New Years Holiday Closing

Just a reminder that Hewes Library will be closed on Monday, January 2, 2012, to observe the New Years Holiday.  We will return to normal break hours on Tuesday, January 3.  To view a complete listing of the library's hours, please visit our hours webpage.

Christmas Holiday Closing - Dec. 23-27

Hewes Library is currently on Winter Break hours.  We will be closed for the Christmas Holiday from Dec. 23-27, 2011.  We will reopen on Wednesday, December 28, 2011.

Title Highlight: A Dictionary of Opera Characters

A Dictionary of Opera Characters from Oxford Reference Online

This online resource has over 2,500 entries related to the opera and opera characters. Although the dictionary says it is one of opera characters, it also gives short synopses of many operas. This can be useful because if one can remember the title of an opera but not the names of the characters, a list of characters and links to their entries is found in the summary of the opera. Each opera listing also has a side bar link list of characters found in the opera.

The character listings describe the roll the character plays in a given opera and what performer was first seen in the role and when s/he first appeared in the role. For characters that appear in more than one opera (such as Faust), the entry lists the different operas the character appears in and the part they play in that opera.

Another useful feature of the online dictionary is the “links for this book” link found on the main entry screen. This list of links will take you to other sites related to opera, its performers, musicians, and other topics related to the world of opera.

Database access is limited to the students, staff, and faculty of Monmouth College.

Winter Break Hours

Starting today, Hewes Library will be operating on Winter Break Hours.  A full schedule of the library's hours are online.  Winter Break hours will run from December 15, 2011 through January 22, 2012.  Our schedule will be:

• Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday - Sunday Closed

The library will be closed for the holidays on Dec. 23-27, 2011 and Jan. 2.

Bill of Rights Anniversary

Today, December 15, is Bill of Rights Day.  On December 15, 1791, the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, became effective following ratification by the state of Virginia.  Learn more about the Bill of Rights:

• US National Archives' Bill of Rights with full transcript.
• Library of Congress' Primary Documents in American History: The Bill of Rights.
• The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation from the Government Printing Office (GPO).
• National Constitution Center's Interactive Constitution & Bill of Rights.
• Bill of Rights from the Milestone Documents Collection.
• The Charters of Freedom from the US National Archives, which includes information on the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence.

New Items at Hewes Library

New items are added to the Hewes Library collection on a continual basis. Recent titles have included:

• Yours Truly, Goldilocks by Alma Flor Ada
• Women Writers of the American West, 1833-1927 by Nima Baym
• Prohibition: Thirteen Year that Changed America by Edward Behr
• Reading Human Nature by Joseph Carroll
• Illinois: A History in Pictures by Gerald A. Danzer
• White Coat, Black Hat by Carl Elliott
• Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
• Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes
• Maynard Keynes: An Economist's Biography by D.E. Moggridge
• Moral Foundation of Economic Behavior by David C. Rose

Title Highlight: Sign Language Dictionaries

Gallaudet Dictionary of sign language, Random House American Sign Language Dictionary, and the American Sign Language: A comprehensive dictionary.


These three dictionaries, all found in the library’s reference section, differ from Webster’s and other dictionaries in that the words defined are indicated by drawings of the gesture used to describe the word. American Sign Language (ASL) is a non-spoken language developed over 200 years ago and its first dictionary was written only a little over 50 years ago.

Sign language is a true language with rules of use like any other. It does not consist of pantomiming signs that represent the objects described, although some signs are iconic and do represent the object talked about (such as the sign for tree), but others bear no relation to the object or concept described. These three dictionaries show the signs used in ASL, and each offers something a little different to the user. The Gallaudet Dictionary relies on drawings to illustrate the words and concepts conveyed by a sign. The other two dictionaries use a combination of written words and pictures to illustrate and explain a sign as most signs involve some movement that accompanies the hand gesture. The Gallaudet dictionary contains a CD that demonstrates how many signs are made.

It is instructive to learn that ASL is not a uniform language; some of the words are defined in more than one way in the various books or differ from book to book. For instance the sign for the word “cheat” is different in the American Sign Language: A comprehensive dictionary from the sign shown in the other two books. Each of the books opens with a detailed discussion of the language and its use and is helpful to any reader unfamiliar with the linguistics of sign.

The acceptance of sign as a method of communication outside of schools for the deaf is a recent development and the introductions to all of the books explain some of the controversies surrounding its use. Also of interest is that although sign is not a spoken language, it is not understood cross-culturally. A person communicating in ASL would not understand a person from Britain using British Sign Language (BSL) as the signs for the same words are often not the same or even similar in ASL and BSL. However the sign language used in France served as the basis for ASL, thus deaf French and American signers can communicate more easily than an American and an Englishman.

Upcoming changes to I-Share Universal Borrowing

We would like to inform you of some upcoming changes to the I-Share Universal Borrowing service that will be taking effect after the New Year.


Last summer, the Consortia of Academic and Research Libraries of Illinois (CARLI) implemented changes to Universal Borrowing (UB) through the I-Share Catalog to standardize the I-Share borrowing experience for patrons at all I-Share libraries. The third phase of these changes will take effect on Thursday, January 5, 2012. On that date, UB block thresholds will be activated.

