of the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
Cobb County Board of Elections
Bartow County Board of Elections
Paulding County Government-Elections Section
Cherokee County Elections and Registration
Elections Division of the Georgia Secretary of State
This next link is to a website/blog with really detailed information. It is called electoral-vote.com. This is a very well maintained website and is almost always updated daily. The key feature of this site is that the lead graphic is a map of the United States. Based on the most current polling data for each state, the particular state is shaded a degree of either red or blue. For instance, a dark blue state would mean that the state has currently polled very strong for Obama, and a dark red state would mean the opposite in favor of McCain. The colors of the states change as new polls for the state are reported. A running tally of electoral votes for each candidate is kept as new polls come in. Moving your mouse over a state you are interested in will give you even more detailed information. The website also keeps a close tab on US Senate races that are consider competitive. The website watches US House of Representative races that are competitive, though less attention is paid to these since there are so many to keep an eye on.
Electoral-Vote.com
Our next site is one that is of historical interest. This is a massive archive of results from previous Presidential elections. You may access results from these past elections in both graphical and statistical form. Results may be further broken down by state and in most cases even by county level. It should be noted that some information on this site requires a fee. Also, the author of this site reverses the red state/blue state color scheme by assigning blue to Republicans and red to Democrats.
Dave's Presidential Election Atlas
This site is a general political news site that is frequently updated. This site also provides polling data for Presidential, Gubernatorial (governor), and Congressional races. Interestingly, this site did a very clever NCAA bracket style mock tournament where users picked the Vice Presidents for both parties. The tournament featured head to head matchups of potential VPs over several weeks just like the NCAA’s. Users voting in the Republican bracket eventually picked former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as their choice for McCain’s VP and users participating in the Democratic side picked General Wesley Clark as their favorite for Obama’s VP choice.
CQPolitics
National Public Radio is public radio news service. However, they cover political stories and elections both on air and via their website. On the website you can find web articles about elections, and also listen to podcasts of related news segments.
NPR
This site is run by Larry Sabato, of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. However, the site is not updated as frequently as some others. Still has some good information though.
Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball
The following websites also explores political leanings and election predicitions. However, you have to pay for a good portion of the information.
The Rothenberg Political Report
the Cook Political Report
JF
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Are we there yet?
Must be the season to look for relatives online. Dear Myrtle had "Kendall Hulet from Ancestry.com to discuss the New Ancestry.com Search options" on her podcast.
You may wonder why a college student would use Ancestry? Yes, they might be doing Family Research but that's not likely. I showed the Nursing students how they could look up famous nurses in the census and note siblings, parents, neighbors. They were intrigued! It also would be helpful in American History projects - to add a touch of primary sources to the bibliography.
No need for the password to access Ancestry through GALILEO - it's only available at the library.
-kls
Notice in the screen shot below, Ol' Myrt has only typed in the name William, but Ancestry's computers are already working hard by comparing this with other known men by the name of William on my family tree. In this example, I was planning to research William Gist Froman (A) but if I wished to work on a client's family, I could change the tree Ancestry will search by clicking the down arrow button at (B) below. The "Advanced" button Kendall explains during this interview is shown at (C) below. If I wish to save data entry time, I can merely click the William Gist From on the list, and his birth and death info will be inserted in the new Ancestry.com search screen automatically. This certainly speeds up research time. For more info about Ancestry's new search capabilities, take the tour.Georgia library users may access Ancestry.com at their Georgia public library. NMTC students may access Ancestry.com on campus!
You may wonder why a college student would use Ancestry? Yes, they might be doing Family Research but that's not likely. I showed the Nursing students how they could look up famous nurses in the census and note siblings, parents, neighbors. They were intrigued! It also would be helpful in American History projects - to add a touch of primary sources to the bibliography.
No need for the password to access Ancestry through GALILEO - it's only available at the library.
-kls
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Search tips
Lots of folks need hints and tips on how to use a database (this is what librarians teach). Diane Haddad at the Genealogy Insider provides a few tips on searching the genealogy databases. I wonder if she's a librarian. She comments on Ancestry.com, which is available on campus through GALILEO
-kls
• Use One-Step Search Tools, which offer more-flexible searching of several databases in Ancestry.com [available on campus only-kls], Footnote, EllisIsland.org and other sites (to view results from a fee-based site, you need a subscription to the site). For example, the One-Step tools might let you search on a name fragment, more year ranges, or more combinations of terms.NMTC students may get the current password via the Student E-mail login. All other Georgia residents may acquire the current GALILEO password from their Georgia librarian.
-kls
Now we are two!
The View has gained another perspective. The second librarian hired by North Metro Tech will begin adding his two cents about what it looks like from our front desk. Stay tuned for his first entry.
I'll bet you'll be able to tell us apart.
-kls (we'll add our initials in case you can't differentiate our styles)
I'll bet you'll be able to tell us apart.
-kls (we'll add our initials in case you can't differentiate our styles)
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