Archives for April 2018

New Databases

The Ross Pendergraft Library is pleased to announce 40 new databases from Gale accessible right now from our list of A-to-Z Databases: http://libguides.atu.edu/az.php

The full list can be seen by visiting our A-to-Z Databases page and scanning all the titles to the right marked “NEW”.

These new databases cover a little bit of everything: business, literature, U.S. history, culinary arts, gardening, criminal justice, and even car maintenance.  While there’s not enough space here to talk about all of them, here’s the highlights for subjects that weren’t previously covered by our older databases:

Chiltonlibrary.com

This database represents the most authoritative automotive repair information available to car owners. If you or someone you know is a gearhead, a Chilton’s manual would have been a required accessory in the garage.  With access to Chiltonlibrary, say goodbye to grease-stained manuals (though, perhaps hello to grease-stained laptops and ipads).  Includes (for some vehicles) labor estimating, maintenance schedules, repair, and recalls.  Some sections include video tutorials. ASE Test prep quizzes are also available.

Diagram of the fuel injection system to a 1972 Ford Pinto

Culinary Arts Collection

Culinary Arts Collection provides access to academic journals and magazines on all aspects of cooking and nutrition. The database includes thousands of searchable recipes, restaurant reviews, and industry information.

Fine Arts and Music Collection

This database provides access to scholarly journals and magazines that support research in areas including drama, music, art history, and film-making. The database emphasizes full-text content for publications included in the Wilson Art Index and RILM bibliography.

Gardening, Landscape and Horticulture Collection

Gardening, Landscape & Horticulture Collection serves horticultural enthusiasts of all levels with more than 3.6 million articles from more than 100 journals, as well as more than 20 reference titles from Delmar, including Handbook of Flowers; Foliage and Creative Design; Computer Graphics for Landscape Architects; and more.

 

A red tulip blooms under the St. Louis Arch under blue skies

Gender Studies Collection

Gender Studies Collection provides balanced coverage of this significant aspect of culture and society. The database offers access to scholarly journals and magazines covering topics including gender studies, family and marital issues, and more.

Student Resources in Context

While primarily geared towards high school students, this resource is rich in curriculum resources for students in secondary education programs. Browse curriculum standards at the state and federal level and find educator resources including lesson plans and worksheets for high school students conducting research and writing papers.

A screenshot of a list of student resources in Context Teacher resources

This list makes up only a small fraction of the resources and databases now available online at our website.  For more information on these databases and how to search them to find what you need, ask us!  Keep checking us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates as we continue to bulk up our collections and services.

 

 

Redgunk Tales this Monday, April 9th

Cover of book entitled "RedGunk Tales : Apocalypse and Kudzu from Redgunk, MississippiJoin us on Monday, April 9th in RPL 300B at 7:00 P.M. for a presentation from Dr. Bill Eakin, professor of philosophy and German from the University of the Ozarks, on his book entitled, Redgunk Tales : Apocalypse and Kudzu from Redgunk, Mississippi.  Dr. Eakins will discuss his book as well as tips for publishing short stories.

Redgunk Tales features 13 interwoven stories set in the fictional town of Redgunk, Mississippi, where “the predictable lives of the smothering backwater’s residents are touched by shadowy supernatural events” (Publisher’s Weekly).

Critics have said Dr. Eakin’s stories are like “Thomas Wolfe on acid and James Joyce on moonshine,” and “simultaneously a place of prosaic horror and absolute beauty.”  His most recent literary work has been labeled “a stunning masterpiece” by Andre Dubus, III (House of Sand and Fog).

Dr. Eakins currently lives in Arkansas on a cliff above Piney Bay outside of Russellville. Over one hundred of his short works have appeared in most of the big genre zines, as well as in numerous literary journals.  Many of his stories were recommended by Science Fiction Writers of America for the Nebula Award, and have been reprinted in five book collections, which can be found on Amazon.

Monday’s lecture is part of an ongoing local author series presented by the Ross Pendergraft Library every second Monday of each month.  For more information about this event or the series, contact Luke Heffley at lheffley@atu.edu.

Jonestown Survivor to Speak April 5th

"Don't Drink the Kool Aid : Advice from a Jonesown Survivor" April 5th, 6:00 in RPL 300This Thursday, April 5th, join us for a very special presentation from a survivor of the Jonestown massacre, Laura Johnston.  Her lecture, “Don’t Drink the Kool Aid: Advice from a Jonestown Survivor” will take place in RPL 300.  A reception will be held at 5:30, with the talk scheduled to begin at 6:00 P.M.  She will also sign copies of her book, Jonestown Survivor: An Insider’s Look, following the presentation.

Admission is free and open to the public.  The event is hosted by the ATU Department of Behavioral Sciences, the ATU Department of History and Political Science, and the ATU College of Arts and Humanities.

Kohl was one of 87 members of the Peoples Temple who survived the Jonestown massacre in Guyana on Nov. 18, 1978.  A total of 918 individuals perished in what was the single largest loss of American civilian life by a deliberate act until Sept. 11, 2001.

“I was a member of Peoples Temple for seven years in California before moving to Guyana,” writes Kohl in her bio. “I lived in Georgetown and Jonestown, Guyana, for another nearly two years.  I happened to be in Georgetown with about 80 other survivors when my wonderful friends and adopted family were murdered in Jonestown.  It took me 20 years to accept my survival and rebuild my life.”

Now a bilingual middle school teacher in California, Kohl’s speaking engagements focus on such topics as surviving tragedy, survivors’ guilt, sociology, political science, psychology and the red flags associated with cult dynamics.

Want to learn more about Jonestown before the lecture? The Ross Pendergraft Library had additional resources on this historical tragedy:

For more information about Kohl’s appearance at Arkansas Tech, contact Dr. Joshua Lockyer, associate professor of anthropology, at jlockyer@atu.edu.