The Yellow Car

Since it Tis the season, I'd like to share a story with you about a Christmas tradition in our family. When my nephews were 4 and 5 years old, my husband (Joe) bought them a model car, which he had to put together. When they went home they forgot the car. When Christmas rolled around the car was still there. So I wrapped it up and put it under the Christms tree. When they opened it they thought that was so funny. When they went home, again, they forgot the yellow car. So the next Christmas, I wrapped it and they got it again. They thought that was really funny. So after that, in the excitement of opening their packages, they would lay it down, and we would sneak it out and give it to them the next year. I finally had to buy another car to have 2 boxes, they figured out the gift together was the car. Then it was a question of "who got the yellow car this time?" We did this for 14 years. We lost John in a car accident 3 years ago. He would have been 23 this Sunday. Seemed kind of strange, I couldn't find the car that year, I'm sure I have it stored away somewhere. It's funny, who would have thought, we would have so much fun and so many good Christmas memories because of a little yellow car.

Hope you have lots of Christmas Memories!

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

Tarleton - 75 Years Ago

The 1936 Grassburr photos above show the Tarleton campus in 1935/36, and students having some fun in the snow. Just imagine the campus scene in the wintertime, with leafless trees and brown grass! That's what Christmastime in 1935 would have looked like on campus.

"A J-TAC reporter visited the workshop of Santa Claus last week. Being in a talkative mood, Santa revealed the fact that a number of the Tarleton students have communicated with him in some way and that most of them have been rather unselfish in their orders. The Dump girls want a carload of bathtub stoppers, the library force wants a radio, the Fort boys want bigger and better firecrackers. Santa also stated that he was not distributing dolls this year, due to Miss Lillard's advance order." (J-TAC, December 14, 1935)

Here are some letters to Santa from the December 1935 J-TACs:

Dear Santa Claus,

Please bring me an influence on the faculty like Edwin Dyess has and a set of beautiful red curls. I have studied hard and have been a good boy.

Ray Beidleman

Dear Santa,

Please be kind to my public and help me not to disappoint them. All I ask for myself is a football.

Joe Little

Dear Santa,

Please bring me a job in the library like a certain Mr. Elliott has.

Mr. Scoates

Dear Santa,

I am a little girl with black hair. Mother says I have been a good girl. Please bring me a basketball season that I can enjoy as much as I did the football season.

Peggy

Dear Santa,

Please bring me more extra time so that I can spend it with a certain little brunette with an olive complexion - better known as "hot lips".

Love to Santa,

Joe Emerson

What nostalgia! Well, whatever you wish, may all your hopes and wishes come true! Have a wonderful and safe holiday!

We'll see you in 2011!

Grassburr, 1936.

J-TAC, December 14, 1935.

J-TAC, December 21, 1935.

Bound Periodicals Christmas Tree!

This is an 8 foot tall tree built from 578 bound periodicals at the Texas Medical Center Library in Houston, Texas.  Photo from the Texas Library Association Facebook page.

Happy birthday to Jane Austen

December 16, 2010 would have been Jane Austen's 235th birthday. Before you start partying like it's 1809, check out some of our resources:

100+ biographical and critical works, including 6 bibliographies
Over 40 copies of her works and letters
Reserve copies of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies at the Circulation Desk (OK, technically not by Austen, but definitely related).

Enjoy!

Michael Jackson's Influence in Academia

Think Michael Jackson's influence was only in music and pop culture? Think again. Here's an article about how Michael Jackson has influenced fields like engineering, psychology, and chemistry. Wondering "what in the world" or "how did that happen?" Read more to find out.
http://today.ttu.edu/2010/05/librarians-prove-michael-jackson-was-a-rock-star-in-academic-literature/

50 Novels to Read when You Need a Good Laugh

Dec. 10! I feel a party coming on (Thanks, Mike Graham!)!! Well, maybe not. Once finals are over, and Christmas is over, what you may really need is somequality down time! How about a fire, hot chocolate, and a good book! How about a good book that makes you rotfl?

Spend some time with this list, 50 Novels to Read when You Need a Good Laugh. Just reading the list is making me smile. Roald Dahl, one of my favorite ADULT authors--trust me, he did not write only children's books like James and the Giant Peach. Hugh Laurie? Letters from the Earth (Twain). Bridget Jones's Diary--love the movie!! Dave Barry--did you hear his article about getting patted down at the airport! How about Evanovich's One for the Money?

We have some of these books in the library, and if you are registered for the spring semester, you may check them out over Christmas.

Enjoy your break!

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

75 Years Ago!

Grassburr Pictures Must Be In Before Christmas!
(J-TAC December 14, 1935)

The photo above shows K.N. and Mary Baxley, on the far right and far left behind the counters in Baxley's Studio, probably in the 1950s judging from the bobby socks and penny loafers, and flats that the girls at counters are wearing! K.N. Baxley made many of the early Tarleton photographs that are in the Grassburr! He was a Stephenville photographer for many years, also making photographs for all the little county schools!

