Sunday, December 14, 2008

Chicago's movable bridges

Becker, D.N. "Early movable bridges of Chicago." Civil Engineering (New York) v 13 no 9 (Sept 1943): 421-4. Engineering Village. Compendex. UWM Lib. 10 Nov 2008. http://www.engineeringvillage2.org.

This article discusses the early history and developments of movable bridges in Chicago, beginning with the city's first bridge in the early 1830s, through its growth to 48 bridges by 1890. Building developments in bridge types – from wooden to wood and iron combinations to solely iron – and the rising costs of each, are covered in the article. One also learns briefly of how citizens complained of traffic and crossing delays due to the opening and closing of the various bridges and how Board ordinances and advancements in technology led to swifter and better-scheduled bridge operations. Mentioned are the first drawbridge, which was chopped to bits in an act of rage by Chicago citizens; the later wood and combination wood & iron bridges, which were unable to withstand the wear and tear of automobiles and the great Chicago fire of 1871; and the more modern iron structures, of which discussion is continued in a later article.



American Society of Civil Engineers, Journal of the Construction Division v 101 no 3 (Sept 1975): 545-557. Engineering Village. Compendex. UWM Lib. 10 Nov 2008. http://www.engineeringvillage2.org.

This article from 1975 takes a good look at the construction elements of the Chicago movable bridges. It covers different eras of bridge building in Chicago from the first bridge in the 1800s and the pros and cons of each, to the more modern structures of the times. Readers learn about the transition from swing bridges to rolling bascules to trunnion bascules and lift bridges, the latter of which were used in some areas for railroad traffic. The article also discusses the construction process of some of the city's bridges as they were replaced with more modern-day structures. Included are photographs of various bridges over the Chicago River and construction illustrations for a trunnion bascule bridge.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Genealogy

I am not sure if I have done the annotations correctly and so would not mind any feedback. Thanks!

Davidsson, Robert I. “Providing Genealogy Research Services in Public Libraries: Guidelines and Ethics.” Public Libraries 43 no3 142-4 My/Je 2004.
Library Lit & Inf Science Retro, Library. Wilson Web. UW-M Lib. 8 Nov 2008.


This article states that in the last five years, tracing family geneaology has become something of interest. Davidsson also mentions how the public library collection is where people are going to look for their ancestry history. This article gives tips on how to assist these patrons with their questions and the databases that public libraries are investing in to assist these patrons with their quest in geneaology.


Nguyen, Lan N. "Going Online to Mine The Growing Wealth Of Genealogy Data." Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition 248, no. 40 (August 17, 2006): D1-D2. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost .UW-M Lib. 13 Nov 2008.

This article discusses how genealogy research has increased the amount of websites available to help people in their search for their histories and relatives. It also describes how one person’s struggles with trying to research her husband’s grandfather and any relative who might be related to them. Genealogy has become a huge success for websites, as some of them charge for their services. This may be a downside to researching and make for an expensive hobby, but the upside is that, with the internet, you are able to contact many more people who you may be related to.

Technorati tags

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Jon's Anotated citations

These are two of my anotated citations. They are in the Chicago style:

Alvarez, W. and E.G. Kauffman. Jan 1984. Impact theory of mass extinctions and the invertebrate fossil
record. Science. 223(4641): 1135-45. Available from GEOBASE (Geography) Database.
FirstSearch. October 2008.

Walter Alvarez, Erle Kauffman and others reviewed data from previous fossil digs at the K/T boundary from multiple locations where scientists concluded reasons other than extraterrestrial impact as probable cause for mass extinction. The evaluation examined the fossils of four groups of shelled invertebrates including: Ammonites, Cheilostomate byrozoans, Brachiopods, and Bivalves. The team concluded what they had suspected: that mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period; and, thus provides evidence which supports an extraterrestrial impact.
Alvarez, L.W. and W. Alvarez. Jun 1980. Extraterrestrial Cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction.
Science. 208(4448): 1095-108. Available from JSTOR Database. JSTOR. October 2008.

Luis Alvarez, Walter Alvarez and others preformed chemical analyses of K/T boundary limestone deposits from Denmark, Italy and New Zealand. Abnormally high amounts of Platinum metals (Platinum, Iridium, Osmium, and Rhodium) were found consistently in limestone samples from all locations. Alvarez and team suggest that Platinum metal amounts are consistent with the chemical structure of asteroids. The paper of further explains the details of further evidence of a asteroid impact and how an asteroid’s influence on the environment would cause mass extinction.

Should they be less/more scientific?

Ericka's annotations 3

Thompson, G., et al. How the Accelerated Reader progam can Become Counterproductive for High School Students. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. April 2008. Vol. 51, Iss. 7; pg. 550-560.
When this study took lace, the high school highlighted in the article had recently purchased the AR program. All English teachers no only were required to use the program but also had to tie it to the student's course grade. Consequently, 15-20% of students' overall English grade was ased on the number of AR points they had earned. Two prevailing issues emerged: 1. The way that the program was being ued had been counterproductive and had acutally made some students who had previously loved reading develop an aversion to recreational reading. 2. The program had led to widespread cheating on the required tests.

