February 2008 - Posts
Do you have library questions like: How do I find book reviews? What is NetLibrary? How can I renew my books online? What kinds of fun things are there to do in Mankato? What's the difference between databases and search engines?
Well look no further! Viking Voyageur is the library's one-stop answer-shop! We have also currently added links to state and local tax forms to make them easier for you to locate and fill out! Beat the rush and fill them out today! It'll get you one step closer to filling out your FAFSA for next year!
Arkansas has a long and remarkably complex civil rights history. While the 1957 Little Rock Central High School integration crisis is well known nationally and even internationally, it is merely one of a myriad of historical events that touches on civil rights. As early as 1868 Arkansas enacted a civil rights law, which African Americans later used in court. Even before the Civil War, a few farsighted Arkansas leaders were calling for granting property rights to married women. When a wave of segregation laws was enacted around 1900, black leaders demanded fair treatment, organized boycotts, and protested loudly. During World War II over 16,000 Japanese Americans, mostly citizens, were incarcerated in prison camps in Arkansas—which adds a unique aspect to our collective civil rights history. In more recent decades, Arkansas was the scene of a dramatic confrontation in the legislature over adoption of the proposed U.S. Equal Rights Amendment. Even more recently, the state has begun to grapple with recognizing the rights of homosexual Arkansans. Finally, in the last decade Arkansas has become a major attractant to Spanish-speaking immigrants—which brings a different set of civil rights issues.
Land of (Unequal) Opportunites is an attempt to compile in one on-line resource a variety of records and photographs that document the history of civil rights in the state of Arkansas. A central focus of the project is to insure that both documents and illustrations were included, in the belief that photographs, cartoons, drawings, etc., are also important research tools.
While the great bulk of the materials maintained on the civil rights website is held by the UA Libraries Special Collections Department, other institutions around the state also contributed materials—including the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock; the Riley-Hickingbotham Library at Ouachita Baptist University; Ottenheimer Library at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; the Torreyson Library at the University of Central Arkansas; the Arkansas History Commission; and the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives, Washington, Arkansas.
So that teachers can more easily take advantage of these primary resources, a group of 10 lesson plans on Arkansas civil rights history plans have been developed. These lesson plans, which are written for middle school students, are available free of charge.
-the paragraphs above are from the "About the Collection" page on their website.
http://scipio.uark.edu/
Yes, we do have book sales! There is a cart across from the circulation desk with items we have removed from the collection on it. Generally speaking, paperbacks are $.50 and hardbacks are $1.00. Right now you'll also find a few book-ends, as well as a book or two with a floppy disk!
Currently, the cart is mainly holding math and science topics. There are possibly a few fictional titles as well.
For the books that we remove from the collection we do one of three things: give faculty members the option of adding them to their personal collection, send them to a company that supplies books for underprivilaged countries, or put them directly on the book sale cart. If titles have been on the cart for a long time we will send those off as well.
Survivors: True Stories of Children in the Holocaust
By: Allan Aullo and Mara Bovsun
This book is a collection of stories from survivors of the Holocaust. Their true stories will horrify and shock you, but will also make you appreciate your own life and opportunities even more.
Luncia is sent to live with people who treat her as an epidemic. She is to sit in the corner quietly with nothing to do. When some members of the family start to fear for their safety, Mrs. Szcygiel had the young girl hide in a trunk whenever the rest of her family was home, for hours at a time. Finally, she is taken to the farm where her parents are hiding and the farmer accepts her as well.
Markus was grabbed by SS soldiers while walking down the street. He was in a camp for over two years and was not allowed to contact his family. One day, he and a fellow prisoner make a daring escape. He goes home and registers with the Judenrat and works for them. Six months after returning home he was grabbed yet again and sent to a different concentration camp. While there he learns that his family has either been shot or sent off to a concentration camp. To save himself at the camp he's at, he has to hide in the latrines for hours. Towards the end of the war, Markus plays dead during a march - just hoping that the guards won't shoot him to make sure he's dead. He laid in the road for a long time before getting up because he didn't know if there were German guards hiding and waiting to kill him or other prisoners. A young German Catholic widow helps Markus. The war ends while he's there and they eventually marry.