The Baxley Studio is actually still here! Manuel Miller took over Baxley's Studio, and it is our downtown Miller's Studio! Mr. Miller's daughter, Joan Livingston is the current owner and photographer. Miller's Studio staff still take pictures for the Grassburr!

The December 14, 1935 J-TAC states: "Pictures for the Grassburr have been coming in rather slowly until the last three or four days. Most of the club pictures have been turned in and the rest are expected before Saturday. Tuesday the Cadet Corps had its picture made for the annual. Some of our new officers surely were happy to have their pictures made in their uniforms with buttons and sabers! Captain Hart had to be told by Captain Davis to put his saber back in the sheath! Those who expect to get their individual pictures in should do so before the Christmas holidays!"

The Grassburr, which began in 1916, provides Tarleton with a great historical resource! Many people visit the library to look at the Grassburrs! Hopefully our current students will realize that it is important to have their pictures made for the Tarleton yearbook! Seventy five years ago the students had to get their pictures made before the Christmas break!

Dick Smith Library Cross Timbers Historic Images Project. Stephenville Museum Collection.

J-TAC, December 14, 1935.

Reading/Grade Levels and Children's Books

Since I oversee the library's collection of children's books (here primarily to support our future teachers in the College of Education), I sometimes get asked for recommendations for books at certain reading or grade levels.  Sometimes this is because the child's school participates in Accelerated Reader; sometimes it's just because someone is looking for a book appropriate for a particular grade.

I won't go into the pros and cons of Accelerated Reader and other leveling systems here, except to say that if the child WANTS to read a book above grade or reading level, I certainly would not discourage the child from trying!  These systems are just guidelines.  Keep in mind too that even if the reading level of a book measures out as low, the content of the book may be more appropriate for an older child; and vice-versa.

If you want to look up Accelerated Reader information yourself, you can do so at this site:  http://www.renlearn.com/store/quiz_home.asp.  Keep in mind that not all books have an AR quiz (and thus won't be assigned a grade level), and that even if the book HAS a quiz, the child's school may not own that quiz.  This page will also give you the interest level for books (UG = grades 9-12, MG = grades 4-8, LG = grades K-3), which can be very different from the reading level!

Another system for measuring the reading levels of books is the Lexile Framework. Lexiles are reported with the state's Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test scores.You can look up the Lexile measure of books here:  http://lexile.com/fab/, while this page explains how those scores roughly correspond with grade levels:  http://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/grade-equivalent/grade-equivalent-chart/.

Top Ten Tuesdays: Top 10 Christmas Movies

Since soon most people will be watching their favorite Christmas movies today's top ten comes from the Celebrating Christmas website http://www.celebrating-christmas.com/ This is their list of peoples favorite Christmas movies.

10. The Nightmare Before Christmas
9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 animated)
8. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
7. A Christmas Carol (1951 version)
6. A Christmas Story
5. The Santa Clause
4. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
3. Home Alone
2. It's a Wonderful Life
1. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Altered books

"2010 Altered Books / TSCPL display"
by Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

I know donating books isn't always an option or even a good idea (think about things like outdated medical textbooks - would you be comfortable with your doctor using information from one of them on you?). I think altered book art can be really interesting, and I love that these books are being given a life beyond what they were originally created for instead of just being thrown away.

You can see some examples of works by altered book artists on the International Society of Altered Book Artists website, but you'd better check the site out quickly: it looks like it may no longer be available after the end of this month. My favorite artists in their gallery are Ber Lazarus, Karen J. Hatzigeorgian, and Pat Sherrill. The picture on the left shows other examples of altered book art from a display done by the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library. Check out Flickr (after you finish writing your paper or studying for your finals) for even more pictures of altered book art.

Do you have any favorite altered book artists? Do you like altered book art, or is it just sacrilege? Is it ok under certain circumstances, but not others? Leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Winter Waistband

Personal health is a big issue for me, so I try to eat well and get in a few hours at the Rec Center every week. This time of year, though, it's harder than ever. Winter is my least favorite season. Cold weather is not my thing. I keep it rather warm in my apartment, and the library manages to stay pretty comfortable, too. (Luckily, Rec Sports at Tarleton has climate controlled facilities so the bitterly unpredictable Texas winter won't cramp my workout, either.) It doesn't help that this time of year an extra slice of pie tends to work its way into every important family event.

The good news is that there's still plenty of ways to stay healthy during the holidays. Here's a few of my favorites:

• Take the stairs: Believe it or not, just replacing that elevator ride with taking the stairs can really go a long way. This isn't always practical (bad knees and two-ton book carts come to mind) but I find that, especially in the library, taking the stairs is often faster.
• Snack on the vegetable platter: At just about every holiday party I go to, there's this nearly untouched pre-packaged plate of celery, broccoli, and baby carrots on the table next to the chips. I know the bean dip and Frito Scoops are tempting, but you can cut out a LOT of calories this way. Don't cheat by drowning your sorrows with ranch dressing either. A tiny slathering will give you all the flavor with a fraction of the bad stuff.
• Get a "bad" parking spot: Crazy, right? We're all peeved when we can't find something close to the entrance. Look on the bright side, though: you CAN make it to the door, and back, without dying, and it doesn't have to kill your mood. Think of it as the universe's way of helping you stay active!
  
