We’ve just finished our second week of this new fall semester, and it sure has been a time of change. For you first year students…big changes from moving away from home and leaving friends and family, to new schedules and demands, new friends, and new opportunities. For returning students, faculty, and staff, we too have experienced great changes through the past weeks. Our own children have started college, maybe they’ve started at a new local school, our health has changed for the good…or the bad, we’ve experienced losses, had some great adventures, and certainly endured one dreary wet summer.

Change is not a bad thing, or else our current Presidential candidates wouldn’t be touting it as such a fantastic opportunity in Washington! Granted they each have their own views of what changes means, it also implies how they will each handle change when it’s out of their control.

But, I want to talk about the Library. The Library during the past few years has gone through lots of change. We’re reorganized our periodicals and discarded many print copies that were available in our online databases. We’ve moved our videos, DVD’s, and recorded books up to the main floor, and we’ve moved our popular reading area downstairs. Through the last academic year, this change was met with great approval! Yea us!

Two highlights for us here in the Library are the addition of “books we’re reading” and the rewriting of our mission statement.  First, visit the Library web site at www.lyndonstate.edu/library to find out what the Library staff is reading and what we think of the book. We’ve got some avid readers on this staff (several books a week) to one of us that gets through maybe one book a month!

Another highlight for us was that we rewrote our mission statement to the following–

The Samuel Read Hall Library’s mission is to provide a haven for inquiry and reflection. We support students and the broader community by providing resources, staff, and services that encourage research, engage curiosity, and cultivate lifelong learning.

We are so excited about this new statement, and the collaborative processes we went through to get this statement were just truly inspiring.

So, change happens, and it’s what we do with it that counts. On that note, I’m going to leave you with the lyrics to one of my favorite songs, Changes, by David Bowie.

Changes
David Bowie

I still don’t know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I’d got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I’ve never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I’m much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They’re quite aware of what they’re going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t tell t hem to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Where’s your shame
You’ve left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can’t trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I’m going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock ‘n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you’re gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can’t trace time

However, here in the NEK, spring is turning up everywhere. The crocuses have bloomed, and the daffodils and tulips won’t be far behind. The robins have been here for a few weeks now, as have the male red-winged blackbirds. The deer are wandering far and wide for food. And, the skunks…the skunks…are out and about at all times of the day.

To me, this is quite surprising. I’ve never seen or smelled a skunk in broad daylight. However, in the past week, a skunk as sprayed twice in our neighborhood just around dinner time, and this morning, I saw one in the field walking toward me. What time was that? 7 a.m.! I had two dogs with me, thankfully the wild one was on the leash already, and I had to grab the other one by the collar and drag. And, despite having the two dogs, the ol’ skunk just kept walking towards me! I can do without that kind of excitment in the morning.

Another sign of spring? Wanderlust! I used to get spring fever  (April Fool’s–a bit late) so badly when I was in my late teens and early twenties. I’d just want to get in the car and drive south or west to warm sunshine, warm breezes, and water that you can swim in. Thankfully I haven’t experienced that in a very long time. It was just too darned uncomfortable. However, on nice days, I’d take a pay cut to be able to just be outside in the warm sun and air. I crave it.

So,  are you finding it hard to concentrate? Have you seen any moose? What signs of spring are you seeing or experiencing now?  LET’S HEAR FROM YOU!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and don’t forget to check out these library resources:

Birding in Vermont (‘Tis the season)
The outside story: local writers explore the nature of Vermont and New Hampshire
A year of the stars: a month-by-month journey of skywatching
The spring equinox: celebrating the greening of the earth
Baseball: a literary anthology containing that famous piece “Casey at the bat”
Wandering home: a long walk across America’s most hopeful landscape, Vermont’s Champlain Valley and New York’s Adirondacks
The hobbit, or, There and back again
Sally goes to the beach

We can get the call numbers for you if you need help. Finally, get out there and enjoy the coming warm weather, all creatures great and small, but get that work done!

As you probably know, the south is in the throes of a three-year drought. Many family farms have been sold, grain is going up in price as is fuel. This means that farmers, and even the folks who have a “just a few animals” on their land, can no longer afford to feed them. Further, since there’s no grass left for to graze on, many animals, including horses, are being abandoned.

If you were to Google “horse sanctuary” you find so many hits, that it quite overwhelming. For that matter, Google any animal, pig, cow, dog, wolf, llama, and add the word sanctuary, and there are just too many hits to count.

If you’re interested in sanctuaries, we’ve got one just over the ridge from the College called Mountain View Farm Animal Sanctuary. If you visit the web site, you’ll find that they’ve been in business since 2003 and why they got started. Then, there’s the Hooved Animal Sanctuary in Chelsea, VT.

If you want to travel a little bit further, a place that’s very close to my heart is Wolf Hollow in Ipswich, MA. This is an amazing gray wolf sanctuary where you can get darned close to the animals to see them and hear them. The educational experience is worth a visit for adults and children. The presenters equate wolf pack relationships to family relationships, illustrate communication patterns, and pack roles.