George and Ursula Levy were a brother and sister whose mother sent them to a Catholic convent to help protect them, but that only worked for so long. They were moved around to many concentration camps, but still took care of each other. They even survived typhus shortly after they were liberated from the concentration camp they were in. I found George's admitting to eating more than his little sister and his guilt for it to be full of honest, raw emotion.
These are only three examples of the 9 stories of children who survived the Holocaust. Each tale is unique, yet quite similar to the previous. The heart-wrenching stories of the things these children lived through is amazing. It's inspiring to those of us who have never had to deal with such difficult conditions - with the right will and spirit, you can prevail.
The authors note at the beginning of the book talks about how they haven't softened or toned down the stories of the survivors, partly because they help to magnify and celebrate the human spirit and show that good will triumph over evil. This is a book that would definitely require discussion with younger students, but it would be quite an eye-opening experience for them to read first-person accounts of people who were their age while something as horrible as WWII was going on.
Recommended To:
Marika
By: Andrea Cheng
Marika is a story based on the author's mother's life. It's told from young Marika's point of view.
Her family is technically Jewish, but they celebrate Christmas and attend Catholic mass. In 1939 when Marika is six, the war seems like a strange, far-off thing. What concerns her is the newly erected wall that separates her father's place of residence from her brother, mother, and herself. She's young and doesn't understand the reason behind the wall - her father has a mistress and no longer wants to be with her mother. Marika's older brother understands what's going on, but he protects Marika from the facts for as long as possible.
As Marika gets older and the war continues, she begins to understand what is really happening to her family and her country. When a mistake her mother makes lands Marika in jail, her father puts up almost everything he has to get her out. She worries about her mother and grandfather who are still there, but her father either can't or won't get them out. (He did send them all food through various means while they are in there.)
Soon, things are getting quite dangerous. Her father has a back-up plan for her safety: she will pose as the Catholic niece of a family friend. That plan eventually helps to save Marika's life.
Told in short chapters, we watch Marika grow. The tone of the book doesn't change much as Marika matures, but it is still a good read. You'll have to read it to find out who survives and who doesn't. This story is yet another from the Holocaust that brings to life the resiliency of the human spirit.
Recommended To:
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readers of WWII literature
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a class-room unit on the Holocaust (read to the students to provide opportunity for discussion)
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those interested in the lives of children during the Holocaust
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everyone
Feud - The Lady Grace Mysteries
By: Lady Grace Cavendish
Lady Grace has the task of accompanying Lady Sarah while her portrait is being painted (actually, it is the Queen's portrait and Sarah stand in the Queens fine gowns while numerous painters make her likeness as there is a high demand for portraits of the Queen, and she will only allow those she approves to be sold). She likes the room and wishes she could paint, but, alas, she must read to keep Lady Sarah from boredom. All that changes with the arrival of a new troop and a young man named Richard Fetzgrey who has charmed all of the Ladies of the Court. You've never seen so many people in the Courtyard!
Unfortunately, Lady Carmina has taken ill, but no one can figure out what is wrong with her. Grace does her investigative thing and starts looking into what could be causing her problems. I have to admit, I had an idea as to who the person doing the poisoning was, but this time it took me longer to be sure. There were quite a few possible suspects Grace had to rule out first. Plus, she had to warn the Queen to prevent her from possibly eating something that was poisonous.
Yet another fast-filled fun romp with Lady Grace and her friends! On another note, I don't think I've seen Masou be a sour-puss before this book. I definitely don't think it suits him!
Recommended To:
Exile - The Lady Grace Mysteries
By: Lady Grace Cavendish (see Assassin entry for more info.)
The Court is in a tizzy - the Queen has granted refuge to the young Banoo Yasmine of Sharakand. (Banoo means Lady.) Her family was killed in an uprising in her home country, and she seeks the Queen's protection. The Court is all a-flutter with her arrival, and Masou even gets to perform in front of her at a banquet.
The Banoo has an enormously expensive Ruby called the Heart of Kings. Only the true King of her country can wear it. While it is in her possession the man who took over her former home will never be looked at as the rightful King. It is a truly magnificent jewel. When the Banoo offers it to the Queen as collateral for a loan (as she has nothing now) and the Maids of Honor accidentally break it, drama ensues for the real Ruby would not have broken. This one is an imposter.
