Mann Library Video Podcasts

Interspecific Competition in Birds

Tue, 08 May 2012 16:22:36 +0000

Three main types of biotic interactions between individuals of different species exist in nature: competition, predation, and mutualism. All three exert powerful selection pressures, and all three shape communities. However, the true importance of interspecific competition in nature remains a controversial and unresolved question. For a Chats in the Stacks book talk at Mann Library on April 26, 2012, Dr. André Dhondt, the Edwin H.

Accumulating Insecurity

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:06:51 +0000

Security is often sought through armaments and containment, which can lead to the impoverishment rather than the nourishment of laboring bodies.

Food Policy for Developing Countries

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:00:37 +0000

Nearly a billion people around the world still suffer from hunger and poor nutrition while a billion are overweight or obese. This imbalance highlights the need not only to focus on food production but also to implement successful food policies. In a Chats in the Stacks book talk at Mann Library in March 2012, Cornell University economist Per Pinstrup-Andersen discusses his new book, coauthored with economist Derrill Watson II of the American University of Nigeria.

The Adolescent Brain

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:14:36 +0000

In the second decade of life, young adults have endless choices, but the decisions they make depend on developing the power of the human brain to learn and reason. In a Chats in the Stacks book talk at Mann Library, Cornell professor of human development and psychology Dr. Valerie Reyna introduces her new book, “The Adolescent Brain: Learning, Reasoning, and Decision Making” published by the American Psychological Association in 2012.

Cultivating the Country's Best Crop

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:04:07 +0000

In a talk at Mann Library presented on November 14, 2011, Amrys Williams, the 2011 Recipient of the History of Home Economics Fellowship Award at the Cornell College of Human Ecology, provides a look at the history of 4-H clubs and their relationship to the developing ideas about rural culture, community and modernity in 20th century U.S. 4-H clubs—the youth phase of agricultural and home economics extension work—were central to the USDA’s program for rural modernization in the early decades of the 20th century. Cultivating “the country’s best crop,” as these young people

Craving Earth

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:18:15 +0000

In a Chats in the Stacks book talk at Mann Library, nutritional scientist Sera Young presents her new book, "Craving Earth." Pica--the urge to eat clay, starch, ice and chalk--has been a phenomenon among humans, particularly women, for a very long time. Dr. Young’s study seeks to answer why some people engage in this curious behavior , also shedding light on the properties that the non-food substances associated with pica possess.

The Oxford Handbook of the Social Science of Obesity

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:42:24 +0000

The need to better understand the causes and consequences of obesity, and how to prevent and treat it, has become urgent worldwide. In a Chats in the Stacks book talk at Mann Library, John Cawley discusses his new book, The Social Science of Obesity, highlighting insights from the specific approaches that each social science discipline uses to model human behavior, including diet and physical activity.

The Road to Renewal

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:18:11 +0000

Despite record levels of government spending, America's transportation system is plagued by traffic congestion, decaying infrastructure, and politicization of transportation funding—leading to calamities such as the 2007 collapse an interstate highway bridge over the Mississippi River and political fiascos such as Alaska's infamous "Bridge to Nowhere." In his new book, The Road to Renewal, Cornell professor of policy analysis and management Rick Geddes surveys the current state of U.S.

The Complete Book of Potatoes

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:20:27 +0000

Whether as food, beverage ingredient, or even a component of biodegradable cutlery, potatoes are leading food crop in world agriculture and have had profound impact on many societies throughout human history.

Public Garden Management

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:38:46 +0000

Public gardens are in the forefront of organizations committed to promoting the conservation of plants and their habitats, developing sustainable environmental management practices, and providing green spaces where urban residents can reconnect with the natural world. In a Chats in the Stacks book talk presented at Mann Library on September 15, 2011, Donald Rakow, the Elizabeth Newman Wilds Director of Cornell Plantations and Director of the Cornell Graduate Program in Public Garden Leadership, talks about his latest book, Public Garden Management, co-authore

Fly-Fishing in the Finger Lakes

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 12:23:52 +0000

In a reunion talk at Mann Library in June 2011, angling master Michael Lenetsky of the Leon Chandler Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Ithaca, NY introduces the year-round fishing opportunities in the Finger Lakes region for fly fishing enthusiasts of all levels.

