Finding Primary Sources for U.S. History Papers

Where can you go if you need primary sources for a research paper in your history class?  As a reference librarians, sometimes it is challenging to help students looking for primary sources.  Wikipedia defines a primary source like this:

 Primary source is a term used in a number of disciplines to describe source material that is closest to the person, information, period, or idea being studied.

The University of Maryland Libraries also explains the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources in more detail, offering useful examples.  Essentially an item or document created by a single person at the time of the event can also be considered a primary source, so primary sources could be any of the following:

• Letters between individuals
• Diaries or personal journals
• Speeches written and given at an event
• Newspaper articles written at the time of the event
• Original studies published in peer-reviewed journals
• Books reviews of titles that are recently published (Some people may argue that any book review is a primary source as it recounts the recent event of someone's experience or reaction to reading a book, whether it is a new book or not.)

 Milestone Documents of American Leaders: Exploring the Primary Sources of Notable Americans. Ed. Paul Finkelman.  Dallas, TX: Schlager Group, 2009.

This four-volume title contains many primary documents of well-known Americans, beginning with colonial figures like Abigail Adams and George Washington while also including more recent figures like Sandra Day O'Conner and George W. Bush.  Yes, this could be one of the best places for finding primary sources.

The first entry in volume #4 features Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (1908-1972), who was a U.S. Congressman in the 1940s through the 1960s.  His entry commences with these life details, plus mention of the three primary sources associated with him:

• Speech on Civil Rights (1955)
• "Black Power: A Form of Godly Power" (1967)
• "Black Power and the Future of Black America" (1971)

Each entry holds to the same structure: overview, explanation and analysis of documents, impact and legacy, key sources, further readings, essential quotes, questions for further study, and, last of all, the primary documents themselves.  The overview about Representative Powell's life provides specific details about his life that are relevant to the documents in question.  In the pages that explain and analyze the documents there appears a timeline of his life, noting significant events mostly related to his political life.  A glossary explains words, contextual references, and may give an entire person's name when a partial one is given in the text.

Each of the entries include a large, full-page photo on the page before the article begins.  Use the subject index at the end of the fourth volume if you need to find where certain persons or ideas are mentioned within the four-volume set.  Placed before the index is a list of documents by category:

• Correspondence and Diaries
• Essays, Reports, and Manifestos
• Interviews
• Legal
• Legislative
• Military
• Presidential/Executive
• Speeches/Addresses (looks like the lengthiest section)

Each volume contains a "Contents" section at the beginning for the whole set, listing all the individuals in alphabetical order.

All in all, this appears to be a great resource for anyone looking to find primary sources of American leaders.  Take a look in your library's catalog to see if they have this reference set.  If your library does have this title, they may also have the E-book version that you could access online.  Look for a link to access the E-book.

Following is one of the "Essential Quotes" from Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.:

Tremendous changes are taking place in our country eradicating the concept of second-class citizenship.  Yet the United States Congress has done absolutely nothing in this sphere.  We are behind the times.  We are a legislative anachronism.  In an age of atomic energy, our dynamic is no more powerful than a watermill.  (Speech on Civil Rights, 1955, p.1740)

Information Literacy: Necessary for Librarians, Too

Reference librarians often need to apply evaluation skills in their jobs.  I constantly need refreshers to remember the ACRL's Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.  Here's a direct quotation:

Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning. It is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning. An information literate individual is able to:

• Determine the extent of information needed
• Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
• Evaluate information and its sources critically
• Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base
• Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
• Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally

When a local or state consortium reviews database contracts this can change what individual libraries make available to their patrons.  New resources can be made available, especially if the state covers the costs of databases for which the individual already subscribes.  Idaho's state library operates the LILI (Libraries Linking Idaho) website and made an announcement not long ago that told which databases had acquired for residents of Idaho to access over the next year or two.

Recently, I was asked to look for and make recommendations for a political science database.  My supervisor recommended that I use three resources I was not aware of previously: CUFTS, JISC, and Charleston Advisor.

