Your Library@CSU

National Toy Hall of Fame - Class of 2009

2009-11-12T10:16:00.004+11:00

The National Toy Hall of Fame, housed at the Strong National Museum of Play, New York recognises toys that have inspired creative play and innovation over a sustained period. The prestigious hall annually inducts and showcases new and historic versions of classic toys beloved by generations.

41 toys belong in the Hall of Fame, with a further 3 being inducted in 2009.

1 - Big Wheel
Launched in 1969, the Big Wheel's low-slung design offered a trike that handled like a race car, and looked like a Harley. The first kind of 'muscle-trike', the Big Wheel remained Louis Marx & Co.'s biggest seller for a decade.

2 - Nintendo Game Boy
The machine that popularised hand-held gaming, the Game Boy took over schools, buses and rear seats of cars all over the world. In it's 20 year history, the Game Boy line has spawned 7 variations, and has sold over 200 million units around the globe.

3 - Ball
Kick it. Roll it. Throw it. Catch it. Bat it. Bounce it. The Ball can do it all! Truly a toy for all ages. With roots in ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman history, as well as being the focal point of many modern sports, the ball has lasted the test of time.

Library Systems Downtime

2009-11-11T12:33:00.006+11:00

Due to the ongoing problems that the CSU Library Catalogue has been experiencing, urgent maintenance will be carried out this week.

As a consequence, the Library Catalogue and associated services will be unavailable from 8.00pm Thursday 12 November to 8.00am Friday 13 November (AEDT).

The services that will not be available during this time are:

Catalogue
SmartSearch
InfoSkills@CSU
SFX
eJournals
CRO

The Library staff and our system partner UNILINC apologise for the inconvenience this will cause.

Please consider the following methods of locating information.

Journal Databases can still be searched individually, however the SFX links between databases will not be working.

eBook Collections other than James Bennett can be searched individually. Try a keyword search in EBL for material, or use some of the more subject specific collections.

Libraries Australia will allow you to search for material held in the CSU Libraries.

Use the in the Advanced Search tab, choose ‘Library Symbol’ as a search option and enter NCSU?. The ‘?’ is required in order to include all CSU campus libraries in your search.

You can then submit requests for books held by the CSU library using the Ask a Question web form.

GoogleScholar will indicate whether the full text of articles might be freely accessible by a green arrow, however the csu.edu.au SFX links will not be active.

GoogleBooks can provide previews of many current, scholarly works.

Thank you for your understanding and patience in this matter.

Mainstream Press, Social Media and The Berlin Wall

2009-11-10T09:50:00.012+11:00

20 years ago on November 9, the Berlin Wall came crashing down, taking with it the communist regimes that haunted Eastern Europe during the 20th century. World leaders are gathering in Germany’s capital to commemorate the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War.
Various social media services are commemorating the historic occasion in their own unique way. Of course, when the Berlin Wall fell two decades ago, television was the dominant medium with all the networks broadcasting using The Wall as a backdrop.
Twitter: The Berlin based organization the Kulturprojekte has created The Berlin Twitter Wall. Users use the hashtag #FOTW (Fall Of The Wall) to leave their thoughts about the fall of the Berlin Wall in 140 characters. What is fascinating is the number of posts in Chinese. The China Digital News translated these posts, many of which spoke about the Great Chinese Firewall - referring of course to restrictions placed on people trying to use interenet sites such as Twitter. Here is a sample as translated by the China Digital News
Youtube: The online video site has launched a channel to commemorate the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Youtube wants users to answer the question How is Freedom of Expression online important to you? Check out some a sampling of the videos on this page inlcuding one from Jimmy Wales the founder of Wikipedia. Also check out CitizenTube. In fact, Youtube is a great source of material on all things related to The Berlin Wall.

Facebook: There are a number of groups dedicated to The Berlin Wall on Facebook some serious, some in "fun", some fascinating - none seem to have any serious traction. One page worth visiting is : The Fall of the Berlin Wall

Interestingly, mainstream press have left their historical mediums behind, favouring online coverage. The Guardian has put up some impressive films online in which Berliners describe how the city was divided. Readers of The New York Times have submitted photos and memories of the wall before and after its fall. The BBC have created an interactive map showing where pieces of the wall are now in the world. They are asking readers to let them know if they have a piece of the wall so that they can be added to the map.