The search goes out, and Ellie is accused of the theft. Grace knows her friend would never steal the Heart of Kings as she is quite superstitious of it, but how to prove who did? When she narrows down her suspects she tests the unsuspecting persons until they are quite wary of seeing her approach. When they are eliminate, she has to look elsewhere and soon, for Ellie's time is running out!
Recommended To:
Deception - Lady Grace Mysteries
By: Lady Grace Cavendish (see post on Assassin for more author info.)
The Queen has been in a bit of a foul temper lately. She's trying to increase the value of the British coin, but one problem has followed another: finding a good design, making the coins, a shortage on silver to create the coins, and now, with the discovery of a dead man at the Frost Fair, a possible forgery ring is going on.
Not that the Queen need worry, her secret Pursuivant, Lady Grace, is on the trail. Actually, Grace's quick thinking helps to conceal the scandal with the coins, and she sets out to discover who is making the fake coins, where and why. She starts by finding out how they're made. A good Lady Pursuivant has the general knowledge to start at the beginning.
After a few false leads, a short imprisonment and a hostage situation, Grace finally succeeds in catching the person in charge of the false deed.
Again, I'm really enjoying these short, fun reads!
Recommended To:
World Wide Science is a site dedicated to connecting you to national and international scientific databases.
World Wide Science encompasses coverage of global science and research results. WorldWideScience.org allows the information patron to search multiple data sources with a single query from the user interface. When the information patron enters a query in the search box, the query is sent to every individual database or portal searched by WorldWideScience.org. The individual data sources send back to WorldWideScience.org a list of results from the search query. WorldWideScience.org then ranks the hits from all the sources in relevance order. The information patron can review this hit list and travel to the host site of a particular hit for more detailed information. (From their What's Under the Hood page).
http://worldwidescience.org/
Well, I tried to answer your question completely before you left the webpage, but I didn't get far enough to be of much help to you!
So, if you're still looking for that book review, click on EBSCOhost, select the blue tab that says "Choose Databases", click on Academic Search Premiere, Communication and Mass Media Complete (and the MEGEfile should already be checked) and click on "Continue."
Next, select the blue "Advanced Search" tab. Scroll down to the Document type for each database and select book review FOR EACH DATABASE, then click on "Search."
Now enter "wandering arm" (make sure to put in the quotation marks) and you should get 4 results. 3 will have to be interlibrary-loaned and one is a full-text PDF file.
Good Luck!
And watch here if I don't happen to get to your question fast enough for you. I do try to be as prompt as possible!
Conspiracy - Lady Grace Mysteries
By: Lady Grace Cavendish (see the posting for Assassin for more author info.)
The Court is spending the hottest months of the year out of London (avoiding the plague) visiting various nobles in their homes. This allows the Queen to be seen by her subjects, get out of the castle, and make the nobles spend their money on her!
As the Court arrives at the Earl of Leicester's house we are greeted by dryads and nymphs before we even get there! Two things about the Earl's place: 1-he is rumored to be in love with the Queen 2-the Prince of Sweden will be staying there as well, in order to pay court to the Queen. Ah! Intrigue and competition for romance from the get-go!
Meetings ensue, festive outings and entertainments are planned for the Court (some nobles would spend so much they would go bankrupt). Grace has sprained her ankle and John has been quite attentive to her. The other Ladies make comments, but Grace doesn't know what the big deal is. Although, she does feel rather warm and awkward around him....
Seemingly innocent mishaps start to add up. Never fear, Grace is here! She begins to look at the mishaps in a different light after a few questions and sneaking around just don't quite add up. With the help of Ellie and Masou she again sets out to discover the truth.
Again, what a fun book! The life of a Maid in Waiting would have been irritating and exhausting, but oh so much fun at other times! The Masked Ball (and the fun trick played during), the fireworks display, the food are all great examples of the excitement - but with Grace there is always the possibility of getting caught and being disgraced (I didn't intend that as a bad joke, but it is kind of funny...) or solving the crime - even if it's someone you would rather not think is guilty!
Recommended To:
Betrayel - The Lady Grace Mysteries
By: Lady Grace Cavendish (see posting for book 1: Assassin for more on the author)
I admit it. I'm hooked on these books! I really don't know what else to tell you! I've already started book 4 and I have to say I'm quite the detective! I've picked out the last 3 villians before Grace even had a suspect! I think that this is a set of books you'll either love, or feel kinda blah about. I still think they're fun and they're a quick read! I don't feel as if I've missed a lot when I zoom through these - or read while watching tv, well I read during the commercials if it's something I really want to see!
