Bill Boehm Authors Book on Hurricane Katrina
Date: May 3, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
Historian Bill Boehm, a former New Mexico State University Library staff member, is the lead author of a new book, In Katrina’s Wake: The National Guard on the Gulf Coast, 2005, with Renee Hylton and Major Thomas W. Mehl. The book was published by the U.S. Government Printing Office.
Hurricane Katrina became the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history after it struck the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Mississippi in August 2005. Among the men and women tasked to rescue stranded citizens and manage the dangerous conditions were those from the National Guard, America’s oldest military organization. The Guard undertook the largest humanitarian mission in recorded U.S. history by sending more than 50,000 soldiers and airmen from all U.S. states and territories to the stricken region for over a month.
In Katrina’s Wake shows how Katrina first grew from a seemingly-routine Category One hurricane in Florida into a behemoth storm in the Gulf of Mexico, bringing more than 150 miles per hour winds and large swells of water upon hundreds of thousands of people. It struck Louisiana and Mississippi somewhat diminished in strength, but it flooded 80% of the city of New Orleans as levees failed, and flattened buildings and structures in Mississippi. More than 1,800 individuals were killed, and many more were incapacitated.
The story of the National Guard during the time of the hurricane was not always well-publicized, nor was it correctly reported by the mass media. This work lets readers focus on the tasks undertaken by the Guard in aiding marooned residents and assisting local authorities without overemphasizing political or social commentary prevalent in reporting the larger story. It uses oral histories recorded by soldiers and airmen to illustrate the stark conditions present on the ground, and it includes maps, photographs and multiple appendices that detail the National Guard units that came to the Gulf States, as well as a timeline that shows how events progressed.
Boehm obtained his master of arts degree in history from New Mexico State University in 1997. He worked in the NMSU Library’s Archives and Special Collections Department from 2000 to 2006, and then accepted a position as an archivist for the National Guard Bureau. He presently works as an historian for the Bureau, organizing state histories from units serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, researching and writing historical reports and conducting oral history projects to support National Guard activity.
In Katrina’s Wake is available at the NMSU Library and at other libraries and bookstores nationwide. For more information, visit the Library’s online catalog at http://libcat.nmsu.edu or email Boehm at bill.boehm@us.army.mil.
-30-
What Makes a Web Site One of the Best?
Date: April 26, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
Many organizations promote lists of best Web sites. One of these is the annual Webby Awards at http://www.webbyawards.com/. Another is http://www.100bestwebsites.org/, which compiles a “100 Best Web Sites” list.
100bestWeb sites.org, a nonprofit site, uses several criteria when scouring the Internet and refining its list of the best Web sites in existence. Its standards are listed below. Fifteen of the top-rated sites from the list of “100 Best Web Sites” appear following the criteria.
Overall Excellence: Is the site simply the best available in its category? Is there no better representative Web site of that subject area anywhere on the Web?
Content Richness: Is the site rich in content? Here, we must take care to distinguish great Web sites from good Web sites about great things! If the most important three words in real estate are “location, location, location,” the most important three words in Web site evaluation are “content, content, content.”
Breadth: Does the site broadly cover a subject area? For example, we might be considering two Web sites about human history. One attempts to cover the entire scope of human history. The other might focus on a particular period in history. Each might be outstanding in its treatment of its subject. But for the purposes of this list, the first Web site, the broader of the two, would be preferred.
User-friendliness: Is the site intuitive and easy to use? Does it enable the user to jump right in with very little training?
Reliability: Is the site reliable? Is it nearly always available, and is it unlikely to “crash” the user’s browser? A wonderful site that is often unavailable is not great.
Freshness: If applicable, is the site frequently updated? Obviously, this is more important in a news site or online magazine than a site devoted to an historical topic.
Security: Is the free from significant security risks to the user? If it is a commercial site, does it restrict transactions to a secure interface? If it is a site from which the user can download things, is care taken to ensure that these things are safe for the user’s system?
Free Content: Is the content free? This is not an absolute requirement, but strong preference is given to sites with high-quality no-cost content. A free site that offers 85% of the high-quality content of its for-pay counterpart will probably be preferred to the for-pay site (other things being equal).
Skillful Practices: Opinions vary greatly on just what constitutes skillful Web design. 100bestWeb sites.org feels that it is best defined with respect to an imagined “minimal” Web user. Does the site load reasonably quickly? Would the main features of the site be visible without scrolling?