Your friendly Mobrarians: Katie

2009-11-03T09:00:00.001+11:00

Movember is an annual, month-long celebration of the moustache, highlighting men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer and depression in men.

Your friendly CSU Mobrarians are joining the cause, and will down their razors for the month of November, and will hopefully cover their top lip with a glorious moustache come November 30.

Today we're introducing Katie, she's a Mo-Sista. She loves a man with a mo, and she's not afraid to tell the world!

Name: Katie Hannan
Position: Faculty Liaison Librarian @ Wagga Campus
Favorite Celebrity Mo: Johnny Depp
Best novelty use of a Mo: Moustaches on pencils that you can hold up to your face
When my Mo grows up, it's going to be...: a Butterfly

Help your CSU Mobrarians (and Mo-Sista's) raise awareness for men's health issues by donating money to the team, or join the fun, and grow your own!

Library Catalogue Downtime

2009-11-02T15:03:00.001+11:00

The CSU catalogue is currently experiencing difficulties. Every effort is being made to resolve the issue. We apologise for any inconvenience. Journal Databases can still be accessed from the Journal Databases pages and eBooks can be accessed through the eBooks pages.

Your friendly Mobrarians

2009-11-02T13:50:00.004+11:00

Movember is an annual, month-long celebration of the moustache, highlighting men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer and depression in men.

Your friendly CSU Mobrarians are joining the cause, and will down their razors for the month of November, and will hopefully cover their top lip with a glorious moustache come November 30.

Each day this week, YourLibrary@CSU will profile our Mobrarians, starting with Brett.

Name: Brett Masters
Position: Library Officer @ Bathurst Campus
Favourite Celebrity Mo: Hulk Hogan, brother!
Best novelty use of a Mo: Mo's can be a great place to store food, if you're saving it for later!
When my Mo grows up, it's going to be...: a great companion to my Amish beard.

Help your CSU Mobrarians raise awareness for men's health issues by donating money to the team, or join the fun, and grow your own!

Highlights of New Books and E-Resources This Week

2009-10-29T09:26:00.015+11:00

BOOKS:

SPSS Statistics for Social Scientists - The most widely used data analysis package in the social sciences. Check Availability
The March of Patriots : The Struggle for Modern Australia -Looks at the creation of a modern Australia during the 1991–2007 era of Paul Keating and John Howard. Check Availability
The Water Dreamers - The Remarkable History of Our Dry Continent - Tells the story of the settlement of Australia and how our culture has been shaped by the scarcity of water. Check Availability
Youth & Crime - The most comprehensive and authoritative overview of youth and crime available. Check Availability
Thinking Strategies for Science, Grades 5-12 - 'A blueprint for science lessons that develop students' higher-level thinking skills!' Check Availability
Imaging of Osteoarthritis - Current standards for imaging covered and also newer techniques under development. Check Availability
Mental Health Nursing - A leading resource in the field of mental health nursing. Check Availability
The Social Context of Birth - Particularly helpful to nurses studying and working in the neonatal area. Check Availability
Cinema in the Digital Age - Examines the fate of cinema in this new era. Check Availability
The Lieutenant - A remarkable story about the poignancy of a friendship that defies linguistic and cultural barriers, and shows one man that he is capable of exceptional courage. Check Availability

E-RESOURCES:

Behavior Analysis for Effective Teaching - Provides teachers and other human service professionals specific tools they can use to teach more effectively Check Availability
Countdown to Poetry Writing - Step by step approach to writing techniques for 7-12 years - Check Availability
Dairy Shed Water : how much do you use? - A comprehensive guide to calculating water use in the dairy shed. Check Availability
Health Promotion for Nurses - Theory and practice - Check Availability
Project Management Accounting - Budgeting, tracking, and reporting costs and profitability. Check Availability
Recognising & treating skin conditions - How to recognise and treat scabies, skin sores, tinea and other skin conditions in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Check Availability
United Nations Criminal Justice Standards for United Nations Police - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Check Availability

The complete list of new titles added to the collection this week is here.

