EBSCO Publishing announced the release of GreenFILE, a bibliographic database of information about environmental concerns. This database is being made freely available at www.greeninfoonline.com.
GreenFILE indexes scholarly and general interest titles, as well as government documents and reports. This resource offers a unique perspective on the positive and negative ways humans affect the environment. Drawing on the connection between the environment and disciplines such as agriculture, education, law, health and technology, GreenFILE serves as an informative resource for anyone concerned about the issues facing our planet. The database contains nearly 300,000 records, full text for selected titles and searchable cited references for more than 200 titles as well.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Academy of American Poets Presents National Poetry Month 2008
Poem In Your Pocket Day, April 17
Poets.org is brimming with poems for pockets in anticipation of the first national Poem In Your Pocket Day on Thursday, April 17. Celebrate the power of the poem to both transport a reader and be transported by carrying a poem in your pocket to share with friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers on April 17. www.poets.org/pocket
Handpicked for Your Pocket
Get ready for Poem In Your Pocket Day by finding the perfect poem for your pocket. In addition to browsing your library, bookstore, or shelf at home, you can pick poems in these new ways:
Pocket-Size Poems
Poems by Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and many more are ready to print and distribute for your Poem In Your Pocket Day celebration. www.poets.org/pocketpoems
Poetry Ringtones
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light" with ringtones for your mobile phone featuring lines by Dylan Thomas, Langston Hughes, W. B. Yeats, Gwendolyn Brooks, James Wright, and Robert Lowell. www.poets.org/audio
Poets.org In Your Pocket
Verse is now at your fingertips with the launch of a new mobile version of Poets.org, which provides free and direct access to the entire collection of over 2,500 poems from the Academy of American Poets. To carry Poets.org in your pocket, simply go to www.poets.org/m from any mobile device.
www.poets.org/mobile
"I Carried My Life, Like A Stone, In A Ragged Pocket": National Poetry Month Poster
Celebrate National Poetry Month 2008 with the official poster, featuring lines from Jay Wright's poem, "The Healing Improvisation of Hair." Designed by SpotCo, a New York City agency responsible for the lion’s share of poster designs for Broadway’s most popular shows, the poster is available to teachers and librarians while supplies last. www.poets.org/poster
Poem-A-Day Email
Sign up for a daily shot of poetry in April from new spring poetry titles including new poems by Charles Simic, Marie Howe, Alan Shapiro, James Tate, Adam Zagajewski, Caroline Knox, Cate Marvin, and many more.
www.poets.org/poemaday
Life Lines Contest: Enter by April 1
Enter to win a piece of jewelry hand-engraved by San Francisco designer Jeanine Payer by sending the lines of poetry most vital to you, along with notes about the precise situation that summoned them to mind. The winner will have their "life line" hand-engraved on a specially chosen piece. Entries can be emailed to npm@poets.org until April 1, 2008. www.poets.org/lifelines
Poets.org is brimming with poems for pockets in anticipation of the first national Poem In Your Pocket Day on Thursday, April 17. Celebrate the power of the poem to both transport a reader and be transported by carrying a poem in your pocket to share with friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers on April 17. www.poets.org/pocket
Handpicked for Your Pocket
Get ready for Poem In Your Pocket Day by finding the perfect poem for your pocket. In addition to browsing your library, bookstore, or shelf at home, you can pick poems in these new ways:
Pocket-Size Poems
Poems by Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and many more are ready to print and distribute for your Poem In Your Pocket Day celebration. www.poets.org/pocketpoems
Poetry Ringtones
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light" with ringtones for your mobile phone featuring lines by Dylan Thomas, Langston Hughes, W. B. Yeats, Gwendolyn Brooks, James Wright, and Robert Lowell. www.poets.org/audio
Poets.org In Your Pocket
Verse is now at your fingertips with the launch of a new mobile version of Poets.org, which provides free and direct access to the entire collection of over 2,500 poems from the Academy of American Poets. To carry Poets.org in your pocket, simply go to www.poets.org/m from any mobile device.
