Carollers at the Library

For me, the best day of the season is when the carollers come. Today Mr. Seufert's German class sang O Tannenbaum and Stille Nacht while Miss Keegan's Class sang Santa Claus Esta Viniendo a la Ciudad.

Copyright-Free Photos Online

Need a picture for a report, letter, or a card - and fast? Instead of googling and grabbing something at random, why not try searching for photos taken by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duty. Many of them are free of copyright and free to use - not to mention simply gorgeous. Photos are provided by the Agricultural Research Service, FEMA, Antarctic Photo Library, and the Department of Defense, for example.

The Roots of the TGA Student Exchange

Yesterday we blogged about TGA's newest cross-cultural activity, the Cultural Awareness Student Association (or CASA for short). But did you know that the Academy sent exchange students out to Europe already in the 1920s? Two boys from the school went to Denmark to live with “high class Danish families and absorb the traits of their life and customs.” Read more in the May 1927 issue of The Archon in our Archives blog.

Cultural Awareness Student Association

Casa
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Students of the newly formed Cultural Awareness Student Association created displays for the library to share what their new club is about. The new club plans on celebrating cultural diversity and awareness through music, dance, food.... Their organizational meeting is tonight at 6:30 in Frost Old Library.

This Just In!

December 2009 dvds Fiction
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

We literally just finished processing a set of new books and DVDs, including these movies and much more. Check out the new books shelf!

Inspirational speakers and videos

New DVDs 700s December 2009
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

On Wednesday the entire community was treated to a talk by Paul Deegan, travel author and adventurer. He spoke of three trips that tested his, and others, limits and abilities. He spoke cogently of understanding one’s own desires and abilities, planning properly, and reaching our dreams in spite of any handicaps life may have handed us.
Hopefully these two new videos, Intrepid Descent and Blood, Sweat & Gears, will give us further inspiration to follow Mr. Deegan’s example.

Reminder: Lost and Found

Despite the fact that the semester is ending (or maybe because of it?) , the contents of the Lost and Found bin in the copier room keep growing. Please come and claim your shoes(!), hats, jackets, shirts, notebooks, textbooks, dictionaries, and novels. You're sure to need at least some of them before the Holiday Break.

To Kindle or not?

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Sherman Alexie
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor U.S. Speedskating

Digital or print? This Sherman Alexie interview offers an interesting (and humorous!) perspective from an author point of view.

Back to Work

Welcome back from the Thanksgiving break! We hope you've had an enjoyable holiday.

These final weeks before the Holiday Break are going to be busy for everyone. The freshmen will continue their civics meetings with library staff to learn about the Noodle Tools bibliography software. Juniors will continue researching and writing their history papers. The exam week is almost here.

With all that's going on, it's easy to feel stressed out. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, teens are just as stressed as adults (if not more so). (Check out the Editorial of The Governor for Nov 20th.)

While we here at the library can't do your research or write your paper for you, we can give advice and point you to the right sources. Don't forget to take the opportunity to talk to Mrs. Allen and Mr. Quigley. And when your brain is full, pop into the library for entertainment. We have novels, magazines, movies, and more.

Getting Ready for Travel......

Mr. Wann's trusty steed
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

We close today at 4:00 and reopen Tuesday, December 1 at 7:30 for a normal day. Hope the break is peaceful and the holiday joyous.

The Future of Our Books

Second floor stacks
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Since Cushing Academy, a New England Independent School, made the decision to ban books in paper format from its library, there’s been a lot of discussion about the “future of the book.” Boston University recently held a conference with that title. Members of the Cooperative Library Association reported on the conference at a meeting that I recently attended. They reported that not all presenters were as certain as Cushing’s headmaster that the future of the world would be a future without paper books. Christopher Ricks, Warren Professor of the Humanities at Boston University, stated that information, data, knowledge, and culture are not interchangeable terms and that reading while being bombarded with electronic messages from your computer screen is “like exercising on a treadmill while you munch on a bag of chips.”

Here at the Governor’s Academy we have no desire to rid our shelves of books. Students who wish to read online can find plenty to read. We purchase access to databases containing thousands of magazine, journal, and newspaper articles. However, when our students need reliable information and archived writings of the history of knowledge, we will continue to provide them with distraction free, wireless connection to paper content in our 28,000 volume library.

Biology on Display

Cellular
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Even if your biology project doesn't call for it, feel free to have a look at our cellular biology display when you pass by the lobby.

