Author Archives: mdilwort

Author Archives: mdilwort

Get Inspired with General Reference Resources

Get Inspired with General Reference Resources

, , , Library Resources
INSPIRE is a collection of academic databases and other information resources provided by the Indiana State Library and is accessible to all Indiana residents. As a public Indiana institution, the IU East Campus Library can share access to these resources from IUCAT as well as our A-Z List to IU East students, whether they live in Indiana or not. What are “reference” resources? The type of information you find in the reference section of a library would be resources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, indexes, directories, atlases, biographies, and bibliographies. While not usually in depth, these resources often provide a general overview of a subject and can be a great place to begin exploring a topic, place, or person. For regular … Continued
Freedom of Information

Freedom of Information

, Website
A free society is predicated on transparency and access to information.  The ability to examine records generated by public entities can help expose controversies and keep people in power in check.  Moreover, a well-informed society is better equipped to make good decisions regarding its future.  These public records laws, known as “sunshine laws”, set ground rules for promoting and preserving access.  With National Freedom of Information Day on March 16, it is important to revisit the process of asking for public information, which is done through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The Freedom of Information Act was passed in 1966 and signed into law by then-president Lyndon Johnson.  It was updated in 2016 to accommodate electronic records.  With … Continued
Health, Hope, and Healing through Community

Health, Hope, and Healing through Community

, Frances Yates, outreach, Programs
The IU East Campus Library, in partnership with the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM), is hosting physician and author Dr William Cooke, for a health literacy event on Monday March 25th. Dr. Cooke’s book, Canary in the Coal Mine, addresses issues such as how socioeconomic and racial disparities impact the health of people, how one’s life purpose can change, needle exchange programs, and dealing with public health crises. The author presentation begins at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Q & A dialogue with the author at 11:00 a.m. All are welcome for this free event, but registration is requested to ensure seating is available. It is located in Whitewater Hall at Indiana University East. For those who … Continued
Leap Years Through History

Leap Years Through History

, Jesse Whitton, Library Resources
Every four years, we have a leap year that adds an extra day to our calendar on February 29th. This helps keep our calendar in sync with the time it takes for the Earth to orbit around the sun, which is about 365.25 days. Even though we may not notice this extra day, some interesting events have taken place in history on Leap Day. The date was February 29, 1940. All the stars in Hollywood were gathering at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in the Ambassador Hotel to witness the 12th Academy Award ceremony. After petitioning to even be allowed to enter the segregated Cocoanut Grove, Hattie McDaniel, the sole African American present, took her place at a table along a … Continued
By Data and by Design

By Data and by Design

, , Contests, Matt Dilworth
The greatest business idea will struggle to find success without good marketing and design.  The converse is also true; no amount of pretty packaging will make a bad product better.  Over the last eight years, the IU East Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) has offered an incredible product – the East-Central Indiana Business Survey.  This survey draws data from experienced local businesses – over 100 of them – in Wayne, Fayette, Franklin, Henry, Randolph, Rush, and Union counties.  From this data, the local confidence in business prospects is measured, looking at factors like workforce size, capital investment, and profitability in addition to optimism or pessimism in the future.  This data in turn improves the community’s understanding of the local … Continued