When a patron reaches or exceeds any of the thresholds listed below, they will be unable to request, discharge, or renew any I-Share items until the blocking condition is resolved. UB thresholds that will cause a patron to be blocked are:

• 25 UB items overdue

• 1 UB item recalled and overdue

• 3 UB items lost

• 10 claims returned on UB items

• 10 UB items self-shelved (returned to library shelf without discharge)

• $200 total owed in UB fines or fees

If any of these conditions are met, the I-Share account will be blocked at the consortial level. The patron will have to clear their account with the library that lent the item. The thresholds count only a patron's combined transactions across all other I-Share libraries. Any local circulation transactions in the patron's home library are not counted against the UB thresholds.

If you have any questions, please contact a library staff member at x2190.

US Government Resources for the Holidays

Interesting government resources from across the web:

• 2011 National Christmas Tree from the National Park Service
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics: Numbers on Holiday Travel
• Will we have a White Christmas?  Track weather and statistics with information from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).
• Keep your Christmas tree safe!  Read more on decorating safely for the holidays from the U.S. Fire Administration.

USA.gov writes: "Various ethnic and religious groups in America celebrate days with special meaning to them even though these are not national holidays. Jews, for example, observe their high holy days in September, Muslims celebrate Ramadan, African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa, Irish Americans celebrate the old country's patron saint, St. Patrick, on March 17, and Mardi Gras is the day before the Christian season of Lent begins and is a big occasion in New Orleans, Louisiana, where huge parades and wild revels take place. There are many other such religious and ethnic celebrations in the United States."

Access to electronic datbase resources are limited to the students, staff, and faculty of Monmouth College.

On Display: Winter Holidays

Currently on display in the East Lobby is a collection of library materials that relate to the Winter Holiday Season, as well as a short description of each holiday and its traditions.

All of the library materials (except Reference Books) are available to check out.  Please see a member of the library's staff to borrow an item.

Happy Holidays from the Hewes Library Staff!



Holiday Retail Statistics from the US Govnt.

Want to wow your family with some great statistics over the holiday table?  Read the latest statistics on consumer spending this holiday season.  View the full set of statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau on the Holiday Season:

$27.2 billion

Retail sales by the nation's department stores (including leased departments) in December 2010. This represented a 44 percent jump from the previous month (when retail sales, many holiday-related, registered $18.8 billion). No other month-to-month increase in department store sales last year was as large.  Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and December 2010 were clothing stores (33 percent); radio, TV and other electronics stores (44 percent); sporting goods stores (58 percent); bookstores (92 percent); and jewelry stores (113 percent).   Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Service Sector Statistics http://www.census.gov/retail

Note: Leased departments are separately owned businesses operated as departments or concessions of other service establishments or of retail businesses, such as a separately owned shoeshine parlor in a barber shop, or a beauty shop in a department store. Also, retail sales and inventory estimates have not been adjusted to account for seasonal or pricing variations.

14%
The percentage of total 2010 sales for department stores (including leased departments) in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 20 percent.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Service Sector Statistics http://www.census.gov/retail

24%
The growth in inventories by our nation's department stores (excluding leased departments) from Aug. 31 to Nov. 30, 2010. Thanks to the holiday crowds, inventories plummeted by 22 percent in December.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Service Sector Statistics http://www.census.gov/retail

$34 billion
Value of retail sales by electronic shopping and mail-order houses in December 2010 — the highest total for any month last year.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Service Sector Statistics http://www.census.gov/retail

21,891
The number of electronic shopping and mail-order houses in business in 2009. These businesses, which employed 320,721 workers, are a popular source of holiday gifts (NAICS code 45411).

If you're not sure where to do your shopping, choices of retail establishments abound: In 2009, there were 150,205 clothing and clothing accessories stores (NAICS code 448); 8,663 department stores (NAICS code 4521); 8,424 hobby, toy and game shops (NAICS code 45112); 27,738 gift, novelty and souvenir shops (NAICS code 45322); 21,628 sporting goods stores (NAICS code 45111); 24,973 jewelry stores (NAICS code 44831); and 9,390 book stores (NAICS code 451211) across the nation. The figures shown are for locations with paid employees and do not include nonemployer firms (i.e. firms with no paid employees). NAICS — North American Industry Classification System  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/index.html

Holiday Season Statistics from the US Government

With the holiday season upon us, do you ever stop to wonder how busy the country gets?  Take a look at some of the statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau on the Holiday Season:

Christmas Trees and Decorations


$983 million:
The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January and September 2011. China was the leading country of origin for such items. Similarly, China was the leading foreign source of artificial Christmas trees shipped to the United States ($79.7 million worth) during the same period. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/

Where the Toys are ... Made

88:
Number of establishments around the country that primarily manufactured dolls and stuffed toys in 2009. California led the nation with 15 locations.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code 339931, http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/index.html

579:
The number of locations that primarily produced games, toys and children's vehicles in 2009; they employed 7,858 workers. California led the nation with 98 establishments.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code 339932, http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/index.html

$2.5 billion:
The value of U.S. toy imports including stuffed toys (including dolls), puzzles and electric trains from China between January and September 2011. China was the leading country of origin for stuffed toys coming into this country, as well as for a number of other popular holiday gifts. These include roller skates ($24.6 million), sports footwear ($253.8 million) and basketballs ($38.9 million). China leads Thailand as the leading supplier of ice skates ($17.7 million versus $9.8 million), with Canada ranking third ($4.2 million). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/

Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

50%:
Proportion of the nation's spuds produced in Idaho and Washington in 2010. Potato latkes are always a crowd pleaser during Hanukkah.  Source: National Agriculture Statistics Service http://www.nass.usda.gov/
http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/Pota/Pota-09-29-2011.pdf

$1.5 billion:
The value of product shipments of candles in 2009 by the nation's manufacturers. Many of these candles are lit during Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of Manufacturers, NAICS Code 3399995; http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=EAS&_submenuId=&_lang=en&_ts=

New Year's Eve and Day

More than 312 million
The nation's projected population as we ring in the New Year.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.html

Good luck on Finals! Remember: Quiet Hours, Candy Canes, and Coffee

Good luck on Finals!

