This month's topic - Social Networking

This month we would like for you to learn about online communities and make new connections.

Take a look at the slideshow available on HPL's wiki: http://10.34.145.39/twiki/bin/view/HPL/TechClasses

Explore the Wikipedia list of social networking websites at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites

Write about your experiences! Become a fan of Houston Public Library on Facebook. Can you find other HPL staff in LinkedIn? Take a look at some of the hobby sites such as Ravelry or Bake Space. How is social networking important to you as a public library staff?

June's Topic

June's Topic


This month we will focus on familiarizing you with HPL's Twiki and HPL blogs. The links are directly to the right of this post. Please search these links for the following information:



1. Who has agreed to run the Mystery Book Club for Central?



2. Where can you learn information about working with angry customers and filling out incident reports?



3. When are customers referred to the collection agency (UMS)? What is the full company name for UMS?



4. Where do I find resources highlighted in eSTAR trainings?



5. Where can I get a copy of the World Languages Collection plan?



6. Where in the world is (do I find) Mike Van Campen?

This month's topic - Juvenile Resources

Introduction:
We subscribe to many databases for children. They reside, for the most part, under the Homework subject heading on the Research page. They allow access to encyclopedia’s, country information, videos, timelines, newspapers, television transcripts, diagrams, photos, poetry, science projects, and more. You can access information appropriate to the reading level of the customer and limit by the type of media required. The information could be used in a report or project, or by a teacher in the classroom. Explore them and see if you can find the answers to these questions.

Resource List

Country Studies/Area Handbooks

eLibrary Curriculum (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program.)

Encyclopedia of Animals (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program

Facts on File Science Online*

InfoTrac OneFile*

Kids Search (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*

LitFINDER*

MAS Ultra: School Edition (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*

Middle Search Plus (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*

Primary Search (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*

Student Research Center (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*

Gale Virtual Reference Library*

Science Fair Project Index (and other resources on the Kidspage Homework section)

Questions:

1) I need a video on photosynthesis. And I need to write a one page paper on it.

2) It’s Polar Bear Day at the Library!
Can you help me find articles on polar bears. I need to know everthing! I am in 4^th grade. Search again adding a lexile level of 300 – 500. (The child’s teacher needs a science experiment about polar bears.)

3) I am writing a report about Syria. I need at least 5 different sources and I am in 8^th grade.

4) There is a story or maybe a poem about a boa for kids. Do you have it? I think someone is being munched on in it.

Extra Credit!
Define and identify two regions of alpine tundra.

To post your answers, just click on the "comment" link at the bottom of this message.

April 2008 topic - Asian Pacific American Heritage

Introduction

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated in May to commemorate the contributions and heritage of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States. Beginning as a week-long celebration when Congress passed a Joint Congressional Resolution in 1978, the week was expanded to the entire month of May in 1990.

Resources - HPL electronic databases and other online resources:
Biography Resource Center
http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/research/category/BIO_page.html

Search for biographical information and articles on notable Asian Americans by name or keyword, or use the Category Browse feature.

Handbook of Texas Online
http://www.tshaonline.org/

Source includes articles on Asian ethnic groups in Texas, including the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese communities.

Press Display
http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/research/category/NEWS_page.html

Keep up with the latest news from around the world and in several languages online from major newspapers. English-language newspapers with an Asian outlook are also included.

Smithsonian Global Sound
http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/research/category/ALL_page.html#S

These online music collections are searchable by cultural group (e.g., Punjabi, Hawaiian, Japanese-American) or language (Cantonese, Indonesian, Hindi).

Language Resources
http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/research/category/WLC_page.html

Dragonsource (Chinese language only) Dragonsource Group is a Chinese content provider and a digital media corporation based in China and North America. Its core products are digital content resources from China including e-magazines, e-books, digital video and a variety of database and publication.

Rosetta Stone - Online lessons for learning Chinese and Vietnamese, as well as for those learning English.

Web sites:

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA) Web Site
http://www.apaha.org/

Web site of the Houston-based organization that promotes awareness and appreciation of Asian cultural and ethnic groups. Includes news bulletins and archives as well as announcements of local events.

Asia Society
http://www.asiasociety.org/

Comprehensive Web site of the international pan-Asian organization that works to promote understanding and among the people of the United States and Asia. Includes news, interviews, podcasts, recipes, and a calendar of events.

Ask Asia
http://www.askasia.org/

An educational Web site produced by the Asia Society and aimed at students, children, and teachers interested in learning more about Asian cultures, history, and civilizations.

Department of Labor - Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: May
http://www.dol.gov/oasam/library/bib/asia.htm

A selected electronic bibliography Compiled by the Wirtz Labor Library Staff; U.S. Department of Labor

Asian and Pacific Islander Population Information from the U.S. Census
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html

Provides links to figures, tables, and reports on Asian and Pacific Islander populations in the United States, including the American Community Survey Reports on these groups.

Related Source: American Factfinder - http://factfinder.census.gov

Asian Pacific American Heritage Web Resources – Montgomery County PL, Maryland
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/libtmpl.asp?url=/content/libraries/weblinks/asian.asp

Find links to - Overviews | Timelines | Statistics | Biographies | Cambodian Americans | Chinese Americans | East Indian Americans | Filipino Americans | Japanese Americans | Korean Americans | Vietnamese Americans

QUESTIONS
Question 1:
Where can I find a membership application to the Asia Society Texas Center? Where in Texas is the center located, and what does the center do?

Question 2:
Where and when the exhibition is: GOLDEN FANTASIES: JAPANESE SCREENS FROM NEW YORK COLLECTIONS being held?

Question 3:
I want to hear tracks from the album, Music of the Shakuhachi (FW04218). Who is the performer? What HPL database offers this and musical excerpts from cultures all around the world?