www.poets.org/mobile
"I Carried My Life, Like A Stone, In A Ragged Pocket": National Poetry Month Poster
Celebrate National Poetry Month 2008 with the official poster, featuring lines from Jay Wright's poem, "The Healing Improvisation of Hair." Designed by SpotCo, a New York City agency responsible for the lion’s share of poster designs for Broadway’s most popular shows, the poster is available to teachers and librarians while supplies last. www.poets.org/poster
Poem-A-Day Email
Sign up for a daily shot of poetry in April from new spring poetry titles including new poems by Charles Simic, Marie Howe, Alan Shapiro, James Tate, Adam Zagajewski, Caroline Knox, Cate Marvin, and many more.
www.poets.org/poemaday
Life Lines Contest: Enter by April 1
Enter to win a piece of jewelry hand-engraved by San Francisco designer Jeanine Payer by sending the lines of poetry most vital to you, along with notes about the precise situation that summoned them to mind. The winner will have their "life line" hand-engraved on a specially chosen piece. Entries can be emailed to npm@poets.org until April 1, 2008. www.poets.org/lifelines
Monday, March 24, 2008
CQ Press - Online Trial
CQ Press, a Division of Congressional Quarterly Inc. is offering free access to their online products through April 30th. You will be able to access all CQ products, including CQ Researcher, CQ Researcher Plus Archive, CQ Global Researcher, CQ Almanac, CQ Weekly, CQ Collection Databases, and CQ Online Editions.
http://library.cqpress.com/login.php?mode=trials
You may obtain the username and password from the Reference Desk.
TIP: be sure to have your web browser set to accept pop-ups; each topic/chapter opens within a pop-up window.
Currently there are several new topics covered in CQ Press Online. And be sure to view topics covered in "New Releases" such as an in-depth explaination of the American political campaign process. Much more is awaiting you when you visit this great online resource!
http://library.cqpress.com/login.php?mode=trials
You may obtain the username and password from the Reference Desk.
TIP: be sure to have your web browser set to accept pop-ups; each topic/chapter opens within a pop-up window.
Currently there are several new topics covered in CQ Press Online. And be sure to view topics covered in "New Releases" such as an in-depth explaination of the American political campaign process. Much more is awaiting you when you visit this great online resource!
AcronymFinder web site
If you’re ever at a loss to know what a long string of letters stands for, you can turn to the free online version of this ready reference staple at http://www.acronymfinder.com/.
Volunteer Voices: Women’s History Resources
Volunteer Voices (http://www.volunteervoices.org) is a state-wide digitization project that will provide access to primary sources that document Tennessee's rich history and culture. Volunteer Voices combines the collaborative efforts of Tennessee archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, and schools. Highlights of the collection that can be used for Women’s History are outlined at the Vol Voices blog (http://digitenn.blogspot.com/2008/03/womens-history-sources-in-volunteer.html).
Check it out – although still in “beta,” Volunteer Voices has brought together a wealth of information and it’s FREE to use.
Check it out – although still in “beta,” Volunteer Voices has brought together a wealth of information and it’s FREE to use.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tennessee History Online Resource
A recommended web site is TNhistoryforKids.(http://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/) This resource contains entries for K-12 students, as well as materials for teachers. The arrangement of material follows the Tennessee Department of Education's recommended curriculum. Media files and graphics are also included.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Thinkinfinity.org -- Free Teacher Web Resource
Thinkfinity.org, the popular online hub for educators, is getting a face-lift. The Verizon Foundation, the site’s sponsor, announced several improvements to Thinkfinity.org at WNET’s Teaching & Learning Celebration, held March 7–8 in New York City.
Thinkfinity.org is the Verizon Foundation’s free online portal to 55,000 educational and literacy resources for teachers, parents, and students and includes standards-based, grade-specific, K–12 lesson plans and interactive projects. Site content is provided through a partnership between the Verizon Foundation and 11 national education and literacy organizations, such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, International Reading Association, National Center for Family Literacy, National Council on Economic Education, National Geographic Society, ProLiteracy Worldwide, and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Improvements to Thinkfinity.org announced by the Verizon Foundation and its partners include the addition of 500 new resources; individual portals to allow users to search for resources targeted to educators, students, parents, or after-school programs; a more comprehensive search engine; and the ability to search for resources according to individual state standards. The site will also sport a new look.