Easy Access: If the site has free content, is it easily available without registration, passwords, or other hoops the user has to jump through? If the site is available only for pay, is the “access ritual” minimally cumbersome?
Modestly priced: If the site is only available for pay, is the cost modest and reasonable? How does the cost compare with other sites offering similar services for pay?
Creative and Innovative: Is the site, innovative and/or creative? Some sites redefine a whole category of how things are done on the Web. Sites which take risks and succeed in breathtaking ways are definitely given preference, other things being equal.
Objective: If applicable, is the site independent and reasonably objective? This is relevant for sites that present themselves as objective, explicitly or tacitly, such as news sites or review sites.
Aesthetic: Is the site aesthetically pleasing?
Fun: Is the site enjoyable? Never underestimate the value of fun.
Multimedia rich: Is the site multimedia rich (upon demand) and skillful in its use of multimedia?
No annoying advertising: Does the site shun annoying advertising
Persistence: Is the site likely to be persistent?
Non-profit: Is the site non-profit? Non-profit sites are not intrinsically preferable, but since they do not get the same attention as their commercial counterparts, one is more likely to find hidden jewels in their ranks.
Easy-to-remember URL: Can the site name be memorized easily or “bookmarked in one’s neurons?” Catchy names are not essential, but they do enable a user of the site to access it from just about any Web terminal.
“100 Best Web Sites”
This list is compiled by the editors of 100bestWeb sites.org, a non-profit site. It receives no compensation from the sites listed. Here are the top 15 of the best 100, with 100bestWeb sites.org annotations:
1. Yahoo!
http://www.yahoo.com/
Yahoo is your Online Free Treasure Room! An outstanding search engine especially for “official” Web sites), it also provides a cornucopia of free services: free email, maps, Yellow Pages, games, shopping, news, finance, sports, live chat. The list just goes on and on.
2. Google
http://www.google.com/
We believe Google is simply the best tool on the Web for finding just about anything (except possibly “official” Web sites). It is screamingly fast, sleek, streamlined, and as comprehensive as a search tool can be.
3. Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/
Amazon is nothing less than a revolution in how the world shops. It is a huge step forward in the achievement of an ideal competitive market. It is user-friendly, vast, and reliable.
4. About.com
http://www.about.com/
About.com breaks up the Web into major subject areas with a volunteer human host for each of them. It helps you sift out the wheat from the chaff on an enormous range of subjects.
5. Bartleby.com
http://www.bartleby.com/
Much of the greatest literature in the history of humankind will be found in full text form (and free of charge) at this amazing site. In addition, many useful reference tools are here (also free).
6. Google Groups
http://groups.google.com/
Formerly “DejaNews,” Google Groups is a glorious experiment in free speech. This oceanic database of over 800 million posted “Usenet” messages from people all over the globe constitutes the largest bulletin board in the history of the world! It’s fully searchable, and you can post your own messages free of charge. (Tip: to avoid spam, use a temporary email address.)
7. Google News
http://news.google.com/
A bold endeavor in online journalism, Google News provides you hundreds of news sources for each of the major stories of the day. Just find the story that interests you on the main page, and you will see something like “227 related” or “535 related” just beneath it. Click this to see the extensive range of news sources available for the story you are after.
8. CNN
http://www.cnn.com/
For fast-breaking news and responsible journalism, it’s hard to beat CNN. And the text content at this site is mostly free.
9. EBay
http://www.ebay.com/
EBay is the world’s biggest, longest-running garage sale, as well as its most extensive auction house. Buy, sell, browse, bid, and be amazed at what you find at this wonderful site.
10. Download.com
http://download.cnet.com/windows/
If you love software treasure-hunting, Download.com is the site for you! This massive and well-rounded collection of shareware and freeware is fully searchable and sortable. And there’s no wait for a package in the mail: download it now, install it, and take it for a test drive.
11. Craigslist.org
http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites
Craigslist.org is a daring bulletin board system directed toward the major cities in the US, Canada, the UK, and soon other countries. The magical distinction of Craigslist is its use of anonymous email forwarding: your email address is invisible to the public. A pointer which expires after several days forwards all responses to you. Visit Craigslist if you want to sell or buy something, if you want to meet new people romantically or otherwise, if you want to look for a job, or if you want to share your ideas. Almost all of its features are totally free, except job listings for employers.
12. Reference.com
http://www.reference.com/
Your inner-librarian will be delighted! Here you will find free of charge dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases, and an assortment of other helpful resources.
