The Tarleton Library staff is conducting a User Satisfaction survey on Tuesday, November 6 through Wednesday, November 7. Take this opportunity to tell us what you like or don't like about the library. Your feedback allows us to see how we are doing and seek ideas for improving our services, so your comments are very important.
The survey is available in the lobby of the Dick Smith Library, the Oveta Culp Hobby Memorial Library, and online at: http://survey01.tarleton.edu/efm/wsb.dll/s/4eg70
Monday, November 5, 2007
Friday, November 2, 2007
Are you watching Blogger Play?
Need a break? Take a few minutes to check out Blogger Play.
It's a real-time slideshow of photos Blogger users have recently uploaded to their blogs. It's a great snapshot of what people are thinking and posting about, right now!
You can view a never-ending stream of images that were just uploaded to public Blogger blogs. Click the image to be taken directly to the blog post it was uploaded to, or click “show info” to see an overlay with the post title, a snippet of the body, and some profile information about the blogger who uploaded it.
It's a real-time slideshow of photos Blogger users have recently uploaded to their blogs. It's a great snapshot of what people are thinking and posting about, right now!
You can view a never-ending stream of images that were just uploaded to public Blogger blogs. Click the image to be taken directly to the blog post it was uploaded to, or click “show info” to see an overlay with the post title, a snippet of the body, and some profile information about the blogger who uploaded it.
Rowling completes book of fairy tales
LONDON (AP) — J.K. Rowling has completed her first book not to feature teen wizard Harry Potter — an illustrated collection of magical fairy stories titled The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-11-01-rowling_N.htm?csp=34
http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-11-01-rowling_N.htm?csp=34
Thursday, November 1, 2007
The Machine is Us/ing Us
Michael Wesch’s YouTube video "The Machine is Us/ing Us" (aka "Web 2.0 in Just Under 5 Minutes") is an insightful look at how technology impacts everyone's lives.
The video explores ideas like:
- “change in one area (such as the way we communicate) can have a profound effect on everything else, including family, love, and our sense of being itself,”
- “everything is connected throughout all time,”
- “all people on the planet are connected,” and
- technology creates opportunities “for us to make a profound difference in the world.”
This video is one of the projects by Wesch and a group of cultural anthropology students (digital ethnography working group) that explore “impacts of digital technology on human interaction and human interaction on digital technology.”
You’ll find an informative interview with Michael Wesch that discusses this video and other projects on John Battelle’s Searchblog.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Television History
Television History - The First 75 Years -- This site offers an interesting and informative look at the history of television. Linked photos of early (pre-1935 to 1950s) and later (1960-2000) televisions give a look at changes in design, size, and features through time. The site shows American televisions, as well as examples from other countries (British, Dutch, German, Italian, etc.). Also included are links to "Quick Facts by Year," television firsts (in FAQ section), images of advertisements for televisions, stats and facts, images of TV Guide covers, and lots more.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Meet Our Staff: Kim Gragg
Kim GraggCirculation / Interlibrary Loan Manager
254-968-9938
gragg@tarleton.edu
Dick Smith Library – Main Floor – Rm109V
As Circulation Manager, Kim is one of the first people many students meet in the Dick Smith Library. She oversees the operations of the Circulation Desk, including about a dozen student workers. Training and scheduling all of these workers takes a large amount of time, since the Circulation Desk is open almost 100 hours a week.
Kim is a Tarleton graduate, earning her BA in English in May 2002. She is certified to teach English and language arts for grades 8-12, and taught at Erath Excels Academy for two years. Kim started in her present position at the Dick Smith Library on December 19, 2005, noting, “I worked a week and then had a week’s vacation for Christmas. It was great!”
She added, “I spent a lot of time in the library as a student. I loved the atmosphere of learning and exploration and searching for the unknown. I still love it as a staff member today.”
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Top 10 US Social Sites and Blog Sites
Top 10 US Social Sites and Blog Sites Rankings Issued
"Nielson/NetRatings has put out a report on the top 10 social sites and blog sites. I think there are some interesting findings such as Myspace still being on top of the social space. “MySpace.com continues to sit comfortably atop the rankings of top US social-networking sites with 58.6 million unique visitors in September, according to a custom list of top US social networking sites.”
Here are the Oct. 2007 rankings:
1. MySpace
2. Facebook
3. Classmates Online
4. Windows Live Spaces
5. AOL Hometwon
6. Reunion.com
7. LinkedIn
8. AOL People Connection
9. Club Penguin
10. Buzznet
"Nielson/NetRatings has put out a report on the top 10 social sites and blog sites. I think there are some interesting findings such as Myspace still being on top of the social space. “MySpace.com continues to sit comfortably atop the rankings of top US social-networking sites with 58.6 million unique visitors in September, according to a custom list of top US social networking sites.”