CUFTS: Open Source Serials Management offers a  tool that allows you to compare periodical titles between two different databases.  This resource comparison tool lists hundreds of databases created by some of the major database providers.  Say you want to compare the ProQuest Central database with EBSCO's Academic Search Complete database.  It may take a few minutes for the report to load, but when it does it is easy to see each periodical title according to their distinctions.  Duplicate titles that appear in both databases are listed next to each other in two columns, so it is easy to see which one just indexes, which one offers full-text access, and the years of coverage, including length of embargo periods.  At the end of this long chart, CUFTS gives the number of duplicate titles, then it lists the unique titles in each database with the other coverage information given as well.

• Found 4170 duplicate holdings.
• Found 13502 unique holdings in the ProQuest Central database.
• Found 9664 unique holdings in EBSCO's Academic Search Complete.

What kinds of things should database evaluators be watchful for? Many of these questions can be answered using the CUFTS: Resource Comparison tool.

• Does the database contain a lot of freely available content, such as government documents?  This can pad their numbers.
• How much of the content is current?
• How far back does the content go?
• How much full-text access is provided?
• Are important journals or magazines available in full text?

Like the website indicates, the Charleston Advisor offers "critical reviews of web products for information professionals."  It might be a bit tricky to find reports that are useful, so try browsing their list of reports. They have well-researched reports that go back ten years or more.  Reports are published as pdf's.  They give an overall score for the resource, plus they grade on specific aspects of a resource:

• Content
• Searchability
• Pricing Options
• Contract Options

As an example, the Ninteenth Century Masterfile earned 4 3/4 stars over all out of five possible stars.  Searchability earned only four stars and received five stars in all the rest of the categories.  For content they claim: "This is the most comprehensive research tool for nineteenth century studies. It should be the researcher’s first stop to explore the literature."  It seems like a great resource for evaluating academic databases as long as you can find the product you are looking for.  I had difficulty finding very many reviews on political science products.

Last, the JISC: Academic Database Assessment Tool also makes it easier for information professionals and librarians to evaluate vendor products.  Admittedly, this is the one I know the least about, but the home page shows that they have links to search and compare title lists of major bibliographic and full-text databases.  They explain their site in these terms:

This site from JISC Collections aims to help libraries to make informed decisions about future subscriptions to bibliographic and full text databases. More information about the site's data sourcing and comparison method is available on the 'About' page.

View visual dashboards showing charts and stats for each database.

Review dates that title lists in ADAT were last updated by suppliers.

Generate tables comparing the key features of database platforms.

Compare and contrast the core functionality of eBook platforms.

It looks like a useful tool.  Take a look at them and let me know if you found them helpful.  What do you look for when evaluating databases for your institution?

Finding Government Contact Information

At the reference desk we have a great resource for those looking to find contact information to government agencies, Congress, and a few nongovernmental organizations.

Washington Information Directory 2009-2010: The Definitive Source for Finding and Making Contacts at U.S. Government and Nongovernmental Organizations in Washington, DC.  Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2009.

Like many good reference resources, the directory includes a useful section on "How to Use This Directory" toward the front of the book. It interprets the various elements of an entry, telling which part indicates the parent organization alongside all of the contact information.  When no city is listed, the directory says to assume Washington, DC, so if any mail needs to be sent to a particular agency, the sender is advised to write Washington, DC before the zip code.  They do this to save on space within the directory. "Departments and agencies generally have their own zip code" (xi).  For example, the Senate's Office Buildings have the zip code 20510, and the House's Office Buildings have 20515 as the zip code.

They recommend that individuals with questions "first" call the toll free numbers whenever those are available.  "Often you can get the answer you need without searching any further.  If not, an explanation of your query should put you in touch with the person who can answer your question."  The directory provides fax numbers in case persons want to share more complex information that way, rather than over the phone.

Internet and e-mail can be effective means for communicating with government offices.  Lots of information can be found via government websites; however, the directory offers the following disclaimer if you will:

If you have Internet access, try the Web site, but bear in mind that this approach is not always faster or better than a phone call: connections can be slow, menus can be complex or confusing, and information can be incomplete or out of date. (xi)

Three indexes at the end of the book can prove helpful in locating information more quickly:

1. Name Index
2. Organization Index
3. Subject Index

Organizational charts appear throughout the volume, particularly for the larger agencies.