Kathy Ishizuka -- School Library Journal, 3/10/2008
Thinkfinity.org is the Verizon Foundation’s free online portal to 55,000 educational and literacy resources for teachers, parents, and students and includes standards-based, grade-specific, K–12 lesson plans and interactive projects. Site content is provided through a partnership between the Verizon Foundation and 11 national education and literacy organizations, such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, International Reading Association, National Center for Family Literacy, National Council on Economic Education, National Geographic Society, ProLiteracy Worldwide, and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Improvements to Thinkfinity.org announced by the Verizon Foundation and its partners include the addition of 500 new resources; individual portals to allow users to search for resources targeted to educators, students, parents, or after-school programs; a more comprehensive search engine; and the ability to search for resources according to individual state standards. The site will also sport a new look.
Kathy Ishizuka -- School Library Journal, 3/10/2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
March Highlights from AwesomeStories.com
Use AwesomeStories.com to retrieve information you need for school papers and projects, or just read for your own enjoyment. Access this site at www.AwesomeStories.com. If you are not already a member, follow the link to select a free individual password.
BOSTON MASSACRE By 1770, many Americans wanted British soldiers to leave the colonies. On the 5th of March that year, a taunting mob threw hard-packed snowballs at British soldiers on duty near Boston's custom house. The soldiers fired at the crowd, killing five people. John Adams, a future U.S. president, successfully defended some of the soldiers who were tried for murder.
REMEMBER THE ALAMO The Republic of Texas declared its independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836. A few days later - on March 6 - the Alamo fell. The massacre led to the rally cry: "Remember the Alamo!" Thanks to the Texas State Archives, we have significant primary sources to study the events.
THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER If it hadn't been for Doc Beanes, Francis Scott Key may never have found himself on a Royal Navy ship while the British attacked Ft. McHenry. Had he not been on the ship, Key may not have written his famous poem (which officially became America's national anthem on March 3, 1931). Learn the story and see the famous, now-restored flag which once flew above Ft. McHenry.
REVOLUTION in RUSSIA On the 8th of March, 1917, riots in St. Petersburg caused the Tsar, Nicholas II, to lose power. It was the beginning of the Russian Revolution which ultimately took the lives of the imperial family.
BATTLE of IWO JIMA and INCENDIARY BOMBING of TOKYO Japanese defenders and American invaders fought for more than thirty days on the island of Iwo Jima. The famous battle finally ended in March of 1945. Under American control, the island was used as an air base for B-29s whose crews dropped fire bombs over Tokyo.
GENERAL MacARTHUR in AUSTRALIA On the 12th of March, 1942, General Douglas MacArthur left the Philippines for Australia where he worked closely with John Curtin, the Australian prime minister. Famously declaring that he would return to his troops, the general had been ordered to leave. He had not been told, however, that the American government was temporarily abandoning soldiers, sailors and nurses serving their country in the Philippines.
ST. PATRICK'S DAY - The Wind that Shakes the Barley The Irish people have a long history of seeking independence from Great Britain. Our story behind The Wind that Shakes the Barley provides background on the struggle, including the partition of Ireland and the resulting civil war.
BRITAIN ABOLISHES the SLAVE TRADE On the 25th of March, 1807, the British Parliament formally abolished African slave-trading. This story provides background on the beginning of slave-trading, its impact on the lives of Africans and the extraordinary efforts required to end it.
BEETHOVEN and HIS HAIR The great composer, Ludwig von Beethoven, died in Vienna on March 26, 1827. In poor health, he left behind a never-sent letter which begged his brothers to find out why he'd been so ill. Hundreds of years later, a lock of his hair provides an answer: He had severe lead poisoning!