Some books in the Library that you just might want to check out are–Beyond Wolves: the politics of wolf recovery and management, and The Scalpel and the Butterfly: the war between animal research and animal protection. The call numbers for these books, as well as others, can be found the in the VSC Online Catalog. Or, stop by the information desk to ask for assistance.

Kewl ALERT!!!!!

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Library staff member, Pat Webster, can be heard on VPR this Friday, between 7:45 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., to discuss a treasure she found in the LSC Library archives! How kewl is that?!

Remember, I’d really like to hear from you, so feel free to post your comments! -v-

Why Darwin Day? First, it’s his birthday. Today recognizes the 199th year since Darwin was born. Also, it’s the day to honor the discoveries and life of the man who described biological evolution through natural selection.

Whether you agree or disagree with this theory, it has certainly given us a lot to think about, learn about, and most passionately, discuss!

Want to know more about Charles Darwin, theory of evolution or the controversies surrounding his theory? Check out these resources:

AboutDarwin.com

All About Science, Charles Darwin

BBC Historic Figures, Charles Darwin

Creationists Seek Foothold in Europe

Exploring Constitutional Conflicts: the Evolution Controversy

The Idea Center

Intelligent Design?

However, if you decide you’d prefer to read a book or find some articles on the topic, come on in and ask the library staff for assistance. Let’s keep talking!

Today, it’s all about snow! Who’s tired of winter? I am as of yesterday when the snowblower broke. The blower makes a horribly loud screeching noise and the auger doesn’t turn. So, I’m thinking it’s a bad belt.

Usually I love the snow. I go out snowshoeing a lot with the dog. However, if the snow gets much deeper, Topper won’t want to go. When it gets up to his belly, he just looks at me as if, “What do you expect me to do in this? Swim? I’m not goin’ through that, it’s too much work!”

So, today is a fun day. In honor of snow, and dogs, I’ve put some links below to some fun and interesting sites. Enjoy!

Bailey the Unknown Reindeer A little dated because of the Christmas thing, but very cute and funny!

Looking for something fun to do, and different, maybe with your sweetie for some Valentine’s Day fun? If so, check out Vermont dog sledding information.

Interesting perspective from the dog’s point-of-view.

And finally, a banana loving dog in the snow.

The phrase was used to emphasize what was happening in women’s personal lives: access to health care, domestic violence, rape, work outside of the home and still primarily responsible for the home and children, access to sports opportunities, and more.

Do some of these issues sound familiar? They should because they are still just as important to women. However, they are also important to women’s families, their husbands, fathers, sons, daughters, and friends.

What is going on in your life, or a friend’s life, that could be made easier, healthier, or more financially secure if there was better support at the state or federal levels? Today, only 26 states mandate that insurance companies provide equitable coverage for contraceptives. Just today, the New York Times has a story in the health section about contraception not being covered by insurance plans, yet, yet, Viagra is. And this is just one issue in health care. What about rising costs, companies cutting back on coverage, and insurance companies denying coverage?  The personal is political!

And, what about education? Many of you students expect to leave Lyndon State and teach? Or, what about the quality of education that your students, children, nieces and nephews will receive? Are our schools underfunded? Are teachers fully prepared to teach? Are teachers expected to address issues in the classroom for which they are not prepared such as behavioral problems? Are our community tax dollars being well spent at our schools? What is the community’s obligation, or what are parental obligations toward educating students? The personal is political!

Even though today is Super Tuesday, when decisions could be made about who continues the race for the White House or not, Vermont’s primary is not until March 4, a long 4 weeks away. You still have time to think about what is important to you, learn about the candidates that support your values and beliefs, and go vote!

You might want to check out some of these sites:

NY Times “Election Guide”
Compare the candidates on various election 2008 issues. 

Vote 411
A non-partisan site providing information at the state level for absentee voting, election dates, voter registration, voting machines, eligibility requirements, and mroe.

Campaign U.
Links to articles focusing on the 2008 elections as they affect students, colleges, and higher education policy.

Indecision 2008
From Comedy Central, find video clips, interviews, a political news blog, and other campaign coverage.

FactCheck
Evaluates the accuracy of campaign claims.

There are also books in the library that are by or about some of the candidates. Stop and ask the reference staff for assistance to locate these books or other resources to help you make a decision during the next few weeks!

GO VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!

After you see us, get a cup of coffee, and choose any number of places within the library to sit, munch, and study while enjoying a great view.

Remember, we also have:

• Blackboard support if you need assistance or have questions about eportfolios, your course sites, or the content system. Just ask for Vicki.
• Study rooms so that groups of folks can study together.
• Video and DVD viewing stations for those required films and documentaries.
• EyeOn resources and subject guides when you need to research a topic, maybe for a speech, but aren’t sure where to start (or click on the link on the left).
• Need help with the research process: understanding plagiarism, citing your references, or something else, check out the research guides at the Library’s web site.
• Want to find specific DVDs or videos, musical scored, or periodicals, go to the holdings list to find out how to do that.