Here's a sample entry among the thousands listed:

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 4330 East-West Hwy., #519, Bethesda, MD 20814; (301) 504-7908. Fax, (301) 504-0399. Nancy Nord, Chair (Acting); Patricia Semple, Executive Director. TTY, (800) 638-8270. Public Affairs, (301) 504-7908. Congressional Relations, (301) 504-7903. Product safety hotline, (800) 638-2772.

General e-mail, info@cpsc.gov

Web, www.cpsc.gov

 Establishes and enforces product safety standards; collects data; studies the causes and prevention of product-related injuries; identifies hazardous products, including imports, and recalls them from the marketplace.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission fits under the large umbrella of "Consumer Protection."  Other agencies and departments under this tent include but are not limited to:

• Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC)
• Transportation Dept. (DOT), Aviation Consumer Protection
• Consumers Union of the United States (This is a nongovernmental group aka NGO.)
• Comptroller of the Currency (Treasury Dept.)
• National Injury Information Clearinghouse (Consumer Product Safety Commission)
• Cosmetic Ingredient Review (This is an NGO.)
• Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)

 This directory includes a list of all the U.S. representatives and senators in the 111th Congress as well as all of the congressional committee assignments.

How can I Find Book Reviews

While at the reference desk today, someone called and asked for help in finding book reviews. As a librarian I was a bit embarrassed to suggest Amazon.com first. It came to mind first, because I use it frequently in my collection-development duties. There was a book review for the title she needed; however, it was not lengthy enough or fit her criteria.

Next, I thought to search for the New York Times Book Review in our A-Z Journal List, so we searched within EBSCOhost's Academic Search Complete, but not book review could be found for her book.

As a last result, and somewhat reluctantly, I suggested we conduct a Google search. By placing quotation marks around the words in the title, plus the words "book review" we succeeded in finding at least one book review that satisfied this particular student's needs. Interestingly enough, the first result was link to the Amazon entry we had looked at first, but the second looked more legitimate as it had a .edu domain.

Anyway, it should not surprise me that book reviews are freely available on the internet, since book sellers want people to find out about their titles to increase sales.

Out of curiosity, I searched our Library's website to find out if we had a guide for finding book reviews. We do. With the straight-forward title "How to Find Book Reviews," you can find out which resources in the Eli M. Oboler Library system contain book reviews. Print titles are mentioned, such as Book Review Index [Reference Collection: Z1035.A1 B6] and Book Review Digest (which we only have in paper copy [Ref. Coll.: Z1219 .C96], but a lot of the full-text reviews are in materials that we can get to with our A-Z Journal List). A colleague of mine tells me that when she was in MFA school, they were the standard references/indexes for finding quality book reviews and citations, and she still uses them on occasion. Additionally, they also relied on Contemporary Literary Criticism (Ref. Coll.: PN771 .C59).

Still, the internet seems to be the easiest way to find book reviews. Where they come from and how useful they may be is a different question, though.

Problem-Based Learning Article by Barbara Ferrer Kenney

Have you ever wondered how to get out of a teaching rut? Many librarians continue to offer demonstrations on databases and library catalogs, which include a lot of talking. In many cases students do not get engaged and do not retain the information, nor do they develop information-literacy skills. Barbara Ferrer Kenney wrote an article which was published a year ago titled: "Revitalizing the One-Shot Instruction Session Using Problem-Based Learning (PBL)."

Kenney cites the Department of Chemical Engineering at McMaster University when she defines problem-based learning in the following terms: "any learning environment where the problem drives the learning" (386). Essentially, students must become owners of their own learning and actively participate in answering questions, solving problems, and working together in groups. Kenney affirms that "PBL is 'worth the effort' because of the similarities between the goals of PBL and information literacy instrction" (386). The hands-on component requires that they pick up on skills and knowledge along the way as they work to solve the problem presented them.

For instructors, Kenney acknowledges that it can be difficult and scary to relinquish some authority and control in the classroom, but the results of this kind of instruction apparently surpass that of basic instruction. Students develop critical thinking skills, abilities to find, evaluate, and use information while collaborating in groups. The group work fosters their communication skills. to the degree that they engage in the problem-based activity they increase their skills and interest levels in ways that will likely lead to life-long learning.

Instructors need to remember that their work in the classroom may not be as intensive; however, their preparations before the class begins may require more time and collaboration with the faculty member. Kenney emphasizes the importance of creating an outline "that relies on defined goals and objectives based on a problem that captures student interest" (387). Matching a session's objectives with the ACRL Information Literacy Standards takes time.