The Hewes Library staff would like to wish all of our students good luck on your upcoming exams, presentations, projects, and papers! 

Remember, quiet hours are going on in the library to help you study, so please be courteous of your fellow students.  If you are looking for a quieter area to study, try the lower level study carols on the South wall. 

If you need a little sugar boost, candy canes are available on the holiday tree!  After 7:30pm, Einstein Brothers Bagels will have free coffee available for those studying.

Pop Quiz Results: Finals

On the Hewes Library website, we asked students the question: Are you ready for finals?  Here are the results:

Thanks for your participation and good luck on finals!

Library's Hours during Finals

Hewes Library's hours during Finals are:

• Thursday - Friday, December 8 - 9: 7:30 a.m. - Midnight
• Saturday - Sunday, December 10 - 11: 9:00 a.m. - Midnight
• Monday - Tuesday, December 12 - 13: 7:30 a.m. - Midnight
• Wednesday, December 14: 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Good luck on all of your final exams, papers, and projects!  See you next semester!

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Highligted on SAU.gov, each December 7 is "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day." The Day honors the more than 2,400 military service personnel who died on December 7, 1941, during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by Japanese forces. The attack on Pearl Harbor caused the United States to enter World War II, which lasted until Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945.


The World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument is a national monument honoring several military engagements in World War II and is in three states.

Learn more about Pearl Harbor:

• Library of Congress: Air Raid on Pearl Harbor
• U.S. Department of Defense: Remembering Pearl Harbor
• National Park Service's Remembering the USS Arizona
• U.S. National Archives collections of World War II Photographs
• World War II Memorial from the National Park Service
• Library of Congress Information for Researchers on World War II
• WWII teaching resources from Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
• "Man on the Street Interviews" after Pearl Harbor from the Library of Congress
• Presidential Proclamation--National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Title Highlight: Historical dictionary of Shinto

Historical dictionary of Shinto

1 volume: Illustrated, Chronology, Appendix (with lists of web sites), Bibliography

This short book gives a brief look at some of the traditions, beliefs and history of Shinto, a Japanese religious tradition. As the author points out in his preface, there is little about Shinto that is clearly defined. As a religious tradition it is unusual in having no agreed doctrines or hierarchy. If one is unfamiliar with Shinto, reading the Introduction is mandatory as it explains much about the religion and the many scholarly debates around it. Another good starting point is the entry on Kami, the local forces/spirits venerated in Shinto that are found sometimes in the natural world (trees, rocks, rivers, mountains, etc.), the animal world, or the human world. There is also a chronology tracing the important events and personalities in the history of Shinto. The Appendix offers a list of web sites with information on the major shrines and Shinto information sites; however some of the links weren’t working as of 11-10-11 although most of ones with pictures of the various Shinto shrines do work.

Foreign Relations of the United States Series: 150th Anniversary

The following is a message from the Historian, Special Projects Division, Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State and it was sent to all Federal depository libraries.  Monmouth College has been a FDLP Library since 1860.


December 3, 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) series, the largest and most comprehensive series of its type in the world. First published in 1861, the series has become a leading example of governmental openness and embodies the U.S. Government's commitment to responsible transparency. Over the past 150 years, FRUS evolved to become the official documentary history of U.S. foreign policy decision-making and major diplomatic activity. The series is prepared according to scholarly best practices under a 1991 Congressional mandate for "thorough, accurate, and reliable" coverage and timely release.

To mark the 150th anniversary of the FRUS series, the Office of the Historian at the U.S. Department of State has delved into the story of how the series evolved over time. This research engages many important themes in U.S. history, including the transformation of government institutions, changing conceptions of national security and transparency, and the increasingly important role that the United States has played in the world. Learn about the history of the series; research posts, videos, and original documents; as well as outreach efforts from the Office of the Historian.

The FRUS series now comprises more than 400 individual volumes. The current title, Foreign Relations of the United States, is distributed to Federal depository libraries in paper and electronic format.  You can view:

• Recently published and future publications
• Archived Volumes

New ScotsRead Titles

The latest ScotsRead titles to arrive are:

• Murder in the first class carriage: the first Victorian railway killing by Kate Colquhoun
• Inside the mind of Casey Anthony a psychological portrait by Keith Ablow
• Red Mist by Patricia Cornwell

Title Highlight: The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium

The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium

3 volumes, List of Maps (vol. 1), List of Genealogical Tables (vol. 1), Abbreviations(all volumes), Illustrations, charts

If people are familiar with Byzantine history at all, it is probably with names such as Constantine, Belisarios, Theodora and Helena and with the movement of the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Constantinople (Istanbul) in the third century. However, these individuals and events date from the early years of a period that ran from roughly the third century AD until the 14th century. Looking at this dictionary corrects that impression. It offers coverage of many topics ranging from historical, cultural, religious, linguistic, artistic and literary. The dictionary does not limit its geographic scope to the area near Constantinople, but also covers the Middle East and contains a great deal of information on the crusades and crusaders and various rulers of Jerusalem. Next to each of the entries is its Greek name and there are suggestions for further reading given after each entry.

