Oliver Wendell Holmes Library Newsletter

Got a research paper or project to do from your history, economic or world language teachers and don’t know where to get the most reliable and trustworthy information? How about Europa World Plus?

Europa World Plus brings the renowned The Europa World Year Book and the nine Europa Regional Surveys of the World series to the Web as a dynamic online database. First published in 1926, the year book is renowned as one of the world’s leading reference works, covering political and economic information in more than 250 countries and territories.

Home page: provides you with a clear navigation bar on the left with choices of various info or data available inside this database and the info on Featured Country as well as the news on Recent Elections and Recent Events around the world.

Authoritative contents: combines the famous, authoritative world-wide coverage of The Europa World Year Book with regular online updates. This Web version delivers fast, impartial economic, political and geographic background information and statistical data by country, and includes thousands of directory contact details with click-through web links and a comprehensive listing of some 1,900 international organizations, such as ADB, EU, NATO, or WTO.

Extensive statistical survey: list the latest available figures on area and population; health and welfare; agriculture; forestry; fishing; industry; finance; trade; transport; tourism; the media; and education.
Other: Maps are included for each country or region. Online Help and Search tips are also available online.

Searching capability: offers both quick search via country and region or Advanced search with search options like: full text, organizations and people, and publications.

So, give Europa World Plus a try by clicking OWHL’s E-Resources A-Z under Research button, or simply stop by the Help Desk at OWHL. The instructional librarians are here to HELP YOU!

We are delighted to know that Sharon Pei, one of our instructional librarians at OWHL, is in today’s local news.

If you are wondering what Tai Chi is about or interested in learning Tai Chi, you must read this news: http://www.wickedlocal.com/littleton/news/x1992005620/Going-with-the-flow .

BTW: The OWH Library also has some resources on Tai Chi (a.k.a. Taiji) in different formats, such as DVDs, books and online databases. Sharon will be happy to chat with you on this topic that she has been teaching and loves!

In partnership with Agatha Kip, Phillips Academy School Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian, the OWH Library has created a book display at the Circulation Desk during the month of October. All of the books focus on aspects of the food “industry”, especially those aspects that manipulate, process, and package food for consumption with regard not for health, but for profit. As people become increasingly aware that processed foods are not always the best choice when reaching for a snack, the interest in the life cycle of food before it arrives on our plates is growing. If you are interested in finding out what the role of corporations and conglomerates is in providing your meals, then stop by the OWHL and check out any of these books. You’ll be amazed.

Stuffed : an insider’s look at who’s (really) making America fat
by Hank Cardello ; with Doug Garr

Food, Inc.: How Industrial Food Is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer – And What You Can Do about It; A Participant Guide
edited by Karl Weber

Food politics : how the food industry influences nutrition and health
by Marion Nestle

Food fight : the inside story of the food industry, America’s obesity crisis, and what we can do about it
by Kelly D. Brownell and Katherine Battle Horgen

The end of overeating : taking control the insatiable American appetite
by David A. Kessler

The informant : a true story
by Kurt Eichenwald

Come check it out!

        MOSAIC was awarded an Abbot Academy grant to bring award-winning, New York Times best-selling author (and musician) JAMES MCBRIDE to campus this fall –  he will speak at All School Meeting on Wednesday, October 14  -  and will host a master class as well on that day.

If you have a chance in these early weeks of autumn, we suggest you read one of his books, displayed on the circulation desk in the OWHL lobby.

Contrary to popular belief, the OWHL staff doesn’t get summers off.  But that’s OK!  As the weather heats up, so do new book releases – and our Young Adult section has been growing by leaps and bounds!  Come check out the new display in the OWHL lobby (under the owls) – we have some tasty selections picked just for you!

For instance:

If you raunchy comedies like Superbad you should check out our new book “Swim the Fly.”

If you like some rock while you roll, like in Nick and Norah’s Infinate Playlist – check out “Fat Kid Rules the World.”

If you’d like to be more than Just Friends try “Sweethearts.”

If you are a Twilight devotee – and are going through Edward/Bella withdrawal, please take a dose of “Inferno.”

If you think Twilight was full of sparkling twits – check out “The Reformed Vampire Support Group.”