Apples and Oranges May Compare After All

The word orange can't have anything in common with the Spanish naranja (for 'orange'), can it? The words look and sound so different. Actually, they share a historical connection.

As a word, orange came to the English language in the 15th century ultimately from Persian through French and Italian. The Persian original, nāranj or nārang, shows the connection between the English and Spanish words. The connotation between the fruit and the color orange was also formed centuries ago, in Middle French, and the form of the word changed under the influence of the word or ('gold'; in Latin aurum). This fascinating tidbit was brought to you by An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, shelved at REF 422 SKE.

There are other European languages where the word for oranges is a compound formed basically of references to apples and China. For example, in German the word is die Apfelsine and in Danish appelsin.

If you know to look for it, all these words preserve a minute detail of the history of citrus fruit in Europe and the trade routes to the Far East.

Freshman IFA fall projects - Ceramics

Freshman IFA fall projects - Ceramics
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Currently on display are tiles made by freshmen in Ms. Irina Okula's Introduction to Fine Arts class. These tiles were each made individually and then combined and mounted onto a display board. After forming the tiles the students had to polish them smooth. Each student was required to create a recognizable animal, flower or person on one tile. The shapes and lines were created by wrapping or forming copper wire against the tile while it was being fired in the kiln.

All these tiles were fired in a “saggar” pot. The tiles were put in the pot with sawdust soaked in cobalt, yellow ochre, or just left plain, along with a bowl of salt, and then fired in a gas kiln at 1,700 degrees.

Try Knitting for the Winter Season

Try Knitting for the Winter Season
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

The fall season is coming to an end and students are being asked to select an activity for the winter season. One choice is Knit Club, open to both the novice and the expert knitter. Instruction and guidance is supplied by Chris Robinson. Students knit warm scarfs, hats and mittens which are donated to the Pettengill House in Salisbury. As stated on their website: "Pettengill House strongly supports education, health and self determination. Our programs continue to have built in self sufficiency mandates which foster independence, dignity, self advocacy and responsibility."
Knit Club is a great place to learn new skills and help keep people warm! Talk to Mrs. Robinson in the bookstore and then come check out one of our knitting books for patterns and inspiration.

America Recycles Day, November 15

America Recycles Day is a nationwide initiative promoted by Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAP) and the National Recycling Coalition (NRC).

The purpose of America Recycles Day is to continue to promote the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling and encourage more people to join the movement toward creating a better natural environment. It is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. 2009 marks the 12th ARD.

The Governor's Academy has had its own green program for a number of years now. Our library has recycling bins for paper, bottles, and cans, both for patrons and staff. We encourage you to use them - we do!

Special Olympics Soccer Volunteers

Special Olympics Soccer Volunteers
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Every year the Governor's community looks forward to combining our motto "Not for self, but for others" with a fun filled day of soccer and hundreds of very special athletes. On Sunday students, faculty, and staff from Governor's Academy and Triton Regional High School hosted the annual Massachusetts Special Olympics Soccer Tournament Finals. The skies were sunny, the athletes were ecstatic, and the smiles were evident all around.

Learning to Learn - But How?

Here at the Pesky Library we attempt to support all learners and learning styles. The reading/writing-preference learners are easiest to accommodate simply because of how libraries as an institution developed. Modern libraries, however, contain much, much more than just printed word.

For auditory learners, we have language aids, for example, as both tapes and CD-ROMs. We carry both fiction and non-fiction audiobooks (shelved at AC, near the entertainment DVD collection). For visual learners, we not only have films and documentaries, but also visual dictionaries of English (REF 423) and teach yourself books loaded with diagrams. Check out the various crafts books, for instance. You can also browse our movie versions of classic works of literature - but be aware, they often take surprising liberties with the story compared with their written 'ancestors!' Tactile learners are, perhaps, the most challenging to serve, but we do try. All through the academic year, we set up displays that include reading materials for browsing, captions and explanations, and accessories.

If you have an idea of how we could help you learn better or better take your learning style into account, please let us know!

Berlin, 20 Years Ago

Today we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The event led Germany to reunify, plus caused the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Cold War's end.