Listening to Students' and Educators' Voices

2009-10-28T14:04:00.008+11:00

This research from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations discusses the views and experiences of students and early career teachers and the use of technology in Australian education. (Text adapted from AustralianPolicyOnline) Read the full report here

Sweden makes research free

2009-10-28T10:56:00.006+11:00

In a trail-blazing move, the Swedish Research Council has made it mandatory for researchers to publish their materials so that it is freely available to the public.

"We consider that publication of research which has been paid for out of public funds should be made freely accessible to all" says Professor Pär Omling, Director General of the Research Council. Open Access is an important condition if research results are to be disseminated for the benefit of society.

What this amounts to, is that from 2010, researchers will not get funded unless their work is published open access within six months of the publication. This applies to all academic articles and conference reports, but not monographs or chapters in books.

So what do you think? Is this a good idea? Should Australian researchers publish in open access journals? Vote below and leave us a comment.

http://www.pollmonkey.com/p.asp?U=354762720

Eat Green - Save the World

2009-10-27T15:10:00.004+11:00

Climate change advocate, and leading British academic Lord Stern, believes that people must turn to vegetarianism in an effort to conquer global warming.

Direct emissions of methane from cows and pigs is a significant source of greenhouse gases. Methane is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a global warming gas.

UN figures suggest that meat production is responsible for about 18 per cent of global carbon emissions, including the destruction of forest land for cattle ranching and the production of animal feeds such as soy.

Lord Stern believes that public attitude will evolve until meat-eating is unacceptable, saying "I am 61 now and attitudes towards drinking and driving have changed radically since I was a student. People change their notion of what is responsible. They will increasingly ask about the carbon content of their food"

Read the full article at The Times Online.

Do Schools Kill Creativity?

2009-10-26T13:33:00.002+11:00

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

What do you think?

Crafts of Contrast Exhibition

2009-10-23T15:21:00.002+11:00

The Crafts of Contrast Exhibtion is currently showing in the Foyer of the Wagga campus library.
The two artists behind the exhibtion are: Bachelor of Fine Arts student Melanie Evans and Masters of Jewellery student Wayne Simon.
Melanie's black and white photographs are based on a brief for a photography class - the day you were born. Titled My Heritage, the photos represent her cultural roots. White areas represent hospital, family and culture while a woven mat is used to represent land, which for Melanie is the Northern Territory. A grinding stone symbolises her mother and the boomerang her father with a quandong seed representing herself.
Wayne's stunning jewellery is created using the ancient art of "Mokume Gane" a 300 year old Japanese metal-fusing technique. Wayne has also displayed the hand made tools he used to create the amazing jewellery.
The exhibition was officially opened by Ray Eldridge, Manager, Indigenous Student Services and a Welcome to Country delivered by Aunty Sandy Warren.
Library staff members Jane Heazlewood and Tanya Trebilcock have worked closely with Indigenous services staff to bring this exhibition into the library and it is sure to inspire those who are lucky enough to view it.
Photos from the opening are below.

Disney Touts a Way to Ditch the DVD

2009-10-23T12:04:00.008+11:00

Walt Disney Co. is close to unveiling technology, code-named Keychest, which would allow consumers to pay a single price for permanent access to a movie or TV show across multiple digital platforms and devices—from the Web, to mobile gadgets like iPhones and cable services that allow on-demand viewing. It could also facilitate other services such as online movie subscriptions.

Keychest uses the same "cloud computing" logic that underlies Web-based applications, such as Google Docs, permitting users to store files and photographs on remote Internet servers and access them from anywhere, rather than keeping them on their own computers.

With Keychest, when a consumer buys a movie from a participating store, his accounts with other participating services would be updated to show the title as available for viewing. The movies wouldn't be downloaded; rather, they would reside with each particular delivery company, such as the Internet service provider, cable company or phone company.

Read the full article here

Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Re-registration of Providers and Other Measures) Bill 2009

2009-10-23T09:00:00.002+11:00

This report considers the federal government's interim legislative response to recent controversay over international education services in Australia.