This set of books will give any reader a quick entry into the fascinating world of Byzantine, which was neither European nor Arab, but combined elements of both. Illustrating the wide nature of topics covered by this book are pages 278-280 which have entries covering literature (Romance of Belisarios), material culture (Bells), architecture (Bell Tower) and clothing (Belts). Among the interesting people found in the book is Saint Symeon the Stylite who founded a movement where monks spent time ranging from months to years standing on a platform removed from the world in all types of weather, often surrounded by crowds of pilgrims.

Pre-finals and Finals Hours begin Dec. 2

Hewes Library will have additional hours for pre-finals and finals.  Pre-finals hours begin on Friday, December 2.

• Friday, December 2: 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• Saturday, December 3: 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• Sunday, December 4: 9:00 a.m. - Midnight
• Monday - Friday, December 5 - 9: 7:30 a.m. - Midnight
• Saturday - Sunday, December 10 - 11: 9:00 a.m. - Midnight
• Monday - Tuesday, December 12 - 13: 7:30 a.m. - Midnight
• Wednesday, December 14: 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

On Display: Impressionism

On display in the East Lobby is a collection of library materials relating to Impressionism.  There are several art books, documentaries, and descriptive texts about the movement.

All of the items are available for checkout.  Please see a member of the library's staff at the Circulation Desk to borrow materials.



Library Returns to Regular Hours

Hewes Library has returned to regular hours.  Pre-finals hours begin on December 2.  Additional information about library hours and scheduled breaks can be found on the library's hours page.

Einstein Brothers Bagels will reopen tomorrow, Monday, November 28 at 7:30am.

Title Highlight: Archaeology Dictionaries

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology, Terms used in Archaeology: A short dictionary, and Illustrated Dictionary of Art and Archaeology

These three dictionaries of archaeology are all useful in different ways to someone seeking short summaries of information on the topic of archeology. The first one is an online dictionary found in the Oxford Reference Online collection. This dictionary would best be used to look up a specific term, location, person or concept. All of the definitions are short with some cross-references to other entries. A nice feature of this dictionary is the “Links for this book” link found under the “browse this book” link on the main page of the book. This list gives useful web links to various archaeological magazines, databases and professional organizations. The list is fairly up to date; all links except one worked when clicked on 10-20-2011. The preface link takes you to the beginning of the book which explains its scope and gives suggestions for further reading in encyclopedias or specialist dictionaries on topics not covered by this book such as industrial archaeology. The “abbreviations” link defines the abbreviations encountered in the text. The abbreviations found in square brackets after the word and before the definition are part of a classification scheme that places all the terms into a series of main groupings.

For a more in-depth definition of a term, check out the Hewes library’s reference book “Terms used in Archaeology.” The terms found in this book are described in greater detail than in the online book, although the number of terms defined is much smaller. Neither this nor the previous book has any illustrations.

For illustrations of some archaeological terms and concepts refer to the third title, also found in the reference section. This book covers both art and architecture and has many illustrations of things like Cyclopean masonry, temple antae and a pheon. On another note, this book also has many illustrations of the heraldic elements found on medieval banners and European family coats-of-arms such as a barry, gimmel rings and an impale.

Thanksgiving Resources from the US Government

The US Government has some wonderful resources on the Thanksgiving holidays, its history, and its traditions.  Check out some of the following resources to learn more information:

• Thanksgiving in North America: From Local Harvests to National Holiday from the Smithsonian Institution
• November is American Indian Heritage Month - learn more at the Smithsonian Institution.
• 2011 Presidential Thanksgiving Proclaimation.
• Traditional pardoning of the Presidential Thanksgiving Turkey.
• Learn more about Food Safety with the Turkey Preparation Fact Sheets from the Food Safety and Inspection Service, which is part of the USDA.
• American Recipe resources from USA.gov.
• Highlights from the American Memory Collection: Thanksgiving at the Library of Congress.
• The Pilgrims' Real First Thanksgiving from the Department of Defense.
• Kids.gov provides information on getting children involved in preparing a Thanksgiving meal.
• Reminder from the US Department of Health and Human Services that Thanksgiving is also National Family Health History Day.

Thanksgiving Statistics

Want to impress your family members over the dinner table this Thanksgiving?  Take a look at the Thanksgiving Day Statistics from the US Census Bureau.  You can find information such as:

• 248 million: The number of turkeys expected to be raised in the United States in 2011. That's up 2 percent from the number raised during 2010. The turkeys produced in 2010 together weighed 7.11 billion pounds and were valued at $4.37 billion.  Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
• 750 million pounds: The forecast for U.S. cranberry production in 2011. Wisconsin is expected to lead all states in the production of cranberries, with 430 million pounds, followed by Massachusetts (210 million). New Jersey, Oregon and Washington are also expected to have substantial production, ranging from 17 million to 54 million pounds. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
• 2.4 billion pounds: The total weight of sweet potatoes — another popular Thanksgiving side dish — produced by major sweet potato producing states in 2010. North Carolina (972 million pounds) produced more sweet potatoes than any other state. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service .
• 1.1 billion pounds: Total production of pumpkins in the major pumpkin-producing states in 2010. Illinois led the country by producing 427 million pounds of the vined orange gourd. Pumpkin patches in California, New York and Ohio also provided lots of pumpkins: Each state produced at least 100 million pounds. The value of all pumpkins produced by major pumpkin-producing states was $117 million.  Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Thanksgiving Break Hours

Hewes Library will be observing Thanksgiving Break from November 22 to November 27.  Special library hours are listed below.

