Did you know that the full-text of all monthly Consumer Reports issues going back to January 1991, with the exception of the three most recent issues, is available online for free via the Library's EBSCO database? It's true! All you need is a Nashua Public Library card.

You don't even need to be at the library to access the database. Simply get online, go to the NPL's Databases webpage, and click on link for EBSCO. Or, simply click on this link. You will then be asked to enter the last five digits of your library barcode number. Then click on "General Magazine Resources" and do a keyword search in which you limit your results to Consumer Reports by entering "Consumer Reports" in the "Publication" field.

If this sounds a bit intimidating, we recommend signing up for our free computer training class on using EBSCO databases. The class is offered at least once a month and is perfect for beginniners and intermediate-level computer users. Just give us a call at 603-589-4615 to find out when the next class is being offered.

Tuesday, October 3, was my first day at the Nashua Public Library, and so far, so good!
I am very excited about my new job as a Reference Librarian and look forward to working with you. I will staff the reference desk, teach computer classes, and order books for the 600 section of the nonfiction collection, which includes cooking, gardening, health, pets, engineering, carpentry, and manufacturing, among other topics. If you would like the library to order books on those subjects, or if you just have an interest, let me know. You can contact me at alison.zaya@nashualibrary.org.

I previously worked in the medical library at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston. When patients and their families visited, I often referred them to my favorite consumer health website, MedlinePlus.gov. This website offers information from numerous reliable sources such as the Mayo Clinic and National Institutes of Health. People without medical backgrounds, such as myself, can understand the publications.

Two additional great resources that the Nashua Public Library makes available are Consumer Health Complete and Health Source Consumer Edition. Both are accessible through our EBSCO database. Consumer Health Complete includes information from encyclopedias, reference sources, pamphlets, and reports. It also includes resources in Spanish. If you are looking more specifically for magazine articles, take a look at Health Source Consumer Edition. This will give you access to articles on numerous health topics.

To reach either Consumer Health Complete or Health Source Consumer Edition, click here or visit the library's databases page and click on the link for EBSCO. After entering the last 5 digits of your library card number, choose "health resources" on the top of the screen for Health Source, or Consumer Health Complete at the bottom of the screen.

Title: Terrorism Scorecard
Authors: Editors
Source: Middle East; Oct2006 Issue 371, p6-10, 5p
Database: EBSCO

Abstract: The article reports that although key terrorists have been captured or killed after September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001, a new generation has taken their place to run the Islamic terror networks. Abu Mussab Al Zarqawi, the head of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Shamil Besayev, leader of Chechen rebels, and Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, an important strategist in the hierarchy were the prominent figures who were killed. However, a new generation of mid-level field commanders and organizers has taken their place.

About the Publication: This monthly UK publication about business matters and current affairs in the Middle East is available in our EBSCO General Magazines database. Coverage includes the full text of all issues back through July 1996.

Title: The Dems' Agenda
Authors: Danielle Knight
Source: U.S. News & World Report; 10/30/2006, Vol. 141 Issue 16, p32-34
Database: EBSCO

Abstract: The article reports on the Democratic agenda for possible takeover of the United States House of Representatives in the November 2006 elections. This Democratic agenda could mean investigations into President George W. Bush's administration's conduct regarding the War in Iraq and Hurricane Katrina. Republicans are warning that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who would become speaker of the House, is too liberal. Political candidates are discussed.

Connecting to this article: If you have already logged in to EBSCO by entering the last 5 digits of your library card number, click here to go straight to the article. If not, enter the last 5 digits of your library card number after clicking on this link to get to the EBSCO database. Then click on "General Magazine Resources" and do a search for "Dems' Agenda" in which you enter "U.S. News & World Report" in the "Publication" field.

Recommeded Library Books:
• The courage of our convictions : a manifesto for Democrats by Gary Hart.
• Take It Back : Our Party, Our Country, Our Future by James Carville and Paul Begala

Most Americans have heard the story of the first Thanksgiving. After surviving a difficult year in the New World, the Pilgrims celebrated a successful harvest by sharing a feast with their Native American neighbors. But, the history of Thanksgiving is more complex. Celebrating the harvest reflects old world customs, and many communities continued the tradition throughout the colonial period. In the nation's early years, George Washington twice declared days of thanksgiving, but they were one-time events. John Adams proposed the establishment of an annual holiday in May, while Thomas Jefferson believed that giving thanks was a religious and personal, not government, affair.

