Recently in New Books/Movies/Music Category
This year the University Libraries are celebrating 150 years of service to the Penn State community. If you would like to make your own contribution, you may donate here.
Spring 2009 graduates, don't forget to join the Alumni Association and to check out the Alumni Library.
Class of...
1994 - Extended Hours Room in Pattee Library
1989 - outdoor study lounge at Pattee Library
1985 - Library book fund
1984 - Library book fund
1979 - Library book fund and improvement to facility
1977 - Library book fund and improvement to facility
1976 - Library book fund and improvement to facility
1975 - Library book fund and improvement to facility
1974 - Library book fund and improvement to facility
1973 - Library support funds
1972 - Library support funds
1968 - Libraries Program Endowment; $100,000 to the Campaign for the Library at their 25th reunion
1966 - Library endowment in memory of Charles A. "Rip" Engle at their 25th reunion
1964 - American cultural heritage collection for Library
1962 - Library book fund
1960 - Library book fund
1959 - American contemporary literature collection for Library
1957 - Library book fund
1953 - record album collection for the library (earmarked for a proposed radio station)
1936 - contribution to Library scholarship
1935 - Library book fund
1932 - Library books
1912 - class ivy at Library (when it was in the Carnegie Bldg)
1911 - busts of Fred Lewis Pattee and A. Howry Espenshade in Pattee Library
1910 - clock in the library (Carnegie Bldg)
1907 - collection of books from the Atherton Library collection; nuclear engineering books donated in 1962 at class' 55th reunion
Thumbing through, I note the first chapter is titled "What Is This Thing Called, Love?" -- triggering my mind to indulge in thought on the question "What is this think called 'love'?" on a beautifully warm and sunny Friday afternoon (when the mind is wont to wander) until the comma called me back to the much more ordinary, less philosophical question, "What is this thing called?"
Curious about this book, I quickly checked out some ordinary book reviews, the kind that at the worst deliver the sour with a touch of sweet, and got a sense of what the books was about. You can take a quick peek at the content here. Basically, a book about family and full of quirky characters. I like quirky characters; maybe I'll take this one home someday.
John Dufresne is also the author of Louisiana Power & Light, Love Warps the Mind a Little, and The Lie That Tells a Truth, among others.
For guidance to more fiction you might like, wander on over to LibraryThing ("the world's largest book club") and their "Zeitgeist" section to see what's popular. Or, add the Visual Bookshelf application (if you're a Facebook user) or Books at Living Social (if you're not) to see what people--including your friends--are reading and reviewing. Here's one person's comparison of the two, which I found helpful.
You can also use Penn State's subscription to Novelist (link, PSU only) (also available at Pennsylvania public libraries) to explore fiction by your favorite genre, find "read alikes," and more. Or, you could lounge in the New York Times Books section, where it's almost more fun to read the review than it is to read the book itself, not to be confused with the New York Review of Books.
And don't forget you can check these books out at your Penn State Library, or another library near you!
Do you have a favorite place to explore new fiction? Share it here by leaving your comment! (Your email address will not be displayed.)
Seems like lately everywhere I go I hear or read something about being/becoming "green."
When President Clinton spoke on campus last week, he talked about "green collar" jobs boosting the economy. I hear about libraries recycling to save/make money, and installing environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient lighting. Even Google is talking about reducing their carbon footprint by encouraging the use common abbreviations (and thus the number of characters sent) when chatting to help save the environment!
So, I thought people might be interested in a few titles we have at the Eiche Library on "going green."
Historical Dictionary of the Green Movement - GE195.P36 2007
Earth Work: Resource Guide to Nationwide Green Jobs - GE60.E27
Green Volunteers: The World Guide to Voluntary Work in Nature Conservation - QH75.A1G69
The Business of Greening - HD30.255.B8784
The Improving State of the World: Why We're Living Longer, Healthier, More Comfortable Lives on a Cleaner Planet - HD75.6.G64 2007
For more, check the Libraries' catalog.
All books can be found in the Eiche Library General Collection (2nd Fl.).
Thinking of becoming vegan... or already a vegan and want to get the latest info about health and diet in the vegan lifestyle?
Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet, by Brenda Davis, R.D. & Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.
Subject: Vegetarianism
Need help? Ask! All PSU or Altoona campus.
We just got a new book, The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language, by Christine Kenneally.
catalog record | book review
Subjects: Language and Languages; Evolution
It looks like a fascinating read... or the origins of an interesting research project!
Additional basic info can be found the the Gale Virtual Reference Library or other "Try These First" databases. (PSU only)
More advanced students may wish to explore the Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts, or another specialized database in your area of interest. (PSU only)
Need help? Ask! All PSU or Altoona campus.
"The Fake Engery Solution" by Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone (February 25, 2006), p. 37
Goodell is the author of the forthcoming book Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy Future.
From the article:
"When President Bush unveiled his 'Advanced Energy Initiative' during his State of the Union address, it was heartening to hear him admit that America is 'addicted to oil' from the Middle East. ... Now if someone would just explain to the president that technology is not the same thing as magic, we might someday see the United States adopt an intelligent energy policy."
If you are interested in exploring alternative fuels, in this article the author takes a brief look at the usual culprits--Big Oil, Big Coal, Wind, Solar, Hydrogen--and offers a few facts and a lot of ideas for focusing your research on a particular energy source, along with keywords to use in your research.
Read or watch the President's "State of the Union" address. Find additional information and analysis in news, business, policy, and environment/pollution research resources.
PSU only, full-text available through ProQuest Direct (Research Library) and IIMP