Today, Berlin residents and visitors alike gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to remember how the Germans rejected the dividing lines represented by the wall. German Chancellor Angela Merkel - who grew up in East Germany - presided over the celebrations, which were attended by tens of thousands of people despite a downpour of rain. After the leaders spoke, a chain of 1,000 giant foam dominoes, painted with messages of freedom by young people, was toppled along where the wall once stood. The festivities were capped with fireworks and a concert featuring music from Berlin's State Opera and the American rock band Bon Jovi.

Pop into the library for more information, and don't forget to check out the Berlin Wall display in the lobby.

Steaming the Display

Steaming the Display
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Our community service volunteers are helping us prepare our November displays. They are steaming the wrinkles from the bunting which will be used as a backdrop for "Letters to and from the homefront." We have really enjoyed having these two be part of our library program during the afternoons this fall.

NaNoWriMo

November is the National Novel Writing Month, a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

Part of the reason behind NaNoWriMo is just to get a book written. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.

The way to win NaNoWriMo is by writing 50,000 words by midnight on November 30. Every year, there are many, many winners. You must be 13 or older to have an account on NaNoWriMo.org. But all ages are very welcome to take part in National Novel Writing Month. It is an international event despite the "National" in the title - it does not refer only to the United States. This is an event for all nations. You can write novels in any language you like.

Check out our library display for inspiration, or go to nanowrimo.org for more information.

H1N1 at TGA

Yesterday The Governor’s Academy vaccinated 100 high risk students and faculty against H1N1.

The H1N1 flu, also known as "swine flu," is a respiratory disease caused by a type of flu virus. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has collected a number of resources to help you better understand the disease. They include audio files, podcasts, and tips on how to protect yourself from catching the H1N1 virus.

For the most up to date information on the spread of H1N1 flu and state programs in Massachusetts, please visit the DPH blog. The updates include downloadable weekly PDF reports.

Naturally, the school Health Services can also help with questions. The Duncan Health Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can contact them at (978) 499-3126.

Please remember that most cases of the H1N1 influenza have been mild. Most people have not required hospitalization and have recovered uneventfully.

Although there is an increase in the number of influenza cases on campus, all classes and activities are proceeding as planned at the moment.

Lost and Found

The first quarter is barely finished, and already there is a surprising number of books, notebooks, and umbrellas in the Lost and Found bin in the copier room. There is also a tall stack of clothing, including jackets. Please go check the bin and retrieve yours!

Scary Movies

Scary Movies
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

If you're thinking about cuddling up to a nice scary movie tonight, check out our DVD display. We have 1,000 entertainment videos in our collection and at least one of them is sure to make you look under the bed or into dark corners. Happy Halloween!

Students today interact with information in entirely different ways than their teachers ever did. While we adapt to use digital information, we also wonder if students have lost some of the ability to process information in their quest to be online, all the time.

This morning I took advantage of new digital capabilities to view and listen to the keynote speech from the Internet Librarian conference while sitting behind the library desk. Vint Cerf, VP & Chief Internet Evangelist for Google, spoke about how people interface with information. He shared that in a recent conversation, Henry Kissinger expressed concern that people are thinking more shallowly about things than they once did; that such communications as emails, Facebook, and Twitter reduce the amount of time we spend thinking about things. Mr. Cerf re-stated this by saying that our culture is trending toward abstraction and brevity. He said that “Power corrupts and PowerPoint corrupts absolutely.”

In education, we love to adopt new technologies and expose our students to as many time-saving gizmos and gadgets as we can. The important thing to remember is that the technology is not the important part. If the technology makes the education more accessible, then we should use it. However, technology for the sake of technology may breed students who no longer have the critical thinking skills to solve the problems of today and tomorrow.

New Databases on Trial

We're currently evaluating new databases to see if they provide material for your research needs. This is a great opportunity to find more resources for your papers for free!

To access the trial databases, go to http://elmstreet.govsacademy.org/course/view.php?id=517 or Elmstreet > Database Trials (underneath Library). The databases require a user name and password; these are listed in the Elmstreet document.

We’d love to have your feedback. We will have free access until November 22, so let us know of your opinion soon. Thanks for your help!

Jack-o'-Turnip?

Halloween (or All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve) is associated with symbols like the jack-o'-lantern. But did you know that these lanterns were first carved from a turnip or a rutabaga?