Although some states, particularly in the northeast, celebrated a day of thanksgiving in the intervening years, Thanksgiving was not declared a national holiday until 1863. For years, Sara Josepha Hale, a New Hampshire native and editor of Godey's Lady's Book, campaigned for official recognition of a day of thanksgiving, hoping it would unify a nation on the verge of civil war and promote white, Protestant ideals. After the victory at Gettysburg, Lincoln agreed, although he initially recommended an August celebration. Hale and Secretary of State William Seward convinced Lincoln that the holiday should coincide with regional harvest festivals. Once established, Thanksgiving was used to assimilate immigrants and highlight the importance of family.

To learn more about the establishment of Thanksgiving as a national holiday, the roots of its traditions, and the way it has been used to promote American ideals, take a look at the items below. The Journal articles are available through Academic Search Premier, one of our EBSCO databases. To find them, go to our databases page, click on EBSCO and then select Academic Journal Resources. Academic Search Premier is the third database on the list. You can then type (or copy and paste) the title of the article into the search bar. Remember, whenever you enter a phrase or title, enclose the words in parentheses.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bibliography

Books
Appelbaum, Diana Karter. Thanksgiving: An American Holiday, An American History. New York: Facts on File Publications, 1984.

"Thanksgiving." In The Folklore of American Holidays, edited by Hennig Cohen and Tristram Potter Coffin, 396-420. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale Research, Inc., 1991.

Articles
Pleck, Elizabeth. "The Making of the Domestic Occasion: The History of Thanksgiving in the United States." Journal of Social History 32, no. 4 (1999): 773. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed November 10, 2006).

Sigal, Lillian. "Thanksgiving: Sacred or Profane Feast?." Mythosphere 1, no. 4 (1999): 451. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed November 10, 2006).

Wills, Anne Blue. "Pilgrims and Progress: How Magazines Made Thanksgiving." Church History 72, no. 1 (2003): 138. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed November 10, 2006).

Wilson, Samuel M. "Pilgrim's paradox." Natural History 100, no. 11 (1991): 22. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed November 10, 2006).

Exciting news from NASA.... Recent photos from the Mars Global Surveyor suggest the presence of water on Mars. Articles about the discovery are available in the EBSCO collection of articles, available through the library's web site. You'll find information in the Newspaper and General Magazines collections. Choose "MasterFile Premier" and "Newspaper Source" from the list of databases. On the search page, use keywords "Mars" and "water". Make sure to click the checkbox next to "full text" so that your search results include the full article. Sources such as the Times of London, Astronomy magazine, Scientific American magazine, and USA Today all covered the announcement.

For more on Mars, check out our science collections for books for children...

• Exploring Mars, by D.J. Ward
• Mars, by Mary Kay Carson
• Mars, by Tim Goss

And adults...

• The Rock from Mars, by Kathy Sawyer
• Roving Mars, by Steve Squyres (an account of the Mars Exploration Rover mission)
• NASA's Mars Mission Reports, compiled from the NASA archives and edited by Robert Godwin. Volume 2 includes DVD with images and movies of Mars.
• A Traveler's Guide to Mars, by William K. Hartmann (of the Mars Global Surveyor Mission)
• Smithsonian Book of Mars, by Joseph M. Boyce

You can also browse by category: "Life on Earth", "Exploring the Universe", or "Humans in Space." There are web pages for kids, students, educators, researchers, press, industry, and employees. A multimedia section has photos, video (including a video of the evidence of water on Mars), podcasts, and more. The site also provides links to other space-related web sites, including other countries' space agencies.

Happy exploring!

Patron: Hi. I'm looking for books about heart attacks. I did a subject browse, but nothing came up. I can't believe you don't have any books about heart attacks!

Librarian: We probably do have books about heart attacks. You said you did a subject browse for the words "heart attack"?

Patron: Yes. That's the subject I want.

Librarian: We do have books about heart attack, but they're not categorized by that subject heading.

Patron: Why?

Librarian: The subject heading for heart attack is actually myocardial infarction. As you can see, when I do a subject browse for myocardial infarction, the catalog returns a list with numerous headings and subdivisions, such as popular works, prevention, and psychological aspects, for myocardial infarction so you can better pinpoint the books you want. When I click on Myocardial infarction -- Popular works, the record is a book about heart attacks.

Patron: Why doesn't the computer just use heart attack?

