CultureGrams Can Take You Places!

The weather outside is frightful – making it the perfect time to do some traveling, both armchair and otherwise.  It’s also a time when many students find themselves slogging away on research papers, wishing that there was a quick way to determine the name of Albania’s president or the major exports of Tunisia.  Travelers and students alike will find CultureGrams (REF 901 v.1 and v.2) to be of use.  Take a trip to the library’s reference section and see for yourself!

CultureGrams has comprehensive reports for 108 countries.  25 topics are covered, including Land and Climate, Language, Gestures, Visiting, Eating, Family, Diet, Recreation, Government, Economy, and Transportation & Communications.  At the start of Volume One there are reports on the various continents, and at the end of Volume Two, there’s an extensive Glossary of Cultural Terms.  The individual country reports provide you with the information you need to avoid making major cultural gaffes during your next trip abroad (a certain library clerk at Brooks certainly wishes she’d read the report on South Korea before journeying there!) and piques your interest about the arts, food, and culture you will experience during your visit.

This is also a great source for those who are beginning research on a social studies or history paper.  The different topics covered in each country’s report ensure that the broadest possible picture is delivered to the reader.  With the variety of information on offer, something is sure to act as a catalyst for more in-depth investigation.

If you do not fall in either the “traveler” or the “student” category, fret not!  CultureGrams can be used by anyone with an interest in the world around them.  It can be great fun to skim over the different reports, soaking up assorted interesting facts about various faraway spots.  For instance, did you know that rice is a staple dish in the United Arab Emirates?  Or that Ilobasco, El Salvador is known for its fantastic pottery?

Automobile Repair

I hooked up my accelerator pedal in my car to my brake lights.  I hit the gas, people behind me stop, and I’m gone. ~Steven Wright

You, too, could modify your car or at least repair it with the help of the…

This database can be accessed through the Brooks Memorial Library Resource Page.  The step by step procedures and diagrams are meant specifically for the Do-It-Yourself crowd. The Auto Repair Reference center covers most major domestic and imported vehicles, starting in 1954.

This resource contains four main tabs.

The Vehicle tab allows you to look up the year, make, and model of your vehicle and choose a topic for instruction specific to your car.

The Auto IQ tab offers instructional diagrams and video clips on how to repair the main automotive systems: fuel management; engine management; heating and AC; and ignition management.

The Car and Repair Tips tab acts a general reference to automotive terms and systems, their history and meaning.

The Troubleshooting tab is divided into systems sections and helps walk you through the steps to diagnosis a problem.

Whether you want to crawl under your car to repair the exhaust system or not, this is an excellent resource to learn more about your vehicle or try to determine what the curious sound is coming from under the hood.

~ JESS WEITZ

Movie Resources

With Miramax Films shutting their doors, where is a girl to find good movies?! Well, it turns out good movies abound if you know where to look for reviews and listings.  There is truly a resource of everyone in the realm of free film information websites.

The most comprehensive overall site is the Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/). This site contains reviews and ratings of top box office movies, movies new to DVD/Blueray, television and news shows past and present, as well as a large database of past films and TV shows. The database can be searched by title of the movie, directors, characters, and plot.  The pages for a single movie include video, still images, linked citations to those involved in the film, and user ratings. See below.

If IMBd does not have quite the feel you are looking for, try one of these other sites:

Movie Review Intelligence (http://moviereviewintelligence.com/) is another excellent and comprehensive site for current and past movies, with a very strong coverage of movie reviews.

If you prefer a little more commentary and chaos in your sources, try Rotten Tomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ ) which covers both film and DVD titles and offers RSS feeds for individual topics on its site.

Are you particularly interested in following film festival films? Try Film Festivals (http://www.filmfestivals.com/index.shtml ). The site contains a international directory of festivals  and information about the films shown in past and present festivals.

Perhaps you are an old movies buff? The Golden Years (http://www.thegoldenyears.org/ ) is a directory of movies from 1939 to 1969 that includes movie description, actor and director information, and original movie poster

How do I find what’s showing in my area? Type your zip code in at http://www.moviefone.com/ Our very own Latchis Theater does have their own website too:  http://www.latchis.com/indexTheater.php

How do I watch movies for free online? Most tend to offer older titles. Try, http://www.jaman.com/ http://www.classiccinemaonline.com/ , and http://www.hulu.com/

If you limit yourself only to movies that have librarians as characters (anyone? anyone?), bookmark the site http://emp.byui.edu/raishm/films/introduction.html .

And if you prefer print resources, please come into the library and head to call number 791 for more movie resources!

Rule, Britannica?

Thanks to the patron who asked for clarification on the last blog post.  How does one actually search the Britannica Online?   Good question.  Here are some tips, and I’m writing them down without the links so you can practice all the steps to get there:

On the Library’s website www.brooks.lib.vt.us, click on Resources > Reference > Britannica Online.  It will prompt you for your library card number: type the whole 14-digit number with no spaces.