A 1970's collection of Scottish Halloween traditions describes the carving of a turnip lantern like this:

"To make a lantern, choose a large round turnip. From the top, cut off a thick slice--about a quarter of the whole--and scoop out the inside, preferably with a spoon, taking care not to break the skin.
The 'shell' should be as this as possible, but a stump must be left at the bottom and hollowed out to serve as a socket. Now take a sharp pen-knife and carve on the turnip a man-in-the-moon face, a skull and cross-bones, or other device. Then get a candle, plain or coloured as desired, and set firmly in the socket. Make two holes near the top, one at each side of the handle. It should be long enough to prevent any risk of burning one's hand. Alternatively, the lantern may be suspended from a forked stick.
When the lantern is lit, there is a soft, luminous glow, and the device you have carved stands out clearly. There is room here for considerable artistry."

The excerpt above - and many other intriguing traditions - can be found in The Folklore of World Holidays (REF 398.2 MAC).

Things to Read

Looking for something else to read besides text books? Our profile on LibraryThing links to book reviews written by current and former students, staff, and faculty of the Governor's Academy. On Being Foreign: Culture Shock in Short Fiction is an interesting read found through the reviews that I happen to have personal experience with. I probably would not have found it on the shelves had it not been for serendipity - and LibraryThing!

For a little more playful approach, check out what The Book Seer recommends. This web site suggests titles on the basis of books you like. These suggestions are pulled from two popular web sites (LibraryThing and an online store).

Dummer Doodles

This week, our archivist Laurie DiModica has been busy with the inventory of antique books housed in The Governor’s Academy Archives. She made a singular discovery and shared the following with us:

“There are approximately 300 books, with the oldest dating to the 17th century. Many of the books—their handcrafted bindings and leather covers worn but resilient—can be traced to their use during the earliest years of the academy, when Headmaster Samuel Moody educated hundreds of boys during his 27-year tenure (1763-1790). So many of these boys went on to lead notable lives in government, military, business, and the ministry. It is possible to identify several of the antique books as belongings of specific students; inscribed with the handwritten “Dummer’s School,” the oldest of the books also list their owner’s name and date of ownership. Some of the books were handed down from student to student, traceable through chronological order.

While the signatures begin to personalize these items, a few books reveal a bit more. In R. Brookes’ The General Gazetteer: Or, Compendius Geographical Dictionary, a 1762 publication that was shared by William Williams of Salem and Samuel Moody of Newbury (students of the academy ca. 1783-1785,) one can see, tucked on the inside front cover and initial page, an example of 18th century student doodling.

In the photograph below, doodles from the inside cover of The General Gazetteer can be seen, including an outline of two male figures, one much more detailed than the other, and labeled with “John Stoddard”. The page is ripped just next to this text, but it is likely that it read “Wanton” to reflect the name of another Dummer School student, John Wanton Stoddard of Newport, RI. Stoddard attended the academy during Headmaster Samuel Moody’s tenure. Is the Stoddard’s drawing of himself…or perhaps this is a caricature from a friend (Williams? Moody?).

Apparently, the contents of The General Gazetteer—descriptions of “all the empires, kingdoms, states, republics, provinces, cities, chief towns, forts, fortresses, castles, citadels, seas, harbours, bays, rivers, lakes, mountains, capes, and promontories in the known world; together with the government, policy, customs, manners, and religion of the inhabitants—was not enough to keep Dummer boys singularly focused!”

Thanks, Laurie for reminding us that students haven’t really changed over the centuries!

Chapel Talks

Chapel - Russia (S.S)
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Every Wednesday, we meet in the chapel to listen to an inspirational speech. We hear students speak of their good and bad experiences and how their lives have changed. We hear poetry and music. Yesterday, Kevin Ramos-Glew, a Spanish teacher, spoke of the importance of mentors in his life. He shared memories of his brother and important lessons he learned from him. He also encouraged us all to learn from our mentors, to be inspired by "the greatness of others."

Here at the Governor's Academy we have many mentors to choose from. Teachers, dorm parents, advisors, coaches, peer advisors, and administrators all mentor students and each other. One of the best parts of this school is the community and how everyone here wants everyone else in the community to succeed.

If you'd like to listen to Mr. Ramos Glew's speech, go to http://elmstreet.govsacademy.org/mod/resource/view.php?inpopup=true&id=16079.

Past chapel talks can be found at http://elmstreet.govsacademy.org/course/view.php?id=25.

