Friday, December 14, 2007

Google Zeitgeist

How many times a day do you use a Google website? The just-released Google Zeitgeist ranks searches done during the 2007, classifying the most popular topics and people. In their words:

To get a glimpse of what's been on our collective consciousness, we mined billions of search queries to discover what sorts of things rose to the top. We encourage you to check out our findings to see if you, too, reflect the zeitgeist — the spirit of the times.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Webster's Open Dictionary

Have you seen any robotainment lately? Met anyone that calls themselves a concoctionist?

Are these really words? Yep. According to a new Merriam-Webster online dictionary anyway.

In addition to their online dictionary and thesaurus - the Merriam-Webster web page also contains a dictionary that classifies unusual words created from popular usage, colloquialisms and current slang. Terms found in the Open Dictionary are submitted by readers and are REALLY different from typical entries in the regular dictionary. Some recently submitted definitions include:

  • Gastronaut (noun) : An out of this world chef. Derived from latin 'Gastro-' meaning stomach, belly. Usage: Such a meal could only be cooked by the finest Gastronaut in the galaxy.

  • Informatia (noun) : a collection of individuals or groups that form a collective online or electronic-based identity. Usage: Informatias are beginning to serve as the foundation of online interaction.

  • polkadotical (adjective) : Having a lot of polka-dots. Usage: The shirt Caroline was wearing was very polkadotical.

  • Starbuckian (noun) : The lingo used by Starbucks employees to converse with each other. Can also be altered to refer to other coffee shops and their lingo. Usage: She isn't fluent enough in Starbuckian to understand what was said.

New Books---

New books processed this week in the Library. These are just a few items, if you'd like to see more new items OR need a particular title, stop by the Reference Desk and the staff will be happy to help you!
  • Age of fallibility : the consequences of the war on terror / George Soros. 973.931 S714a
  • The art of innovation : lessons in creativity from IDEO, America's leading design firm [compact disc/unabridged] / Tom Kelley, with Jonathan Littman. CD 658.4 K29a
  • Field guide to office technology / Ed Sobey. R 651.2 S677f
  • Food safety : old habits, new perspectives / by Phyllis Entis. 647.95 E612f
  • Happy hour at the Two Keys Tavern : poems / Jeff Worley. 811.54 W927h
  • Quest for global dominance : transforming global presence into global competitive advantage / Vijay Govindarajan, Anil K. Gupta. 658.049 G721q
  • Scams & swindles : phishing, spoofing, ID theft, Nigerian Advance Schemes, investment frauds, false sweethearts ; how to recognize and avoid financial rip-offs in the Internet age. 364.163 S283
  • Understanding Moore's law : four decades of innovation / edited by David C. Brock. 621.3815 U55
  • Voices of the American past : documents in U.S. history, / [edited by] Raymond M. Hyser, J. Chris Arndt. 973 V889
  • What the bleep do we know!? : discovering the endless possibilities for altering your everyday reality / William Arntz, Betsy Chasse, Mark Vicente. 530 A767w

More information on each title can be found in the catalog.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Best of Books - 2007 Lists

Still trying to find the perfect holiday gift? Ask a librarian -- books make great gifts and if you need some ideas, take a look at these Best Of... lists.

What did we miss? Remind us in the comments.

This week's new books~

New books processed this week in the Library. These are just a few items, if you'd like to see more new items OR need a particular title, stop by the Reference Desk and the staff will be happy to help you!
  • Accidental connoisseur : an irreverent journey though the wine world / Lawrence Osborne. 641.22 O81a
  • Almanac of business and industrial financial ratios / by Leo Troy. R 338.74 A445 2008
  • Basic manual for the lawyer's assistant / prepared by NALS and edited by Textbook Development Committee. R 349.73 B311
  • Conflict of laws in a globalized world / edited by Eckart Gottschalk. 340.9 C748
  • Expert resumes for people returning to work / Wendy S. Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark. R 650.142 E566e
  • Food snob's dictionary : an essential lexicon of gastronomical knowledge. R 641.503 K15f
  • Muslims, Christians, and the challenge of interfaith dialogue / Jane Idleman Smith. 261.2 S651m
  • Social atlas of the United States / William H. Frey ; with Amy Beth Anspach, John Paul DeWitt, and staff members of the Social Science Data Analysis Network. R 912.13 F893a
  • Tourism and gastronomy / edited by Anne-Mette Hjalager and Greg Richards. 910.83 T727
  • Web application hacker's handbook : discovering and exploiting security flaws / Dafydd Stuttard, Marcus Pinto. 005.8 S937w
More information on each title can be found in the catalog.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Word of the Year

Oxford University Press, the august group that authors the largest dictionary in the world, has announced their choice for Word of the Year for 2007. This year's word: locavore. What is it?

