Inspiration Online via TED.com

I've recently been intrigued by the TED video series and excited that these videos lead me to great resources available in our library. TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to being a platform for "Ideas Worth Spreading". Most of the content is short videos (20 minutes max) of people presenting their fascinating research, ideas, discoveries, music, etc. TED makes all of the talks available for free online. This post highlights some of my recent TED discoveries and links to related library materials.

Christopher McDougall's question Are We Born to Run?

McDougall wondered why modern Western runners seemed to suffer so many running-related injuries. Was that just a feature of running? His question led him to spending time with a tribe in Northern Mexico who are known for their injury-free distance running prowess (50, 100 miles races). McDougall describes how he came to believe that current running shoes are to blame for runners' injuries, advocating barefoot running as the way to solve this problem. Check out McDougal's book Born to Run:a Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen for more info. (find the book at the Blume Library or other libraries via WorldCat)

Jane McGonigal's concept that Gaming Can Make a Better World

McGonigal's talk explores her ideas of how to harness the enthusiasm and devoted interest of gamers to solve real-world issues. Her recent book Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World goes into more depth about her research and the games developed by the R&D organization Institute for the Future. Gamers aren't wasting their time after all! (find the book at the Blume Library or other libraries via WorldCat).

Bill Gates talk How State Budgets Are Breaking US Schools

Gates talks about recent, and low-term, economic threats to the US educational system. Most funding for schools comes from state budgets. He asserts that a large part of the problem is state legislators' unwillingness to make difficult decisions about long-term viability for the educational system, instead playing games with accounting and state budget deficits. Take a look at some articles in Academic Search Complete for other perspectives on US education and state budgets.

Take a look at TED.com and find talks that inspire you. And then, expand on your interest by searching to see what the library has to offer on the subject!

What's in the news?

Often, it's a government publication that's in the headlines!

Such as the recently released Financial Crisis Inquiry Report. You couldn't come within 10 feet of any media for a few days last week without hearing about this massive report of the National Commission on the Causes of the Financial and Economic Crisis in the United States.

Since we are a federal Depository Library, we will get a paper copy of this report sometime in the next few weeks. But you can take a look at it online if you can't wait. Here is a link to what you'll notice is the official government version, made available by the Government Printing Office.

This isn't the only high-profile government report to make the news lately. You might remember at the end of last year there was quite a buzz about this report to the President—Deep Water: The Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling.

You can also see the official version of this one right now, courtesy of GPO. We'll soon be getting a paper copy of this commission's recommendations (the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, that is).

Keep informed! Follow up on what you hear on the news by checking with us at the Blume Library.

Welcome Back!

As the Spring 2011 semester begins, I want to give you an idea of how the library can help you with your research assignments.

Tips

1. Get Help: Do you have a research paper and you don’t know where to start? Ask one of the reference librarians for help. Our primary purpose is to help you figure out where to find information on topic. You will find librarians at the Reference Desk in the Blume Library. You can also give us a call (210-436-3508), or contact us by email. In addition, you will get some great resource tips from our online Research Guides, created by Blume librarians, which focus on popular research topics.
2. Find materials online: The library subscribes to over 100 online databases that include articles, e-books, e-reference books, reports, statistics, videos, images, and more. Our website includes a links to some of the most popular databases, a complete list of databases, and a links to databases by academic subject.
3. Find books, videos, and cds: Search the Library Catalog to discover the books, videos, cds, government documents, etc. that we have on your topic. You will use your Rattler ID card to check out from the library. By the way, we also buy popular books, movies, and music. Looking for something fun to do? Borrow free entertainment from the library!

Need more information? Take a look at the library website or contact us at the library. We can help you succeed!

How are we doing?

If you have a few minutes, take a quick survey and tell us about your experience with government information.

The Blume Library is a Federal Depository Library, and has been one since 1964. The Federal Depository Library Program was established by Congress to ensure that the American public has access to its Government's information. Since becoming a Depository, we have accumulated what we hope is a valuable collection of print resources from the Congress and many government agencies. We have reports from Censuses back to 1960, Statutes at Large (pictured on the right) back to 1964, primary diplomatic source material in the Foreign Relations of the U.S. back to 1914, and the Congressional Record (and antecedents) back to 1789! Plus much, much more.

In recent years, the government has been increasingly making its information available online and the Blume Library offers guidance in navigating these resources through tools available on our website. We offer a Government Information on the Web Subject Index, a State Government Information Index, a series of guides to government information, and more.

So take our survey! It covers access, services, and collections. Results of the survey will contribute to efforts by the Government Printing Office, the agency which operates the Depository Program, to address the value of Depository Libraries. Let us know how you have used government resources in the Library and online, what works for you and what could be improved. Thanks!

Library Subscribes to Value Line online

The Louis J. Blume Library recently subscribed to the online Value Line Research Center. The Research Center provides research on stocks, mutual funds, options, and other types of investments. The Value Line Research Center is available on-campus and off-campus to currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff at St. Mary’s University.

The Blume Library also subscribes to several other databases that provide investment information. These databases are:

• Morningstar Investment Research Center – mutual funds, stocks, portfolio analysis tools
• NetAdvantage (Standard & Poor’s) – stocks, mutual funds, company and industry information
• Business Source Complete – business journal articles, newspapers, magazines, etc.

You can find the Value Line Research Center, and the other databases, on the Blume Library website at http://library.stmarytx.edu/acadlib/indexes/bus.htm.

Contact any Reference Librarian if you have questions about this subscription or any other Blume Library database.

Voter information and links to campaign websites

Are you are registered to vote in Bexar County? Take a look at http://stmarytx.libguides.com/vote for links to candidates' sites, where available.

If you have already voted, thank you for voting. For those who haven't, Early Voting runs through Friday, October 29 in Bexar County. Election Day is Tuesday, November 2 and your local polling site will be open 7am-7pm. Links to the Bexar County Elections Department information about voting is available at http://stmarytx.libguides.com/vote

Participate in LexisNexis® QuizWhiz student competition for a chance to win valuable prizes!

Current St. Mary's University students are invited to participate in the LexisNexis Academic (one of the Blume Library's subscription services) QuizWhiz contest. Win points and prizes while exploring the content of LexisNexis Academic.

Sign up today. Registered students answer multiple choice questions on legal, news, business and more. Each correct answer earns points that may be redeemed by students for a variety of gift cards from national retailers in values of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.

Competition runs from September 13 through November 15, 2010 with questions updated as frequently as twice a week for opportunities to earn more.

See http://www.lexisnexis.com/quizwhiz/ for more information!