Latest Posts

Latest Posts

Open Access with One Click

Open Access with One Click

, , , , Research, Website
Have you ever tried to look up a specific article recommended to you or perhaps came across one in a database that you simply don’t have access to or you hit a paywall? This is a problem faced by researchers and librarians alike and it can be discouraging and frustrating when, at a glance, an article seems perfect for your research, but it’s just out of reach. However, it’s possible that the article is available via Open Access somewhere else on the internet in some way, shape, or form. There is actually not one, but two different tools, browser extensions to be exact, that can help you locate the open access version, if it’s available, with one simple click. Open … Continued
The magic of abracadabra

The magic of abracadabra

, , , Library Resources, Uncategorized
We’ve all seen it –  a magician in a top hat waves his wand and says the magic word Abracadabra.  Poof!  A rabbit appears!  A watch is restored to perfect condition after being smashed to bits!  The woman who was sawed in two is now whole again!  Wonders are associated with this word, but what does it really mean? Abracadabra began its life as a healing spell.  It’s been traced as far back as the third century CE, when physician Quintus Serenus Sammonicus (better known as Serenus) wrote the treatise Liber Medicinalis.  This book documented, in Latin verse, numerous cures for common ailments, including the proper use of Abracadabra. The proper use of abracadabra as a healing spell. First, a … Continued
Separating Sense from Nonsense: McGill University’s Office for Science in Society

Separating Sense from Nonsense: McGill University’s Office for Science in Society

, , , Research, Website
“Science looks like magic, until you know how it works.”  That was one of the first things Dr. Joe Schwarcz said when IU East Coordinator of Library Instruction, KT Lowe, met him last month.  Dr. Schwarcz is the director of the McGill University Office for Science and Society, one of the best fake news fighting organizations in North America.  The OSS focuses primarily on the science of the everyday, busting myths about food, sunscreen, homeopathy and other quotidian things. The room where it happens. The OSS was formally established in 1999 and receives no corporate funding.  It is a formalization of Dr. Schwarcz’s work since the 1980’s, when he would speak with the media on all things science.  He and his … Continued
Opening Minds through Art … and intergenerational interactions

Opening Minds through Art … and intergenerational interactions

, , Frances Yates, outreach, Programs
Happy Times #4, Margaret A. May is a good time to celebrate Spring (no matter how delayed or sporadic!) and also to celebrate Older Americans.  The 2019 theme for Older Americans Month is “Connect, Create, Contribute” and it encourages older adults and their communities to: Connect with friends, family, and services that support participation. Create by engaging in activities that promote learning, health, and personal enrichment. Contribute time, talent, and life experience to benefit others. Happy Birthday to Me, Esther W. For five years, IU East has been involved in the spirit of Connect, Create, Contribute, through our partnership with Friends Fellowship Community (FFC) for the Opening Minds through Art (OMA) program. We are pleased to announce that throughout June … Continued
The Persistence of Memory

The Persistence of Memory

, , , , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
“Do you want to take a picture?” “Oh, I’m sure we’ll remember it.” Have you ever heard an exchange like that?  We have a tendency to take memory for granted; to assume that what we want of our past will be accessible later on.  That is true whether the memories are personal – the first words of a new baby, perhaps – or societal, such as memory of a major cultural shift or shared triumph or tragedy.  Memories (whether personal or recounted for us in books, museums, and memorials) preserve learning and heritage and culture.  Lives are defined by it.  Even blockbuster popular entertainment like the television show Game of Thrones have recently paused the action long enough to contemplate … Continued