The article discusses how to develop the problem, how to create the outline, how to deal with some of the challenges, and how to follow up and assess the experience. Overall, this article provided solid reasons for adapting this teaching methodology, while also offering enough useful ideas on how to implement this change effectively. Certainly, a radical change like this requires a bit of courage as Kenney states here: "While the process may require librarians to step out of their comfort zone in the delivery of the session, it does provide the opportunity for students and faculty to experience library instruction in a new and dynamic way" (391).

Consider problem-based learning as a viable option for your library instruction. Students may come away having learned more and gained a greater interest in their research. This active approach thrusts students into a learning mode that forces them to think and act more than they would in a demonstration where they would passively receive information, which would not be retained as readily.

Kenney, Barbara Ferrer. "Revitalizing the One-Shot Instruction Session Using Problem-Based Learning." Reference & User Services Quarterly 47.4 (2008): 386-91.

Keeping Up on the Professional Literature

Professionals in any field tend to do better if they keep up on the professional literature. This kind of blanket generalization is certainly fodder for debate, but when supervisors and administrators higher up the chain talk about how the professionals ought to be keeping up on their field's research it means it ought to be done.

Unfortunately, with so many projects it can be difficult to keep up, so it's important to develop strategies. If you work in a library where they route your favorite periodicals to your desk, it may not be a bad idea to develop some strategies like looking at the table of contents and deciding which, if any, of the articles you have time to read, which are worth reading in other words.

Academic librarians would do well to keep an eye on The Chronicle of Higher Education to keep abreast of the salient issues in academe. Library journals can be quite useful as well. One periodical that I have come to appreciate is Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning. It focuses on issues of teaching, learning, assessment, and academic life in higher education.

For example, in the most recent May/June 2009 issue Michael Fischer writes an article titled "Defending Collegiality." He argues that a code of conduct should be written that advocates civility and collegiality. Starting his article, he references Robert I. Sutton's book The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't. Some might argue that a code of conduct might inhibit free expression or intellectual freedom, but the reality is that those who attack others keep the rest in the group from speaking up:

The individuals Sutton is criticizing--the bullies, jerks, and so on--themselves chill debate through personal attacks, intimidation, and invective. One sign of this is the relief felt when they are away. Instead of disappearing, dissent blossoms, as individuals can now express ideas without fear of vicious recrimination and unfounded attack. (22)

Fischer addresses the negative atmospheres that exist in many academic departments and calls for more collegiality and less political in-fighting. One gets the sense that collegiality would go a long way toward improving the institution as a whole while also fomenting innovation and academic rigor. Fischer concludes:

In my experience, most people treat others in the academic workplace with respect, consideration, and care, conduct code or no conduct code. My intent here has not been to legislate collegiality but to make sure that in those rare instances when enough is enough, when egregious behavior persists and reaches a carefully defined tipping point, faculty members and administrators are in a position to do something about it. (25)

Another article in the same issue is authored by Barbara Ischinger and Jaana Puuka, "Universities for Cities and Regions: Lessons from the OECD Reviews." It talks about the importance of universities to work with their local and regional economies to improve both research and the economy. If a university wants to become a world-class institution it needs to develop this supportive, collaborative environment.

Buried at the back of the issue is an article titled "Books Worth Reading" by Mary Taylor Huber. With a title like this, how could a librarian like myself not be interested? She reviews two books that discuss the ideas of the best books programs. Her discussion of these books prompted me to recommend these titles for purchase by our general collections bibliographer.

Title #1: A Great Idea at the Time: The Rise, Fall, and Curious Afterlife of the Great Books. Alex Beam. New York: Public Affairs Publishing, 2008, 256 pgs, $24.95 hardcover.

Title #2: Racing Odysseus: A College President Becomes a Freshman Again. Roger H. Martin. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008, 280 pgs, $24.95 hardcover.

What the Best College Teachers Do (A Book Review)

Many librarians in the last ten or fifteen years have found themselves in situations they never dreamed of previously--instruction settings. Generally speaking, individuals who have entered the library profession may have done so in part because they did not want to teach or stand in front of people to give presentations. While this may have been possible 40 to 50 years ago, it no longer holds true. Academic librarians need to learn about teaching issues just as much as their full-time faculty colleagues across campus. Ken Bain's book What the Best College Teachers Do is a great place to start learning about teaching and learning issues, because it explores his findings from a longitudinal study on a large sample of the best college teachers.