Ericka's Annotations 2

Groce, R.D. et al. Deconstructing the Accelerated Reader Program. Reading Horizons. Sept/Oct 2005. Vol. 46, Iss. 1; pg. 17-30.
Teacher implemenation of the Accelerated Reader program is as widespread as it is diverse in terms of classroom and campus application. Seventy-five percent of the teachers surveyed use the AR program as a focus of their reading instruction. With such heavy emphasis being placed on the adoption of the AR program in districts and schools across the country, it is important to consider some modifications and ways of enriching the program to best meet the neeeds of all students and to acutally promote the lifelong reading habits.

Ericka's Annotations

Franklin, Pat and Claire Gatrell Stephens. Manage Your Computerized Reading Program-Before It Manages You! School Library Media Activities Monthly. Baltimore: Dec 2006. Vol. 23, Iss. 4: pg. 53-55.
Franklin and Stephens discuss the role of library media specialists and that of the library media center in relationship to computerized reading programs. Among other things, they cite that the attitude of the library media specialist makes or breaks any reading program whether it is computer based or a community reading anitiative.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Public Libraries and the Homeless

Cathcart, Rachael. “Librarian or Social Worker: Time to Look at the Blurring Line?” The Reference Librarian. 49.1 (2008): 87-91. Haworth Press. University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries . 2 Nov 2008. http://www.haworthpress.com

Cathcart views public librarians as “de facto social workers,” citing their duties of interacting with the homeless and mentally ill on a daily basis and the demand that the e-government movement has had on their time (public librarians often need to help the computer illiterate apply for jobs and fill out forms online) as evidence of the profession’s evolution. She writes, “Certainly, librarians are not providing therapy
or case management, and their involvement may often stop at asking a disruptive person to leave or calling the police. Nevertheless, it’s another example of libraries providing a service (say, de facto shelter) that isn’t part of their explicit mission, and a case where increased communication, collaboration, and (in some cases) training with social service agencies might be called for.” Cathcart does not view the move of public librarianship toward social services as a good or bad thing—but something that librarians should be prepared for in library school. She thinks that social service training will help public librarians as they navigate the increasing, evolving demands of their profession. She also states that, “…if the blurring line between librarianship and social work is too messy for some, that too can inform decisions on library policies, staffing, and services. If serving as de facto social workers is beyond the purview of librarianship,who will provide such services, and how will libraries involve more appropriate stakeholders and service providers? If libraries are being increasingly utilized as social service agencies in a more explicit way, perhaps cultivating space and resources for such service and the appropriate providers (librarians or not) would go far to meet the needs of both our users and reference librarians.” Recognizing how the homeless and other special library users (the mentally ill, the computer illiterate) have affected the public library’s role in society (and therefore the duties of the profession) seems to be Cathcart’s key point here. Whether the profession chooses to respond to the problem by embracing a social advocacy role in the library or by calling on the community to respond to the need for new or increased services for specific demographics, like the homeless, is what library administrators and educators need to decide.


Berman, Sanford. “Classism in the Stacks: Libraries and Poverty.” Journal of Information Ethics 16.1 (2007): 103-10.

Berman questions why ALA Policy 61 (Library Services for Poor People) has not been implemented by most urban U.S. public libraries the way the Library Bill of Rights was widely embraced. He mentions a number of public library systems that have instead chosen to discriminate against poor people and the homeless. He blames our society’s ingrained classism as the root of this problem. He details many actions that can be taken to embrace Policy 61, including increased research on library services for the poor and homeless, awards for innovative efforts, collaboration with community shelters, better collection development for this group of users, etc. He would like libraries to allow the homeless to obtain library cards but understands why few libraries will want to adopt the section of Policy 61 that suggests waiving fees and fines.


Cronin, Blaise. “What a Library Is Not.” Library Journal. 127.19 (2002): 46. Library Literature and Information Science Full Text. HW Wilson. University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries. 25 Oct. 2008. http://www.hwwilson.com


Cronin recognizes the the value of “social inclusion,” but does not feel that libraries are equipped to handle the problem that the homeless and other destitute groups present. He does not believe libraries are obligated to become social welfare agencies because that duty or undertaking is outside the definition of a public library---outside of the public library’s purpose. He states, “Libraries […] are not shelters, and librarians, by extension, should not be viewed as surrogate social workers—nor should they risk practicing social work without a license.” He uses a policy enforced by the Tacoma Public Library (after a surge of homeless users), a policy restricting users from bringing in large bedrolls, bags, or boxes into the library, as an example of “an eminently reasonable ordinance, designed to ensure that the library functions, as, well, a library.” Cronin does not agree with those that view such policies as a way of stigmatizing or discriminating against populations such as the homeless---he sees it as a logical way for a library to fulfill its traditional, commonly recognized purpose---to keep books and other information resources for public use. He believes that those who, in the spirit of political correctness, condemn those administrators who create and enforce these common sense policies “should know better.” He calls on local politicians and the library profession to discuss this important issue, stating that protecting the rights of a “disruptive” minority---for reasons of political correctness--has cost the majority of library users their rights.