The CIARD Initiative

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:19:49 +0000

In a presentation given at Mann Library in May 2011, FAO’s Dr. Johannes Keizer reviews some of the work of the Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development (CIARD) initiative to make agricultural research information publicly available and accessible to all. This includes collaborating with numerous international organizations to make distributed data and information repositories interoperable.

Consuming Mexican Labor

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:42:15 +0000

Mexican migration is a highly contentious issue in the eyes of many North Americans, and every generation seems to construct the northward flow of labor as a brand new social problem. In a Chats in the Stacks book talk at Mann Library, Cornell professor of Latino studies Ronald Mize and Ithaca College professor of sociology Alicia Swords highlight research presented in their new book to explore the social relations that define how corporations, consumers, and states involve Mexican immigrant laborers in the politics of production and consumption.

Emerging Markets

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 02:45:21 +0000

Led by a set of large and dynamic countries—including Brazil, China, India, and Russia—emerging market economies have achieved a dominant economic presence in the world. However, the financial crisis of 2007-09 and the worldwide recession that followed cast a pall over the notion that EMEs had become self-reliant and decoupled from demand conditions in and financial flows from advanced countries.

Democracy and Higher Education

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:50:54 +0000

Of all the issues in need of attention at this moment in the history of American higher education, few are as important as the status and future of its public mission, purposes and work. Scott Peters takes this issue up in his newest book, Democracy and Higher Education, discussed in a Chats in the Stacks book talk at Mann Library on March 31, 2011.

Watchful Weighing

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:51:37 +0000

Not long after the turn of the century, home economists, physicians, and public health workers made the height-weight chart into a household term. Historian Rachel Moran examines the spread of tables in schools, agricultural extension programs, and home economics curriculum. By the early 1920s, experts were debating the balance between the benefits and dangers of height-weight charts, and questioning the charts that many of them had helped popularize.

Feed Your Pet Right

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:33:09 +0000

Human nutrition expert and author of the critically acclaimed What to Eat, Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., has joined forces with Cornell animal nutrition expert Malden C. Nesheim to write Feed Your Pet Right, the first complete, research-based guide to selecting the best, most healthful foods for your cat or dog.

Honey Bee Democracy

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:24:02 +0000

In his newest book, professor of neurobiology and behavior Thomas Seeley presents insights offered by years of close observation of how honeybees find new homes. For the honeybee, finding and moving into a new home is a challenge that takes place each year and bears life-or-death consequences for the entire swarm.

Losing Paradise

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:18:22 +0000

Losing Paradise presents case studies from across the Mediterranean region to provide an interdisciplinary framework for understanding problems of diminished and polluted water supplies. Stressing the importance of culture and history in addressing the Mediterranean water crisis, the authors demonstrate the need for an integrated legal, social and scientific management system appropriate to each country’s stage of development and cultural heritage.

Health Care Turning Point

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:11:32 +0000

Employer-based health insurance practiced in the United States today creates insecurity for American workers and saddles American companies with high costs that undermine their competitiveness against international firms. Few would argue the system needs serious reform, yet opinions on appropriate solutions differ widely. In his new book, Health Care Turning Point, health policy expert Roger Battistella of the Dept.

Thinking at Every Desk

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 22:41:13 +0000

Frustrated that their university students arrive unable to think, Dr. Laura Colosi of the College of Human Ecology’s Family Life & Development Center at Cornell University and Dr. Derek Cabrera of the Research Institute for Thinking in Education set out on a journey to change schools by bringing the results of their research into the real world classroom environment. The book "Thinking at Every Desk" is a snapshot of their continued work with educators and schools across America. At a 'Chats in the Stacks' book talk at Mann Library, Drs.

Brushes with Genius

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:06:48 +0000

At a presentation ceremony on August 6, Cornell professor of molecular biology and former Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Susan Henry presented to the Rare and Manuscript Collection of Cornell University Library an ear of corn and accompanying notes from the research lab of famed geneticist and Nobel Laureate Barbara McClintock ’23, M.A. ’25, Ph.D. ’27. Together with Dr. Murphy, a panel of scientists including biology and history of science professor Dr. Will Provine, emeritus professor of plant breeding Dr. Royse Murphy, and visiting professor of plant biology Dr.