TENERIFE - DISASTROUS AIR CRASH On March 27, 1977, people vacationing in the Canary Islands were delayed due to a terrorist attack. What happened thereafter led to the world's deadliest aviation accident.
INVENTION of COCA COLA In March of 1886, Dr. John Pemberton created a secret formula for a drink he called Coca-Cola. A few years later, he sold his rights to the product for a mere $2,000. Until 1905, the popular drink contained the cocaine alkaloid.
VIRGINIA WOOLF The author, Virginia Woolf, loved London so much she once observed: "To walk alone in London is the greatest rest." Despite her fondness for the capital, Virginia's doctors believed the stress of city life in war-torn London contributed to her illnesses. On the 28th of March, 1941, Virginia left her East Sussex home and followed the footpath to the River Ouse. She put a heavy stone into her coat pocket and walked into the water. Her body was found three weeks later.
ALASKA PURCHASE On the 30th of March, 1867, America purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. William Seward, wounded in an assassination attempt the night President Lincoln was killed, had lived long enough to see one of his greatest dreams come true. Not everyone agreed that buying Alaska made sense. To some, the purchase was known as "Seward's Folly." See the original purchase documents, including the paid "warrant."
NEW FEATURES:
SITE MAP - To help users more quickly locate stories, they have created a new site map. Each story included in the list also has (or will soon have) a new summary. In addition to a quick overview of the subject, the summaries include specifics about featured links. For example: Beowulf provides a direct path to a modern scoop who tells the tale in Old English. Columbia includes a video of the astronauts soon before the shuttle exploded. Thomas Jefferson links the original Declaration of Independence (with handwritten changes by John Adams and Ben Franklin). Bagger Vance compares a modern allegory to an ancient epic. The Amistad Incident uncovers drawings of the actual captives. Mummies provides a virtual journey to see some of the world's most famous mummies.
FOCUSED TOPICS at AWESOME STORIES - Because the site has hundreds of stories which incorporate thousands of topics, it isn't always easy to do a "one-stop shop" on a particular subject. So ... they are creating a series of focused topics which provide members, and site users, with detailed information - and direct access - to those sources.
This month they feature:
Medieval History
Space and Aviation
Civil War (American)
Victorian Age
STREAMING AUDIO at AWESOME STORIES - They have completed many audio recordings. You do not have to load a player - just click on the green arrow, at the top of each recorded chapter, and off you go! (Soon the audio versions will also be available as podcasts.)
To find general topics, see the new site map. To find specific subjects, check out the detailed subject index.
BOSTON MASSACRE By 1770, many Americans wanted British soldiers to leave the colonies. On the 5th of March that year, a taunting mob threw hard-packed snowballs at British soldiers on duty near Boston's custom house. The soldiers fired at the crowd, killing five people. John Adams, a future U.S. president, successfully defended some of the soldiers who were tried for murder.
REMEMBER THE ALAMO The Republic of Texas declared its independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836. A few days later - on March 6 - the Alamo fell. The massacre led to the rally cry: "Remember the Alamo!" Thanks to the Texas State Archives, we have significant primary sources to study the events.
THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER If it hadn't been for Doc Beanes, Francis Scott Key may never have found himself on a Royal Navy ship while the British attacked Ft. McHenry. Had he not been on the ship, Key may not have written his famous poem (which officially became America's national anthem on March 3, 1931). Learn the story and see the famous, now-restored flag which once flew above Ft. McHenry.
REVOLUTION in RUSSIA On the 8th of March, 1917, riots in St. Petersburg caused the Tsar, Nicholas II, to lose power. It was the beginning of the Russian Revolution which ultimately took the lives of the imperial family.
BATTLE of IWO JIMA and INCENDIARY BOMBING of TOKYO Japanese defenders and American invaders fought for more than thirty days on the island of Iwo Jima. The famous battle finally ended in March of 1945. Under American control, the island was used as an air base for B-29s whose crews dropped fire bombs over Tokyo.