Annotated Citations

Champion, Justin. “Discovering the Past Online.” JISC inform: The Magazine of Joint Information Systems Committee 8 (2005). http://www.jisc.ac.uk./publications/pub_inform8.aspx November 08, 2008.

This short essay by a professor of the History of Ideas, written just as EEBO was made available to all British colleges and universities, extols the possibilities of EEBO for teaching at the college level. It makes several far-reaching claims that the electronic library will break down barriers of economics, distance, access to delicate documents, physical disabilities, time, and even expertise.

This essay is one among many that argue that new technology will revolutionize teaching.

Flanders, Julia. “Learning, Reading, and the Problem of Scale: Using Women Writers Online.” Pedagogy: Critical Approaches to Teaching Literature, Language, Composition, and Culture 2.1 (2002): 49-59

Julia Flanders in this essay highlights the difficulties of using an electronic library as large as that which has been created by Brown’s Women Writers Project. Though originally meant to enhance teaching, the electronic library is often intimidating to students and faculty. Flanders analyzes these difficulties and suggests some ways to address them.

This essay suggests that while pedagogical benefits accrue from electronic databases of early modern materials, there remain hurdles to be overcome.

Kelsey Jo: Step 3

Butler, Rebecca P. “The Literature Continuum: The Harry Potter Phenomenon.” School Libraries Worldwide 9:1 (2003): 64-77. LISTA. EBSCOHost. U of Wisconsin-Madison Libs., Madison, WI. 24 Oct 2008 .
This article tells the story of a professor at Northern Illinois University who observed (and participated in) the Harry Potter craze and saw a need to construct a course that would teach graduate students how to incorporate the series into educational settings. The course had several important elements to help enhance a general reading community: 1. It discussed the “evolution of the Harry Potter literature from children’s work to young adult;” 2. It encouraged the development of interactive activities that could be used in a classroom or media center setting; and 3. It complied a bibliography of suggested reading materials to encourage interested readers to explore other titles and authors. The mere fact that Butler recognized a need for such a course speaks volumes about the influence of Harry on our intellectual community.

Cart, Michael. “Teens and the Future of Reading.” American Libraries 38:9 (2007): 52-54. LISTA. EBSCOHost. U of Wisconsin-Madison Libs., Madison, WI. 24 Oct 2008 .
Cart discusses the supposed decline in young adult reading. He offers statistics from various studies that support this thesis, but also suggests this crisis in not as dire as the statistics suggest. Cart suggests that the surveyors are not including alternative reading materials in their studies. A portion of the article is devoted to discussing the “Harry Potter Effect,” defined as “getting kids to read for pleasure.” A survey by Yankelovitch-Scholastic is discussed as well. It focused on reading habits of children and young adults. Generally Cart and others cited in the article felt Harry Potter has had an impact on the reading habits of young adults.

Yuankai, Tang. “Appetite for Reading.” Beijing Review 50:23 (2007): 26-28. Academic Search. EBSCOHost. U of Wisconsin-Madison Libs., Madison, WI. 24 Oct 2008 .
Yuankai reports on the effects of Harry Potter on the Chinese children’s literature market. Also, this article explains how Harry Potter influenced Bian Jinyang to write The Magic Violin at the age of nine, another widely read title. Yuankai concludes with a commentary on the tendency of Chinese parents to forbid reading for entertainment in favor of educational reading. Uin Wenjun states that this “pragmatic” approach squelches the imaginations of young people, a quality encouraged by the Harry Potter series.

Step 3

Andrews, Barbara Henriksen. “Art, Reflection, and Creativity in the Classroom: The Student – Driven Art Course.” Art Education Jul 2005 35-40. Educational Resources Information Center. EbscoHost. U of Wisconsin-Madison Lib. 10 Oct. 2008 .

Andrews discusses the connectivity of art education with other academic disciplines. Additional information about business and community partnerships with the arts is provided. There is also commentary from students about the benefits that involvement in the arts has offered them; especially as an emotional and intellectual outlet.

Appel, Morgan. “Arts Integration Across the Curriculum.” Leadership Nov.-Dec. 2006: 14-17. Educational Resources Information Center. EbscoHost. U of Wisconsin-Madison Lib. 10 Oct 2008 .