First, a good college teacher must be knowledgeable in his/her discipline; however, expert knowledge of one's field does not automatically qualify a person to become a great teacher. He writes: "The people in our study, unlike so many others have used their knowledge to develop techniques for grasping fundamental principles and organizing concepts that others can use to begin building their own understanding and abilities" (16). Certainly, in-depth understandings of a topic can give anyone a great deal of confidence, but the best teachers actively seek for ways in which they can lead others to similar understandings.

Great teachers do not want to create a pandemonium of parrots. No, they honestly want to influence students to become lifelong learners who passionately explore the big questions of life. Bain says: "While others, for example, talk about transmitting knowledge and building a storehouse of information in the students' brains, our subjects talk about helping learners grapple with ideas and information to construct their understanding" (16). Teaching is not an easy thing to do, but Bain asserts that people can learn how to become better teachers. In fact, that is the main purpose of his book: "Most of all, I hope readers will take away from this book the conviction that good teaching can be learned" (21).

This book challenges the idea that someone is either born a good teacher or they are not. For inexperienced and experienced teachers alike, it can be temptingly easy to fault the students when a class does not go well. Student attitudes and preparations can make a huge difference, but Bain claims that the best college teacher "didn't blame their students for any of the difficulties they faced" (19). Instead they tended to examine what had happened and then modify their approach to achieve better results.

The seven chapters and epilogue focus on key teaching issues:
1. Definitions of the best teachers
2. What they know about learners and students
3. How they prepare to teach
4. Their expectations of students
5. How they conduct class
6. How they treat students
7. How they evaluate students and themselves
Epilogue: What we can learn from them

I highly recommend that librarians with teaching responsibilities pick up this book and consider how they can use its principles to improve library instruction. Bain writes in a very accessible manner and constantly pulls quotes and anecdotes from interviews while making observations and conclusions throughout the book.

Teachers in all fields of study can begin to do what the best teachers do. Bain concludes: "Excellent teachers develop their abilities through constant self-evaluation, reflection, and the willingness to change" (172).

LexisNexis Academic = Great for Finding Court Cases

One of our most versatile resources, this database provides access to scholarly research, newspaper articles, business data, and legal materials. It allows its users to search the archives of specific newspapers or journals, including the local paper like the Post Register and national ones like The New York Times. The legal tab provides options for searching tax law, federal and state cases, Shepard’s Citations, as well as federal and state laws (the database uses the word “code” here). In the business tab you can search for company-specific information: its history, current value of their stocks, names of its executives, contact information, and more. For help with this resource, talk to the librarians at the reference desk.

I just helped a student today find some Idaho case called State v. Guzman, which he knew had taken place in 1992. Under the Legal tab, LexisNexis allows you to input case names by providing two empty search boxes with a "v." between them. When we searched for "State v. Guzman" there were about 200 results that turned up, and we even had specified "Idaho" as a source or option. When he keyed "Idaho State v. Guzman," we found it right away.

LexisNexis Academic seems to be a lot more user friendly than it used to be a few years ago, but many still consider it to be user unfriendly. The way they display the results it not useful--the typeface does not make it easy to separate the different elements of the result. It can still be a very powerful database, though.

Finding Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Loans

Do you need some scholarship money to help pay for your schooling? Where can you go for help? If you want to search for yourself, you might try conducting some internet searches to find databases with scholarship information, such as www.scholarships.com and Adventures in Education's Scholarship site.

Another option would be to find a reference book at your library that has already compiled contact information of organizations that offer scholarships. At the Idaho State University Library there are at least two books, which might prove useful:
1. The Scholarship Book. 12th Edition. The Complete Guide to Private-Sector Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Loans for the Undergraduate. It contains 4,000 scholarship sources, 400,000 awards worth over $2 billion, and awards up to $40,000 per year. Editors have organized this book by the major fields of study: art, business, education, engineering, humanities, mathematics, science, social sciences, vocational education, and general studies. Subcategories within these broad fields also appear.