• Pack a nosh: Take five minutes (or less) before class or work and slip an apple or granola bar in your bag. When you start getting the 10 AM grumblies, chomp down. As much as we all love scones and muffins, couldn't we all save the money and time it takes to go buy one?
• DANCE! This is my ABSOLUTE favorite. If there's music at whatever holiday party you're going to, why not bust a move? It's going to get those endorphins pumping, burn calories, and up your popularity (...okay, maybe not). Basically, no downside!

Tiny steps can take you anywhere, and shedding that extra helping of fruit cake doesn't have to be hard. To help inspire you, I've even linked a fun dance video I saw on YouTube last week here.

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

"A Letter May Give Someone Pleasure; Play Santa for Some Unfortunate Child"

Christmas at Tarleton 75 years ago...Lyndsay Phillips, feature editor of the 1935/36 J-TAC, and the 1935/36 J-TAC staff are shown above. Lyndsay's December 14, 1935 article stated: "With the rapid approach of Christmas, gift planning and buying has greatly increased. Among your old classmates and friends of childhood are ones who have picked you for an example. In making this a good Christmas, why not write a personal letter to those old friends and tell them how much you appreciate their interest in you? These friends may be younger, older, or even friends of your grandmother who like to take you for an example! A letter would do these persons a great deal of good and make a better gift than you cuold possibly otherwise give, so why not try to write one?"

Lindsay also stated that there are many others to be remembered, especially kids who cannot afford toys or clothes. "Somewhere you have old clothes which are no good to you and old toys you will never use which would be the pride and joy of some kid or grown-up who otherwise would get nothing. Why not play Santa Claus to at least one or two of these?"

Even 75 years ago the Tarleton family was cognizant of helping others at Christmastime. Today many of our faculty, staff, and students contribute to the Angel Tree. Because of their generosity all of the angels were adopted and as a result many local families will have a nice Christmas.

Way to go, Tarleton!

Grassburr, 1936.

J-TAC, December 14, 1935

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day. The day was created in 1988 and is observed  on December 1 each year to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic.  I thought would give you some links to find out more about the Day!

• Wikipedia - history and information about
• World AIDS Day, Official website
• Remarks from Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton
• World AIDS Campaign
• Centers of Disease Control and Prevention
• Aids.gov
• Presidential Proclamation --World AIDS Day 

 On campus today there is World AIDS Day event - a panel presentation sponsored by the Tarleton Student Social Work Association at 12:05pm in the OA Grant Humanities Blgd, Room 119

Top Ten Tuesday: Stay Informed

The following list, in no particular order, offers links to Tarleton resources that will help you stay in the know.

• Tarleton homepage
• Check out news releases, spotlighted announcements, and upcoming events notices.
• Current Students page
• Learn about campus life, technology & support, news & events, student activities, and health & safety, as well as locate featured links from the Bleed Purple page.
• Bleed Purple page
• Find links to all things purple:
  Tarleton on Facebook, Tarleton YouTube videos, Tarleton blogs, photo archives, the Purple Book, and more.
• J-TAC
• Read articles about campus life, sports, and entertainment, along with editorials and letters to the editor.
• Post comments to the message board.
• Tarleton Radio KTRL 90.5 FM and The Planet 100.7 FM
• Listen to music, announcements, and live broadcasts.
• Texan News Service, sponsored by Tarleton's Communications Studies Department
• View Texan TV News and read feature, sports, and news stories.
• University News from the Marketing & Communications Department
• Read press releases, submit event information, search for subject experts, and access the Publications Guide.
• Tarleton Today
• View articles about Tarleton events, athletics, and activities, as well as campus announcements.
• Submit event information for inclusion in future postings.
• University calendar
• Look up events by dates and categories.
• Code Purple
• Enroll in Code Purple to receive notifications about health and safety emergencies, closings or delays due to weather, and crime or other events that pose a threat to those on or coming to campus.

Club Stroz

Check out this student tribute to the Strozier Library at Florida State University (also known as "Club Stroz").

If you get the urge to memorialize the library (or anything else), there are two Flip cameras available for checkout at the circulation desk on the main level.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Top Ten Tuesday - Thankfulness

As we approach the Thanksgiving Holidays many of us are already thinking about our Thanksgiving dinner. Just before we eat some of us tell what we are thankful for and express those thanks. I would like to do that here. So here are my Top Ten "Thankfuls."

1. Family - having a wonderful family who supports me, loves me unconditionally and lets me love them back.

2. America - being able to live in a country that we can express our thoughts, issues, beliefs, and yes, have a say in our government.

3. Friends - having friends who are like family.

4. My job - having a job - one that has let me grow and expand my knowledge and experience. Having a work environment that is wonderful and supportive.

5. My health - as I grow older, I can still boast that I am in good health.

I have named five and can go on and on, but I would like to challenge you to add your comments and let us know what your Top Five or Top Ten are.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

Snuff for Glover!