Once you’re in, you have various options for searching.  They always have fun features like “This Day in History,” if you just want to browse.  If you want to research a specific topic, you can type a keyword into the search box, but that’s not my favorite way; I think you get better results by clicking the link called The Index, which is near the top of the screen, below the search box, next to the word BROWSE.  On the Index screen, you can click the first letter of the word you want to search or use the Index search box.

For example, find the word ECOLOGY in the index, either by clicking on the E and working your way in through the alphabetical list or by typing the term into the Index search box.  There are two entries for the word.  If you click the first one, it produces a list of reference links to related articles in the online encyclopedia.  Even better, it displays several links on the left side of the screen called Content related to this topic.  If you click on the link for “Main Article,” you’ll get a nice 5-page overview.

To be honest, I think that the online Britannica has to work on its  design.  The way they display search results often obscures the main articles and highlights passing references.  Once you get comfortable with it, though, it’s wonderful having online access to this detailed, authoritative encyclopedia.

Jeanne

Reference help for la dolce vita

Wikipedia addicts: your options have expanded.  The Brooks Memorial Library’s website offers access to Britannica Online free to all from inside the Library.  Cardholders also have access from home.  Click on Resources > Reference, and log in with your library card number.

Why choose Britannica over Wikipedia? Because it is, according to itself, “the oldest English-language general encyclopaedia,” first appearing in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1768.  It has the weight and authority of centuries behind it.  And if you’re working on a paper, chances are your teacher will accept it as a legitimate source in your bibliography.

Why choose Wikipedia over Britannica?  It can be an easy starting point for research, and it’s strong in particular subject areas.  I love it for questions on popular culture, for example. But remember it doesn’t have the same editorial oversight as Britannica and isn’t considered a reliable source in many academic environments.

Today, I staged a Britannica/Wikipedia death match over Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini (born January 20^th, 1920), and these are my quick impressions:

Britannica:  Nice, long, detailed article about his life and works, with critical commentary.  Surprisingly, it has a wimpy bibliography, and the filmography is incorporated into the essay; there’s no handy list.  But it’s nicely illustrated with public-domain photos.

Wikipedia:  This one also has a substantial essay, but it’s more biographical than critical.  Excellent bibliography and a handy filmography and awards list – plus, you could read the article in Fellini’s native language!  Not many photos; try Google Images for that.

In other words, both sources have unique material, so why limit yourself?  It takes just minutes to search them both, and your knowledge will expand for your efforts.

Photo credits:  Fellini and Masina on the set of La Strada, still from 8 1/2, Mastroianni & Ekberg in still from La Dolce Vita. Courtesy Britannica Online.

Martin Luther King

It’s Martin Luther King Weekend…

Check out these great educational resources from FREE (Federal Resources for Educational Excellence):

Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement shows 41 churches, houses, and other properties related largely to the post-World War II civil rights movement. The links to these properties consist of photographs and texts, and the…  (National Park Service)

History and Politics Out Loud lets us hear key speeches by Martin Luther King Jr., Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and others. Listen to King’s “I have a dream” speech…  (Michigan State University, supported by National Endowment for the Humanities)

Our Shared History: African American Heritage tells about the Underground Railroad, African Americans in the Civil War, historic places of the civil rights movement, the Delta blues of the Lower Mississippi Valley, and landmarks…  (National Park Service)

Martin Luther King Jr. and the “I Have a Dream” Speech shows an image from the deposition of Martin Luther King regarding copyright infringement. On August 28, 1963, King delivered a speech to civil rights marchers gathered at the Lincoln…  (National Archives and Records Administration)

Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site features Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue, the neighborhood where the civil rights leader was born and raised. “Sweet Auburn,” as it came to be called, became the center of African American…  (National Park Service)

Court Documents Related to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Memphis Sanitation Workers provides fliers and other documents related to the demonstration in Memphis on March 28, 1968. On that day, students near the end of the march broke windows of businesses. Looting…  (National Archives and Records Administration)

New Year’s Resolutions @ Your Library

Okay, its January 14^th and we’re just publishing the post on New Year’s resolutions, so we are falling a little behind on our goals.  If you are having similar problems, or if you haven’t made any resolutions yet, check out the New Year’s Resolution list at usa.gov: it’s available any time for inspiration, and it includes links to helpful resources to support your goal.

If you do not find all the information you need at this site, come cruise the library shelves.  Here’s a general guide to some helpful resources:

Weight loss and Diets:   613.2

Exercise:  613.7 (and don’t forget the exercise DVDs)

Money Management:   332

Travel:  914 – 918

Stress Management:  155.9  or  613.7 (yoga for stress relief)

Take up Knitting:   746.43

Stop Smoking:  616.86

Quit Postponing Your Blog Posts:  006.7

Happy New Year!

Ten Wonders of the* Website

* That’ s the BROOKS MEMORIAL LIBRARY website, which you should save to your shortcuts list because it’s the hub of the information universe!

Library cardholders, you can use these features from home, or anyplace you have access to the Web.  Visitors, you have free access to all but the account features on the computers at the Library: 224 Main Street in Brattleboro.

