Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

May is the month to recognize the experiences and contributions of Americans of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage. Originally established as a heritage week in 1978, it was upgraded to a month in 1990. According to the Library of Congress' Asia Pacific Heritage Month website, "May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants."

 Each green dot on the map above represents 3000 Asian Americans. By United States Census [CC BY-SA 1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Asian and Pacific Islander Americans are a quickly growing segment of the population. According to the 2010 Census, there are 17,320,856 Asian Americans in the US. That is 5.6% of the total population, and is a 45.6% increase from the 2000 Census. In 2010, the Census counted 1,225,195 Americans of Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander heritage. That represents only 0.4% of the total population, however, it is a 40.1% increase from 2000.

Chronology of Asian/Pacific American History with Relevant Library Resources

1849 - California Gold Rush encouraged large numbers of Chinese to immigrate to US. 

Riches for all: the California Gold Rush and the World ed. by Kenneth N. Owens.

Gold Mountain Dreams (video available through Films on Demand database). 

1869 - Transcontinental Railroad completed, many of the workers were Chinese immigrants. 

A Great & Shining Road: the Epic Story of the Transcontinental Railroad by John Hoyt Williams

1882 - Chinese Exclusion Act severely limited Chinese immigration to the US. 

At America's Gates: Chinese Immigration During the Exclusion Era, 1882-1943 by Erica Lee

1885 - A mob of white miners massacred approximately 28 Chinese people in Rock Springs, Wyoming. 

"When Coal Miners Burned: The Rock Springs Massacre" in Wild West by Eric Niderost and Luc Nettleton. 

1887 - A white gang massacred over thirty Chinese gold miners along the Snake River Canyon in Oregon. 

1898 - Spain ceded control of Guam and the Philippines to the US. 

Guam and its People: a Study of Culture Change and Colonial Education by Laura Thompson.

A War of Frontier and Empire: the Philippine-American War, 1899-1902 by David J. Silbey           

1898 - US annexed Hawaii. 

The Betrayal of Liliuokalani, last Queen of Hawaii, 1838-1917 by Helena G. Allen.

Queen Liliuokalani in 1891. James J. Williams [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

1899 - US gained control of American Samoa (eastern half of the Samoan archipelago). Learn more about American Samoa here. 

1910 - Angel Island Immigration Station created in San Francisco Bay.  

Angel Island: gateway to Gold Mountain by Russell Freedman.

Angel Island: A Story of Chinese Immigration (video available through Films on Demand database). 

1924 - Immigration Act severely limited immigrants from most Asian countries. Read more about the Act here. 

1940 - Angel Island Immigration Station closed.  

1942 - President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which authorized the confinement of Japanese-Americans into internment camps. 

Looking like the enemy: My Story of Imprisonment in Japanese American Internment Camps by Mary Matsuda Gruenewald.

Arcadia, CA April, 1942. Japanese-Americans registering before being transferred to War Relocation Authority centers. By Clem Albers, Photographer (NARA record: 8452194) (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

1943 - Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed. 

1944 - US gained control of Northern Mariana Islands. Learn more about the Northern Mariana Islands here. 

1946 - The Philippines gained independence from the US. 

Faith, family, and Filipino American community life by Stephen M. Cherry.

1957 - Dalip Singh Saund, of California, became the first Asian American to serve in the US Congress. 

1959 - Hiram Fong, of Hawaii, became the first Asian American to serve in the US Senate. 

1965 - Immigration Act ended racial quotas, which increased immigration from Asian countries. Read more about the Act here. 

Korean Americans (video available through Films on Demand database).

The American dream in Vietnamese by Nhi T. Lieu.

Suburban Sahibs: Three Immigrant Families and Their Passage From India to America by Mitra S. Kalita. 

1973 - George Ariyoshi, of Hawaii, became the first Asian American governor of a US state.

1988 - Civil Liberties Act granted reparations to Japanese-Americans who had been interned during World War II. Read full text of the act here. 

2000 - Norman Mineta became the first Asian American to serve on the US Cabinet.

The Dick Smith Library has a large collection of resources relevant to the Asian-American and Pacific Islander-American experience. Let us know if we can help you find some information on the topic via email at reference@tarleton.edu or phone at 254-968-9249.

What to do if you don't know which database to use

If you need to find an article but aren't sure which library database to use, you have several options. Here are a few of them:

• Ask for help. Librarians at the reference desk can help you find what you're looking for, or at least get you on the right path. You can also call (254-968-9249) or ask for help via our "Ask a Librarian" form.
• Try Discovery. Discovery searches most of the library's databases and can be a big help if you're not sure where to start. 