Appel talks about the resurgence of interest in arts in schools. Focus is placed on the specific benefits of visual arts, music, drama, and dance. Appel also addresses the positive influence that arts courses have on the school environment as a whole. How the arts are tied to professional development and education beyond the secondary level is also discussed.

Ball, Eric and Alice Lai. “Place Based Pedagogy for the Arts and Humanities.” Pedagogy: Critical Approaches to Teaching Literature, Language, Composition, and Culture 6.2 (2006): 261-287. Project MUSE. The John Hopkins University Press. U Wisconsin-Madison Lib. 24 Oct. 2008 .

The Effects of Increased Internet Use on the Circulation of Public Library Materials

"Circ's Up, Budgets Leap." Library Journal (1976) 132.3 (2007): 38-40. Library Literature and
Information Science Full Text. H.W. Wilson Web. University of Wisconsin-Madison Lib., Madison, WI. 15 Oct. 2008 <>.
This article discussed the many reasons why circulation of library materials has gone up in
recent years. These reasons are largely involving the Internet, which makes it easier for patrons to reserve materials, find out that they have books in or overdue, find out about library events, and even experience reader’s advisory. Other reasons include libraries purchasing more fiction titles, which are more often checked out than nonfiction materials.


Murdock, James. "Circulation Boost ; by Providing Attractive, Wifi-Ready Spaces Where People
Want to Gather and Linger, Public Libraries are Holding their Own in the Age of the Internet." Architectural Record February 1 2008: 141. LexisNexis Academic. University of Wisconsin-Madison Lib., Madison, WI. 15 Oct. 2008 .
This article discusses the fact that though at first the Internet seemed that it would hurt
libraries, it is actually doing the opposite. Libraries are now surviving because people come in to
use the Internet, as well as because of the fact that they are usable as “community centers” and
have trained librarians who can help patrons better than the Internet can at times.

Rodger, Eleanor Jo, George D'Elia, and Corinne Lyon Jorgensen. "The Public Library and the
Internet: Is Peaceful Coexistence Possible?" American Libraries 32.5 (2001): 58-61. Library Literature and Information Science Full Text. H.W. Wilson Web. University of Wisconsin-Madison Lib., Madison, WI. 15 Oct. 2008 <>.
This article discussed a survey done on the impacts of Internet use on public library use. The results of the survey seemed to show that Internet use isn’t really affecting how many people use their public libraries and how often they do. The authors also discussed the future of the public library and argued that the library and the Internet will continue to exist, but that the role of the library will undergo a dramatic change in order to stay relevant.

Parkinson's Disease and Stem Cell Research

Levy, Gilberto, M.D. “Relationship of Parkinson’s Disease With Aging.” Archives
of Neurology Vol 64 (2007): p 1242-1246.

This article examines the relationship between Parkinson’s disease and aging. The model in the study suggests that within the context of the pathological process proper to Parkinson’s disease, aging may still play a substantial role by way of interaction with the disease process in nondopaminergic structures. It looks at the hypothesis that the most important point of the clinical progression is advancing age rather than disease duration. The article tries to determine what can be done to intervene to slow down the clinical progression of the disease.

Master, Zubin, McLeod, marcus, Menendez, Ivar. “Benefits , risks and
Ethical Considerations in Translation of Stem Cell Research to
Clinical Applications in Parkinson’s Disease.” Journal of Medical Ethics
Vol. 33 (2006): p 169-173.

Stem cells are considered to be an alternative source of biological material for cell restorative treatments. The article also point out that there is a favorable probability to benefit research on humans and potential benefits to research participants. It also discusses the risk of tumor formation with embryonic stem cells, medications, and analyzes the potential benefits and risks of stem cell transplantation for Parkinson’s disease.
Anonymous, “Depomed, inc.; The Michael J. Fox Foundation Awards Depomed
a Preclinical Development grant for Levodopa/ Carbidopa in Parkinson’s
Disease.” Information Technology Business (2008): p. 14.

Depomed, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a preclinical grant by the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The drug Levodopa/Carbidopa is manufactured by Depomed, Inc. The staff and reviewers are excited about the drug research to improve delivery of Levodopa, which could lessen debilitating side effect of the drug and impact patients. Nearly 5 million worldwide are estimated to have Parkinson’s disease. With the funding from the Michael J. Fox Foundation it has created the Therapeutics Development Initiative.

Sarah F

Monday, November 10, 2008

The American Library Associations Response to the USA PATRIOT Act

Hi this is Jill - I'd forgotten some of the other topics people had chosen - it's been fun to go through and see them again!  There are some really interesting topics!




