Library News

Almost half of the Oboler Library staff participated in Bike to Work Month this year, and had the goal of using alternative transportation (bike, walk, ride the bus, or car pool) to and from work for a minimum of 2 to 3 times per week during the month of May. Find out more about the Bike to Work Program here.

Spencer Jardine, Coordinator of Instruction, was our Bike to Work coordinator this year. Of the 17 library participants, seven commuted to work 100%, and the rest had varying scores, giving the library a final result of 86.39% among many other ISU departments and community businesses. All of the top participants were entered into a drawing for prizes, and 4 Oboler Library staff won a prize. Read the previous Library News story here, and see a photograph of some of the staff who participated.

Photo: Spencer Jardine using his bike to commute to work.

The library will be closed Saturday through Monday, July 2-4 for the Independence Day holiday. We hope you have an enjoyable holiday. The library will be open until 5 p.m. on the Friday before the holiday (July 1) and re-open again Tuesday July 5, at 7:15 a.m.

You can still do extensive research from home with the library web page, unless there are power, database, or computer outages. Over 200 electronic databases can be accessed off campus, with access to 112,590 electronic journals, books and reports. Call email, or come in to the reference desk when it is staffed if you have questions. Or look at some of the Library Tutorials, which may answer your questions.

If you need internet services that you usually get with the computers at Oboler library, you could try your local public library. Check with your local library for their open hours and internet policies. They are usually not open on Sunday or holidays.

Every year Oboler Library has a My Favorite Book Drawing for National Library Week in April. ISU students vote for their favorite book, and give the reason why it it their favorite. On the second floor on the far east side, near the study rooms, there is a display, “Let your Imagination Run Wild–Read a Book.” It features the entries from the last My Favorite Book contest. Winners received a $25. gift card from Amazon.

You can get some great ideas for summer reading from this display. The reasons why these books were favorites of other ISU students are interesting!  Some of this year’s favorite books are: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, The Forgotten Man by Amity Shlaes, Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O’Brien, Stumbling on Happiness by Dan Gilbert, The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay, Redwall by Brian Jacques, and more.

National Library Week: Create Your Own Story, Summer Reading Ideas, NASA,  Vegetables and Vegetable Gardens, Information Literacy, Idaho Magazine, Perennial Summer , and Sun Safety are the new or continuing displays currently up in the library. Photographs by Fred Harms are in the Current Display Art Area

 The Current Display Art Area is showing photographs by Fred Harms of American Falls. This show is a perfect opening to Idaho summer; it abounds with local and regional scenery, wildlife, and flowers. I found it an explosion of beautiful, colorful nature, that made me want to go driving to see some of it myself. Library News will be updated when more details about this show are provided. 

First Floor:

A National Library Week display is in case 1. This year National Library Week occurs April 10-16. The library had the usual My Favorite Book Drawing. Case 1, the Main Display Case, is National Library Week, Create Your Own Story. It is about Creating the Library’s History. It includes photos and description of the old library in the Museum Building, a previous director (Eli M Oboler whom the library is named after), construction of this building we are in now, and completion of Oboler Library. Find out more information on the Oboler Library Building page.

Case 2B is on Vegetables and Vegetable Gardening. Now is the time for planting, and the library has some gardening books (and cookbooks for when you harvest) to help you. This display also has information on other ways to get vegetables if you don’t have the time, energy, or space for a garden. The Portneuf Valley Farmer’s Market and Chubbuck Farmers Market are mentioned in the display, as well as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) where you buy a “share” in a local farm.

NASA is in case 2A. How much do you know about the many different progects NASA is involved with? The government documents highlighted in this display will show you! Find documents including Exploring the Unknown; Cosmos and Culture; The Sun, The Earth and Near-Earth Space; The Face of Venus; Read You Loud and Clear; Hubble 2008 Science Year in Review; and Dreams, Hopes, Realities. Find out about the effects of the sun on weather and climate. The NASA web site will also provide information, including a multitude of amazing pictures.

Case 3 is “Need Something to Read This Summer?” It contains interesting and colorful book covers of the many interesting books you can read this summer. Some of the book suggestions in the cabinet are:
The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig, Fair Game by Valerie Plame Wilson, Early Days in the Range of Light By Daniel Arnold, and much more. Enjoy the leisure of summer reading! 

Second Floor:

Display case 4 has a display on Information Literacy. “The information literate student[is] one who accesses information efficiently and effectively, critically evaluates the information, and uses it accurately and creatively.” This fall the display’s creator, Spencer Jardine, Coordinator of Instruction at Oboler Library, will teach a class Information Research (ACAD 1199, 1 credit). Learn how to “locate relevant sources and use them critically and responsibly.” Find out more about his class here. Check out this display for more information on how to improve your research papers.

Display case 5 has a display on Idaho magazine, which started in 2001. The display starts with a poster of their first 100 issues, and continues with sample information of interest to ISU students, faculty and staff. It could be helpful with planning trips, researching Idaho history, or filling leisure interests. Some of the topics included in the display are the Teton dam collapse, Marsh Valley, McCammon, Pocatello, American Falls being moved, literary Idaho, Idaho landscapes (including some beautiful photos), an article on Kittie Wilkins by ISU catalog librarian Philip Homan, and more. You can search topics on the Idaho magazine web page, under archives, search. Find the most recent issue of Idaho magazine on the first floor current display shelf, and previous issues in the 3rd floor periodicals area, call number F741 I17.

Third Floor:

Display Case 6 is titled Perennial Summer. Perennials are defined as “any plant that under natural conditions lives for several to many growing seasons.” This display includes photos of some popular flowers: oriental poppy, iris, columbine, foxglove, Black-eyed Susan, and more. This cheerful and colorful display is like a flower garden with pictures and artificial flowers.

The Idaho Health Science Library display is on Sun Safety for hte month of June  It is important to have protection from the sun, including a hat, clothing, shade, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Some books on cancer prevention and skin care are included in this display. You can find more information on this website for the Centers for Disease Control, Choose Your Cover: www.cdc.gov/ChooseYourCover.

KISU Radio, 91.1 FM, will feature Oboler Library Director Sandra Shropshire on Monday June 6, at 7 pm.

The show, ISU’s First Monday Forum with Jerry Miller, features discussions with university administrators.

Find out more about KISU radio on their web site: http://www.isu.edu/kisufm/