Librarian: Subject headings are part of what we call a controlled vocabulary. The catalog requires words from an official list so librarians don't use multiple variations of words and phrases in the catalog. This ensures that similar books are listed together under the proper subject heading. Myocardial infarction is a tough one; it's not intuitive. Often, if you enter a term or phrase that's not part of the controlled vocabulary, the catalog will tell you to use another term. When you browse for Revolutionary War, the catalog tells you to see "United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783."

Patron: When I searched for heart attack, it didn't tell me to see myocardial infarction. What should I do if something like that happens again?

Librarian: You can try a subject keyword search. The browse indexes are alphabetical, so if you invert the words in the subject, you won't find them by browsing, but you will find them in a keyword search. The subject keyword search looks for each word you enter in all of the subject headings. Many books have more than one. If that doesn't work, you can do a general keyword search, which will look for your words in all of the searchable fields--title, author, subject, series, notes.... You could get a lot of results. Once you find a relevant book, click on one of its subject headings to find more. You can see here that the subject headings are on the left side of the screen in a box that reads "item information."

Patron: So, why should I even bother with subject browsing?

Librarian: When you subject browse, you'll find books that pertain to your topic. You won't have to sift through records that simply include the word you entered. Plus, you get a list that includes all of the subdivisions. If I have a general idea of the subject, I try subject browse first.

You can also do subject searches in some of the EBSCO Databases. Clicking on the word "subjects" or "thesaurus" (depending on the database) in the green bar at the top of the page will give you a searchable, alphabetical list of subjects used in the database. Searching for subjects rather than keywords is especially helpful in a database. If you enter a word as a keyword, the database can return hundreds of irrelevant results. Although a keyword appears in a record, the article might not be about that topic. This is often the case when you enter common words or words with various meanings. If you cannot find an article on your subject, you can use the strategy I just mentioned. Find an article that is relevant and search its subjects.

Patron: Ok. Thank you for your help.

Librarian: You're welcome. Let me know if you need more help.

Yesterday I received a challenging reference question that pertained to property values of homes in New Hampshire. Without going into all the details, I did come across a few information resources that I would like to share with you. The first is a reference book titled State Rankings 2006, a statistical view of the 50 United States, (call number is REF 973.0728 S). Amongst the numerous statistics included for households and housing was a chart including percent change in house prices from 2001 to 2005. As it turns out, the figure for the entire state of New Hampshire was 68.8% increase (as opposed to the national figure of 55.3% increase.)

The source of the chart's data was the "House Price Index" which is published by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. OFHEO's mission is to promote housing and a strong national housing finance system by ensuring the safety and soundness of Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac (Federal ree accHome Loan Mortgage Corporation).

As you may know, Fannie Mae has been in the news recently for having its charitable work and related tax deductions scrutinized by the Internal Revenue Service. You can read about this in the article "Philanthropy Fannie Mae Style" found in the April 2nd edition of Business Week. Provided you are a Nashua Public Library cardholder, you have free access to this article through the Library's EBSCO database subscription.

Just click on this link, enter the last 5 digits of your library card number, and then click on the "General Magazines Resources" link. Once you are at the search screen, type in Philanthropy Fannie Mae Style just like it is in this picture and click on 'Search'. (You can click on the picture below to see an enlarged version.)

So, if you would ever like to know how New Hampshire measures up statistically to the other 50 states in topics including agriculture, crime, economics, education, employment and much more, drop by the reference desk and ask to see State Rankings 2006. And for free access to any Business Week article since January 1997, use the llibrary's EBSCO database.

The tempestuous life of Boris Yeltsin came to an end yesterday. Yeltsin, the former president of Russia, was 76. Articles about the leader's life and legacy have been flowing following word of his death.

He is in the spotlight today in the Biography Resource Center database, which provides biographical and other articles about the late president. For a more international view, try the Newsbank database (scroll down the list of databases to "Newsbank" and be sure to select "remote access" if you are reading this outside the library). Go to "America's Newspapers and International News," and then click "Expand to: The World" and search on "Yeltsin." This will bring up the full text of news articles from around the world.

Other good sources of news articles include the Facts.com and EBSCO databases. In particular, EBSCO provides access to more scholarly journal articles in addition to major magazines such as Time and Newsweek. Facts.com has a narrower focus, primarily covering major world events.

To take an in-depth look at Boris Yeltsin's life and times, check out "Yeltsin : a revolutionary life" by Leon Aron. For a more general book about Russian history, including the end of the Soviet Union and the Chechnya conflict, try "Russia and the Russians : a history" by Geoffrey Hosking.

