Victor Cha (Georgetown) and David Kang (Dartmouth) offer excellent analysis and reasoned debate about the threat posed by North Korea and the options for dealing with it inNuclear North Korea: a debate on engagement strategies Their recommendations for dealing with a nuclear armed Korea include redefining the relationships between North and South Korea, Japan and the United States. This is an important book to read and think about before we reach boiling points. (Vairo Library UA853.K7C445 2003)
If you have young children, students who aspire to be teachers, or want a delightful read for yourself, check out P is for Philadelphia. Children's author Susan Korman has put together an alphabet book that highlights landmarks and traditions in the Philadelphia region, e. g. E is for Elfreth's Alley, M is for Mummers, K is for Kimmel Center. The illustrations for each letter are drawings by children who live in Philadelphia; the C is for cheesesteaks drawing is delicious!
(Vairo Library Curriculum Collection F158.22.K67 2005)
If you are looking for a wide ranging list of recommended summer reading, you may want to peruse the National Public Radio Summer Reading site at http://www.npr.org/templates/topics/topic.php?topicId=1084 The lists include suggestions from NPR hosts, critics and listeners.
Dr. Nancy Wyatt suggests this interesting website:
For world travelers, there’s a webpage that will tell you what’s going on all over the world. Tune in to http://www.whatsonwhen.com/. This week there’sa world music festival in Morocco, a hundred kilometer run in Mongolia, and the U.S. Summer Redneck Games [including Mud Pit Belly Flop, Bobbing for Pigs Feet, and a Dumpster Dive].
Dr. Nancy Wyatt contributes this website:
The American Library Association conducted a survey to measure law
enforcement activity in libraries. Survey results indicate a total of at least
137 legally executed requests by federal and state/local law enforcement in
both academic and public libraries have taken place since October, 2001, 63
legally executed requests for records in public libraries and 74 legally
executed requests in academic libraries.
Dr. Steve Cimbala suggests the following article regarding the debate over religion in American politics. Below is the citation - to access the full text article, go the E-Resource List and pick either Lexis-Nexis or ProQuest, and enter "Danforth" as Author.
Onward, Moderate Christian Soldiers, The New York Times, June 17, 2005 Friday, Section A; Column 2; Editorial Desk; Pg. 27, 860 words, By John C. Danforth.
(John C. Danforth is an Episcopal minister and former Republican senator from Missouri., St. Louis)
Dr. Nancy Wyatt contributes this website:
The Electronic Freedom Foundation has prepared a "Legal Guide for
Bloggers" that contains information on issues such as liability, defamation,
and copyright. The URL is http://www.eff.org/bloggers/lg/
The powerful statistical and analytical appartus behind Standard and Poor's has been applied to school performance. The website www.schoolmatters.com is a treasure trove of data about schools across the country. The data is presented by state, school district, and individual school. It provides basic demographic and economic data for each district, performance on standardized tests, graduation rates, etc. You can select up to four schools to run comparative reports. This is a wonderful resource for those researching schools for classroom or personal use.
Edgar Ray Killen was arraigned this week and pleaded "not guilty" to three counts of murdering James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner in 1964. If you would like to catch up with history and learn about earlier trials that dealt with this crime, we recommend Howard Ball's Murder in Mississippi. Ball, a professor of history at the University of Vermont (and now a Court TV commentator), formerly taught in Mississippi. He and his fromer students dug up a lot of information through interviews, archives, and trial records to expose the horrors associated with the investigation and prosecution of these murders. His book is a primer on why society is still seeking justice in this case. (Vairo Library KF224.M47B35 2004)
With warmer weather on the way, there will surely be lots of thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes around the country. Why not check out the new book titled Extreme Weather: a guide and record book by Christopher C. Burt. Call #: QC983.B78 2004
This book has colorful maps and tables that are filled with statistics and facts. The appendices have charts full of "records" (snowfall, temperature, etc). Also, there are many beautiful photos and other illustrations throughout the book.
Find out the average number of "hail days" experienced across the nation or world; find out the largest 24 hour temperature change; and what was the record number of tornadoes for just one day?
In addition to renting the feature film "Ray" (starring Jamie Foxx), you can also check out the library's recent addition of the definitive biography Ray Charles: Man and Music, by Michael Lydon.
From the back cover:
"Universally hailed as the definitive biography... this commemorative edition includes details of the illness he kept hidden from the world, and the moving tributes that followed his death. It is must reading for any fan of American music and the unique career of one of its greatest artists."