13. Wikipedia.org
http://www.wikipedia.org/
One of the most remarkable online encyclopedias on the Web. All the content is free, in the public domain, and quotable. Wikipedia is maintained by an army of volunteers. Even so, its content remains of very high quality. You might be surprised how often Wikipedia will come through for you.
14. Beliefnet.com
http://www.beliefnet.com/
Beliefnet.com is an online community for people who practice spirituality in just about any tradition in the world. The emphasis here is on mutual respect and tolerance. Free inquiry and exchange of ideas is invited. Secular philosophies and ideas are also welcome. Also, sacred texts from the world’s great religions will be found referenced at this site.
15. Anywho
http://www.anywho.com/
Anywho is a great online phone book and people-finder sponsored by AT&T. Use the Yellow Pages for businesses, the White Pages for people, and the Reverse Lookup if all you have is a phone number.
Visit the full list of the “100 Best Web Sites” at http://100bestWeb sites.org”.
-30-
Book Lists Recommend Good Summer Reads
Date: April 21, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
Summer is here, and with it, hopefully, a little time for you to relax with a good book. The American Library Association and other agencies regularly recommend titles to help you choose your summer reading.
Members of the Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association produce a “Notable Books for Adults List” each year. The 2010 list includes the following books with author, title, publisher and annotation:
Fiction
Anthony, Jessica. The Convalescent. McSweeney’s.
Rovar Pfiegman, bus dwelling meat salesman, fulfills his destiny as the last of the last of his clan, in this oddly imaginative tale.
Atwood, Margaret. The Year of the Flood: A Novel. Doubleday/Nan A. Talese.
In the near future, two women survive an apocalyptic event in a queasily enthralling work.
Baker, Nicholson. The Anthologist: A Novel. Simon & Schuster.
A charming failure, poet Paul Chowder struggles to regain his muse and his girlfriend while watching deadlines slip by.
Chaon, Dan. Await Your Reply: A Novel. Ballantine.
This chilling exploration of the modern meaning of identity follows three people on the fringes of society.
Cleave, Chris. Little Bee: A Novel. Simon & Schuster.
The compelling voice of a refugee illuminates the life-changing friendship between two women that began with a horrifying encounter on a secluded Nigerian beach.
Dexter, Pete. Spooner. Grand Central.
A boy struggles to navigate the vagaries of the world with the lifelong guidance of his stepfather in this funny and heartbreaking tale.
Harding, Paul. Tinkers. Bellevue Literary Press.
In this lyrical novel, the life of a dying man is examined through the smallest moments of time and memory.
Li, Yiyun. The Vagrants: A Novel. Random.
The execution of a dissident woman reverberates through her small town in the aftermath of China’s Cultural Revolution.
McCann, Colum. Let the Great World Spin: A Novel. Random.
Phillipe Petit’s highwire walk between the Twin Towers provides the backdrop for this rich portrait of the unlikely connections among a group of New Yorkers in the 1970s.
Morrison, Toni. A Mercy: A Novel. Knopf.
Four women-white, mixed race, black and Native American-become a makeshift family under the care of a “good” man in colonial America.
Powers, Richard. Generosity: An Enhancement. Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
In this postmodern indictment of the biotech industry, a student’s unnerving happiness seems to hold the key to banishing despair from the human genetic code.
T’ib’n, Colm. Brooklyn: A Novel. Scribner.
A young Irish woman faces heart-wrenching decisions in this unabashedly romantic and deceptively simple story of immigration and belonging.
Non-Fiction
Cullen, Dave. Columbine. Twelve.
This fine work of investigative journalism challenges the myths and misconceptions of the Columbine tragedy.
Eggers, Dave. Zeitoun. McSweeney’s.
This powerful account explores the devastation of post-Katrina New Orleans through the eyes of a Syrian-American who remained and endured the resulting chaos and confusion.
Finkel, David. The Good Soldiers. Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
An embedded reporter describes the human cost paid by an Army battalion on the streets of Iraq in language that is searing, visceral and immediate.
Grann, David. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Doubleday.
An intrepid reporter sets out to uncover the mysterious fate the last of the great Victorian explorers in this thrilling adventure.
Guibert, Emmanuel. The Photographer: Into War-torn Afghanistan with Doctors without Borders. First Second.
Using mixed visual media, this stunning memoir vividly depicts the struggles and accomplishments of a humanitarian mission in an unforgiving terrain.
Holmes, Richard. The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science. Pantheon.
