Library Resources

Library Resources

Space, The Final Frontier

Space, The Final Frontier

Looking up at the vastness and seeming timelessness of space, people have always sought to understand what lies beyond the Earth.  Ancient people struggled to explain phenomena like moon phases, shooting stars, comets, blood moons, meteors, and even eclipses.  It was a source of interest, though – ancient megalithic structures and cave paintings are thought to show astronomical awareness. Lacking the development of scientific methods, myth was built by every culture to help explain the unexplainable structure of the universe.  The sun was rationalized as the Greek god Helios who rode a blazing chariot across the sky.  Lunar eclipses were seen as Dewi Ratih, a Hindu lunar goddess, who was devoured by the floating head Kala Rau but always safely … Continued
Get Inspired with General Reference Resources

Get Inspired with General Reference 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
Leap Years Through History

Leap Years Through History

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
Spotlight on local Black history

Spotlight on local Black history

With its history as a hub for the automotive, recording and agricultural industries, Richmond can boast a rich tradition of Black historical movers and shakers.  Since Black History Month takes place every February, this month is an excellent time to become better acquainted with Black contributions to local businesses, culture and history. The IU East Campus Library and its archives can help assist in retelling the stories of Black pioneers who helped shape Richmond. In 2005 and 2006, IU East students collected oral histories from Black Richmond residents.  As the finding aid for this collection explains, these interviews span several topics ranging from segregation and prejudice to careers and family and offer a fascinating snapshot of life in Richmond.  These … Continued
On your mark, Get set, Research!

On your mark, Get set, Research!

Excited to explore an array of trusted resources and dependable databases? Be sure to hit that ‘Like’ button on the IU East Campus Library’s Facebook page! We regularly feature highlights from our NEW A-Z index, and here are some of our recent favorites. In search of comprehensive reports on current and trending issues? Look no further than the CQ Researcher database, providing in-depth analyses across a wide spectrum of topics, from impartial coverage of health and social trends to criminal justice, international affairs, education, technology, the economy, and more. Explore these fundamental aspects of academic research with the AM Research Methods database. Within this repository, you’ll find two key sections: Learning Tools and Case Studies. The Learning Tools is comprised of scholarly interviews and practical … Continued