When I was in graduate school, one of my professors used the "How Do You Manage" series of articles in Library Journal as a teaching tool. The author presents a scenario that may occur in a library, and two librarians offer their solutions to the problem. The case study presented in last September's issue of Library Journal was titled "Cell Hell." (You can find this article and the responses in the Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts under Academic Journal Resources in the EBSCO database. See below for the article citations.) In the vignette, a patron answers two calls while being helped at the desk. Later, the librarian receives a call from someone who is actually in the library. My favorite line from this story is, "Can you believe he called information first to get the library number rather than walk the 100 feet over here."* While the second scenario is over the top, I have encountered the first on more than one occasion.

Websites that cover cell phone etiquette, such as InfoWorld and the Microsoft Small Business Center, note that you should not prioritize your cell phone call over the people in your company. They advise you to be careful about your ring tone choice and volume. Imagine sitting in a library and hearing someone's favorite song/ring tone over and over again. This has happened at NPL, much to the dismay of the people at the business computers. You should also be aware of the volume your voice and avoid using your phone at funerals, weddings, churches, theaters, museums, libraries, and anywhere you would not want to hear a screaming child.

Is chatting on your phone in the library really a big deal? Although the library isn't the silent place it once was, many people still come to the library to study, concentrate, and escape external distractions. Ringing cell phones and lengthy conversations are bothersome, especially when numerous people use their phones at the same time. To solve this problem, some libraries ban cell phones, and the Huntington Beach Public Library fines its patrons $100 for using cell phones inside the building. While the Nashua Public Library does not prohibit cell phone use, we do have signs posted by the non-fiction stacks that read, "Quiet Study Area: As a courtesy to others, please turn off your cell phone & other electronic devices." We realize that some people need to keep their phones on for business or family reasons, but we ask that you respect both fellow library users and staff by switching your phones to vibrate and conducting your conversations in the lobby. This will help create a comfortable atmosphere for all.

*Rogers, Michael. "Cell Hell." Library Journal 131, no. 14 (September 1, 2006): 48. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, EBSCOhost (accessed April 27, 2007).

See also:
Cowart, Eve M."Take It Outside." Library Journal 131, no. 14 (September 1, 2006): 50. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, EBSCOhost (accessed April 27, 2007).

Duncan, Melanie C. "Courtesy is Key." Library Journal 131, no. 14 (September 1, 2006): 50. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, EBSCOhost (accessed April 27, 2007).

In an entry earlier this week, you learned that access to the library's most popular electronic databases are easier than ever to find on our website. Simply put your mouse over the "Databases" link in the gray horizontal bar, then roll down to "Most Popular", and then click on the database you desire. Pretty cool! With that in mind, you might like to know how many subscriptions the Nashua Public Library has to magazines and newspapers through these databases. Quite frankly, the number is staggering!

Take for example the library's EBSCO database. The EBSCO database provides access to complete "full-text" articles in several hundred magazines, even, in some cases, magazines which the Library already has a print subscription. Here is a list of some of the more popular magazines that are included in the EBSCO database:

* Consumer Reports (Full text of all issues since 1991, with a 3 Month delay)
* Newsweek (Full text from Jan.1, 1990 to the present)
* U.S. News & World Report (Full text from May 7, 1990 to present)
* Time Magazine (Full text from May 7, 1990 to present)
* Rolling Stone (Full text from August 9,1990 to present, with a 1 Month delay)
* Fortune (Full text from January 27,1992 to present)
* National Geographic (Full text of all issues since 1995, with a 3 Month delay)
* PC World (Full text from January 1,1996 to present)
* Scientific American (Full text from January 1,1995 to present)
* Economist (Full text from July 7, 1990 to present)
* Men's Health (Full text from June 1, 1990 to present)
* Cosmopolitan (Full text from June 1, 1996 to present)
* Discover (Full text from June 1, 1993 to present)
* Sports Illustrated (Full text from September 1, 1992 to present)
* Runner's World (Full text from May 1, 1990 to present)

And trust me when I say, the list goes on.

Of course you might be asking, how do I look up articles from some of these magazines in EBSCO. The answer can be found in the following diagram. To print out the diagram by itself, just click on it.

So hopefully, I've wetted your appetite for the world of magazine articles accessible in the EBSCO database. To learn more about using the EBSCO database, sign up for our EBSCO computer class or just pick up the phone and give us a call at 589-4611. Soon you'll be able to instant message the reference desk with questions, but more about that in a future entry.

p.s. If you're wondering what EBSCO stands for, the answer is nothing. It's the name of the company that sells us the database.