• Try one of the databases on the appropriate "Research Guides by subject" page. These pages include lists of the best databases for whichever subject you choose.

COWABUNGA, DUDE!

I grew up with the Ninja Turtles. Every Saturday morning, I would be glued to the television in anticipation of watching the TMNT and Captain Planet. I have all of the Jim Henson movies from the 90s and I can never pass up the opportunity to include the Ninja Turtles at an event or special occasion. This year, I'll be having a TMNT themed 30th birthday party. Why not? You only live once and you might as well enjoy it. I'm a huge Donatello fan. He's the nerdy one, of course. So what do the TMNT have to do with the library you may be asking yourself?

Well, a new TMNT movie will be coming out soon. I'm kind of on the fence about it because it doesn't follow the original story line from the comics/movies. I will go watch the movie just to see what it is all about. I found that using the library's Discovery@Tarleton, you can find journal, magazine, and newspaper articles on the TMNT. Most of the articles are from the mid to late 90s, but there are a few recent ones that critique the new film or give insight to the new film and its characters. It is interesting to see how the Ninja Turtles from the 90s were used to discuss war and character portrayals. I'd love to know what you all think about the Ninja Turtles, new and old. The new movie releases on Friday, August 8th.

http://thesixersense.com/2014/07/16/sixers-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/

http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/scifi/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-extended-tv-spot-banner.html

Dog Days of Summer

Although this Texas summer has been mild in comparison to previous summers, it's still hot out there.

I have three dogs at home that I worry about while I'm at work so I used the library's Discovery@Tarleton service to locate some tips on keeping your beloved pets cool on a hot day.

Here are 10 tips I found from an article titled "Top Tips for a Cool Dog This Summer from Benny The Dog" from PR Newswire:

1. Provide plenty of fresh water

Always have fresh, cool water available at all times. Keep the water bowl in the shade and remember to carry a water bottle on walks.

2. Never leave your dog in the car on a hot day

Even when left for only a few minutes can cause brain damage or death. A car retains heat, even in the shade. Locked inside a car a dog can't cool down through panting because the air is too warm. An open window is not sufficient to keep a car cool enough.

3. Always provide access to shade

Ensure there is a shady area for your dog to retreat to. The temperature in the shade is considerably cooler than sitting under the sun.

4. Check for signs of heatstroke

Look out for early warning signs; excessive panting and drooling, a rapid heart rate, bright red tongue, very red gums or dizziness. In severe cases there could be; shock, coma, convulsions and loss of consciousness.

5. Exercise in the cooler hours

Early morning or late evening, walking in the cooler parts of the day is more comfortable for both dog and owner. Reduce exercise intensity on hotter days.

6. Go swimming

For water loving dogs swimming is one of the best forms of exercise in hot weather. Include water fetch toys to safely increase enjoyment for both dog and owner.

7. Use a dog cooling jacket

For longer walks or days out consider using a dog cooling jacket. This provides evaporative cooling, exchanging the dog's heat for the cool water stored in the jacket.

8. Use a cooling pet mat

These specialist dog beds use cooling gel technology to create a lower temperature than your dog.

9. Give your pet a frozen dog toy

Specially designed freezing toys can provide a satisfying treat to cool dogs on hot days.

10. Use dog boots

As heat rises from the ground, concrete or tarmac surfaces can become hot. Dogs both absorb and release heat through their paws. Boots help to isolate the heat and offer protection from hot pavements.

"Top Tips for a Cool Dog This Summer from Benny The Dog." PR Newswire 30 June 2014. Business Insights: Essentials. Web. 16 July 2014.

How do you keep your pets cool in the summer? 

Want to find more helpful hints using Discovery@Tarleton? 

Feel free to contact us for assistance in navigating Discovery or any of our other databases available:

(254)968-9249

reference@tarleton.edu 

Discovery Search has citation help

Did you know that our Discovery search tool can help you with citations?
Here's how.

Citation Help in Discovery
1. Do an article search.
2.   Click on a hyperlinked title in your results for the article you'd like to use (see below).

Screenshot from a Discovery search results page.

2.  Click the yellow icon labeled "Cite" on the next screen and a drop down menu will appear.

The next screen gives you details about the article.

3. Click on your desired citation format from the drop down menu.

Styles include AMA, APA, and MLA.

Citation Saving

From here, you can either:
a) copy and paste your citation into Word or
b) click on the e-mail icon to the right to e-mail yourself the citation (be sure to select the correct format on your e-mail screen). 

If you subscribe to bibliographic management software, such as EndNote, you can c), export the citation to your account.

Citation Errors
Be sure to check your citation for mistakes. 