Scanning in the Library

The new library copier now also works as a scanner. Here's how to e-mail a scanned document to a Governor's Academy e-mail address:

- Enter your User Number with the keypad and press OK on the copier display screen. The user number is posted on the board behind the copier. DO NOT use the Admin Login; you will not be able to log on that way.
- Press Image Send twice.
- Select Address Book, and go to Global Address Search. Enter the beginning of the recipient's name. Select Search. Select the correct recipient from the list. Select To to add the name as the recipient of your e-mail. Repeat for any additional recipients.
- Select Condition Settings.
- Place your document on the upper left hand corner of the glass. Press the black and white copy button (the lower button in the left hand corner of the machine) to scan the first page. Repeat for all pages you want to send.
- Select Read End on the copier display screen to end the scanning and send the e-mail.
- Press Logout on the keypad to reset the copier for next user.

It's That Time of the Year Again

The first quarter is rapidly coming to an end, and that shows at lunch time: if you want to borrow a laptop, or use one of the library computers, or even have a seat, make sure you come early!

Sunday 10/25 Hours

Reminder: Due to Parents Weekend, there will be no evening hours next Sunday, October 25th. The library will be open between 12 noon and 3 p.m.

Computer Trouble

We have had some problems with the library laptops this fall. Some exhibit the black screen of death, others merely refuse to let students (and staff) to log on.

We are working with the tech support staff to resolve these issues. We have also updated our instant help notes on the laptops. Look for the laminated inserts either on the left or the right hand corner of the laptop.

Please also remember that the newest laptops have a wireless On/Off switch on the left side. If you cannot connect to the school network, check that the switch is in the On position.

As always, if these tips are ineffective, let us know. We're here to help.

Literacy in a 2.0 World

Literacy in a 2.0 world
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

President Obama has declared October 2009 as National Information Literacy Awareness Month, saying we must “learn the skills necessary to acquire, collate, and evaluate information for any situation.” President Obama echoed the sentiments of our librarians when he said, “We now live in a world where anyone can publish an opinion or perspective, whether true or not, and have that opinion amplified within the information marketplace. At the same time, Americans have unprecedented access to the diverse and independent sources of information, as well as institutions such as libraries and universities, that can help separate truth from fiction and signal from noise.”
At the Governor’s Academy we encourage our students to employ the services of our librarians to help them determine which sources are credible and which are not.
While some voices speak out saying that libraries are less important in the day and age when information is freely available at the touch of a button, President Obama has pointed out that librarians can be the first line of defense against misleading information. The materials that we collect in our libraries are chosen to serve our patron’s needs, but only after they’ve been reviewed by subject experts. As a part of this educational institution and in collaboration with our faculty, we constantly strive to promote and nurture information literacy in our students.

College Counseling Announcement Board

College Counseling Announcement Board
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

We have made space by the copier for the College Office to post dates and times of upcoming visits by reps of different colleges and universities. Seniors can spend time in sessions learning about different programs and asking many questions. We were glad to turn over this bulletin board during this busy time!

It's turning chilly... in more ways than one

October is not only the time for bright leaves, it's the time for dark chilly evenings. October is also the time for ghosts, mysteries, inexplicable events, and spooky stories... perfect for spending a long evening with!

International Exchange

International Exchange
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

During the past few weeks we hosted five visitors from the Pudong Foreign Languages School in China. Last spring, four students and one teacher from the Governor's Academy enjoyed a lovely stay at the Pudong School. This spring, students will have a chance to travel with fellow students and teachers to China, Kenya, Honduras, South Africa, and Italy. Applications to participate in these programs should be completed as soon as possible.

National Book Month

October is National Book Month! This annual event encourages readers of all ages to enjoy books. Check out the Pesky Library's display in the lobby, or read more about National Book Month at the National Book Foundation's web site.

Image to the left: National Book Month Nonfiction Display
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Missed Research Help Meetings

Our students are getting busy with schoolwork, juniors perhaps more than everyone else because of their history thesis projects. So far we've seen many juniors for advice on how to start their research. We show them how to use the library catalog and explain the features of our databases.

Occasionally, unfortunately, students do not show up for their appointments. If you can't make your appointment, please let us know. We prepare for each and every meeting. By making sure we know you're coming, you get the most out of the instruction sessions, and get your research on the way.

Building a CPU

Building a CPU
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

One never knows what collaborative tasks students will take on in the library!

From Mail Call to Your Hands

A few weeks ago we highlighted a delivery of new books and dvds. We have processed the new arrivals and added them to the collection. They are now available for reading and viewing.