• Tuesday, November 22: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 23: 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
• Thursday - Saturday, November 24 - 26: Closed
• Sunday, November 27: 6:00 p.m. - Midnight

Additional information about library hours and scheduled breaks can be found on the library's hours page of the library's webpage.

On Display: Thanksgiving

Currently on display in the East Lobby of the library is a collection of books and materials relating to the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Additional materials can be found in any of our electronic reference databases.

In addition to materials relating to the holiday, there are books with information on Native Americans, the Mayflower, and pilgrims colonies in America.  There is also statistical information relating to Thanksgiving from the Census Department.

Items are available to checkout.  Please see a member of the library's staff at the Circulation Desk to borrow materials.

Access to electronic databases are limited to students, staff, and faculty of Monmouth College.

Title Highlight: Dictionary of Statistics & Methodology

Dictionary of statistics & methodology : a nontechnical guide for the social sciences

Frequently used symbols (inside front cover), Greek alphabet (inside front cover), List of figures, List of tables, Suggestions for further reading

This short dictionary is a useful source for understanding the many terms and phrases used in designing and conducting research in the social sciences. The definitions of terms such as “double-blind procedure”, “nested design “and “regression analysis” are written in easy to understand language for the non-specialist. A nice feature is that if a definition uses another term that is defined elsewhere in the book, that second term is indicated by an *. There are many figures and tables used to illustrate the different methods of visually displaying research results. This book would be useful for those beginning a research project in any of the social science disciplines.

New Items at Hewes Library

New items are added to the Hewes Library Collection on a continual basis. Recent titles have included:

• Tender Cut by Patricia Adler and Peter Adler
• Rabelias and His World by Mikhail Bakhtin
• Blind Spots by Max H. Bazerman
• Hunger: The Biology and Politics of Starvation by John R. Butterly and Jack Shepherd
• We all Wore Stars by Theo Coster
• Science of Harry Potter by Roger Highfield
• On Desire: Why We Want What We Want by William B. Irvine
• Globalizations and the Ancient World by Justin Jennings
• Edwardian Farm by Alex Langlands
• Africa's World War by Gerard Prunier

Check out a ScotsRead Book for Thanksgiving Break

Looking for something fun to read over Thanksgiving Break?  Check out a ScotsRead book to take home with you.  A few recently arrived titles are:

• How I got this way by Regis Philbin
• White Truffles in Winter: A Novel by N.M. Kelby
• Devil's Gate: A Novel from the NUMA files by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown
• V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

Title Highlight: Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary

Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary contains over 125,000 terms used in medicine and 1500 plates illustrating various parts of the body, diseases, injuries, ways of bandaging, etc. The organization of the dictionary is unusual in that terms are grouped together under their general concept (for instance information on Fabry’s disease is found under the entry for “disease”, so it is best to use the search feature to find the term you are looking for. This dictionary uses many terms of practice and presupposes some knowledge on the part of the user as some of the entries use terminology that would not be familiar to a medical student or non-physician.

However some of the entries are easy to understand (such as “falling disease”, a usually fatal cattle ailment.) If you are looking for explanations of diseases, injuries, etc. in laymen’s terms a medical encyclopedia like the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine or Magill’s Medical Guide would probably be a better choice. However, this dictionary has many full color illustrations useful for papers and presentations that can be found by clicking on the “images” tab found below the title of the book under the search box above the search box. The images can be saved or downloaded by right clicking on them.

The dictionary also has an audio tab that links to a pronunciation guide that illustrates how to pronounce the many unfamiliar words found in the text.

Access to Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary is limited to the students, staff, and faculty of Monmouth College.

Current Periodicals: Finding Recent Issues

Recent periodicals are available on the main floor of Hewes Library.  Popular and scholarly periodicals are both located on the South side of the building - across from the Einstein Brothers Bagel Coffee shop.

The most recent issues are displayed on the front of the shelving.  The shelves lift up to store the older issues of the magazine or journal.  Issues from the previous six months to a year are available on the main level.  Back issues of the periodicals can be found in the lower level of the library shelved alphabetically by title.

Recently Received ScotsRead Titles

The following ScotsRead titles have recently arrived and are available in the ScotsRead Collection on the main floor of the library.

• Hotel Vendome: A Novel by Danielle Steel
• Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy: Advice from Rock's Ultimate Survivor by Ozzy Osbourne with Chris Ayres
• A Christmas Homecoming: A Novel by Anne Perry
• Double Dexter: A Novel by Jeff Lindsay
• Night Eternal by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
• The Litigators by John Grisham
• 11/23/63 by Stephen King

Title Highlight: Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome

Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome


2 vol.: Lists of abbreviations (both volumes), General Index (end of volume 2), List of inscriptions (end of volume 2)

Not all dictionaries define words or concepts. Some dictionaries are concerned with illustrating physical objects. The Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome is one of these. Found in the reference section, it contains photographs, plans and short descriptions of the ancient monuments and sites excavated in the city of Rome up until 1962. The entries are arranged alphabetically and each entry begins with a short written description of the site, its age and general plan, followed by citations to sources. In order to decipher the sources cited, checking the lists of abbreviations found at the beginning of both books is needed to make sense of the references. The descriptive paragraph is followed by photographs of the site showing the architecture, inscriptions and other interesting objects found at the site.

