Thursday, August 7, 2014

Fact-Checking

We are constantly being bombarded with information - on the web, on TV, in books, and in conversation. Unfortunately, a lot of it is misinformation. It's not that most people intend to deceive us, but once they've picked up an error, they pass it along.

Fortunately the web makes it possible to fact-check on the fly.  Here are some resources.
  • Consumer Reports - objective product information and reviews
  • DeviceWatch - debunks phony products and gadgets
  • FactCheck.org - fact-checking for the news from the Annenberg Public Policy Center
  • MythBusters.com - from the Discovery Channel TV show that debunks urban legends, old wives' tales, and movie physics, among other things
  • NewsTrust.net - crowd-sourced fact-checking of the news media
  • PolitiFact.com - the least partisan fact-checking source for politics and what politicians say
  • Snopes.com - debunks virus warnings, chain letters, hoaxes, scams, urban legends  
  • SourceWatch - crowd-sourced tracing of information to its original intellectual and financial sources, from the Center for Media and Democracy  
Text @ 2011 Empire State College.  Used with permission.

Decorative image
Fingerprint by CPOA (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Thursday, July 31, 2014

New Videos: Travel, History & More

The library's Films on Demand database has added new videos.  You can stream these videos online and link to them in CampusWeb courses.  Here is a sample of new films in the fields of business, criminal justice management, early childhood education, health & medicine, history, psychology, and more.

ACCOUNTING: Accounting Fundamentals Series (120 min. total)
Videos included: Accounting Basics and Definitions, Matching Concept and Accounting Cycle, Managing Inventory, and Managing Assets and Payroll.  Business & Economics Video Collection  

BUSINESS: Cutting Edge Communications Comedy Series (5-9 min., 2012)
Learning how to communicate in a business setting is the most important key to success. Customer service, sales presentations, employee performance appraisals, and conflict resolution all rely on solid communications skills. This 36-part series uses humor to demonstrate to viewers how to communicate properly, and the consequences for businesses when communication is not up to par. 36-part series, 5-9 minutes each.  Business & Economics Video Collection

CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Defeating the Hackers (50 min., 2013)
This film explores the murky and fast-paced world of hackers out to steal money and identities and wreak havoc with people's online lives, and the scientists who are joining forces to help defeat them. Horizon meets the two men who uncovered the world's first cyber weapon, the pioneers of what is called ultra paranoid computing, and the computer expert who worked out how to hack into cash machines.  Criminal Justice & Law Video Collection

ENVIRONMENT: Saving The Lifekeepers: The New Science of Sustainable Beekeeping (62 min.)
From the forests of Mexico to the farm lands and cities of North America, learn how successful beekeepers overcome challenges and develop sustainable practices to improve the quality and quantity of honey bee populations.  Environmental Science Video Collection

GLOBAL & TRAVEL: In 80 Trains Around the World (39-part series, 26 min. each)
Shot on trains in more than 50 countries on six continents, this 39-part road movie series captures inspiring conversations and unexpected observations of travelers. Directing the viewer through breathtaking landscapes, snow-covered plains, deserts and mountainous regions, we witness inspiring conversations and special observations. Dreams are told in the informal setting of a train compartment—dreams, which are sometimes great, sometimes small. Travelers along the rails of dreams tell that realization of these dreams is only possible in a world free of political oppression, free of religious divisiveness, and free of intolerance. 39-part series, 26 minutes each.

HISTORY: The Empire Strikes Back: Treasures of Ancient Rome (60 min., 2012)
Around the turn of the third century, Roman art began to move away from classical traditions. Some say the change indicates a civilization in decline, but in this program Alistair Sooke shows that the imperial style was actually invigorated at this time by ideas from the provinces. Sooke explores the site of Leptis Magna in Libya, where the Gladiator Mosaic raises an old art form to new heights, and admires indigenous influences in Roman British silver and glassware; then goes to Ravenna to see how Roman motifs live on in early Christian art. Works studied include the Portrait of Artemidorus, the Lycurgus Cup, Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs, and others. A BBC Production. A part of the series Treasures of Ancient Rome. 
History Video Collection