A. D. White on Beauty

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:51:07 +0000

Andrew Dickson White believed that the built environment of a university should reflect high standards of beauty and good aesthetics. In this Reunion 2010 lecture at Mann Library, historian Carol Kammen, who has written a number of books on Cornell’s history, presents a lecture that highlights the vision held by founder White in planning the Cornell University campus.

Out of the Teeming Sea

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:53:58 +0000

Cornell University is one of a handful of academic institutions in the world with an extensive collection of glass invertebrates created by renowned 19th century glass artists Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka (of Harvard Glass Flowers fame). Drew Harvell, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and marine biologist, leads the curation and restoration of this extraordinary collection. In this reunion lecture at Mann Library in June 2010, Dr.

The Finger Lakes Wine Industry Reinvents Itself

Wed, 26 May 2010 16:06:44 +0000

Over 40 varieties of grapes are grown in the 10,000 acres under production in the Finger Lakes. Weaving together biological facts about our grape varieties with the history of the Finger Lakes wine industry, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station horticultural research Tim Martinson, contributing author to Wine Grape Production in Eastern North America (NRAES, 2008), presents a talk that explains why perhaps the world's most diverse collection of wine grapes exists right here in the Finger Lakes.

Dr. Asa Gray and His Finger Lakes Chum

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:26:14 +0000

Historian and physician Dr. Dan Weinstock discusses the correspondence and friendship between pioneering American botanist Asa Gray and his friend, physician and amateur botanical collector Nathan Wright Folwell of Ovid, New York. Presented are highlights from Asa Gray’s training and career and the contributions made to his botanical research through the collecting expeditions undertaken by Dr. Folwell.

American Vernacular

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:00:06 +0000

In their newest book, Herbert Gottfried (Dept. of Landscape Architecture) and Jan Jennings (Dept.

The Homemaker and the Home Economist

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:41:00 +0000

In a talk co-sponsored by Mann Library and the College of Human Ecology, recipient of the 2009 CHE Fellowship in the History of Home Economics Anna Flaming describes how home economists proposed a positive and diverse definition of the American homemaker. Through secondary and collegiate education and organized outreach to homemakers, home economists became important arbiters of American understandings of housewifery. Simultaneously, many home economists worked to defy stereotypes that equated home economics with housewifery and attempted to update the image of the discipline by

Bioelectrochemical Systems

Wed, 26 May 2010 15:09:25 +0000

Professor of biological and environmental engineering Lars Angenent co-edited and contributed to Bioelectrochemical Systems (IWA Publishing, 2010), which puts a spotlight on promising technologies currently taking shape on the clean energy and waste management frontiers. In this Chats in the Stacks book talk at Mann Library, Dr. Angenent explains what a bioelectrochemical system is, gives examples of its useful application, and highlights current research on wastewater-to-product conversion and biosensors being pursued in the Angenent lab.

The Traveling Tulip

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:19:42 +0000

As part of Ithaca’s 2010 Light in Winter festival Chad Miller (PhD candidate, Dept. of Horticulture) presents a lecture on the detailed history of the tulip, from its origin in Asia, to modern cultivation, to its place as a favored bouquet on a festive dinner table.

Health Care Reform

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:14:06 +0000

Health reform remains a work in progress. In a talk co-sponsored by Cornell University's College of Human Ecology and Mann Library on November 30, 2009, faculty members from the Department of Policy Analysis and Management discuss the current debate on health care reform in the U.S.. The discussion provides a comparison of legislative bills passed by the U.S.

Context-Aware Mobile Computing

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:29:46 +0000

Great potential exists for ubiquitous mobile computing to inform and develop the social experiences and relations that play out in community spaces. Yet, the transformative benefits of this technology are often lost because of underlying design that doesn’t account for complex human-technology interactions occurring in context. Professor of communication Dr. Geri Gay highlights results of recent research to reflect on the promise of context-aware mobile technologies for realizing an active rather than passive role for the people who use them.

