Library Resources

Library Resources

This Week in History

This Week in History

Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
This week marks the anniversary of the tragic Kent State demonstrations, a protest against the Vietnam War (specifically, the Cambodia invasion) that cost the lives of four students and injured nine others.  Given the importance of Vietnam to modern American history, it is a common topic in our history classrooms and assignments.  The Kent State shooting showed us that even students here in America could find themselves in the line of fire.   Whether you’re researching the Kent State tragedy or the Vietnam War as a whole, there are plenty of resources for you.  Databases like America: History and Life or JSTOR have a wealth of information – even a simple search turns up hundreds of articles, new and old.  … Continued
The Technology is a Changin’

The Technology is a Changin’

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
You might have heard that VHS tape players are being removed from all classrooms starting next semester.  If you’ve ever used a video in your projects or presentations, you’ll need a more modern format from now on.  Of course, you’re probably already used to using modern media like DVDs.  But even those sources can be cumbersome. Because, really, any hard format is becoming rarer.  Chances are, you stream films with Netflix or Hulu as often as you buy a DVD or BluRay disc.  But are they good sources for your class assignments?  There are lots of places to find streaming video.  Of course, there are resources like Vimeo, YouTube, and Viddler, and those are great free resources online.  But they … Continued
Sing, O Muse

Sing, O Muse

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
April is National Poetry Month.  Launched in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, it pays tribute to the ways poetry enriches American culture, both past and present.  Their website has a number of poetry-related readings and activities, including a Poem-A-Day program you can receive through email.  You can also follow Natasha Trethewey, our current Poet Laureate, at the Library of Congress.  But our library is well stocked with resources for poetry and poetry criticism, as well.  Among are databases are Litfinder, which includes over 150,000 full-text poems and 800,000+ poetry citations, among numerous other short stories, speeches, and plays; 20th Century American Poetry, which includes over 50,000 poems from authors like Adrienne Rich, Langston Hughes, Ezra Pound, Denise Levertov, … Continued
World Health Day

World Health Day

Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
World Health Day, celebrated every April, is the World Health Organization’s holiday designed to raise global health awareness.  Each year, the WHO chooses an aspect of healthy living that they want to use the holiday to promote, and have used the opportunity to showcase topics ranging from road safety to safe motherhood to mental health.  In 2013, the topic is ‘Control Your Blood Pressure’.   High blood pressure can be the cause behind many problems, especially heart disease and strokes.  The WHO views preventive education as the best tool to use against hypertension.  And a library is a terrific place to go for education!  IU East subscribes to many medical databases, such as MedLine, Nursing and Allied Health Source, and OVID.  … Continued
So, If I Can’t Use Wikipedia, What Do I Use?

So, If I Can’t Use Wikipedia, What Do I Use?

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
You’ve heard it before – you can’t use Wikipedia for this assignment.  This actually isn’t new – long before Wikipedia was invented, students in past generations were often banned from citing any encyclopedia for some assignments, because professors want students to use more in-depth sources.  But let’s say you really need a comprehensive encyclopedia for your work.  Where do you go?  One great source is the Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition.  Like the print version, the Britannica is written by a large staff of trained professionals and editors, assuring high-quality coverage of any topic of human thought.  This large staff also means that current events articles are updated within two weeks of the event, so it’s a good source for … Continued