If you enjoy terrifying zombies like in 28 Days Later – you should totally read “Hater.”

Aaaand if you like your zombies a bit on the lighter side, Ala Shaun of the Dead, how about another creative remake like “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” ?

If fast paced thrillers are your thing - and you were taken in by Taken, try “Acceleration.”

Want your high school musical to be anything but ordinary?  Kooky and silly like Hamlet 2 – is “Castration Celebration.”

If Leo Decaprio in Romeo and Juliet had you yearning for more star-crossed lovers, read “If You Come Softly.”

If you have ever lusted after someone who was “out of bounds” like Sarah Michelle Gellar’s character in Cruel Intentions, you should read the steamy “Academy 7.”

And finally – if you think the Matrix is our inevitable reality – try not to “Feed” your paranoia.

There are many many more new YA books here at the library, and more on our list of suggestions (we based them on what movies you’ve liked) – so come ask Ms. Emma at the circulation desk, I am happy to help you find just the book you are craving!

Join us in the lobby of the OWHL on Tuesdays at 10am for children’s readings.  We have a wonderful selection of books for your tots, so stop on by and one of our Summer Session librarians will be happy to help you select a book or read aloud to your little one at Storytime.

Storytimes start Tuesdays July 7 – July 28, at 10am.

For more information contact Ms. Emma McElfresh at emcelfresh@andover.edu or x 4230.

The OWHL will be open during Summer Session during the following times:

Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 9:15 p.m.

Saturday: 7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Sunday: 11:00 a.m. – 9:15 p.m.

See you this summer!

I will attempt to distill what amounted to a full day jam-packed with information.  With fellow librarians, we gathered in Devens to hear keynote speakers, network, and check out vendors.

The first speaker was John Carroll, a WUBR radio personality, who talked about “Mess Media” – and how the media has gone from being a horizontal, locally run set of entities, to a vertical, major network owned body.  Most of today’s media is owned by one of the 5 huge networks, and is so cross promoted, that TV show premiers are being treated as news, and news is being sensationalized into entertainment.  He ended his talk questioning when the backlash will occur, when the masses tire of American Idol and Twitter, where will they turn for substance?  Libraries.

Christopher Mackie, of the Mellon Foundation, called his talk “Doing More with Less” – everyone knows the economy has hurt libraries, causing them to slash budgets, lay off workers, shorten business hours, and in some cases, close branches.  Mackie suggested that collaboration is how libraries are going to weather the storm.  Open source software, working with consortia, and using tools like OLE – which stands for Open Library Environment, where librarians can share openly, knowledge with 120+ other institutions instantly – helping to absolve the dichotomy between traditional and e-libraries – are all examples Mackie used as examples of collaboration.

The last speaker was Steve Coffman, VP of LSSI.  He suggested a “Library as a Bookstore” model for some libraries.  Mentioning that when big box stores started looking at designs/merchandising, they took many notes from libraries.  Comfy chairs and study areas, programs and readings, and providing access to lots and lots of books.  Coffman suggests it is time for libraries to look at what makes large chain bookstores so successful and possibly adopt some of their business models – such as being open more hours per day, hiring more part-time workers (who aren’t professionals, but rather book lovers), place emphasis on self-service.  Perhaps what he is suggesting is the libraries of the future. 

As a side note – Nelinet did spend some time presenting it’s proposed merger with Lyrasis – another large consortium.  If the vote (which is active from June 2-16) passes, Lyrasis will encompass approximately 1/3 of the US – streamlining collaboration, best practices, and media transfers between these libraries.

As the school year winds down, thoughts turn to summer reading (of course!).

Perhaps someone has asked you for some good suggestions, but you just can’t remember the name of that book. Perhaps, even, you want to read a favorite old poem in a friends’ wedding and you can’t for the life of you remember who wrote it.

Well, the Library of Congress feels your pain and has come up with a wonderful online guide of places to look when you can’t remember what you’re looking for.

The guide “is intended to help readers identify a literary work when they know only its plot or subject, or other textual information such as a character’s name, a line of poetry, or a unique word or phrase.”

Visit the site at: http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/lost/ and start remembering!