In 2009, the closure of several private education providers and allegations of corruption and substandard education services revealed weaknesses in the regulation of training providers in the international education sector and questionable practices by some education and immigration agents. A small number of unscrupulous operators have been able to operate resulting in damage to the reputation of the industry overseas.

The bill is a transitional measure intended to address immediate matters of concern regarding regulation of the industry while longer term issues are considered by the Education Services for Overseas Students Act Review underway. (Text adapted from AustalianPolicyOnline).

Read the full report here

Highlights of New Books and E-Resources this week

2009-10-21T17:00:00.001+11:00

Books:

Managing Information for Research: practical help in researching, writing and designi ng dissertations - Check Availability

Cloud Computing: Web-based applications that change the way you work and collaborate online - Check Availability

Social Work in end-of-life and palliative care - Check Availability

Boys Gone Wild : Fame, Fortune, and Deviance Among Professional Football Players - Examines why some professional football players participate in deviant, and sometimes illegal, behavior while others do not. Check Availability

Creative Thinking and Arts-Based Learning: Preschool Through Fourth Grade - How to integrate children's creativity, play, and the arts into their curriculum in a way that fosters learning and growth. Check Availability

Managing Self Harm : Psychological Perspectives - Explores the meaning and impact of self-harm, and the sense in which it is a language of the body. Check Availability

Hybrid Prints - reveals the secrets of hybrid and combination techniques. Check Availability

Cinema and Technology: Cultures, Theories, Practices - Draws on media and cultural studies, media anthropology, science and technology studies, philosophy and film theory. Check Availability

William Charles Wentworth: Australia's greatest native son - An explorer, a master political manipulator, a barrister, a newspaper proprietor and a physical giant of a man who was afraid of nothing and no one. Check Availability

E-Resources:

Effective Strategies and Interventions for Adolescents in a Child Protection Context: Literature review - Check Availability

Recognising the full costs of university research: Discussion paper - Check Availability

Viral spiral : how the commoners built a digital republic of their own - For anyone seeking to take the full measure of the new digital era. Check Availability

Australian Social Trends

2009-10-20T12:02:00.004+11:00

This issue reveals that extra hours, multiple jobs and weekend work are all cutting into Australian family life. People may also find it hard to balance employment and care while Australia's links to China and India continue to grow through migration, trade and education. (Text adapted from Australian PolicyOnline) Read this Australian Bureau of Statistics report here

A soft touch? Not according to the evidence.

2009-10-20T11:49:00.005+11:00

Is it true that significantly more asylum claims are being made in Australia than in comparable countries? According to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the reverse is true. (Text adapted from AustralianPolicyOnline) Click here to read this APO Inside Story which was written by Peter Browne.

Statistics - Undergraduate Application Offers and Acceptances 2009

2009-10-16T09:38:00.000+11:00

This report from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations draws on the new National Unit Record Data Collection. It contains statistics relating to the number of applicants for undergraduate study at university, the number of offers received and the number of offers accepted.

Read the abstract and download the report here

Longer Loans + More Renewals

2009-10-15T10:54:00.004+11:00

You asked for it, and you've got it! The team at the Library has increased loan periods and the number of renewals.

To see the full details, check out the Information For pages, and get borrowing!

Your Library in your pocket

2009-10-15T10:07:00.005+11:00

While the Library is working hard to make the entire Library Website compatible with mobile devices, there are currently a number of resources already available to use on your handheld devices.

For example, you can search the CSU Library Catalogue through Worldcat's mobile interface. This is available at: http://www.worldcat.org/m/. You can also search Pubmed & Medline databases at http://pubmedhh.nlm.nih.gov/nlm/and http://mdot.nlm.nih.gov/proj/mdot/mdot.php.

A number of eBook collections are also accessible on mobiles, such as:

EBook Library (EBL) - http://blog.eblib.com/?p=125
Safari Books Online - http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://m.safaribooksonline.com/redirect.jsp
Google Books - http://books.google.com/m
NCBI Bookshelf - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query/Books.live/Help/mobile.html
Feedbooks - http://www.feedbooks.com/?format=mobile

If you need help when you're on the run, you can also view the Watch-It tutorials on your mobile through Youtube at http://m.youtube.com/or contact the library using the Live Chat service - http://www.meebo.com/meebomobile/.