The entries for some sites include plans of early excavations, drawings of its situation and layout. The books also include ancient sites that are incorporated into more modern structures. The book is a snapshot in time of how the many ancient sites of Ancient Rome looked in the late 20th century. The images contained would be very useful to illustrate papers and presentations on ancient Roman sites.

Annual Juried Student Exhibition Opens Today

Beginning today, Gallery 204 on the upper level of the Hewes Library willl be featuring the Annual Juried Studen Exhibition. This will run from November 4 - December 7, 2011.

Since it is opening day, there will be a Gallery Talk at 3:15pm followed by a reception from 3-5pm in the lobby area.

New ScotsRead Titles

The following ScotsRead titles have just arrived and are now available:

• The Wedding Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
• I Didn't Ask to be Born (but I'm glad I was) by Bill Cosby
• Zero Day by David Baldacci
• Dear Me: A Letter to my sixteen-year-old self edited by Joseph Galliano
• House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes novel by Anthony Horowitz

Title Highlight: Wall Street Dictionary

Wall Street Word (Credo Reference)/The Wall Street Dictionary: The Wall Street Dictionary is a book found in the reference section which contains over 5000 phrases and terms used in the stock market by traders, investors, brokers, market analysts, bankers and others. The definitions in this book are all quite short and to the point, quickly explaining the many complicated terms used in the world’s financial markets.

The online Wall Street Words defines more than 4600 phrases and terms and includes detailed examples for some terms; for instance, the “leveraged buyout” and “Dutch auction” entries are followed by short case studies that illustrate the concepts more fully. This resource also has a question and answer section for a few entries that explain one facet of the term in more detail. For instance, the entry on “buy on margin” includes the answer to the question: “What are the risks inherent in buying securities on margin?” Lists of terms that have detailed examples called case studies and terms that have a question and answer section are found on the headings tab of the resource.

Both books contain many of the same phrases and terms and it is interesting to see how many familiar words and terms have a completely different meaning on Wall Street, such as “tailgating”, “sweetener”, “killing”, and “shark”.

Coming Soon! Annual Juried Student Exhibition in Gallery 204

Starting next week on November 4, Gallery 204 on the upper level of the Hewes Library willl be featuring the Annual Juried Studen Exhibition.  This will run from November 4 - December 7, 2011.  Friday, November 4 will be the opening day with a Gallery Talk at 3:15pm followed by a reception from 3-5pm in the lobby area.

Title Highlight: Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science

The biographical dictionary of women in science: pioneering lives from ancient times to the mid-20th century

2 vol.: List of scientists by occupation (vol. 2), List of scientists by Time Period (vol. 2), List of scientists by Country (vol. 2)

This two volume dictionary is really more of an encyclopedia in that the entries range in length from a dictionary sized paragraph to 7 pages (Marie Curie). It covers women of all nationalities and time periods with entries on women engaged in scientific pursuits from pre-450 A.D. such as the physician Olympias of Thebes and mathematician Hypatia of Alexandria, to women of the Middle Ages like the physician Agnes of Jerusalem and the nurse Saint Catherine of Sienna to twentieth century scientists including Marie Curie and Margaret Meade. The indexes arranged by occupation, time period and country at the end of the second volume are useful in seeing the wide range of women represented.

Although most of the scientists mentioned are British or American, there are also biographies of women from many other countries, Egypt, Peru and Sri Lanka for example. There are suggestions for further reading given after each entry and each entry’s reading suggestions are divided into one of three categories: primary sources, secondary sources or standard sources.

New Items at Hewes Library

New items are added to the Hewes Library Collection on a continual basis. Recent titles have included:

• Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans by Peter Abelard
• Flamingo Rising by Larry Baker
• Thought of Work by John W. Budd
• Education Reform by Ian C. Friedman
• Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience by Donald W. Mitchell
• TTYL by Lauren Myracle
• Stage Lighting Design by Richard Pilbrow
• How the Cold War Ended by John Prados
• Deepest Wounds by Thomas D. Rogers
• American Film in the Digital Age by Robert C. Sickels

Just Released! New ScotsRead Titles

Newly released ScotsRead book titles have just arrived.  Check them out from the ScotsRead Collection on the main level of the library.

• Stealing Mona Lisa: A Mystery by Carson Morton
• Acceptable Loss: A William Monk novel by Anne Perry
• Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
• The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, adapted by Seymour Chwast
• Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman
• The Night Circus: A Novel by Erin Morgenstern

Homecoming 2011: Dream Big

Good luck to the Monmouth College Fighting Scots!  And welcome to all of the Monmouth College friends, family, and alumni!

Dictionary of Paradox

Dictionary of Paradox:  This small dictionary illustrates many of the examples used to demonstrate the concept of paradox. Paradox is defined by the authors as a statement that is absurd because it flies in the face of what is correct, proper or logical. For instance the Abilene paradox illustrates a phenomenon often observed by managers. It tells of a family relaxing on a hot afternoon in Texas when one of them suggests driving to Abilene for dinner. None of the family wants to make the four hour round trip to Abilene, but none wants to be the first to say it, so the entire family gets in the car and drives to Abilene. The paradox is that no one wanted to go, yet everyone did. Why would people do this? This entry examines the reasons behind this strange, counterproductive behavior and suggests ways for managers to avoid it. This story and many more like it are found in this intriguing volume.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, paradox is explained under its own heading and the well-known paradoxes from many branches of knowledge (science, philosophy, literature, mathematics, etc.) are found under the title of the paradox such as the Acting paradox, the Bystander Paradox, Infinite Series Paradox, Zeno’s Paradox and others. Suggestions are given at the end of each entry for further reading and research into each example.