"Recently one of Miss Glover's English classes presented her with a box of Garrett's snuff as a joke! Most teachers would have been shocked beyond response that her students thought as little of her as to give her such a present! But not Miss Glover! Just what I need to poison the insects on my flowers when they become especially troublesome, she joyously remarked, explaining that she had been wanting some snuff to use as insect poison for a long time, but was afraid to buy any for fear of what her students and friends might think if she did! By this time the class, thoroughly disgusted and thwarted, solemnly agreed that it was nigh on to impossible to get the best of Miss Glover, no matter how hard they tried!" This story was in the November 13, 1951 J-TAC.

Miss Dollie Glover, professor emeritus, was born in Brownwood on February 22, 1895, and graduated as valedictorian of both Brownwood High School and Howard Payne University. She received her M.A. from the University of Texas in 1925. After teaching high school in Taylor, Big Spring, and Santa Anna, she was head of the English Department at Kidd-Key College in Sherman. Glover came to Tarleton as an Assistant Professor of English in 1926/27, and retired in 1960. The Grassburr photos above show Miss Glover in 1929 and 1960.

The 1935 Grassburr was dedicated to her, and she was honored as a distinguished faculty member in 1970. She was the author of A Daily Guide to Correct English published in 1965. Miss Glover was very active in the community and was a charter member of Stephenville's branch of the American Association of University Women. She was a member of the Erath County Retired Teachers Association, was a member of the Erath County American Cancer Society, served on the board of the Senior Citizens Center, and was a member of the American Heart Association and the Tarleton State College Ex-Students Association. She also was a member of the Chamber of Commerce education committee.

In the world of academia, Miss Glover was a charter member of the Joint English Committee for Schools and Colleges, the South-Central Modern Language Association, Conference of College Teachers of English, the American Association of University Professors, and was listed in the Directory of American Scholars and Who's Who in Texas Today.

A member of the Stephenville First United Methodist Church and a charter member of the Wesleyan Service Guild, Miss Glover also wrote a history of the church. She died in Stephenville on January 16, 1984, and was buried in Greenleaf Cemetery in Brownwood.

Not only was Miss Dollie Glover an excellent English teacher and devout supporter of education, she must have also had quite a sense of humor! Wonder if the snuff worked on her flowers...and how many of her former students remember the antic?

Stephenville Empire Tribune, January 17, 1984.

Grassburr, 1929.

Grassburr, 1960.

J-TAC, November 13, 1951.

J-TAC, January 26, 1984.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

If you're like me, and you love the Harry Potter movies and re-reading the books, then odds are, you've already done this. However, if you still haven't read the 7th Harry Potter book or would like a refresher course before the movie comes out this Friday, then the library is here for you. We have 3 copies of the book and 1 copy of the audiobook. We also have copies of the other 6 books as well if you're interested in starting from scratch. In cases where you just don't have time to sit down and read a book, I suggest checking out an audiobook. You can listen to them while you work, and they make tedious work go by much faster. Jim Dale is the narrator to the Harry Potter series and does an amazing job making each and every voice unique to their characters. You may remember him as the narrator of Pushing Daisies as well. So, if you'd like to just kick back and relax a little, come by the Dick Smith Library and check out one of your favorite Harry Potter books and enjoy!

100 Incredibly Useful YouTube Channels for Teachers

Don't let the name of this website fool you: It is useful for you and you and you (and me)! 100 Incredibly Useful YouTube Channels for Teachers is a site that collects all those great resources, such as TED, UCBerkeley (Who needs primetime TV with access to THIS channel???), Wired, National Audubon Society, CitizenTube, ItGetsBetter, American Film Institute, Library of Congress, Gizmodo....oh, just go read the list! You will find something valuable here--and now you do not have to remember any of these sites, because you can find it at LOL, your Library Online Lounge!

International Week Activities in the Library

Tuesday, November 16, 3 - 4:30 PM
Library Multipurpose Room
Study Abroad Panel Discussion led by Dr. Janis Petronis, Chair, International Education Advisory Council.

Wednesday, November 17, 12:10 - 12:50 PM
Library Multipurpose Room
Quito, Ecuador and Galapagos Islands, presented by Dr. Cara Pollard. She spent time on the equator and felt as well as saw the effects of being directly in the middle of the world. In the Galapagos, she swam with penguins, sharks, and huge sea turtles.  Refreshments and attendance slips will be provided.

Thursday, November 18, 3 - 4:30 PM
Library Multipurpose Room
International Faculty Panel Discussion led by Dr. Aldolfo Benavides, Dean, College of Business.  Followed by a reception honoring Tarleton’s international faculty at which Shuyun Meng’s famous homemade dumplings will be served.

See the online calendar for all events on campus.

iPhone App!

Dick Smith Library is now available on your iPhone!   Download the BookMyne from the Apple Store today so you can:

• Search our catalog

• Find available materials and put them needed items on hold

• Log into your account and renew items you have checked out

• Check your account information

   

  If you have any questions or concerns, please visit us at the Library Systems Department Office (Room 250) or contact us via phone (254) 968-9466 or email libsystems@tarleton.edu.
  

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

What Happened in the Fall of 1899?