Remember, our hours are generally:

Mon – Thurs          8am – Midnight
Fri                           8am – 4pm
Sat                          Noon – 5pm
Sun                         Noon – Midnight

Our hours do change over breaks and holidays, so be sure to call us at x6450 or check the library web site for more details.

Finally, my New Year’s resolution is to post more regularly to this blog. I still want to tell you bits and pieces of news that I find interesting and match those stories with resources in our Library. However, I also want to tell you more about what’s going on in the Library.

Have a great day!

Anyway, what I found completely disturbing, yet intriguing, about this story was that folks in the south are still concerned about their lawns! Yep, their lawns and landscaping. A level 2 drought response allows for lawns to be watered on alternate days of the week. However, a level 4 response calls for a complete ban on outdoor water usage. You’ll see a list of rules and exceptions here. During a level 4 response, you are still permitted to water food garden. Whew.

So, many folks, those who can afford it, are drilling for wells so they can access water for their landscaping. Even though drawing from irrigation wells affects the height of the water table, only now are states looking to impose bans on the creation of these wells.

The next time that you throw a glass of water away, think about this… We’ve known for quite some time that, in the future, water will pose a problem for most of humankind. Instead of oil, water will be the focus of most war.

To learn more about global water issues, you might want to check out some of these books from our library:

 Plan B: rescuing a planet under stress by Lester R. Brown.

Who’s Water is It: the unquenchable thirst of a water-hungry world edited by Bernadette McDonald and Douglas Jehl.

And, there are many excellent titles that can be found at the other VSC libraries. Just go to the library catalog and type in the phrase water supply.

Now…back to the blog. First, huge apologies for taking so long to get back to this blog. The semester started with a very intense bang, and I was out for a week with a bad back, so updating the blog just had to take a back seat.

However, I’m back and that back is better, and there’s just so much to talk about: the CA fires, Al Gore getting the Nobel Peace Prize, Freedom to Marry discussions in VT, Holly Near’s visit to the NEK, Red Sox won the 2007 World Series, and the brouhaha on campus about a particular column in the student paper The Critic.  Please, I know I’ve forgotten a lot. Bu

I’m going to highlight a few topics that are close to my heart.

First, Holly Near’s visit on campus. Holly is a singer and activist. The message I got that day is that activism starts with one small step, and it doesn’t have to be a loud banging step either. To read more about her, visit http://www.hollynear.com/. Oh, and checkout the LSC Library which has several of her recordings such as Singing with You, an album with Ronnie Gilbert.

Hey, how about those Sox! If you’re a Red Sox fan, or just a baseball fan (Is there such a thing?), we’ve got several books in the library that just might interest you: The Yankees vs. the Red Sox, 796.35764 R536y, and Still, we believe: the Boston Red Sox movie, DVD 796.35764 St54.

Finally, it’s been announced that there will be a public hearing in the Alexander Twilight Theater. The Vermont Commission on Family Recognition and Protection (http://www.leg.state.vt.us/WorkGroups/FamilyCommission/) will be there to hear testimoney for and against the right for gay and lesbian Vermonters to marry.  The Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force (http://www.vtfreetomarry.org/) asks that everyone get out there and attend. If you’re not sure where you stand on this issue, the library has some books that you might want to check out: Same-sex marriage in the United States, 306.848 C119s and Why marriage matters, 306.848 W833w.

As always, if you need assistance, don’t hesitate to stop by your library and ask for help!

My partner and I had just moved that weekend from the Boston area, leaving behind many dear friends. I was sitting in my office, reading manuals, when my partner called to tell me the news.

Her sister, my sister-in-law, lives in DC and works for the Smithsonian. I have a good friend, from grad school, who works in the Congressional library. We have family and friends who live in that south, central part of Pennsylvania or in northern Maryland. And, certainly, we knew many people in the Boston area.

We were fortunate. Our friends and family were safe. Scared but safe. 

Today, as we take time to remember lives lost, relationships ruined, lives that will never be the same, let’s also remember the survivors, the folks that give us hope that things can be better, and that we can survive.

To learn more about al-Qaeda, New York City, the towers, CIA intelligence, and what’s happened after, you might want to check out these items from the LSC Library:

The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright. This book is recognized as THE manual about al-Qaeda. Wright is a journalist, who also wrote the screenplay for the Denzel Washington movie, The Siege (1999). The Siege was not a critically acclaimed film, yet, because of Wright’s knowledge and insights into terrorists, this film was a spooky premonition of what was to come.

Aftermath by Joel Meyerowitz is a beautifully presented pictorial work of the heros and destruction of 9/11.

Beyond Retribution: peaceful tomorrows. This documentary, produced by the September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, shows the organization of this group and the work they do to promote peace.

Come into the Library and let us help you locate these resources as well as the other resources on 9/11.