Cites & Bytes @ Bailey

a library newsletter, a compendium of interesting tidbits, a communication tool....from Bailey Library @ Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. (Site Feed)

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Google Resurrects Life Magazine Images

Lynn Hoffmann, reference librarian, shares LIFE Photo Archive hosted by Google with us...


"Google has opened up the Life magazine photo archives, launching an online photo gallery that offers millions of pictures that have gone unviewed for decades."

Saturday, November 08, 2008

What Will You be Thankful for on Thanksgiving?

I've got a pretty long list.

I don't have to go to bed hungry.
That's not the case for the 850 million people on our planet who are chronically hungry. Every five seconds a child dies from hunger-related illnesses. In other words, while you read this blog entry, 20-30 of those deaths will occur.
I have clean water.
More than 2.7 billion people have inadequate or nonexistant access to proper sanitation. I spent some time in Eastern Europe this summer where I met families who live on the edge of thriving cities, but have no indoor plumbing and must walk several blocks to retrieve clean water for their homes.
I have an education.
In the least-developed countries of the world, only 26% of boys and 21% of girls are enrolled in secondary school.
I am free.
The U.S. State Department estimates that approximately 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year where they are then exploited for profit. Many work long hours as low-skilled laborers, as domestic servants, or in the sex trade. The majority of those trafficked are female; as many as half are children.

We can all do something about these and other justice issues--even if they seem overwhelming. As Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision said, “Don’t fail to do something because you can’t do everything.”

  • Learn more about an issue and how you can help. Lots of resources are available online.
  • Buy a malaria net to protect kids from deadly mosquitos.
  • Eat a developing-nation diet for one or more meals (e.g. a tortilla, beans, and rice) and donate what you would have spent on food to a food bank.
  • Join or start a Mocha Club--by giving up two mochas a month, you can feed a child in Africa.
  • Sign up for the One Campaign.
  • Fund a microloan through Opportunity International or Kiva.

These are just a few ideas...the list is endless.

Monday, November 03, 2008

It's Finally Here!


Tomorrow we'll finally be going to the polls (unless you're among those who've voted early). Online results will be available many places. Some to try include the CNN Election Center, NPR's Vote 2008, Decision 08 on MSNBC (the other networks, ABC and CBS also have online coverage), and Politico.com. For information on other online tools and election information, check out this article from PC World.

Pennsylvania Population Projections


New population projections by county are now available from the Pennsylvania State Data Center. According to the research brief detailing these projections, the commonwealth's "population will continue to grow, becoming larger, older and more diverse by 2030. The total population of Pennsylvania is projected to increase by the year 2030 to 13,190,400, representing a 7.4 percent increase from 2000." Butler County, because of it's proximity to Pittsburgh, is expected to grow significantly. Mercer County, though, is projected to experience little population change.