Author Archives: mdilwort

Author Archives: mdilwort

Government Information Day

Government Information Day

Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
May 7th is Government Information Day at the Indiana State Library! The ISL is using this opportunity to highlight what is available and how to use the wealth of information collected and published by the U.S. and state governments, whether you access that information through libraries or directly from government agencies. One huge area of government information is statistics. The federal government tracks data on numerous civilian concerns – whether you’re studying economics, demographics, criminal justice, or health, there’s something for every need. In fact, there is so much out there, it’s hard to know where to begin.  A good place to start is the portal FedStats, which includes links to statistics for over one hundred agencies on the federal, … Continued
Continuity of Learning

Continuity of Learning

, Matt Dilworth, Research
We’ve almost finished another school year! For most students, the summer is a break. For others, it’s a chance to get a few more classes in before next year. But regardless, what you’ve learned this year isn’t going to be forgotten. You’ll build on it in the years and classes ahead. Some of that is abstract, like learning the mindset of your chosen field, or its jargon. But some of it is more concrete. Probably, at some point, you’ll have a project that would benefit from work you’ve done before. A paper that follows up on something you researched for a previous class, or a presentation that would benefit from using some of the same sources. You’ll definitely want to … Continued
Money Matters

Money Matters

Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
This week is Money Smart Week, a personal financial literacy initiative started in Chicago in 2001. Today, it is observed in a dozen states and is supported by the American Library Association and the Financial Planners Association. This public awareness campaign helps people, especially youth, manage their finances through numerous programs targeted at all kinds of groups and individuals. Many of our students are already quite experienced at budgeting, and have been managing their own households for many years. Others are new to it, though, and could use an ally. Especially our soon-to-be graduates, when the dreaded student loan repayment bills start to come! Fortunately, there are plenty of tools and resources for you to use right here in the … Continued
Insight into the 150th Anniversary of the Passing of Abraham Lincoln

Insight into the 150th Anniversary of the Passing of Abraham Lincoln

Library Resources
April 15, 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s 16th president and one of its most famous personages. Few other American figures have been quite as celebrated, eulogized or invoked in the public consciousness, and fewer still have taken on the stuff of legend that Lincoln assumed both during and beyond his lifetime. His story is quintessential American myth: born poor in a log cabin, self-taught, freed the slaves, died tragically. But it is in interpretations of his life and beliefs that he took on the deep meaning and nearly universal praise his image and reputation enjoy today. His death itself turned into a major media event. In The Lincoln Assassination: Crime and Punishment, … Continued
Music Resources

Music Resources

Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
You may not tend to think of the library for your music classes – after all, how can words convey what music is, or duplicate the experience of listening to it? But the truth is, the library has plenty of materials that can accentuate or facilitate the study of music. And one of those tools, the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, just got a major overhaul. The Garland Encyclopedia includes 9,000 pages worth of material digitized from the original print encyclopedia. It allows you to search for information by genre, cultural group, musical subject, instrument, person, ensemble, or place. It also includes nine CDs worth of culturally representative music, and has tools that let users create, annotate, and share playlists … Continued