The Ladies are to go to the Royal Dockyards at Tilbury with the Queen. Captains Drake and Derby both take an interest in Lady Sarah (quite to Lady Jane's dislike). She, of course, flirts mercilessly with both men. Grace doesn't really think much about it as Sarah flirts with most men - at least those with some standing!
Captain Drake sends Lady Sarah a beautiful bracelet which she delights in. Grace wonders a bit about it, but decides that Sarah would never seriously court the Captain: her parents would be horrified, and it would be forbidden for their little darling to marry a mere sea Captain!
A day or so later, Grace is sent to find Sarah, but she can't find her anywhere. She enlists help in her search, but when a pageboy approaches her with a message from Sarah, Grace is intrigued. She discovers that Sarah is not hiding, but something much worse! She's been kidnapped!
Grace and Masou enlist the help of Mary Shelton for this mystery. Ellie is sick, so she is staying in Grace's bed with Mary looking after her, and they tell everyone that Sarah is sick as well, so no one will know she's gone. Grace dresses as a boy and she and Masou go to the dockyards to board Captain Drake's ship to find the missing Sarah. Things do not go as planned, and get quite exciting! Grace even gets in a fight, participates in a ship battle, and learns a few new tricks! But, does she locate Lady Sarah before her honor is damaged beyond repair? The scandal would be ginormous if anyone at court were to find out!
Can Grace and Masou beat the clock and save Lady Sarah's reputation? You'll have to read to find out!
I have to say this: This book was a rip-roaring good time! The sea, the descriptions of the ship, the fights, all of it was a lot of fun!
Recommended To:
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fans of the first book
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sea-lovers
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adventure lovers
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everyone!
Once Upon a Marigold
By: Jean Ferris
Well, I've done it again. I started this book and knew I'd read it before, but could not remember the ending for the life of me. So, naturally, I had to finish it!
Ed's a troll who lives in a gorgeous cave in the forest. One day while he's out looking for food he discovers a little boy hiding in a bush. Ed finds out the boy's name is Christian. He plans on looking for the child's parents, but Christian insists that if Ed tries to find his family he'll accuse Ed of kidnapping him. That's the last thing Ed needs, so Christian stays.
Ed and Christian lead a pretty quiet life: they read, hunt, Christian invents things and Ed continues on his campaign to get the tooth fairy fired (teeth are consistently not being picked up on time, the money is inconsistent, and that dang tooth fairy won't let Ed help. This is Ed's special mission as a troll - he wants to win the ODD Medal and win the heart of that red-headed troll he sees every year at the conference.
Christian grows up and uses a telescope he's found to stare at a princess across the river. One day he really wants to know what she's reading, so he sends her a note via p-mail (pigeon mail, which he invented, in which you put your 3-lined note into a little capsule tied around their legs). Christian is pleasantly surprised when the princess Marigold writes back. They are both lonely, and decide to become best friends. Christian starts thinking more and more about leaving the cave to discover what else the world has to offer.
Before Christian can broach the subject with Ed, Ed brings it up. Christian decides to try and find a job at the castle. He succeeds, and ends up being quite forward with the princess, but he can't help himself.
Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Wrong! I haven't even brought up the gift/curse Marigold suffers from, the suitors her mother wants to choose between, the king's seemingly addled headedness, the Queen's vicious plot, Rollo (the guard who has it in for Christian), who Christian really is (which really isn't difficult to figure out when you meet him) and if Ed succeeds in his campaigns with the female troll and the tooth fairy.
All in all, it was a cute little fairy tale with the obligatory evil step/mother, doting father, and various creatures. It's a quick read that will keep your interest. Oh, and the end leaves it open for a sequel - which I just looked up and will be coming out in May of 2008! I can't wait to see what kinds of underhanded deeds are going to happen in this tale!
Recommended To:
Let Your Motto Be Resistance is a beautiful (though temporary) display from the National Portrait Gallery. It ends on March 2, but I think it would be worth your while to take a gander!
The portraits are beautiful, and when you click on them you will get a short bio of that person. It's a great site with a lot of information to offer.
http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/motto/index.html
The following link is for the main page of the National Portrait Gallery. They feature different exhibits, so make sure to go back and take a peek!
http://www.npg.si.edu/