Beneath the English Language and Literature section there appear various foundations with the details for eligibility, contact information, website, how to apply, deadlines, number of awards, and the amount of each award. Therefore students may write essays about any of three of Ayn Rand's books for scholarships, which would need to be submitted to the Ayn Rand Foundation for the judging process. This book is over 650 pages, so that provides some indication as to the number of scholarships available for the motivated student. Call Number: REF LB2337.2.S28 2006.

2. The College Blue Book. 36th Edition. Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Loans. This title also organizes its information into disciplines of study. Like the previous title it also give contact information, sponsor of the award, title of the award, fields of study eligible to apply, level of education required, awards given, funds available, eligibility requirements, deadlines, websites, and sources of additional information.

This source would be useful not only for undergraduate and graduate students, but it would also be good for professionals in the field looking for grants and fellowships. Call Number: REF LA226.C685 2009.

Need assistance? At most colleges and universities you can find help from professionals at the Financial Aid Office. They can give advice, recommendations, point you to useful resources, and sometimes they can look over applications for you to verify you have all the required materials and that you completed it accurately. At Idaho State University, the Financial Aid Office provides the following mission statement:

"The Scholarship Office administers the University scholarship program (around $10 million in scholarship disbursements each year) and coordinates timely scholarship-related activity including scholarship announcements and advertising, application screening, selection processes, award notification, and tracking of scholarship recipients. We exist to help students find scholarship opportunities and to help donors find qualified students for their scholarships. We hope you'll find the information linked from our website useful. If you have any questions or need help, please feel free to contact us."

Some universities assign specific individuals to help students with scholarship searches. The ISU Scholarship Office can be contacted here:

ISU Scholarship Office
921 S 8th Ave, Stop 8391
Museum Building, Room 327
Pocatello, ID 83209-8391
Phone: (208) 282-3315
Fax: (208) 282-5717
Email: scholar@isu.edu

Reference librarians can also be helpful in finding scholarship information, though they are not trained to review applications or provide advice. See contact information below:

Idaho State University
Eli M. Oboler Library
Reference Department
921 S. 8th Ave, Stop 8089
Pocatello, ID 83209-8089

* Phone: (208) 282-3152
* Email: refdesk@isu.edu

Reference Books About Marine Mammals

In many of the instruction sessions I teach, I like to emphasize the importance of consulting reference materials. Reading an article from an encyclopedia can help you know the basics on a given topic. Reference materials generally do not need to be cited, as they often include information that the experts in that field consider common knowledge on that topic. In several places the index finger symbol is used in close association with reference books, and rightly so, because reference books point or refer you to other sources. Near the end of an encyclopedia article a bibliography or list of sources appears, directing you to sources that contain more in-depth research/information.

Here are some more reference books worth looking at:

1. Encyclopedia of Human-Animal Relationships: contains animal rights information, articles on anthropomorphism, and entries about humans and animals in art, biology, economics, film, etc. Useful features include cross references, side bars, list of and references.

Some may find it annoying that major topics may be split among different volumes, so a section on animals in film might start in one volume and conclude in another. Since there is no list of subheadings, consult the index to find specific items of interest. The art section appeared to be rather short.

Call Number: QL85 .E53 2007.
Volumes: 4

Note: The editor of this encyclopedia is Marc Bekoff, a founder of an animal-rights group, so the encyclopedia will be a bit slanted in that direction.

2. Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals provides information on all types of ocean mammals and includes 16 color images toward the beginning of the volume. It has over 1400 pages and includes a useful index.
Call Number: QL713.2 .E63 2002

Entries give specific information on various species, such as their taxonomy, anatomical and physiological feature, population size, ecology, eating or foraging habits, life cycles, behavior, demographic parameters, and relations with humans. Maps portray their habitat ranges, black-and-white photographs give an idea of what they look like, and a list of references point to further information.

General articles talk about marine-mammal fossils, coloration of marine mammals, sociobiology, swimming, and many other related subjects.

3. Marine Mammals of the World: A Comprehensive Guide to their Identification is a newer volume (2008) and includes beautiful color photographs of animals in their aquatic settings. It contains a glossary of terms, an index, references, skull morphology, and a dichotomous identification key.