Coolidge, Katherine K. ""Baseless Hysteria": The Controversy between the Department of Justice and the American Library Association over the USA PATRIOT ACT." Law Library Journal 97 (2005): 7-29. 22 Feb. 2005. Education; Library and Information Science. Wilson Web. UW Madison, Madison. 14 Oct. 2008. Keyword: USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 and American Library Association. The controversy between the American Library Association and the Department of Justice pertaining to the USA PATRIOT Act is examined in this article. Ms. Coolidge asserts that both Attorney General John Ashcroft and the American Library Association took their arguments on the issue to the extreme. Ms. Coolidge suggests that both sides must work together to find a balance where individuals have both privacy and security.


"What to do before, during and after a "knock at the door?"" Guidelines for Librarians on the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act. 19 Jan. 2002. American Library Association. 14 Oct. 2008 . The American Library Association issued this document to suggest guidelines to follow in the event a law enforcement authority requests access to patron records. There are guidelines for before, during and after any request is made. A statement at the beginning of the document makes it very clear that these guidelines are not legal advice but merely suggestions for libraries of all types.

Has new technology in golf ruined the game?

Forsyth, Paul “Weiskopf slams rule-makers for ignoring March of technology” Scotland on Sunday July 4, 2004, Sunday

Tom Weiskopf expresses his desire to stop the changes in technology in golf. Mr. Weiskopf says “There are so many great courses in the world, including Loch Lomond, and the shame is that they will have to be changed.” Mr. Weiskopf continues to defend the fitness of the pros of yesterday and those of today, expressing that technology is the only factor that is causing the need for this change. Mr. Weiskopf also believes that the golf ball could be brought under control in competition like in tennis. They could slow the ball down as they have done in Wimbledon.

Harrison, David “”Wonder” golf ball’s extra yards outrages the purists” Sunday Telegraph (London) January 28, 2001, Sunday

Mr. Peter Dawson, secretary of the R&A argues the nature of the game would be changed and that many of the courses would be forced to close. He continue to explain the changes in the golf ball technologies and their distances over the years. He believes the game will become a driver and a putter challenge.

Grange, Michael “The drive to make golf more low-tech” The Globe and Mail (Canada) June 18, 2005 Saturday

This article centers on a throwback player , Todd Hamilton, and how is able to compete with others that are using the new technology. This article describes the changes in driving distance since 1985 to 2003. Mr. Frank Thomas, now a technical advisor to Golf Digest, talks about the limits of golf ball technology and how he feels that limit has been reached.

Peters, Glen “Today’s game is dull and predictable “ New Straits Times (Malaysia) July 1, 2001

An interview of five-time British Open champion, Peter Thompson, explains his opinions on state of the game. He comments on the changes in the turf and it’s condition have made on the game of golf. Mr. Thompson also expresses his opinion on the golf ball and how something will have to be done to control the distance that it can fly.

My topic is the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment

I used Chicago Humanities style.


Atkinson, M. “Fifty million viewers can't be wrong: professional wrestling, sports-entertainment, and nemesis.” Sociology of Sport Journal, vol. 19 issue 1 (2002): p. 47-66. SPORTDiscus, EBSCOhost (accessed November 7, 2008).

Atkinson looks at professional wrestling from the viewpoint of how it differs from non-scripted sports and how popular it has become. The main point is that the wrestlers are physical actors and the outcomes of the matches are predestined. Atkinson describes how each of the wrestlers has their own personality that they are supposed to portray. It also discusses how it was once viewed as a legitimate sport but it was disclosed that the outcomes of the matches were determined before the matches took place.

Campbell, Colin. “Our Chairman Was Murdered (Wink Wink).” Maclean's, July 9, 2007, p51-51, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed November 5, 2008).

This article discusses how World Wrestling Entertainment staged a television show in which the owner of World Wrestling Entertainment, Vince McMahon, was to have his limousine explode and how it affected the perception of what is television and what is real. It says that no damage was done to the stock price after the staged death of the character Mr. McMahon.

Hart, Martha and Eric Francis. Broken Harts: The Life and Death of Owen Hart. New York: M. Evans and Company, 2002.

This book was written by the widow of a wrestler, Owen Hart, who died in the wrestling ring after a 70 foot fall. Broken Harts looks at the circumstances of his death and how the World Wrestling Federation handled it. Martha Hart also explains her lawsuit against Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation for negligence in the death of her husband.

McMahon. DVD. 2-Disc Collector’s Edition. Stamford, CT: World Wrestling Entertainment, 2006.

Vince McMahon created the World Wrestling Federation from a small company he bought from his father and brought into national prominence and this DVD tells his story from his point of view and the point of view of his colleagues. McMahon’s family is also interviewed on the DVD and they give a more personal viewpoint of how he does business. It explains how Vince McMahon became a character in the World Wrestling Federation. Mr. McMahon, the character, is an over the top version of himself.





Piper, “Rowdy” Roddy. In The Pit With Piper. New York: Berkley Boulevard Books, 2002.