In today's business world, success is all about providing value, and while you may not think about the Nashua Public Library as a business, many of our operational decisions are driven by the need to provide our customers with value. One significant investment that we make with the intention of providing value is in the purchase of electronic databases. Today I want to share with you how one database in particular provides great value to customers interested in business information.

The database is named Business Source Premier, and it is one of many databases made available through our EBSCO subscriptions. To access this database, start by going to the library's home page, http://www.nashualibrary.org. Then roll over the link for 'Databases', then move down to 'Most Popular' and then over to 'EBSCO.' Finally, click on EBSCO. (See below graphic.)

When you get to the main menu of EBSCO databases, click on Business Resources. At the next screen, click on Business Source Premier.

One of the publications available in full text within this database is Harvard Business Review. An annual subscription to this journal alone is $99. With a Nashua Public Library card, you get it for free. Some of the articles available in the June 2007 issue include

• "If You Love Your Information, Set It Free"
• "Which Levers Boost ROI?"
• "The Wealth of African Nations"
• Japan Rising: The Resurgence of Japanese Power and Purpose

Other publications that are available in full text in Business Source Premier include:

• Harvard Management Update
• Business India Intelligence
• Business 2.0
• Working Papers (Faculty) -- Stanford Graduate School of Business
• Busienss Week

So please take advantage of this value-laden database, and enjoy all the free content!

Last weekend, with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation, I returned to college for a class reunion. A little more wrinkled (or "well-seasoned" as I like to think of it), we cautiously peered at each other, checked out the name tags, and tried to figure out what we had in common. Once we'd nailed down how we'd known each other (or given up trying), the conversation moved on to "what are you up to these days?"

It was fascinating to hear what changes a few years had brought: new careers, children, home buying, weddings. I should probably disclose here that I went to a women's college, and was fortunate to graduate at a time when women were mostly free to choose their own paths. So it is not surprising that classmates have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, hedge fund partners, stay-at-home moms, librarians, voice teachers, college professors, social workers, and more. Even now, though, the issue of working mothers is still debated in some circles. In fact, we have a number of articles on both sides of the argument in an excellent database called "Opposing Viewpoints." There's even an article or two on stay-at-home dads. You can reach the database by going to our home page, www.nashualibrary.org, then looking in the banner under "Databases"-->"Most Popular"-->"Opposing Viewpoints."

You can also read more about the work-family balance in magazine articles such as "Why Moms Should Work" (Ladies Home Journal, April 2007) in the EBSCO database, again available through our web site. (For direct access to the alphabetical list of databases, go to http://www.nashua.lib.nh.us/IbrowseAdultAlpha.htm.)

If you'd rather have a book on the career/family balance, there's a collection of essays from a variety of perspectives, "Mommy wars: stay-at-home and career moms face off on their choices, their lives, their families", edited by Leslie Morgan Steiner. You'll find this on the parenting shelf in the children's department.

Some of my classmates always knew what they wanted to do; others had changed paths along the way. For those considering a change of career, a good place to start is the classic career guide, "What color is your parachute?: a practical manual for job-hunters & career changers", by Richard Nelson Bolles.

Another career book that caught my eye looks more at changing trends in how people approach their careers: "The opt-out revolt : why people are leaving companies to create kaleidoscope careers," by Lisa A. Mainiero & Sherry E. Sullivan. Library Journal describes this one as "the results of a five-year-long quantitative and qualitative research study examining how and why the career patterns of both men and women have changed from the traditional ever upward model to a path with multiple forks and rest stops."

If you're more interested in stories about others who have made life changes, there's "U-turn: what if you woke up one morning and realized you were living the wrong life?," by Bruce Grierson.

Those seeking a new career might also want to check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, online at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ or in paper at the library. This handbook gives information about what various jobs entail, what working conditions to expect, what the outlook for growth in the field is, what salaries are typical, and what training or education is required.

This is a blog about dogs. I confess right now, I am a dog person and often a rabbit person. Like every other dog lover, I am concerned for the health of my dog. There's a lot to be concerned about, especially in the summer. I worry about the heat, should the shades be up or down? Should the windows be open or closed? Do I leave the fan on or the air conditioner? Do I put ice cubes in his water dish, knowing that as soon as I leave, he will take them out, flip them in the air and push them around the kitchen floor. All those worries don't even include ticks, lyme disease, kennel cough, heartworm - the list is long!