Plant Cell Biology

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:45:50 +0000

The cell is the basic unit of life--but what constitutes life and what makes it possible? Cornell professor of plant biology Dr. Randy Wayne presents a discussion of an approach to plant cell biology that crosses a rich variety of disciplines in the study of life, presents great moments of discovery in biology, and encourages students to build on this work to embark on their own explorations that will further our understanding of the cellular basis of life.

For the Rock Record

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:00:00 +0000

In conjunction with a Cornell University Library celebration of Darwin’s impact on the life sciences, Cornell geologist Warren Allmon highlights the record of life’s evolving complexity—and the argument for Darwinian evolutionary theory—that is found in the earth’s rocks.

Poetry reading by Frank Robinson and Tom Clausen

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Poets Frank Robinson of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art and Tom Clausen of Mann celebrate National Poetry Month with a reading of haiku, senryu and tanka at Mann Library and commentary touching on the characteristics of each form

Westcott’s Plant Disease Handbook

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Now in its 7th edition, Wescott’s Plant Disease Handbook is known as a must-have resource for academic plant science programs and an indispensable guide for practicing landscape professionals and master gardeners. Dr. Ken Horst highlights the intriguing history of this classic work.

A Growing College, redux:

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:00:00 +0000

In 1969, after 5 years of deliberation and planning, Cornell's College of Home Economics became the College of Human Ecology. Gwen Kay, Associate Professor of History at SUNY Oswego and 2008 recipient of the Cornell CHE Fellowship in the History of Home Economics, examines how and why the new name came into being, and what the hopes were for the new college.

Rural Retirement Migration

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:00:00 +0000

While most people entering retirement are residentially stable, those who do migrate are most likely to move to rural communities. Development sociologists David Brown and Nina Glasgow highlight the challenges and opportunities presented by migration at older ages both for successful aging and for rural community development.

Light & Video Microscopy

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:00:00 +0000

Plant biologist Randy Wayne brings together mathematics, physics, and the history of science to reflect on the foundations of microscopy, the development of modern imaging systems and their practical application in cell biology.

The College on Wheels and Post WWII Extreme Home Makeovers

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:00:00 +0000

Karen Dunn-Haley, 2007 recipient of the College of Human Ecology’s History of Home Economics Fellowship, examines the history of post-War Cornell extension demonstration trains and their impact in bringing principles of modern home design into the everyday life of American households.

Turfwork!

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:00:00 +0000

In telling the story of a group project that transformed a green expanse of Cornell's farm research fields into a living work of art, artist and horticulture extension associate Marcia Eames-Sheavly and recent Cornell graduates Sven Kalim and Flisa Stevenson share thoughts on drawing from a diversity of strengths and perspectives for a large scale, collaborative project

Saving Forests, Protecting People?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:00:00 +0000

Calls to conserve rapidly disappearing forest lands around the world have been urgent over recent decades, but official programs for forest conservation have been unevenly successful. Citing a comparative study of forest conservation areas in Costa Rica and Honduras, professor of development sociology Max Pfeffer looks at key factors behind these mixed results.

Poetry reading by Frank Robinson

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:00:00 +0000

In celebration of National Poetry Month at Mann Library, poet and director of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum Frank Robinson reads haiku poetry written through different years and stages of life.

The Audubon Society Guide for Attracting Birds

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:00:00 +0000

Stephen Kress of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology presents tips and how-to guidance for nurturing native plant communities to create thriving, beautiful natural landscapes filled with color and bird song the whole year through.

The Cornell eClips Collection

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:00:00 +0000

Harnessing powerful communication tools of the iPod and YouTube era, the Cornell eClips collection offers a large collection of video clips and podcasts documenting interviews with leaders in business, government and nonprofits. Professor of applied economics and management Deborah Streeter discusses the success of this program in bringing the authentic voices of entrepreneurship into the classroom.

Child Language

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:00:00 +0000

How do humans learn languages? Why do we learn them at all? Human development scholar Barbara Lust presents highlights from her new book exploring human language development, noting recent discoveries about child language acquisition from the fields of linguistics, developmental psychology and cognitive science.