New Books Every Friday!

Just a reminder for students, staff, and faculty to check out the New Books Display area on the main level of the library.  While titles are added throughout the week, large updates of all new titles appear on the bookshelves on Friday mornings.

Abbreviations Dictionaries

Many people are familiar with the shorthand language of texting and know that the abbreviation  LOL means “laugh out loud”.  But did you know that it can also mean little old lady, lots of love, or lots of luck? According to the entry in the American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary such is the case.   But shorthand ways of referring to things are not new.  There are many shorthand references used in articles and books, heard on the news or even in general conversation.  For instance, anyone listening to the news has heard the abbreviation NASDAQ referred to, but, how many of you know that it stands for National Association of Security Dealers Automated Quotation (system)? 

A few of the dictionaries available at Hewes Library.

To find that out and to decipher the many abbreviations found in books, articles and the news you should turn to an abbreviations dictionary.  Two good abbreviations dictionaries are found in the Hewes Library, the first is the 10^th edition of the Abbreviations Dictionary found in the reference collection, the second is the American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary found in the Credo Reference collection, an online database subscribed to by Hewes.  The print dictionary, in addition to its abbreviations entries also contains such useful information as the abbreviations for airlines, birthstones, the Greek alphabet, the International Radio Alphabet and Code, musical nicknames and superlatives, national capitals, astronomical and zodiac symbols and many other interesting things.  The online dictionary contains more slang and technology terms like LOL, LDR (long distance relationship is only one meaning) and ROTFL (roll on the floor laughing)  Both dictionaries are good places to look to decipher unfamiliar terms and phrases. 

So take a look and discover the meanings of many of the shorthand terms and phrases you see all around you, YKWIM?

Just Arrived! More ScotsRead Titles

The following ScotsRead titles have just arrived and are available:

• Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris by David King
• Pirate King: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. King
• Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel's Secret War by Hal Vaughan
• Kill Me If You Can: A Novel by James Patterson and Marshall Karp
• The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
• The Good Theif's Guide to Venice by Chris Ewan

New BookScan Station Now Available

Hewes Library has acquired a new BookScan Station, which includes a flatbed scanner, document scanner, and touch screen instruction monitor. 

The BookScan Station will allow users to scan booksor documents quickly and convert them into .PDF documents, Word Files, text files, and more.  Files can be sent directly to your email address, USB flash drive, or uploaded to your Google Docs account.

The BookScan Station is located near the Public Workstations computers and printer on the Main Floor of the library.  If you have questions, stop by the Reference or Circulation Desks.

Einstein Bros Bagels Resumes Normal Hours

As of this morning, Einstein Bros Bagels has resumed normal hours. 

Library Resumes Regular Hours

Welcome back to campus after Fall Break!  As of today, Tuesday, October 11, Hewes Library has resumed regular hours. 

New ScotsRead Titles

The following titles have recently arrived and are now available in the ScotsRead Collection on the Main Level of Hewes Library.

• The 3rd Alternative: Solving Life's Most Difficult Problems by Stephen Covey
• The Dovekeepers: A Novel by Alice Hoffman
• The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
• The Deception at Lyme: Or, the peril of Persuasion by Carrie Bebris
• Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton by Jeff Pearlman
• Shatner Rules: Your Guide to Understanding the Shatnerverse and the World at Large by William Shatner

Check out these titles and more from ScotsRead: the leisure reading collection.  If you are interested in a particular author or book titles, please email the information to referenceATmonmouthcollegeDOTedu.

Why use a dictionary?

Most people think of dictionaries as places to look up how to spell a word or to find the correct meaning(s) of a word.  Among the best known are the many varieties of Merriam-Webster’s and the most famous of all the Oxford English Dictionary.   Another common use for dictionaries is to look up an equivalent word in a foreign language in a French-English, Spanish-English, Greek-English Dictionary, etc.  All of this is true, but dictionaries can be a lot more. 

There are many other sorts of information that can be found in a dictionary.  For instance when reading a book or article about art or theatre, you may come across a reference to an unfamiliar concept, such as “conceptual art “.  A quick look at the “Dictionary of the Avant-Gardes” will tell you that conceptual art is the “..radical idea that a statement which need not be in words can be an aesthetic experience” and that it is found in visual art, music and performance art.  Or if you are reading a financial article and see the word “bubble”, you may not know what is referred to by the term.  However, if you look it up in the “Wall Street Dictionary” you would know that in business terms a bubble is ““..a speculative venture that has little chance of making a profit”. 

And dictionaries may not just illustrate words, but also concrete objects such as a Brewster chair and the aurora borealis as shown in “The Dictionary of Interior Design” and the Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology respectively.  There are many uses of dictionaries for short bits of information on, or even pictures of, a term or concept that is unfamiliar. 

Look for more on with this series of articles that will explore some of the many dictionaries found in or accessible through Hewes Library.