Well, of course, we all know that John Tarleton College officially began! But what do you suppose was going on at the time in Stephenville and Erath County? One very memorable and unique event occurred, one that all of the first Tarleton students I'm sure remembered for life! On November 10, 1899 the first legal hanging in Erath County history took place!

Tom Wright, from Dublin, had been into scrapes with the law on several occasions. Having served 2 1/2 years of a 5 year sentence beginning in 1891 for arson, and having been in trouble numerous times for petty crimes mostly relating to bootlegging, he had a reputation as a local law breaker. In late 1893 Erath County Precinct #2, which included most of Dublin, voted for prohibition, which shut down all the saloons. Bitterness between the citizens for and against prohibition resulted.

After Precinct #2 voted "dry" Dublin Constable John Adams was urged to be vigilant in his duties to thwart the illegal sale of alcohol and did so with a heavy handed approach. He had little use for Wright and his brethren. In December 1897 rumors circulated that Tom Wright had approached another in Dublin about killing Adams to get him out of the way. Instead of letting the law look into the matter, infuriated Constable Adams decided to confront Wright himself, which led to Wright killing Adams.

Tom Wright's trial was set for April 1898. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. After several attempts to thwart the hanging, Tom had run out of options. On November 10, 1899, after having been in the Stephenville jail since December 1897, Tom Wright was hung. A large crowd, as seen in the photo above, attended the hanging.

Sheriff R.T. (Tut) Hume carried out the hanging. He allowed Tom to visit with his wife and daughter that morning. Tom gave his wife the Bible that he had kept with him the long months in jail, proclaimed his innocence, and stated "I am not guilty of this for which I am about to die." His final words warned the audience against alcohol. To the young boys he stated "promise me you will let liquor alone."

Wow, what a memory for the very first Tarleton students!

Dick Smith Library. Cross Timbers Historic Images Project.

Knight, Sherri, Vigilantes to Verdicts, Jacobus Books, 2009.

"Library Girl" by Reina del Cid

Interesting things happen in libraries sometimes...like music videos. No, this was not filmed at the Dick Smith Library, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it anyway.

Library Resources (and Veteran's Day)

Thursday is Veteran's Day, so I was doing research on it and found that one of our new databases has lots of good resources for and about Veterans.   History Reference Online Complete from ABC-Clio has several titles about veterans and the issues they have faced.  In fact the library has over 175 databases to help with research (whatever your topic might be!). Also, don't forget about the Subject Research Guides and Selected Internet Links! Both will help you find information when you need it. 

The best resource the library has to offer is HELP!  Librarians are here to assist you in person, by phone (254-968-9249), or by email.  You can even find us on Facebook. 

Whenever you need information I hope the resources mentioned will help you.  Oh, and don't forget to thank our Veterans on Thursday!

Need a News Video for a Presentation?

Dick Smith Library can help!

1. Choose Newsbank from the library's database page.
• If you're off-campus, log in with your NTNET username and password.
2. Click "Access World News."
3. Click the "Source Types" tab.
4. Mark the checkbox for video (uncheck other types if desired).
5. Enter your search terms and choose search fields (headline, caption, etc.).
6. Click "Search."
7. Choose video links that interest you.
• A free Flash plug-in is required to play these videos.
• Try a different browser if the video doesn't appear.
• Be patient during the short ads before the news videos.

Questions? Comments? Contact the Dick Smith Library staff: 254-968-9249 or Ask a Librarian.

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

Frey Fries!
Fire Razes Frey Hall, Airmen Made Homeless!

On Tuesday morning, November 6, 1951, Tarleton's Frey Hall burned. The dormitory housed approximately 125 USAF cadets of the 3470th School Squadron in 31 rooms. The students were attending the Clerk-Typist School at Tarleton. All their personal belongings were lost.

The fire, of unknown origin, broke out about 8 a.m. while all students were in class. No one was injured as a result of the blaze. Firemen from Stephenville and Dublin were called in to fight the blaze. Because of the asbestos shingles, they were able to contain the fire and keep it from spreading to the adjoining Yearwood Hall. Loss was estimated at $100,000.

The wooden barracks was moved here in 1947 from Eagle Mountain Lake where it had been the bachelor officers' quarters. It was named for Lt. Henry B. Frey, a Tarleton alum, who lost his life in World War II.

The photos above show namesake Henry Frey, Frey & Yearwood Halls, the fire, and where Frey Hall had been. Can you tell where Frey & Yearwood Halls were located?

Dick Smith Library, Cross Timbers Historic Images Project.

Grassburr, 1952.

J-TAC, November 13, 1951.

Stephenville Empire-Tribune, November 9, 1951.

What do you consider a necessity?

When I was a child I remember not owning a television set for a brief span of years. I do not own a smart phone; I make do with a cheap prepaid phone that is about 3 years old. It works, and when the battery is fully charged it will last 2 weeks without need for a recharge.

What is considered a necessity now that was not a necessity in 1970? Check out the blog Stephen's Lighthouse and see the differences between now and then. What is something that you cannot live without? Post a comment and let me know what you cannot live without.

http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/11/03/what-is-a-necessity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-a-necessity

Go Vote!

