Engineers, Experience the New IEEE Explore

You may have already noticed that IEEE Xplore, the Institute of Electric and Electronics Engineer’s comprehensive database, has been upgraded.

The new IEEE Xplore is now easier to use and has more value-added features. You will be able to find articles faster with a new search engine and enhanced functionality.

What are the new features?

New interface design — intuitive, easy-to-navigate
New search engine — faster and more robust search results
Faceted search — post-search refinements allow you to narrow or expand your initial search
Personalization — set your preferences, save searchers, create alerts…and more

Visit the new IEEE Xplore at IEEE EXplore: IEEE/IEL Electronic Library.

Peace Week & the Conservative Movement

Week of February 22, 2010

In the News: It’s “Expressions of Peace Week” at Florida Atlantic University. The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet will give a public address on February 24th.

Also In the News: The Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, took place in Washington, DC this past week. According to the American Conservative Union website, this “convention for conservative activists” draws about 10,000 attendees each year.

Peace

The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living
By the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler. Riverhead Books, 1998
Call Number: BQ7395 .B774 A78 1998

Building Peace: Practical Reflections from the Field
Edited by Craig Zelizer and Robert A. Rubinstein, 2009
Call Number: JZ5538 .B847 2009

The Contemporary US Peace Movement
By Laura L. Toussaint. Routledge, 2009
Call Number: JZ5584 .U6 T68 2009

Mardi Gras

Week of February 15, 2010

In the News: Mardi Gras is here! There’s more to it than just beads and imbibing. Learn about the Carnivals that are celebrated worldwide, traditionally between Epiphany and the start of Lent.

After the Dance: A Walk through Carnival in Jacmel, Haiti
By Edwidge Danticat. Crown Publishers, 2002
Call Number: GT4226 .J33 D35 2002

All on a Mardi Gras Day: Episodes in the History of New Orleans Carnival
By Reid Mitchell. Harvard University Press, 1995
Call Number: PS3552 .R718 F37 1997

Authentic New Orleans: Tourism, Culture, and Race in the Big Easy
By Kevin Fox Gotham. New York University Press, 2007
Call Number: Available online via NetLibrary

Toyota – Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Week of February 8, 2010

In the News: Toyota issues safety recalls, what the company refers to as “Pedal” and “Floor Mat Entrapment,” on over 9 million of its vehicles. Federal investigations have commenced on the best-selling Prius hybrid after problems with its antilock braking system were reported. As a consequence, the top automaker is suffering from the aftereffects: negative PR, lawsuits, and a loss in sales after a halt in production was put in place on some car models.

Also: Top Pentagon officials have called for an end to the 16-year-old federal law, commonly referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” that bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. armed forces. Supporters of the repeal include Defense Secretary Robert Gates, former Secretary of State and retired Army General Colin Powell, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.

Toyota

40 Years, 20 Million Ideas: The Toyota Suggestion System
By Yuzo Yasuda. Productivity Press, 1991
Call Number: HD9710 .J34 T69313 1991 (At Jupiter)

Clean Car Wars: How Honda and Toyota Are Winning the Battle of the Eco-Friendly Autos
By Yozo Hasegawa. John Wiley & Sons, 2008
Call Number: HD9710 .J34 T621745 2008

Collision: GM, Toyota, Volkswagen and the Race to Own the 21^st Century
By Maryann Keller. Doubleday, 1993
Call Number: HD9710 .A2 K45 1993 (At Jupiter)

J.D. Salinger & Howard Zinn

Week of February 1, 2010

News Item: American author Jerome David Salinger (1919-2010), best known for the classic novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951), died of natural causes at his home in Cornish, NH. Historian Howard Zinn (1922-2010), author of the best-selling book A People’s History of the United States (originally published in 1980) and former professor at Boston University and Spelman College, also died this past week of a heart attack. Read their works and see what others have written about them.