When someone I know has a medical problem, I go to the online medical sites like medlineplus and I read about the problem. When I took my dog to the vet and heard words like hip dysplasia and arthritis, I needed somewhere to go for answers that I could study and understand. I found three websites that had a good supply of detailed information that was from sources that I felt could be trusted. Although there was some product pushing going on, it didn't overwhelm me. One of these websites is the dog health center, part of the larger Animal Planet website. Here, among other things, I learned about canine acupuncture - an alternative treatment for dogs with hip dysplasia and arthritis. Another good website is the Internet Animal Hospital. Good information here comes with the type of pictures that are seen in health books. Poor dental hygiene, a hip joint misshapen by arthritis, cataracts, all in living color photos. A little too much information sometimes. They also do not discriminate, even cat people can find information here. The third website is the ASPCA where information is available in the Pet Care section on many important topics. Take note of the orange column down the right hand side of the page. Health advice for dog owners, cat owners, even small pet owners. The ASPCA even links you to information about their pet health insurance plans!

If you are a person who prefers to have the printed word on a page in front of you, the library has a large section of books dealing with dog training and health. One of these books is the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital book of wellness and preventive care for dogs by Darlene Arden. It can be found in the 600s - 636.7 A to be exact. Another good book is Vet on call : the best home remedies for keeping your dog healthy. This book is also found in the 600s at 636.7 V.

Another source of information can be found in the library databases by using EBSCO. EBSCO is one of the things being affected by the library's computer system upgrade. It can currently be accessed only from library computers. As soon as the upgrade is complete, it will again be accessible from your home computer. On EBSCO, you can search for published articles written about dog health or you can browse editions of a particular magazine such as Dog World.

As I mentioned before, cat health information can also be located on these websites. But would anyone care about that? Maybe rabbits......?

Act III

Librarian 1: Did you hear that a Cub Scout group is coming in for a tour of the library today?

Librarian 2: Yes, I think they're going to look at the materials in the Hunt Room and possibly the microfilm.

Librarian 1: I hope they enjoy seeing some of the old materials that we have here in the library.

Librarian 2: I've seen some great digitizations, but there's something special about actual, physical documents that are 100 years old.

Librarian 1: I agree.

Out-of-State Visitor: Hello. I'm up here visiting some family, and I thought I would do some genealogical research. I'm trying to find out where my grandparents lived, and how long they were in Nashua. I think they came here from Canada in the late 1800s, but I don't know exactly when.

Librarian 1: We have the old city directories in the Hunt Room. That's probably the best place to start.

Out-of-State Visitor: That sounds helpful. Where's the Hunt Room?

Librarian 1: I'll show you. We keep the room locked because many of the books are fragile and/or irreplaceable. Before we head over there, I have to sign you in. Can I hold your license or keys?

Out-of-State Visitor: I've been to a lot of libraries that do that. I had to fill out a registration card at one place.

Librarian 1: We only need your name and phone number. The door will lock behind you, so if you leave, please come back to the desk. We don't allow food or drink in the Hunt Room, and you have to use pencil to take notes.

Out-of-State Visitor: That's pretty standard.

Librarian 1: Here we are. You can leave the books on the table when you're done.

Student: Hi. Can you help me?

Librarian 2: I hope so.

Student: Ok. I'm doing a paper for school, and I've looked on the Internet, and I can't find anything good.

Librarian 2: We can check some of our databases, and we might have a few books on your topic. Has your teacher given you any guidelines about sources?

Student: She said we have to use at least five sources. We can't use Wikipedia as a source, either, and that is the only place I could find information.

Librarian 2: Let's start with the library catalog. Hmm...it looks like we have a couple of books on the subject. Here are the call numbers. We also have databases, which include articles. You can get to them from the library's home page. You can either click on the iBrowse Databases box or on the word "databases" in the gray bar. EBSCO has a selection of resources. MasterFile Premier includes popular magazines, and Academic Search Premier has scholarly articles. If it says HTML full text or PDF, you'll be able to read the entire article. It looks like a bunch came up. Do any of these look helpful?

Student: The first and third one look good. Why couldn't I find these on Google?

Librarian 2: Search engines can't find the articles within the database. So, there's a whole lot out there that you won't be able to access when you do a Google search. You can search the databases from the computers in the library or from home. You'll need to enter your library card number to log in from home. Oh, it looks like the third article isn't full text. When is your paper due?

Student: It's due in a month.

Librarian 2: We might be able to get that one through interlibrary loan. It usually takes about a week, so I think you have enough time.