Don't forget to Vote on Tuesday! Lots of good information about the election online!

• http://vote411.org/ -  create a sample ballot before your vote
• http://votinginfoproject.org/  - locate your voting center
• http://elections.foursquare.com/ - following voting on foursquare

The first photograph taken of humans

It's hard to believe there was a time when photographs of people didn't exist. That is why the recent discovery of what appears to be two men near the river's edge in a photo of Cincinnati taken in 1848 is a big deal among photography historians. The photo was taken September

24th, 1848. The photo is known as a daguerreotype.

The credit for photgraphing a human for the first time is generally given to Louis Daguerre, the inventor of the daguerreotype process. In an 1838 photo he took of Paris, Daguerre caught an image of a man who appears to be getting his shoes or boots shined at a street corner.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101027/od_yblog_upshot/very-early-photographic-images-of-humans-discovered

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

Sunday is Halloween!!

The Friends of the Dick Smith Library and the Friends of the Stephenville Public Library are co-sponsoring the 3rd annual Spirits of Erath Cemetery Walk across the street at the West End Cemetery!

Come on over! For just $5.00 you will have a fun time and meet some of Stephenville's early settlers! Music, Murder, and Mayhem.......it is sure to be a great afternoon!! Besides the actors and actresses dressed in period costumes, don't be alarmed if you hear strange noises between 2 pm and 4:30 pm.......music will be heard a little before 2, and the By Gone Days Gunfighters will be on hand to give us some special entertainment! What a fun time it will be!

Top 10 Journals/Magazines/Newspapers Used

The Periodicals Department is located at the back of the Main Level of the library. It is responsible for ordering, cataloging, processing, and preserving journals, magazines, and newspapers. They come in 3 different formats: print, electronic, or microform. According to the current usage stats, the top ten journals/magazines/newspapers  requested and used since June 1, 2010 are as follows:

1. Teaching Children Mathematics
2. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School
3. Consumer Reports
4. Stephenville Empire Tribune
5. Teaching Exceptional Children
6. Rolling Stone
7. Fort Worth Star Telegram
8. People Weekly
9. Better Homes & Gardens
10. Esquire...&...House Beautiful (tied for 10th)

For more information, please visit the Periodicals web page.

Ig Nobel Prizes

Yeah, yeah, you know all about the Nobel Prizes awarded annually for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace and Economics. It really does benefit the world that Alfred Nobel wanted to be remembered for something good.

But, do you know about the Ig Nobel Prize? The Ig Nobel Prizes honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think. According to the Annals of Improbable Research, the prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative — and spur people's interest in science, medicine, and technology. Prizes have been given for notable discoveries such as perfecting a method to collect whale snot, treating symptoms of asthma with a roller-coaster ride, and confirming the widely held belief that swearing relieves pain.

This year, graphene was the big event in physics. Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov won the Nobel Prize for discovering graphene, the world's thinnest material. And Geim, a Russian-born physicist at the University of Manchester in England thus became the Very First Person to win not only the Nobel Prize, but also the Ig Nobel Prize--in 2000, for using magnets to levitate a frog.

Who says scientists have no sense of humor?

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

Celebrating the Spirit of Tarleton!

Homecoming 2010 is upon us! This year's theme is Celebrating the Spirit of Tarleton! Nothing would be more fitting than to honor J. Louis Evans, former Tarleton alum, former Mayor of Stephenville, former 60 year member of the Stephenville Lions Club, former Director of the Stephenville Chamber of Commerce.....and......former Distinguished Alumnus of Tarleton, former recipient of the Tarleton Distinguished Service Award, founder of the Tarleton Development Foundation, former Director of the Tarleton Alumni Association, and former Director of Information at Tarleton!

As mayor J. appointed a committee to write a Home Rule Charter, which made Stephenville an incorporated city. Subsequently the city built a new police station and airport, the south loop was completed, a long-range water plan was implemented, the city park was expanded, including the building of the first baseball field!

As for baseball, J. was one of the founders and president of Little League baseball in Stephenville, founder of the Tarleton Athletics Hall of Fame, the Stephenville High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Texan Club. He served on the Tarleton Athletic Council and was the PA system announcer for Stephenville High School and Tarleton for 20 years, without missing a home game!

For his daughter Emily Jane's graduation from Tarleton in December 1984, J. wrote and delivered the commencement address - what has become a Tarleton icon - The Spirit of Tarleton!.....which included these excerpts: "Yes, I am the spirit of Tarleton. I was born in 1899 from the soul of an itinerant farmer......I suffered the pangs of early childhood with James Cox, Pearl Chamberlin, Charles Froh, George Ollie Ferguson, and Charlie Hale.......I won 86 consecutive basketball games with Coach Wisdon.........I won an Oscar with George Kennedy........I won the national rodeo championships.....I walked the Halls of Congress with Sam Russell and Charlie Stenholm......I presided over the Senate with Ben Barnes.....I blocked and ran to a football record when the Texans posted the first 10-0 season in Tarleton's history.....YES, I have the spirit of Tarleton, and by the grace of God I'll always have!"