As the title suggests, this book seeks to aid individuals so they may "more easily identify marine mammals that they may come across during trips to sea, while walking on the beach, or when visiting a museum or other research collection" (xi). By marine mammals they mean "cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), pinnipeds (seals sea lions, and walruses), sirenians (manatees, dugongs, and sea cows), marine and sea otters, and the polar bear. [...] The term marine mammal, therefore, implies no systematic or taxonomic relationship. In fact, the cetaceans are more closely related to camels and hippos than they are to other marine mamals, the pinnipeds have more in common with bears and weasels, and the sirenians are more closely allied to elephants and hyraxes. These differences no withstanding, however, all marine mammals have one thing in common--they derive all (or most) of their food from marine (or sometimes fresh) water" (1). Not surprisingly, this book is organized by these group distinctions.

Reference Books

Periodically, the librarians who work at the Idaho State University Reference Desk meet together to talk about reference books. It gives us an opportunity to understand what we have in our collection that may be of interest to students and faculty. This post seeks to highlight some of these resources and their strengths. Look in our catalog to verify call numbers and locations.

1. The Worldwide History of Dress includes many color images and descriptions of mostly traditional and non-western clothing. Each of the ten sections focuses on major geographical areas in the world. Images portray brightly-colored costumes with ornate dragons, flowers, animals, etc. Dimensions of the articles of clothing appear next to the images.

Reproductions of historical documents also appear that emphasize the clothing theme of various cultures. Entries also detail basic histories of the peoples who have created the articles of clothing, the materials used to make the clothing, and a little bit about the process required for creating them.

It includes a full glossary of terms, an extensive bibliography, and a lengthy index. You may wish to have a magnifying glass on hand when you consult these appendices.

Students and faculty in the fields of anthropology, theater, dance, and history may be the most interested in this book. Call Number: GT511 .A63 2007.

2. For those who are more interested in contemporary clothing The Complete Fashion Sourcebook may be just what you are looking for. This reference resource shows how styles of clothing changed from year to year in the twentieth century. Unfortunately, it does not cover all of the decades of the 20th century, nor does it show all of the styles, since it focuses mainly on upper-class fashions. For the everyday styles you might have better luck searching through old Montgomery Ward or Sears Roebuck catalogs.

Again, this book shows images, includes an index, and may be most useful to students of anthropology, theater, dance, and history. Call Number: GT596 .P393 2005.

3. The Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion was another interesting resource. Call Number: GT507 .E53 2005. It has three volumes and likely fills in a lot of the gaps left by the previous two resources discussed, while it may repeat some of the same things.

While I had hoped to discuss the other books in this post, it appears I am out of time tonight. Most reference materials turn out to be interesting to me as evidence by my experience tonight. Once I open them up I end up looking at them longer than I originally intended.

CQ Researcher

One of my favorite databases is CQ Researcher, which provides articles on "hot topics" each week by qualified writers. Not long ago I wrote a few potential blurbs about this database and sent them to the editor of our bathroom newsletter. It occurred to me just yesterday that these blurbs would be good for this information-literacy blog. This type of database seems like it would be particularly useful to those in Speech and lower-division courses where students need to discuss or write about current topics of interest. The editor's final edition appear at the end of this post.

Blurb #1

"Mexico’s Drug War: Is the violence spilling into the U.S.?" This is the title to a recent report published by CQ Researcher. This database discusses issues of current interest each week in the same format, looking at the past, present, and future of a particular phenomenon. Some students like the section where two experts take opposing sides to the question at hand. Others appreciate the extensive list of references at the end as it launches them on a fruitful research trajectory.

[Trajectory: adj. 1. Physics. Of or pertaining to that which is thrown or hurled through the air or space. N. 1. a. Physics. The path of any body moving under the action of given forces; by many modern writers restricted to that of a body not known to be moving, like a planet, in a closed curve or orbit; esp. the curve described by a projectile in its flight through the air.]

Blurb #2

Do you need to know more about an issue of current interest? Congressional Quarterly Researcher can fulfill your need. Each week it publishes substantive articles that deal with important phenomena in our society, typically with deep political ramifications. Take a look at the most recent issues, browse by topic, or search for issues important to you. Topics include cyberbullying, the drug war in Mexico, obesity in children, steroids in sports, global warming, etc.

