Library Resources

Library Resources

Voting Ahead

Voting Ahead

Election Day is November 5th in the United States, and Americans have the opportunity to decide who serves in their government, at the federal, state, and local level.  In preparing to exercise this power – and responsibility – there are many useful tools that registered voters can avail themselves of to inform their vote. An all-purpose voting website is available from the state government of Indiana, letting residents check their voting status if they don’t know it, register to vote (October 7th is the deadline), and find their polling place.  Information about election security measures is presented, and results can be checked (after the election).  Online, the website Vote 411 lets users view their ballots ahead of time, and see … Continued
Celebrating 237 years of the U.S. Constitution

Celebrating 237 years of the U.S. Constitution

On September 17, 1787, thirty-nine delegates of the Constitutional Convention, our founding fathers, signed and enacted the United States Constitution. This document establishes the “checks and balances” system among the three branches of government: Judicial, Executive, and Legislative. We have celebrated this milestone with Constitution Day on September 17th each year, marking 237 years in 2024. The celebration began in 1940 as “I Am an American Day,” following a resolution by Congress and President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was observed on the third Sunday in May. In 1952, it was renamed “Constitution Day” and moved to September 17th to honor the original signing date. In 2004, Congress renamed it again to “Constitution and Citizenship Day” to also recognize new U.S. … Continued
Basic Research Tools

Basic Research Tools

Transitioning to college research requires better tools, and the library provides many resources that will help students submit better work than can be generated through free web search engines like Google or Bing.  The easiest place to start is with the EBSCO Discovery Service, a meta-search engine that searches most of IU East’s databases at once, which can be found on the library’s home page under the section that says “Search EBSCO (Articles)”.  This provides the single box searching experience that may be the most familiar to users of Google or other popular search engines.  This returns material from academic journals, trade journals, and newspapers.  It can be set to give only recently published material, or only vetted academic writings.  … Continued
It Takes More Than That to Kill the Bull Moose

It Takes More Than That to Kill the Bull Moose

In 1912, a former U.S. President, after being out of office for a term, became a Presidential candidate, and that candidate was shot by a would-be assassin at the outset of a campaign speech.  The former President was Theodore Roosevelt, nicknamed ‘the Bull Moose’, and he had been fighting a bitterly contested campaign.  He himself succeeded an assassinated President; when William McKinley was shot in 1901 Roosevelt had ascended to the Presidency, winning it again in his own right in 1904.  Retiring from public office, he was succeeded in 1908 by William Howard Taft, but over the years, Roosevelt had come to despise the man.  The feeling was mutual.  Roosevelt had come to Milwaukee on the evening of October 14th, … Continued
World of Almanacs

World of Almanacs

Curious about the weather this July? Want to learn more about astrological signs and planetary movements? Reach for an almanac and celebrate Read an Almanac Month! Almanacs are a treasure trove of information, meticulously compiled to provide readers with a broad spectrum of knowledge. While these books have existed in various forms since the dawn of astronomy, the first printed version appeared in Europe in 1457. From detailed weather forecasts and celestial events to practical advice and historical facts, almanacs offer a rich blend of information that has been invaluable for centuries. One of the most prominent features of an almanac is its weather forecasts. These forecasts, often presented for the entire year, offer insights into expected weather patterns, temperature … Continued