J. contributed several times to our library display case as he is shown above standing beside his replica of Tarleton's first building and dog house! You may also remember our wonderful "Christmas Stephenville Village" displaying J's replicas of Stephenville historic buildings that we used several times!

J. Louis Evans passed away July 24, 2010. Long live the Spirit of Tarleton!

Stephenville Empire Tribune, July 26, 2010.

Strange Maps of Strange Places

Maps have been around for thousands of years, ever since man needed to record the location of places. Some early maps of Pacific Islanders' look like a collection of sticks and seashells. As cartography rose as a science and an art form maps became more detailed and colorful. Today with GIS and Google Maps just about anyone can produce a map of just about anything. Some would argue that the advent of GIS is the death knell of traditional paper maps. I love maps and when one of my librarian friends showed me this blog I just had to share it. Frank Jacobs Strange Maps, Cartographic Curiosities blog is a wonderful blog for those who love cartography. While Frank loves maps your usual atlas does not interest him. To quote from his blog "he collects and comments on all kinds of intriguing maps-real, fictional, and what-if ones..." So if I have aroused your cartographic curiosity click on this link: http://bigthink.com/blogs/strange-maps?page=1

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Top Tens of Global Road Warrior

Global Road Warrior is one of those databases that can be a lot of fun to look through - you never know what interesting information you'll find. Below is a list, in no particular order, of ten people, places, and more that are top ten of something - all this information was found in Global Road Warrior.

• Indian cricket player Rahul Dravid is one of the world's top ten batsmen. (India: Sports)
• The Bankstown Sports Club is one of Sydney, Australia's top ten sports clubs. (Australia: Sports)
• Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova is one of the world's top ten female tennis players. (Slovakia: Sports)
• Italian soccer player Paolo Maldini was one of the top ten in the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year voting. (Italy: Sports)
• Hong Kong's Ocean Park is ranked among the world's top ten marine and educational parks. (Hong Kong: Points of Interest)
• France is one of the top ten countries in its number of agnostics and atheists. (France: Superstitions and Folklore)
• In 2006, Equatorial Guinea was named one of the top ten corrupt states by Transparency International. (Equatorial Guinea: Historical Notes)
• Arabian horses, which originated in the Middle East, are one of the top ten most popular horse breeds in the world. (Saudi Arabia: Superstitions and Folklore)
• The Prague International Marathon is one of the world's top ten marathons. (Czech Republic: Sports)
• Russia's Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is ranked among the Women's Tennis Association's top ten female players. (Russia: Sports)

NaNoWriMo

What's the "Great American Novel?" Gone With the Wind? Uncle Tom's Cabin? Captain Underpants? Maybe it hasn't been written yet.

Here's your chance to fix that!

November is National Novel Writer's Month. Sure, it's early, but here's the deal: you can do all your prep work beforehand so long as you don't write a word of your novel before 12:00 AM on November 1.

Now for 'da rules (shamelessly ripped from the NaNoWriMo website):

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month's time.
Who: You! We can't do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let's write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.
Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.
When: You can sign up anytime to add your name to the roster and browse the forums. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.
Where: You write wherever you’d like. On your computer, on your iPad, on a typewriter---anywhere is fine, just as long as you’re writing! For a more in-depth NaNoWriMo overview, visit the devilishly handsome "What is NaNoWriMo?"and "How NaNoWriMo Works" pages.

The whole site is written like this. If you become a registered member you get all kinds of prizes, like "bragging rights," and "a sense of personal worth." It's a great way to blow off some of that October steam!

Foursquare

Are you on foursquare or Gowal.la?   These applications can be a lot of fun and are a great way to explore the city.  Some places even reward loyal customers with specials and discounts when they check in.  (Hints for Stephenville: Pizza Hut, Chili’s, and Payless Shoes).  I wanted to pass on some tips and ideas for using these sites.

• If you’re wondering about privacy issues, there are a number of options to choose from. You can:
• “Check out” instead of check in.  Posting your location as you leave a venue helps with safety and security.
• Every time you check-in it will ask you if you want to Tell your friends or post it to Facebook and Twitter. If you remove all these check marks, your friends will see that you’ve checked-in somewhere but they won’t know where. It will simply state that you are “off the grid.”
• You can also change your privacy settings for a more secure Foursquare experience.

• Give feedback on that location – “had great service” or “wonderful meal.” Comments you share can be beneficial to both friends and the location you visited.

• Take advantage of the special offers available to you.

• There are also numerous apps to add to your Foursquare experience. For example, if you check-in to the same place every day, you might want to try the Check-in Assistant app. It will automatically check you into your favorite place when you’re there.

• Foursquare can be linked to your Twitter and Facebook accounts as well. Whenever you check-in, it will automatically post to Facebook/Twitter letting your friends know where you just checked-in. If you’re a more private individual, you can always change the privacy settings in Foursquare.

If you’d like more information, please check-in to Foursquare. It’s a really interesting tool. And don’t forget to check-in to the Dick Smith Library (now on Foursquare) and let us know what you think.