Roddy Rowdy Piper was a wrestler for the World Wrestling Federation during the 1980’s and he saw the company rise to become the premier wrestling company in the world and then he left to become part of World Championship Wrestling. He watched the World Wrestling Federation’s ratings fall as he talks about in his book. One point he made was his growing dissatisfaction with the World Wrestling Federation during his career. Piper states that he was angry that he did not get the same salary as Hulk Hogan, another prominent wrestler during the time Piper was in the World Wrestling Federation.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Similarities & Differences Between the Vietnam War & Iraq War

Bennett, Drake. “Where’s the Protest?” The Boston Globe 5 November 2006: D1.


This lengthy article reports that, according to poll numbers, the Iraq War is as unpopular as the Vietnam War was in the late 60’s. The author then questions why there aren’t any large scale protests like there were over the Vietnam War. He explores several possible explanations for this. The first is that, unlike the Vietnam War, there isn’t a military draft today. The second reason might be that many who are against the war use the internet to do their protesting. Lastly, the author says it’s possible that the public will show their displeasure with the war by exercising their right to vote.


Cavanaugh, Jeffrey M. "From the 'Red Juggernaut' to Iraqi WMD: Threat Inflation and How It
Succeeds in the United States." Political Science Quarterly 122.4 (2007): 555-584.


The author of this article argues that in both the Iraq War and Vietnam War, there was threat inflation. He outlines several causes for this which include what he calls “strong trigger events” along with an atmosphere of secrecy and the President’s command of the security bureaucracies. The author also suggests reforms that should be made to prevent this from happening in the future.


Muller, Bobby. “A Broken Contract.” America 196.19 (2007): 9-10,12.


The author of this article compares the services that wounded soldiers returning from Iraq receive to the services that were received by wounded Vietnam soldiers. As a wounded Vietnam veteran, the author presents a unique, first-hand view. He argues that Vietnam veterans were at a disadvantage because Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was not recognized at that time and that, although it is recognized today, the returning soldiers still aren’t receiving the care they need and deserve.


Schuman, Howard, and Amy D. Corning. "Comparing Iraq to Vietnam: Recognition, Recall, and
the Nature of Cohort Effects." Public Opinion Quarterly 70.1 (2006): 78-87.


This article presents the results of a survey conducted in 2004 and 2005 in which the respondents were asked whether the Iraq War is more like the Vietnam War or World War II. The results are analyzed in terms of age, gender, race, geographic region, education, and party identification.

How E-journal use has taken over print journal use especially in academic libraries

Schonfeld, Roger C., Fenton, Eileen Gifford. Digital Savings. Library Journal v. 130 no. 4 (March 1, 2005) p 50-51.

In this article, Donald W. King from University of Pittsburgh and Ann Okerson from Yale, decided back in 2003 to learn more about how the cost of transitioning to electronic journal use is affecting the libraries. They focused on 11 academic libraries and focused on the non-subscription cost, such as, staff time, computer workstations, binding and maintenance of the space they have available. They discovered that on a per title basis, the non-subscription costs of e-journals are lower than that of print journals.


Schonfeld, Roger C., King, Donald W.,Okerson, Ann, Fenton, Eileen Gifford. Library Periodical Expenses: Comparison of Non-subscription Costs of Print and Electronic Formats on a Life-Cycle Basis. D-Lib Magazine v. 10 no. 1 (Jan 2004) p. 1-14

This article ties in with the Digital Savings article above. It is a full report on the authors findings of what the implications are of transitioning to electronic journals on non-subscription library costs. This article also discusses the need for an acceptable archiving solution for electronic publications. There is an effort to learn how this transition to electronic journals will affect the higher education community's ability to offer long term availability of electronic journals.

O'Hara, Lisa Hanson. Providing Access to Electronic Journals in Academic Libraries: A General Survey. The Serials Librarian v. 51 nos. 3/4 (2007) pgs. 119-128

A survey carried out in November of 2005, shows how academic libraries are providing access to electronic journals. This survey asked questions about electronic journals in the library catalog, a web-based list of electronic journals on academic library websites, and newer technologies such as OpenURL resolvers, metasearch engines, and Google Scholar.

Fenton, Eileen Gifford, Schonfeld, Roger C., Bakker, Trix. The Transitional Period of the Periodicals Format Shift. Liber Quarterly: The Journal of European Research Libraries v. 14 nos. 1-4 (2004) p. 368-379

This article is an overview of the transitional period between an all-print and all-electronic collection and to focus on this important period in which libraries now find themselves. The libraries included in this study range from academic libraries in the United States to the largest research universities, to medium-sized universities, to small liberal-arts colleges. This is a group of libraries that are diverse in terms of size, research intensity, affiliation, and degree of commitment to electronic resources.