Here are the Oct. 2007 rankings:
1. MySpace
2. Facebook
3. Classmates Online
4. Windows Live Spaces
5. AOL Hometwon
6. Reunion.com
7. LinkedIn
8. AOL People Connection
9. Club Penguin
10. Buzznet
Monday, October 22, 2007
The COLLEGE ISSUE
The New York Times Magazine - The College Issue - take a look at the September 30, 2007 issues. Is is full of articles for and about YOU!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Hey, Mom, can you spare me a buck?
10 little expenses that add up fast
Do you wonder where your money goes, especially if you're not a big spender? It's surprisingly easy to blow thousands, a few dollars at a time.
By Bankrate.com
It's easy to fritter away money on little daily expenses. If you fall into these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings.
Coffee: According to the National Coffee Association, the average price for a cup of brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per year.
Cigarettes: The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids reports that the average price for a pack of cigarettes in the United States is $4.54. Pack-a-day smokers fork out $1,650 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a pack once a week adds up, too: $236.
Alcohol: Drink prices vary based on the location. But assuming an average of $5 per beer including tip, buying two beers per day adds up to $3,650 per year. Figure twice that for two mixed drinks a day at the local bar. That's not chump change.
Bottled water from convenience stores: A 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina bottled water costs about $1. One bottle of water per day costs $365 per year. It costs the environment plenty, too.
Manicures: The Day Spa Magazine Price Survey of 2004 found that the average cost of a manicure is $20.53. A weekly manicure sets you back about $1,068 per year.
Car washes: The average cost for a basic auto detailing package is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car detailed every two months: $348 per year.
Weekday lunches out: $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most workdays. If you buy, rather than pack, a lunch five days a week for one year, you shell out about $2,340 a year.
Vending-machines snacks: The average vending machine snack costs $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per year.
Interest charges on credit card bills: According to a survey released at the end of May, the median amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is $6,600. The average interest rate on a standard card is about 13%. Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch!
The big lie about credit card debt
Unused gym memberships: Costhelper.com reports that the monthly service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an unused gym membership runs $480 per year.
Published Oct. 11, 2007
Retrieved Oct. 19, 2007 from http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/10LittleExpensesThatAddUpFast.aspx
Do you wonder where your money goes, especially if you're not a big spender? It's surprisingly easy to blow thousands, a few dollars at a time.
By Bankrate.com
It's easy to fritter away money on little daily expenses. If you fall into these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings.
Coffee: According to the National Coffee Association, the average price for a cup of brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per year.
Cigarettes: The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids reports that the average price for a pack of cigarettes in the United States is $4.54. Pack-a-day smokers fork out $1,650 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a pack once a week adds up, too: $236.
Alcohol: Drink prices vary based on the location. But assuming an average of $5 per beer including tip, buying two beers per day adds up to $3,650 per year. Figure twice that for two mixed drinks a day at the local bar. That's not chump change.
Bottled water from convenience stores: A 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina bottled water costs about $1. One bottle of water per day costs $365 per year. It costs the environment plenty, too.
Manicures: The Day Spa Magazine Price Survey of 2004 found that the average cost of a manicure is $20.53. A weekly manicure sets you back about $1,068 per year.
Car washes: The average cost for a basic auto detailing package is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car detailed every two months: $348 per year.
Weekday lunches out: $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most workdays. If you buy, rather than pack, a lunch five days a week for one year, you shell out about $2,340 a year.
Vending-machines snacks: The average vending machine snack costs $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per year.
Interest charges on credit card bills: According to a survey released at the end of May, the median amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is $6,600. The average interest rate on a standard card is about 13%. Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch!
The big lie about credit card debt
Unused gym memberships: Costhelper.com reports that the monthly service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an unused gym membership runs $480 per year.
Published Oct. 11, 2007
Retrieved Oct. 19, 2007 from http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/10LittleExpensesThatAddUpFast.aspx
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Young Librarians, Talkin' Bout Their Generation
Young Librarians, Talkin' 'Bout Their Generation, by Scott Carlson.
Most people are familiar with the stereotype of librarians. They are twenty- or thirtysomethings, with tattoos, cat's-eye glasses, and vintage clothes, schmoozing with famous authors, and playing DJ at parties in Brooklyn. Wait, that's just the stereotype in The New York Times. Last summer the newspaper declared young librarians hip — and, in the minds of some librarians, actually reinforced the other stereotype: that older members of their profession are reclusive bookworms and cranky old ladies.