Question 4:
In Biography Resource Center, use the “Biographical Facts Search” option:

• Search Occupation combined with Ethnicity: Asian American (Do not select a Nationality).

• Do the search for three different occupations of your choice; (i.e.: Chemist and Asian American - If no results, try another one).
• List 5 names (if fewer than five, then list what you have) from each of your three occupation searches.
• Select one name from each list and provide a one sentence description of this person, including ethnic origin, occupation and one other significant piece of information of your choice (You should have three names total for this part of the exercise)

Question 5:
How are rice, Japan and Texas connected and when did it all start? What is the significance of Saibara and Kishi? (Suggested source: Handbook of Texas Online)

Question 6:
Using an HPL Database (Your choice and does not have to be one in this month’s list) find a description of Falun Gong and provide the citation. Then find a news story in the Houston Chronicle database that involves the Falun Gong and the Montrose area in Houston.

Question 7:
How many people of Asian and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander live in your Zip Code area?

To post your answers, just click on the "comment" link at the bottom of this message.

March 2008 topic - Statistics

Introduction
Statistics are available on an enormous variety of topics. Statistics are gathered because someone has determined a need or use for the information. Statistics are gathered on international, national, regional, state, and local levels. Because it takes time to collect, analyze, and tabulate data, statistics may be reported months or years after they have been collected.

The questions posed in the following scavenger hunts are representative of basic statistical questions covering health, business, economy, and labor statistics. Crime, vital statistics, population and demographic, and education are additional areas in which frequent statistical questions occur. Due to the time frame of this topic, only health, business, economy, and labor questions were included.

When trying to find statistical data, always keep in mind federal and state government resources. Governmental agencies collect, report, and use data to determine needs and services for communities.

Sources for the Statistics Scavenger Hunt

Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://stats.bls.gov/

This unit of the United States Department of Labor is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics including Employment and Unemployment Data. Important programs and surveys include:

National Compensation Survey: The National Compensation Survey (NCS) provides detailed occupational earnings for metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, broad geographic regions, and on a national basis.

Consumer Price Indexes: Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) program produces monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services.

Producer Price Index: The Producer Price Index (PPI) program measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output.

Energy Information Administration
http://www.eia.doe.gov/

This statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Energy collects and disseminates data on energy reserves, production, consumption, distribution, prices, technology, and related international, economic and financial matters. Coverage of EIA’s programs includes data on coal, petroleum, natural gas, electric and nuclear energy.

National Center for Health Statistics
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/Default.htm

The Faststats site provides quick access to statistics on topics of public health importance and is organized alphabetically. Links are provided to publications that include the statistics presented, to sources of more data, and to related web pages.

Statistical Abstract of the United States (Paper version--REF 317.3 S797)

2008 edition available online: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/index.html

(on 1/28/08 unable to access 2007 edition online via Census.gov)

The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. Use the Abstract as a convenient volume for statistical reference, and as a guide to sources of more information both in print and on the Web. Sources of data include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations. HPL has the Statistical Abstract in paper dating back to 1907 in Government Documents.

Statistical Universe database

LexisNexis Statistical Universe enables easy access to statistics produced by the U.S. government, major international intergovernmental organizations, professional and trade organizations, commercial publishers, independent research organizations, state government agencies, and universities.

Other resources to explore when time permits:

Fedstats
http://www.fedstats.gov/

FedStats is the gateway to the United States statistical system, providing access to statistical information from more than 100 federal agencies.

Statistical resources on the web
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html

This site, compiled by the Documents Center of University of Michigan highlights numerous government statistical resources available through the web.

Questions

Part I: Answer 4 (four) questions. Please document the path you took to get the answer and the resource you used. We are more interested in your research methods!

1. What was the average CPI (consumer price index) for 1958 for the United States? (bonus if you can find it for Austria in 1958 for 1982-1984=100 using Statistical Universe)
2. Using the inflation calculator on the BLS website, see how much buying power $10 the year you were born or graduated from high school has today.
3. From the May 2006 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, pick 3 occupations and list their mean annual salary.
4. What is the 2006 annual PPI (producer price index) for vitamins? For paper?
5. What was the price of regular gasoline the week of 12/24/07? The week of 9/10/01?
6. What was the price of oil per barrel of Maya 22° (Mexico) and Nigeria Bonny Light 27° on 1/11/08?
7. Using the CDC’s Fastfacts A to Z, pick a health topic and report its statistics. Please provide the year of the data and the link to the page in your answer.
8. Can you find me a table showing the mean time spent with a physician? I am interested in the average time an ophthalmologist spends with a patient.
9. Can you help me find some data that is less than five years old on pipeline incidents in Texas?
10. Can you help me find a spot coal price for 1/25/08 for Illinois Basin coal?
11. How many births were there in Texas last year? If you can’t find data for 2007, how old is the data that you can find?

Part II: Using Statistical Abstract of the Unites States: 2007 or 2008, please find the appropriate table for 3 (three) of the following questions. Please give table number and table name, not the answer. (REF 317.3 S797 or online: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/index.html )

1. How many people in the US speak Tagalog at home?
2. How many cornea grafts occurred in 2003?
3. How many military reserve personnel were there in 2004?
4. How many persons were on the federal food stamp program in Texas in 2005?
5. How many US Post Offices were there in 2005?
6. Compare the number of households with computers and internet access in Texas.
7. What were the average premiums for renters and homeowners insurance for the US? For Texas?
8. What percentage of the American adult population is considered to be obese? What about Denmark?
9. How many books were sold in 2005?
10. How many NCAA rowing teams were there in 2004-05?

To post your answers, just click on the "comment" link at the bottom of this message.