Reliable sources to use include our manuals at the reference desk, or the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) site  or  our Citing Sources page.

By the way, did you notice that the APA citation pictured above is incorrect?  It requires a hanging indent. Can you spot any other mistakes?

Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month, which makes it an excellent time to research the women who have contributed so much to our university, nation and world. The library has many great books, encyclopedias and journals on women's history.

For a place to start, check out the results of this search in our Discovery tool.  You'll find books on women playwrights, warriors and politicians. Have fun!

             

Motivational Monday

Yesterday evening, I overheard a student proclaim she needed to write a three page paper on motivation that was due today. I told her "procrastination is a motivator in and of itself"(this doesn't mean I think anyone should procrastinate in order to motivate themselves to do school work); this got me to thinking, what truly motivates college/university students to succeed in school? Motivation can come from anywhere, anyone, or anything. My motivation typically comes from a desire to do better and have more in life. What motivates you?

Check out these books in the library on motivation, achievement, and success in college:

1. 9 things successful people do differently
2. Execution: the discipline of getting things done 
3. The little book of coaching: motivating people to be winners
4. A theory of achievement motivation
5. The achieving society
6. Self-theories: their role in motivation, personality, and development
7. Motivating Students
8. Giftedness, conflict, and underachievement
9. Achieving educational excellence: using behavioral strategies
10. Execution: the discipline of getting things done

To find these resources and more, you can Ask A Librarian or call (254)968-9249.

Hey, Class of 2017!

Photo Taken By Tracy Holtman

Did you participate in Library Poker during Transition week?

If you did, you may remember filling out a Discovery T-Shirt Drawing Card to win a free t-shirt.

We've drawn the winners and we're waiting on you to come pick up your shirt!

 Not sure if you won?
Check your Tarleton email account for an email titled "Discovery Shirt Winner!"

 If you provided a Twitter account, check your Twitter to see if we notified you on there too.

 If you are a winner, come visit us at the library to pick up your new Discovery t-shirt!

Tarleton Library Gives Recognition Through Pinterest

Did you know that several of our Tarleton community are published writers? Did you know that we even have some talented artists among our crew? In order to show off the talents of our community, the library created a special board on Pinterest: Purple Pen - Writing & Art.

The Purple Pen not only showcases the Tarleton community but also provides links to those resources that we may have available in the library through our Discovery@Tarleton tool. Take some time to checkout the board and possibly some books.

There are many faculty, students, and staff that have worked hard to create these pieces of literature and artwork. The Library wanted them to know that we appreciate their hard work and dedication.

Do you know of any faculty, staff, or student that has been published or has had artwork displayed?  Please leave their name and title of work (book, article, and/or artwork), and we will gladly give them the recognition they deserve.

Declaration of Independence

While scouring the library databases for inspiration for my post, which had to focus on Independence Day since it is tomorrow and my favorite holiday, I ended up like I usually do when searching for information...over-researched.  So here are links to just a few of the articles that I found using the library's Discovery tool.

• Suicide Pact: 56 men put their lives on the line by signing the Declaration of Independence.  This article goes over what it meant for these men to add their signatures, what some of them went through to get to get it signed, and what happened to them afterwards. 
• CELEBRATING THE FOURTH FRONTIER STYLE.  From the Lewis and Clark expedition to the different celebrations as the states joining the Union celebrated their first Fourth of July.
• When in the Course of Human Events It Became Necessary to Celebrate July 4th.  How our countries founders celebrated Independence Day.  Also includes a list of other important events that happened on July 4th in history.
• Immigrants celebrate July Fourth by combining native, American traditions; Part of the fabric of America is its history of assimilating immigrants from other cultures - a fact that many immigrants celebrate on July Fourth by combining American holiday traditions with ones from their native culture.  Article interviewing several different immigrants and how they celebrate the July 4th.

Our founding fathers encouraged all the people to celebrate Independence Day.   Here is a schedule of Stephenville's planned festivities.

The DSL Wants YOU to Take a Suvery

Are you a library user?

Have you used our Discovery @ Tarleton service which allows you to search the library's online catalog and 85% of our academic databases simultaneously?

If so, we're looking for a few more people to take our survey and provide feedback on Discovery @ Tarleton.

Help us help you by telling us your thoughts.

The survey is anonymous so please give us your honest opinions on this library service.

Discovery@Tarleton Survey

Have you used Discovery@Tarleton, our new search tool that allows you to simultaneously search the library’s catalog and most of the databases with a single search?  With Discovery@Tarleton you can:

• Search for all types of resources (books, videos, articles, MP3, etc.) with one search
• identify which resources have information on your topic
• Collect, save, and share what you find

Let us know what you think! Please take our survey and give us your feedback.