Image to the right:
A sampling of new dvds in our collection
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Mark Salzman signs his book for a student

Mark Salzman signs his book for a student
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Every year, the entire school reads a common book. A highlight of this process is a visit from the author who speaks to the entire campus and in smaller groups. For those who wish to have their books autographed we host a special luncheon in the library following the convocation speech. This year's common book, Lost in Place : Growing up Absurd in Suburbia, amused us all. Salzman in person is every bit as amusing as his writing: he exposes the extraordinary happenings in commonplace situations. While he regaled us with tales of difficulty and woe, his final message was to be able to find the humor in life and to be able to forgive both others and ourselves. He offered the insight that forgiveness can cure a lot of human suffering.

Catching Fire September 2009

Cathcing Fire September 2009
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, has really caught fire in our library. It arrived on the shelves today and is already checked out with two reserves placed on it. Suzanne Collins has us hungry for more.

Book Vendors and New Books

Book Vendors and New Books
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

We choose to purchase many books after reading what reviewers have to say. Vendors, however, bring the books to us for personal examination. Holding the book in our hands gives us a very good idea of whether or not a particular book will actually be used once it's in the collection. We can examine the table of contents and personally observe the reading level and how well it matches that of the students most likely to use the information. We can observe charts, graphs, and pictures and determine whether or not a particular volume complements our collection or overlaps what we already have. And once we've established a relationship with a vendor, they know which books are most likely to pique our interest.

Children's Books

Children's Books
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

As a prep school library, most of our services are tailored toward high school students. As a boarding school we have families on campus with needs and interests that are outside those of a normal high school library. We have a small collection of children's books for faculty families to check out. It's fun for the students and librarians alike to see young children entering the library with a sense of wonder and a desire to be read to.
We recently received a donation from a faculty family of once-loved books. We're anticipating lots of smiles when these books are discovered on our shelves.

Academic Honesty

On Wednesday, in place of our weekly chapel speech, the entire school community was treated to a presentation on academic honesty and plagiarism. Following the presentation, all students met with their advisors to make certain that the message presented was understood. Each student then signed an academic honesty agreement.

Academic honesty is taken seriously at the Governor’s Academy. As headmaster Doggett reminded us, our reputations will follow us throughout our lives. Once tarnished, a reputation for dishonesty is hard to refurbish.

One tool that we provide to help our students avoid unintentional plagiarism is Noodle Tools. This program connects a student’s online note cards with the information needed for their citations and bibliography. If they desire, they can copy and paste entire sections of an electronic source on one card and type the actual words they intend to use from that source on another card. These two cards will remain in a group with the source card so the student can easily locate and document their sources.

We remain committed to helping our students be ethical users of information. Noodle Tools is just one of the library’s tools for supporting our community.

Automation to the rescue

The juniors have started researching their history thesis papers. The library can help make this process easier. We offer many helpful books from how to formulate a topic to answering your thesis statement. Books are not the only resource the library has, however. There are links to electronic databases and various guides on the library Moodle site, Classrooms on Elmstreet.

One useful tool for collecting and formatting your citations is NoodleTools. You can access NoodleTools most easily through the U.S. History Thesis course; there is a link to it (and a video tutorial!) at the end of the page. Once you have created an account with NoodleTools, you can create a citations list for your paper and type in the information for every source (title, author, publication year, place of publication etc.). NoodleTools will format your list automatically according the bibliographic style that your professor specifies. You can then save that citations list in Word format and export it; incorporating the citations into your paper is as easy as cutting and pasting. And don’t be shy – you can always ask the librarians for help!

Mail Call

Mail Call
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

A highlight of the afternoon is the delivery of new books and dvds!

Literary Mashups - Summer 2009

Literary Mashups - Summer 2009
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

In the world of computer technology, mashups take one program’s functionality and combine it with another to create a new product that’s a combination of the two. Google maps has inspired a number of mashups that allow people to combine places with twitters, swine flu outbreaks, or even locating a book’s setting.

Writers have joined in the frenzy and are now creating mashups of books. In Woodsburner, John Pipkin takes the true story of how Henry David Thoreau started a wildfire and creates a novel of the life and philosophies that might have been inspired by that event.
In Vanessa and Virginia, Susan Sellers looks at the life of Virginia Woolf through her older sister’s eyes, inventing thoughts and ideas that may or may not have been true.