The “locavore” movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locavores also shun supermarket offerings as an environmentally friendly measure, since shipping food over long distances often requires more fuel for transportation.
The blogsphere is buzzing about the choice -- see discussions at Britannica Blog as well as debates at New York Times and Boston Globe regarding the merits of the runner up choices.

Previous winners include podcast for 2005 and carbon neutral for 2006.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Database of the week

What is critical thinking?

According to Grolier's Encyclopedia Online, it is:
... a wide range of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions an individual needs to evaluate claims and arguments in everyday situations, to discover and overcome personal prejudices and biases, to assess the reliability of information according to established intellectual standards, and to make decisions about what to believe and what to do.
The Opposing Viewpoints Database contains a way to not only research a topic for journal or newspaper articles, but also provides a thorough view of a topic including a glossary of key terms and thought provoking questions designed to inspire thinking and examination of the topic from both sides of an argument. Each of the critical thinking topics have a quiz to test knowledge of the subject and a bibliography to suggest useful books if more information is needed.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

This week's new books:

New books processed this week in the Library. These are just a few items, if you'd like to see more new items OR need a particular title, stop by the Reference Desk and the staff will be happy to help you!
  • Becoming an extraordinary manager : the 5 essentials for success / Len Sandler. 658.409 S217b
  • Computers : the life story of a technology / Eric G. Swedin and David L. Ferro. 004.09 S974c
  • Constitutional conflicts between Congress and the President / Louis Fisher. 342.73 F534c
  • Dinner at the new gene cafe : how genetic engineering is changing what we eat, how we live, and the global politics of food / Bill Lambrecht. 363.19 L226d
  • How Toyota became #1 : leadership lessons from the world's greatest car company / David Magee. 658.4 M191h
  • Java program and progress : from the beginning / Mahmood Shanbedi. 005.133 S528j
  • Leadership advantage : how the best companies are developing their talent to pave the way for future success / Robert M. Fulmer, Jared L. Bleak. 658.4 F973le
  • Tenth muse : my life in food / Judith Jones. 641.59 J77t
  • Think better : an innovator's guide to productive thinking /by Tim Hurson. 153.42 H966t
  • US labor in trouble and transition : the failure of reform from above, the promise of revival from below / Kim Moody. 331.88 M817u
More information on each title can be found in the catalog.

Daniel Boone

Did you know that Daniel Boone:
  • Commissioned his own coffin to be made, 3 years before his death. He was said to be quite proud of the cherry wood coffin and frequently showed it off to visitors.

  • Never wore a coonskin cap, only in historically inaccurate drawings does he wear one.

  • During his travels he was known to carry books along with him, a favorite was Gulliver's Travels.

Curious to know more? The Library has just received a copy of the new Daniel Boone biography by Robert Morgan, entitled simply Boone. Reviews can be found in the Courier Journal and the Washington Post.

To locate the book in the library collection, the call number is 976.902 M849b.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Database of the week~

Have you ever wondered about the history of the candy cane?

It's 2 weeks until finals and you need something more scholarly for a paper -- such as the nutritional aspects of certain kinds of cheese?

Both of these topics can be found in the
Hospitality & Tourism Index, a bibliographic database covering scholarly research and industry news relating to all areas of hospitality and tourism. The collection contains more than 670,000 records from more than 640 titles, with coverage dating as far back as 1965.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

This week's new books:

New books processed this week in the Library. These are just a few items, if you'd like to see more new items OR need a particular title, stop by the Reference Desk and the staff will be happy to help you!
  • Careers in child care / by Marjorie Eberts and Margaret Gisle. 362.71 E166c
  • Class with Drucker : the lost lessons of the world's greatest management teacher / by William A. Cohen. 658 C678c
  • Competing in a flat world : building enterprises for a borderless world / Victor Fung, William Fung, Yoram (Jerry) Wind. 658.5 F981c
  • Imbibe! : from absinthe cocktail to whiskey smash, a salute in stories and drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, pioneer of the American bar / David Wondrich. R 641.874 W872i
  • Lawyer's guide to fact finding on the Internet / by Carole A. Levitt, Mark E. Rosch. 340.73 L666l
  • Numbers behind NUMB3RS : solving crime with mathematics / Keith Devlin, Gary Lorden. 363.25 D497n
  • Redefining education in the twenty-first century : shaping collaborative learning in the age of information / by Dennis Adams and Mary Hamm. 370.973 A211r
  • Simple art of marrying food and wine / [by Malcolm Gluck and Mark Hix] ; photographs by Jason Lowe.
  • Tales from Kentucky lawyers / William Lynwood Montell. 349.769 M776t
  • World atlas of wine / Hugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson. R 641.22 J67w

More information on each title can be found in the catalog.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Holiday Break hours

The Library will be open the following hours for the Thanksgiving break:

Monday, November 19 - Wednesday, November 21
8am-5pm

Thursday, November 22 - Sunday, November 25
CLOSED




Friday, November 9, 2007

Database of the week~

ABI-Inform is the definitive business database for articles on economics, human resources, finance, marketing, computers as well as fast access to information on over 60,000 companies. Searches can track business conditions, management techniques, business trends, management practice and theory, and corporate strategy and tactics.

Sullivan Libraries subscribe to the ABI-INFOM Research module which contains over 1,750 journals, with more than 1,160 available in full-text. Also included is indexing for the The Wall Street Journal, Eastern Edition back to 1984.

For searching help, there is a Proquest tutorial as well as a Quick Reference Guide available. Help is always available at the Reference Desk -- a librarian can walk you through how to access or search in ABI-Inform.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

New books this week--

New books processed this week in the Library. These are just a few items, if you'd like to see more new items OR need a particular title, stop by the Reference Desk and the staff will be happy to help you!

  • American masala : 125 new classics from my home kitchen / Suvir Saran and Raquel Pelzel. 641.5954 S243a
  • Cyberselling : using CRM technology to help you sell / Russ Lombardo. 658.85 L842c
  • The Ghirardelli cookbook : recipes and history from America's premier chocolate maker / By The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. 641.3374 G425
  • How to cook everything vegetarian : simple meatless recipes for great food / Mark Bittman ; Illustrations by Alan Witschonke. 641.5636 B624h
  • Innovation nation / by John Kao. 338.06 K16i
  • Juggling elephants : an easier way to get your big, most important things done--now! / Jones Loflin & Todd Musig. 650.1 L828j
  • Mastering project management / by James P. Lewis. 658.404 L674m
  • SPSS for Windows step-by-step : a simple guide and reference : 15.0 update. 519.5 G347s
  • The millionaire next door : the surprising secrets of America's wealthy / Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko. 305.5 S789mi
  • The stationary economy / J.E. Meade. 330.011 M481s

More information on each title can be found in the catalog.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Reading suggestions

Searching for something fun to read? Read everything by your favorite author and hate waiting for the next book in the series?

You may want to try the recommendation service at What Should I Read Next -- simply enter a book title or author's name at and the database will suggest other similar titles for you.

How does it work?
WSIRN produces recommendations based purely on collective taste: when items are entered into the same favourites list, they become associated with each other. The more often particular items appear on different lists, the stronger that association becomes. Purely and simply, WSIRN represents mass opinion about items. Over time the recommendations will get better and better as the database grows.
Register and you can build a favorites list of authors and titles as well as share your personal favorites and recommendations with other readers.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Database of the week--

The Sullivan University Library E-Journal Index provides access to magazine and periodical titles full-text availability within other databases as well as in local library collections.