Nutrition and More

Along with Texas and Women's History, March is also National Nutrition Month.

You can learn more about nutrition by watching the video Nutrition and Weight Management or by searching for other videos on this topic in our Films On Demand database. The Dining Services at Tarleton, known as Sodexo, also has a small display up in the library with a focus on making better food choices. Along with taking a gander at the display, you can find books on nutrition and exercise in the library by searching our database Discovery @ Tarleton or swinging by the new books area on the main floor and looking through the selection of books on nutrition and exercise that is there.

Live Well. Be Happy. Come to the Dick Smith Library!

Hobby researching with Discovery

Is there a hobby you're interested in learning more about? Try doing some searches using the library's Discovery @ Tarleton to gather the information you need!

I'm a knitter/crafter by night and recently have been curious about how commercial knitting works. A few searches for knitting and knitting machines brought up tons of articles, book reviews, images, and even ebooks. I found a really neat article about using 3-D graphic design software to create a pattern for a knitted stuffed animal. I also stumbled upon an article describing the use of a knitting techinque call intarsia and its application to garmets used in the healthcare industry. Some date filtering on my list of results gave me information on knitting machines from the 19th and 20th century. It was pretty neat seeing the diverse areas knitting has been used for.

If the mood of curiousity strikes you and you're interested in learning more about your pasttimes -- be it crafting, sports, cooking, etc.-- give Discovery @ Tarleton a whirl and see what you can find.You might be pleasantly surprised!

Dick Smith Library Can Help You Get What You Need

In addition to the useful library resources and services described in yesterday's post, the library strives to help you get what you need when you need it:

• Online library catalog so you can locate items (print and electronic) in our collections.
• Databases so you can locate articles, films, reports, books, and more.
• Use your NTNET login to access databases when off-campus.
• Use Discovery@Tarleton to search 85% of the library's databases with one click.
• Choose specific databases from our A-Z database list.
• Choose recommended databases from our topical Subject Research Guides.
• Mobile apps and resources so you can get what you need while on the go.
• Off-campus and distance services so Tarleton students, faculty, and staff at satellite campuses and/or in online classes can take full advantages of our resources.
• Interlibrary loan services so you can obtain items not in the library's collections
• TexShare card program so you can get borrowing privileges at libraries across the state.

Remember, we're here to help you and glad to do so.  Just give a call (254-968-9249), send an email (reference@tarleton.edu), or stop by (hours).  You can also check in with the library through various social media venues (linked from the library's homepage).

Dick Smith Library staff wishes you an excellent Spring 2013 semester.

Pick a Book, Any Book!

The Blind Assassin
By Margaret Atwood

Thunderstruck
By Erik Larson

You may be wondering what to do with all of that "extra" time you'll have during the Christmas break. I say READ A BOOK! The Library Staff has collaborated to bring you a list of suggestions. You can find these books on "display" on the main level near the new books! Check them out and then CHECK THEM OUT! If you can't find something you like, you can search Discovery @ Tarleton to find that little bit of literature to keep your mind healthy over the holidays!

Using the Discovery search tool

Here's a short (just under four minute) video on using Discovery, the library's new search tool that allows you to simultaneously search the library’s catalog and most of the databases using one interface:



You can get to Discovery on the library's home page, or by clicking the following link:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=eds

Arr, Today be National Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Display on Piracy.

Ahoy, mateys. Today marks the 10th Annual National Talk Like A Pirate Day! There are several things you can do to participate in this day of fun. You can change the language of your Facebook to English (Pirate). You can also use the Tarleton Libraries Mango Languages database to learn to talk pirate.

Why does it take Pirates so long to learn the alphabet? Because they can spend years at C! (Please Pause to Laugh...you know it's funny!)

You can search Discovery to find books on pirates, the history of piracy, and modern piracy, or stop by the New Books display and "checkout" the books that have already been selected.

Why are pirates pirates? Because they ARRRRRR!!(Again..just laugh.)

Talk like a Pirate, ye scurvy dogs!!

Discovery for Tarleton Libraries

Need to find books or articles on a specific topic, but don’t know where to start?

Try Discovery for Tarleton Libraries. This new search tool allows users to simultaneously search the library’s catalog and most of the databases using one interface.

If you set up a personal account, you have the additional benefits of creating email alerts, RSS feeds and can save records for future use in your personal folder. All records in Discovery have permalinks that you can copy and paste for direct access.

Discovery makes finding the resources you need easier and more convenient.

Find the Discovery link on the library homepage in the News and Events section or by clicking the following link:

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=eds

Let us know what you think of this new service!