Life Without the Library

Due to numerous requests, I decided to add a link to a post on the "Life Without the Library" comic series. The link had gotten lost, and it has taken me a while to find it again, although now I have it bookmarked. And now it is available to anyone who is searching for it. The link is as follows: http://www.tarleton.edu/library/images/LibraryComics.jpg. Thanks once again to all who helped me create it. I honestly could not have done it without you.

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

New Agriculture Building Has Interesting Features

Several things were going on in October 1951! The new agriculture building was completed, the old agriculture building was torn down, and the new dairy barn was almost completed. Dedication of the new Agriculture Building highlighted the homecoming festivities that year.

The new $325,000 agriculture building housed the classrooms and offices of the Agriculture Division as well as those of the Business Administration and English Departments. The new sidewalks, that I wrote about in last week's blog, connected the beautiful new three story structure with the rest of the campus.

Situated over the main entrance was the sculptured figure of a bull embedded in the brick wall, representing progressive agriculture. This decorative ornament seemed particularly appropriate to the purpose of furthering agriculture at Tarleton.

Decorated in a soft light green motif, the green and glazed brick tile combination kept the color scheme from hurting the eyes. The latest modern streamlined florescent lighting was arranged to give out as much light as possible without causing strain on the eyes. The new building also had excellent acoustics; wide, airy, and roomy offices with plenty of working space; as well as storage and easily accessible fire escapes through doors rather than windows.

The lecture room and auditorium seated approximately 200 people and had projection rooms, movie projectors, and a screen; curved bottom seats, AND the rear entrance was arranged so that a tractor or other vehicle could be brought directly into the room!

The only drawbacks were the need for more pencil sharpeners, an air-conditioning system, and the installation of elevators. "But who knows, perhaps these improvements and others too will be made in the future!"

J-TAC, October 10, 1951.

Free Apps

Do you have a smartphone? If so, no matter what platform you use, there are lots of free apps that can help you become more productive.

Dragon Dictation: Dictate reminders to yourself & e-mail, Facebook, or tweet them...not recommended for use while driving. iPhone/iPod Touch, Blackberry

Dragon Search: Use your voice to search Google, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, iTunes & Wikipedia. iPhone/iPad/iPodTouch

Evernote: Create text, audio & picture notes. iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, Blackberry, Android, Palm, Windows Mobile

Google Mobile: Access Google Docs, RSS feeds, News, Maps, etc. Includes voice search. iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, Blackberry, Android, Palm, Windows Mobile

ListPro (free for 30 days): Use 30+ templates to create lists that can be sorted by category, date due & priority. You can also e-mail yourself reminders. iPhone/iPod, Windows Mobile, Palm


Do you have any recommendations for killer apps--free or otherwise? Post them in the comments section!

21 Services Offered at the Circulation Desk

Although it is Top Ten Tuesday, I couldn't narrow down my list to just 10. I got to 10 and then thought of other items, and made it to 15 and then more came to me and finally I ended up with 21 services that are offered at the Circulation desk.

1. Check out books!
   
2. Renew your books at the circulation desk or online.
   
3. Place a hold on a book
   
4. Check out a laptop for 4 hours in-library use.
   
5. Lose something? Check the lost and found.
   
6. Course reserves can be checked out at the circulation desk.
   
7. Get a TexShare card. Request one online or in person.
   
8. Pick up your Inter-library loan item.
   
9. Buy a headset for under $4.
   
10. Pay for guest printing.
    
11. Check out our Test Prep section.
    
12. Send a fax. It is $1 for up to 5 pages and an additional $.25/page after the first five.
    
13. Check out the APA and MLA style books.
    
14. Reserve a study room.
    
15. Purchase a color copy for $1/page.
    
16. Check out a Flip video camera.
    
17. Fill out a book locator request.
    
18. Donate books to the library.
    
19. Purchase a membership to the Friends of the Dick Smith Library.
    
20. Check out markers for use in the study rooms.
    
21. Friendly staff to assist you.
    

You can stop by in person, call us @ 254-968-9450, or email mylibrary@tarleton.edu if you have any questions.

Academic Integrity Brown Bag

Join the Discussion!

• What is Academic Integrity?
• Why it Matters
• Is Academic Dishonesty a Big Deal?
• Causes & Consequences
• Ways to Avoid Missteps
• Where is Help Available?

Thurs., Oct. 14
12:10-12:50
Library MultiPurpose Room

Sponsored by
Office of Judicial Affairs (254-968-9576)
Division of Student Life

Tarleton State University awarded $2.73 million facilities grant

Tarleton State University recently won a three-year, $2.73 million grant to develop the American Clearinghouse on Education Facilities. The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools awarded the grant to help ensure that public schools are designed efficiently to encourage learning.

The program will use a Web site, distance learning, online journals and on-site training programs to help in the planning, design, financing, construction, improvement, operations and maintenance of educational facilities by working with educational institutions to make sure that the facilities are designed efficiently and resourcefully, said Dr. Mark Littleton, a professor of educational leadership and policy studies who will serve as project director.

The funding will provide three additional doctoral fellows for 12 months, Littleton said.