Einstein Brothers Bagels Fall Break Hours

Over Fall Break, Einstein Brothers Bagels will have reduced hours.  They will be open:

• Friday, October 7: 7:30am – 2:00pm
• Saturday -Tuesday, October 8-11: Closed

Normal hours will resume on Wednesday, October 12 at 7:30am.

Library Fall Break Hours

Hewes Library will have shortened hours over Fall Break. 

• Friday, October 7: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday - Sunday, October 8 - 9: Closed
• Monday, October 10: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 11: 8:00 a.m. - Midnight

The library will return to normal hours on Tuesday, October 11.

Research Tip! Printing from JSTOR

Printing from the database JSTOR can be tricky.  If you just select print from your internet browser's window, it will only print the first page of the article that you are interested in.  To print the full article, you need to download the .PDF.  You can access the article .PDF file from either the search results list or the top right if you are viewing the first page of the article.  Once you select download, you will have to agree to the copyright restrictions before you can view the full article to print.

Banned Book Week Wrap Up

Banned Book Week 2011 officially comes to a close today, but the library displays will remain up until the beginning of next week.

Take a few moments to browse the books that have been challenged or banned throughout the country.  Browse through the list of most frequently challenged titles to see how many you have read.....you may be surprised!

Books are available for checkout.  Please take them to the Circulation Desk on the main floor of the library with your MC ID card to take them with you.

Author Lauren Myracle for Banned Book Week

More from the Banned Book Week YouTube Channel.

Banned Book Week: Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2010

For the previous year, 348 challenges were reported to the Office for Intellectual Freedom.  Based on that information, the most challenged books of 2010 were:

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.  Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.  Reasons: offensive language, racism, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence.
3. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley.  Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, and sexually explicit.
4. Crank, by Ellen Hopkins.  Reasons: drugs, offensive language, and sexually explicit.

5. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.  Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence.
6. Lush, by Natasha Friend.  Reasons: drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group.
7. What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones.  Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group. 
8. Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich.  Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, and religious viewpoint. 
9. Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie.  Reasons: homosexuality and sexually explicit. 
10. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer.  Reasons: religious viewpoint and violence.

Source: American Library Association

Author Judy Blume for Banned Book Week

More from the Banned Book Week YouTube Channel.

Banned Book Week: Numbers by the Book

Each year, the American Library Associations's Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of the top ten most frequently challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools. The number of challenges are only those that have been reported directly.  The Office of Intellectual Freedom estimates that for each reported challenged, many go un-reported. 

Statistical Information from 2001 to 2010:

"Over the past ten years, American libraries were faced with 4,660 challenges.

• 1,536 challenges due to “sexually explicit” material;
• 1,231 challenges due to “offensive language”;
• 977 challenges due to material deemed “unsuited to age group”;
• 553 challenges due to “violence”
• 370 challenges due to “homosexuality”; and
• Further, 121 materials were challenged because they were “anti-family,” and an additional 304 were challenged because of their “religious viewpoints.”

1,720 of these challenges (approximately 37%) were in classrooms; 30% (or1,432) were in school libraries; 24% (or 1,119) took place in public libraries. There were 32 challenges to college classes; and 106 to academic libraries. There are isolated cases of challenges to materials made available in or by prisons, special libraries, community groups, and student groups. The majority of challenges were initiated by parents (almost exactly 48%), while patrons and administrators followed behind (10% each)." ~From the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom.

Banned Book Week: Challenges vs. Banning

Banned Book Week (BBW) 2011

What is the difference between a challenge and a banning?

According to the American Library Association:

"A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.  A banning is the removal of those materials.  Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.  Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection." ~American Library Association's About Banned & Challenged Books

Looking to learn more on Banned Books Week?  These resources will be helpful:

• American Library Association's Banned Book Week Website: Full information on Banned Book Week and the history of the event. 
• More on the differences between a Challenge and a Banned Book
• More Terms & Definitions relating to Banned Book Week

Banned Book Week YouTube Channel

Banned Book Week has a Virtual Read Out YouTube channel featuring videos from the authors of books that have been challenged or banned.  The channel also allows the public to contribute clips of their own readings of challenged or banned materials.  Check it out!

Banned Book Week: Most Frequently Challenged Books

Accompanying all of the Banned Book Week displays is a list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged and Banned Books from 2000-2010.  Pick up a handout from one of the three locations to figure out how many banned and challenged books you've read. 

You may be surprised by the number of titles you have already read!

Banned Book Week Displays

To celebrate Banned Book Week, there are several displays throughout the library.  Stop by to view some of the most recently challenged titles and check one out.

The East Lobby display cases are full of titles and the West Lobby has a large display of titles that have been challenged or banned.

Feel free to remove the covers from titles to see which have been challenged or banned.

Check out the Banned Book Week section in the New Books area.  Pick up a handout to see which of the most frequently challenged and banned books you have read.

Banned Book Week 2011

Hewes Library is pleased to highlight Banned Book Week 2011!  There are several displays throughout the main floor of Hewes Library.  Stop by to pick up a Banned Book or take a list of frequently challenged titles with you for future reading. 

What is Banned Book Week?  The American Library Association says:

"Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted bannings. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections. Imagine how many more books might be challenged—and possibly banned or restricted—if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society.


Part of the Banned Book Week display in the Main Lobby.

Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. In 2011, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund; National Coalition Against Censorship; National Council of Teachers of English; and PEN American Center also signed on as sponsors." ~American Library Association, Freedom To Read