Journals can be found by title or subject or keyword in title. Database links will go to a table-of-contents listing for the journal which can then be used to locate needed material if citation is known or search within the journal by keyword or subject.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

This week's new books~

New books processed this week in the Library. These are just a few items, if you'd like to see more new items OR need a particular title, stop by the Reference Desk and the staff will be happy to help you!
  • As the tables turn : biography of a bistro / Sue Doody and Michael J. Rosen. 647.95 D691a
  • Bush, the detainees, and the Constitution : the battle over presidential power in the War on Terror / Howard Ball. 342.73 B187b
  • Essential professional conduct : legal ethics / Geoff Monahan and David Hipsley. 174.3 M734e
  • Handbook of marketing research methodologies for hospitality and tourism / Ronald A. Nykiel. 910.68 N995h
  • Hands-on guide to creating Flash advertising : from concept to tracking--microsites, video ads, and more / Jason Fincanon. 006.693 F491h
  • I am the darker brother : an anthology of modern poems by African Americans / edited and with an afterword by Arnold Adoff. 811.508 I11
  • Information literacy [videorecording] : the perils of online research / director/producer/writers, Amy S. Weber, Ryan Demetrak ; Radish Creative Group. DVD 028.7 I43
  • Nurse's handbook of combination drugs / Blanchard & Loeb Publishers. R 615.7 N937
  • Project management for mere mortals : the tools, techniques, teaming, and politics of project management / Claudia M. Baca. 658.404 B116p
  • Sun Tzu's The art of war for the management warrior / by Gary Gagliardi. 658.4 G135s
More information on each title can be found in the catalog.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Kentucky Book Fair

If you want to get an early start on your holiday shopping, the Kentucky Book Fair is a good place to start. With over 180 authors signing their books, the book fair has a variety of book offerings for readers of all ages and interests. The facts:

WHEN: November 10, 2007. 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET

WHERE: Frankfort Convention Center

COST: FREE! Also, all book purchases are discounted 10%. Note: Some of the special events do require a fee and reservations are required.

Culinary Pronunciation Guides

Need to know how to say soup in French? Bread in Spanish? Did you know that in addition to the index of culinary journals, the Culinary Periodical Index also includes a glossary of key culinary terms translated and pronounced in either French or Spanish. Included words may refer to a type of food or drink, food ingredients, or a preparation technique. Many of the terms may be found on menus.

The words are recorded in a .wav audio format. Your computer must have sound capability in order to hear the pronunciations.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Database of the week

The Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) provides access to education literature from journals and periodicals, book chapters and conference proceedings. ERIC provides full text of more than 2,200 digests along with references for additional information and citations and abstracts from over 1,000 educational and education-related journals.

Access to ERIC is within the EBSCO database subscriptions.



Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Videos and DVDs

Need a non-book source for a paper? Did you know the Sullivan Lexington campus has almost 600 videos and DVDs available for student check-out? Topics include:
  • travel and destination videos
  • job search basics, preparing your resume and cover letter
  • Shakespeare's plays
  • culinary topics, including copies of popular series Good Eats and America's Test Kitchen
  • child care and taking care of baby
  • history of the Supreme Court
The Librarians at the reference desk will be happy to help you locate a video - stop by anytime!

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Database of the Week

Alt Press Watch is a full text database of the newspapers, magazines and journals from alternative and independent presses. An interdisciplinary resource, Alt Press Watch provides a valuable source of viewpoints and perspectives to complement and challenge mainstream media coverage. Through investigative reporting by independent and critical sources, these are essential voices pursuing freedom of the press.

Examples of titles include:

  • LEO: Louisville Eccentric Observer
  • Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy
  • The Village Voice
  • E : the Environmental Magazine

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Magazine & Journal back issues

The Sullivan Lexington Library subscribes to 135 print magazine and journal titles. Due to space issues, we have relocated the back issues of these journals to a storage room off of the library. If you need a back issue of any journal, please ask at the desk and we can retrieve it for you.

This week's new books~

New books processed this week in the Library. These are just a few items, if you'd like to see more new items OR need a particular title, stop by the Reference Desk and the staff will be happy to help you!

  • Age of turbulence : adventures in a new world / Alan Greenspan. 332.1 G815a
  • Business structures / Michael Spadaccini. 346.73 S732b
  • Commonsense direct and digital marketing / Drayton Bird. 658.872 B618c
  • English & Spanish medical words & phrases. R 610.3 E583
  • Google Analytics 2.0 / by Mary E. Tyler and Jerri Ledford. 658.8 L473g
  • La methode : an illustrated guide to the fundamental techniques of cooking / Jacques Pépin. 641.5 P422m
  • La technique : the fundamental techniques of cooking : an illustrated guide / Jacques Pépin. 641.5 P422t
  • Restaurant manager's handbook : how to set up, operate, and manage a financially successful food service operation / Douglas Robert Brown. R 647.95 B877r
  • Start your own travel business and more / by Entrepreneur Press and Rich Mintzer. 910.681 S796
  • U.S. immigration made easy / Martha S. Siegel & Laurence A. Canter. 342.73 U58

More information on each title can be found in the catalog.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Library skills arcade games

Think you can be the librarian and beat the clock answering questions?