Li, Xiaoli, Kopper, Carolyn. Cancellation of Print Journals in the Electronic Era: A Case Study. Against the Grain v. 17 no. 6 (Dec 2005/Jan 2006) p. 1,18-21

This article discusses a large print cancellation project done by the Health Sciences Libraries at the University of California-Davis in 2004 and 2005. The two specialized libraries are the Carson Health Sciences Library (CHSL) and the UCD Medical Center Library in Sacramento (MCL). These libraries are part of the General Library of UC Davis and also part of the system of libraries at the University of California, which does include the California Digital Library (CDL). These two libraries have a unique situation in regards to conducting cancellation projects. This uniqueness is one part of the significant influence the availability of electronic journals had on the cancellation of print journals.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

How new technology in golf ruined the game?

Here are a couple of the citations that really explain this issues. Has the new technology made the game too easy?

Golf & the Business Life [Special report]. Business Week no. 3885 (May 31 2004) p. GD1-GD23

A special section on the effect technology is having on golf. Articles discuss the effect on private clubs of having increasingly tech-savvy members, golf instructors' use of the Web, improvements in golfing equipment, Tiger Woods's new driver, the work of golf-course designer Herb Kohler, and golfing-related gadgets.

Kramer, S. State of the game: technology. Golf Magazine v. 41 no. 10 (October 1999) p. 142-6+

The writer describes how technology has altered golf equipment and instruction, examines why technological improvements have not reduced golfers' scores, and discusses opposition to modern technology.

Sens, J. The Quest for 300 Yards. Golf Magazine v. 50 no. 7 (July 2008) p. 94-6, 98, 100

The writer discusses his attempts to achieve a 300-yard drive using three approaches: steroids, technology, and technique. He explains that he achieved his goal when Tyler Ferrell, a trainer at the ClubGolf Performance Center in Maryland, instructed him to use the power of his hips more.

Webb, M. The Duke of Hazards [Interview with Prince Andrew]. Golf Magazine v. 46 no. 7 (July 2004) p. 179

Part of a special section on the 2004 British Open. In an interview, England's Prince Andrew discusses such topics as his year as captain of the Royal & Ancient (R&A), his work on the R&A's Amateur Status Committee, and his fears over the advances of technology in the game.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Benifits of Audiobooks

Here are some selected annotated citations regarding the benefits of audiobooks; I used APA for my citations. Thanks in advance for your comments! ~Morgan

Benefits for adult students
Fox. R.E. (2004, Winter). Do audiobooks belong in academic libraries? Georgia Library Quarterly, 40(4), pp.9-11.
As the director of the academic library in Georgia with the largest audiobook collection in the University System of Georgia, the author of this article set out to determine whether other universities in that system also had a significant collection of this material. Once determining this, he interviewed librarians at institutions with many audiobooks, and those with few or none. This research process was in an effort to determine if these materials have a place in an academic collection. Fox’s conclusion: there is a place for audiobooks in a post-secondary collection because they supplement any popular fiction that might be in the library’s print collection, provide alternative materials to ESL students, and draw otherwise reluctant library users into the building.

Maughan, S. (2004, August 2). How do you say…? Publisher’s Weekly, 251(310), pp. 18-19.
This article presents an overview of various audio based self-instructive language learning products available from major publishers such as Simon and Schuster, Random House, Barron’s, McGraw-Hill Professional, and many others. Each publisher’s line of products is discussed, with particular attention paid to what format (audio only, audio with print, audio with video, etc) each is produced in and how each format assists the language learning process. The author then goes on to examine the populations who make use of these materials, and comes to the conclusion that these populations are quite diverse (college and high school students, immigrants, older individuals, and many others). The article concludes by discussing the popularity of the materials from various vendors in a range of retail environments.

Benefits for adult individuals with disabilities
Cylke, F. K. (2002). Building a National Service in a Multilingual Environment. Ocho Rios, Jamaica: Association of Caribbean Research and Institutional Libraries.
As part of the “Accommodating All” conference sponsored by two library associations, F.K. Cylke (director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped) wrote this overview concerning the methods the Library of Congress uses to provide services to its patrons. He provides a brief history of this service as well as describing how it is funded, eligibility requirements, and materials contained in the collection (including talking books). Cylke then moves onto the “meat” of his paper: how is the NLS serving its patrons who are not fluent in English? He describes several answers to this question. The collection of this service includes materials in fifty-four languages. Many of these items are produced by the NLS. Also, associated state agencies with patrons desiring materials in specific languages are producing or acquiring them on their own. On another level, NLS translates its publications (such as newsletters, catalogs and application forms) into Spanish and employs Spanish speaking readers’ advisers. Finally, Cylke provides examples of how the NLS is collaborating with similar agencies in other countries in an effort to improve international services to individuals who have visual or physical disabilities.