This lively, stellar group biography animates the engrossing accounts of the research that inspired a sense of awe in poets and scientists alike.
Keefe, Patrick Radden. Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld & the American Dream. Doubleday.
Human trafficking and its subsequent effects on the American economy and social structures are documented in this fast-paced panoramic exposé.
McDougall, Christopher. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. Knopf.
One journalist’s quest to discover the secrets of the reclusive Tarahumara Indians leads to an exciting and dangerous endurance race.
Norman, Michael and Elizabeth M. Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath. Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
In-depth, brutal and moving this narrative provides multiple perspectives into a tragic WWII episode in the Philippines.
Salisbury, Lainey and Aly Sujo. Provenance: How a Con Man & a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art. Penguin.
This enthralling page-turner describes how archivists uncovered one of the most extensive frauds in recent art history.
Small, David. Stitches: A Memoir. Norton.
Stark drawings give voice to the horrors of a child who find redemption in art while growing up in a repressed and disturbed family.
Thompson, Nicholas. The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War. Holt.
The remarkable half-century friendship and rivalry between two influential strategists who helped shape American policy is brought to life in this insightful dual biography.
Poetry
Alexie, Sherman. Face. Hanging Loose Press.
Autobiographical poems experimenting with various styles and forms explore childhood, fatherhood, and the trials, perks and humor of minor celebrity.
Dunn, Stephen. What Goes On: Selected and New Poems 1995-2009. Norton.
Completely accessible poems written in ordinary language deal with cats, love, barfights, desire, melancholia and relationships.
Also visit BookSpot.com’s lists of major award-winning books at http://www.bookspot.com/awards/, best-sellers at http://www.bookspot.com/bestsellers.htm and all-time favorites at http://www.bookspot.com/features/favoritesfeature.htm. Find Newsweek’s list of top one hundred books at http://www.newsweek.com/id/204478 and Time Magazine’s list of the top one hundred novels of all time at http://205.188.238.181/time/2005/100books/the_complete_list.html.
-30-
NMSU Library Announces Extended Hours
Date: April 21, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
NMSU Library Announces Extended Hours
The New Mexico State University Library is extending its hours of operation to better serve students at the end of Spring Semester 2010.
Starting Monday, April 26, Zuhl Library hours are:
Monday, April 26, through Thursday, April 29, 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Friday, April 30, 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 1, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 2, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Monday, May 3, through Wednesday, May 5, 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 6 through Friday, May 7, regular hours.
Branson Library will remain open regular hours.
An updated recording of library building hours is available at (575) 646-4749.
-30-
Kristina Martinez Receives Carl Faubion Award
Date: April 16, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
Kristina Martinez
New Mexico State University Library employee Kristina Martinez recently received the 2010 Carl Faubion Outstanding Library Staff Employee of the Year Award in a ceremony at Zuhl Library.
Martinez, the Library’s Development Officer, was honored for her accomplishments with the development program.
Library Dean Elizabeth Titus said, “She has infused our development program with energy and enthusiasm, and has led or contributed significantly to strategic projects. She has explored and implemented new and creative fund-raising events. She has made the Library a model for donor stewardship, and her genuine appreciation for the Library and its staff have attracted a positive response despite a decidedly negative economic climate.”
The Carl Faubion Award is presented annually to an exempt or non-exempt NMSU Library employee who exemplifies excellence in customer service, exceptional contributions to the library, innovation and creative thinking in problem solving, or contributions which have reduced operating costs or resulted in administrative efficiencies.
The award was made possible by former NMSU President James E. Halligan and Mrs. Ann E. Halligan, who established the Carl Faubion Memorial Endowment for the NMSU Library in 2007. The endowment was established in memory of the late Carl Faubion, Mesilla Valley farmer and former NMSU regent.
For more information, please contact the NMSU Library Administration at (575) 646-1508.
-30-
Library Announces 2011 Materials Reduction Project
Date: April 14, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
Due to statewide budgetary shortfalls, the NMSU Library is challenged with taking a 27% cut to its materials budget. The
Library asks for the help of the university community in making these difficult decisions.
The Library has compiled a list of titles to cancel based on the following criteria:
- High cost-low use
- Low cost-low to no use
- Full text availability in our full text databases
- Consultation with departments re: less useful titles
- Dramatic cost increases over time
For print titles, the Library did not have usage data so it based its cancellation decisions on perceived importance of the title to the academic program or department.