J.D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye
By J. D. Salinger. Little, Brown, 2001
Call Number: PS3537 .A426 C3 2001

The Catcher in the Rye: New Essays
Edited by J. P. Steed. Peter Lang, 2002
Call Number: PS3537 .A426 C3226 2002

Dream Catcher: A Memoir
By Margaret A. Salinger. Washington Square Press, 2000
Call Number: PA3537 .A426 Z88 2000

Counseling and Therapy in Video – February Database of the Month

Counseling and Therapy in Video provides the largest and richest online collection of video available for the study of social work, psychotherapy, psychology, and psychiatric counseling—400 hours and more than 330 videos on completion. The collection’s wealth of video and multiplicity of perspectives allow students and scholars to see, experience, and study counseling in ways never before possible. The videos in this collection, drawn from the catalogs of Microtraining Associates, Psychotherapy.net, and the University of Manchester Department of Psychiatry, have been created by a variety of organizations and individuals dedicated to the advancement of education and training in counseling and therapy. This current release includes 284 videos totaling roughly 314 hours.

View the guided demonstration video

Conan vs. Jay & Limitless Corporate Spending on Elections (Or, Talk Shows & Campaign Finance)

Week of January 25, 2010

News Item: The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien debuted in September 2009 after Jay Leno, who came on board in 1992 upon Johnny Carson’s retirement, left to host a prime-time nightly talk show. NBC is bringing Leno back to late-night later this March, but not before spending a reported $32 million to buy out the remaining two and half years of O’Brien’s contract. Go here to read more about TV talk shows.

Also in the News: The Supreme Court handed down a 5 to 4 decision that allows companies, unions, and other interest groups to spend as much of their own funds as they want on things such as campaign ads in candidate elections, thus giving corporations First Amendment rights and freeing them from government restrictions on political speech.

Talk Shows

Coming after Oprah: Cultural Fallout in the Age of the TV Talk Show
By Vicki Abt and Leonard Mustazza. Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1997
Call Number: PN1992.8 .T3 A28 1997

Inventing Late Night: Steve Allen and the Original Tonight Show
By Ben Alba. Prometheus Books, 2005
Call Number: PN1992.4 .C28 S45 1987

Johnny Carson: An Unauthorized Biography
By Ronald L. Smith. St. Martin’s Press, 1987
Call Number: PN1992.4 .C28 S45 1987

LexisNexis Academic Made Easier (& a Little Prettier)

This year LexisNexis Academic (a database with access to full-text news, business and legal publications) rolled out its much anticipated redesigned interface, including improved navigation and search features. FAU Libraries lists links to both interfaces on the Indexes/Database pages. Access to the old interface will be phased out by Summer 2010 when users will be redirected to the new interface.

Besides the blue and white color scheme, the most dramatic change is the Easy Search Form. The big blank search box has been replaced by three search categories: “Search for News,” “Look up a Legal Case,” and “Get Company Info.” For detailed explanations of important search form changes, new forms, and other features see Academic Help Overview.

Haiti

Week of January 18, 2010

News Item: The devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti last week was the largest to hit the Caribbean area in more than 200 years. Throughout the last decade, Haiti had been plagued by political unrest, hurricanes, and food shortages and riots. Pick up one of these books or videos and learn more about the history, culture, religion, and people of Haiti.

Aristide and the Endless Revolution (VHS)
Directed by Nicolas Rossier. First Run/Icarus Films, 2005
Call Number: F1928.2 .A73 2005 (Boca Raton Media Center)

Artists, Performers, and Black Masculinity in the Haitian Diaspora
By Jana Evans Braziel. Indiana University Press, 2008
Call Number: NX650 .M296 B73 2008

Birds of the Dominican Republic & Haiti
By Steven Latta et al. Princeton University Press, 2006
Call Number: QL688 .D6 B57 2006

The American Revolution in the Marvin & Sybil Weiner “Spirit of America” Collection

Comprising the core of the Marvin & Sybil Weiner “Spirit of America” Collection is an extensive selection of primary materials dealing with the American Revolution. The items in the collection provide insight into the contemporary debates over the proper role of government and the powers of Parliament. Many of the materials pertain to the Stamp Act, which is often seen as the catalyst of the American movement towards independence. Other topics of study might include the interpretation of the British mercantile system and the importance of trade between England and her colonies or an investigation into the publications of the day, which include published speeches and sermons.