St. Kate's librarian on the news!

On the 10pm news on October 1, St. Kate's librarian LeAnn Suchy helped answer WCCO's Good Question - Why Are We Reading More Books?

The interview took place earlier in the evening on October 1 and was filmed right here in the St. Kate's Library on the St. Paul campus. LeAnn was interviewed for about 20 minutes, but only a small portion of that made the segment.

One thing that was left out of LeAnn's comments was the fact that millennials, people between the ages of 18 and 30, are out-reading those of us over 30, which is fabulous. Reading isn't going anywhere! Tell us, what are some of your favorite books?

Privacy and the Internet

A recent op-ed in the New York Times (Has Privacy Become a Luxury Good? by Julia Angwin) posits that we have lost all privacy in the age of Google, the Internet, and online living. We use a free email program like Gmail or Yahoo! and we surf Facebook and Pinterest without paying for a subscription. She says, "we get all those services for free — and we pay with our personal data."

PR6029.R8 N49 1984b

Check out these tools to protect your privacy online:

• Duck Duck Go: Anonymous search engine that allows you to search without being tracked
• Google Privacy: Tools from Google that protect your privacy (although not necessarily from Google)
• NYT article on Facebook and privacy: Flipping the Switches on Facebook's Privacy Controls
• OFFPocket (from Popular Science): Block GPS tracking on your cellphone (tinfoil and a soup can works, too)
• See also: EPIC.org Electronic Privacy Information Center for more tools
• Books from St. Kate's:
  I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Media and the Death of Privacy by Lori B. Andrews (HM851 .A66 2012)
  Online Privacy: A Reference Book by Gellman and Dixon (e-book)
  Unpopular Privacy: What Must We Hide by Anita Allen (JC596 .A44 2011

Curling

The St. Kate's website features a great article about St. Catherine University alumna Courtney George and her quest for Olympic gold. In curling.

Curling? According to the American Heritage Dictionary (from Credo Reference):

A game originating in Scotland in which two four-person teams slide heavy oblate stones toward the center of a circle at either end of a length of ice.

Find out a bit more about this Winter Olympic sport:

• In the Library:  Curling: The History, The Players, The Game (GV845 .H356 1999)
• In the databases: The Sports Science of Curling by John Bradley in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (Dec. 2009)
• Online: Curling from Olympic.org
• In St. Paul: St. Paul Curling Club on Selby Ave.

Wikipedia or...?

A recent article from MIT Technology Review (The Decline of Wikipedia  by Tom Simonite, Oct. 22, 2013) discusses the fall of Wikipedia as the source for "all human knowledge" (Wikipedia's claim). Most college students know Wikipedia isn't the best source for writing papers, but it may not even be the best source for many other things.

"Among the significant problems that aren’t getting resolved is the site’s skewed coverage: its entries on Pokemon and female porn stars are comprehensive, but its pages on female novelists or places in sub-Saharan Africa are sketchy. Authoritative entries remain elusive."

Considering that 90% of contributors are male and its complex bureaucracy, this lack of scope isn't all that surprising. Luckily, there are plenty of other sources for quality, authoritative information. The libraries' books, journals, and databases are among these. A few sources that are similarly comprehensive for general knowledge, historical background, and current events include:

• Credo Reference
• Oxford Reference
• Academic Search Premier
• CQ Researcher

Angelina Jolie and Breast Cancer Prevention

By now you've probably heard about actress Angelina Jolie's prophylactic double mastectomy. She wrote about it in an op-ed for the New York Times. Because of her ability to get genetic testing, Jolie found out that she's a carrier of the BRCA1 gene, one that increases a woman's chance for getting breast cancer. To reduce her risk, she opted for a controversial double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. This choice has sparked a debate in pop culture and in healthcare.