Contributions to the History of Herpetology

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:00:00 +0000

Professor of neurbiology and behavior Kraig Adler presents some highlights from his 2007 book to describe the lives of key figures in the history of the study of herpetology, the socio-cultural contexts of their work, and the central role played in herpetology’s history by faculty and students who've taught and studied at Cornell.

"To Make More Useful"

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 21:00:00 +0000

Architectural historian Mary Anne Beecher explores the historic development and design implications of storage elements in the 19th and 20th century American home, reflecting on the influence that American home economics education had on the evolution of modern American storage design.

Wired Shut

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 21:00:00 +0000

Communication professor Tarleton Gillespie takes a closer look behind the battle smoke of current disputes over copyright to suggest some sobering trends. The shift to “technical copy protection” being promoted by commercial interests and lawmakers coincides with a growing commercialization of culture and points to a profound loss in the democratic potential of a network society.

Poetry Reading by Fred Muratori

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 21:00:00 +0000

Cornell librarian and poet Fred Muratori reads poetry selections that have appeared diverse journals and other published anthologies and in his poetry collections "The Possible" and "Despite Repeated Warnings."

Engaging Campus and Community

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 21:00:00 +0000

Education professor Scott Peters describes promising academic-external partner collaborations addressing problems of agricultural, environmental and community sustainability at six different institutions in the national state and land-grant university system.

Forsaken Females

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:00:00 +0000

In a book talk timed to commemorate International Women’s Day, professor of policy analysis and management Andrea Parrot and health educator Nina Cummings explore the diverse ideologies and cultural conditions that promote violence against women. Their book offers compelling stories that women themselves share about the physical, emotional and economic impact of their victimization.

Pleasure and Comfort

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 21:00:00 +0000

Professor Jordan Le Bel of Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration explores the history of chocolate consumption from the Olmec Indians of Mexico to the current frenzy for all things chocolaty.

Mindless Eating

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 21:00:00 +0000

Reporting on the results of his widely acclaimed recent research, economist Brian Wansink explores the effects of different marketing "tricks" on the volume of food people consume.

The Science of False Memory

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 21:00:00 +0000

Charles Brainerd and Valerie Reyna of Cornell’s Dept. of Human Development review a comprehensive trove of studies in cognitive science to highlight what is currently known about why people can remember things differently from what really took place and why some people have vivid memories of things that never took place at all.

Forest Farming

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 21:00:00 +0000

Forest farming is the sustained cultivation and harvest of fruits, mushrooms, nuts and plant medicinals under a thriving tree canopy. In a special lecture at Mann Library, horticulture professor Ken Mudge reflects on the promise of forest farming for the northeastern United States.

First-Person Cornell

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 21:00:00 +0000

Historian Carol Kammen and a team of graduates from her Knight Wrighting Seminar at Cornell bring 150 years of diverse Cornell student experiences to life, reading from student letters and diary entries of the past as well as email and blog postings of today.

Salamander Crossing

Fri, 09 Jun 2006 21:00:00 +0000

Kraig Adler of Cornell's Dept. of Neurobiology and Behavior highlights current efforts to preserve the Ringwood area amphibian population and discusses the problem of dwindling amphibian populations in global perspective.

Poetry Reading by Route 9 Haiku Group

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 21:00:00 +0000

Poets Yu Chang, Tom Clausen, John Stevenson, and Hilary Tann of the Route 9 Haiku Group set the stage for celebrating National Poetry Month at Mann Library, reading haiku and related poetic forms and sharing reflections on creating poetry and friendship.

Cheap & Tasteful Dwellings

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 21:00:00 +0000

In her 2005 book, Jan Jennings describes a series house design competitions for architects in the 1879 to 1909 period, noting the insight they offer on the development of architectural history and practice in the U.S

Food Aid After Fifty Years

Tue, 07 Feb 2006 21:00:00 +0000

Drawing from his acclaimed 2005 book, Chris Barrett reflects on the real impact of US food aid practices in Africa and other countries and argues for simple changes that could make American food aid relief far more effective than it is.

The Grail Bird

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 21:00:00 +0000

Tim Gallagher shares some of the excitement caused by the suspected sighting of a bird long thought to be an extinct species in the swamplands of eastern Arkansas.