Try your luck at these new games from Carnegie Mellon University Libraries in their new Library Arcade.

Friday, October 12, 2007

More new books

The Library Alert is another way to see new books. Separated by subject, the Alert lists are a great way to browse new books by area of interest. The lists for Lexington can be found here.

You can also subscribe to be notified via e-mail whenever there is a new Library Alert so you won't miss anything.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Database of the Week

The Morningstar database provides comprehensive financial information on more than 6,000 stocks, 20,000 funds, and 150 ETFs as well as detailed analyst guidance on 1,800 stocks, 2,000 funds, and more than 150 ETFs.

With Morningstar's Portfolio X-Ray you can assemble picks and the stocks, funds, and ETFs you own into a portfolio. You can check your asset allocation, sector weightings, and more. The Morningstar Help & Education Center has many tools for investment learning. Find help on how to use the site, tips on choosing funds or stocks, and a complete glossary of investment terminology.

For more information, see the Quick Guide or access Morningstar via the Library's database links.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

New Books

New books processed this week in the Library. These are just a few items, if you'd like to see more new items OR need a particular title, stop by the Reference Desk and the staff will be happy to help you!

  1. Al Qaeda reader / edited and translated by Raymond Ibrahim. 363.325 A316
  2. Apples are square : thinking differently about leadership : the 6 critical values that are changing the way we lead and succeed / Susan Smith Kuczmarski & Thomas D. Kuczmarski . 658.4092 K95a
  3. Bush, the detainees, and the Constitution : the battle over presidential power in the War on Terror / Howard Ball. 342.73 B187b
  4. Career S.E.L.F. assessment [videorecording] : finding a job that works for you / Cambridge Educational Video. DVD 331.702 C271
  5. Essential professional conduct : legal ethics / Geoff Monahan and David Hipsley. 174.3 M734e
  6. IAF handbook of group facilitation : best practices from the leading organization in facilitation / Sandy Schuman, editor. 302.35 I11
  7. Nine : inside the secret world of the Supreme Court / Jeffrey Toobin. 347.7326 T668n
  8. Secrets of economic indicators : hidden clues to future economic trends and investment opportunities / Bernard Baumohl. 330.0112 B348s
  9. Securing VoIP networks : threats, vulnerabilities, and countermeasures / Peter Thermos and Ari Takanen. 004.695 T411s
  10. Story of tea : a cultural history and a drinking guide / Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss. 641.3372 H473s

More information on each title can be found in the catalog.

Monday, October 8, 2007

Banned Books Open House

Photos of the Banned Books display and the table at the Open House.


Grey Lady Text

The New York Times recently made much of their content free on the internet. From their announcement:

The Times's Op-Ed and news columns are now available to everyone free of charge, along with Times File and News Tracker. In addition, The New York Times online Archive is now free back to 1987 for all of our readers.
Since we launched TimesSelect, the Web has evolved into an increasingly open environment. Readers find more news in a greater number of places and interact with it in more meaningful ways. This decision enhances the free flow of New York Times reporting and analysis around the world. It will enable everyone, everywhere to read our news and opinion - as well as to share it, link to it and comment on it.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Library Remodel

During the summer quarter the library desk was reconfigured, changing the arrangement of staff computers and the bookdrop. Below are a few pix of before and after. Which is better? Give us your opinion in the comments.

BEFORE:


AFTER:

Sullivan University Announces College of Pharmacy


Have you heard about the newest program to the Sullivan University academic curriculum? The new College of Pharmacy will be offering Doctor of Pharmacy degrees beginning in July of 2008. Want to learn more?


New Database

Sullivan University students and faculty now have access to the Westlaw Campus Research database. Campus Research provides access to comprehensive collection of news, business, and legal information.

Paperback Exchange


Need some light reading between assignments?


The Library is now offering a "Paperback Book Exchange" for Sullivan Lexington Campus. Swap a book you've read with one from the collection.

Banned Books Week

The Library will be commorating Banned & Challenged Books Week September 29 through October 6. Come by the library and browse the display of challenged book and video titles. More information can also be found from the American Library Association.