Here are a few of the issues and some corresponding articles about them from the Libraries' HealthSource database:

Source: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/05/15/
science/earth/15jolie_cnd/15jolie_cnd-articleInline.jpg

• Should women have preventive mastectomies?
  This 2011 article from European Journal of Cancer Care reports high satisfaction in patients.
• Does Angelina Jolie's financial situation put her at an unfair advantage?
  An article from the Journal of Health Politics, Policy & Law explores the ethics of the affordability of health insurance.
• What are the implications of knowing your genetic code?
  A 2006 article from the Journal of Nursing Scholarship explores the ethics of genetic testing.

What do you think? 

Snow in May

Snow in May is not unheard of but not common either. According to the Minnesota Climatology Working Group, 1892, 1935, and 1946 all had May snowfalls that brought three inches of the (unwelcome) white stuff. This year may rival those snowfalls; The StarTribune is predicting 6 inches of snow.

On the other hand, an article from May 19, 1915 in the Minneapolis Tribune (from ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Early Minnesota Newspapers) proves that snow in May was not necessarily unwelcome as shown by this headline: "May Snow Prevents Spread of Elevator Fire."

In this photo below (from St. Catherine University Digital Collections), Katies in 1938 play in the snow on campus. Snow isn't all bad.

A New Pope Chosen

Image source: Washington Post

On Wednesday, March 13, 2013, a new Pope was chosen to succeed Pope Benedict XVI who served from 2005 to 2013.Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina is the first Pope from Latin America and will be named Pope Francis.

With the continuing development of information sources, this historic event in choosing a new head of the Roman Catholic Church is being covered in a number of resources. Twitter and news blogs, as well as websites from news sources are breaking the news, while traditional library materials like books and journals, provide concrete facts and background.

• Follow #pope on Twitter
• Read about the Papacy from Credo Reference's online e-book New Catholic Encyclopedia
• This Just In news blog from CNN
• View the event in images from the BBC
• Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life: US Catholics on a new Pope

Where did you first learn of this event?

The Sky is Falling! Read about meteorites

Last Friday, February 15, a meteorite streamed across the skies above Russia. According to a New York Times article, the meteorite was 10 feet across traveling at 10-12 miles per second. The shock wave from the rock hitting the earth's atmosphere caused windows to break and injured more than 1,000 people.

Find out more about cosmic debris, meteors, and space. Check out the book display at the St. Paul library.

• Rocks from Space: Meteorites and Meteorite Hunters  QB755 .N67 1994  
• Tales of the Earth : Paroxysms and Perturbations of the Blue Planet QB631 .O34 1993 
• Bad Astronomy : Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing 'Hoax' e-book
• Check out Credo Reference: Science

Library Visit from European Nation of Georgia

Source: CIA World Factbook

The U.S. State Department sponsored the Jan. 23rd visit from representatives of Georgia. This portion of the international visit focused on university libraries in the United States. While at St. Kate's, the Georgian representatives got a tour from Interim Director Jim Newsome of the St. Paul Library and also met with the Library Science Department.

Read more about the visit from campus news.

Flu Season

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the state is experiencing a particularly significant flu season. Remember: if you are sick, stay home.

Minnesota Department of Health

What is the flu?

• The flu (influenza) is a respiratory infection caused by a virus. You might get a runny nose, fever, sore throat, body aches, fatigue. 
• It is not a bacterial infection and cannot be treated with antibiotics.

What should I do if I have the flu?

• Stay home if you are ill. 
• Rest and get plenty of fluids. 
• Children and people with compromised immune systems should see a doctor if symptoms are severe. You can visit the Health and Wellness Center (651.690.6714) if you are a student.

How can I prevent the flu?

• Get vaccinated. Flu vaccines are available at the Health and Wellness Center. You can also use the Minnesota Department of Health's Vaccine Finder.
• Wash hands frequently.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze.

Research influenza in scholarly journals:

• Medline
• HealthSource

New Acting Director: Jim Newsome

Effective immediately, Associate Professor James Newsome will assume the position of Acting Director of Libraries, Archives and Media Services.