A link to the preliminary cancellation list is available on the bottom of the 2011 Library Materials Reduction Project libguide at http://nmsu.libguides.com/content.php?pid=67080&sid=819051. The Library asks you to review these titles, and if you have questions or concerns, contact your department’s subject specialist at http://lib.nmsu.edu/depts/collserv/sel-liai.shtml or the Library’s Collection Development Coordinator Susan Beck.
The deadline for comment is noon, Monday, April 26, 2010.
We ask that departments not request swapping a to-be-cancelled title with a newly suggested added title. Unfortunately we are not in the position to add new serials titles with this project. On the contrary, we need to find over a half a million dollars in savings so we can preserve the collections that we do have.
If individuals or departments wish the Library to retain a specific title, we ask that they find an alternative title of equal value from their department’s list and to inform their department’s subject specialist or Susan Beck about the need to retain that title. In any case, we will need to learn about why the journal is important and specifically why it needs to be retained. We will add all title challenges to a list for further consideration and post all title challenges on the libguide. If our budget picture changes, we will be able to act quickly.
For more information, please contact the Library’s Collection Development Coordinator Susan Beck at (575) 646-6171 or
susabeck@nmsu.edu.
-30-
Take the April 14 Library Snapshot Day survey!
Click on the link below to take the survey.
Snapshot Day @ my Library
Library Forums on Materials Budget Reductions Announced
Date: April 8, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
The NMSU Library will host several forums for the university community during the week of April 12. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss the Library’s materials budget reductions.
The Library needs to cut its materials budget by 27% or $575,000, due to a consistently flat budget, a reduction from 5% to 2.5% of research overhead monies and a decrease in General Obligation Bonds to purchase library materials. Most of the cuts will be taken in the Library’s journal subscriptions, the costs of which increase an average of 8% annually.
Forums will be held on Wednesday, April 14, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. in Thomas and Brown Hall, Room 104, and on Thursday, April 15, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in O’Donnell Hall, Room 241. On Friday, April 16, forums will be held from 11-12 p.m. in Jett Hall, Room 205, and from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in Jacobs Hall, Room 129.
The forums will be conducted by the Library’s Collection Development Coordinator Susan Beck. For more information, please contact Beck at (575) 646-6171 or email susabeck@nmsu.edu.
-30-
New Mexico Library Snapshot Day to Capture Library Impact on Community
Date: April 5, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
On Wednesday, April 14, 2010, libraries all over New Mexico will be taking a one day “snapshot,” collecting information to capture the impact that New Mexico libraries have on their communities on a typical day. It’s being called “New Mexico Library Snapshot Day.”
New Mexico Library Snapshot Day is a joint project between the New Mexico State Library and the New Mexico Library Association to capture a slice of life of New Mexico’s libraries and get the word out to policymakers on the importance of libraries.
Library users will be given an opportunity to comment in person on how their library has made a difference in their lives. Their comments as well as photos from libraries all over the state will be used for library advocacy activities. Comments are also being collected online by the New Mexico State University Library on its Web page at http://lib.nmsu.edu.
Libraries will also contribute their use statistics such as library attendance, information and reference use, checkouts and web page hits. All across the state, New Mexico’s libraries are busier than ever. They are cornerstones of their communities, places where people come together to learn and share ideas.
Snapshot Day is a national as well as statewide advocacy project, and it has already taken place in New Jersey, Maine, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Many other states are expected to participate during April.
Visit your local library on April 14 and become a part of history on New Mexico Library Snapshot Day 2010.
For more information, contact Jeanette Smith at the NMSU Library at (575) 646-7492.
-30-
Library Programs to Celebrate El Dia de los Ninos
Date: March 30, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
The New Mexico State University Library will present two programs on Saturday, May 1, in celebration of El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day). Both events feature children’s author Xavier Garza. The programs are free and open to the public.
Garza has written and illustrated several bilingual children’s books including Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask, Charro Claus and the Tejas Kid and Zulema and the Witch Owl.
Garza will read from his books to a young audience at the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library at 10 a.m. Children from ages 7 to 12 will love Garza’s strong and colorful characters and bold illustrations. The first seventy-five children in attendance will receive one of his books, courtesy of the NMSU Library faculty and staff. This program is co-sponsored by the NMSU Library and Branigan Library.
A program geared to college students and adults will be presented at NMSU’s Zuhl Library at 2 p.m. in Room 225. Garza will share insights into the world of book publishing for the aspiring author or illustrator. He will be available to sign books after the program.
-30-