While these mashups are more the norm in historical fiction, with real lives being looked at through a fictional lens, other authors have taken the idea of combining two literary ideas a step further. In The Heroines, Eileen Favorite brings Madame Bovary, Scarlett O'Hara, and other literary heroines together to find strength and solace in each other so they can continue the lives destined for them by their original authors. Caroline Cooney's Enter Three Witches, mashes Shakespeare’s Macbeth with a novel about a young woman raised in the court of the times. In Saving Juliet, a young actress from New York is transported into the world of Romeo and Juliet in a way somewhat reminiscent of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
Perhaps the most ambitious new mashup in our collection is Seth Grahame-Smith’s insertion of zombies into Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Selecting a topic

Selecting a topic
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

There's an intensity to the start of our year supplied by the junior curriculum. Each junior in American History writes a thesis paper on a topic of choice. They are now coming to explore possible ideas. Often a parent or grandparent will make a suggestion over the summer based on family history. Sometimes they are inspired by a novel or a movie or a current event. We give suggestions for overview and background readings. We have also placed many ideas in a course on Classrooms on Elm Street, our Moodle site.

A reader.....

A reader.....
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Cushing Academy recently spent half a million dollars to transform their library into a “learning commons”/coffee house. See “Welcome to the library. Say goodbye to the books.” They’re giving away every book that wasn’t antiquarian or donated. Even if we had the money to give all our books away and buy electronic books, we wouldn’t do it. Here’s why...

Our students and faculty aren’t a homogeneous group. Some of them love the feel of a book in their hands. Some don’t want to keep another battery charged constantly. Others complain of eye-strain. Many like to take books to the beach or on vacation or on the team bus and don’t want to worry about losing a $500 e-reader.

Our students also have many different learning styles. Some are easily distracted by online materials and would have a difficult time staying on task if doing all their reading on the Internet. With email, twitter, and facebook messages popping up, reading an e-book can be difficult at best. When surrounded by electronic gadgets, some students will automatically begin searching YouTube or their favorite sports sites. For many, the ability to escape the electronic realm provides a quiet, calming, and focusing influence.

Perhaps more importantly, the use of a solid book for research gives the reader a type of order and organization not readily apparent in an electronic book. The table of contents is in the front; the index is in the back. The author has organized the material by chapters so that ideas are developed in depth. E-books can be searched for a particular word or a factual answer. However, having that ability invites the opportunity to skim and to avoid reading deeply. Research requires students to read long passages and absorb meaning and make inferences. The type of reading that is made possible by electronic books has its place; links can be followed to see how different threads of information are related. But the printed book teaches organization and understanding in a way the electronic book does not.

We also teach our students that not every book can be found by searching the catalog. Browsing a set of shelves often leads to serendipitous finds that wouldn’t occur if we searched online for a particular list of keywords. The way we arrange books on the shelves leads readers to find related ideas in proximity to each other.

At Governor’s Academy we will continue to make a variety of formats available for students to use. As we continue to add to the number of materials that we make available electronically, we won’t abandon the technology that has served us so well.

Flu Patrol!

By this time you have probably seen the library staff walking around with white cloths twice a day. Because of the H1N1 flu (swine flu) spreading, well, like a flu, we're cleaning keyboards, mice, and door handles with a disinfectant. We hope this helps in keeping everyone healthy.

Remember, there is hand sanitizer and tissues available at the front desk, should you feel the need to freshen up a bit. And check out the flu display on the main floor, across the front desk!

New Evening Librarian Says Hi

Hello all, and welcome (back) to the Pesky Library!

I'm your new evening librarian. Although I'm only three days into the semester, I can already tell what a great community the Governor's Academy is, and how cool our students are. It is exciting to start the semester with you! Please don't hesitate to ask questions, or just come say hello.

Cheers! :D

Mrs. Eppu Jensen

The Freshman Class is Looking Up

A group of freshmen toured the library during Unity Days this past weekend. We are delighted to have students back on campus and clearly thrilled with the great smiles and positive attitudes we've seen from this years' new students. This good-looking tour group paused inside the front doors for a brief look up.
Unity Days gives each class an opportunity to spend some time together before classes begin. This year's freshman class played games on campus, toured Newburyport and the campus, and went out for ice cream. Sophomores participated in team and trust activities and went roller skating. Juniors devoted their weekend to community service including hosting a field day for students from Kipp Academy. The Senior class camped at Brantwood and hiked Mount Monadnock.
Everyone seems happy to be back together again. We're looking forward to a great year.