Jim has been at St. Catherine for 26 years, first as Reference Librarian for 11 years and most recently as Head of Library Public Services for the last 15. He will serve as Acting Director until a permanent Director is appointed. 

Thanks to Jim for stepping into this important role for the libraries and for the University.

Get a Sample Ballot before you head to polls!

Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Those who stay away from the election think that one vote will do no good: 'Tis but one step more to think one vote will do no harm.                       

(attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Baby, It's HOT outside!

In the winter some of us complain about the cold and in the summer it's the heat! Minnesota gets the best (?) of both worlds. Find out more about beating (and enjoying) the heat in Minnesota in the summer including water activities, ice cream options, and staying healthy in the heat.

Baby, It's Hot Outside

Duluth Floods

Duluth, MN, has been hit by devastating floods this week. More than 9 inches of rain fell and washed out roads and bridges. The governor has declared a state of emergency. Find out more:

• Duluth News Tribune
• Mn Department of Transportation, Duluth
• NOAA Weather for Duluth
• City of Duluth website

Also, check out a few titles about Duluth, available at the St. Kate's Libraries:

• Duluth, Minnesota (2001)
• Duluth: The City and The People (1994)
• Up North (1986)

Mexican Poet & Author Carlos Fuentes Dies

Carlos Fuentes, the acclaimed poet and writer from Mexico, passed away this week at age 83. He was part of an explosion of Latin American writers in the 1960s and 70s, one that included Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Mario Vargas Llosa.

A few of his books at St. Kate's:

The Old Gringo | PQ7297.F793 G713 1985 

The Orange Tree | PQ7297.F793 N3713 1994 

Where the Air is Clear | PQ7297.F793 W57 

The Scream by Edvard Munch

Image from Sotheby's

One of the four versions of The Scream, the iconic painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, sold at auction for $119,922,500 on May 2 in New York. According the the Associated Press, the sale at Sotheby's will fund a new museum in Norway.

The Scream was painted in 1895 as part of a series that explored "life, love, and death." The image has become part of pop culture with many take-offs and reproductions.

View The Scream and other Munch work on the Library's database ARTstor, which includes full-color images. You can also learn more about the painting and Munch's career by searching ArtFullText. (KateWay login required)

Adrienne Rich, 1929-2012

Adrienne Rich's essay, "Claiming an Education" about being a student in a women's college, will be familiar to St. Kate's students and graduates from The Reflective Woman reader.

A noted feminist and poet, Adrienne Rich passed away March 28th at the age of 82. Rich graduated from Radcliffe College and supported protests against the Vietnam War and in favor of African-American civil rights. Her collection of poetry was selected for the U.S. National Book Award in 1974, which she accepted not in her own right but on behalf of all women. She has written both personal and political poetry and explored such issues as gender, class, and race. (source: The Penguin Biographical Dictionary of Women)

"A revolutionary poem will not tell you who or when to kill, what and when to burn, or even how to theorize. It reminds you... where and when and how you are living and might live, it is a wick of desire." ~ Adrienne Rich, 1929-2012

1940 Census To Be Released Online

For the first time, access to the1940 US Census data will be available online. The National Archives and US Census Department have partnered to release the 1940 Census data on a new website to go live April 2, 2012. Census data is of use to genealogists, sociologists, historians, and more. The 1940 Census reflected the end of the Great Depression and gives a picture of life seventy years ago.

New Look! Navigating the new homepage

By now you've noticed that the Libraries' homepage looks a little different. A new search box will help you navigate and find the tools you need. All resources are still available via the new search box and the drop-down menus above.

The biggest difference you will notice is the switch to WorldCat, a search tool that allows you to search for books at St. Kate's, at the other ACTC libraries, and worldwide libraries, as well as articles in databases. Of course, you can always search the old catalog, CLICnet.

Any questions or comments? Please post to this blog, Facebook, or email librarynews@stkate.edu