PUBLIC HEALTH:  Defeating the Superbugs (53 min., 2012)
Across the world we are seeing the emergence of bacteria that have gone rogue. These are the superbugs, dangerous bacteria that are becoming resistant to our only defense: antibiotics. Horizon meets scientists who are tracking the spread of these potential killers around the globe, and discovers new techniques researchers are developing to help defeat these superbugs. 
Health & Medicine Video Collection 
 
PSYCHOLOGY: The Truth About Personality (52 min., 2013)
Michael Mosley explores the latest science about how personalities are created and whether they can be changed. Despite appearances, Mosley is a pessimist who constantly frets about the future. He wants to worry less and become more of an optimist. He tries two techniques to change this aspect of his personality and has surprising results. Psychology Video Collection

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Graduating and need a job?

The Career Transitions database provides hands-on guidance and immediate access to key job search activities. In addition to delivering measurable details on user accomplishments and successes, the new Career Transitions offers many new features and functionality:
  • Job-Seeking: multi-faceted job searching and related activities for creating resumes and cover letters, applying and preparing for interviews
  • Career Exploration: discovering career interests; identifying new opportunities based on work or military experience; exploring growing career paths, including green and new economy jobs; and finding education and training
  • Interactive interview practice
  • Matching work and military experience to new careers
  • Multiple job-search options, including internships and entry-level, with job tracking
  • Comprehensive education and training options by career, program and location
  • Guided resume and cover letter creation
  • Continually updated expert advice and industry-leading content
  • Hundreds of career overview videos, including "A Day in the Life" series featuring real people who work in those occupations
  • A new, streamlined interface designed to give users immediate access to activities
  • -Publisher’s Description
    1349 FJ1 and 1349 FJ2 by Studio TDES (CC BY 2.0)
     

Job Search  Ebooks& Videos

Cover Letter E-books

Curriculum Vitae E-books

Image & Appearance

Resume Ebooks & Videos

Interview



Career-Specific E-books

Thursday, May 15, 2014

New Library Website and Links

We're moving! UI&U Library is moving to a new website http://library.myunion.edu. We're very excited to make the move over to the WordPress platform while continuing to provide you with access to all the library resources you need. Hopefully, you won't notice much "construction dust", but there are two matters that will affect a lot of UI&U Library users.

1) Bookmark our new page: http://library.myunion.edu. If you've saved any bookmarks to Help Center or Services and Policy pages, either for yourself or in your courses, update those bookmarks too. All links to the library website pages now start with http://library.myunion.edu/.

2) Update any links to e-books or articles that require your UI&U login for access. As part of this process, we've updated our proxy address which means all the links that start with http://myunion.edu/library-login.aspx?url= have now changed. If you have these links, use this prefix instead:  http://proxy.myunion.edu/login?url=

Faculty members: If you use library links in your course, you need to take action to fix those links. We've updated our syllabus links page to help you create new links to your course materials. We're also partnering with CTL so you can contact both the library and CTL for help.

Students: Update any bookmarks you have to the library. If you use a citation manager, it has saved any permanent links with the old prefix. Also if you run into any problems accessing your course materials, you can contact the library for help. Very soon any link that looks like this will not work:






If you find a dead link, you can still get to the resource if you replace the prefix so the link looks like this:




We know all this change may be a little disconcerting and requires some work to adapt, but these updates will give us a more stable platform to continue to provide you with access to all our quality library resources.

If you have any questions, please contact us at library@myunion.edu, 800-871-8165 x8747 or Ask a Librarian.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Celebrate National Library Week

Please join us in celebrating the UI&U Library! 

National Library Week is an annual celebration of libraries which began in 1958.  The American Library Association (ALA) in concert with libraries across the nation have designated this week as time to celebrate the contributions of libraries and their dedicated staff. 

Libraries have historically served as our nation’s great equalizers of knowledge, providing access to information; leveling the playing field by making information affordable, available, and accessible to all people. Text © Georgia State University.  Used with permission. 

2012 Bookmark Winner: 1st Place, Ages 5-8 by Harrison Elliot (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)