CSU Library. It's your library - Anywhere, Anytime!

Library Services for Students on Practicum Placement

2009-10-15T09:35:00.002+11:00

At the Library, we recognise that students on Practicum Placements have special needs. That's why we offer all our regular services, customised for the unique circumstances that Prac students face.

If you're about to go on Prac Placement, be sure to find out exactly how the Library can help you, by viewing our handy Watch-It tutorial, or visiting our Information For... page.

Once you're on Prac, and need to contact the Library, why not try the Live Chat service? No downloads, no hassles. The right answers in real time.

Highlights of New Books and DVD's this week

2009-10-14T22:44:00.001+11:00

BOOKS

Cinema 4D: the artist's project sourcebook - Realise your artistic vision with this treasure chest of instructional projects. Check Availability
Law Enforcement, Communication and Community - Examines ways police and citizens communicate across a range of contexts and problem areas. Check Availability
Encouraging positive behaviour in the early years: a practical guide - Practical strategies, good advice and clear and helpful suggestions. Check Availability
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals - This text will help prepare you to deal with the drugs currently on the market and with the myriad of new drugs that are approved each year. Check Availability
Apley's Concise System of Orthopaedics and Fractures - 'Strongly recommend this book, mainly to primary care physicians and medical students'. Check Availability
Retention and Stability in Orthodontics Check Availability
Marketing Planning and Strategy - Focuses on marketing strategy from the viewpoint of the business unit and clearly distinguishes marketing strategy from marketing management. Check Availability
McCubbin: Last Impressions 1707 - 17 - Featuring some 70 works covering the last decade of Frederick McCubbin's life. Check Availability
Jane Campion - A detailed account of Jane Campion's career as a filmaker. Check Availability
Schumann the Shoeman - For a world where nothing seems to last, here is a tale that will stay with you forever, a story with soul. Check Availability

DVD's

I am Legend - Will Smith. Check Availability
Murder, My Sweet - Originally realeased under the title Farewell, My Lovely. Check Availability
Touch of Evil - Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Marlene Dietrich, Orson Welles. Check Availability

View the complete list of New Titles here

After the perfect storm: Indian students in Australia

2009-10-13T13:57:00.017+11:00

Janaki Bahadur, an Indian-born journalist living in Australia, discusses some aspects of this year’s controversy about the welfare of Indian students in Australia. (Text adapted from AustralianPolicyOnline)
Read the full report here

Library Services for Offshore Students

2009-10-12T10:06:00.003+11:00

Need to contact the Library? For an instant response, use the Live Chat service. Or for a more in-depth answer, use the Ask A Question Web Form, where questions will be answered within 24 hours.

High-quality version of video available.

Highlights of New E-Resources

2009-10-09T09:00:00.001+11:00

Some new electronic books, journals and websites added to the library catalogue this week:

Aggression and crimes against peace - Larry May. Philosophical and legal aspects of war and conflict. Check Availability
Americon icons: the genesis of a national visual language - Benedikt Feldges. Exposes the historicity of icons, to reframe the history of the screen and to dissect the visual core of a medium that is still so poorly understood. Check Availability
Bush: adding sustainability to farm management. Check Availability
Evaluating Information Systems: public and private sector - Zahir Irani / Peter Love. Essential text for students on business information system courses. Check Availability
Health care access for Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders People living in urban areas, and related research issues - M. Scrimgeour. Check Availability
Improving oral health for the elderly: an interdisciplinary approach - Ira b. Lamster [et al..] This book places oral health in the larger context of physical and mental well-being. Check Availability
Library Management Systems Study: a evaluation and horizon scan of the current library management systems and related systems landscape for UK higher education - Joint Information Systems Committee. Check Availability
Meeting the needs of your most able pupils: history - Steven Barnes. For teachers of history working with Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 pupils. Check Availability
Managing Relationships with Industry: A Physicians Compliance Manual - Steven Schachter [et al..]. The first compete and up-to-date summary and analysis of the law and ethics on physician-industry relationships. Check Availability
The makeup artist handbook: techniques for film, TV, photography and theatre - Gretchen Davis. Check Availability

View the complete list of new e-Resources here.