1. Quickly assemble all the articles, statistics, radio transcripts, and reference book entries you need for your paper on a controversial issue:

Choose Resources > Newspapers and Current Events > Opposing Viewpoints.  Choose a subject link, such as Population Growth, Affirmative Action, or Genetic Engineering, or search for your topic by keyword.

2. Find the most recent book by your favorite author in the Library’s collection: Choose Catalog > Browse > Authors.  Search for last name only; you’re less likely to run into trouble that way.  If we have books by your author, you will see a link to his or her full name in the result list; click to see all the titles the library owns.  To find the most recent title, look for the box that says Sort results by and choose Publication Date from the drop-down menu.

3. Download audiobooks to your MP3 player or other portable device:

Choose Audiobooks and follow the links for news and instructions.  You will have to download some free software to your computer before choosing audiobooks to export to your player.  Not all titles are compatible with all devices, but there is a good selection for both PC and MAC products, including the iPod.  Call us for help if you need it: 254-5290 x109.

4. Search the U.S. Census, 1790-1930, by name, state, birthplace, and other parameters:   Choose Resources > Local History & Genealogy > Heritage Quest.  “Search Census” is the first option.  Your search will lead you to facsimiles of the original handwritten Census intake forms.

5. Find biographical profiles, articles, and mini-bibliographies about pharaohs, saints, robber barons, supermodels, and other fascinating characters, past and present: Choose Resources > Biography > Wilson Web biography database.

6. Learn how to maintain your own car:

Choose Resources > Do it yourself >Auto Repair Reference Center.  Click on the year, make, and model, and then choose Repair Procedures, which opens up folders on the left side of the screen.  Choose the General Maintenance folder.  Not all makes and models have general maintenance info, but most do—and they’re illustrated.

7. Request an interlibrary loan without leaving your cozy chair:

Choose Resources and scroll down to the “Useful Links” section; you will find a link to an online form called Request an Interlibrary Loan.

8. Renew all your checked-out library items, still without leaving your cozy chair:   Choose My Account and type in your library card number and PIN (usually the last four digits of your phone number).  Click the boxes for what you want to renew, and then click “Renew Checked Items.”  Some categories of items, such as interlibrary loans, cannot be renewed this way, but most can.  If you need help logging in, call us.

9. Find high-quality images from major photo archives of U.S. presidents, dogsled teams in action, and barking elephant seals, among other things:

Choose Resources > Homework Help Grades K-6 > Kids InfoBits.  Click on the topic areas or search by keyword until you find your subject.  Then look for the “Images” tab; if it’s bright with black letters, click on it for pictures.  [Source Citation: "Inuit Hunter and Dogsled Team." (© Layne Kennedy/Corbis.) Animals with Jobs: Sled Dogs. Judith Janda Presnall. KidHaven Press, 2005.   Reproduced in Kids InfoBits.  Detroit:  Gale, 2009.   http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/KidsInfoBits]

10. Watch videos of past programs at the Brooks Memorial Library, including talks by author Howard Frank Mosher, former Iranian Ambassador Mansour Farhang, historian Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina, and others:

Choose Videos, and have fun!

Have you cleared your cache today?

Our wonderful webmaster recently updated the Library web page to highlight new services, and when we tried to view the changes, we were reminded of the importance of a mundane computer task: clearing the cache.  If you visit a site frequently, your computer is probably loading cached versions of the pages.  It’s a good practice to clear the cache on a regular basis; that way, the display on the screen reflects all the recent changes to the site.

For more about clearing the cache and other private data, click these links for Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Halloween for the Cautious

It’s late October: are you scared already?  Do not fear: the Librarian’s Internet Index has a goodie bag of web links to calm you.

For safer, happier trick-or-treating, check out the Halloween Safety Alert from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.  It offers handy tips, complete with diagrams.  For inter-species safety, read Holiday Pet Hazards and How to Prevent Them, and remember to lock up the chocolate.  If the very mention of chocolate makes you break out in an anxious, allergic skin rash, you might benefit from posts about alternative treats, including 10 Gluten-Free Halloween Party Recipes and the holiday menu at Vegans in Paradise, which includes “Howling Banshee Treats” and “Rolo the Pet Tarantula.”

Social anxiety might be the hidden plague at Halloween, but homebodies don’t have to miss out on the fun.  The U.S. Census Bureau has a special treat for data nerds, and history buffs have a very cool site with simulated flying vampire bats.  Or if all that is too overwhelming, you could spend a quiet evening at home preserving pumpkins.  The National Center for Home Food Preservation has all the instructions, but for heaven’s sake, heed their warning: “DO NOT MASH OR PUREE.”

Of course, if you insist on being reckless, there are plenty of resources to help you.  For example, you could print out vintage poison labels to slap on the punch bowl at your Halloween party.  Just imagine the look of horror on your guests’ faces when they see that they’re really drinking Deadly Nightshade or Carbolic Acid!  HA!  HA!  If they drape your car with toilet paper, don’t blame us: we did our best to keep you from harm.