Student: Ok. Why isn't that one full text?

Librarian 2: Not all articles are available full text, and each database includes a different selection of materials. Even when databases carry the full text of journals, they don't always include the entire run of the periodical. I've noticed that many go back to the mid-90s.

Frustrated Researcher: I need to get some old newspaper articles, but when I go to the Telegraph and Globe websites, I can't get anything more than a few days old. That won't help me.

Librarian 1: We have a couple of ways to access older newspaper articles. The Newsbank database includes both the Nashua Telegraph and Boston Globe back to 1998, but you'll need to use the microfilm for anything earlier.

Frustrated Researcher: I need articles from 1987, so, I can't get what I need online?

Librarian 1: Unfortunately not. You'll have to get them the old fashioned way.

Frustrated Researcher: So much for this Internet stuff.

Librarian 1: Contrary to popular belief, you can't get everything online. As useful and helpful as the Internet is, it doesn't have everything. There are a lot of valuable sources--books, journals, archival materials--available in libraries all over the country.

The End

Recently I've been listening to the book The Omnivore's Dilemma on CD. In it, the author offers a somewhat disturbing description of the industrial form of agriculture our society depends upon these days. I never knew how dependent our food supply is upon corn and soy beans, and I had no idea how dependent these two crops are upon large amounts of petroleum-based synthetic fertilizers. Between the oil that is used to create the fertilizers and to transport foods to destinations around the planet, one fifth of the oil imported into the US is used for agricultural purposes. Pretty incredible!

The author also provides a review of the business of organic farming in the U.S. Suffice it to say that organic farming as it was understood in the 1970s isn't the same as it is in the current day. Many synthetic preservatives used in non-organic foods are also now used with organically grown foods. However, organic farming still doesn't use pesticides or as many of them as in mainstream farming.

If you'd like to learn more about organic farming and related topics, here are a few books to consider. I'll also list some electronic resources as well. Happy eating!

Library Books
Organic baby : simple steps for healthy living / by Kimberly Rider ; photograpghs by Thaya Allyson Gowdy. (Children's Room)
Grub : ideas for an urban organic kitchen / Anna Lappé and Bryant Terry.
The way we eat : why our food choices matter / Peter Singer, Jim Mason.
The organic cook's bible : how to select and cook the best ingredients on the market / Jeff Cox.

Articles Available in the EBSCO Database
"Organic Farming Can Feed the World… Can Conventional Farming?" Natural Life, Sep/Oct2007
"Flamboyant Farming" E Magazine: The Environmental Magazine, Jul/Aug2007
"Organic farming movement catching fire in Mississippi" by John J. Woods in Mississippi Business Journal, 6/4/2007

So, why were you at the doctor's? The boss paying you enough? How much do you weigh, anyway?

...Is your blood boiling yet?

I couldn't help stopping to read an article on CNN.com entitled "How to deal with nosy questions." The article gives tips on how to handle those personal, intrusive questions gracefully (assuming that you can remember the tips whilst recovering from the shock of being asked).

It turns out that the CNN article is originally from the magazine Real Simple, which we carry here in the library. You'll find the latest issue on display in the Stearns Room. It's also available in full text through the EBSCO database, going back to May of 2000. If you'd like to see the original version of the article, search on the title, "A Lesson Before Prying."

One of the great things about the EBSCO database is this: once you've located a helpful article, you can then use that article to find more on the same topic. While you are looking at your article, click "Citation" so that you can view the information about the source of the article. You should see the article title, author, and publication information. You should also see an area labeled "Subject Terms". It's followed by a list of subjects for the article. In this case, the subjects are ETIQUETTE, JOKING, NONVERBAL communication, BODY language, QUESTION (Logic), and PEOPLE. Each of the subjects is hyperlinked. To search for more articles with one of those subjects, simply click the link. For example, I could click on the ETIQUETTE link to get more etiquette articles.

For a more specific search, look to the right of the article title. You'll see a link that says "Find more like this." Click the link and EBSCO will run a search for other articles using the same combination of subjects--this is a much narrower search, since it looks for articles that match at least two of the subjects of the original article. In our example, it searched for articles that matched ETIQUETTE and JOKING plus at least one of the other subjects.

Oh, and to answer those questions? I'm just fine... My mother told me never to discuss money... and I weigh "enough."

If you're lucky, you are a New England Patriots fan. Their undefeated 16 game regular season was record-setting in many ways. Tom Brady set a new record for touchdown passes thrown in a single year. Randy Moss set a record for touchdown passes caught in a single year. And, the team set a new record for total points scored in a single year. Not bad.