Morgan, G. (2003). A word in your ear: library services for print disabled readers in the digital age. The Electronic Library, 21(3), pp. 234-239.
As part of the conclusion of this article, the author states, “People who are sighted and literate can choose to listen to an audiobook. Those to whom print is inaccessible rely on the format or formats they can actually use.” In order to make this statement, Morgan gives a brief history of the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind (RNZFB) and its services to visually disabled individuals in New Zealand. As part of this section, the author explains the difficulties that analogue talking books can present patrons of the RNZFB due to the fact that these products are linear and not structured He then explains how the advent of talking books in digital format, specifically those in the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) will assist visually impaired individuals in experiencing books in a way that is much closer to their sighted peers.

Benefits for general population of adults
Aron, H. (1992, November). Bookworms become tapeworms: A profile of listeners to books on audiocassette. Journal of Reading, 36(3), pp. 208-212.
The main focus of this article (as indicated by its subtitle) is to determine who reads audiobooks. To determine this, the author sent a survey to individuals who purchased these materials from one production company (Books-on-Tape Inc). She asked questions such as age, gender, level of education, income, and number of books read in print form in the last year. She then went on to query respondents regarding their reasons for listening to audiobooks. One main response was the ability to use time efficiently and read while completing other tasks (and thus read more books); other rationales included the access of individuals with physical disabilities or others who have difficulty reading, the fact that audiobooks add value to the text, and encouraging individuals to try new genres or authors. The author also asked respondents to list any disadvantages; examples of answers to this query included the inability to skim or re-read passages and the physical advantages of a physical book (no need for a machine to play the book, ability to make notes, appearance of pictures, maps, etc). The author concludes her evaluation by stating that, “books on audiocassette are not contributing to the dumbing down of America”

Yingling, J. (1998, July). A study of audiobook users at the Salem, Ohio Public Library.
For his master’s thesis, John Yingling surveyed patrons at the public library in Salem, Ohio. He asked them about their preferences regarding abridged versus unabridged titles, their favored genres of audiobooks, and whether they use the library’s other collections and/or service. The author also asked for demographic information from survey participants in order to determine who is listening to audiobooks. In addition to presenting his results, the author also hypothesized why the trends appeared as they did. For example, Yingling states patrons favor unabridged audiobooks because users of audiobooks are typically over the age of forty and are therefore accustomed to reading/listening to books in their complete form. The author also provides a summary and analysis of his findings as a whole, as well as a review of literature on the topic of audiobook use in public libraries.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

How to comment

All you have to do is click the comments link at the bottom of someone else's post - you will get a box where you can type your comments.

Topic: Library 2.0 initiative in public libraries

Note: I used MLA style for bibliography. When copying and pasting from Word to blog, I lost my underlining. Thank you - Kathy

Crawford, Walt. “Library 2.0 and ‘Library 2.0’.” Cites and Insights 6:2 (Midwinter
2006). 11 October 2008 http://citesandinsights.info/civ6i2.pdf

Taking a skeptical view of the 2.0 movement and Michael Casey, its self-proclaimed creator, Crawford asserts that any new technologies must serve a public library’s mission. Technologies should not be adopted arbitrarily and capriciously. This 32-page article concludes with diverse commentaries about Library 2.0 from more than 30 individuals – “movers and shakers” in the information science world (e.g., Jessamyn West of librarian.net, Roy Tennant, and Steven Bell).


Eisenberg, Mike. “The Parallel Information Universe.” Library Journal 133:8 (May
2008). ProQuest Research Library. 1 October 2008 http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/pqdweb?index=0&did=1473388691&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1223746025&clientId=3751

Eisenberg’s article is a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunity, threat) analysis of some of the current technologies available for users and libraries. He notes that libraries (particularly smaller, cash-strapped ones) need to consider whether the benefits of the technology outweigh the costs (staff training, implementation, etc). Eisenberg’s recommendation is to have an open, accepting attitude toward technology, and to think creatively.

Evans, Woody. “What Drives You?” Library Journal 132:20 (December 2007).
ProQuest Research Library. 24 October 2008 http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/pqdweb?index=54&did=1406859021&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1224872167&clientId=3751

The author asserts there are two great “drives” that motivate librarians: a desire to organize information (First Drive) and a need to offer patrons better access to information (Second Drive). The Library 2.0 movement is a “second drive” project; therefore, librarians should strive to guide patrons through information retrieval because librarians are experts, not gatekeepers. According to the author, the bottom line is not necessarily about embracing 2.0, but about making sure libraries (and librarians) remain relevant into the future.

Lankes, R. David, Joanne Silverstein, and Scott Nicholson. “Participatory Networks:
The Library as Conversation.” Information Technology and Libraries 26:4 (December 2007). Library Literature and Information Sciences Full Text.
11 October 2008 http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.20#record_49

This brief provides comprehensive information about participatory librarianship – both the conceptual framework and a glossary of terminology. The authors purport that without a sound conceptual background in Library 2.0, Library 2.0 functions in a library will be fragmented and disconnected. Furthermore, the authors assert that technologies like blogs and wikis will eventually fade, but the underlying concepts of participatory librarianship will remain durable.