Whether young librarians are hip or dowdy doesn't matter. What matters is what they think about the future of the library, particularly at academic institutions. Libraries are facing a series of immense challenges: the explosion of information, a rapidly changing technological environment, shrinking budgets, pitched battles over copyright, a new world of information literacy, and continuing deficiencies in old-fashioned literacy.
On top of it all, academic libraries face a crisis of graying leadership. Young librarians, hip or not, will eventually be the people dealing with these issues. This month The Chronicle contacted eight librarians under 40 and asked them a series of questions about the future of their profession, including: What will happen to the book? How will battles over copyright play out? What do you love and hate about librarianship? Here is what they said:
Read the complete article in the Chronicle of Higher Ed at: http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i08/08a02801.htm
Most people are familiar with the stereotype of librarians. They are twenty- or thirtysomethings, with tattoos, cat's-eye glasses, and vintage clothes, schmoozing with famous authors, and playing DJ at parties in Brooklyn. Wait, that's just the stereotype in The New York Times. Last summer the newspaper declared young librarians hip — and, in the minds of some librarians, actually reinforced the other stereotype: that older members of their profession are reclusive bookworms and cranky old ladies.
Whether young librarians are hip or dowdy doesn't matter. What matters is what they think about the future of the library, particularly at academic institutions. Libraries are facing a series of immense challenges: the explosion of information, a rapidly changing technological environment, shrinking budgets, pitched battles over copyright, a new world of information literacy, and continuing deficiencies in old-fashioned literacy.
On top of it all, academic libraries face a crisis of graying leadership. Young librarians, hip or not, will eventually be the people dealing with these issues. This month The Chronicle contacted eight librarians under 40 and asked them a series of questions about the future of their profession, including: What will happen to the book? How will battles over copyright play out? What do you love and hate about librarianship? Here is what they said:
Read the complete article in the Chronicle of Higher Ed at: http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i08/08a02801.htm
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Fiftieth Anniversary of Sputnik launch
Sputnik and The Dawn of the Space Age
"History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a beach ball (58 cm.or 22.8 inches in diameter), weighed only 83.6 kg. or 183.9 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. That launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. While the Sputnik launch was a single event, it marked the start of the space age and the U.S.-U.S.S.R space race."
Read more about this historic event at the NASA History Division site.
"History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a beach ball (58 cm.or 22.8 inches in diameter), weighed only 83.6 kg. or 183.9 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. That launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. While the Sputnik launch was a single event, it marked the start of the space age and the U.S.-U.S.S.R space race."
Read more about this historic event at the NASA History Division site.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Campus Event: Nationally-know Historian, Dr. Andres Tijerina
The Speaker Symposium Committee is pleased to announce the first speaker of the 2007-08 school year. Dr. Andres Tijerina, a professor of history at Austin Community College, will be speaking about the history of people of Mexican heritage in Texas. Dr. Tijerina is a nationally-known historian. His published books include "Tejano Empire: Life on the South Texas Ranchos" and "Tejanos and Texans Under the Mexican Flag, 1821-1836."
Dr. Tijerina's first lecture will be at 7:30pm Thursday, October 4 in the Fain Auditorium (Rm. 102) of the Science Building. The title of his Thursday evening presentation is "Constructing a Tejano Memory."
His second lecture, which will be given in Spanish, is entitled "El Imperio de los Ranchos Tejanos." That presentation will be at noon on Friday, October 5 in the Multipurpose Room of the Dick Smith Library. A lecture given in Spanish is a first for the Speaker Symposium lecture series, and an event we plan to repeat later in the school year.
Both lectures are free and open to the public. Proof of attendance will be available for any professor wishing to award extra credit for his or her students.
Dr. Tijerina's first lecture will be at 7:30pm Thursday, October 4 in the Fain Auditorium (Rm. 102) of the Science Building. The title of his Thursday evening presentation is "Constructing a Tejano Memory."
His second lecture, which will be given in Spanish, is entitled "El Imperio de los Ranchos Tejanos." That presentation will be at noon on Friday, October 5 in the Multipurpose Room of the Dick Smith Library. A lecture given in Spanish is a first for the Speaker Symposium lecture series, and an event we plan to repeat later in the school year.
Both lectures are free and open to the public. Proof of attendance will be available for any professor wishing to award extra credit for his or her students.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Banned Book Week
Celebrate Banned Book Week - FREE PEOPLE READ FREELY!! The library has several displays on the main and lower levels showing just a few of the many books that have been questioned.
Also on Wednesday October 3rd, @ Noon - the library will host a Brown Bag Lunch: The Oppressed and the Oppressors.
Banned Book Week is a celebration of our freedom to read, to seek, hold, receive, and disseminate ideas, even if they are unorthodox or unpopular. Help spread the word! Encourage your friends and colleagues to celebrate their freedom to read. It's one of our most important democratic freedoms!
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