GENERAL MacARTHUR in AUSTRALIA On the 12th of March, 1942, General Douglas MacArthur left the Philippines for Australia where he worked closely with John Curtin, the Australian prime minister. Famously declaring that he would return to his troops, the general had been ordered to leave. He had not been told, however, that the American government was temporarily abandoning soldiers, sailors and nurses serving their country in the Philippines.
ST. PATRICK'S DAY - The Wind that Shakes the Barley The Irish people have a long history of seeking independence from Great Britain. Our story behind The Wind that Shakes the Barley provides background on the struggle, including the partition of Ireland and the resulting civil war.
BRITAIN ABOLISHES the SLAVE TRADE On the 25th of March, 1807, the British Parliament formally abolished African slave-trading. This story provides background on the beginning of slave-trading, its impact on the lives of Africans and the extraordinary efforts required to end it.
BEETHOVEN and HIS HAIR The great composer, Ludwig von Beethoven, died in Vienna on March 26, 1827. In poor health, he left behind a never-sent letter which begged his brothers to find out why he'd been so ill. Hundreds of years later, a lock of his hair provides an answer: He had severe lead poisoning!
TENERIFE - DISASTROUS AIR CRASH On March 27, 1977, people vacationing in the Canary Islands were delayed due to a terrorist attack. What happened thereafter led to the world's deadliest aviation accident.
INVENTION of COCA COLA In March of 1886, Dr. John Pemberton created a secret formula for a drink he called Coca-Cola. A few years later, he sold his rights to the product for a mere $2,000. Until 1905, the popular drink contained the cocaine alkaloid.
VIRGINIA WOOLF The author, Virginia Woolf, loved London so much she once observed: "To walk alone in London is the greatest rest." Despite her fondness for the capital, Virginia's doctors believed the stress of city life in war-torn London contributed to her illnesses. On the 28th of March, 1941, Virginia left her East Sussex home and followed the footpath to the River Ouse. She put a heavy stone into her coat pocket and walked into the water. Her body was found three weeks later.
ALASKA PURCHASE On the 30th of March, 1867, America purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. William Seward, wounded in an assassination attempt the night President Lincoln was killed, had lived long enough to see one of his greatest dreams come true. Not everyone agreed that buying Alaska made sense. To some, the purchase was known as "Seward's Folly." See the original purchase documents, including the paid "warrant."
NEW FEATURES:
SITE MAP - To help users more quickly locate stories, they have created a new site map. Each story included in the list also has (or will soon have) a new summary. In addition to a quick overview of the subject, the summaries include specifics about featured links. For example: Beowulf provides a direct path to a modern scoop who tells the tale in Old English. Columbia includes a video of the astronauts soon before the shuttle exploded. Thomas Jefferson links the original Declaration of Independence (with handwritten changes by John Adams and Ben Franklin). Bagger Vance compares a modern allegory to an ancient epic. The Amistad Incident uncovers drawings of the actual captives. Mummies provides a virtual journey to see some of the world's most famous mummies.
FOCUSED TOPICS at AWESOME STORIES - Because the site has hundreds of stories which incorporate thousands of topics, it isn't always easy to do a "one-stop shop" on a particular subject. So ... they are creating a series of focused topics which provide members, and site users, with detailed information - and direct access - to those sources.
This month they feature:
Medieval History
Space and Aviation
Civil War (American)
Victorian Age
STREAMING AUDIO at AWESOME STORIES - They have completed many audio recordings. You do not have to load a player - just click on the green arrow, at the top of each recorded chapter, and off you go! (Soon the audio versions will also be available as podcasts.)
To find general topics, see the new site map. To find specific subjects, check out the detailed subject index.
Monday, March 3, 2008
American Women's History Resource
Be sure to visit this resource on Women's History : "American Women's History - A Resource Guide"
This is an excellent site that can be searched by subject or state. The source contains timelines, digital media, and a bibliography on women's letters and diaries. (http://www.mtsu.edu/~kmiddlet/history/women.html)
This is an excellent site that can be searched by subject or state. The source contains timelines, digital media, and a bibliography on women's letters and diaries. (http://www.mtsu.edu/~kmiddlet/history/women.html)
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