Mr. H. DeForest “Cork” Hardinge of Mercer Island, Washington recently donated his collection of rare materials relating to the history of the American West to the Oboler Library Special Collections Department. The collection focuses primarily on the Pacific Northwest and Colorado, and will provide much needed early source material for researchers.
The library is pleased to announce that starting August 1 we will offer faculty and graduate students the opportunity to request material for pick up from the ISU Oboler Library collection on the Pocatello campus. Items can be requested from the library catalog and picked up at the circulation desk. Patrons will be notified by e-mail when the material is available. Instructions for making these requests can be found at: http://www.isu.edu/library/distance/reqbook.htm
The popular EBSCOHost databases have been improved and simplified. These 53 databases (find the complete list under library quick links, databases, EBSCOHost) include Academic Search Premier, AltHealthWatch, Business Source Complete, History Reference Center, Humanities International Index, MasterFILE Premier, PsychINFO, Sociological Collection, the popular environmental database GreenFILE, and many more.
On their New Features page, EBSCO reports:
EBSCOhost 2.0 is live and we have introduced the following new features to the site.
So, check this out, see their comprehensive Help page for further details, and if you have questions call, stop by, or e-mail the reference desk.
If you’re looking for a quiet place to study for finals or finish that last term paper, remember the library. There are hundreds of study carrels and tables throughout the library, including this picturesque area near the Idaho Health Science Library on the 3rd floor.
Interim Session hours go into effect on Saturday Aug. 2 when the library will be closed weekends until right before fall semester starts. Saturday and Sunday, August 23 and 24, the library will be open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For the rest of the Interim Session the library will be open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
While the library is closed, you can still do considerable research; the library web page contains over 140 electronic databases, and access to more than 66,000 electronic journals.
In mid-June, the Oboler Library welcomed Jim Teliha as the new Associate University Librarian for Public Services. Prior to coming to Idaho State, Jim had served as the Head of Access Services for the University of Rhode Island and the Access Services Librarian of the Oregon Institute of Technology. He received his MLIS degree from the University of Oklahoma, and also has an MA in US History and a BA in History and Political Science, both from the University of Colorado. Jim grew up in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and though he misses the Red Sox, he is happy to be back in the West, where people actually pronounce the letter “r”. Away from the office, Jim and his wife love travelling, and have been on every continent.
Have you checked our new book shelves lately? They are on the first floor, near the Circulation Desk. These are the latest items the library has received, in all subject areas. It’s easy to find something educational or interesting. There are seven bookshelves of them, so you’ll have quite a few to ponder—or just pick your subject area and watch what’s new in it. If you’re not sure of your favorite call numbers, there’s a Library of Congress Classification system chart nearby at the reference desk.
If you’ve looked around the library lately you may have noticed some large Read posters featuring library staff, and many 8 1/2 X 11 smaller Read posters of staff and departments. The large, poster-size ones are done for library staff who retire. The smaller ones were done mostly in 2004, with a few catch-up ones for newer staff members. The picture here is Spencer Jardine, our Instruction and Reference Librarian, dressed up for the White Tent Event in fall. The White Tent Event is a great way to get familiar with all the many services ISU has, and get a few free pens and stuff– so watch for it, and plan to attend!
It is always tragic to hear of the untimely death of anyone, especially when it’s a prominent Idaho writer who was still in the midst of his writing career. ISU’s online newsletter, News and Notes, reported this in the July 14, 2008 edition, Vol. 24, no. 24, and gave Library News permission to reprint it.
William “Bill” Studebaker, a longtime ISU-Twin Falls instructor, ISU alumnus, author and outdoorsman, died July 4 while kayaking on the South Fork of the Salmon River. He was a well-known Idaho writer, poet, outdoorsman and photographer. Studebaker received his B.A. in history (1969) and M.A. in English (1971) from Idaho State University, where he said he “found his poetic voice.” Studebaker, who retired in 2005 from the College of Southern Idaho after more than more than 30 years of teaching, was the author of numerous books about Idaho and the Northwest. Before and after retiring, he taught courses in creative writing, mythology, and Western American literature for ISU-Twin Falls. He frequently gave readings and conducted creative writing workshops throughout Idaho and the West. The Lemhi County native wrote a memoir about growing up near Salmon River mining towns such as Yellow Jacket and Cobalt, which was published as Short of a Good Promise by WSU Press in 1999. He collaborated with Idaho archaeologist Max Pavesic on an anthropological work called Backtracking: Ancient Art of Southern Idaho (Idaho Museum of Natural History, 1993). He edited several literary magazines and anthologies, including Idaho’s Poetry: A Centennial Anthology, and Where the Morning Light’s Still Blue, an anthology of essays about Idaho (U of I Press, 1988 and 1994, respectively).
As a freelance writer, he was a frequent contributor to Idaho newspapers as well as literary journals and magazines. He was featured regularly on Idaho Public Television’s “Outdoor Idaho” program. In 2005, the Idaho Humanities Council honored Studebaker with its Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities award.
Writers, however, live on through their words. Oboler Library has 14 books that are either written by him, or anthologies that include his work. These include Backtracking: Ancient Art of Southern Idaho, Cleaving: Poems, Everything Goes Without Saying: Poems, River Religion, Travelers in an Antique Land, Where the Morning’s Light’s Still Blue: Personal Essays about Idaho, and more. Check our catalog for location and call number.
This month is the 100 year anniversary of the library being a federal depository library, and the library has several displays honoring this milestone. Also, being in the middle of summer, other displays are related to travel and sun health.
Display case 1 on the first floor is on the 100th Anniversary of being a federal depository library display, July 13 1908 to 2008. You can see some of our oldest documents in it, plus some of our interesting ones.
Case 2, also on the first floor, has some interesting government documents in it. If you think documents are boring, you need to check out this display! It includes a video on jazz, a brochure on how to avoid flooding, traffic congestion, and higher taxes in your community, and a lot more.
Case 3, on the second floor, is a continuation of the 100 year depository library anniversary theme. It includes brochures and booklets on Smokey Bear, disaster preparedness, emergency food safety, and more.
Case 4, “My Summer Vacation,” is a collection of 73 post cards from around the United States. There are cards from many states, including Hawaii and Alaska. they include scenery, attractions, and a variety of fun cards. There are also some old, antique post cards, including one from 1908. (more…)
Michael Corrigan, an assistant lecturer in ISU’s Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, has a new book out from Idaho State University Press, A Year and a Day. It is a journal of grief, the first year and a day after the loss of his wife. Read the full story on the ISU Headline News page.
The library does not yet have this book, but is working on getting it. In the meantime, the Library Catalog shows eight other books by this author available.
Looking for something good to read this summer? Try Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario. It was selected for the 2008 Reading Project. The author will be here in fall for a lecture and book signing. There will be an essay contest and other discussion events that will be advertised later. More details are available on the Reading Project web page. The library has copies of the book, both at the reserves desk and in the stacks. Use our catalog to find further information about availability.