During the season, many Patriots fans probably read articles online or in the Boston Globe. But if that isn't enough, Pats fans with Nashua Public Library cards can gain access to numerous other magazines and newspapers from around the country through the library's EBSCO database and the Newsbank database. What follows is a sample of some of the articles you might enjoy reading. If you have any questions about how to access these articles either at the library or from home or the office, just visit the Reference Department's home page, http://www.nashualibrary.org/reference.htm, and start up an instant messaging session right their on the webpage!

From EBSCO:
"King's Corner" by Peter King
Sports Illustrated, 12/24/2007

"Spygate: the sequel" by Matt Crossman
Sporting News, 12/17/2007

"There's no stopping them now" Ryan Pagan
Sporting News, 12/17/2007

From Newbank:
"NFL INSIDER - There's plenty of credit for New England's perfect year"
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - January 1, 2008 length: 1256 words

"New England wins over even a diehard N.Y. fan"
Sacramento Bee, The (CA) - January 1, 2008 length: 663 words

Of course, if you'd like to listen to this blog entry, check back later in the day, and I'll have the podcast version available!

Go Pats!

Last weekend, my husband and I forayed into the world of baby furniture shopping. I have to admit, it was overwhelming. We walked into a store and saw before our eyes a plethora of cribs, dressers, cradles, and changing tables. Where do we begin? What do we really need? Fortunately for first-time parents, you can get help right here at the library.

The seventh edition of Baby bargains : secrets to saving 20% to 50% on baby furniture, equipment, clothes, toys, maternity wear and much, much more! by Denise & Alan Fields is on order for the parenting shelf in the back of the children's room. This book offers advice and reviews on various products for not only the baby, but also for the mother-to-be. The authors, who are consumer advocates, rely on their own experiences as well as those of thousands of other parents. They point you in the direction of high quality products at reasonable (relatively speaking) prices. Because Baby Bargains is already listed in the online catalog, you can place a request for this book from the comfort of your own home. Once you are on the library's home page, click on the red box that reads "My Account."

Enter the last five digits of your library card and your pin, which is usually the last four digits of your phone number. Click on the "login button." This will bring you to your record. On the top of the screen, click on the "search" tab to search for your book. Once you see the entry, click on the "request item" button. The library will notify you once the book is available.

If you don't want to wait for the newer edition, take a look at the sixth edition, which was published in 2005. As of today, it is checked out and due on January 24. I promise to return it on time! In the meantime, you might want to peruse the Baby Bargains website, which includes bonus materials, news, and updates that you will not find in the book.

We also own The girlfriends' guide to baby gear : what to buy, what to borrow, and what to blow off! by Vicki Iovine with Peg Rosen. This book is also checked out, so you will have to put a request on it as well. Of course, you can always take a look at Consumer Reports. We keep the circulating copies in the Stearns Room, and we recently moved the reference copies behind the reference desk. If you can't find the issue or topic of choice, try searching the EBSCO databases. Consumer Reports is indexed in MasterFILE Premier (under General Magazine Resources) from to 1985 to present and available full text from 1991 to present with a three-month delay. These resources should at least help you narrow down your options.

Now, if we could only settle on names...

A story about satellites caught my attention this week, but it was not, in fact, the one about the Pentagon shooting down a disabled spy satellite. Instead, it was a piece by Brendan Kolbay in Reuters's science news. Apparently, archaeologists have teamed up with NASA and used images from one of its satellites to discover ancient Mayan ruins.

Archeaologist William Saturno, Assistant Professor of Archaeology at Boston University, sought out satellite images in order to find water near his work site in Guatemala. While examining the satellite images, he noticed that they showed discoloration around the ruins at his work site. He also saw similar discoloration on other areas of the images. Upon investigation of those areas, Saturno found additional Mayan ruins, long covered by jungle. The discoloration denoted differences in vegetation, the result of soil changes caused by leachate from the limestone structures hidden in the jungle.

Saturno was an assistant professor of anthropology at UNH for some time. More information about his research in Guatemala is available at www.sanbartolo.org.

But what's the library connection, you say? Well, librarians like nothing better than to help people feed an interest in information, whether it's archaeology, politics, or abstract Canadian art. What better way to find out more about Saturno's fascinating discovery than to look up magazine and journal articles about his work? You can find some in the EBSCO database, available through the library's web site.

Who knows what else you'll discover?