Focus on Natural Disasters.

Hello everyone,
It's Carl again, and this is another little note from the Lane Library's Tornado Alley, better known as the cataloging department.  If you have been paying attention to the news, it has been hard to miss the coverage about the anniversary of Hurricane Sandy (or Superstorm Sandy as some like to call it).  Against this backdrop, I'd like to focus in one of my favorite books about another natural disaster:  the volcano. 

I first became truly interested in volcanoes in 1980, during the eruption of Mt. St. Helens.  I eagerly watched the pictures on TV and couldn't believe that a volcano could erupt in the United States.  I was almost 12 years old at the time.  Well, that event on May 18th, 1980, caused me to explore volcanoes further and read up on them, which I continue to do up to this very day.

I recently read (and reread) a book about volcanoes that captivated me.  It is titled:  Vesuvius : a biography / Alwyn Scarth.  ISBN: 9780691143903  The book covers the eruptions of Mt. Vesuvius / Somma.  Historical sources and archeological evidence are weaved together to tell an engaging tale of the history of this volcano and the people who lived, and continue to live, in her shadow.  The eruptions of the other volcanoes around Naples are included in this account, and play their part in relaying this story of one of the chief volcanic areas in Europe.  The call number is:  QE523.V5 S23 2009.

Another interesting volcano book is: Super volcano : the ticking time bomb beneath Yellowstone National Park / Greg Breining.  This book outlines what we currently know about the supervolcano that lies beneath this beloved national park.  The call number is:  QE524.B74 S96 2007.

If tornadoes are your thing, The Lane has an interesting read for you.  It is titled: Big weather : chasing tornadoes in the heart of America / Mark Syenyold.  The book follows a band of storm chasers, their life on the road, and what it really takes to capture the power and majesty of tornadoes on film and video.  There were a couple boring chapters, but if you skim them, the overall book was well worth reading.  The call number is:  QC955.5.U6 S75 2005.

We also have a variety of books on Hurricanes and Earthquakes if you are interested in those topics.  So, if you are interested in reading any of these fine books, please check them out of the library.  With that, I wish you all "Happy Reading."

Carl Ziebell
Technical Services Librarian
Lane Library -- Ripon College. 

Haiku voting is open!

Announcing our student finalists for the Haiku contest:


Vote today!  Voting will close 8am on Monday morning, November 4th, when the winner will be announced.

And be certain to join us tonight for the poetry reading and reception with Wisconsin Poet Laureate, Max Garland, at 7:30 in the North Reading Room. See you there!

Get in the mood for poetry

Fall is beautiful
in Wisconsin.  Then winter
comes.  Cold until May.

           -by Librarian Kate Moody

Are you ready to compose an amazing seventeen syllables?  Haikus are coming to Lane Library this month.  

In honor of the upcoming visit of the current Poet Laureate of Wisconsin, Max Garland, we will be holding a haiku contest in the library.  On Wednesday, October 30^th, at 7:30pm, Mr. Garland will be in the North Reading Room of the library to read and discuss his work, with a reception to follow.  This visit is sponsored by Lane Library and the Ripon College Visiting Writers Series, with assistance from the Schang Family Fund.  For more information on Mr. Garland and to read some of his poetry, please visit the Wisconsin Academy website.

Now it is time for you to get creative and work on a haiku with a seasonal theme (fall or Halloween).  We will always accept library inspired haikus as well.  Haikus are a traditional Japanese form of poetry that stress simplicity, can be very direct, and use the 5-7-5 syllable format.  If you want a little help in composing your own, try Write a Haiku.

Photos of sample apples; more will be made!

We will pick the top three haikus and allow you to vote for your favorites at the end of the month.  The winner will receive a couple of fancy caramel apples, created especially for you by librarian Amy Rachuba.  

 Please begin submitting your haikus, either by submitting your entry in the designated box by the circulation desk in the library, or feel free to post either in the comments here or on the Lane Library Facebook page.  If email is more your style, feel free to email us at askref@ripon.edu.

We will announce the finalists on Wednesday, October 30^th, the day of Mr. Garland's visit, and we will open it up for your voting at that time.  The winner will be chosen a few days later.    

Enjoy your fall break, get inspired, and take time to write a haiku or two!

Makerspace workshops in full swing

This semester we are continuing with the Makerspace tradition with workshops at Lane Library.  "Makerspace" can be defined as learning experiences outside of the box at the library, where people gather to learn something together, anything from specialized technology to digital art.  We have already held workshops on Zotero, Prezi, Audacity, Gimp, and Animoto.  Students, faculty and staff have already learned some of the free open source software available to help with their studies, and they have been introduced to other tools to create videos, presentations and podcasts. 

The workshops are free and with no advance registration required, and we try and do two sessions of each workshop. The content covered in each of the two sessions is the same, so you only need to attend the one that fits into your schedule.  The workshops last about 30 minutes, and are held in the Waitkus Computer Lab in Lane Library.

We still have a few more workshops to hold in the coming months, and below is our remaining schedule.

Twitter:  update your social media skills       

Monday, October 28 @4pm / Tuesday, October 29 @noon

Ready to take the plunge into Twitter?  Or maybe you are looking for a refresher course on Twitter’s available tools and how to make it work for you?  This is your chance. 

More information available at https://twitter.com/about

iPhone/iPad photo apps:  enhancing your photos   

Monday, November 4 @4pm

Do you take a lot of photos with your phone, but those photos are simply sitting there?  Find out the best apps for making the most out of your photos, and get pointers from Ripon’s very own Professor David Graham, who will be leading this workshop.

Advanced Google:  new search strategies 

Tuesday, November 12 @4pm / Wednesday, November 13 @noon

Want to find out how to do a better, faster search with Google?  All searching is not equal; learn how to take advantage of the Advanced Google search to find what you are looking for the first time.

More information available at http://www.google.com/advanced_search

If you have any questions, comments, or any suggestions for future Makerspace workshops, please let us know! 

Republican Party Diamond Jubilee Exhibit

Ripon College Museum Exhibit Sneak Preview:

Republican Party Diamond Jubilee: June 7,8,9, 1929 in Ripon, WI

 

On June 7^th, 8^th and 9^th, 1929, the Republican Party hosted a 75^th anniversary celebration in Ripon of the founding of the Republican Party.  Both national and state Republican leaders such as Secretary of War, James W. Good and Wisconsin Governor Walter J. Kohler were in attendance, with Good serving as the keynote speaker.

Little White School House

Between 1908 and 1940, the Little White Schoolhouse was located on the corner of Seward and Elm Streets, which is the current location of Harwood Memorial Union.  In 1929, it was temporarily moved adjacent to Bartlett Hall to serve as a back drop for the 75^th Anniversary Celebration of the birth of the Republican Party.  In 1940 the building was moved next to West Hall on Elm Street.  In the 1950s, it was moved to its present location at 303 Blackburn Street. Pictured here is the Little White Schoolhouse at the corner of Seward and Elm Streets.

James W. Good

Secretary of War, James W. Good, addressing the throngs of Jubilee attendees.  An Iowa native, Good served as President Hoover’s cabinet from March 1929 until October of that year when he passed away from peritonitis.  He had previously served in the House of Representatives from 1909 to 1921.

Check out the full exhibit in the Ripon College Museum in mid-October!