Blurb #3

Will you need to write a term paper or a speech this semester? Take a look at one of the Library’s most interesting databases, CQ Researcher. It includes salient articles relevant to today’s most pressing issues, from Mexico’s drug wars to financial bailouts, gun rights to declining birth rates, and gay marriage to internet accuracy. Experts take sides on issues, outlining the pros and cons from their own perspectives. A large bibliography or works-cited section also proves useful for those willing to do more fulfilling, in-depth research.

Blurb # 4

Are you ready to branch out from the normal databases you usually access? This database, CQ Researcher, can help you understand issues of importance for our country, including a breakdown of its history, current situation, and future outlook. Find articles on China’s human rights, Mexico’s drug war, cyberbullying, race and politics, and much more. Each article offers other sources of information for digging deeper into the subject.

Editor's Final Edition Titled:

"For Current Events & Controversial Issues!"
Need to write a speech or a term paper on a "hot topic"? Try CQ Researcher, one of the Library's most interesting databases. Weekly reports focus on specific topics, from financial bailouts to Mexico's drug wars; gun rights to declining birth rates; gay marriage to Internet accuracy. Each includes:
• an overview of the topic
• an in-depth discussion of the current situation
• a Pro/Con section
• a very useful Chronology
• a bibliography
• an "Issue Tracker" for Related Reports.
Written by experts, all information is accurate and trustworthy. For help with CQ Researcher or any library resource, just ask at the Reference Desk!

Book Review: "The Art of Possibility."

Zander, Rosamund Stone and Benjamin Zander. The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life. New York: Penguin Books, 2002.

The content of this book lives up to the promise offered in the title. Rosamund and Benjamin Zander work together in seamless fashion to identify a few attitudes that can transform our lives. They emphasize the importance of “Rule Number 6”—Don’t take yourself so seriously, giving others an A, accepting things as they are in order to make better choices, and stepping into a world of possibility.

Another reviewer, a medical doctor named Christiane Northrup, offered this useful comment: “The very act of reading it with an open heart and mind will improve your health!” Indeed, the fresh anecdotes interweaved with insightful observations can really be liberating to say the least.

Originally, the Harvard Business School Press requested that the Zanders write a how-to book for both a business and a lay audience. Benjamin Zander relies on his plentiful successes as the conductor for the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, while Roz works from a different perspective—family therapy. These perspectives cast a holistic view onto their basic premises. For a sample of their style go to www.ted.com and key “Benjamin Zander on music and passion” into their search box for a 21-minute, inspirational video. It’s no wonder that their book became a national bestseller.

If you would like to read this book, check the ISU library catalog (or your own public library catalog) to verify its availability and call number.

Book Review: "Thinking About Teaching and Learning"

Leamnson, Robert. Thinking About Teaching and Learning: Developing Habits of Learning with First Year College and University Students. Sterling, VA: Stylus, 1999.

Robert Leamnson’s book invites professors and college instructors to consider the important issues of teaching and learning. His definitions of these two important college activities form a foundation for his observations. As a biologist he thinks of learning as it occurs in the brain with the stabilization of synapses and neurons; therefore, learning involves a physical growth in the brain. Obvious or not, the more parts of the brain one uses while studying a particular topic, the more chances exist that that information will persist. He affirms that language acquisition lies at the heart of all learning and that teachers should challenge their students to listen, read, write, speak, and collaborate with others.

Leamnson defines teaching as “any activity that has the conscious intention of, and potential for, facilitating learning in another.” Throughout the book Leamnson keeps a steady outlook on teaching. Unlike some proponents of teaching, he does not put his faith entirely in one pedagogical method; rather, he encourages teachers to develop an assortment of approaches in the classroom. In recent years the lecture has fallen on hard times, yet Leamnson still argues in favor of the lecture as long as it accompanies other techniques like quizzes, collaborative groups, dialogues with students, and so forth. These practical suggestions can be tried in the classroom among others not mentioned here.

With only 152 pages it exists as a rather quick read, and the fact that it does not delve into deep philosophical question makes it even more accessible to a broader audience of academics. His writing style tends to engage the reader. For anyone interested in improving their teaching, this book can really get you started on the right foot with down-to-earth pointers and encouragement to challenge students to engage in real learning. Check the Oboler catalog to verify availability and call number.